RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

It is not money. We can not compete with the big 10 schools and the midwest hockey powerhouses spending. We have to look at schools like Boston University and Boston College for the answers.
We certainly need the right coach, and only time will tell if we have our guy.
We need to recruit top talent, and that will only happen if we can start winning (can you say "catch 22"?). Also, HFH is a great barn for us fans, but it is not a great draw for recruits.
I don't know if we can ever become a powerhouse, but I do believe that we can be competitive, and we should be able to compete for an ECAC championship on a regular basis.
Only time will tell.

Not that I know what recruits look for, I think that an increased fan interest and attendance would improve things.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

Recruits are mostly looking for high end locker and training facilities. Otherwise HFH itself is fine with a few upgrades to modernize. Dan Jewell is the key for the near future - good move for the new coach to bring him onboard.

Why Jewell?

[TucsonMike]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

So here's a question I've been thinking about for quite some time....I think I have my own answer, but I'd really like to hear others first:

What will it take for RPI hockey to finally turn the corner and once again become a national college hockey powerhouse?

Great replies so far. My own answer is a little more simplistic. Even though coaching, facilities, and admin support are certainly key foundational components to a good program, I just have a very strong feeling that what this team really needs is right now is college hockey's version of Kurt Warner...what I mean is a kid that comes in under the radar and just naturally turns into a goal scoring machine. I don't think we've had anyone like that since Joe' Juneau. Someone that is a threat to score at ANY time - feared by the competition, takes the team on his back and starts drawing attention from the fans and, in turn, higher caliber recruits; and the cycle of success starts churning. I think it has to start on the ice, not off of it - just my opinion as a long time fan...

[giwan]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

It is not money. We can not compete with the big 10 schools and the midwest hockey powerhouses spending. We have to look at schools like Boston University and Boston College for the answers.We certainly need the right coach, and only time will tell if we have our guy. We need to recruit top talent, and that will only happen if we can start winning (can you say "catch 22"?). Also, HFH is a great barn for us fans, but it is not a great draw for recruits. I don't know if we can ever become a powerhouse, but I do believe that we can be competitive, and we should be able to compete for an ECAC championship on a regular basis. Only time will tell

How can you say it is not money? Is the recruiting budget unlimited? Are you paying the Asst Coaches enough to get the best ones? Great barn ok, more like great 3/4 of a barn? You can get really good talent before you win, it happens all the time. A B10 team has not won it since 2007.

[turk181]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

I may rattle some feathers but has RPI ever been a “national powerhouse”? I get the 2 NC but all in all how many trips to NCAAs have they been in.....6? Maybe the more realistic thinking should be a top 4 ECAC Team year after year?

[turk181]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

Great replies so far. My own answer is a little more simplistic. Even though coaching, facilities, and admin support are certainly key foundational components to a good program, I just have a very strong feeling that what this team really needs is right now is college hockey's version of Kurt Warner...what I mean is a kid that comes in under the radar and just naturally turns into a goal scoring machine. I don't think we've had anyone like that since Joe' Juneau. Someone that is a threat to score at ANY time - feared by the competition, takes the team on his back and starts drawing attention from the fans and, in turn, higher caliber recruits; and the cycle of success starts churning. I think it has to start on the ice, not off of it - just my opinion as a long time fan...

They did have a 2 time ECAC POY & 2 time Hobey nominee in Polacek. Did that do anything?

[TucsonMike]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

They did have a 2 time ECAC POY & 2 time Hobey nominee in Polacek. Did that do anything?

Yep - Made them fun to watch. I'll take another Chase any day...

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

Yep - Made them fun to watch. I'll take another Chase any day...

We have one, he's a goalie.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

I may rattle some feathers but has RPI ever been a “national powerhouse”? I get the 2 NC but all in all how many trips to NCAAs have they been in.....6? Maybe the more realistic thinking should be a top 4 ECAC Team year after year?

I do agree, we have not been a national powerhouse for more than a year or two at a time, unless one regards the Harkness era as such.


Just for correctness, we have been to the NCAA tourney 9 times.

[Wicked Slappaahs]

It is not money. We can not compete with the big 10 schools and the midwest hockey powerhouses spending. We have to look at schools like Boston University and Boston College for the answers.
We certainly need the right coach, and only time will tell if we have our guy.
We need to recruit top talent, and that will only happen if we can start winning (can you say "catch 22"?). Also, HFH is a great barn for us fans, but it is not a great draw for recruits.
I don't know if we can ever become a powerhouse, but I do believe that we can be competitive, and we should be able to compete for an ECAC championship on a regular basis.
Only time will tell.

I've never bought into the rink argument and probably never will. Union and Cornell both have very modest rinks and they seem to do just fine. Kids commit to schools because they believe in a coach and what they have done and / or what they are building. HFH has done what I view as nicely placed improvements to the building and Locker rooms. The ECAV is a very good training facility and can go toe to toe with any facility in the league.

If you ask me the quickest way to help this program is for anyone with a vested interest contribute in a real way to the hockey booster club. The Garnet Blades club has had a huge impact on U's rise and is a model that could easily be followed. For folks who are fed up with SAJ's malarkey this is the most effective way to bypass her and help the squad in a very real way. Cash for the program to spend on travel, recruiting and needed expenses - that's how you make an impact.

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Not that I know what recruits look for, I think that an increased fan interest and attendance would improve things.

Having been to many Colgate and Clarkson games, I can attest the HFH does just fine with attendance, especially considering what our W-L record is. Colgate has a gorgeous new building and the only people who attend are parents, girlfriends and a small group of devoted townies. The student body is absolutely AWOL. Cheel has been about half full every year I've attended the DNCT. ( I'm headed north again this weekend)

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

I've never bought into the rink argument and probably never will. Union and Cornell both have very modest rinks and they seem to do just fine.

That's perhaps the nicest thing anyone here has written about the Salt Dome.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

Having been to many Colgate and Clarkson games, I can attest the HFH does just fine with attendance, especially considering what our W-L record is. Colgate has a gorgeous new building and the only people who attend are parents, girlfriends and a small group of devoted townies. The student body is absolutely AWOL. Cheel has been about half full every year I've attended the DNCT. ( I'm headed north again this weekend)

Attendance being fine is relative. It is way down from when I was there in the late 60s and early 70s. There have been few sell outs in the last say 20 years. (I realize that it sold out last Saturday on Family Weekend.)

[turk181]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

Great replies so far. My own answer is a little more simplistic. Even though coaching, facilities, and admin support are certainly key foundational components to a good program, I just have a very strong feeling that what this team really needs is right now is college hockey's version of Kurt Warner...what I mean is a kid that comes in under the radar and just naturally turns into a goal scoring machine. I don't think we've had anyone like that since Joe' Juneau. Someone that is a threat to score at ANY time - feared by the competition, takes the team on his back and starts drawing attention from the fans and, in turn, higher caliber recruits; and the cycle of success starts churning. I think it has to start on the ice, not off of it - just my opinion as a long time fan...

Yep - Made them fun to watch. I'll take another Chase any day...

I don’t think fun was what the original Post was referring to. I could add 1/2 doz. players to the “fun” list (in the last 10yrs) but it didn’t have an impact on what Tusc. Mike was getting at, I don’t think.

[TucsonMike]

Re: RPI Hockey 2017 - 2018: A Wealth of Notions

I don’t think fun was what the original Post was referring to. I could add 1/2 doz. players to the “fun” list (in the last 10yrs) but it didn’t have an impact on what Tusc. Mike was getting at, I don’t think.

You are right. However he asked if having Chase "did anything", so I guess I was just trying to say that it wasn't nothing. But yes, I'm thinking more of a player that turns out to be a disruptive force and changes how teams play us...