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RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

DrDemento said:
One of a coaches main jobs is to recruit the best talent available to him and I think on that score SA does a very good job and works tirelessly at it. A second job, and no less important, is to evaluate that talent and mesh the various aspects into a team that can play well together. The beauty of hockey is that it is a team sport-with everyone having to fit together and contribute. No one, expect the goalie, gets to stay on the ice an entire game. The third thing a coach should do(and this is just my opinion as usual) is create a system to take advantage of the talents he has brought into the program. If you recruit fast small forwards, then create offense tactics to utilize that to best advantage. If you recruit big power forwards, create the scheme that works best for them. Find the defensive pairings that work best together whether it be defensive defense pairings, or offensive defensemen joining the play. But the key is you adapt YOUR SYSTEM that you use to the talents you have on your bench. You cannot and do not change 20 year old hockey players and expect them to fit YOUR system that you feel they should play. These boys have been playing this game for a long time, they are not some 15 year old high schoolers. They have played hundreds or thousands of games and for the most part, what they have at that age, is what you got. And you often have to remember, most of these forwards and defensemen are playing positions that you yourself either never played, or are certainly not as talented playing as they are.
I think it is a bit absurd to keep trying to play a system that the players you have brought in, not only do not buy into, but for the most part cannot buy into since it is a style of game they just cannot play. With rare exceptions, as has been pointed out, we bring in some stellar boys who seem to have so much potential. But each year they just do not progress and often regress. If this happens one year or two years, then i would give it some time. But after 9 years, no one can possibly explain to me how all these years of recruits can be at fault. it has to be the system they are being forced to play. The fundamentals of which are an abomination-I cannot believe someone in this group cannot consistently win face offs, or clear the defensive zone, or work together on a power play with constant movement and motion instead of throwing the puck backwards to the point.
For years, the leading shot takers on our teams have been defensemen. Is the system being played encouraging this? Why do we not have forwards taking more of the shots. Why do we have one of the worst special teams every year? Why are our line changes on the fly so often timed so badly. How often have we been given an odd man rush(or it seems like one) only to dump the puck in and take a line change?
I know this is a long rant but my simple thought is instead of trying to have all these players alter their style of play(which is why they were recruited in the first place), why is the system not constantly changed to fit the talents of the players. I am so tired of hearing that we need to play our game, we need to buy into the system and we keep losing the one on one battles. Hockey is a team battling out there, and although there are instances of one on one battles, it is not a one on one sport. I have followed this team for more years than I want to count and have seen so many teams that we play every year and the successful ones adapt their style to what they have. We used to do that. Say what you will about past coaches but they took what they had and tried to utilize it the best they could. It seems now that we take the players and force them to play a robotic predetermined style. And god help a player who doesn't do it. They are either sat down, or given less ice time, or demoted to a fourth line, or worse-they leave.
I will not ever give up my support for the boys who play for RPI. But I can no longer sit back and watch this without saying what has been obvious to me for many years now. Glad i can get this off my chest-we have a great group of kids and we have had great groups every year. We also have a great group of posters here who feel as i do but are just not given to this kind of explosive outburst.
OK-now that i got that out-go RED and sweep Brown and Yale so I can begin to sleep nights better.
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You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to DrDemento again.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

Jasma said:
The next AD will likely have more autonomy and I don't believe he will allow this to continue. He would not allow the UAlbany signature sports of football, hoops and lax to wallow like RPI hockey has these past several years. Whether this program needs more money, a little help from admissions or a change in the coaching staff I think he will get it done. If Dr. Jackson really cares about having a competitive program, that is.
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When I suggested "a little help from admissions" and, that accountability for the program started at the tippy-top (Shirley), I was hooted at. I'm glad you were not. EVERYTHING has to improve, at EVERY level for this program to get back on track. This includes coaching, recruiting AND player improvements (winning one-on-one puck battles, defending your blue line instead of 5 feet inside your blue line, not taking bonehead penalties and winning a freakin' faceoff once in a while).Strip away the layers of FORM (branding, promotions director, hockey operations assistant, skybox for schmoozin') and give me some SUBSTANCE. If Union can do it in that horrible high school rink of theirs, why can't RPI ?
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

uncledave said:
When I suggested "a little help from admissions" and, that accountability for the program started at the tippy-top (Shirley), I was hooted at. I'm glad you were not. EVERYTHING has to improve, at EVERY level for this program to get back on track. This includes coaching, recruiting AND player improvements (winning one-on-one puck battles, defending your blue line instead of 5 feet inside your blue line, not taking bonehead penalties and winning a freakin' faceoff once in a while).Strip away the layers of FORM (branding, promotions director, hockey operations assistant, skybox for schmoozin') and give me some SUBSTANCE. If Union can do it in that horrible high school rink of theirs, why can't RPI ?
Click to expand...

It'd make more sense for the AD (whom I assume to be the direct report) to be the one involved at first. If the problem persists, THEN you go up the food chain. The reason for this is because SAJ, as much as we gripe about her, does not have her focus on the day-to-day operations of the hockey program, or heck, even any of the specific academic departments. That's what deans and directors are for. That's going to happen with any entity that is of any substantial size. Sure, it's easy to have one fall person, but how much can they really be involved?

Remember that branding and promotions nets you more ticket sales, which doesn't even go to the administration's budget, but rather the Student Union budget. Remember that the only things the administration is responsible for, from a financial perspective, are coaches' salaries, administrative (e.g. AD, operations) salaries, scholarships, and some facilities depending on if they have bought HFH back from auxiliary services, but the training facility is definitely the admin's. You aren't going to get much argument on the throne, unless it can be rented during games that the queen isn't using.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

FWIW, I read in the alumni reports that our allotment of tickets for the Cornell game (at least through Stu's alumni event) has been sold out.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

According to Sully's twitter, Kasdorf has been traded to the Sabres (although is still with RPI). :D:D:D
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

jeez, the Sabres really want to tank this year...maybe next. Kasdorf's opportunities just got better looking...
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

Pretty cool Kasdorf will be in your backyard regardless now. Hopefully he can make it up to the big club someday!
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

MavHockey14 said:
Pretty cool Kasdorf will be in your backyard regardless now. Hopefully he can make it up to the big club someday!
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Not really that close; Buffalo's clear on the other side state. The AHL team is in Rochester, though, so there's that.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

Do others think that this increases the chance of Kasdorf leaving?
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

Ralph Baer said:
Do others think that this increases the chance of Kasdorf leaving?
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Probably not, seeing as how he probably wouldn't go to the big one immediately, and instead play in the AHL. I'm not all that familiar with the Amerks, only that the last time I saw them play the Crunch, they had Clarkson's old goaltender in net (David Leggio).
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

Ralph Baer said:
Do others think that this increases the chance of Kasdorf leaving?
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FlagDUDE08 said:
Probably not, seeing as how he probably wouldn't go to the big one immediately, and instead play in the AHL. I'm not all that familiar with the Amerks, only that the last time I saw them play the Crunch, they had Clarkson's old goaltender in net (David Leggio).
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He won't have to go through Connor Hellebuyck now. I don't know what Buffalo's goalie depth looks like, but I imagine it's weaker than the Jets'.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

lugnut92 said:
He won't have to go through Connor Hellebuyck now. I don't know what Buffalo's goalie depth looks like, but I imagine it's weaker than the Jets'.
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I'd have to ask my brothers; they probably follow the Sabres closer than I do; I've pretty much limited myself to RPI's scope.
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

It is unfortunate that Kazzy will no longer have the opportunity to play for his hometown Jets (at least not immediately).
 
Re: RPI Hockey 2014-2015 Part II: Dedicated to Rich Curadi

lugnut92 said:
It is unfortunate that Kazzy will no longer have the opportunity to play for his hometown Jets (at least not immediately).
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Perhaps it would be good from the standpoint that he'll be able to actually get a chance at some time, though. I'd give some examples, but this isn't the alumni thread. :p
 
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