Recruits 2025 and Beyond

[BearLover]

It's not a great feeling seeing many teams, particularly Quinnipiac and Clarkson, recruiting a bunch of '04s from major juniors. These players are older and have been productive in major juniors and so they will likely make an immediate impact for their college teams. It feels like the fifth year grad transfer bullshit all over again, except now these schools are only adding players, not losing them. I'd like to see Cornell get some of these kids just for reassurance that they're capable of doing so; but with 24 commitments already, it doesn't look like we have much/any room left.

[chimpfood]

Pretty interesting CHN podcast where the Michigan state assistant implied that CHL kids might not adjust well to the physicality of college hockey. Curious to see how it plays out.

[upprdeck]

Thanks, glad to hear it, eliteprospects and CHN didn't list him so I figured he decomitted but glad to hear he hasn't.

The definitive list.  **]

But how many of these kids are coming next year, we know we need like 10+

[scoop85]

Thanks, glad to hear it, eliteprospects and CHN didn't list him so I figured he decomitted but glad to hear he hasn't.

The definitive list.  **]

But how many of these kids are coming next year, we know we need like 10+

While many years there are some surprise deferrals or accelerations, I expect next fall we'll see at least the following 10: Pirtle, Roest, Pelletier, McCrady, Long, Hiscock, Hamiton, Gorski, Veilleux, and DiGiulian. The only 2006 born player int that group is Veilleux, but he seems more than ready for NCAA hockey. It's possible some of the other 2006's might be in the mix, which would include Arsenault, Ryan, and Sandruck.

[BearLover]

Pretty interesting CHN podcast where the Michigan state assistant implied that CHL kids might not adjust well to the physicality of college hockey. Curious to see how it plays out.

The blue bloods of the NCAA have yet to recruit many CHL kids. The exception is Denver, who already has commitments from three. But many schools like BU and BC and UMich have zero. Thus far it seems like CHL eligibility is a bigger boon for the lesser programs than it is for the blue bloods, which is what many had predicted. But there's a difference between CHL recruits who are 20 and about to age out, and 16-y/os who are about to embark on a junior hockey career. Cornell has no commits in the former category and several in the latter. Which is probably fine long-term but may cause short-term pain as we are forced to play against Clarkson and Quinnipiac and other teams loaded with older players who graduated from the CHL.

[stereax]

Pretty interesting CHN podcast where the Michigan state assistant implied that CHL kids might not adjust well to the physicality of college hockey. Curious to see how it plays out.

Really? I'd think it'd be the other way around, that the CHL is more physical... At least, that's my eye test of it.

[Trotsky]

CHL is FAR more physical.  It's fight central and the checking is rougher than the N.

[stereax]

CHL is FAR more physical.  It's fight central and the checking is rougher than the N.

That was my precise impression of it. I guess the MSU guy was saying something more along the lines of "CHL goons will get super penalized in the NCAA"?

[chimpfood]

CHL is FAR more physical.  It's fight central and the checking is rougher than the N.

That was my precise impression of it. I guess the MSU guy was saying something more along the lines of "CHL goons will get super penalized in the NCAA"?

I had the same impression of the CHL, but I've never watched it so I figured I was wrong.

No they talked about how it is more nhl style scoring hockey and that "minutes will go by sometimes without a check thrown"

[stereax]

CHL is FAR more physical.  It's fight central and the checking is rougher than the N.

That was my precise impression of it. I guess the MSU guy was saying something more along the lines of "CHL goons will get super penalized in the NCAA"?

I had the same impression of the CHL, but I've never watched it so I figured I was wrong.

No they talked about how it is more nhl style scoring hockey and that "minutes will go by sometimes without a check thrown"

Fun fact, each of the CHL leagues now does a free broadcast weekly - WHL's Wednesday Night in the Dub, QMJHL'S Duel du jeudi soir, OHL's Friday Night Faceoff. All on YouTube, I believe, and past ones are archived!

That being said... I think a lot of checks are thrown at the NCAA level too, lol. Just not as fight central as CHL puck.

[Dafatone]

I'm pretty anti-fighting in hockey in general, but fighting in leagues with players under 18 is less than great.

[BearLover]

Physical doesn't mean fighting. Physical means how Cornell played in 2003. NCAA is big, strong, tight-checking. I don't know much about the CHL, but I'd be surprised if it had these qualities on the level of the NCAA.

[Trotsky]

If they mean endurance WHL guys have us beat.  Their seasons are 3x as long, their travel is more difficult, the pressure for them to play hurt is intense.  It's a shitty endless grind and the only way it pays off is if they make the show, so the stakes are far higher.  If they fail it's not a cushy finance gig it's fuckin' Chrysler plant, here I come.

[BearLover]

Thanks, glad to hear it, eliteprospects and CHN didn't list him so I figured he decomitted but glad to hear he hasn't.

The definitive list.  **]

But how many of these kids are coming next year, we know we need like 10+

While many years there are some surprise deferrals or accelerations, I expect next fall we'll see at least the following 10: Pirtle, Roest, Pelletier, McCrady, Long, Hiscock, Hamiton, Gorski, Veilleux, and DiGiulian. The only 2006 born player int that group is Veilleux, but he seems more than ready for NCAA hockey. It's possible some of the other 2006's might be in the mix, which would include Arsenault, Ryan, and Sandruck.

I would guess McCrady spends another year in juniors. He is a late '05 and has just 9 assists and 0 goals through 40 BCHL games. Seems likely the coaching staff views him as a shutdown defender rather than as an offensive threat, so maybe I'm wrong, but it doesn't seem likely that he would get playing time. Same goes for Hamilton, who has 1 goal and 4 assists across 34 games this season in the USHL and BCHL. Unlike McCrady, though, Hamilton will have already spent three seasons in high level juniors, so my guess is he comes next year.

Assuming 5F/3D/1G come next year, and assuming no further departures, that replaces everybody leaving excluding Rayhill. One question is whether Casey dips in the transfer portal. He regularly did this at Clarkson, but at Cornell it's going to be harder. It seems to me the biggest position of need by far is goaltending, but Cornell already has three goalies on its roster for next year. For those three goalies, it would be a kick in the balls if Casey were to go out and bring in a fourth to be the starter. Maybe Casey is too nice of a guy to do something like that, but Rand and many other successful coaches would do it in a heartbeat.

[scoop85]

Thanks, glad to hear it, eliteprospects and CHN didn't list him so I figured he decomitted but glad to hear he hasn't.

The definitive list.  **]

But how many of these kids are coming next year, we know we need like 10+

While many years there are some surprise deferrals or accelerations, I expect next fall we'll see at least the following 10: Pirtle, Roest, Pelletier, McCrady, Long, Hiscock, Hamiton, Gorski, Veilleux, and DiGiulian. The only 2006 born player int that group is Veilleux, but he seems more than ready for NCAA hockey. It's possible some of the other 2006's might be in the mix, which would include Arsenault, Ryan, and Sandruck.

I would guess McCrady spends another year in juniors. He is a late '05 and has just 9 assists and 0 goals through 40 BCHL games. Seems likely the coaching staff views him as a shutdown defender rather than as an offensive threat, so maybe I'm wrong, but it doesn't seem likely that he would get playing time. Same goes for Hamilton, who has 1 goal and 4 assists across 34 games this season in the USHL and BCHL. Unlike McCrady, though, Hamilton will have already spent three seasons in high level juniors, so my guess is he comes next year.

Assuming 5F/3D/1G come next year, and assuming no further departures, that replaces everybody leaving excluding Rayhill. One question is whether Casey dips in the transfer portal. He regularly did this at Clarkson, but at Cornell it's going to be harder. It seems to me the biggest position of need by far is goaltending, but Cornell already has three goalies on its roster for next year. For those three goalies, it would be a kick in the balls if Casey were to go out and bring in a fourth to be the starter. Maybe Casey is too nice of a guy to do something like that, but Rand and many other successful coaches would do it in a heartbeat.

Regarding a guy like Hamilton, I assume that unlike Veillieux Hamilton is more of a stay-at-home defenseman so the lack of points doesn't necessarily reflect his ability or potential value.