RPI 2017 Off-Season: We March 4th into the Future

[Ralph Baer]

Reading all these “heartfelt” Tweets almost makes me forget all the 20 loss seasons & multiple suspensions (can’t find an emoji for tears)

There have been lots more from people whom I haven't heard of and some whom I have but decided not post, e.g. posters from here.

[Waite21]

Yerdon talked rpi For 30!seconds. Waste of time

Just to put in a note for the math nerds - and I hope Ralph will back me up on this - 30! seconds translates into roughly 8.4 septillion years.

[Ralph Baer]

Just to put in a note for the math nerds - and I hope Ralph will back me up on this - 30! seconds translates into roughly 8.4 septillion years.

Yes.

[Ralph Baer]

Today is 8 March 2017. There are 207 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 1 October 2017 for the start of next season.

[FlagDUDE08]

ECAC didn't put it up on their season news... or is Stewie still hung over from celebrating that he's now rid of "the crutch"...

[Ralph Baer]

ECAC didn't put it up on their season news... or is Stewie still hung over from celebrating that he's now rid of "the crutch"...

Could you explain?

[FlagDUDE08]

Could you explain?

Remember back in 2011, when Paul Stewart was fined for going after a news reporter, saying the reporter was "just like Appert" and using reffing "as a crutch"?

[Ralph Baer]

Remember back in 2011, when Paul Stewart was fined for going after a news reporter, saying the reporter was "just like Appert" and using reffing "as a crutch"?

No, I don't recall that. Old age is setting in.

[FlagDUDE08]

No, I don't recall that. Old age is setting in.

http://www.withoutapeer.com/2011/02/...-to-power.html

[Ralph Baer]

http://www.withoutapeer.com/2011/02/...-to-power.html

Thanks. I only vaguely remember this.

[FlagDUDE08]

Reading all these “heartfelt” Tweets almost makes me forget all the 20 loss seasons & multiple suspensions (can’t find an emoji for tears)

Suspensions are going to happen. It happens to championship coaches in all sports, and if you're standing up for your team, so be it.

Not only were there a lot of 20 loss seasons, but "big moments" were almost always choked, and it's like they didn't seem to matter. Obviously there's going to be the worry that players are too excited that they end up blowing it over the moment, but these big moments are what motivates anyone, and it's not just limited to sports. Let's hype it up, give the players that extra "boost" to succeed, and we'll see much success.

[RPI fan 4 life]

Suspensions are going to happen. It happens to championship coaches in all sports, and if you're standing up for your team, so be it.

Not only were there a lot of 20 loss seasons, but "big moments" were almost always choked, and it's like they didn't seem to matter. Obviously there's going to be the worry that players are too excited that they end up blowing it over the moment, but these big moments are what motivates anyone, and it's not just limited to sports. Let's hype it up, give the players that extra "boost" to succeed, and we'll see much success.

100% correct FD. One thing that always disappointed me about OGC (now OFC) was the lack of fire that seemed to be apparent on the ice and to the media. I'm not talking about attempting to punch the opposing coach like another team's coach, but I wish he could have gotten a little more upset over the longer losing streaks.

[FlagDUDE08]

100% correct FD. One thing that always disappointed me about OGC (now OFC) was the lack of fire that seemed to be apparent on the ice and to the media. I'm not talking about attempting to punch the opposing coach like another team's coach, but I wish he could have gotten a little more upset over the longer losing streaks.

Getting too upset over streaks can also present the façade that you've "lost the room", so I'm not TOO concerned about that.

What really matters is what happens in the days that follow. Case in point: One of the other teams I followed, the WNY Flash, had a losing streak at the beginning of the season where they couldn't buy a goal. So the coach focuses on finishing and getting the ball in the net (the sport was women's soccer, but the same fundamentals apply), and the team ends up becoming the #1 offense in the league, and not only that, won the championship. Obviously looking back at RPI hockey, we don't necessarily know exactly what's happening in practice, but you can tell by the effectiveness from the following games. You'd expect at least a lot more shots on goal (goalie skill happens, so I don't necessarily want to say goals), which can translate to success. Instead, it's the same ol', same ol' of missing nets, blocking forwards, and hardly any movement to open opportunities.

[engineerhockeyfan]

Just so that all you posters on the thread do not stay depressed about this rather sudden change for long. Both Jenny and i are now totally back. In fact, I am available for consideration for the open position at this time. Hate to see this having to come to this but must say it was a long time coming. Best advice is to go way out of the program and system for new coaching talent. Have to turn this downward spiral around quickly as we have been a doormat for too long. BTW, I have always felt we had enough talent that we should not have been absent from the ECAC final four over the past 11 years. I truly got upset and tired of giving away our seats in Lake Placid or Atlantic City (or burning them).
What do we need most? obviously new aggressive coach, new assistants who can coach offensive hockey and the basics that we have been so notoriously poor with, and we need size. Not just big boys but boys who play to their size or bigger. We got sick and tired of watching our kids getting pushed around all over the ice. This sport is for those who are willing to play tough and willing to fight through checks and finish their own checks. Next year does not have to be a typical transition year but with the right guidance, we should be quite capable of competing with anyone.
All our best to those who expressed concern about us. All those who missed us. You know who you are. Great to be back (really never left but just could not voice our true feelings about what was happening). I still bleed RPI Red!!!

Welcome back Doc, glad to have you and Jenny back in the fold.
I don't follow the thread everyday during the off season. Imagine my surprise this morning when I go in and find that I am at least five pages behind.
I guess I will be following everyday (hourly) this off season.
How is this going to affect our incoming recruits?
What is a reasonable time frame for bringing in a new coach?
Will we lose any players from the current team?
I know that Doc would like to see a lot of players with size, (you just can't teach that). and I agree. But what I would really like to see is a scorer. We haven't had a natural scorer since Pirri. RB is very good, but someone needs to show him how to finish a breakaway.
Looking forward to hearing who we get and what he/she intends to do with the program.

[Ralph Baer]

Welcome back Doc, glad to have you and Jenny back in the fold.
I don't follow the thread everyday during the off season. Imagine my surprise this morning when I go in and find that I am at least five pages behind.
I guess I will be following everyday (hourly) this off season.
How is this going to affect our incoming recruits?
What is a reasonable time frame for bringing in a new coach?
Will we lose any players from the current team?
I know that Doc would like to see a lot of players with size, (you just can't teach that). and I agree. But what I would really like to see is a scorer. We haven't had a natural scorer since Pirri. RB is very good, but someone needs to show him how to finish a breakaway.
Looking forward to hearing who we get and what he/she intends to do with the program.

My gut feeling is that we will lose a recruit or two. Some could hurt; some won't make much of a difference. On the Clarkson board they are coveting Linden Marshall (goalie). He would be a big loss as he has IMO very good numbers in the goal-happy BCHL. that wasn't based however on any knowledge about what CCT is doing.

[ServinisScores]

I'm ok with losing recruits; the majority of these recruits have underdelivered or have been overhyped as the program has foundered to the bottom. One of the disturbing Appert trends was how several players would make a splash in their first year, and either not grow or enter the doghouse in the upperclassmen years.

Chase Perry is one of the few players the program can't afford to lose, and considering how Appert thoroughly mismanaged the goalie situation this year, he's hopefully feeling good with the change.

[FlagDUDE08]

I'm ok with losing recruits; the majority of these recruits have underdelivered or have been overhyped as the program has foundered to the bottom. One of the disturbing Appert trends was how several players would make a splash in their first year, and either not grow or enter the doghouse in the upperclassmen years.

Chase Perry is one of the few players the program can't afford to lose, and considering how Appert thoroughly mismanaged the goalie situation this year, he's hopefully feeling good with the change.

That does bring up an interesting point... would Hackett request a trial to rejoin the team with someone new at the helm?

[jmhusker]

I'm ok with losing recruits; the majority of these recruits have underdelivered or have been overhyped as the program has foundered to the bottom. One of the disturbing Appert trends was how several players would make a splash in their first year, and either not grow or enter the doghouse in the upperclassmen years.

Chase Perry is one of the few players the program can't afford to lose, and considering how Appert thoroughly mismanaged the goalie situation this year, he's hopefully feeling good with the change.

Completely agree.

[RPIfan216]

What's up guys? I made a few post a couple years ago and have always kept up and read the threads and watched the team. You guys are making some good points about the recruiting and what we want to see in the future. Teams can always use size but college hockey has improved by leaps and bounds over the course of the past 5 years alone. The amount of talent coming from all over the U.S. and getting some good kids from Canada to come to the USHL and get college committed is great. So the game has never been as quick and skilled as it is now, and bottom line you don't win in at elite levels anymore without being able to score throughout the lineup. We need more skill, we don't have that top line that whenever they step on the ice they are a threat to score.

I'd like to see RPI dip into the USHL a bit more, the kids we are getting are more depth guys there. And it is by far the best junior league in the US, if we can get some good skilled forwards from there in the future that will help us out greatly. I'd love for a US National Team Dev Program prodigy to commit too, Ryan Haggerty was the last one.

[FlagDUDE08]

What's up guys? I made a few post a couple years ago and have always kept up and read the threads and watched the team. You guys are making some good points about the recruiting and what we want to see in the future. Teams can always use size but college hockey has improved by leaps and bounds over the course of the past 5 years alone. The amount of talent coming from all over the U.S. and getting some good kids from Canada to come to the USHL and get college committed is great. So the game has never been as quick and skilled as it is now, and bottom line you don't win in at elite levels anymore without being able to score throughout the lineup. We need more skill, we don't have that top line that whenever they step on the ice they are a threat to score.

I'd like to see RPI dip into the USHL a bit more, the kids we are getting are more depth guys there. And it is by far the best junior league in the US, if we can get some good skilled forwards from there in the future that will help us out greatly. I'd love for a US National Team Dev Program prodigy to commit too, Ryan Haggerty was the last one.

Recruiting for college is always tough, because not only do you have to weigh talent, but we still are technically a youth league, so you have to consider how long the players are going to stick around, and if that's going to be important to the staff's mission, whether dictated by them or the administration. Because there's no monopoly for the NCAA in this sport, there's no requirement for either age or number of years removed from a school level before playing professionally. Not to mention, we "compete" with a professional league in Major Junior, and although we're seeing more professional talent developed in the NCAA, the professional threats loom, especially with one goalie recruit we had recently. One other thing to consider: Unlike other schools, we don't have cake majors. RPI takes rigorous education very seriously, and so they should; it's a college first and foremost. Mind you, the GPA of ice hockey students are among the highest across the entirety of the NCAA, but it is still something to consider.

We certainly look into the USHL quite a bit, but it's 16 teams of kids (that includes USNTDP) that we can presume 60 colleges are fighting over. I wouldn't be surprised if we're already tapping that out, and need to look towards Tier II US and Canada.