Re: UAH Hockey 2016-17
I wonder how your statistical metrics compared to last year and I also wonder what you think of your incoming recruiting class.
Michael covered the statistical progress, and I'd term it "mixed". The big changes from last year were on the PK and in net. None of the three goalies really up and grabbed the mantle of starter — Jordy Uhelski came the closest, starting for much of the season and putting up a 2.78 GAA / .912 SV%, but all three guys saw work down the stretch. Carmine Guerriero never got to the heights of his sophomore campaign, and Matt Larose never kept it tight for more than a half-dozen games. Both of those seniors could play at top-of-WCHA levels, but they sure didn't show it this season.
Recruits:
Joey Baez is perhaps the most interesting — coming in 2019 and already kicking butts of guys a level up from him.
As for next year, you have one goaltender, Mark Sinclair, and one defenseman, Teddy Rotenberger. Teddy is a local kid who hasn't gotten a lot of ice time in juniors —*71GP in three seasons. He'll be good to have here, though — everyone likes his intangibles. Sinclair got to step up to the BCHL this year as a '96 after two great seasons in the GOJHL. He staked claim to the starting job in Chilliwack and has been strong for them in the playoffs — they're in the semis now with the Victoria Grizzlies. Between Sinclair and Uhelski, I feel pretty good about the presence in net. I know that Jordy will come back in the best shape of his life to see if he can play every game next year.
For the forwards we have, we should look at the guys who've been committed for a while and those who've come in this year.
Ivan Bondarenko committed at 16 and has put up solid numbers in lesser leagues. He's 5'9"-175#, so you wonder if he's going to make it at this level, junior production notwithstanding.
Connor Wood is an Atlanta kid who led the NAHL in PIM in 15-16 at 277 and followed it up with 295 this year. He's 5'8"-176#. He's either going to be fun to have on your side or another Charger who drives me crazy (see Saulnier, Brennan).
Levi Wunder was a Drumheller's (AJHL) scoring leader in 2015-16 and wasn't as big of a scored in the NAHL this year. He was 141-106—247 in 85GP for Escanaba in his last three years of high school in the UP, so I say Ya.
Christian Rajic is another little guy who can score. This seems to be the UAH recruiting MO —*big on D, smaller up front. I'm okay with it if we can start out-scoring people.
Tyr Thompson, by virtue of the fact that he's from Sherwood Park and is a big guy, makes me long for Joel Bresciani. His production took a bump this year in his age 18 season. I'm excited.
Andrew Dodson finished his fourth season at Carleton Place (CCHL) and saw a big jump in production (age 20). He's progressed to an A then a C. At worst, a locker room guy, but I expect that he's more than that.
UAH loses Larose and Guerriero in net, Brendan Carlson (actually lost him at Christmas) on the blue line, and Matt Salhany, Brent Fletcher, Regan Soquila, and Cody Marooney up front. Only Salhany is a big loss in offensive production, and the team's already absorbed Carlson's loss as a true all-over player.
I'm cautiously optimistic about next year, not like my "I think we could host a first-round series" of September.
GFM
