Re: UMaine Black Bears Recruiting
I'm hoping Greenway works out. I would guess he's one and done if he's any good. It looks like he had a decent year for Dubuque, the only thing I found on Youtube is this:
Link
I also expect more out of guys like Shea, Tralmaks, JSS and Dawe. I have no idea what to expect from Drobot, Gaudette or Breen. We'll see, loosing Keeper was a hit but Pearson wasn't totally unexpected. I just hope we don't loose more guys...
As always forecasting player impact on a new team, with new coaches, and new system can be tricky. A lot depends on what roles need to be filled. Greenway will fill more of the Holway role, which was sorely missing this year, and he was the best available option to do so. He has a tremendous amount of experience at high levels of competition and brings the combo of physicality and skill at the D position that Maine hockey fans have come to appreciate for decades. Wait for it....... At times he loses focus and takes bad penalties (cringe) which has certainly improved this past season in Dubuque, but still has room for additional improvement. He is in your face, trash talking, much like his brother who played at BU and always enjoyed "interacting" with the student section. I think we have a decent chance of keeping him for 2 years considering Toronto's depth will likely impede his progress at the pro level so he may be better suited taking the free agent route where he can find the best spot for his career.
Shea finally found his way to the center position where he makes more of an impact, but mired on the third line didn't allow him to showcase his skills. His faceoff circle work is something to marvel at.. between he and pearson i think they accounted for 75% of faceoff wins (unofficial conjecture) this year. He was big reason for Ryan Smith's offensive improvement this year. I don't feel Pat has always been used in the best role to highlight his abilities but rather his versatility has allowed him to fill needed roles on the roster - which always has tremendous value.
Although I am not privy to Dawe's medical records, i am greatly concerned about his concussion situation. Unfortunate that he is dealing with the situation he is dealing with. He missed time in juniors due to concussions and suffered another 2 this year. Very unfortunate. I wish the best for his health which obviously transcends the game. I hope he is able to fulfill his dream of competing in hockey at the highest level, but also hope that he places priority on his long term health.
Breen is the most offensively skilled player to be recruited to Orono since Devin Shore. His offensive game is very similar to Shore's in that he sees the ice, pushes the play, and looks to create for others in addition to get his own shot off. His two-way game is not at the same level as Shore's but is not to be overlooked either. With that being said he is not a defensive liability like Blaine Byron either and offensively does not look to create with extensive puck handling like Bryon did. Unlike Shore or Byron, Breen will be arriving a year earlier. Expectations are a line 2 or 3 LW role. He will likely be selected in the NHL draft this summer and easily falls in the upper echelon of Gendron era recruits (Pearson, Swayman, Holway) to arrive in Orono.
Drobot is future captain material. Hard worker with limited upside offensive potential, although can score when given the chance. Likely to provide improvement to our 4th line. Upside to develop into a reliable 3rd line winger by his senior year. If continues to improve and he is playing 4th line minutes his jr/sr seasons that would mean Maine has 4 line depth for the first time since '07. What do i mean by this? For me his role is an indicator of how well the team is doing, if he is a 3rd liner than depth is an issue, if he is a 4th liner than we have improved depth from top to bottom which is what it takes to compete in NCAA hockey today. Although not a flashy addition, I am excited for his addition, as he is the type of player in the
right role that all winning teams must have.
Gaudette is not locked in for this fall. There is still one "open" forward position which could go to Gaudette or a graduate transfer from another university. For that reason, in my Roster Projection Table, I have left Gaudette in the following class with an indicator that he could arrive earlier. Farrell has the same indicator, for now, but he looks more likely to play one more year of juniors.
I hope this helps shed some insight on player & roster development. Although I don't write often but when I do it is often a tome lol!
Hope it plays out.