LSSU Lakers

[Mogerfan]

Originally posted by Anchor
Anybody know since they're hosting Bemidji next season, if that will mean they'll be going to Bemidji in 2005-06, or some time in the next few years?

It seems like it usually works that way. I remember Crawford talking on the radio this year about how you usually have to make a deal for two years with teams to play home one year and away the next. I am certainly not connected though, so I have no inside information about BSU specifically.

I am kind of excited about that series. A nice rematch of the '74 NAIA title game. Lots of history etc and it's nice that both teams have come so far.

I like the non-conference schedule overall. Sure, we are playing the weaker leagues, but Colgate and BSU are clearly the top team in their respective leagues. Plus I think we are a year or two off from worrying about things like PairWise rankings. A holiday tourny would have been nice though, maybe next year.

GO LAKERS!!!

[Laker Hockey]

http://www.sooeveningnews.com/articles/2004/05/02/sports/sports13.txt

[Mogerfan]

Reading that article makes me wonder if Kasper was the recruit Bill had heard rumors about. Some one who could come in and help right away, but who had some elgibility issues.

Oke looks like a big kid, but with average numbers. As of a January press release I found, he was only 17 though, so he is still very young as opposed to the 21 year old Kasper. Oke is second on his team in PIMs, so he is another freshman who will have to work on his discipline.

[Mogerfan]

For those of you who may not have read the whole article from the Evening Snooze, they are selling some used hockey equipment at the Norris tonight. I called for some info and I guess "game worn" Jerseys are going for $100-$150. That doesn't seem excessive for a big fan if you don't mind parting with some disposable income........

Anyone have any info on the new recruit. Google didn't tell me much about Oke. Anyone know what Kasper's "elgibility issue" is? I though the thread would be buzzing with the identification of a new recruit, but it's been pretty quiet.

GO LAKERS!!!

[sm3pk]

mogerfan..its a long haul now to the start of the new season...not much to talk about with no one playing except in Iraq for our bonehead president

[Mogerfan]

Originally posted by sm3pk
mogerfan..its a long haul now to the start of the new season...not much to talk about with no one playing except in Iraq for our bonehead president

I guess I am just over-excited to be able to talk about the Lakers again, having spent most of the last several seasons and off-seasons over seas.

I am the newbie here, but can I ask that we keep the politics to a minimum on this thread. There are an endless amount of websites I can go to if I want to listen to people disparage my boss. I come here to talk about college hockey and the one sports team I love above all others. Thanks.

GO LAKERS!!!

[jnacc]

Originally posted by Mogerfan
For those of you who may not have read the whole article from the Evening Snooze, they are selling some used hockey equipment at the Norris tonight. I called for some info and I guess "game worn" Jerseys are going for $100-$150. That doesn't seem excessive for a big fan if you don't mind parting with some disposable income........

Anyone have any info on the new recruit. Google didn't tell me much about Oke. Anyone know what Kasper's "elgibility issue" is? I though the thread would be buzzing with the identification of a new recruit, but it's been pretty quiet.

GO LAKERS!!!


I have only seen Nogatch play and got the impression that he will be a decent enough defensemen once he gets his feet wet in the CCHA. As for the rest I am not so sure. Eves and Okes are young and will be true freshmen when they begin play next year. A true freshman is pretty rare in this day and age and team generally do not bring in 18 year olds unless they are elite players (ie Hensick, Chrisite). Eves and Okes really don't fit that bill. I know enough of the OPJHL that it is a watered down league and as a 17 year old Okes managed just 10 goals in that league. Eves is no offensive wizard either and the same can be said for Kasper, and this is what kind of worries me. What the Lakers need first and foremost are goal scorers and I am not sure if these two will ever develop into such. Sure they may be great character players and will battle hard in the corners but LSSU has those types of players already, do they need more?

Time will tell I suppose.

[Mogerfan]

Originally posted by jnacc
What the Lakers need first and foremost are goal scorers and I am not sure if these two will ever develop into such. Sure they may be great character players and will battle hard in the corners but LSSU has those types of players already, do they need more?


Unfortunately, that is exactly what I was thinking. The recruited forwards all seem to be along the lines of character type players who will be good Lakers and can muck it up down low. But my gosh we need some one who can put the puck in the net! We need a playmaking center and decent sniper or two.

I only saw three games last year, (@ ND and 2 @ Ferris), but I have some hope that Rainville will develop into a difference maker. He seemed like he had the moves and the speed, just not quite the strength.

[sm3pk]

I dont think Anzalone recruits anyone now that he doesnt see something in them and something that will help the team. Last season we may not have seen a huge jump in the standings but I do think we all saw a big leap forward in overall team play and I think alot of the league saw that as well. This season should produce a stronger and better fit team and I think Anzalone is slowly cranking up his drive with the players. Does anyone know what kind of off season program Frank has given the players? If so,let us know...thanks

[Lakerblue]

I think we'll see these diamond-in-the-rough players really excell as they mature. By the time these players are seniors, I truly think we'll have a unique hockey program in the Soo. We won't rely on big-time blue-chip scoring machines, but rather will have the Laker System working in full effect: rotating the puck, cycling down low, getting shots and crashing the net, working four lines every night . . .

[Bill]

Assuming next season's recruiting class is pretty much finalized, recognizing that they still might sign somone later, I don't see any significant movement up the CCHA standings for the Lakers unless some of the current guys really mature and step up their game. Yes, some improvement is likely, and hopefully we will see them move up at least a few notches, but without any obvious sign of where more scoring is going to come from, it's hard to see them moving up much at this point. It will likely just boil down to the point of how much will the returning players improve.

[sm3pk]

All I can say about the guys coming in next season is what I heard Bill Crawford say a few times and that was.....the guys that will be coming in next season are good players,much better then we have been recruiting for a while now and Frank seems happy with the recruits,so who knows. As for the returning players stepping up and being stronger and smarter out on the ice. I think that will be a given.No way is Anzalone having them come back not stronger and better conditioned then they were this past season.

[NMU DOC]

So what will happen first...

A) the Red Wings AKA... the Dead Things... Win the cup again, or...


B) The Lakers return to the CCHA semifinals

I say Semi's because it's asking a lot for them to be in the championship game just yet.

:D

[jnacc]

The Red Wings have a very mature roster and many of their "star" players will soon retire. The days of snagging high priced free agents will soon come to an end with the advent of the new C.B.A. Therefore I am going to have to go with the Lakers returning to the semi's long before Detroit ever wins a cup again.

[Mogerfan]

The things you will think of Doc, to keep this thread from slipping to page 3.

I liked this year's freshman class of Lakers. I have to think that they will see a CCHA semi-final game in their time at Lake State. I doubt the Wings will win another Cup by then. I'm sure they'll still be competative, but I think the young Euros on the team will need to get bloodied a few more years before they figure out what it takes to win 4 rounds of playoff hockey......

[Laker Hockey]

As bad as the Lakers are right now, and I agree with Bill that it doesn't appear that they are going to be moving much in the standings next season. It is always easier to win 3 games than it is to win 16 games. Winning a championship is really a once in a lifetime type of thing. The Wings and the Lakers both winning 3 in my lifetime makes me feel real lucky. Ask the people of Toronto (NHL), Boston or Chicago (MLB), and even Detroit football fans what they would do for a championship. Saying that it is obvious that the Wings are in a decline from what we have become accustom to, and the Lakers can’t get any lower than they have been in my opinion.

[Bill]

The Red Wings miss Vladimir Konstantinov more and more every year. And yes they are getting old and slowing down as a team, despite some young talent.

If the (unofficial) rules stayed the same once the playoffs started, the Red Wings would likely still be in it. But once the playoffs start, the games are called differently than the regular season, and it becomes easier for other teams to shut down someone like the Red Wings or the Avalanche.

The Lakers are a team slowly on the rise, while the Red Wings are a team slowly on the decline, so chances are reasonable that the Lakers will return to the CCHA Semis before the Wings win another Cup.

[NMU DOC]

All right, I used this the other day but will post it here so You all can comment:


Coaches...

What is the matter with Dave Lewis, the Wings' head coach? Should he be canned? My thoughts are this...
You of course remember when Jeff Jackson left LSSU, we hired Borek to lead the team. We all know how well that ended up. Was it that Borek was a bad coach? I don't think so. But here is my thoughts. Jackson was a hard coach. When you have a hard coach, the assistant takes the role as the team buddy. Kind of a good cop- bad cop thing. When the hard coach leaves and the assistant gets the nod as the head coach, the team won't play for them.
I think this is what has happened with Dave Lewis taking over for Bowman.
Lewis isn't a bad coach, but the All-star Wings don't play for him.

This said, I feel the Lakers will kae the Semi's before the Wings win the cup again.

[jnacc]

You are right, Jackson was a very demanding coach in the mold of a Frank Anzalone (and why not, Frank was his mentor) but your theory breaks down when you look at what type of assistant coach Jackson was. He like Borek and all other assistant coaches are more player oriented because that is their job. If you were old enough to watch and remember the 1988 championship game, you would have noticed that all the players were mauling and hugging Jeff Jackson after the game while only shaking Anzalone's hand.

The NHL is also a different animal today. Believe me that the Scotty Bowman of the Detroit Red Wings was not even close in terms of demeaner to the Scotty Bowman of the Montreal Canadians. As for Lewis, you are right he is a good coach and the players will play for him (witness their first place standing) but the Wings are aging and cannot handle the physical grind of tough playoff hockey. You can get away with having fast little waterbugs in the regular season but it becomes a different story in the playoffs.

[NMU DOC]

I know.

There is a flaw when you look at it that way. Frank was a hard ***** and still is, and then Jackson was one too.

All I know is this. I was ticked to see the Wings loose when they are SUPPOSED to win.