Just got home from the National Championship game, excellent game with two great teams that were very well coached and had outstanding goaltending. Even game until overtime when Norwich was rolling and St. Noberts just ran out of gas.
Anyways, #15 Freshman Kyle Thomas is an incredible hockey player. What is he doing playing d3 hockey? There have been many greats at Norwich: Aucoin, McLean, Cleaver, Khashirsky and many others but I would imagine (would love to hear your input) that this kid is right up there with them. His speed and puck skills are very impressive.
Tonights effort was a total team effort, but you couldn't help but notice this kid tonight, he was all over the place. Very talented.
Agreed. He was pretty impressive last night (and all season). Must be developing late, as he posted very modest totals in the EJHL last year: http://easternjhl.stats.pointstreak....&seasonid=2956
He almost had as many goals this year as he did points in the EJ! Nice diamond in the rough pick up for the cadets. That freshman class is already scary; I can't imagine them as seniors.
I posted my thoughts on Thomas in the Norwich thread: here they are...
Congrats guys: as much as I kid around there was no doubt in my mind you guys were the best team: and just watching the game one player REALLY stood out #15 Kyle Thomas..This kid is one of the best D 3 players I have seen in my time: every time he had the puck Norwich seemed to get a scoring chance...Anyway, I will hopefully see you guys when USM comes visiting next year...Have a great summer and enjoy the victory!!!
How good he is going to be???? I only saw him play 5 times so I can't say for SURE just how good I think he can be: but I will say his upside, in the limited time I saw him, is a good as any other D3 player I have seen : and yes that includes Aucion.
Having seen him only 6 times, I have to concur with your analysis. I only saw Aucoin once, and I was impressed, but this kid just blows me away. Forkey and cotnoir are pretty **** good, too... but this kid is just out of this world.Originally Posted by hockeyfan77
Plattsburgh CARDINALS - SUNYAC Champ x21, DIII Runner-up x2, DII Runner-up x2, DIII Champ x2
Elmira SOARING EAGLES - ECACW Champ x10, DIII Runner-up x1, DII Runner-up x1
Siena SAINTS - SECHL Champ x5, ACHA D2 Final Four x4
Yes - Thomas must be a serious late bloomer. I did a little more digging and discovered that he played public high school hockey in Massachusetts (Waltham HS), where he received no great accolades. And then after finishing HS, he played one extra year in the EJ, where he scored only 27 points. There is not much in his background that would have predicted how good a college player he is . .
Easy with the Aucoin analysis... He's been one of the best AHl players and has played in the NHL... Easy... Settle down.
I'm just saying that Thomas now is, in my opinion more impressive (which does not necessarily translate to better) than Aucoin was during his Norwich years. Maybe he will find the success Aucoin has post-college. but obviously there are a lot of factors that go into that. For all we know, Thomas could go 0G 0A all next season. Doubtful, but possible.
Plattsburgh CARDINALS - SUNYAC Champ x21, DIII Runner-up x2, DII Runner-up x2, DIII Champ x2
Elmira SOARING EAGLES - ECACW Champ x10, DIII Runner-up x1, DII Runner-up x1
Siena SAINTS - SECHL Champ x5, ACHA D2 Final Four x4
Well, one of the many things I do it's project how good a player is going to be but it's still my opinion...No question Aucion was the best D3 player I have seen but one again IMO Thomas has all the tools to be right up there with Aucion..
Last edited by hockeyfan77; 03-21-2010 at 11:34 PM.
We're talking about a kid who had only 9 assists this season. 9!!! His linemates for most of the year finished with 28 goals and he was featured on the powerplay and he only had 9 helpers.
Now, don't get me wrong. I agree that he is one of the fastest and shiftiest guys I have seen. He can score and the pressure he puts dmen under is quite high. They have no idea what he is going to do.
But to be as good as some of the greats at this level, he needs to play a more complete game. From what I have seen he doesn't play that hard defensively and he doesn't see the ice that well when he needs to move the puck. Guys like Aucoin had more assists than goals and made everyone on the ice better. Let's just let Kyle Thomas be his own player, however good that ends up being.
Artie
Go NEC Pilgrims! (One of the few)
It is interesting that you heap your kudos on Thomas--and there is not question that they are all well deserved. Kyle is clearly a very accomplished player for someone so young but isn't it a bit early to be talking about Keith Accoin comparisons?
What I find interesting about this is team is that it is so crowded with talent that you find yourself picking a player and following his fortunes on the ice and in the end come away convinced that he is the next super star. I have one NU classmate who heralds Steven Schroeder's talent and I immediately counter with the last minute heroics of Peir Oliver Contoir at Colby, Middlebury, Elmira and SNC. But they all seem to have stories, e.g. some think that Blake Forkey, Tory Allen, and Scott Schroeder all "walk on frozen water." There is just so much going on with this entire flying circus of talent to keep the names and their individual feats of heroics straight.
And to be honest I am not sure enough is being said about the chemistry of this team.
I have now seen them play in person ten times and as many games on video stream. What is really consistent regardless of the player is their real time situational awareness relative to one another. It is almost uncanny. Time and again a Cadet will be moving up the ice, he will pass (which from my perspective looks like it is going no where) and then out of thin air comes another Cadet to catch it. It is down right spooky and the fact that so much scoring and assists were spread around this entire team only seems to confirm what a orchestrated effort it really is. It is all about the team.
Kyle Thomas is a great player but like many others, you now have to ask whether his greatness is based solely on his individual talent or is it the team's talent that magnifies his enormous individual skills and the contribution he brings to each game. No easy question to answer but I know I like what I see from all these favorites--including Kyle Thomas.
The question now is who will assume the critical role of leader to replace both Eric Tallent and the Klinger. Skill will only take you so far but team leadership will make sure you get there. I look forward to seeing this entire club mature and grow from this superb start.
Old Rook NU'66--Roll On Cadets
Organized crime in America takes in over forty billion dollars a year and spends very little on office supplies.
Don't forget Tyler Stitt. While I agree Eric and Ryan are certainly crucial to team leadership, Tyler has been a huge factor in that, more than a lot of people realize, plus he is much more of a defensive defenseman.
Go 'Wick!
I agree with you Jerry. Tyler has been the main stay of the D for the last four years. He was not flashy but got the job do over and over. What a great Dman.
See what I mean? You are spot on and if you mention one or two great names you always forget one as important as Tyler. Thanks.
Old Rook NU'66--Roll On Cadets
Organized crime in America takes in over forty billion dollars a year and spends very little on office supplies.
Don't forget about Tory Allen too...they are just scary good.
The Poster Formerly Known as Purple_and_Gold10©
"The Prezidential Three - Elmira, Oswego, Norwich" © Joecct
GO EAGLES!!! R.I.P. L.H. #4 In our hearts forever
GO LAKERS!!!
GO CADETS!!!
"Reisweber trying to circle in front of the net, he does, HE SCORES! that's it! Oswego State has done it!! The Lakers take home the first NCAA title of any kind in school history. It's celebration time in Upstate New York!"
Oswego State '09
Dude, Thomas is not even half the player Aucoin was in college. Not even close... Aucoin scored more goals and made everybody better... Thomas is a one trick pony.. He can snipe, but at the next level nah... Not so much... You guys really need to calm down.. Just let him be his own player... Aucoin scored more then 200 points...
Couldn't agree more! One of the main reasons the Cadets were as successful as they were it was a unified team no primadonna's and we don't want any! Kyle will be a solid player. FYI I did not see him named an All American like someone else I know in his freshman year Kurtis McLean.
I dont know if I would call him a one trick pony. Thomas has a nice offensive skill set from what I saw in the quarterfinal. I'm not going to compare him to Aucoin because I never saw Aucoin play in college, but I definitely was more impressed with Thomas than I ever was with Cleaver or Kashirsky.
The Poster Formerly Known as Purple_and_Gold10©
"The Prezidential Three - Elmira, Oswego, Norwich" © Joecct
GO EAGLES!!! R.I.P. L.H. #4 In our hearts forever
GO LAKERS!!!
GO CADETS!!!
"Reisweber trying to circle in front of the net, he does, HE SCORES! that's it! Oswego State has done it!! The Lakers take home the first NCAA title of any kind in school history. It's celebration time in Upstate New York!"
Oswego State '09
The kid didn't ask for any accolades or comparisons. So why are some of you saying he's not as good as blank. One trick pony. etc. Gotta give it a rest. Congratulations Kyle Thomas, your team is the National Champion.
Aucoin had 33 (19g, 14a) points his freshman year, Thomas had 32 (23g, 9a) this year. Let's just say he's off to a great start to his career in Northfield, Vermont. Most talented player I saw all year.
I just came across this thread while googling Thomas. I saw him play in the Chowder Cup yesterday. On a team that included Charlie Coyle (a first-round NHL pick) and Matt Nieto (projected to be a first-round pick next year), Thomas was consistently one of the top players on the ice. He stood out every bit as much as those other two. I know it was only one game, but after reading this thread, I feel safe in saying it wasn't a fluke. He also had a hat trick Friday night and was the team's leading scorer for the tournament.
Places I've seen a college hockey game: Agganis Arena, Alfond Arena, Bright Center, Conte Forum, DCU Center, Fenway Park, Gutterson Fieldhouse, Houston Field House, Lawler Arena, Madison Square Garden, Matthews Arena, Mullins Center, Schneider Arena, Scottrade Center, Sears Centre, TD Bank Sports Center, TD Garden, Tsongas Center, Tully Forum, Verizon Center, Verizon Wireless Arena, Walter Brown Arena, Whittemore Center
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