Cornell Hockey in 2009-2010

[lynah80]

Will Cornell by the ECAC favorite for next year?

http://www.hockeyjournal.com/Article.php?ArtID=999973

The article doesn't say anything about recruits.  Obviously, that will be critical.

For 2008-2009, only 1/3 of Cornell's goals were scored by seniors. However, for Yale the numbers are even better, only 1/10 were scored by seniors.

Alec Richards will be graduating (GOA 2.057 Save% 0.923).  That will leave Ryan Rondeau (GOA 2.266 Save% 0.901) as their top goalie.

Arcobello, Little, Backman, Kearney, and O'Neill are all expected back next year.

[Al DeFlorio]

[quote lynah80]Will Cornell by the ECAC favorite for next year?

http://www.hockeyjournal.com/Article.php?ArtID=999973

[/quote]
One can only wonder what the "key role" was the injured Devins played in "Cornell's NCAA regional final run."

[BCrespi]

[quote Al DeFlorio][quote lynah80]Will Cornell by the ECAC favorite for next year?

http://www.hockeyjournal.com/Article.php?ArtID=999973

[/quote]
One can only wonder what the "key role" was the injured Devins played in "Cornell's NCAA regional final run."[/quote]

I think their key role was being from New England.

[Trotsky]

Cornell and Yale will be the most hyped.

Harvard will once again have a highly-touted blue chippah class, just like the ones that have led them to the last 14 consecutive NCAA titles.

Union, Dartmouth, Princeton and Clarkson will be in there somewhere.

RPI, Colgate, and Quinnipiac will be picked to tread water because nobody knows anything about them and the media is lazy (and, well, because they will).

St. Lawrence is totally screwed.

Brown is Brown.

[Scersk '97]

With the Frozen Four over, I think it is time to start looking ahead to next year.  Let's get this topic moving again.

However frustrating it was for it to be them instead of us, and however unsuccessful they turned out to be in the end, I was encouraged by Miami's run to the title game.  For more than a few moments during the final, I could squint my eyes in a particular way, disregard the name on the front of the sweaters, and imagine that it was Cornell playing BU.  Miami's hard-nosed, no-room-to-move defensive style and opportunistic scoring reminded me of the best Cornell teams during the Schafer era.  Considering the Brekke connection, I think that is no accident.  If anything, Miami's run proved to me that there is still room for that kind of hockey in the closely-called environment of today (when compared with, say, 2003).  (For the record, I think the 2003 team was actually hindered by the prevailing standards in officiating at the time.)

Miami lost to a BU team that was loaded with talent and was on a mission.  Their only weakness was taking undisciplined penalties, which should be a familiar theme to us.  They worked hard, fought for the puck, and were not afraid to take the body.  Ultimately, I find them quite worthy champs--not a bunch of individualistic Minnesota pretty boys, but a hard-working, fiery group.  Something about them also reminded me of the best teams during the Schafer era.

[Tom Lento]

[quote Scersk '97]Miami's hard-nosed, no-room-to-move defensive style and opportunistic scoring reminded me of the best Cornell teams during the Schafer era.  Considering the Brekke connection, I think that is no accident.  If anything, Miami's run proved to me that there is still room for that kind of hockey in the closely-called environment of today (when compared with, say, 2003).  (For the record, I think the 2003 team was actually hindered by the prevailing standards in officiating at the time.)
[/quote]

You sure it wasn't just Brakke's piercing whistle at the end of the power plays? :p

I mostly agree, but this year's Miami team was better than any Schafer era Cornell team in two crucial areas - transition speed and shot release. Miami jumped on turnovers and consistently generated offense on the rush - only the 2003 Cornell squad was anywhere near that good on transition, and they weren't as quick through the neutral zone. Miami also got a fair number of dangerous shots off in a hurry. I don't think Schafer's Cornell teams have ever had more than one or two guys who could shoot the puck like that. It seemed like Miami had 4 or 5, and BU had 12.

[Swampy]

BU is going to be tough again next year. They only lose about a half-dozen seniors. Some, like Yip, were very important to this team, but many of the stars in the Final Four are juniors. Of course, they may have defections now that they won the national title, but then again, so may we now that we didn't. BTW, their roster web page shows they do have a goalie coach. The game a MSG will be a good test for us to see how we stack up with the big boys. ::bugeye::

[ugarte]

[quote Swampy]BU is going to be tough again next year. They only lose about a half-dozen seniors. Some, like Yip, were very important to this team, but many of the stars in the Final Four are juniors. Of course, they may have defections now that they won the national title, but then again, so may we now that we didn't. BTW, their roster web page shows they do have a goalie coach. The game a MSG will be a good test for us to see how we stack up with the big boys. ::bugeye::[/quote]
And Miami is going to be great also. That team was more or less in diapers this year.

Honestly, I couldn't see the 2009 Cornell team skating with either of those squads. Cornell 2003 would have been fine because they would have slowed these teams to a crawl and those shots, as quick as they are, would have been blocked before they reached the goal.

[Scersk '97]

[quote ugarte]Honestly, I couldn't see the 2009 Cornell team skating with either of those squads. Cornell 2003 would have been fine because they would have slowed these teams to a crawl and those shots, as quick as they are, would have been blocked before they reached the goal.[/quote]

I agree and disagree.  I agree that the 2009 team that we saw probably could not skate with BU (as our troubles against Yale [BU minus the steroids] showed) and would have a tough time vs. Miami.  But the 2009 team that we never saw, a healthy stretch-run team, could have skated with both.  I think a healthy, gelled 2009 team would have had a very good chance versus Miami, and as good a chance as any against BU.

Injuries killed any notion of continuity on this year's team.  First it was the Kennedys, and then, when the Kennedys returned, it was the Devins.  Losing Joe Devin for much of the season had a great effect on our scoring, because he'd seemed to be developing that "garbage man" quality that we haven't had since Paolini graduated.  (And whatever happened to Roeszler, who I thought was finally starting to find a role?)  Add in Gallagher's difficulties in the playoffs, and this team was significantly crippled for the entire stretch run.  Neither the 2003 team nor the 2005 team had unmanageable injury problems, but 2004 (Vesce) and 2006 (the D) did.  I think there's an obvious pattern there.

Healthy, I think this year's team was at least the equal of 2002 or 2006, as the early season showed.  Upside of 2005 with gelling.  More on it later, but I think next year's team, healthy, could be '05 all over again (or '06, healthy and with Shane Hynes).  (Of course, everything with the caveat "if Riley and Greening stay"--the Unanswered Question.)

[lynah80]

[quote Swampy]BU is going to be tough again next year. They only lose about a half-dozen seniors. Some, like Yip, were very important to this team, but many of the stars in the Final Four are juniors. Of course, they may have defections now that they won the national title, but then again, so may we now that we didn't. BTW, their roster web page shows they do have a goalie coach. The game a MSG will be a good test for us to see how we stack up with the big boys. [/quote]

BU is going to lose a lot of big guns on offense who accounted for about half of their goal scoring during the season. Higgins, Yip, Lawrence, McCarthy and Gilroy are all seniors.  Gilroy was also much more to the team than a goal scorer.  

BU also has a goal tending problem.  Despite his statistics during the regular season, Millan was very unsure of himself in DC.  I'll take Scrivens over him any day.  Scrivens has some self discipline issues, but he never looks like he is afraid when someone skates on net with a puck on their stick.    

BU is much more likely to have guys leave before graduation than Cornell.  They have far more NHL draftees (13 vs 4).  Riley Nash is clearly the biggest risk for leaving Cornell early; I bet he stays though (1) because of his brother and (2) he needs to build more muscle.  Colin Greening isn't going anywhere.  He wants a degree.  

A key for Cornell will be recruits.  There are 4 forwards, 3 defensemen and one goalie coming in for 2009-2010.  Maybe they won't be ready to make a contribution at MSG, but let's hope they adjust to NCAA hockey and gel with they team by mid season.

[Swampy]

[quote Scersk '97][quote ugarte]Honestly, I couldn't see the 2009 Cornell team skating with either of those squads. Cornell 2003 would have been fine because they would have slowed these teams to a crawl and those shots, as quick as they are, would have been blocked before they reached the goal.[/quote]

I agree and disagree.  I agree that the 2009 team that we saw probably could not skate with BU (as our troubles against Yale [BU minus the steroids] showed) and would have a tough time vs. Miami.  But the 2009 team that we never saw, a healthy stretch-run team, could have skated with both.  I think a healthy, gelled 2009 team would have had a very good chance versus Miami, and as good a chance as any against BU.

Injuries killed any notion of continuity on this year's team.  First it was the Kennedys, and then, when the Kennedys returned, it was the Devins.  Losing Joe Devin for much of the season had a great effect on our scoring, because he'd seemed to be developing that "garbage man" quality that we haven't had since Paolini graduated.  (And whatever happened to Roeszler, who I thought was finally starting to find a role?)  Add in Gallagher's difficulties in the playoffs, and this team was significantly crippled for the entire stretch run.  Neither the 2003 team nor the 2005 team had unmanageable injury problems, but 2004 (Vesce) and 2006 (the D) did.  I think there's an obvious pattern there.

Healthy, I think this year's team was at least the equal of 2002 or 2006, as the early season showed.  Upside of 2005 with gelling.  More on it later, but I think next year's team, healthy, could be '05 all over again (or '06, healthy and with Shane Hynes).  (Of course, everything with the caveat "if Riley and Greening stay"--the Unanswered Question.)[/quote]

But injuries are part of the game. This gives an advantage to a team like BU which is stocked (lynah80 mentions 13 vs 4 NHL draftees). If we need for everyone to stay healthy even to be competitive in the FF, then we need to hope for a perfect storm of good luck.

[pfibiger]

[quote lynah80]
A key for Cornell will be recruits.  There are 4 forwards, 3 defensemen and one goalie coming in for 2009-2010.  Maybe they won't be ready to make a contribution at MSG, but let's hope they adjust to NCAA hockey and gel with they team by mid season.[/quote]

I think that (depending on how Sean Whitney progresses over the summer) one or both of Braden Birch and Nick D'Agostino have the potential to be impact defensemen from the beginning. John Esposito and Erik Axell could contribute about as much as Locke Jillson and Sean Collins did this year. Based on their junior stats it may take Vince Mihalek, Chris Moulson, and Jarred Seymour a little longer to adjust to the college game.

I think the team's success next year will be dependent on which players are able to elevate their game(s). Evan Barlow definitely did this this year, Blake Gallagher did too. I expect much bigger years from Sean Collins and Patrick Kennedy. Let's hope Patrick can duplicate his brother's sophomore->junior breakout!

[KeithK]

[quote Swampy]But injuries are part of the game. This gives an advantage to a team like BU which is stocked (lynah80 mentions 13 vs 4 NHL draftees). If we need for everyone to stay healthy even to be competitive in the FF, then we need to hope for a perfect storm of good luck.[/quote]
Well yeah.  For Cornell to win the national title will probably take a perfect storm of talent and luck.  Accept it and keep looking for that storm.

[tretiak]

Colin Wilson (17/38/55 in 43 games) will also leave, assuming he doesn't get hurt patting himself too hard on the back...

For those who watched the frozen four and previous games, Millan also is just not a good goalie. BU will have a strong defense and will have good recruits, but that BU team had a perfect storm of offense. And luck. Seriously, 3 key goals in the tournament were flukes. I still can't believe that.

[Rosey]

[quote tretiak]I still can't believe that.[/quote]
The tournament-winning goal, especially, was utter crap.  If you're Miami, I've got to believe you are feeling completely robbed losing like that.