Blog contributor buoldtimer attended Hockey East’s Media Day on Wednesday and offers a few thoughts and observations:
1. Conceding the bromide that in collegiate sports it’s the coaches who stay and the players who move on, it’s still remarkable the “rock star” status established coaches enjoy. To this observer, it seemed that Jack Parker, Dick Umile and Toot Cahoon had a microphone or camera in front of them every minute of the session. One exception to this phenomenon was Nick Bonino, who had very little down time during the proceedings.
2. Captain Kevin Shattenkirk (photo) pointed out that the coaches, captains and seniors have been diligently reminding players that last season is over and that they must direct their attention to the challenges of the upcoming schedule. He mentioned that Joe Pereira has recovered completely from his ruptured spleen and is participating is pre-season practices. Due to intermittent problems with the ice surface at Agganis Arena, some of these practices have been held at Walter Brown Arena.
3. I suggested to UML’s Blaise MacDonald that his team’s success in last season’s Hockey East playoffs against teams who competed in the NCAA tournament could be used to inspire this year’s squad. He dismissed this notion immediately, stating that each season is different and “offers its own set of incentives and challenges.”
4. When asked about this year’s PC team, Head Coach Tim Army responded that the greatest challenge he and his assistants face will be instilling in their players “the confidence to trust their ability” after missing the playoffs last season. A brief mention of the 1984-85 Friar team, of which he was captain, encouraged Army to enthusiastically display total recall of the squad that captured the first Hockey East Championship, defeated Michigan State in East Lansing to advance to the NCAA Final Four and eventually lost the national title game to RPI.
5. This season’s Hockey East Media Guide was available on DVD. It’s very likely that in the next few years all HE member media guides will be distributed on DVD or via internet download, making glossy print versions a wistful remembrance of days gone by.
Hockey East has posted video interviews with Jack Parker and the other conference head coaches.
► Inside College Hockey has released its annual ranking of recruit classes and listing of top freshmen by position. BU's 7-man class is ranked #6. Right wing Alex Chiasson is rated #14 among forwards and Max Nicastro is #6 among defensemen. Last season's Terrier recruit class was ranked #3 and the two previous seasons' classes were both ranked #2.
► College Hockey News' "What to Watch 2009-10" examines the Terriers' roster changes--departures and arrivals--as they prepare to open the season. CHN's "New Season Primer" features blueliner Nicastro as a likely impact freshman.
► As the NHL opens its season tonight, 13 former Terriers, including three members of last season's NCAA title squad, are on NHL rosters. Matt Gilroy is on the New York Rangers roster, joining BU's other Hobey Baker Award winner, Chris Drury. Colin Wilson and Brandon Yip are on the injured lists of the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche respectively. The BU athletics news release points out that:
1. Conceding the bromide that in collegiate sports it’s the coaches who stay and the players who move on, it’s still remarkable the “rock star” status established coaches enjoy. To this observer, it seemed that Jack Parker, Dick Umile and Toot Cahoon had a microphone or camera in front of them every minute of the session. One exception to this phenomenon was Nick Bonino, who had very little down time during the proceedings.
2. Captain Kevin Shattenkirk (photo) pointed out that the coaches, captains and seniors have been diligently reminding players that last season is over and that they must direct their attention to the challenges of the upcoming schedule. He mentioned that Joe Pereira has recovered completely from his ruptured spleen and is participating is pre-season practices. Due to intermittent problems with the ice surface at Agganis Arena, some of these practices have been held at Walter Brown Arena.
3. I suggested to UML’s Blaise MacDonald that his team’s success in last season’s Hockey East playoffs against teams who competed in the NCAA tournament could be used to inspire this year’s squad. He dismissed this notion immediately, stating that each season is different and “offers its own set of incentives and challenges.”
4. When asked about this year’s PC team, Head Coach Tim Army responded that the greatest challenge he and his assistants face will be instilling in their players “the confidence to trust their ability” after missing the playoffs last season. A brief mention of the 1984-85 Friar team, of which he was captain, encouraged Army to enthusiastically display total recall of the squad that captured the first Hockey East Championship, defeated Michigan State in East Lansing to advance to the NCAA Final Four and eventually lost the national title game to RPI.
5. This season’s Hockey East Media Guide was available on DVD. It’s very likely that in the next few years all HE member media guides will be distributed on DVD or via internet download, making glossy print versions a wistful remembrance of days gone by.
Hockey East has posted video interviews with Jack Parker and the other conference head coaches.
► Inside College Hockey has released its annual ranking of recruit classes and listing of top freshmen by position. BU's 7-man class is ranked #6. Right wing Alex Chiasson is rated #14 among forwards and Max Nicastro is #6 among defensemen. Last season's Terrier recruit class was ranked #3 and the two previous seasons' classes were both ranked #2.
► College Hockey News' "What to Watch 2009-10" examines the Terriers' roster changes--departures and arrivals--as they prepare to open the season. CHN's "New Season Primer" features blueliner Nicastro as a likely impact freshman.
► As the NHL opens its season tonight, 13 former Terriers, including three members of last season's NCAA title squad, are on NHL rosters. Matt Gilroy is on the New York Rangers roster, joining BU's other Hobey Baker Award winner, Chris Drury. Colin Wilson and Brandon Yip are on the injured lists of the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche respectively. The BU athletics news release points out that:
Sixty former Boston University hockey players have gone
on to play in the NHL and Gilroy is expected to become the 61st when the Rangers visit the Penguins on Friday (Oct. 2) in a game that will be broadcast live on The NHL Network.
► One former Terrier who didn't make an NHL roster is David VanderGulik, whom we reported last week was assigned to Calgary's new AHL affiliate in his's hometown of Abbottsford. The local newspaper caught up with VDG, who made eight starts for Calgary last season, and he discussed his mixed feelings about returning home.
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