BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

[wtbu60]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

How relevant to BU’s current "crash" is their having the fewest upperclassmen on any Hockey East roster – just seven (based on the rosters listed on USCHO), one of whom is a practice goalie, and two of whom are senior walk-on forwards who combined have played in 44 games, half of which have been in this season, with a total of one goal and two assists between them?

Granted, as Northeastern (with a senior goalie) and Providence (with a sophomore goalie who was Hockey East Rookie of the Year, First Team Hockey East and Second Team All American) have proven this season, a high number of upperclass players doesn’t always correlate with success; but, by contrast to BU, the USCHO rosters for the other Hockey East teams show the following upperclassmen (teams listed in order of current standings standings): Boston College (12); Northeastern (8); Providence (8); Maine (11); New Hampshire (13); Lowell (13); Vermont (14); Notre Dame (17); Massachusetts (16); Merrimack (15).

Checking the records on hockeyDB.com, they show that this would be the worst BU hockey team in 50 years, if they don’t reach ten wins. Their 1963-64 team was 10-13-2. In 2003-04, they were 12-17-9. Incredibly, among their seven wins this season, this BU team has beaten Wisconsin, Providence, North Dakota and Cornell.

[Harry Cleverly]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

Incredibly, among their seven wins this season, this BU team has beaten Wisconsin, Providence, North Dakota and Cornell.

That is the $60,000 Question - how can they beat those teams and look so woeful in losses to Merrimack, Bentley, Harvard and Dartmouth, who are not good teams.

Where does BU's next win come from?
Unless they start playing with more urgency and get a spark, it may not happen until the Beanpot consolation game, when Harvard plays some of their JVs.

What makes this so hard to digest is the promise that this team showed early in the season.

[claver2010]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

And what about J.D. Carrabino, the 6-foot-6 transfer from Clarkson, who will be eligible next year.
Has anyone seen him play? Is he going to help?

Basketball or hockey?

[Friend_of_BU_Hockey]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

Defenseman John MacLeod from the US National Development program will be a freshman next season.

And what about J.D. Carrabino, the 6-foot-6 transfer from Clarkson, who will be eligible next year.
Has anyone seen him play? Is he going to help?

Wasn't sure if MacLeod was scheduled to arrive next season or in Fall 2015. He could help immediately, as I know he's very highly-regarded.

As for Carrabino, he only played 3 games for Clarkson last season before transferring. Didn't play at all in 2011-12 (injury?); his last full season of hockey was in 2010-11 split between the USHL and EJHL.

[ericredaxe]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

Terrance has some good points.

[Tater]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

Defenseman John MacLeod from the US National Development program will be a freshman next season.

Not to sound "fanboy"-ish, but I think we will have some fun with this name, though the students may not get the movie reference.

[defkit]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

Everyone is so excited for Eichel, but wasn't Kurker supposed to be some phenom as well? Lane was also supposed to be really good.

Kurker was expected to be a good player, but coming straight out of high school, I don't think the expectation was that he would be a dominant player in the first year or even two. Make no mistake, he hasn't lived up to even the most conservative expectations. But with Eichel, we are talking about a whole different level, if you ask me. Here is a guy who just played against the top players in the world under 20, and as a "just turned 17-year old", he was among the top 2-3 forward on the US team. In the 25+ years that I have been watching BU Hockey, my hope is that the only player that I will feel had the same level of pure skill as a freshman as Eichel is Tony Amonte. But as always, it's all expectations until he hits the ice.

I never thought Lane was supposed to be any better than what we have seen, perhaps it is just me. He wasn't a high scorer in Ann Arbor (at least I don't think), so I didn't expect him to be here. I viewed him as a Luke Popko with more offensive potential (smart player you can have putt here in all situations, will hustle like there is no tomorrow). He is a perfect third line player in my book. Like the Bavii, but with more speed.

[Carmine Scarpaglia]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

Speaking of Kurker...

[brassbonanza]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

lol we have 17 healthy skaters.

Not surprising, he never was able to get his feet planted here, and showed little to no skill whatsoever. Best of luck to him elsewhere, but this one doesn't seem like Coyle, a kid with boatloads of skill who doesn't fit in, he wasn't displaying the level of skill to compete at the NCAA level.

[J.D.]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

looks like the bu hockey blog credited the kid for reporting it first

[Carmine Scarpaglia]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

The BC kid scooped them again. Ha!

[steakbomb]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

Probably a bit unfair of me to say this but I'm always skeptical that these mid-season departures have as much to do with academics as the on-ice stuff.

Then again, if you know you're leaving, what's the point ?

[defkit]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

Will be interesting to see if he really goes the USHL route or to MJ. If it's the former, I think it is essentially an admission that he wasn't ready for NCAA hockey and should have gone junior for at least one year first.

I hope he rights the ship and goes on to a good career. He seems like a good kid.

[steakbomb]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

I'm wiling to guess the Blues had some influence here too after watching a 2d round draft pick struggle for a year plus.

[Rogie21]

Re: BU 2013-14 (Part II): Crash before the Phoenix

Wasn't sure if MacLeod was scheduled to arrive next season or in Fall 2015. He could help immediately, as I know he's very highly-regarded.

MacLeod was #44 (North America) in today's Central Scouting ranking.

I never thought Lane was supposed to be any better than what we have seen, perhaps it is just me. He wasn't a high scorer in Ann Arbor (at least I don't think), so I didn't expect him to be here. I viewed him as a Luke Popko with more offensive potential (smart player you can have putt here in all situations, will hustle like there is no tomorrow). He is a perfect third line player in my book. Like the Bavii, but with more speed.

Lane had 13-17-30 with the U18s and played his best hockey in the World U18s (with O'Regan and Grzelcyk), where he was named one of the top three U.S. players.