UMD 2018-19 Season Thread

[WCHA SuperFan]

Re: UMD 2018-19 Season Thread

This Coach at UMD is so far out of her depth. My guess is that this is about the best you can expect for UMD for some time to come.

At some point recruits will start picking up on the patterns that have been going on and stop seeing it as what is now considered a decent option.

There are some glaring things coming out of this Program that do not happen at Wisconsin and Minnesota. You want to be the best start acting like the best!

-Players get better at MN, BSU and Wi.
-When players thrive on the nation team they do not take two steps back. See Brodt and Rooney
-MN rolled 4 lines and 6 D yesterday, UMD played 13. Last year she rolled 2 lines against Wisconsin at one point. Think hard recruits that’s eight scholarships sitting on the bench
-When was the last time you saw MN or WI have this many transfers? Mid-season as well
-Lines locked in back 1/3 of the year. She was still tinkering yesterday.
-Players like Brodt, Rogge and Bell should be 30 PTS plus not high teens or low 20s.

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: UMD 2018-19 Season Thread

Comparing the depth of talent on Minnesota and Wisconsin to most any other team outside of bc or Clarkson is a pretty tough measuring stick. UMD played 9 freshmen this year and they definitely had some issues in their own zone which factored into the effectiveness of Rooney. Having seen UMD a few times this year against Minnesota, Rooney was the main reason that Minnesota didn't score quite a few more goals.

[ARM]

Re: UMD 2018-19 Season Thread

This Coach at UMD is so far out of her depth. My guess is that this is about the best you can expect for UMD for some time to come.

Tell you what; come back here in another year and see if your assessment is valid.

When it gets to this point of the year, coaches don't like to get beat with less than their best players on the ice. UM has rolled four lines all year, but the fourth line was played much more selectively yesterday. The reason Frost played the fourth line at all is they are all bonafide D-I top-9 forwards. IMO, if UMD was going to try to match that depth, then Crowell would have to bust up her top six forwards and try to sprinkle that talent through four lines. The result might be better defensively, but the offense would suffer.

The advantage that the Bulldogs will have next year is that they don't graduate anyone who plays. The Gophers graduate three forwards and bring in only one, so they'll be far less likely to play a fourth line. The depth will even out a bit more, and UMD won't be forced to rely on Rooney to steal games to compensate for inexperienced D and a shortage of top-end forwards.

Maybe you're right that UMD's second line should have more production, but look at the WCHA stats. How many 30+ players are there? Nine. It's a tough league in which to put up points. That's the reality of what Crowell is dealing with after inheriting a middling roster from Miller. Obviously she caught a break with the implosion of NoDak, but I think she's done a great job of returning the Bulldogs to relevance. I expect that we'll see that next season, even though Wisconsin and Minnesota aren't going away.