2019-20 Michigan Tech Season Thread. Broetzman has us off to a Bliss-ful start!

[Lost_Husky]

Sorry if the format is funky. Writing this on my phone.

I apologize but I don’t think I got my point across properly.

Playing time is all the boys have as collegiate hockey players. Being a upperclassmen and having playing time puts you in a position of leadership based on natural pecking order type stuff. No you don’t need a C or an A. But the voice of guys who play half the time don’t have the same power. It just how it is. It is basic basic team dynamics.

Naming a guy captain then sitting him in the stands undermines the leadership he has been recognized with by being given the C. And by doing so you disrespect the entire structure of leadership.

The leadership of the group is the conduit from the team to the staff! A coach who does not understand these very basic team dynamics has some serious problems.

Ray should be playing, most certainly if it is not a big difference with him out of the lineup as others are suggesting. Hopefully Joe can recognize his error and repair the damage that most certainly has occurred. The coaches need to have the back of their team leadership and vice versa.

Chris Lawrence may have been a 3-4th liner who scored 7 points but I am guessing the 2 games he missed that season he was not a scratch.

We can't look this decision in a vacuum and need to take a step back. Joe admitted last year's culture was not good. The culture had to be changed. Sometimes to do that, one needs to implement solutions outside of the norm. One of those was to pick a character guy to lead the team. Yes, Ray might not be in the line-up all the time, but if he is keeping a health locker room environment, setting a good example at practice, doing everything and more than what is expected of him all while having a good attitude, even if he isn't playing all the time, I say good for him and he deserves the C.

[Checkmate]

Are you saying Brice should be playing because he has the C? Even if he's not the guy that give you the best chance to win by having him on the ice?

Or are you saying Brice should not have the C because he isn't the guy that gives you the best chance to win when he's on the ice?

I will not claim to know more about the dynamics of the dressing room than Shawhan does. He has said many times he likes Brice's work effort and passion for the team. If he thinks someone else give him a better chance to win, I don't want Brice, or anyone else, in the lineup just because there is a letter on his chest.

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Did not say either, reread my post. Only thing I said about Rays play was that I think he makes the team better when he plays.

Hockey players Are not lead by guys that don’t play no matter what the effort level. That is a very basic principle. It is as basic as guys don’t follow rookies. That is why we do not have a rash of captains being scratched. For a coach to not understand this or not respect it is troublesome to say the least.

If you don’t play your captains you disrespect the position of leadership. No way to rationalize it. Either you disrespected it by naming your leadership when they should not have been or you disrespect it by not placing enough importance on them as a vital part of the team to be on the ice.

The pecking order of leadership has playing time as a critical component. Like it or not it’s how it is. You don’t have to score but you gotta play. Having a great attitude and giving maximum effort all while not complaining is expected of all players not just the leaders.

Gota give you guys on this thread credit for looking at the positives always. Wish I saw more.

[manurespreader]

Did not say either, reread my post. Only thing I said about Rays play was that I think he makes the team better when he plays.

Hockey players Are not lead by guys that don’t play no matter what the effort level. That is a very basic principle. It is as basic as guys don’t follow rookies. That is why we do not have a rash of captains being scratched. For a coach to not understand this or not respect it is troublesome to say the least.

If you don’t play your captains you disrespect the position of leadership. No way to rationalize it. Either you disrespected it by naming your leadership when they should not have been or you disrespect it by not placing enough importance on them as a vital part of the team to be on the ice.

The pecking order of leadership has playing time as a critical component. Like it or not it’s how it is. You don’t have to score but you gotta play. Having a great attitude and giving maximum effort all while not complaining is expected of all players not just the leaders.

Gota give you guys on this thread credit for looking at the positives always. Wish I saw more.

Well, you are certainly entitled to your opinion but i'm pretty sure the coaches are totally aware of the implications. They are former players and they've been around quite a bit.

[JohnsonsJerseys]

If you don’t play your captains you disrespect the position of leadership. No way to rationalize it.

I will disagree with this statement and reply with one simply question:
What percentage of the team's success happens on the ice during games ~35 nights out of the year vs off the ice ~330 days a year?

If the team is not making the effort the other 330 days per year they DON'T have a game, there will be little to no success on game days. I think leadership ABSOLUTELY can have influence outside of games, and honestly if you want to build a winner, those non-game days are far more important about setting the tone for where you want to go.

In my opinion, the staff sees him as a leader the majority of the time who is setting the example that needs to be followed, so he wears the "C". Playing time during games is for the best PLAYERS on the team. The best LEADERS on the team have the honor of wearing the letters, even if their jersey is hanging in the equipment room on game day. In many cases those two groups of players and leaders do not fully overlap. How many great PLAYERS get passed over for a captain's letter? It happens all the time. They have tons of talent but don't set the best example so they are just a player who plays a lot and scores a lot... but they are not a leader, and thus are not recognized as one.

I feel your mindset is based on the NHL, NFL, etc with professional players where the captains are all quarterbacks, leading scorers and the highest paid players. If your captain is sitting 50% of the time in a professional league, then yes, I agree there is a problem. However college sports have a very different dynamic in my opinion.

[gfmorris]

Then there's the implication to the other team. "Where's their captain?" "He doesn't always play." "Why is a guy that sucks the captain?" You say that this may not matter a whit, but I argue that it does. I've heard it asked when our captains have been injured or sucky.

GFM

[manurespreader]

Then there's the implication to the other team. "Where's their captain?" "He doesn't always play." "Why is a guy that sucks the captain?" You say that this may not matter a whit, but I argue that it does. I've heard it asked when our captains have been injured or sucky.

GFM

Oh, I don't think there's any question this is true and checkmate has a good point. However, coaches have reasons for doing things. It's sometimes not obvious to us as fans. I'd rather spend my time Bit####g about the power play.

[gfmorris]

Oh, I don't think there's any question this is true and checkmate has a good point. However, coaches have reasons for doing things. It's sometimes not obvious to us as fans. I'd rather spend my time Bit####g about the power play.

Fair enough Joe seems to do things his own way. Nothing surprises me.

GFM

[John J. MacInnes]

Sorry if the format is funky. Writing this on my phone.

I apologize but I don’t think I got my point across properly.

Playing time is all the boys have as collegiate hockey players. Being a upperclassmen and having playing time puts you in a position of leadership based on natural pecking order type stuff. No you don’t need a C or an A. But the voice of guys who play half the time don’t have the same power. It just how it is. It is basic basic team dynamics.

Naming a guy captain then sitting him in the stands undermines the leadership he has been recognized with by being given the C. And by doing so you disrespect the entire structure of leadership.

The leadership of the group is the conduit from the team to the staff! A coach who does not understand these very basic team dynamics has some serious problems.

Ray should be playing, most certainly if it is not a big difference with him out of the lineup as others are suggesting. Hopefully Joe can recognize his error and repair the damage that most certainly has occurred. The coaches need to have the back of their team leadership and vice versa.

Chris Lawrence may have been a 3-4th liner who scored 7 points but I am guessing the 2 games he missed that season he was not a scratch.

Lawrence was a healthy scratch in both those games. He was also one of the first to lose playing time when the bench was shortened late in games. It never affected the leadership dynamic.

I think Jake Lucchini's game suffered wearing a letter last season. It can be a detriment to a player to have leadership thrust upon them. Ray has the right mindset to be in the leadership group, and if he's not in the lineup that's the reason you have alternate captains.

[Shirtless Guy]

Lawrence was a healthy scratch in both those games. He was also one of the first to lose playing time when the bench was shortened late in games. It never affected the leadership dynamic.

I think Jake Lucchini's game suffered wearing a letter last season. It can be a detriment to a player to have leadership thrust upon them. Ray has the right mindset to be in the leadership group, and if he's not in the lineup that's the reason you have alternate captains.

like I said earlier, the most important aspect of this is that he has to be in the traveling party for road series. If he's healthy and not traveling, then I have an issue with it.

[MTUHuskies]

like I said earlier, the most important aspect of this is that he has to be in the traveling party for road series. If he's healthy and not traveling, then I have an issue with it.

How many extras can travel? I thought it was only the playing roster. Didn't Tech run into not being able to fill the roster on a Saturday in Blown Groin a couple years ago because they lost a few guys in the Friday night game?

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[davyd83]

How many extras can travel? I thought it was only the playing roster. Didn't Tech run into not being able to fill the roster on a Saturday in Blown Groin a couple years ago because they lost a few guys in the Friday night game?

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Teams travel with 22-23 for WCHA games. The rule was 22. Beginning last year, they allowed an “extra skater” to dress. I’m not sure if they also upped the number that could travel.

[MTUHuskies]

Teams travel with 22-23 for WCHA games. The rule was 22. Beginning last year, they allowed an “extra skater” to dress. I’m not sure if they also upped the number that could travel.

So if they dress 21 on the road it only gives them 1-2 extras that can travel. I still don't see that as a problem with Brice being the extra guy. He can certainly step in if needed due to injury or suspension. And if they only get one extra, the extra skater is often a Dman anyway.

In summary, I don't think it's a big deal if he doesn't dress. But I do like the idea of him traveling.

Now let's worry about Tech Jr. This weekend.

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[Lost_Husky]

So if they dress 21 on the road it only gives them 1-2 extras that can travel. I still don't see that as a problem with Brice being the extra guy. He can certainly step in if needed due to injury or suspension. And if they only get one extra, the extra skater is often a Dman anyway.

In summary, I don't think it's a big deal if he doesn't dress. But I do like the idea of him traveling.

Now let's worry about Tech Jr. This weekend.

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This could be an interesting weekend. I hope Tech shows up and can play a full 60 min each night. It is maddening seeing them disappear for stretches. Yes, they are young, but still.

Go Tech!

[MTUHuskies]

This could be an interesting weekend. I hope Tech shows up and can play a full 60 min each night. It is maddening seeing them disappear for stretches. Yes, they are young, but still.

Go Tech!

Inconsistencies are often attributed to being young. But not all young players are inconsistent. Everyone has off nights. The key is not having too many guys having off nights at the same time. And with great teams, the others cover for a teammate's off night.

And putting the **** puck in the net. That's another key.

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[John J. MacInnes]

Tech always travels two extra players for conference games.

As for this weekend, it's the home team in blue who can't stop anyone versus the road team in black who can't score. Should be classic.

[Shirtless Guy]

How many extras can travel? I thought it was only the playing roster. Didn't Tech run into not being able to fill the roster on a Saturday in Blown Groin a couple years ago because they lost a few guys in the Friday night game?

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the traveling party I believe was updated for the additional skater to 23. (12 forwards, 6 defenders, 2 goalies, 1 extra skater plus 2 subs, usually one F and one D).

[BGDrew]

Correct. You’re allowed 23 dressed now for league games. I think it was actually changed a year before the extra dressed skater was allowed.

[Lost_Husky]

Inconsistencies are often attributed to being young. But not all young players are inconsistent. Everyone has off nights. The key is not having too many guys having off nights at the same time. And with great teams, the others cover for a teammate's off night.

And putting the **** puck in the net. That's another key.

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Agreed. The season is early, but hopefully we see less and less of the disappearing act. I think LSSU will be a good opportunity to minimize that and see growth.

[manurespreader]

Well I thought we played better last weekend, but I'll take it. We had moments of brain fade in the second again, but I'll take it also.

[John J. MacInnes]

Probably the best I have seen a Huskies team use the forecheck in a long time. It was directly responsible for all three even strength goals.