Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

[The Troll mtu86]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

It was an entertaining show this morning for sure. Joe getting a little fired-up over 2 for 1s and Mel's coaching style was worth it all on it's own.

Goaltending shaping up to be the question mark again this year. D sounds solid with four returning and one coming in having some college experience already. Going to be pretty stiff completion for that 6th D spot.

On offense it sounds like some speed coming in, and little bit of a raw talent project in Reitmeier (a lot of upside if he develops). Guys that are going to have to grow into the college game a little bit. Baltus and the rest of the upperclassmen are going to have to provide the scoring.

I like the emphasis on playing faster. If they can do it, and still be responsible on the D end this should be a fun team to watch.

[davyd83]

I always knew Mel's line that we had to do 2-for-1s was BS. He only had that attitude because he spent all those years at Michigan, genuflecting to Red and soaking up his attitude. And now that he's in charge back at Michigan, he's trying to pull the same BS . Glad to hear Joe fired up about pushing back on it.

That was the only way you were getting UM above the bridge. That was the same offer that NMU rejected and LSSU accepted. That was also the same deal both Tech & LSSU had with MSU.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

It was an entertaining show this morning for sure. Joe getting a little fired-up over 2 for 1s and Mel's coaching style was worth it all on it's own.

Goaltending shaping up to be the question mark again this year. D sounds solid with four returning and one coming in having some college experience already. Going to be pretty stiff completion for that 6th D spot.

On offense it sounds like some speed coming in, and little bit of a raw talent project in Reitmeier (a lot of upside if he develops). Guys that are going to have to grow into the college game a little bit. Baltus and the rest of the upperclassmen are going to have to provide the scoring.

I like the emphasis on playing faster. If they can do it, and still be responsible on the D end this should be a fun team to watch.

Not exactly right...I believe its Auk, Birks, Ford, Reinke in the top 4 to start day one and spots 5-6 are both up for grabs. While Kiilunen sounds like he will be part of the team, because of his age, I expect him to be competing for a spot vs already having one in the top 6.

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Personally, I would like to see Tech do a couple series with Air Force. They find themselves in the tourney fairly often (mostly due to conference championships) and I would be nice to see Tech in CO again (not playing DU or CC).
Ryan J

Unrelated subject, my company just bid on the renovations to the DU lockerroom. I hope we win the project. I'll ship the equipment out with custom black and gold color finish at no charge.

"Yeah, black is our standard exterior color and those gold OHSA guards are for safety reasons... BTW - They really add a touch of class to your lockerroom..."

[manurespreader]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Last Friday, the DMG took a look at our incoming goaltender.

The way he describes his game, I'd say Shawhan is going to have to work with him on not being too aggressive. Remember the times late last year that Redmond tried to handle the puck behind the net, and got caught?

you mean like against Denver in the NCAA's?

[manurespreader]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

That was the only way you were getting UM above the bridge. That was the same offer that NMU rejected and LSSU accepted. That was also the same deal both Tech & LSSU had with MSU.

If that's the only way to get them then they can rot as far as I'm concerned. But I would like to see a HE team like lowell or maybe Umass come in.And I wonder, did we go to Notre Dame for nothing last year?

[Shirtless Guy]

If that's the only way to get them then they can rot as far as I'm concerned. But I would like to see a HE team like lowell or maybe Umass come in.And I wonder, did we go to Notre Dame for nothing last year?

im not sure if ND was A 1 for 1 or 2 for 1 but they were supposed to play in Houghton this year but it got delayed because of NDs move to B1G.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

That was the only way you were getting UM above the bridge. That was the same offer that NMU rejected and LSSU accepted. That was also the same deal both Tech & LSSU had with MSU.

Mel can take a 1-for-1, or nothing. I certainly won't be wringing my hands if Michigan can't be bothered to fly the 90 minutes up to CMX, like Red did the last time. There are other directions we can go in to fill out the schedule, without having to reciprocate with two series in Ann Arbor or East Lansing, and screwing the local fans out of home games. It sounds like Shawhan and Sangreget are both in agreement on this.

As Shawhan pointed out (paraphrasing here), "I told Mel - you guys have 12-14 non-conference games. Do some traveling!"

[gfmorris]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

We can talk big all we want about 1-for-1s, but if that really worked, that's what people would be scheduling. The math for 2-for-1s works out.

GFM

[The Troll mtu86]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Not exactly right...I believe its Auk, Birks, Ford, Reinke in the top 4 to start day one and spots 5-6 are both up for grabs. While Kiilunen sounds like he will be part of the team, because of his age, I expect him to be competing for a spot vs already having one in the top 6.

No argument here on the top four. I listed the returnees first. So move Todd to the fifth spot. If I heard Joe right he said someone was going to have to take that spot from Todd. Sounds like the fifth guy to me. A lot of competition for the 6th spot. Again in reality a lot of competition for all the spots. No one on this team is guaranteed spot in the line up. Going with whomever deserves it.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

We can talk big all we want about 1-for-1s, but if that really worked, that's what people would be scheduling. The math for 2-for-1s works out.

GFM

But it screws our fans out of home games, and the school out of home gate revenue. Such as last season, when we had a total of 14 home games. We also started off with 9 of our first 12, and 13 of our first 18 games on the road, largely because we played 2 games each at Duluth, at Michigan, and at Michigan State in the opening 6 weeks. That's ridiculously unbalanced.

The season prior to last, we only managed 16 home games because we booked a two-game exhibition series with Laurentian to start the year. So those two games didn't even count, therefore we effectively had 14 home games.

'14-15, we had 18 home games, all of which counted on our record. 16-18 non-exhibition home games per season is much more reasonable, IMO.

[Hockey John]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

I am very glad that Bowling Green has refused to do 2-1 scheduling with Michigan and others. After several years finally Michigan State agreed to a one for one series this year. No team that we shared a league with for over 30 years deserves a 2 for 1 agreement now. That's my feelings and I am glad that coach Chris Bergeron agrees. Go BG!

[Broseph Stalin]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

I am very glad that Bowling Green has refused to do 2-1 scheduling with Michigan and others. After several years finally Michigan State agreed to a one for one series this year. No team that we shared a league with for over 30 years deserves a 2 for 1 agreement now. That's my feelings and I am glad that coach Chris Bergeron agrees. Go BG!

Congrats to BG for doing it right. Michigan got lit up bad last time they came to town, and they don't want to come back. Can't blame them for that.

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

BSU has been lucky to get essentially home and home contracts with Duluth and North Dakota, but proximity plays a huge roll in that. They are able to play Friday night in one venue and then Saturday in the other. But about every fourth or fifth year, BSU has to go to Grand Forks or Duluth to play a two game set, but at least they get three/four years of home and home before having to give up a game.

The Beavers did have a two for one with Arizona State (two in Bemidji, one in Tempe), but that got axed after the first series in Bemidji. Otherwise, BSU has picked up one for ones with Air Force and Princeton here lately. I like seeing Air Force on the schedule (it helps that Frank and Tom Serratore are brothers and Tom's son plays for Air Force) and wouldn't mind seeing the other old CHA teams on BSU's schedule. Robert Morris always has a pretty solid team, and Niagara used to be solid, but are definitely in rebuilding mode now. With the North Star Cup now being a thing of the past, it will be interesting to see what BSU does with that extra series.

[Hockey John]

Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Like Bemidji, Bowling Green has proximity on their side as well. Although not on this years schedule, we have done several home and homes with Ohio State. We have also done home and home series with Western Michigan and Miami. We have 2 games at home against Miami this year to repay Miami's desire to have the 2 home games last season.

I don't know the best answer for the UP teams do to the travel. If we start winning more often the non-league game, that will help.