LSSU Lakers 2016-17

[sm2pk]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016-17

Maybe the weekend off will help the team .

[sm2pk]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016-17

What a poor showing by WCHA teams this season. One team in the top 20 and that is MI Tech at 20. Come the nationals we are most likely seeing one team making the nationals .

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016-17

What a poor showing by WCHA teams this season. One team in the top 20 and that is MI Tech at 20. Come the nationals we are most likely seeing one team making the nationals .

Quite a bit of parity in the WCHA this season. Most WCHA programs are also small budget programs compared to the B1G, NCHC and Hockey East, which means that most seasons you're typically not going to find a lot of WCHA teams high in the national power rankings and making the tournament. A good year for the WCHA would probably result in 2 or maybe 3 teams making the tournament. It is what it is.

[davyd83]

Quite a bit of parity in the WCHA this season. Most WCHA programs are also small budget programs compared to the B1G, NCHC and Hockey East, which means that most seasons you're typically not going to find a lot of WCHA teams high in the national power rankings and making the tournament. A good year for the WCHA would probably result in 2 or maybe 3 teams making the tournament. It is what it is.

The fact that the small schools can no longer sell playing Michigan, MSU, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio St, Norte Dame or North Dakota is also starting to show. The teams with the strongest recruiting budgets will be in the top tier of the league because they will be able to develop stronger relationships with players & family and will have more opportunities to evaluate individual players.

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016-17

Press release from the MJHL on our newest recruit, goalie Roman Bengert:

http://www.mjhlhockey.ca/news_articl...rer_id=1498173

[eye4talent]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016-17

The fact that the small schools can no longer sell playing Michigan, MSU, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio St, Norte Dame or North Dakota is also starting to show. The teams with the strongest recruiting budgets will be in the top tier of the league because they will be able to develop stronger relationships with players & family and will have more opportunities to evaluate individual players.

Liberal mentality. Lots of teams with bigger budgets aren't any good. Embrace solutions, not excuses.

[Deman]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016-17

Liberal mentality. Lots of teams with bigger budgets aren't any good. Embrace solutions, not excuses.

Can we just...not talk "liberal" or "conservative" in that sense here?

I do agree with both of you, however. Big budget teams may not have the best teams, despite maybe having the higher ranked recruits. The larger schools, like a B1G school, have bigger, nationally recognized names. I'm sure if you ask **** near anyone that follows any sport, they'll say they know about Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Notre Dame.

But Lake Superior State? Not so much.

If you have a scholarship offer from a school like Michigan and one from LSSU. Both full ride. It would be hard to convince that player to come here to Sault Sainte Siberia to play at a small school when you can go to Michigan (still bad weather...but not as bad), which is a more prestigious school that will attract pro scouts based off of name alone.

Now, there's always the chance that the prospect doesn't want to go to a big school, which is great. They'll also be much more likely to get playing time and to be called up on time. But again, the chance to play for the University of Michigan? Michigan State? Man, that would be hard to turn down.

So no, not every big budget school is good, or consistently competitive, but they have the name.


On a positive note:

Further, we do have some pretty great teams in the WCHA. Michigan Tech has been playing some good hockey, same with Mankato. Being forced to play with them will (hopefully) make the rest of the team better & more competitive as time goes on. However, I do believe there will be further shakeups & another, more planned, realignment.

Personally I think the recruiting that the staff at Lake State have done in the last few years is stellar, at least on paper, and I hope we make it back into the tournament because of it soon.

[eye4talent]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016-17

Can we just...not talk "liberal" or "conservative" in that sense here?

I do agree with both of you, however. Big budget teams may not have the best teams, despite maybe having the higher ranked recruits. The larger schools, like a B1G school, have bigger, nationally recognized names. I'm sure if you ask **** near anyone that follows any sport, they'll say they know about Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Notre Dame.

But Lake Superior State? Not so much.

Fair enough, but if you look who's won it all recently or made it to the Frozen 4, you don't need the big "name" to win. Union, Yale, Quinnipiac, Ferris State. Heck, RIT made the Frozen 4 not too long ago.

[davyd83]

Liberal mentality. Lots of teams with bigger budgets aren't any good. Embrace solutions, not excuses.

Guess where the top 4 teams in the WCHA rank in WCHA budgets (travel subsidies not included). Guess where 4 of the top 5 ranked last year.

[RapidsCity]

Guess where the top 4 teams in the WCHA rank in WCHA budgets (travel subsidies not included). Guess where 4 of the top 5 ranked last year.

I don't believe that it's any coincidence that LSSU has been able to improve its recruiting with a budget increase that has allowed them to expand their reach. Also, having two full time assistants has helped from both a recruiting and coaching perspective. It's also no coincidence that we have been a bottom of the budget barrel team in both the CCHA & WCHA and have languished near the bottom of the standings. It's also no coincidence that the 3 teams fighting for the last playoff spot are among the most poorly financed.

[davyd83]

I don't believe that it's any coincidence that LSSU has been able to improve its recruiting with a budget increase that has allowed them to expand their reach. Also, having two full time assistants has helped from both a recruiting and coaching perspective. It's also no coincidence that we have been a bottom of the budget barrel team in both the CCHA & WCHA and have languished near the bottom of the standings. It's also no coincidence that the 3 teams fighting for the last playoff spot are among the most poorly financed.

I also don't think it's coincidental the Michigan Tech, Mankato & Bowling Green have improved immensely with their large funding increases as well.

[Yooper_by_choice]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016-17

I don't believe that it's any coincidence that LSSU has been able to improve its recruiting with a budget increase that has allowed them to expand their reach. Also, having two full time assistants has helped from both a recruiting and coaching perspective. It's also no coincidence that we have been a bottom of the budget barrel team in both the CCHA & WCHA and have languished near the bottom of the standings. It's also no coincidence that the 3 teams fighting for the last playoff spot are among the most poorly financed.

I thought NMU always had a decent budget or at least in the middle.

[LSSULaker889294]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016-17

Congratulations to Max Humitz! WCHA Rookie of the Month for January!
http://lssulakers.com/sports/m-hocke...20170203entupi

Edit: J.T. Henke was also runner up for WCHA Player of the Month.

[davyd83]

I thought NMU always had a decent budget or at least in the middle.

Not for hockey. It's been in the bottom 3-4 of the CCHA/WCHA for many years.

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016-17

Arizona State's proposed new arena deal has fallen through:

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/2017...tes-arena-deal