Davenport Has Left the Team

[Chris 02]

He gave up 8 goals last night in a loss.

http://www.ushl.com/scores/box.cfm?gameid=134710

[Greg Berge]

That's the compensation of our limitations: we rarely lose anybody early.  But I doubt Schafer would turn his back on a blue chipper who had the grades to get in, even if he was a risk of 1-and-done.  

[Robb]

[Q]Greg Berge Wrote:

 That's the compensation of our limitations: we rarely lose anybody early.  But I doubt Schafer would turn his back on a blue chipper who had the grades to get in, even if he was a risk of 1-and-done.  [/q]
Yep, that fits in with Schafer's philosophy of "best team on the ice every night" that we've seen pretty consistently from him.

[Avash]

[Q]Chris 02 Wrote:

 He gave up 8 goals last night in a loss.

[/q]

...although, to be fair, the night before, he made 41 saves on 42 shots in a 2-1 (shootout) win. And in the shootout, he only allowed one goal in NINE rounds.

http://www.ushl.com/scores/box.cfm?gameid=134710

[The Rancor]

what about David Grossman (i think its his name)? who is the star goalie for the Ithaca High School team? he is attending Cornell and playing goalie for the lacrosse team next year, and he's a multi year starter at IHS, with great stats (coming soon when i can find some) he's at least a 2nd or third string guy, i'd guess.

[atb9]

If that is his name, any relation to Prof. Grossman?

[billhoward]

[Q]Greg Berge Wrote:

That's the compensation of our limitations: we rarely lose anybody early.  But I doubt Schafer would turn his back on a blue chipper who had the grades to get in, even if he was a risk of 1-and-done.  [/q]

Not that Coach Mike would be so Machiavellian, but if you take somebody who bails after two years because you're overstocked in that position, you've denied him in perpetuity to the Cantabs and Colgate and BC, etcetera. ... And it's possible that a Davenport if he returns to college might (not would) choose a DIII team because he wants to play right away.

OTOH I think prospects have better information now than a generation ago and so they know who has two good goalies who are freshmen/sophomores so they're less likely to choose the wrong school (if you can call Davenport choosing Cornell to be a wrong school - it was for him). I mean, you could always find out by calling around, but now you just go online and it's clear.

[Greg Berge]

[Q]billhoward Wrote:you've denied him in perpetuity to the Cantabs and Colgate and BC [/q]Excellent point.   And I like how your mind works.  Evil.    ;-)

[Lauren '06]

[Q]billhoward Wrote:

 [Q2]Greg Berge Wrote:

That's the compensation of our limitations: we rarely lose anybody early.  But I doubt Schafer would turn his back on a blue chipper who had the grades to get in, even if he was a risk of 1-and-done.  [/Q]
Not that Coach Mike would be so Machiavellian, but if you take somebody who bails after two years because you're overstocked in that position, you've denied him in perpetuity to the Cantabs and Colgate and BC, etcetera. ... And it's possible that a Davenport if he returns to college might (not would) choose a DIII team because he wants to play right away.

OTOH I think prospects have better information now than a generation ago and so they know who has two good goalies who are freshmen/sophomores so they're less likely to choose the wrong school (if you can call Davenport choosing Cornell to be a wrong school - it was for him). I mean, you could always find out by calling around, but now you just go online and it's clear. [/q]
The Ithaca Journal article about his leaving suggests that Schafer thought that Davenport might replace or at least share time with McKee.  He might have been slipped that line or given that impression while he was being recruited.

[atb9]

*warning, speculation zone!*

And coming from Minnesota, I'd bet that Davenport had some arrogance in his ability to compete and start for a team in the Northeast, even Cornell.  

His lack of patience in competing with an incumbent starter is a little upsetting but, oh well, right?  ::bang::

[billhoward]

[Q]Section A Banshee Wrote:The Ithaca Journal article about his [Davenport] leaving suggests that Schafer thought that Davenport might replace or at least share time with McKee.  He might have been slipped that line or given that impression while he was being recruited.[/q]

I believe Schafer also said in the Journal he was also shocked, shocked by how McKee developed this year early on.

We don't know what the coach told the recruit, but I think there's enough wiggle room in what he said/implied for Davenport not to have been misled. I bet he said, and Schafer was right, "You appear to have the ability to compete with David McKee even if he was co-rookie of the year, especially if you work hard and progress the way you're capable of." He certainly beat out Chabot for that ten minutes in the wipeout against Army.

[David Harding]

[Q]billhoward Wrote:

 [Q2]Section A Banshee Wrote:The Ithaca Journal article about his  leaving suggests that Schafer thought that Davenport might replace or at least share time with McKee.  He might have been slipped that line or given that impression while he was being recruited.[/Q]
I believe Schafer also said in the Journal he was also shocked, shocked by how McKee developed this year early on.

We don't know what the coach told the recruit, but I think there's enough wiggle room in what he said/implied for Davenport not to have been misled. I bet he said, and Schafer was right, "You appear to have the ability to compete with David McKee even if he was co-rookie of the year, especially if you work hard and progress the way you're capable of." He certainly beat out Chabot for that ten minutes in the wipeout against Army. [/q]

You also have to remember the timetable on recruiting Davenport.  McKee was scheduled to be a freshman this year after spending a year in the Nanaimo Clippers pipeline.  It was only in the summer, after Lenny's departure, that he was encouraged to enroll last year.  Even for the first months of the season it was not at all clear that he was going to excel as he did, and by that time Davenport had committed.  Then McKee took another step up.

[atb9]

[Q]David Harding Wrote:

You also have to remember the timetable on recruiting Davenport.  McKee was scheduled to be a freshman this year after spending a year in the Nanaimo Clippers pipeline.  It was only in the summer, after Lenny's departure, that he was encouraged to enroll last year.  Even for the first months of the season it was not at all clear that he was going to excel as he did, and by that time Davenport had committed.  Then McKee took another step up.
[/q]

Very good point.

[billhoward]

Some players fear they're not as good as their clippings, that they got lucky over and over. (Richard Burton went to his grave believing he was a fraud as an actor and simply tricked the critics a bunch of times.) There are probably more players who overestimate their ability and it's reinforced by fans, parents, press clippings, and recruiters.

As for the timetable of Davenport arriving, it's a good point that McKee was supposed to be a freshman this year. Still, by the May 1 deadline that Cornell the university has for its students saying yes or no, Davenport had learned of McKee's freshman-year abilities and seen his ECACHL rookie of the year trophy. Maybe Davenport realized it was going to be tougher to beat out (or alternate with) McKee than he'd expected, but Davenport probably thought it was still enough of a horse race to not give up all the plaqns he'd made. True, most other schools had locked in their goaltending needs, but Davenport only needed to have found one, say, ECACHL team in need of help.

One thing I'm not sure I like is the coach's quote from the Journal saying Davenport was selfish in leaving the team. Maybe a generation ago that would have been clear. In a more self-focused era, I'm not sure I agree. I don't think Davenport was more selfish in saying, Oops, wrong place for me, than Leneveu was selfish in furthering his career by turning pro after two of his four years. With Lenny in goal this year, maybe we'd be in the top five, not top ten, and we'd have an incredible backup goalie in freshman David McKee, fresh off his prep year with Nainamo. Too bad the Journal didn't ask Schafer if Davenport would or would not have been selfish if he stayed the year and then left.

All of this is moot if Mckee stays healthy the next 2-1/2 years and we find a dynamite backup in the next 24 months.

[Greg Berge]

[Q]One thing I'm not sure I like is the coach's quote from the Journal saying Davenport was selfish in leaving the team. Maybe a generation ago that would have been clear. In a more self-focused era, I'm not sure I agree.[/Q]

Did you just say that the more selfish people get, the less selfish they are?  :-)