UVM 2018 Offseason - A Punch to the Gutt

[harry]

Re: UVM 2018 Offseason - A Punch to the Gutt

Ok,

I'll take an early crack at it....

Puffer/Lodemeier/O'Neil - some speed, some playmaking, good def forwards for top line matchups
Alvaro/Coughlin/Espo - will keep together to catch last year sparks
Cowens/Misley/Kaufman - some smaller quicker guys in good support for misley in pivot (who has to improve imo)
Vlad/Cippilone/DeRoche - obviously no track record to go on, but a hunch

Massie/O'D - will play a LOT of minutes, hope they are in shape!
Thomas/Grant - don't have a good feel foe either, but think they will make strides forward
Evers/Long - will bring some size and depth?

Stef will play a LOT as well , I hope. Not ready to see those other guys unless a tough schedule stretch or maybe in Cat Cup

Don't make fun of these..... I have no idea what coach does even after all these years...

Go Cats Go!

[harry]

Re: UVM 2018 Offseason - A Punch to the Gutt

Just re-read this and noticed I forgot Moriarty.
I think he will play a decent amount in the early going as well.

The more I look at it the less I think I will be close on any of those guys.

Go Cats Go!

[TovarishchLisa]

Re: UVM 2018 Offseason - A Punch to the Gutt

Just re-read this and noticed I forgot Moriarty.
I think he will play a decent amount in the early going as well.

The more I look at it the less I think I will be close on any of those guys.

Go Cats Go!

I would not be shocked if our lineups for the season opener were mostly vets since we don't have our exhibition until after it.

[pokecheckguy2]

Re: UVM 2018 Offseason - A Punch to the Gutt

I would not be shocked if our lineups for the season opener were mostly vets since we don't have our exhibition until after it.

don't care about the lines because they won't be the same all season! real question how many wins this team get? the over under to me is 13 wins total and 7 wins league ... what do you take?

[TovarishchLisa]

Re: UVM 2018 Offseason - A Punch to the Gutt

don't care about the lines because they won't be the same all season! real question how many wins this team get? the over under to me is 13 wins total and 7 wins league ... what do you take?

I think that's a reasonable expectation, to be honest. We don't know how much the new guys will contribute, and I don't think the teams behind us got a whole lot better (Merrimack lost basically all their scoring and they were weak offensively last year in the first place).

Way I see HE right now...

BC/PC -> Compete for regular season title (BC badly needed that one star that you could give the puck to in a pinch and I think Wahlstrom is that guy)
UML/BU -> Safe pick for top half (I think Lowell just had a fluky bad year)
NU/UMass/UConn -> Should make the tournament unless current talent regresses/stagnates (NU will fall a bit, it's just a matter of degree; UMass/UConn both strong incoming classes)
UVM/ME -> Competing for the last tournament spot (Maine is a prime regression candidate IMO based on some of the numbers I've run)
MC/UNH -> Wooden Spoon competitors (I think UNH is slightly better FWIW)

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: UVM 2018 Offseason - A Punch to the Gutt

don't care about the lines because they won't be the same all season! real question how many wins this team get? the over under to me is 13 wins total and 7 wins league ... what do you take?

Those are pretty good numbers for over/under. I think I'd probably choose under on both. I think they probably have a slightly better chance of being over on league wins, as opposed to total wins. I can easily see this being a train wreck of a season.

[gocats]

Re: UVM 2018 Offseason - A Punch to the Gutt

I am optimistic for the boys this year.

The biggest problem last year was far too many D breakdowns. In the zone and in transition. I am hopeful to think the first year youth of last year will take a big step forward. Have not seen so many 1on0's / 2on1s / 3on1s in a long time. Hopefully a solid addition or two and improvement overall. We've got a good first pairing. Need some stepping up from others. That was our biggest problem and could be our greatest improvement.

Losing a (the?) goal scorer to pros hurts a lot. Let's hope for some bounce back years from now upper classmen, continued growth from the sophomores, and some new spark from the first years. If the D house comes together, we may be able to score enough.

Goal tending should continue to be a strength with returning starter and potential of solid support. Biggest problem last year will hopefully be addressed with improved D and zone play.

So yes, I am an optimistic fan. But thinking of the down and up and down swings of the past few years, good things can happen. The D constantly chasing and open chances CAN be corrected. If that happens, we can be watching a very competitive team.

But, like I said, an optimist and fan.