What the hell is going on?

[dss28]

I'm going to preface this by saying I may be dumb.  I'm conceding that outright.

But here's what I don't get:
Yes, we lost seniors from last year.  ...But every year, we lose seniors.  Yes, this year we lost 7 players, but... From the posts, it seems as though the class who was there from '99 - '03 had more of a presence than... what, anyone else?  More than those who were in years ahead of and behind them?

Each year we have to fill holes that the seniors leave... are we saying that these holes are extraordinarily large?

(I know what I want to say, but I'm having trouble finding the appropriate words to convey my meaning -- I hope someone will be able to decipher this post.)

[Greg Berge]

Wallace is the senior D we are losing.

Although he, Hornby and of course Vesce are a big part of this team, as recent graduation losses go this will be cake.  That doesn't mean the team will automatically jump to the top of the league, but I really think they will be solid.  We don't appear to be bringing much in (only 4 guys -- one of them, Sawada, apparently a bluechipper), so there will be very little "learning curve" effect.

[pfibiger]

I still think there are going to be more recruits announced before the year is over. Judging by the lack of faith Schafer has exhibited in Chabot, I would be surprised if another goaltender isn't brought in..and with Stachurski quitting the team, and Wallace graduating..there's room for at least one more D-man, perhaps two?

[Greg Berge]

Yes, the past year's losses were abnormally huge.  LeNeveu was a Hobey Hat Trick finalist.  Murray was a former Hobey finalist.  Baby, the McRaes, and Paolini were each good enough to have been the best player on previous squads.  Palahicky was solid.  Add them up and it was a devastating combo -- on the ice, and now... not on the ice.

[HOTELCALIFORNIA]

The day before i was pissed, but now i see the reality, so i was changing my point of view, and ill do that, thank you.

[canucksfan]

[Q] Each year we have to fill holes that the seniors leave... are we saying that these holes are extraordinarily large? [/Q]

Of course we are! You also have to consider that we lost LeNeveu, not just the seniors. And look at all the seniors individually...each of them were extremely important to the team. You could argue that Bell was the weakest of a strong senior class, but I'd give a lot to have such a steady blueline presence around this year.

To HOTELCALIFORNIA:

You were making excellent progress on raising your post IQ since you joined the forum...don't start regressing on us.

[dss28]

All right, I can see that this year was more of a Gestalt-like loss than other years.  But I still have faith



Post Edited (02-02-04 19:29)

[Ninian]

I think you can also expect big things from Topher Scott - a small but hard working and talented forward.  Should contribute a lot to offensiive production and go a long way in filling Vesce's shoes.

[Jeff Hopkins \'82]

Look at it another way...

When was the last time we lost 3 players who were good enough to play in the first tier minor leagues their first year out, along with a couple more who are ECHL all stars?  Not as long as I've following Cornell hockey.

That was an extremely talented group we lost.  It will take some time to get back to where we were last year.

But as I said in a previous post...In Schafer we trust.

JH

[Chris 02]

One more viewpoint....If you look at Harvard (sucks), who was expected to finish in the top ten in the country and picked by all the pundits to win the ECAC hands down, they have very little chance of getting anything, except the Beanpot consolation.  Granted, they could make a run, as could any other ECAC team.  

If we're complaining this much about a team that hasn't met expectations, I can't imagine what Harvard's six fans are thinking.  Because they have really under-achieved!!!! ::burnout::

If the current eLynah poll read:

"So far Harvard has

met my expectations
not met my expectations
exceeded my expectations"

...I think all the votes would be in not met my expectations.



Post Edited (02-04-04 16:00)

[Josh '99]

That poll would need an option for "sucked".  :-D

[ugarte]

Chris '02 wrote:If the current eLynah poll read:

"So far Harvard has

met my expectations
not met my expectations
exceeded my expectations"

...I think all the votes would be in not met my expectations.

Harvard has exceeded my expectations.  I could never have expected them to be so horrid, and I could never have expected to enjoy it so much.

[Jeff Hopkins \'82]

[q]That poll would need an option for "sucked". [/q]


No "option" involved.  Harvard sucks by definition.  :-P

JH

[ursusminor]

I'll be picky.  :-)

[q]I was talking to my Dad the other night. He's a '72 grad of RPI. We were talking about the year 1985 when RPI was 35-2-1 on the way to the national title. They had a similar thing happen with a graduating class that included Daren Puppa, Adam Oates, John Carter (though he's sorta like Vesce in that he was just a junior). The seniors really have more of an effect than everyone imagined and there's bound to be some letdown when the very next season isn't quite up to expectations. [/q] None of the three whom you named was a Senior in 84-85. Carter, as you said, was a Junior. Oates was also a Junior, and Puppa was a Soph. The problem was that Oates and Puppa, as well as George Servinis, the ECAC's ROTY in 82-83, left RPI early after the NCAA championship season, and there was no time to find replacements.

The grads in 1985 were the Captain Mike Sadeghpour and three defensemen, Ken Hammond, Tim Friday, and Pierre Langevin. Also, Kraig Nienhuis had used up his eligibility. An excellent group of defensemen were recruited, but RPI suffered in having an inexperienced defense coupled with a lack of firepower. Also, John Carter was injured in 85-86.

RPI also lost a couple of minor role players including Rick Tosto who transferred to MSU and became apparently the only player to ever be on two national championship teams for different schools in consecutive seasons (although I don't think that he played in either championship game). It was not necessary to sit out a year at that time.

[Chris 02]

[q]I'll be picky.[/q]

Ok, I was 5 or 6 years old at the time and hardly cognizant.  I suppose something was a bit lost in translation too.  

[q]Also, John Carter was injured in 85-86.[/q]

This sounds strangely like Vesce's situation now too!