Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

[smyler3]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

“If Jerry got a report that one of the kids was disrespectful to someone working in the lunch room or to the Zamboni driver, that would send him over the edge,’’ Cavanaugh says. “Or if one of our kids ever tried to play the card, ‘Hey, I’m a hockey player,’ that would send him off. You’re just one member of the Boston College community and we’re all equal.’’

Boom

That's the stuff right there.

[defkit]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

It's been almost a week since the last game and Chiasson signed. As no one else has left, are we pretty safe for now in terms of guys leaving early? Also was hoping to hear that Connelly and millan signed on to play... Any news?

Where Connolly and Millan are not sure fire NHL prospects and they are both seniors, I would expect that they would want to go ahead and finish their degree now, and just start professional hockey next season. Millan certainly has a shot top make it to the NHL one day, but especially at goalie, I don't think the Avalanche are eager to bring him in for a couple games in the AHL to see how he does. And I'm pretty sure Connolly was never drafted. I see him as a player in that area right in between ECHL and AHL. I would think he signs some sort of AHL contract over the summer, and starts in the ECHL.

Since Millan was taken in the "overage draft" or "supplementary draft" or whatever it is called, does that mean that the Avalanche don't lose his rights at the end of his senior year as they would if he was a regular draft pick?

[defkit]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

Boom

That's the stuff right there.

Yeah, I mean the whole article just begs the question, who wouldn't go there if they could? (At least in terms of Eastern Schools). If I were a parent and my kid could choose between BU and BC for hockey right now, I wouldn't even hesitate to send him to BC, as much it pains me to say it. It's just reality.

[Boston22]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

It's been almost a week since the last game and Chiasson signed. As no one else has left, are we pretty safe for now in terms of guys leaving early? Also was hoping to hear that Connelly and millan signed on to play... Any news?

I could be wrong on this, but I seem to remember kids leaving early ranging from March through August. So, to answer your question, no, BU is not safe in terms of guys leaving.

[ericredaxe]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

I could be wrong on this, but I seem to remember kids leaving early ranging from March through August. So, to answer your question, no, BU is not safe in terms of guys leaving.

March - August? Heck I remember kids leaving in December!

[defkit]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

So on the topic of early departures - thoughts on those that turned out to be good or bad decisions?

Good - some real slam dunks here:
Amonte - a man amongst boys, no reason to stay, great NHL career

McEachern - played on the Olympic team after his junior year, no reason to come back. Solid NHL career.

Tkachuk - unexpectedly made the Olympic team after a solid but not amazing freshman season (playing with Amonte and McEachern for the last 2/3rds of the year helped him get to 40 points). But once he showed he belonged with the Olympic level, not much reason to return, amazing NHL career

Grier - while he had to use his two way skills to make it in the NHL, his reason for leaving was different than most - the refs started calling penalties on all of his big (and usually legal) checks for fear of serious injury to the opposing player. He was getting frustrated.


Bad (not all terrible, but in retrospect, perhps should have come back to BU)

Joe Sacco - left after a great junior year (28 goals), certainly got some looks in the NHL, but was never an offesnive threat at that level. We sure could have used one more gun in that 3OT title game against Northern Michigan.

Mike Pomichter - All American as a Junior, i honestly have no idea where he went, which pretty much makes the case that it was a bad choice. Would have a ring if he had come back for '94-'95.

Chris O'Sullivan - not sure that another year at BU would have helped his cause, but he struggled to stay in the NHL after he skipped his senior year. Given the challenges he and his siblings endured growing up, perhaps the financial aspect was a motivator, and I could never fault him for that.

Those are some older ones - I'll let others chime in with some others including more recents.

[ericredaxe]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

Have not followed closely enough to really comment, but at a glance some that I wonder if they would have been better off staying:

David Warsofsky (dont think he has played in NHL yet?)
Nick Bonino (26 NHL games 0 points in 10-11)
Colby Cohen (has mostly been in AHL I think?)
Chris Bourque (go to class numbnuts)

And at a glance, a couple that come to mine that it seems to have worked out for:

Shattenkirk
Colin Wilson

[DaveStPaul]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

Joe Sacco - left after a great junior year (28 goals), certainly got some looks in the NHL, but was never an offesnive threat at that level. We sure could have used one more gun in that 3OT title game against Northern Michigan.

I already have enough depressions brought on by remembering that game, and now you've added to the mix, "And don't forget, Joe Sacco should've been on that team!" Thanks a lot!



Side note: You could have a fun parlor game imagining the potential final score of that game with all those big producers + Sacco. It could've been 10-9! 13-11!

[Scarlet]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

So on the topic of early departures - thoughts on those that turned out to be good or bad decisions?

Good - some real slam dunks here:
Amonte - a man amongst boys, no reason to stay, great NHL career

McEachern - played on the Olympic team after his junior year, no reason to come back. Solid NHL career.

Tkachuk - unexpectedly made the Olympic team after a solid but not amazing freshman season (playing with Amonte and McEachern for the last 2/3rds of the year helped him get to 40 points). But once he showed he belonged with the Olympic level, not much reason to return, amazing NHL career

Grier - while he had to use his two way skills to make it in the NHL, his reason for leaving was different than most - the refs started calling penalties on all of his big (and usually legal) checks for fear of serious injury to the opposing player. He was getting frustrated.


Bad (not all terrible, but in retrospect, perhps should have come back to BU)

Joe Sacco - left after a great junior year (28 goals), certainly got some looks in the NHL, but was never an offesnive threat at that level. We sure could have used one more gun in that 3OT title game against Northern Michigan.

Mike Pomichter - All American as a Junior, i honestly have no idea where he went, which pretty much makes the case that it was a bad choice. Would have a ring if he had come back for '94-'95.

Chris O'Sullivan - not sure that another year at BU would have helped his cause, but he struggled to stay in the NHL after he skipped his senior year. Given the challenges he and his siblings endured growing up, perhaps the financial aspect was a motivator, and I could never fault him for that.

Those are some older ones - I'll let others chime in with some others including more recents.

With regards to Pomichter, who got to play on the 94-95 championship team that might not have had he not left? Would that team have won with him? And also, mookie has a tshirt that says Pomichter won a national title in 94. He posted a photo of it here a while back. It's an actual 1994 National Champions tshirt, with the old speed logo on it. He wore it in St. Paul at the regionals. Got a few confused looks. Ha!

[brassbonanza]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

Nick Bonino (26 NHL games 0 points in 10-11)

Bonino's played in 47 games this year, tallying 17 points, and seems to have become a mainstay on their roster as the season has progressed. I wouldn't put him in the category of those who haven't been as successful after leaving early. A big omission on that list, however, is Strait. Three full seasons since leaving, he's played in only 10 total NHL games, mostly as an injury replacement.

[Rover]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

Have not followed closely enough to really comment, but at a glance some that I wonder if they would have been better off staying:

David Warsofsky (dont think he has played in NHL yet?)
Nick Bonino (26 NHL games 0 points in 10-11)
Colby Cohen (has mostly been in AHL I think?)
Chris Bourque (go to class numbnuts)

And at a glance, a couple that come to mine that it seems to have worked out for:

Shattenkirk
Colin Wilson

Bonino I felt made the right move because the team was getting worse instead of better. He came off a championship, had an injury plagued season surrounded by less talent. At that point you can still get some mileage off of the championship season if you leave. Stay and have another down season and that's a problem.

Colby Cohen was a terrible defenseman who struck while the iron was hot. His pro prospects were always limited but why not cash in whe you have the chance? Call it the Marty Reasoner scenario. Reasoner never saw his own end of the ice in 3 years of playing and had his one big year when he was passing the puck to freshman phenom Brian Gionta. When some idiot team offered him money based on that, you go ahead and take it because its going to be all downhill from there.

Ryan Whitney is one who made the right move in leaving. No talent team who's style of play was killing his game.

Bourque could have used some more seasoning and discipline. O'Sullivan bolted too early too IMHO.

[buoldtimer]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

...Reasoner never saw his own end of the ice in 3 years of playing and had his one big year when he was passing the puck to freshman phenom Brian Gionta. When some idiot team offered him money based on that, you go ahead and take it because its going to be all downhill from there.

While I'm not a huge Reasoner fan, you're seriously understating his college career.

With some guys, the decision to sign is based upon the answer to the question "How will my development benefit more? From another year in college, or a year of playing 80 games at a pro-level?" I think Strait decided to sign thinking his game would benefit from a year in the AHL rather than at BU. A legitimate decision. Much the same as Colin Wilson's decision. One man's opinion, from a strictly performance perspective, CCohen needed another year of college hockey, much like Adam Clendening. The fact that Strait has seen limited time in the NHL isn't necessarily a bad reflection upon his decision.

[Boston22]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

With regards to Pomichter, who got to play on the 94-95 championship team that might not have had he not left? Would that team have won with him? And also, mookie has a tshirt that says Pomichter won a national title in 94. He posted a photo of it here a while back. It's an actual 1994 National Champions tshirt, with the old speed logo on it. He wore it in St. Paul at the regionals. Got a few confused looks. Ha!

I don't get it. Did Pomichter have a lot of turnovers in the National Championship game vs. Lake Superior?

[J.D.]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

In this day and age, you can't begrudge drafted players leaving after their junior year. NHL teams want their guys signed no later than that point if it all possible because they run the risk of losing that player's rights if they were to return for their senior season.

Reasoner was a phenomenal collegiate player and thankfully stayed three years. For someone who "never saw his end of the ice at BC", he's certainly transformed his game from what he was thought to be (a top six forward) into approximately a 14 year NHL career primarily as a 3rd/4th line guy. He was drafted 14th overall in 1996, prior to Gionta's arrival. So, he was already thought to be a great prospect and had two very good years at BC with subpar surrounding talent. It's not like he was an undrafted free agent with some "idiot" team noticing him out of nowhere.

Chris Bourque would be a perfect example, but it appears college just wasn't for him. I believe he leads the AHL in scoring.

[carltonbarrett]

Re: Boston University 2011-2012: Part The Sixth

If Reasoner only racked up points assisting Gionta, then how did he manage to have a 20-24-44 line in 35 games as a Sophmore before Gionta even showed up? Or for that matter, if he was just getting cheap assists when Gionta was there, how did he score 33 goals in 98? Lets face it, when you put up 73 points as a "true" Junior, you're doing something right.