Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Re: Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

    Originally posted by BU Fan 84 View Post
    We are in desperate need of a new coaching staff.
    They can obviously recruit blue chippers. But haven't gotten the balance right between one/twos and done and four-year guys.

    Out of the seniors that we honored on Saturday, how many will be difficult to replace?
    Hickey, and ...
    McLeod and Diffley's best years were their freshman years. Melanson has only been here for one year after coming over from RPI. Phelps and Olsson have one goal between them. Role players who had reduced roles as their careers continued.

    I'll still say that I would like to see more emotion - some fire, and at least a pulse - from David Quinn on the bench. He's not Jack Parker. He doesn't have to be. But when they are taking a half or whole period off, playing with no motivation, it would be nice to see life on the bench.

    There isn't any fire on the bench from the assistants, either.

    Wherever Albie O'Connell has been, the power plays have tended to be pretty effective. BU's was better than many seem to realize this season. How much does he have to do with coaching the forwards? He is the only former forward on the staff.

    Len Quesnelle was a very curious hire. He isn't a BU guy. His tenure as a head coach at Princeton was a disaster. He didn't fair much better as an assistant at UMass. And he had been a scout for the Detroit Red Wings when he was hired. Like Quinn, he was a defenseman in his playing days.
    I'm not sure what he offers. It is not obvious, whatever it is. So these points may or may not be unfair to his contribution.

    The penalty killing, unlike the power play, has been pretty atrocious. See: Beanpot final, among others.

    Brian Eklund has a solid rep as a goaltender coach.

    BU does not need a new coaching staff. A different mix, and more of a pulse, is another story.

    Comment


    • Re: Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

      Originally posted by Terrance View Post
      Is BC the first team ever to win the hockey east regular season without winning a single out of conference game? Really a bad look for Hockey East.
      Yes, although the 2009-10 New Hampshire team came close, and I mean close, as they went 1-5-1 out of conference, the lone win being the last OOC game they played for the season. They also won a game in the Hockey East quarterfinals, but lost the series, two games to one. Despite that they made the NCAA tournament and were able to go 1-1, beating Cornell (a team they had already lost to at home) before losing to RIT.

      Sean
      Women's Hockey East Champions 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010
      Men's NCAA Champions 2009, 1995, 1978, 1972, 1971

      BU Hockey Games
      BU Hockey highlights and extras
      NCAA Hockey Financials
      Women's Division I Longest Hockey Games
      I need a kidney; looking for a donor

      Comment


      • Re: Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

        Ayuh

        Comment


        • Re: Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

          Wish Montgomery had that spirit. Big time. Come home boy. Unbelieve. I know It is easy. But think about 19 retireed in your own house. He has to know, he has to know. Hardest worker on our team.

          Comment


          • Re: Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

            Originally posted by defkit View Post
            Is Jack Eichel trying to be LeBron? "Hey, bring all my friends!"
            Ha. If he thinks Rodrigues and O'Regan are the answers for getting the Sabres out of the basement...oof.

            Comment


            • Re: Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

              Originally posted by J.D. View Post
              Ha. If he thinks Rodrigues and O'Regan are the answers for getting the Sabres out of the basement...oof.
              True. But I will be interested to see if O'Regan sticks in Buffalo. He had a few call-ups in SJ, where he was AHL Rookie of the Year, but usually was back down a few days later. You have to figure Buffalo has less talent and therefore a better chance that he makes it there.
              BU Hockey: The trophy case is once again growing

              Comment


              • Re: Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

                Originally posted by Harry Cleverly View Post
                They can obviously recruit blue chippers. But haven't gotten the balance right between one/twos and done and four-year guys.

                Out of the seniors that we honored on Saturday, how many will be difficult to replace?
                Hickey, and ...
                McLeod and Diffley's best years were their freshman years. Melanson has only been here for one year after coming over from RPI. Phelps and Olsson have one goal between them. Role players who had reduced roles as their careers continued.
                I think there was a bit of a learning curve w/ BU's recruiting approach following the coaching change. Out of what would've been this year's Senior class, Eichel, MacLeod and Piccinich had all committed to BU under Parker. Following Quinn's hire, he and Greeley had to work quickly to get incoming players arriving for the 2014-15 season. IIRC Phelps, Diffley, Hickey, Greer and Olsson all committed to BU only months prior to matriculating; ditto with Fortunato after his late decommitment from Harvard.

                As we all know, despite the potential, not everything was worked out to its desired results across blue-chippers, role players and recruits, due to a combo of:

                Blue-chippers not panning out and departing (Bellows, Greer)
                Surprise departures (JFK)
                Dismissal from program (Collier, MacAfee, D. Lawrence, Fortunato)
                Role players departing for more playing time elsewhere (Kurker, Duane, Piccinich, McDermott, Andren)
                No-shows for different reasons (Letunov, Sherwood)
                Decommitments (Coughlin, MacTavish, Kolias)
                Depth players not developing as they became upperclassmen (Phelps, Olsson, MacLeod, Diffley, Cloonan)


                Originally posted by Harry Cleverly View Post
                I'll still say that I would like to see more emotion - some fire, and at least a pulse - from David Quinn on the bench. He's not Jack Parker. He doesn't have to be. But when they are taking a half or whole period off, playing with no motivation, it would be nice to see life on the bench.

                There isn't any fire on the bench from the assistants, either.

                Wherever Albie O'Connell has been, the power plays have tended to be pretty effective. BU's was better than many seem to realize this season. How much does he have to do with coaching the forwards? He is the only former forward on the staff.

                Len Quesnelle was a very curious hire. He isn't a BU guy. His tenure as a head coach at Princeton was a disaster. He didn't fair much better as an assistant at UMass. And he had been a scout for the Detroit Red Wings when he was hired. Like Quinn, he was a defenseman in his playing days.
                I'm not sure what he offers. It is not obvious, whatever it is. So these points may or may not be unfair to his contribution.

                The penalty killing, unlike the power play, has been pretty atrocious. See: Beanpot final, among others.

                Brian Eklund has a solid rep as a goaltender coach.

                BU does not need a new coaching staff. A different mix, and more of a pulse, is another story.

                There's been some instability around the program in the 5 years since the coaching change. As cited previously, it goes beyond the high turnover rate on the roster. There's also been quite the rotation of assistant coaches besides Albie (Powers, Greeley, Young, Quennelle), hockey ops (3 different individuals in the role in last 4 years), strength & conditioning (3 different S&C coaches in last 4 years).

                I think Albie has done a very nice job in his role; ditto with Brian Eklund. The same can be said of the current hockey ops director as well as the S&C coach; each of the preceding S&C coaches left for very legitimate reasons/opportunities.

                IMO, the assistant coach position could've been fortified in recent years. Despite being a BU guy and for all of his accomplishments in the NHL/Team USA, I was never convinced Scott Young was a good fit in that role or in the college game. He always struck me as very much a NHL guy and to me, never seemed particularly invested in his job at BU.

                And despite being a long-time college hockey coach, I found the Quennelle hire to be a bit curious given he had zero ties to BU and his track record @ Princeton and @ UMASS. I was expecting the hire to be a young, hungry assistant climbing the coaching ladder, ideally with BU ties (i.e. Joe Pereira).

                I also believe there's priority placed on developing the blue chippers at the expense of the role players, which may be a factor in why most of BU's role players have either regressed or flatlined since their respective Freshman years. They've often been replaced in the lineup by the next wave of Freshmen, only to see some of those players then subsequently replaced by the following Freshmen class and so on.

                You're right that BU doesn't need a new coaching staff, but it needs to fine tune its recruiting philosophy and player development to better manage roster turnover and improve consistency of in-game execution.

                Comment


                • Re: Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

                  Outstanding post Friend_of_BU_Hockey. Thank you.

                  I will add that Coach Krzyzewski is having a tough time running a "Kentucky" team as well.

                  My biggest criticism of the coaching staff is how the Blue Chippers are locked into roles, whether they are contributing or not (Bellow's being the exception.) Tkachuk vs. Carpenter is a perfect example. The former has been locked on the first line and the latter has skated multiple games on the third line and most no higher than the second line. Who's the better player? Exactly.
                  It Happened!!!!

                  Comment


                  • Re: Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

                    Originally posted by Friend_of_BU_Hockey View Post

                    IMO, the assistant coach position could've been fortified in recent years. Despite being a BU guy and for all of his accomplishments in the NHL/Team USA, I was never convinced Scott Young was a good fit in that role or in the college game. He always struck me as very much a NHL guy and to me, never seemed particularly invested in his job at BU.
                    I'm intrigued by your comments regarding Scott Young. Are they based strictly upon your observation, or are you privy to information outside of the public realm? If you are, and you don't feel comfortable identifying the source, that's fine.

                    He seemed to have a nice position coaching St Mark's, prior to joining Quinn's staff. Isn't a coaching job at BU a nice spot?

                    If he wanted an NHL job, couldn't he have had it earlier given his background?
                    if you walk with Jesus, he's gonna save your soul, you gotta keep the devil way down in the hole

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by buoldtimer View Post
                      I'm intrigued by your comments regarding Scott Young. Are they based strictly upon your observation, or are you privy to information outside of the public realm? If you are, and you don't feel comfortable identifying the source, that's fine.

                      He seemed to have a nice position coaching St Mark's, prior to joining Quinn's staff. Isn't a coaching job at BU a nice spot?

                      If he wanted an NHL job, couldn't he have had it earlier given his background?
                      Scott was with his kid at st marks, mookie believes. Then when he had free time he could leave there. Prolly could have used the money nhl brought too. Pretty sure there was a divorce a couple years ago. People have a lot goin* on to base their decisions. Many times through no fault of their own.
                      Either way it all comes down to the head coach. Buck stops there.
                      a legend and an out of work bum look a lot alike, daddy.

                      Comment


                      • Re: Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

                        Since this conversation got started with two people responding my coaching staff statement, I think I will jump back in. These responses have all been about recruiting. I wasn't complaining about recruiting. This coaching staff sucks at coaching, not recruiting. Of course, the reason why they suck at coaching is because Quinn and Albie are both recruiters - it's what they're known for, it is what they excel in, and it's how they got their jobs. We need somebody who can coach on the ice, X's and O's strategies, scout the opposing team and make adjustments. I don't know what Len Quesnelle's role is. Was his hiring supposed to address this deficiency? Because his track record as a coach suggests he can't do it, unless he is a great coach who couldn't recruit?

                        Last game was what, the 39th game of the season? And we couldn't move the puck up the ice with a man advantage? I don't care what the success rate is, if we can't move the puck up the ice and if we're still lapsing into a stagnant pass-the-puck-around-while-no-one-moves power play, then this coaching staff has failed spectacularly. There is complete disorganization with this team on the ice. The most devastating fact is that this team has not improved, at all, in any facet of the game, since the beginning of the season.

                        There is no enthusiasm from Quinn behind the bench. I thought the last game was particularly poorly officiated and he doesn't react at all. He doesn't pump up the players. There is rapidly dwindling interest from students, alumni, and the fans in general. I think something has to change.

                        Comment


                        • Re: Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

                          Originally posted by Friend_of_BU_Hockey View Post
                          I think there was a bit of a learning curve w/ BU's recruiting approach following the coaching change. Out of what would've been this year's Senior class, Eichel, MacLeod and Piccinich had all committed to BU under Parker. Following Quinn's hire, he and Greeley had to work quickly to get incoming players arriving for the 2014-15 season. IIRC Phelps, Diffley, Hickey, Greer and Olsson all committed to BU only months prior to matriculating; ditto with Fortunato after his late decommitment from Harvard.

                          As we all know, despite the potential, not everything was worked out to its desired results across blue-chippers, role players and recruits, due to a combo of:

                          Blue-chippers not panning out and departing (Bellows, Greer)
                          Surprise departures (JFK)
                          Dismissal from program (Collier, MacAfee, D. Lawrence, Fortunato)
                          Role players departing for more playing time elsewhere (Kurker, Duane, Piccinich, McDermott, Andren)
                          No-shows for different reasons (Letunov, Sherwood)
                          Decommitments (Coughlin, MacTavish, Kolias)
                          Depth players not developing as they became upperclassmen (Phelps, Olsson, MacLeod, Diffley, Cloonan)





                          There's been some instability around the program in the 5 years since the coaching change. As cited previously, it goes beyond the high turnover rate on the roster. There's also been quite the rotation of assistant coaches besides Albie (Powers, Greeley, Young, Quennelle), hockey ops (3 different individuals in the role in last 4 years), strength & conditioning (3 different S&C coaches in last 4 years).

                          I think Albie has done a very nice job in his role; ditto with Brian Eklund. The same can be said of the current hockey ops director as well as the S&C coach; each of the preceding S&C coaches left for very legitimate reasons/opportunities.

                          IMO, the assistant coach position could've been fortified in recent years. Despite being a BU guy and for all of his accomplishments in the NHL/Team USA, I was never convinced Scott Young was a good fit in that role or in the college game. He always struck me as very much a NHL guy and to me, never seemed particularly invested in his job at BU.

                          And despite being a long-time college hockey coach, I found the Quennelle hire to be a bit curious given he had zero ties to BU and his track record @ Princeton and @ UMASS. I was expecting the hire to be a young, hungry assistant climbing the coaching ladder, ideally with BU ties (i.e. Joe Pereira).

                          I also believe there's priority placed on developing the blue chippers at the expense of the role players, which may be a factor in why most of BU's role players have either regressed or flatlined since their respective Freshman years. They've often been replaced in the lineup by the next wave of Freshmen, only to see some of those players then subsequently replaced by the following Freshmen class and so on.

                          You're right that BU doesn't need a new coaching staff, but it needs to fine tune its recruiting philosophy and player development to better manage roster turnover and improve consistency of in-game execution.

                          Good stuff. The BU model of recruiting blue chip studs has its pluses and also minuses. Pluses are you get exciting young talent. Minuses are you get exciting young talent. The players are usually coming onto campus on time (imagine that compared to 21 year old freshman), that means the players are young and going to make mistakes as they mature. Ups and downs are expected. Ideally, you get a mix of young studs and older leadership players but that is increasingly difficult to achieve with players leaving early. The model BU has just needs some fine tuning. Regarding being enthusiastic behind the bench - I think Quinn is patient and realistic. He know the team is young and what to expect. He is steady rather than up and down and thats something young players need.

                          Comment


                          • Re: Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

                            Originally posted by BU Fan 84 View Post
                            Since this conversation got started with two people responding my coaching staff statement, I think I will jump back in. These responses have all been about recruiting. I wasn't complaining about recruiting. This coaching staff sucks at coaching, not recruiting. Of course, the reason why they suck at coaching is because Quinn and Albie are both recruiters - it's what they're known for, it is what they excel in, and it's how they got their jobs. We need somebody who can coach on the ice, X's and O's strategies, scout the opposing team and make adjustments. I don't know what Len Quesnelle's role is. Was his hiring supposed to address this deficiency? Because his track record as a coach suggests he can't do it, unless he is a great coach who couldn't recruit?

                            Last game was what, the 39th game of the season? And we couldn't move the puck up the ice with a man advantage? I don't care what the success rate is, if we can't move the puck up the ice and if we're still lapsing into a stagnant pass-the-puck-around-while-no-one-moves power play, then this coaching staff has failed spectacularly. There is complete disorganization with this team on the ice. The most devastating fact is that this team has not improved, at all, in any facet of the game, since the beginning of the season.

                            There is no enthusiasm from Quinn behind the bench. I thought the last game was particularly poorly officiated and he doesn't react at all. He doesn't pump up the players. There is rapidly dwindling interest from students, alumni, and the fans in general. I think something has to change.
                            100% agree on all points. You don't have to look any further than this thread for an example of "dwindling interest." Now, do I think that the plethora of "short term" players, the constant turnover and lack of continuity hurts? Sure. But that shouldn't mask the coaching deficiencies.

                            The frustrating thing is that it's not like they didn't know what they were getting. Quinn was essentially hand picked. It's not like hiring an unknown and then finding out after the fact that he's not quite what you thought he was. Which, to me, supports my argument that they intentionally made a determination to move towards the "NHL farm team" paradigm.

                            Comment


                            • Re: Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

                              When you land a coach that has been a head coach at the AHL level and an assistant in the NHL, you would probably think you've got someone who knows how to coach.
                              BU Hockey: The trophy case is once again growing

                              Comment


                              • Re: Boston University 17-18 - thread El Segundo

                                Originally posted by defkit View Post
                                When you land a coach that has been a head coach at the AHL level and an assistant in the NHL, you would probably think you've got someone who knows how to coach.
                                Except for Tim Army

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X