Opponents and other news and results 2026-2027

[ugarte]

... Joey Harrington ... Kudos to PC.  There may not be another school in all D-1 that would do that.

unlesss this kid was Tretiak i don't think PC had as much riding on him as Oregon had on Harrington

[BearLover]

https://x.com/ClankoMedia/status/2084747398400684182

Syer apparently recently decommitted a bunch of '06 Princeton recruits. You can see all the crossed out names on Heisenberg's 2026 spreadsheet. And another crossed out name on the 2027 spreadsheet. Looks like 8 players total with '05 and '06 birth years have been decommitted, though I'm not sure if all were recent.

[BearLover]

https://x.com/ClankoMedia/status/2084747398400684182

Syer apparently recently decommitted a bunch of '06 Princeton recruits. You can see all the crossed out names on Heisenberg's 2026 spreadsheet. And another crossed out name on the 2027 spreadsheet. Looks like 8 players total with '05 and '06 birth years have been decommitted, though I'm not sure if all were recent.

My thoughts on this:
Cornell never really does this at a large scale, even with recruits who don't pan out. Some of these kids committed under the old coach, but why wait over two years to decommit them? Could ostensibly be due to the new "start before your 20th birthday, else you lose a year" rule, but even in that case, they'd still get 3 years of eligibility. And there isn't much downside to keeping them on the roster even if they aren't good, since Princeton isn't subject to roster caps.

[ugarte]

https://x.com/ClankoMedia/status/2084747398400684182

Syer apparently recently decommitted a bunch of '06 Princeton recruits. You can see all the crossed out names on Heisenberg's 2026 spreadsheet. And another crossed out name on the 2027 spreadsheet. Looks like 8 players total with '05 and '06 birth years have been decommitted, though I'm not sure if all were recent.

My thoughts on this:
Cornell never really does this at a large scale, even with recruits who don't pan out. Some of these kids committed under the old coach, but why wait over two years to decommit them? Could ostensibly be due to the new "start before your 20th birthday, else you lose a year" rule, but even in that case, they'd still get 3 years of eligibility. And there isn't much downside to keeping them on the roster even if they aren't good, since Princeton isn't subject to roster caps.

They also aren't subject to commitments like they may be at other schools. (I don't know the latest status on the validity of letters of intent but the Ivies have never used them. Plus the decommits may not have all originated from Syer. The landscape changed for recruits just as it did for the coaches and maybe things changed for the players.

[scoop85]

https://x.com/ClankoMedia/status/2084747398400684182

Syer apparently recently decommitted a bunch of '06 Princeton recruits. You can see all the crossed out names on Heisenberg's 2026 spreadsheet. And another crossed out name on the 2027 spreadsheet. Looks like 8 players total with '05 and '06 birth years have been decommitted, though I'm not sure if all were recent.

My thoughts on this:
Cornell never really does this at a large scale, even with recruits who don't pan out. Some of these kids committed under the old coach, but why wait over two years to decommit them? Could ostensibly be due to the new "start before your 20th birthday, else you lose a year" rule, but even in that case, they'd still get 3 years of eligibility. And there isn't much downside to keeping them on the roster even if they aren't good, since Princeton isn't subject to roster caps.

No roster caps, but an Ivy coach only gets so many slots with admissions, so it behooves them to make each of them count.

[stereax]

... Joey Harrington ... Kudos to PC.  There may not be another school in all D-1 that would do that.

unlesss this kid was Tretiak i don't think PC had as much riding on him as Oregon had on Harrington

Looks like Parsons will be their starter.

[BearLover]

With the opening of the CHL, the baseline talent level in college hockey has vastly improved. See here how many draft picks are playing college hockey on the top teams next season:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HPCyZaWWgAAZ9BE?format=png&name=900x900

Cornell's talent is better than that of a Cornell team from 5-10 years ago. But have we improved as much as our opponents?

[stereax]

With the opening of the CHL, the baseline talent level in college hockey has vastly improved. See here how many draft picks are playing college hockey on the top teams next season:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HPCyZaWWgAAZ9BE?format=png&name=900x900

Cornell's talent is better than that of a Cornell team from 5-10 years ago. But have we improved as much as our opponents?

I think in the short run, the blueblood programs are going to have the biggest gains. They have the flexibility and monetary ability to commit the McKennas, the Martones, and the like as a snap decision. Over the next few years, I think it will start to even out - again, we will not see the topmost talent coming in (barring a kid who REALLY wants a good education for 2-3 years and is willing to come here in his draft year or DY+1), but our baseline will improve.

[Trotsky]

Higher density of better players vs shorter careers of better players.  It may cancel.

The future may belong to schools who get their guys to stay 4 years, while the factories paradoxically must constantly start over again.

Well know in 20 years.

[ursusminor]

Former RPI 2006 recruit Shane Smith has decided to go to the AHL.

https://www.hendersonsilverknights.com/silver-knights-sign-forward-shane-smith/

This and other changes drop RPI from #10 to #18 on Neutral Zone's list of incoming classes. Still #1 in the ECAC, but barely over Clarkson.

[adamw]

The partner of a friend who played junior hockey (the partner not the friend) claimed that he was recruited by Harvard but couldn't clear the academics bar.

Chris Drury was going to follow his brother, Ted, to Harvard, but couldn't get in. Make of that what you will.

[adamw]

They also aren't subject to commitments like they may be at other schools. (I don't know the latest status on the validity of letters of intent but the Ivies have never used them. Plus the decommits may not have all originated from Syer. The landscape changed for recruits just as it did for the coaches and maybe things changed for the players.

There is no such thing as Letters of Intent anymore.

[adamw]

https://x.com/ClankoMedia/status/2084747398400684182

Syer apparently recently decommitted a bunch of '06 Princeton recruits. You can see all the crossed out names on Heisenberg's 2026 spreadsheet. And another crossed out name on the 2027 spreadsheet. Looks like 8 players total with '05 and '06 birth years have been decommitted, though I'm not sure if all were recent.

My thoughts on this:
Cornell never really does this at a large scale, even with recruits who don't pan out. Some of these kids committed under the old coach, but why wait over two years to decommit them? Could ostensibly be due to the new "start before your 20th birthday, else you lose a year" rule, but even in that case, they'd still get 3 years of eligibility. And there isn't much downside to keeping them on the roster even if they aren't good, since Princeton isn't subject to roster caps.

No roster caps, but an Ivy coach only gets so many slots with admissions, so it behooves them to make each of them count.

It's actually worse than that for Princeton. They're the only ECAC team that has to deal with a "slotting" system officially - meaning, that once a player enrolls at Princeton, if they de-commit or leave, Princeton cannot replace that player EVER in what would've been that 4-year window. This was never an issue in the past because all this movement never happened. It is now, which is how I finally came to learn about this.

[adamw]

The inspired write poetry.

The diligent write novels.

The lazy write screenplays.

The bottomfeeders write political or sports pieces.

The reward structure is inverse to the amount of talent.

cf. acting

It's always heartwarming when I get evidence that a Cornell education is no better than my lowly Ithaca College education. Thanks Trotsky!

[marty]

Today 8/13/2026 at Houston Field House



Please excuse the portrait view - this is through a door on the east side of Houston - area of the old stage.  I will try to get closer next time.