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LSSU Lakers 2017 off-season thread

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  • #16
    Originally posted by Suze View Post
    Players don't need to "Make it" as a pro to get a bucket load of money. UAA's Mason Mitchell just left after 2 years for an entry level NHL 2 year contract. He will get $92,500 a year for two years in just a signing bonus, aside from whatever he makes in the AHL or the NHL. To a poor college student, that is pretty attractive, and hard to turn down.

    First off that's a bucket load of money?

    Second our program has seen our fair share of early departures the last few seasons. I think if they are NHL ready then they should go,if not then stay and get better.
    BLEED BLUE

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    • #17
      Re: LSSU Lakers 2017 off-season thread

      Veteran sports writer, Randy Russon of http://www.hockeynewsnorth.com and http://www.saultthisweek.com weighs in on the same of story at Lake State.

      http://www.hockeynewsnorth.com/ncaa/...-state-lakers/

      Another Western Collegiate Hockey Association season has ended in disappointment for the Lake Superior State Lakers.

      The Lakers were swept by the Michigan Tech Huskies in convincing fashion in the opening round of the playoffs on the weekend, losing by 6-4 and 8-0 scores.

      This marks the third straight season that the Lakers have finished with a sub-par record under third-year head coach Damon Whitten.

      Whitten was brought in to replace the fired Jim Roque three years ago but the Lakers have shown little improvement in the standings or in the win-loss column.

      Under Whitten, the Lakers have finished ninth, seventh and seventh in the 10-team WCHA. The Lakers overall records in the three seasons with Whitten at the helm are all below the .500 mark — 8-28-2, 14-22-5 and 11-18-7.

      Thus, the Lakers three-year record under Whitten stands at 33-68-14.

      This season, the Lakers started out with five straight wins only to finish with just six more victories the rest of the way.

      And not only have the Lakers been unable to win a single playoff series under Whitten, they have a 1-6 record

      Tune in for more talk of the Lakers collapse this season, and other local hockey talk on the Hockey North Show, with Randy Russon, tonite at 5 p.m. on radio station ESPN 1400.
      Last edited by LakerBaker; 03-07-2017, 06:42 AM.

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      • #18
        Re: LSSU Lakers 2017 off-season thread

        There has been a study done on college free agent players leaving early for the pros, and I don't remember the actual numbers, but the odds of them becoming regular players in the NHL are very highly stacked against them when they leave prior to their Junior year. Guys staying through their Junior season have much better odds. But yeah, the reality of that money being dangled in front of them is hard to resist and many of them leave too early anyway.
        Last edited by Bill; 03-07-2017, 07:23 AM.

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        • #19
          Re: LSSU Lakers 2017 off-season thread

          Originally posted by QUAlum2004 View Post
          @FriedgeHNIC: WASH closing in on D Kristofers Bindulis from NCAA Lake Superior St. Free agent. Raw, but certainly talented. 21 years old.
          Very raw. Decent size and a very good skater. Good start to his freshman season but a lower body injury in mid-season really set him back. Wasn't quite the same player when he finally returned to the lineup. Wouldn't surprise me greatly if he signed, but even more so than Mitch Hults he could use another season playing college hockey.

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          • #20
            Re: LSSU Lakers 2017 off-season thread

            Originally posted by Suze View Post
            Players don't need to "Make it" as a pro to get a bucket load of money. UAA's Mason Mitchell just left after 2 years for an entry level NHL 2 year contract. He will get $92,500 a year for two years in just a signing bonus, aside from whatever he makes in the AHL or the NHL. To a poor college student, that is pretty attractive, and hard to turn down.
            The minimum salary in the AHL is roughly $49,000 per year. He most likely won't start there, though. The ECHL average salary is $600 per week with a few veterans close to $1,000 per week plus a furnished room. That isn't exactly big bucks dangling in the wind they are chasing, even if you throw in the signing bonus. Life after hockey comes quick and unless they make it to the NHL, that money isn't going to get them too far without needing other options.

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            • #21
              Re: LSSU Lakers 2017 off-season thread

              Methinks it is time for the administration and the Board of Trustees to take a hard look at their hockey program, and direction that Damon Whitten is taking them. Look at how this team finished, "embarrassing themselves" this weekend, according to the legendary Voice of the Lakers, Bill Crawford. The Lakers were outworked, outmuscled, and dominated in every facet of the game, and simply gave up at the end. Effort is something that doesn't necessarily require the most talented players, or more money thrown toward recruiting and the woe is me attitude down there, when it comes to finances and how unfair it is to compete. The preparation for the playoffs is questionable under a coach that finished once again way below .500 and is now 1-6 in playoff games, not winning a playoff series.

              I keep hearing about the youth factor, and how inexperienced this team is (in large part to the what would be upperclassmen from the previous coach being pushed out or not asked to come back) Not buying it. Look at Bemidji State and their young defence, they finished first. That's coaching. That's a team and players getting better when they get to a place, and a reason why some currently on the good ship Laker, might have jumped ship, or be looking at better options.

              The Lake State administration needs to evaluate whether it’s willing to put the resources into competing at the Division 1 level or whether they’re just happy to be bottom dwellers in the WCHA, with enrollment dropping, and interest becoming less and less over the same old Lakers. Running a hockey team is expensive and there’s no shame in admitting they don’t have the stomach to make it an elite level program. But if they’re planning to do a “nation-wide search” for a new coach in the future, it better be more than a king pin hand picked "committee" and more thorough than just a three-hour drive up the shore to Houghton to snag somebody’s assistant, who hasn't won anywhere he has been.

              With the collapse this season, and this coaches three year body of evidence at the good ship Laker, it's not "fake news" to question the hire and where this once proud program is heading. It's freedom of speech, and much like those whom might disagree, I woke up in a free country, complete with it. If you don't like it, you don't have to read it, man.
              Last edited by LakerBaker; 03-07-2017, 02:17 PM.

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              • #22
                Re: LSSU Lakers 2017 off-season thread

                Originally posted by LakerBaker View Post
                with attendance dropping
                Got these average attendance figures right here at USCHO. You sir are spreading more fake news or should I say "very fake news".

                2013-14- 1,809
                2014-15- 1,897
                2015-16- 1,918
                2016-17- 2,145

                Average attendance has gone up every year in the Whitten era.
                LSSU hockey-3 time NCAA champs 1988, 1992, 1994

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                • #23
                  Re: LSSU Lakers 2017 off-season thread

                  Kris Bindulis has signed a 3 year entry level contract with the Washington Capitals.

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by Bill View Post
                    Kris Bindulis has signed a 3 year entry level contract with the Washington Capitals.
                    Great news, man, methinks Mitch Hultz will be the next to announce his pro contract and move on to much greener pastures.

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                    • #25
                      Re: LSSU Lakers 2017 off-season thread

                      Originally posted by Bill View Post
                      Kris Bindulis has signed a 3 year entry level contract with the Washington Capitals.
                      I think Kris has made a mistake but money talks. That's the nature of this business in all of college hockey. Good luck to him!
                      LSSU hockey-3 time NCAA champs 1988, 1992, 1994

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                      • #26
                        Re: LSSU Lakers 2017 off-season thread

                        @MarkDivver: Madison Caps '98 defenseman Cole Hults commits to @FriarsHockey. Couple of Big 10 schools in mix, too. Former Lake State recruit
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                        • #27
                          Re: LSSU Lakers 2017 off-season thread

                          From the Hockey Show, it sounds like we're playing in a holiday tournament in Pittsburgh next season and then in the GLI the following season. Damon said the Notre Dame tournament is going on hiatus for a couple of years.
                          Last edited by Bill; 03-07-2017, 07:32 PM.

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                          • #28
                            Re: LSSU Lakers 2017 off-season thread

                            Originally posted by LSSULaker889294 View Post
                            I think Kris has made a mistake but money talks. That's the nature of this business in all of college hockey. Good luck to him!
                            I haven't kept up with the incoming recruits; how does his early departure impact the D core for next season?

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                            • #29
                              Re: LSSU Lakers 2017 off-season thread

                              Originally posted by jnacc View Post
                              I haven't kept up with the incoming recruits; how does his early departure impact the D core for next season?
                              We lose his skating ability but it doesn't impact the recruits. At the end of this season we were down to 7 D after the departure of Headrick. Now we're down to 6 D. We have 2 incoming D, Tyler Anderson from Prince George of the BCHL and Lukas Kalble from Fargo of the USHL. That brings us back to 8 which I think is the ideal number. If Bindulis had stayed, we'd be at 9 which is a little high but Damon is always saying they are looking to make the team better when they can, so having 9 D next year would have added to the competition for playing time. It wouldn't surprise me greatly if they still added another D recruit for next season, but I hope they will only do that if they can add a very talented skater at that position. As far as I know, Chatham, Wright, Renz, Roll, McArdle and Saccoman will all be back on D. The 3 young D (Pilawski, Mannara, Kyte) we have waiting in the wings for the season after next are all supposed to be excellent skaters from what I've heard.

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                              • #30
                                Re: LSSU Lakers 2017 off-season thread

                                Bump to move Asian spam off first page.

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