Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

[WDR357]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

Collins, Ellis and Heywood will all have ample opportunities to step in early. I would look specifically to the Niagara and UCONN games as something of an audition for those three. One other player that will be entering as a freshman in 2010-2011 is F Rob Morton. He posted very strong numbers in his junior career (36 goals in 45 games two years ago to lead the EJHL), and if he can chip in on a second or third line, it could go a long way.

I had forgotten about him. Given their top two lines return from last year, I'd guess either he, Collins or Ouimet will be on the 3rd line with Flanagan and Madsen.

[Federal League]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

I haven't seen this posted yet- the athletics site posted some pics of the renovations. Gotta say, I'm loving the new press box. I thought Merrimack already had one of the best press boxes in HE, so I can't wait to see the new one in person.

[WarriorDJ]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

Gotta say, I'm loving the new press box. I thought Merrimack already had one of the best press boxes in HE, so I can't wait to see the new one in person.

Could you do us a favor and repost this in the Hockey East thread

[Still Crazy in section 17]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

Just read this on the fine "Without a peer" blog as Adam Wodon was interviewed about the status of college hockey and this coming season http://www.withoutapeer.com/2010/08/...dam-wodon.html

"But do you know who my dark horse is nationally this year? Merrimack.... Yeah. My dark horse to make the NCAAs".

[WarriorDJ]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

Just read this on the fine "Without a peer" blog as Adam Wodon was interviewed about the status of college hockey and this coming season http://www.withoutapeer.com/2010/08/...dam-wodon.html

"But do you know who my dark horse is nationally this year? Merrimack.... Yeah. My dark horse to make the NCAAs".

Wow, high praise! To get to the NCAAs, it would require either:

1. A Hockey East Tournament championship
2. A 20-25+ win season to get recognized in the PWR or KRACH rankings

In order to pull either of those off it requires us to be both a lot better on the road and very solid out of conference (i.e. Harvard, Ala-Huntsville, RIT). The team likely knows this already, but the reality is they need to go out and be dominant this season to make the big dance.

[jcarter7669]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

Anyone else find this talk about "well other teams are actually going to practice before playing Merrimack this season" a little pretentious?

Teams will certainly have an eye out for the warriors but I think they did last year as well. The buzz around HE about Da Costa and our goaltending tandem was evident amongst fans at every away arena I saw a game.

I think you are overstating things just a bit. MC came onto everyone's radar very quickly because of superb play. However the initial part of the season, its not that people overlooked MC, but they had other priorties. If a team is playing MC and BC for example, when they practice that week do you think they are going to focus on MC's style of play or BC's? Later in the year, yes coaches focused on MC and Da Costa, and the production declined. No one is disrespecting MC or being pretentious. Any team can win in this league, and teams prepare for every game. But to think they don't prepare harder for one team versus another is just naive.

Wow, high praise! To get to the NCAAs, it would require either:

1. A Hockey East Tournament championship
2. A 20-25+ win season to get recognized in the PWR or KRACH rankings

In order to pull either of those off it requires us to be both a lot better on the road and very solid out of conference (i.e. Harvard, Ala-Huntsville, RIT). .

To make it to the NCAA's MC would need a HE tournament. Their OOC isn't strong enough to get them in, and even going 20-7 in HE or 22-5, sadly there are likely 5 teams at most as TUC's, MC being one of them. The way the PWR are setup I'm not sure this is viable without one heck of a season.

But, I hope I am wrong, the more teams HE can get there the better.

[sterlippo1]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

I haven't seen this posted yet- the athletics site posted some pics of the renovations. Gotta say, I'm loving the new press box. I thought Merrimack already had one of the best press boxes in HE, so I can't wait to see the new one in person.

i had read they were putting a student section or at least some stands behind one of the goals. i only saw one end in those pictures and the zambonis are there, at least it looks like 2 zambonis.......are plans still on for those seats or did i misremember?

[WarriorDJ]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

i had read they were putting a student section or at least some stands behind one of the goals. i only saw one end in those pictures and the zambonis are there, at least it looks like 2 zambonis.......are plans still on for those seats or did i misremember?

Not to worry, those seats are still going in as per the Athletics Department's caption:

"View of the far side of the rink - new bleachers for students will replace the zambonis in September"

[sterlippo1]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

Not to worry, those seats are still going in as per the Athletics Department's caption:

"View of the far side of the rink - new bleachers for students will replace the zambonis in September"

i think that's a great idea and it's really needed. now you just gotta boost the attendance a few hundred or so more a game and fill them with students.............from the pictures it looks like they've done a nice job. i am looking forward to seeing the difference

[WarriorDJ]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

i think that's a great idea and it's really needed. now you just gotta boost the attendance a few hundred or so more a game and fill them with students.............from the pictures it looks like they've done a nice job. i am looking forward to seeing the difference

It looks great so far! One thing I noticed last year from attending all the home games was the change in the student section, they were much louder and there were a lot more of them at HE games. Now that they have their own section directly behind the goal, I can forsee it being tougher mentally for opposing goalies to ignore them haha.

[sterlippo1]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

It looks great so far! One thing I noticed last year from attending all the home games was the change in the student section, they were much louder and there were a lot more of them at HE games. Now that they have their own section directly behind the goal, I can forsee it being tougher mentally for opposing goalies to ignore them haha.

it's funny what a pretty good team will do for you, huh? i've followed since i moved up here 10 years or so ago. good things happening now

[C-H-C]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

One of your recruits, Matt Cronin, was traded to the Westside Warriors of the British Columbia Hockey League:
http://www.westsidewarriors.ca/leagu...597&page=46206
He will be playing with UNH recruit Grayson Downing.

[WarriorDJ]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

One of your recruits, Matt Cronin, was traded to the Westside Warriors of the British Columbia Hockey League:
http://www.westsidewarriors.ca/leagu...597&page=46206
He will be playing with UNH recruit Grayson Downing.

Thanks for the heads up! This is interesting from Merrimack's perspective given that the team coach is former assistant MC coach Darren Yopyk and the new assistant coach in Westside is a member of Merrimack's All-Decade Team: Brent Gough.

This will allow for another interesting pairing: Cronin and fellow Merrimack recruit defenseman Izaak Berglund who played his first year in the BCHL last season.

[C-H-C]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

Thanks for the heads up! This is interesting from Merrimack's perspective given that the team coach is former assistant MC coach Darren Yopyk and the new assistant coach in Westside is a member of Merrimack's All-Decade Team: Brent Gough.

This will allow for another interesting pairing: Cronin and fellow Merrimack recruit defenseman Izaak Berglund who played his first year in the BCHL last season.

Hopefully, Coach Yopyk and his assistants will guide the development of these recruits while keeping them relatively content. With these kids playing on the other side of the continent from Hockey East, there is always a concern that they will renege on their commitment. For example, there is the lure of the Kelowna Rockets, the major junior team just across the lake from the Westside Warriors.

[Salvo1017]

Re: Merrimack Offseason thread - preseason rank 10th again? I think not

Is this cool/fall weather making anyone else itch for hockey? Makes me want to come out of hibernation early

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33wPu...eature=related