Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

[Cat lover]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Wondering what people think about Marty St. Louis supposedly requesting a trade from the Lightning? Apparently he was upset with Steve Y over his initial omission from Team Canada. The NY Rangers are the only team he wants to go to. IMO 1. Yzerman isn't the only guy picking the team. 2. Team Canada is the best/deepest roster pool in the world. 3.He hardly played at all in Sochi. He comes off looking like an entitled jerk IF this is all true (he didn't deny it when asked yesterday), and definitely takes a hit in people's perception of his character. Why would he want to go ONLY to the Rangers? You think they're getting through the Bruins or Penguins in the East. Hopefully he has a change of heart, and makes nice with Yzerman because TB has a nice thing going. Oh and Stamkos, arguably the best goal scorer in the league (Ovechkin), is returning from injury next week. Strange/Disappointing.

He has every right to be PO'd

4 years ago he was coming of an MVP award and didnt make the team. And yes Steve Y was in charge then too.

Now he's coming of a scoring title and again gets passed over until injury got him in.

Its not like hes a one way player who doesnt play D.

I know Canada is deep but when you pass over the MVP there has to be more going on.

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Maybe this will but the move Fallon talk to an end.

First line results this year

Bradley/Fallon/McCarthy 2 games 1g

Brickley/Fallon/McCarthy 4 games 2g/6a/8pts
0.5 goals per game 1.5 assists

Puskarich/Fallon/McCarthy 12games 13g/22a/35pts
1.1 gpg 1.8apg 2.9ppg

Puskarich/McCarthy/Bradley 11games 21g/29a/50pts
1.9 pgp 2.6apg 4.5ppg

And consider the schedule was tougher for the last group

Those are ScottK's kind of stats... 21g in the last 11 games is what 3, 20, and 21 scored. The problem is many of the goals were scored on special teams when the line itself isn't actually playing together, ENG's etc. For example, at least one of the goals scored by McCarthy was when Fallon and Puskarich were on the ice,Bradley was on the bench so it can hardly be counted as a positive for that line and a negative for the 3,17,21 line...

It also discounts the fact that Puskarich started slow in the beginning of the season adjusting to the league which also happens to be when Fallon was centering the line. And finally it doesn't take into the scoring itself, the team scored less goals early on. If someone really cared to put it to rest we would need to determine the % scoring that occurred when Fallon and Puskarich were on the ice together compared to when Bradley and McCarthy were on the ice together ... Especially as the assertion is that two lines would score at least as many or more goals together then 1 super line would... i.e. McCarthy, Bradley and Markinson + Fallon, Puskarich, Shaw would be > McCarthy, Puskarich, Bradley + Fallon, Shaw, Markinson.

Look, we are all Vermont fans... that's what we share in common. That doesn't mean we all need to see eye to eye or be in total agreement. I respect many of your opinions. Not all, but alot. Most all of us are passionate about the team. We don't have to agree on everything. Some of us support Sneddon some of us don't. Some of us tend to be optimistic about the team some of us are glass half empty type of people. Some of us like to flame with the idiots from Lowell, others would prefer not to. I happen to think the team would be better served with two slightly less potent scoring lines then with a single scoring line and nothing else. I get that I'm in the minority here. Ok, that's fine. Maybe if I get the time I will actually go back through and analyze the goals for who was on the ice at the time of the goal. It would actually be interesting to see how many of the goals were scored when McCarthy was on the ice that he wasn't necessarily credited with a point versus others.

It's fine... but ultimately there is no way to know how shuffling lines would work without trying it out. I'd personally do it before we got into the do or die round next weekend, but again that's me. I'm not content with improving from last year. I think this is a very good team and I would hate to see them finish poorly because we were afraid to try and adjust late in the season. I think they will make the NCAA... I want to see them win a few games once they get there... good defensive teams will shut down one line... look at our 59 line. They are great what they do and it makes us successful against teams with one good line. The problem is when a team like BC comes along with scoring on several lines we can't play enough defense. That's what i want UVM to be... when a team shuts down the line #3 is on the line #21 is burns them.

Now, we disagree, I'm fine with that. Can we all focus on hating Lowell now...

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Wondering what people think about Marty St. Louis supposedly requesting a trade from the Lightning? Apparently he was upset with Steve Y over his initial omission from Team Canada. The NY Rangers are the only team he wants to go to. IMO 1. Yzerman isn't the only guy picking the team. 2. Team Canada is the best/deepest roster pool in the world. 3.He hardly played at all in Sochi. He comes off looking like an entitled jerk IF this is all true (he didn't deny it when asked yesterday), and definitely takes a hit in people's perception of his character. Why would he want to go ONLY to the Rangers? You think they're getting through the Bruins or Penguins in the East. Hopefully he has a change of heart, and makes nice with Yzerman because TB has a nice thing going. Oh and Stamkos, arguably the best goal scorer in the league (Ovechkin), is returning from injury next week. Strange/Disappointing.

I think St. Louis has every right to be PO'd as well. He has carried TB, especially with Stamkos injured. On top of that he is a better player then many on Canada's roster. Some of them shouldn't have even been considered. He was definitely snubbed.

Now was that Stevie Y's decision? Not entirely and wanting to leave a team over that maybe misguided. But if you don't feel appreciated when you are literally carrying a team on your back day in and day out then certainly, move to greener pastures.

As for where he goes... that's up to him. I suspect he knows better about the enviornment those teams play in, the coaches, mentalities,etc and decided he didn't want to play in those towns. He may think Boston as an organization is sucks for not giving Thomas a chance to comeback... who knows. But I don't think picking the team that he want's to go to makes a difference. Gretzky also wanted to go to NYR at the end of his career, I don't think anyone considered him an entitled jerk because he didn't want to play for the Bruins....

 

[Cat lover]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

I think St. Louis has every right to be PO'd as well. He has carried TB, especially with Stamkos injured. On top of that he is a better player then many on Canada's roster. Some of them shouldn't have even been considered. He was definitely snubbed.

Now was that Stevie Y's decision? Not entirely and wanting to leave a team over that maybe misguided. But if you don't feel appreciated when you are literally carrying a team on your back day in and day out then certainly, move to greener pastures.

As for where he goes... that's up to him. I suspect he knows better about the enviornment those teams play in, the coaches, mentalities,etc and decided he didn't want to play in those towns. He may think Boston as an organization is sucks for not giving Thomas a chance to comeback... who knows. But I don't think picking the team that he want's to go to makes a difference. Gretzky also wanted to go to NYR at the end of his career, I don't think anyone considered him an entitled jerk because he didn't want to play for the Bruins....

Thomas walked out on the Bruins its not thier job to wait around to see if he ever was going to come back.

Maybe marty has got tired of seeing the team not make moves to improve. If not for drafting Stamkos they would be much worse
and they have not been really good since they won the title.

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Thomas walked out on the Bruins its not thier job to wait around to see if he ever was going to come back.

Maybe marty has got tired of seeing the team not make moves to improve. If not for drafting Stamkos they would be much worse
and they have not been really good since they won the title.

He said he was leaving for one year. They traded him. Either way it wasn't the point. St Louis could have any one of a hundred reasons why he wants to play for New York and not Boston. I'm not sure why WHERE he wants to play would matter in the discussion.

Tampa hasn't really improved until this year. The problem is they have never had good goal tending since Khabibulin left. This year they have been playing Bishop who actually has made a bit of a difference. Hard to believe the people in that organization can't see that they are good goaltender away from being competitive. But it's hard to say what has MSL wanting to leave.

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

On the MSL note, 2g last night against the PReds in 3-2 loss. Lots of HE/ECAC alumn in that game. Bishop and Hutton in net, Stalberg, St. Louis

Good to see some college guys out there. Seems to me that the # of college players making it to the NHL is increasing

 

[UVM - Bruin]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

My thoughts on St. Louis ...The lighting are in 2nd place in the Atlantic, should make the playoffs and might even have home ice in the first round. There must be some bad blood there if he wants out of a semi-good situation (the lighting might not win it all, but they aren't the Sabres or Islanders). I don't think Yerzman picked the team alone, but he does have final say. Understandable MSL would be mad, but he should get over it. That being said, he's a 16 year vet and should have the right to decided if he wants out (whatever the reason). He has a full no trade clause, so he controls where he goes. I read that his "desired" location is NYR (doesn't he live in CT, it would make sense he wants to be closer to home), it didn't say who else was on his list. I don't think this one trade demand will tarnish his image at all, he's done it the right way his entire career.

Now on to this weekend...

I would go with Hoffman in net tonight (and maybe tomorrow too, depending on how he looks). Either way you need to ride one goaltender in the playoffs, Sneddon (& staff) needs to evaluate and pick one and stick with it. The playoffs is no time to platoon, the idea is to get your goalie hot (see Madore's freshman year).

I would change the lines, but wouldn't break up McCarthy/Super Mario. I'd put Brickley with McCarthy/Mario. Leave the 59 line alone and put Fallon with Bradley (can Shaw play RW?).

They need at worst a split this weekend (to stay out of the 8th spot & to hold their spot in the pairwise). Hopefully the Gutt is rockin' and the boys are fired up.

 

[Kdaddy1968]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Last note on St Louis and others. This is a business. These guys are balancing their families, careers, work environments, and making decisions on what is best for them. As long a player gives it his all and works hard (and I don't think any can accuse St Louis and Thomas of not working hard given the path they took to their careers and what the accomplished) then the rest is up to them. I had an offer to go interview with a company in Toledo...great job but not where I wanted to be at that time.

Once again this is a BUSINESS...they manage their careers just like we do. If he wanted a trade because his boss didn't have faith in him to stand up for him in the Olympic process then good for him. Nothing worse than your boss thinking you can't cut it (and especially since he is performing at this high a level still). Imagine you are in a merger and your boss supports your counterpart from the other company to lead your group. What would you say? Most of us would say "I am going to go look for a new place to work"...

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

A current article stated that MSL wants to go and only to NYC. Part of the reason being that yes he owns a house close by in CT. He does have a not trade clause and so if its NY he wants that's what he gets. NYR offered Callahan in a captain for captain trade... here's the interesting part Stevie Y turned it down. He's not interested in trading St. Louis. Marty may want out but Yzerman doesn't have to trade him.

As for whose in net its tough to say. Hoffman would seem to be the obvious choice but it was reported in Ryan's article that Santa only missed the MC games due to illness. Now remember Santa played both games at UNH... and started both games at BC... and if he was supposed to start the two at MC then I think Sneddon has made up his mind who he want's to ride into the playoffs. So I'm actually kind of expecting to see Santa tonight.

That said, Hoffman got it done last weekend...

Final note, I love UVM hockey but seriously I'm getting too freaking old to keep sitting on those gawd awful bleachers... I have to say I think my season tickets are gone after this season until they get a new arena or seat backs. I'll stream the internet video over my TV and watch from couch and buy tickets to which ever games I want to attend. Tickets are too expensive to justify those medievil torture devices to my wife...

 

[UVM - Bruin]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

A current article stated that MSL wants to go and only to NYC. Part of the reason being that yes he owns a house close by in CT. He does have a not trade clause and so if its NY he wants that's what he gets. NYR offered Callahan in a captain for captain trade... here's the interesting part Stevie Y turned it down. He's not interested in trading St. Louis. Marty may want out but Yzerman doesn't have to trade him.

As for whose in net its tough to say. Hoffman would seem to be the obvious choice but it was reported in Ryan's article that Santa only missed the MC games due to illness. Now remember Santa played both games at UNH... and started both games at BC... and if he was supposed to start the two at MC then I think Sneddon has made up his mind who he want's to ride into the playoffs. So I'm actually kind of expecting to see Santa tonight.

That said, Hoffman got it done last weekend...

Final note, I love UVM hockey but seriously I'm getting too freaking old to keep sitting on those gawd awful bleachers... I have to say I think my season tickets are gone after this season until they get a new arena or seat backs. I'll stream the internet video over my TV and watch from couch and buy tickets to which ever games I want to attend. Tickets are too expensive to justify those medievil torture devices to my wife...

As long as MSL doesn't go to Pitt, I don't care if he goes or stays. Neither NYR or the TBL are beating the Bruins.

Good points about Santa and who's starting in net, maybe the coaching staff has already decided. As long as they pick one of them and stick with it i'll respect whoever they go with. Again, no platooning in the playoffs.

Agreed about the Gutt, but it's not worth not going to the games. I only see them on the road (which means I'm seeing more games at nicer places than the Gutt), but I wish UVM sucked it up and built something like UNH's rink or even BC's (combination seats & bleachers). Ideally they would build a rink like BU's, but I don't that fits into what they want. Nevertheless, the Gutt is still a great place for college hockey. Better that than nothing.

 

[Kdaddy1968]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

As long as MSL doesn't go to Pitt, I don't care if he goes or stays. Neither NYR or the TBL are beating the Bruins.

Good points about Santa and who's starting in net, maybe the coaching staff has already decided. As long as they pick one of them and stick with it i'll respect whoever they go with. Again, no platooning in the playoffs.

Agreed about the Gutt, but it's not worth not going to the games. I only see them on the road (which means I'm seeing more games at nicer places than the Gutt), but I wish UVM sucked it up and built something like UNH's rink or even BC's (combination seats & bleachers). Ideally they would build a rink like BU's, but I don't that fits into what they want. Nevertheless, the Gutt is still a great place for college hockey. Better that than nothing.

To hell with that.. I want UND's ..now that was a nice place..

 

[UVM - Bruin]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

To hell with that.. I want UND's ..now that was a nice place..

It all comes down to cost....

North Dakota's rink was $100M+ to build

BU's rink was probably the same (they spend $225M on the entire student village)

BC's rink was $25M to build in 1986

UNH's rink was $30M in 1995

 

[snwbrdr]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

I'm with MSL on being upset with Yzerman. Scoring title last season for god's sake and keeping that team going without stamkos, he should have been on Team Canada from the get go. But he should have named more than one team to go to. No chance he moves because NYR know they have no competition. Could have named 5 teams that would have liked to have him, then NYR would have had to up the ante and he could still have pulled an Iginla and gone to NYR. He screwed himself by not giving his GM negotiating leverage.

Neither Hoffman nor Santa are good enough frankly. Either one is a step below the other teams. Until one gets hot and STEALS a game (something we have not experienced since Madore freshman year??) I would not be afraid to keep rotating them.

I would leave top line as is but get Decenzo out there in place of White.

Need a split minimum this weekend. Tough but doable. Shame students are gone again, total shame. Go Cats.

 

[Kdaddy1968]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

It all comes down to cost....

North Dakota's rink was $100M+ to build

BU's rink was probably the same (they spend $225M on the entire student village)

BC's rink was $25M to build in 1986

UNH's rink was $30M in 1995

Oh I realize the cost.. just saying its a great place. No way that will be build unless Phish wants a local arena and will pay to build

 

[UVM - Bruin]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Tough loss tonight....14 second from getting an all important point. Very frustrating.

A couple points though:

- Hoffman played out of his mind, kept them in the game (especially with that 3rd period save) and almost stole them a tie. By no means was the goal his fault. I think you ride Hoffman again tomorrow night and for the playoffs.
- I hate "moral" victories, but at least this showed UVM can play with UML. The game could have went either way. With the way they played against BC and now UML, I'm encouaged for tomorrow and the playoffs.

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Tough loss tonight....14 second from getting an all important point. Very frustrating.

A couple points though:

- Hoffman played out of his mind, kept them in the game (especially with that 3rd period save) and almost stole them a tie. By no means was the goal his fault. I think you ride Hoffman again tomorrow night and for the playoffs.
- I hate "moral" victories, but at least this showed UVM can play with UML. The game could have went either way. With the way they played against BC and now UML, I'm encouaged for tomorrow and the playoffs.

Listening to the post game conference with Sneddon on the ride home he stated Hoff would be in net tomorrow. Have to say I disagree with UVM showing they can play with UML... they didn't show that tonight... They showed if they are giving it their all they could win, but what they showed tonight was if they play at 80% compete level they can ride their goaltender to an OT loss.

They also were not nearly physical enough with Lowell.

 

[HOCKEYGUY23]

Listening to the post game conference with Sneddon on the ride home he stated Hoff would be in net tomorrow. Have to say I disagree with UVM showing they can play with UML... they didn't show that tonight... They showed if they are giving it their all they could win, but what they showed tonight was if they play at 80% compete level they can ride their goaltender to an OT loss.

They also were not nearly physical enough with Lowell.

We agree. Didn't win one battle tonight. Lowell clogged up the ice and we played right into their hands but just getting the puck and firing it of the glass. Gotta start playing puck possession. See what adjustments they make.

Didn't like the effort. Wasn't the same energy the team is capable of

 

[GreenNGold]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

We agree. Didn't win one battle tonight. Lowell clogged up the ice and we played right into their hands but just getting the puck and firing it of the glass. Gotta start playing puck possession. See what adjustments they make.

Didn't like the effort. Wasn't the same energy the team is capable of

Totally agree. Way too much dump and chase, which I hate unless you're up big in the third period. In a tie game to continuously give Lowell the puck via dump n chase is foolish. UVM didn't seem to have its normal speed. McCarthy line was held in check. Chris got schooled in the faceoff circle (won only 8 of 22), whereas UML's Maniccia (#17) won 14 of 18, many of which were key in offensive or defensive zone and led directly to Lowell possession. Hoffman was the difference between a tie or the eventual OT loss. Could've been 3-0 loss. I will say UVM played much better after the 1st period. The Cats dropped to a tie for 14th in Pairwise with the loss. It's one thing to "hang with" the elite teams, it's another thing to beat them - UVM isn't there yet. Need a win tonight!

 

[Cat lover]

Re: Vermont 2013-2014 Season Thread : The Golden Year

Can someone please beat into Hamilton's head to stop making fancy passes in your own zone. Too many times he had the safe
off the wall out but tried a risky up the middle pass. He had at least half a dozen inzone turnovers last night.

Dont like the bleachers bring your own seat back, the guy that sits next to me brings a folding seat that gives him support, but come
on there are alot worse things in life to deal with that a bleacher seat.

 

[HOCKEYGUY23]

Totally agree. Way too much dump and chase, which I hate unless you're up big in the third period. In a tie game to continuously give Lowell the puck via dump n chase is foolish. UVM didn't seem to have its normal speed. McCarthy line was held in check. Chris got schooled in the faceoff circle (won only 8 of 22), whereas UML's Maniccia (#17) won 14 of 18, many of which were key in offensive or defensive zone and led directly to Lowell possession. Hoffman was the difference between a tie or the eventual OT loss. Could've been 3-0 loss. I will say UVM played much better after the 1st period. The Cats dropped to a tie for 14th in Pairwise with the loss. It's one thing to "hang with" the elite teams, it's another thing to beat them - UVM isn't there yet. Need a win tonight!

Wait I missed the 8 draws he won. Honestly don't think Sneddon has him at center for face offs. In critical draws he brings in Fallon. Also "super" Mario might want to consider a forecheck or winning a wall battle. Otherwise he will go from Mario to Luigi. Two wins and in.