So here we are, nearly a month removed from the college hockey season and I am already stoked. This year presents a couple of new styles for me. First off, I no longer have season tickets to CC and second I no longer am a fan of CC.
The first and second are interrelated so I'll address them here. Last season I decided to reach out into the CC fan base and find people as like minded as myself and my friend who I attend games with. At first the introduction was fun and smooth. I met quite a few people who enjoyed the game, but were quite older than me. They came off as the casual fan and less of what I was looking for. However all of them had deep roots to the school, so I thought why not try it? Well I was no worse for the ware after introducing my family to this group of people at a local restaurant. But things slowly changed. After about a month into the season, Joe Howe stumbled in net and things were looking down. I saw his obvious dragging in net, but I knew something had to be wrong. After all, Joe had spent many hours of every day training over the past summer. I even had the opportunity to train were Joe trains and found that his trainers were baffled by his performance. But none the less, I proceeded to write a blog about the situation in net after a disasterous outing against Nebraska-Omaha. I called upon Scott Owens to replace Howe with Thorny and to rework the defense. What I got was cold hearted reviews and heated rants to the point where I deleted the blog. However, that did not stop people in the CC group from making comment after comment just to play devils advocate to anything I said. Eventually I made enough of them mad that they just stopped talking to me altogether. It was at that moment that I realized many of the CC fans outside of the student section were not typical fans you would find at UND, WI, MN or any other school for that matter. Most were older who had solid jobs, grown up children and made significant contributions to the CC family. I realized why there is such a disconnect between Denver and CC beyond the location rivalry. CC is founded by fans who give more to the school, take less and love the school more than the sport. I find no passion in this atmosphere because I was there for hockey.
So during the playoffs last year I purchased DU tickets to watch my old badgers play. They lost in 3, but I realized how much I missed a team with fans who identified with me.
So now that the past is behind me, I move forward with Wisconsin as my team of choice. With that comes my first review of the season which is a long awaited debut.
First I have to address the obvious: Justin Schultz is gone. To put this into perspective, Schultz was a great defenseman. He ate ice time like I eat twinkies. His contributions were not as present if you attended one or two games, but viewed his work from a whole. This throws people off into thinking that Schultz was just a cog in the wheel. To put this to rest, Schultz was the wheel. But with every new season comes the chance for new recruits to headline the system.
Bucky's fifth quarter does a good job of breaking down the player positions so I wanted to focus on the evolving goalie situation. Peterson and Rumpel are back for round 2. If experience has anything to do with the goalie situation then expect Peterson to meander over the the bench at the opening practice. But even with that, something has to be addressed with Rumpel. Although he is talented, and a possible future NHLer, he lacks the upper body movement of a Richard Bachman or Sam Brittain. This guy is all lower body and keeps his upper body generally rigid. He needs to be more fluid in his motions or the badger red light behind him will light up. That's never a good thing.
With Schultz gone, Rumpel is going to get the opportunity to remake himself. He's going to have to prove to himself and everyone else that he can dominate the net.
Peterson will need to be strong in his no doubt low amount of minutes. His best attributes need to be on display as their is room in the Wisconsin locker room for a goalie controversy.
All in all Wisconsin looks good this year. They have a bit more experience in their net minders, but lack a power defenseman. I wouldn't project Wisconsin to take the league championship but then again UND, UMD, UM, and SCST will all have new netminders. These were three of the powerhouses last season and if any one of them slips, a team like Wisconsin surely can take over.
From what I saw last season, Denver looks to be a favorite from a goal tending standpoint. The loss of Schwartz at CC and Shore in Denver are going to raise big question marks.
Here is the questions that I want to ask for 2012-13:
St Cloud State: Will Mike Lee's departure actually mean anything to the huskies?
Duluth: With Reiter and Connolly both gone, who is going to make this team dance?
North Dakota: A logo change, Dell and Nelson gone could probably mean the end of the broadmoor trophy landing in Grand Forks.
Denver: How big of a loss is shore anyways?
Colorado College: For 2 years the QB of this team has been Jaden Schwartz. Now that he is gone, does this team have anyone who can control?
Wisconsin: A team without offense last year now presents itself as a team without anything this year. Could this be the end of the line for coach Mike Eaves?
We will see.....
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
A look forward in the WCHA
With the WCHA down to one team currently competing, I thought the time would be right to try and do some simple analysis of what fans can expect for next season.
(updated as of 3/27/2012):
Minnesota: This is the one team that truly worries me for next season. In the world of finances, anyone with the least bit of aptitude will tell you to diversify. In the sports sense, this is a very good buzzword that can be applied or thrown in the trash can for later un-crumbling. In Minnesota's case, they will have some problems.
1.) Kent Patterson played all but 20 minutes in net for 2011-12! Shibrowski is his talent placed natural back up. Shibby has seen 2 games for Colorado College and 2o minutes for Minnesota. Coming off of this season (as of this blog, a frozen four appearance), Shibby will have the ultimate pressure upon himself. Lucia is known for doing things well when he does them right. He's also known for royally screwing things up when he's wrong. This one depends on how many of the guys in front of Shibby defect for the pro's before he get's the chance to make the pipes shine.
Denver: When it rains, it pours. As goes the CC saying, "Zucker will make Denver a sucker". That he did. Count his partner, Drew Shore and there is a serious problem in the mile high city. All is not quiet on the western front. Coach Gwozdecky has the fit to take care of. Although Zucker and Shore were not sole leaders for the Pioneers, they represent huge chunks of performance. I fully expect the weight to be felt upon Sam Brittain's shoulders. Should be a good season for the guy.
Colorado College: This is where the spectrum starts to turn from epic fail to just fail. CC lost Jaden Schwartz to early defection. Take him out of this season's equation and the bitter taste left in the tiger fans mouth seems to be better understood. Net minding issues came at a bad time for these tigers. Thorimbert should provide a better foundation coming into the year. With Harstad and Stoykewich now defensive leaders, this team should have something to build on.
Minnesota-Duluth: With the Connolly duo officially out of duck town, it's time to start thinking about the future. Offense looks good, defense looks good. Goaltending might be an issue. Duluth probably won't hold true to the form they held the past two seasons but they should have a decent year. The goalie situation is the only place that I can find discomfort. Reiter, like his counterpart south of Duluth, will leave a wide open gap in net. Only time will tell if this squad can handle the load.
Wisconsin: Justin Shultz is the key. He didn't leave the Badgers after they lost a key game to Denver. He could have suited up for Anaheim the next night in Denver. Instead he flew back to Madison to complete his classes. This tells me one thing: at some point, Shultz wants his degree. The more he stays on campus, the more of a lasting impression bucky will make on the junior defencemen. This could be key for him returning. On the flip side, Shultz could be biding his time for NHL free agency to open. Because Schultz spent a year in juniors and was drafted there, Anaheim loses his rights after the draft. Schultz could bolt for another team.
Basically the Badgers are not set up for a drastic run. Goaltending is murky, and without Schultz the defense is left in shambles. The only high note is center Mark Zengerle. I wouldn't put a nickel on the Badgers doing any better than 5th in the WCHA next year.
North Dakota: Losing only two players to graduation is not bad. Getting Grimaldi back for the season will be great. Dell should be able to shine. UND should carry a heavy load next season and are my bold prediction for WCHA champs.
I will complete the other teams in the next part of this blog.
To be continued......
(updated as of 3/27/2012):
Minnesota: This is the one team that truly worries me for next season. In the world of finances, anyone with the least bit of aptitude will tell you to diversify. In the sports sense, this is a very good buzzword that can be applied or thrown in the trash can for later un-crumbling. In Minnesota's case, they will have some problems.
1.) Kent Patterson played all but 20 minutes in net for 2011-12! Shibrowski is his talent placed natural back up. Shibby has seen 2 games for Colorado College and 2o minutes for Minnesota. Coming off of this season (as of this blog, a frozen four appearance), Shibby will have the ultimate pressure upon himself. Lucia is known for doing things well when he does them right. He's also known for royally screwing things up when he's wrong. This one depends on how many of the guys in front of Shibby defect for the pro's before he get's the chance to make the pipes shine.
Denver: When it rains, it pours. As goes the CC saying, "Zucker will make Denver a sucker". That he did. Count his partner, Drew Shore and there is a serious problem in the mile high city. All is not quiet on the western front. Coach Gwozdecky has the fit to take care of. Although Zucker and Shore were not sole leaders for the Pioneers, they represent huge chunks of performance. I fully expect the weight to be felt upon Sam Brittain's shoulders. Should be a good season for the guy.
Colorado College: This is where the spectrum starts to turn from epic fail to just fail. CC lost Jaden Schwartz to early defection. Take him out of this season's equation and the bitter taste left in the tiger fans mouth seems to be better understood. Net minding issues came at a bad time for these tigers. Thorimbert should provide a better foundation coming into the year. With Harstad and Stoykewich now defensive leaders, this team should have something to build on.
Minnesota-Duluth: With the Connolly duo officially out of duck town, it's time to start thinking about the future. Offense looks good, defense looks good. Goaltending might be an issue. Duluth probably won't hold true to the form they held the past two seasons but they should have a decent year. The goalie situation is the only place that I can find discomfort. Reiter, like his counterpart south of Duluth, will leave a wide open gap in net. Only time will tell if this squad can handle the load.
Wisconsin: Justin Shultz is the key. He didn't leave the Badgers after they lost a key game to Denver. He could have suited up for Anaheim the next night in Denver. Instead he flew back to Madison to complete his classes. This tells me one thing: at some point, Shultz wants his degree. The more he stays on campus, the more of a lasting impression bucky will make on the junior defencemen. This could be key for him returning. On the flip side, Shultz could be biding his time for NHL free agency to open. Because Schultz spent a year in juniors and was drafted there, Anaheim loses his rights after the draft. Schultz could bolt for another team.
Basically the Badgers are not set up for a drastic run. Goaltending is murky, and without Schultz the defense is left in shambles. The only high note is center Mark Zengerle. I wouldn't put a nickel on the Badgers doing any better than 5th in the WCHA next year.
North Dakota: Losing only two players to graduation is not bad. Getting Grimaldi back for the season will be great. Dell should be able to shine. UND should carry a heavy load next season and are my bold prediction for WCHA champs.
I will complete the other teams in the next part of this blog.
To be continued......
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Looking forward: National Championship predictions for 2013
Now that the Tigers, Badgers, Seawolves, both Mavericks and Bemidji have been eliminated from the national championship hunt I thought it would be fitting to see which one if any of these teams present a possible run towards the National Championship in 2013.
Colorado College: Cold fact: Jaden is gone. I believe that most of the tiger fans have already put this behind them and are ready to support the Tigers no matter what. CC, as I wrote in earlier blog, looks to have a solid defensive unit next season. The offense may struggle but will ultimately pull together as a team. As long as Josh stay's healthy, he'll be the starter for the season in net. Looking at what I see now, this team has a good probability to make the tourney next year based on the sole idea of stability. Many underclassmen got substantial time this year and that will boost the tigers all around.
Prediction: 1st round NCAA tourney losers
Wisconsin: The Badgers were a surprise exit team. They came on strong at the end of the year and gave Denver a run for their money. Ultimately, the lack of experience was too much to overcome. Most of this stems from last season's mass exodus of players to the NHL. After losing in Colorado Springs during the 1st round of the WCHA playoffs, many Badgers took a walk. One prominent player stayed: Justin Shultz. Currently he's ranked as the 10th best defensive prospect on this team. Justin is also the big question mark in next season's game. Will he or won't he stay? If he does, this team is going to be chalk full of great players at the defensive position. If not, they will still be looking good.
The problem that the Badgers will have is in goal. Joel Rumpel is a solid puck reader, but didn't play at his top level this year. Much of that has to do with Wisconsin not having a solid net minder for Rumpel to learn from. He had to go on the ropes and learn the hard way. It didn't turn out so well. Hopefully some off season adjustments can make his game turn for the better.
I have watched a couple of Wisky games and from what I have seen, nothing provokes me to say that this team will rebound any better next season.
I would watch for the Badgers in the Final Five, but wouldn't bet any higher than that.
Alaska-Anchorage: Recruiting has been a problem in recent years. Alaska is not a well rounded team and that number was on display this year. They won just over 5 games in total. They will be spending the off season finding the bottom feeders from high school and the ushl. If they plan on rebuilding, nothing will show in their best interest this coming season.
UNO: I just don't see this team as a stable one. They are on and off. The Mavs need to get their team in order before they start playing rather than trying to put a hodge podge game together.
Mankato- Minnesota State is the forgotten team in Minnesota. They lack talent and depth and rarely put on a good show. Austin Lee is their best player and he's the goalie. Since he will be gone next year, the mavs will likely be looking for someone to fill his shoes and fast. I don't expect Mankato to do anything in next year. Their best bet will be in the new look WCHA.
Bemidji- Dan Bakala will be gone. Although the new freshman goalie looks good, Tom Serratore will have his hands full. I believe a good USHL recruiting class will have this team ready for the new look WCHA as well. Nothing prominent will get this team any further than they performed this season.
Current Contenders:
Minnesota: This is the team that I predict will bomb. It's one thing to play a goalie for MOST of the season. It's another thing to play the goalie in EVERY game during the season. Kent Patterson will be gone and the job will rest on the shoulders of Mike Shibrowski. Not a good combo considering his last college start was two years ago while a CC tiger. I really don't know how to sugar coat this situation. If Lucia doesn't win it all this year, I'd be pissed if I was a gopher fan. Nothing good will come next season.
North Dakota: T.A.L.E.N.T. That's the other way to spell UND. Grimaldi will be back and this team should rock the WCHA for the final year. I expect UND to lead next year's charge.
Minnesota-Duluth: Jack Connolly will be gone but this team will still be explosive. I really doubt much will change in Northern Minnesota.
St. Cloud State: These guys will likely sink with the loss of Mike Lee. It's unfortunate, but true.
Mich Tech: This is the team to watch out for. Mel Pearson knows what he is doing. Expect this husky team to kick some major ass next season.
Denver: Some players will stay, some will go. With two excellent goalies returning, this team is stacked like the empire state building. Don't expect Denver to back down....AT ALL.
Colorado College: Cold fact: Jaden is gone. I believe that most of the tiger fans have already put this behind them and are ready to support the Tigers no matter what. CC, as I wrote in earlier blog, looks to have a solid defensive unit next season. The offense may struggle but will ultimately pull together as a team. As long as Josh stay's healthy, he'll be the starter for the season in net. Looking at what I see now, this team has a good probability to make the tourney next year based on the sole idea of stability. Many underclassmen got substantial time this year and that will boost the tigers all around.
Prediction: 1st round NCAA tourney losers
Wisconsin: The Badgers were a surprise exit team. They came on strong at the end of the year and gave Denver a run for their money. Ultimately, the lack of experience was too much to overcome. Most of this stems from last season's mass exodus of players to the NHL. After losing in Colorado Springs during the 1st round of the WCHA playoffs, many Badgers took a walk. One prominent player stayed: Justin Shultz. Currently he's ranked as the 10th best defensive prospect on this team. Justin is also the big question mark in next season's game. Will he or won't he stay? If he does, this team is going to be chalk full of great players at the defensive position. If not, they will still be looking good.
The problem that the Badgers will have is in goal. Joel Rumpel is a solid puck reader, but didn't play at his top level this year. Much of that has to do with Wisconsin not having a solid net minder for Rumpel to learn from. He had to go on the ropes and learn the hard way. It didn't turn out so well. Hopefully some off season adjustments can make his game turn for the better.
I have watched a couple of Wisky games and from what I have seen, nothing provokes me to say that this team will rebound any better next season.
I would watch for the Badgers in the Final Five, but wouldn't bet any higher than that.
Alaska-Anchorage: Recruiting has been a problem in recent years. Alaska is not a well rounded team and that number was on display this year. They won just over 5 games in total. They will be spending the off season finding the bottom feeders from high school and the ushl. If they plan on rebuilding, nothing will show in their best interest this coming season.
UNO: I just don't see this team as a stable one. They are on and off. The Mavs need to get their team in order before they start playing rather than trying to put a hodge podge game together.
Mankato- Minnesota State is the forgotten team in Minnesota. They lack talent and depth and rarely put on a good show. Austin Lee is their best player and he's the goalie. Since he will be gone next year, the mavs will likely be looking for someone to fill his shoes and fast. I don't expect Mankato to do anything in next year. Their best bet will be in the new look WCHA.
Bemidji- Dan Bakala will be gone. Although the new freshman goalie looks good, Tom Serratore will have his hands full. I believe a good USHL recruiting class will have this team ready for the new look WCHA as well. Nothing prominent will get this team any further than they performed this season.
Current Contenders:
Minnesota: This is the team that I predict will bomb. It's one thing to play a goalie for MOST of the season. It's another thing to play the goalie in EVERY game during the season. Kent Patterson will be gone and the job will rest on the shoulders of Mike Shibrowski. Not a good combo considering his last college start was two years ago while a CC tiger. I really don't know how to sugar coat this situation. If Lucia doesn't win it all this year, I'd be pissed if I was a gopher fan. Nothing good will come next season.
North Dakota: T.A.L.E.N.T. That's the other way to spell UND. Grimaldi will be back and this team should rock the WCHA for the final year. I expect UND to lead next year's charge.
Minnesota-Duluth: Jack Connolly will be gone but this team will still be explosive. I really doubt much will change in Northern Minnesota.
St. Cloud State: These guys will likely sink with the loss of Mike Lee. It's unfortunate, but true.
Mich Tech: This is the team to watch out for. Mel Pearson knows what he is doing. Expect this husky team to kick some major ass next season.
Denver: Some players will stay, some will go. With two excellent goalies returning, this team is stacked like the empire state building. Don't expect Denver to back down....AT ALL.
Onward Tigers, Onward.
All season long I have been blogging away about the deficiencies of the Colorado College Tigers. This team in reality just wasn't that good for many reasons. Today, many of the players are in class studying hard knowing that they don't have practice.
Some are at the golf course. At least one is getting ready to skate for a pro team.
So with this season over, what is there to look forward to?
Well if you are a tiger fan, that's easy: stability. This season saw wholesale changes due to problems.
With the goalie situation taken care of, Josh Thorimbert could easily be a lock for a top 3 slot in next year's pre-season awards. The only net-minder currently playing at a higher caliber than Thorny is Denver's Sam Brittain.
The defense next season should rock. In years past, the person getting the C on their jersey from Defense was an alternate the year before. If I had to guess who next year's captain would be (assuming it will go to a defensive player) I would guess either Mcdermott or Marciano possibly Boivin.
Speaking of next season's defense, I don't think a single team in the WCHA will be able to handle the experienced defense of CC next season. Now that Guentzel is officially gone, someone will have to fill in the shoes one again on the defensive side. I believe Boivin, Marciano, McDermott among others will have the ability to do the job.
The offense is the only thing I find troublesome. For this blog's sake, I will assume that Rylan is returning until otherwise noted. Looking at past results, Rylan had good numbers as a freshman. He didn't do quite as much goal scoring but was the focal point among players just as Jaden has been the past two seasons.
What's different about these two situations is that during Rylan's first year, he fed Bill Sweatt. A fan favorite. Now, without a clear cut superstar on offense, Rylan will have to take on a much bigger role. I believe that by him staying for this year, his game will improve IMMENSELY! He will go from the goal scorer of the past two seasons back to the guy who has to make the difficult plays to help the tigers score. That will make him much more marketable with the NHL not to mention he'll have a college degree.
Although Rylan wouldn't have a Bill Sweatt type player to feed like he did his freshman year, he will have some weapons to use.
1.) Going forward this guy is my favorite offensive weapon: Alexander Krushelnyski. The guy is good and he is clutch. I fully expect the Krusher to be the captain of this team in 2013-2014. He's just that taleneted.
2.) Scott Winkler: Although Winks is drafted, I don't see him as the type of player that can complete a play all on his own. He, like Jaden was last year, is a feeder. He's not a natural sniper. Owen's will have his hands full of playmakers like winks but will lack the firepower they had this season.
3.) William Rapuzzi: Many people have given Rapuzzi a tough time this year. I spoke to him prior to the beginning of the season when he had surgery and one can only speculate that he is still a little tender in his elbow.
All in All: The offense will have a GIANT hole in it left by Jaden. That kind of talent comes around once every so often. I honestly do not believe that the tigers can overcome his loss on offense. When I watched him play, he would take the game on his shoulders and move the puck for the benefit of his team. The only player who can handle the load in a similar manner is his brother, Rylan. Even #13 will have trouble filling the shoes of Jaden.
The bad part is that this offense will lack natural snipers. As of right now I can name only one shoot first, pass later player: AK-16.
I believe that Krushelnyski will be the focal point of the Tigers next season. Well on offense anyways.
Hopefully all will be will with the goaltending situation and Josh will be on his game. I don't expect Joe to recover from this season in time to make a big difference. Owens loves goalies, so I also wouldn't expect Josh to play every game like Minnesota's Kent Patterson this season. If it were my guess: Joe would play no more than 10 games next season.
In total: The tigers should be in a good situation overall. The offense will be shaky, but they can build on each other knowing that they won't have to deal with their star player leaving for World Juniors.
However, with all of that said I do not believe the Tigers will have the depth to win the National Championship next season. They will be in rebuilding mode for what could be a monumental first year of the NCHC.
Some are at the golf course. At least one is getting ready to skate for a pro team.
So with this season over, what is there to look forward to?
Well if you are a tiger fan, that's easy: stability. This season saw wholesale changes due to problems.
With the goalie situation taken care of, Josh Thorimbert could easily be a lock for a top 3 slot in next year's pre-season awards. The only net-minder currently playing at a higher caliber than Thorny is Denver's Sam Brittain.
The defense next season should rock. In years past, the person getting the C on their jersey from Defense was an alternate the year before. If I had to guess who next year's captain would be (assuming it will go to a defensive player) I would guess either Mcdermott or Marciano possibly Boivin.
Speaking of next season's defense, I don't think a single team in the WCHA will be able to handle the experienced defense of CC next season. Now that Guentzel is officially gone, someone will have to fill in the shoes one again on the defensive side. I believe Boivin, Marciano, McDermott among others will have the ability to do the job.
The offense is the only thing I find troublesome. For this blog's sake, I will assume that Rylan is returning until otherwise noted. Looking at past results, Rylan had good numbers as a freshman. He didn't do quite as much goal scoring but was the focal point among players just as Jaden has been the past two seasons.
What's different about these two situations is that during Rylan's first year, he fed Bill Sweatt. A fan favorite. Now, without a clear cut superstar on offense, Rylan will have to take on a much bigger role. I believe that by him staying for this year, his game will improve IMMENSELY! He will go from the goal scorer of the past two seasons back to the guy who has to make the difficult plays to help the tigers score. That will make him much more marketable with the NHL not to mention he'll have a college degree.
Although Rylan wouldn't have a Bill Sweatt type player to feed like he did his freshman year, he will have some weapons to use.
1.) Going forward this guy is my favorite offensive weapon: Alexander Krushelnyski. The guy is good and he is clutch. I fully expect the Krusher to be the captain of this team in 2013-2014. He's just that taleneted.
2.) Scott Winkler: Although Winks is drafted, I don't see him as the type of player that can complete a play all on his own. He, like Jaden was last year, is a feeder. He's not a natural sniper. Owen's will have his hands full of playmakers like winks but will lack the firepower they had this season.
3.) William Rapuzzi: Many people have given Rapuzzi a tough time this year. I spoke to him prior to the beginning of the season when he had surgery and one can only speculate that he is still a little tender in his elbow.
All in All: The offense will have a GIANT hole in it left by Jaden. That kind of talent comes around once every so often. I honestly do not believe that the tigers can overcome his loss on offense. When I watched him play, he would take the game on his shoulders and move the puck for the benefit of his team. The only player who can handle the load in a similar manner is his brother, Rylan. Even #13 will have trouble filling the shoes of Jaden.
The bad part is that this offense will lack natural snipers. As of right now I can name only one shoot first, pass later player: AK-16.
I believe that Krushelnyski will be the focal point of the Tigers next season. Well on offense anyways.
Hopefully all will be will with the goaltending situation and Josh will be on his game. I don't expect Joe to recover from this season in time to make a big difference. Owens loves goalies, so I also wouldn't expect Josh to play every game like Minnesota's Kent Patterson this season. If it were my guess: Joe would play no more than 10 games next season.
In total: The tigers should be in a good situation overall. The offense will be shaky, but they can build on each other knowing that they won't have to deal with their star player leaving for World Juniors.
However, with all of that said I do not believe the Tigers will have the depth to win the National Championship next season. They will be in rebuilding mode for what could be a monumental first year of the NCHC.
Monday, March 12, 2012
CC loses it all
This was not supposed to be the year of the big market college teams dominating the WCHA. This was supposed to be the year where UND and CC made a run for the post season.
That was at the beginning of the season, and today tells a different story.
Colorado College has had a rough season. From coaching all the way down to goal-tending, CC has had problems with it all. To give a break down, I will analyze the Colorado College issues from the very top to bottom:
Coaching:
Colorado College has seen ups and downs over the years, but this could possibly be one of the worst downs in the Owens era. This was supposed to be the season that the Tigers did something. Instead of doing something, the coaching let the fans, players and school down. Owens clearly showed his inability to make valuable changes from Friday to Saturday night. Most of the time, CC would win on Friday and not make any adjustments resulting in a Saturday loss. On the last game of the season, when everyone needed Owens present, he was gone. His adjustments were weak and thus cost this team a chance at the post season and a shot in the WCHA final five. Another problem with Owens is that he relied too much on the Schwartz brothers and Gabe Guentzel. All three are remarkable athletes but two of the three are guaranteed to be gone next season. With a hole that deep in the team, CC is destined to be relegated to a low spot next season less any adjustments which Owens could not seem to make this season.
Offense:
This was the story of the season. At one point, CC had the best offense in the nation. Everything seemed to be clicking. Unfortunately for the Tigers, most of the offense was a result of the Schwartz brothers. Rylans back-to-back hat tricks against UND. Jadens flawless ice vision and showmanship. Unfortunately most of the offense failed to show outside of these two players. Unfortunately, one for sure but maybe both of the Schwartz brothers will be gone next season.
Defense:
This was the bad story of the year. Ryan Lowery left a hole to fill that no one could do. Having the captain on offense proved to be disastrous. The defense needed the leadership. They just didn't have it. Which brings me to the last point.
Goaltending:
Joe Howe was absolutely horrible this year. This was not the time to hit a slump but never the less, Howe hit one. Luckily Thorimbert picked up his tab and earned the fans money. Unfortunately, Thorny came too late. Too little experience coming from last season. This situation is probably the only area the tigers have that will improve. Thorny should be a starting lock for best goaltender next season. I doubt Joe will recover before graduation.
Prediction:
CC's 21 consecutive winning season streak will end. So too will other things.
That was at the beginning of the season, and today tells a different story.
Colorado College has had a rough season. From coaching all the way down to goal-tending, CC has had problems with it all. To give a break down, I will analyze the Colorado College issues from the very top to bottom:
Coaching:
Colorado College has seen ups and downs over the years, but this could possibly be one of the worst downs in the Owens era. This was supposed to be the season that the Tigers did something. Instead of doing something, the coaching let the fans, players and school down. Owens clearly showed his inability to make valuable changes from Friday to Saturday night. Most of the time, CC would win on Friday and not make any adjustments resulting in a Saturday loss. On the last game of the season, when everyone needed Owens present, he was gone. His adjustments were weak and thus cost this team a chance at the post season and a shot in the WCHA final five. Another problem with Owens is that he relied too much on the Schwartz brothers and Gabe Guentzel. All three are remarkable athletes but two of the three are guaranteed to be gone next season. With a hole that deep in the team, CC is destined to be relegated to a low spot next season less any adjustments which Owens could not seem to make this season.
Offense:
This was the story of the season. At one point, CC had the best offense in the nation. Everything seemed to be clicking. Unfortunately for the Tigers, most of the offense was a result of the Schwartz brothers. Rylans back-to-back hat tricks against UND. Jadens flawless ice vision and showmanship. Unfortunately most of the offense failed to show outside of these two players. Unfortunately, one for sure but maybe both of the Schwartz brothers will be gone next season.
Defense:
This was the bad story of the year. Ryan Lowery left a hole to fill that no one could do. Having the captain on offense proved to be disastrous. The defense needed the leadership. They just didn't have it. Which brings me to the last point.
Goaltending:
Joe Howe was absolutely horrible this year. This was not the time to hit a slump but never the less, Howe hit one. Luckily Thorimbert picked up his tab and earned the fans money. Unfortunately, Thorny came too late. Too little experience coming from last season. This situation is probably the only area the tigers have that will improve. Thorny should be a starting lock for best goaltender next season. I doubt Joe will recover before graduation.
Prediction:
CC's 21 consecutive winning season streak will end. So too will other things.
Friday, March 9, 2012
CC drops auto bid hopes, Wisconsin prevails
In a similar fashion as last season, CC has dropped the first game of their WCHA best of three home ice playoff series. Last season the story line was the same. CC came into game two needing two wins against the Badgers. They got them. Unfortunately, last season and this season are two different entities.
1.) CC was playing a better Badger team than this years Husky team.
2.) CC had a shot at a pairwise ranking berth.
Basically what this loss does is send CC reeling so far back that they cannot recover from any amount of wins without a bracket busting final five win. I predicted CC to take the final five if they went to Michigan Tech. Unfortunately that didn't happen and now CC is at home in what could be the final game for the Schwartz brothers.
I don't think tomorrow's game will get any easier for the Tigers. Scott Owens has been absolutely horrible at making adjustments for the second game during the entire season. My prediction: CC fans leave the world arena tomorrow unhappy while Jaden and Rylan see their banks accounts fatten.
On Wisconsin!
I predicted that Wisconsin would give Denver a run for their money and I was right! I have looked at stats the entire season. Many fans in Denver were irate with their Pioneers tonight. They compared the game as being less than a high school game. The shots were great and the defense was top notch.
Denver had a better shot the entire night to win, but blew it by letting Wisconsin back into the game during the 3rd period. For the entire game, Wisconsin trailed in shots. During the 3rd, Wisconsin came with a heavy dose of power and put DU's goalie out of position for a great goal. It shocked the barely attended DU crowd.
Tonight's game vs DU was a microcosm effect for both teams. Wisconsin has been great on one night, and horrible the next. DU has had three goalies blossom into well groomed starters during the season. Who get's the nod and when?
The key to the next match up will be to see how Coach Eaves can adjust to the high octane offense that Denver presents. I wouldn't expect Coach Eaves to be as piss poor as Scott Owens in making adjustments. I do however expect the Pioneers to come out with more flair tomorrow possibly winning.
Either way, my upset pick is in Denver. Always has been. Not because I'm a fan of Wisconsin
but because for one of these teams, their back is against the wall.
1.) CC was playing a better Badger team than this years Husky team.
2.) CC had a shot at a pairwise ranking berth.
Basically what this loss does is send CC reeling so far back that they cannot recover from any amount of wins without a bracket busting final five win. I predicted CC to take the final five if they went to Michigan Tech. Unfortunately that didn't happen and now CC is at home in what could be the final game for the Schwartz brothers.
I don't think tomorrow's game will get any easier for the Tigers. Scott Owens has been absolutely horrible at making adjustments for the second game during the entire season. My prediction: CC fans leave the world arena tomorrow unhappy while Jaden and Rylan see their banks accounts fatten.
On Wisconsin!
I predicted that Wisconsin would give Denver a run for their money and I was right! I have looked at stats the entire season. Many fans in Denver were irate with their Pioneers tonight. They compared the game as being less than a high school game. The shots were great and the defense was top notch.
Denver had a better shot the entire night to win, but blew it by letting Wisconsin back into the game during the 3rd period. For the entire game, Wisconsin trailed in shots. During the 3rd, Wisconsin came with a heavy dose of power and put DU's goalie out of position for a great goal. It shocked the barely attended DU crowd.
Tonight's game vs DU was a microcosm effect for both teams. Wisconsin has been great on one night, and horrible the next. DU has had three goalies blossom into well groomed starters during the season. Who get's the nod and when?
The key to the next match up will be to see how Coach Eaves can adjust to the high octane offense that Denver presents. I wouldn't expect Coach Eaves to be as piss poor as Scott Owens in making adjustments. I do however expect the Pioneers to come out with more flair tomorrow possibly winning.
Either way, my upset pick is in Denver. Always has been. Not because I'm a fan of Wisconsin
but because for one of these teams, their back is against the wall.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
5 teams that may never have "national champs" by their name again
Over the past two years, I have watched the college hockey landscape change enormously. Even before the Big 10 came into existence, a shift had begun to take place. Larger, more well known universities and colleges became the front and center of the national championship race. Little teams with low funding or small enrollment have suffered. Now that the Big 10 is around the corner, many of these smaller teams will find competition in the post season that much tougher.
The 5:
1. Alaska-Anchorage: Now that the Big 10 and NCHC are a season away from realization, one small factor has been forgotten: since neither of these conferences are obligated to travel to Alaska, will they? My prediction is no. Anchorage, along with it's sister campus Fairbanks will only go as far as the WCHA will take them. Thankfully many good WCHA teams will be leaving for either the Big 10 or the NCHC. This should give Alaska a better chance. The unfortunate part is that when playoff time comes around, the new WCHA might be as just as easy as the current Atlantic Hockey Conference.
2. Alabama-Huntsville: There is not another D-1 program within 150 miles of AL-H. The nearest school within range is Bowling Green which is 178 miles away. Next is Miami of Ohio (418 Miles) followed by Ohio State University (498 miles). With the WCHA already tackling two Alaska teams, there seems to be absolutely no way that UAH can get into that conference. The Big 10 is all about big universities, which UAH is not. The NCHC is all about hockey prestige, which UAH is not. Even hockey east, which now has Notre Dame within 700 miles of UAH would be a long shot. In state recruiting is horrible, not to mention this team will likely never see a championship of any kind of they cannot win games, much less the 4 a year they get at home.
3. Colorado College: Out of all of my picks, this one is the most subjective. Colorado College has been around longer than the University of North Dakota, and the University of Denver. Yet they have five less championship trophies to account for. The real problem is not the team or the fans. It's the school. Colorado College enrolls less than 2,000 students. This is not good for any type of division 1 sports team, much less hockey. The world arena could fit 3 and a half CC student bodies easily in it. Hell, at the rate they are at, they could probably teach all the classes in the World Arena. Recruiting is not a problem, but the coaching is. And until the mindset in Colorado Springs is not the school but the team, don't expect this team to be raising a banner anytime soon.
4. Minnesota - State: Another tragedy like CC, just with more students. This is more of a commuter campus than anything. Similar to UNO, but with less support. Mankato is not a hockey derived town. They have plenty to celebrate about, just not the Mavericks. The local high school hockey team is usually one of the best in the state. Who wants to pay high prices to watch the Mavericks lose nearly every game?
5. Lake Superior: This team has some talent from past years, but really everything has evaporated in recent years. Nobody really knows this team. Being a so so team in the CCHA might make them superstars in the new WCHA. Only time will tell. If you have lots of money to spend, or waste, I would bet on these guys winning the national championship. It's a more humane way of putting your money in a paper shredder.
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Teams likely to have their name on the national championship roster, and soon:
1. North Dakota: As much as everyone claims that the NCHC is the new hockey power house, there are only three teams with the ability to take this conference by storm: UND, Denver, and Miami. Focusing on UND: they build solid every year. No team expects to go into Grand Forks without getting into some kind of fight. These guys are scrappy, every....single....year. That kind of man handling will get this team far. UND will probably be the first team to get their hands on the NCHC trophy.
2. Wisconsin: This year has not been good to bucky. In the past it has been Minnesota who has taken an off year, or 4. With the new Big 10 forming, Penn State will probably not be in any kind of contention for a couple of years. Michigan State will have to play more than just the crap CCHA schedule with the occasional Michigan and Ohio State games thrown in. Although Ohio State has the largest arena in the NCAA's, and the big 10 for that fact, they rarely use it during basketball season. They are relegated to a 1,600 person arena. Putting teams like this in the Kohl Center which seats 15,000+ will be a major advantage to the badgers. Plus bucky is in prime recruiting territory.
3. Denver: For all the reasons that UND will be the best in the NCHC, Denver has a fighting chance. For some odd reason, Denver has always recruited well. They seem to be the best at it year in and year out. I don't know if this is a long term idea, but I would pick Denver to be in the Frozen Four soon after the NCHC is formed.
4. Notre Dame: Playing in a league where just about every single opposing team is a football rival makes this team a constant battling team. They fight in front of every Big 10 crowd. Now they will go to Hockey East which craves hockey on a different level. They will bring this same attitude to Boston. I doubt that the talking heads know what is headed their way in this ND team.
Thanks for reading!
The 5:
1. Alaska-Anchorage: Now that the Big 10 and NCHC are a season away from realization, one small factor has been forgotten: since neither of these conferences are obligated to travel to Alaska, will they? My prediction is no. Anchorage, along with it's sister campus Fairbanks will only go as far as the WCHA will take them. Thankfully many good WCHA teams will be leaving for either the Big 10 or the NCHC. This should give Alaska a better chance. The unfortunate part is that when playoff time comes around, the new WCHA might be as just as easy as the current Atlantic Hockey Conference.
2. Alabama-Huntsville: There is not another D-1 program within 150 miles of AL-H. The nearest school within range is Bowling Green which is 178 miles away. Next is Miami of Ohio (418 Miles) followed by Ohio State University (498 miles). With the WCHA already tackling two Alaska teams, there seems to be absolutely no way that UAH can get into that conference. The Big 10 is all about big universities, which UAH is not. The NCHC is all about hockey prestige, which UAH is not. Even hockey east, which now has Notre Dame within 700 miles of UAH would be a long shot. In state recruiting is horrible, not to mention this team will likely never see a championship of any kind of they cannot win games, much less the 4 a year they get at home.
3. Colorado College: Out of all of my picks, this one is the most subjective. Colorado College has been around longer than the University of North Dakota, and the University of Denver. Yet they have five less championship trophies to account for. The real problem is not the team or the fans. It's the school. Colorado College enrolls less than 2,000 students. This is not good for any type of division 1 sports team, much less hockey. The world arena could fit 3 and a half CC student bodies easily in it. Hell, at the rate they are at, they could probably teach all the classes in the World Arena. Recruiting is not a problem, but the coaching is. And until the mindset in Colorado Springs is not the school but the team, don't expect this team to be raising a banner anytime soon.
4. Minnesota - State: Another tragedy like CC, just with more students. This is more of a commuter campus than anything. Similar to UNO, but with less support. Mankato is not a hockey derived town. They have plenty to celebrate about, just not the Mavericks. The local high school hockey team is usually one of the best in the state. Who wants to pay high prices to watch the Mavericks lose nearly every game?
5. Lake Superior: This team has some talent from past years, but really everything has evaporated in recent years. Nobody really knows this team. Being a so so team in the CCHA might make them superstars in the new WCHA. Only time will tell. If you have lots of money to spend, or waste, I would bet on these guys winning the national championship. It's a more humane way of putting your money in a paper shredder.
--------------------
Teams likely to have their name on the national championship roster, and soon:
1. North Dakota: As much as everyone claims that the NCHC is the new hockey power house, there are only three teams with the ability to take this conference by storm: UND, Denver, and Miami. Focusing on UND: they build solid every year. No team expects to go into Grand Forks without getting into some kind of fight. These guys are scrappy, every....single....year. That kind of man handling will get this team far. UND will probably be the first team to get their hands on the NCHC trophy.
2. Wisconsin: This year has not been good to bucky. In the past it has been Minnesota who has taken an off year, or 4. With the new Big 10 forming, Penn State will probably not be in any kind of contention for a couple of years. Michigan State will have to play more than just the crap CCHA schedule with the occasional Michigan and Ohio State games thrown in. Although Ohio State has the largest arena in the NCAA's, and the big 10 for that fact, they rarely use it during basketball season. They are relegated to a 1,600 person arena. Putting teams like this in the Kohl Center which seats 15,000+ will be a major advantage to the badgers. Plus bucky is in prime recruiting territory.
3. Denver: For all the reasons that UND will be the best in the NCHC, Denver has a fighting chance. For some odd reason, Denver has always recruited well. They seem to be the best at it year in and year out. I don't know if this is a long term idea, but I would pick Denver to be in the Frozen Four soon after the NCHC is formed.
4. Notre Dame: Playing in a league where just about every single opposing team is a football rival makes this team a constant battling team. They fight in front of every Big 10 crowd. Now they will go to Hockey East which craves hockey on a different level. They will bring this same attitude to Boston. I doubt that the talking heads know what is headed their way in this ND team.
Thanks for reading!
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