Cornell vs. St. Lawrence 1/31

billhoward

arugula
Very few players look so good while getting nothing done. The Utahns should be concerned.

Makeup is ready for you, sir. Steven A. Smith called in sick.

If I can get his paycheck too tell me where to report.

Trotsky

arugula
Castagna to me has been a gigantic disappointment. Very few players look so good while getting nothing done. The Utahns should be concerned.

I think this is the craziest thing I have ever read on this forum. And I post on this forum.

Obviously we each have opinions and all that. But this just leaves me mystified. We aren't even watching the same universe.

I think you may need to give these folks a call: [act.alz.org]

BearLover

arugula
Castagna to me has been a gigantic disappointment. Very few players look so good while getting nothing done. The Utahns should be concerned.

I agree, but pretty much the entire team has regressed. It’s kind of hard to single out anybody.

Yes, I think this is about how Cornell functions as a team, more than individual effort. When individuals are "to blame", I think it's more about how their absence disrupts the cohesion of the team, rather than individual performance on the ice. All the line juggling, etc, makes it hard to hit a groove, which leads to frustration, which leads to more absences, which makes it harder to hit a grove, which leads to more frustration.......

A reset is in order. It make take the start of the postseason to give us the reset we need.

scoop85

Trotsky

arugula
Castagna to me has been a gigantic disappointment. Very few players look so good while getting nothing done. The Utahns should be concerned.

I think this is the craziest thing I have ever read on this forum. And I post on this forum.

Obviously we each have opinions and all that. But this just leaves me mystified. We aren't even watching the same universe.

I think you may need to give these folks a call: [act.alz.org]

Ignoring the ad hominem, please explain what I’m missing in expressing disappointment that a scorer is not scoring.

sah67

arugula
Very few players look so good while getting nothing done.

Tony Romano has entered the chat. At least Castagna can get through the neutral zone without getting knocked on his ass every time

Tony was a lower pick. Lower assumed skill level.

arugula

scoop85

Trotsky

arugula
Castagna to me has been a gigantic disappointment. Very few players look so good while getting nothing done. The Utahns should be concerned.

I think this is the craziest thing I have ever read on this forum. And I post on this forum.

Obviously we each have opinions and all that. But this just leaves me mystified. We aren't even watching the same universe.

I think you may need to give these folks a call: [act.alz.org]

Ignoring the ad hominem, please explain what I’m missing in expressing disappointment that a scorer is not scoring.

I thought he was criticizing Trotsky’s post. It shouldn’t be controversial to say that the most talented player on the team having two goals and under half a point per game (excluding ENG) is a major disappointment.

As to the point about injuries…Castagna’s line and the top PP unit have been healthy for the significant majority of the season.

pjd8

BearLover

arugula
Castagna to me has been a gigantic disappointment. Very few players look so good while getting nothing done. The Utahns should be concerned.

I agree, but pretty much the entire team has regressed. It’s kind of hard to single out anybody.

Yes, I think this is about how Cornell functions as a team, more than individual effort. When individuals are "to blame", I think it's more about how their absence disrupts the cohesion of the team, rather than individual performance on the ice. All the line juggling, etc, makes it hard to hit a groove, which leads to frustration, which leads to more absences, which makes it harder to hit a grove, which leads to more frustration.......

A reset is in order. It make take the start of the postseason to give us the reset we need.

Resets in the schedule and added practice time may help, but if the injuries and suspensions keep coming the season’s over. It’s all but impossible to compete at this level when you’ve got 4 guys playing out of position.

arugula

billhoward
Makeup is ready for you, sir. Steven A. Smith called in sick.

If I can get his paycheck too tell me where to report.

In the North Country. At the mouth of the St. Lawrence.

billhoward

arugula

billhoward
Makeup is ready for you, sir. Steven A. Smith called in sick.

If I can get his paycheck too tell me where to report.

In the North Country. At the mouth of the St. Lawrence.

Not sure if that’s supposed to be an insult. Must be the Alzheimer’s.

Tom Lento

pjd8

BearLover

arugula
Castagna to me has been a gigantic disappointment. Very few players look so good while getting nothing done. The Utahns should be concerned.

I agree, but pretty much the entire team has regressed. It’s kind of hard to single out anybody.

Yes, I think this is about how Cornell functions as a team, more than individual effort. When individuals are "to blame", I think it's more about how their absence disrupts the cohesion of the team, rather than individual performance on the ice. All the line juggling, etc, makes it hard to hit a groove, which leads to frustration, which leads to more absences, which makes it harder to hit a grove, which leads to more frustration.......

A reset is in order. It make take the start of the postseason to give us the reset we need.

Resets in the schedule and added practice time may help, but if the injuries and suspensions keep coming the season’s over. It’s all but impossible to compete at this level when you’ve got 4 guys playing out of position.

Rumor mill says illness is working its way through again and some that are playing are not 100 percent-closer to 50-60.

fastforward

Tom Lento

pjd8

BearLover

arugula
Castagna to me has been a gigantic disappointment. Very few players look so good while getting nothing done. The Utahns should be concerned.

I agree, but pretty much the entire team has regressed. It’s kind of hard to single out anybody.

Yes, I think this is about how Cornell functions as a team, more than individual effort. When individuals are "to blame", I think it's more about how their absence disrupts the cohesion of the team, rather than individual performance on the ice. All the line juggling, etc, makes it hard to hit a groove, which leads to frustration, which leads to more absences, which makes it harder to hit a grove, which leads to more frustration.......

A reset is in order. It make take the start of the postseason to give us the reset we need.

Resets in the schedule and added practice time may help, but if the injuries and suspensions keep coming the season’s over. It’s all but impossible to compete at this level when you’ve got 4 guys playing out of position.

Rumor mill says illness is working its way through again and some that are playing are not 100 percent-closer to 50-60.

Honestly I’m tiring of all the excuses

BearLover

fastforward

Tom Lento

pjd8

BearLover

arugula
Castagna to me has been a gigantic disappointment. Very few players look so good while getting nothing done. The Utahns should be concerned.

I agree, but pretty much the entire team has regressed. It’s kind of hard to single out anybody.

Yes, I think this is about how Cornell functions as a team, more than individual effort. When individuals are "to blame", I think it's more about how their absence disrupts the cohesion of the team, rather than individual performance on the ice. All the line juggling, etc, makes it hard to hit a groove, which leads to frustration, which leads to more absences, which makes it harder to hit a grove, which leads to more frustration.......

A reset is in order. It make take the start of the postseason to give us the reset we need.

Resets in the schedule and added practice time may help, but if the injuries and suspensions keep coming the season’s over. It’s all but impossible to compete at this level when you’ve got 4 guys playing out of position.

Rumor mill says illness is working its way through again and some that are playing are not 100 percent-closer to 50-60.

Honestly I’m tiring of all the excuses

Considering the short handed status, hefty on ice minutes for those skating, and some of them being ill - I tend to be sympathetic rather than having unrealistic expectations.
Maybe you can suit up so we can field a full roster

fastforward

BearLover

fastforward

Tom Lento

pjd8

BearLover

arugula
Castagna to me has been a gigantic disappointment. Very few players look so good while getting nothing done. The Utahns should be concerned.

I agree, but pretty much the entire team has regressed. It’s kind of hard to single out anybody.

Yes, I think this is about how Cornell functions as a team, more than individual effort. When individuals are "to blame", I think it's more about how their absence disrupts the cohesion of the team, rather than individual performance on the ice. All the line juggling, etc, makes it hard to hit a groove, which leads to frustration, which leads to more absences, which makes it harder to hit a grove, which leads to more frustration.......

A reset is in order. It make take the start of the postseason to give us the reset we need.

Resets in the schedule and added practice time may help, but if the injuries and suspensions keep coming the season’s over. It’s all but impossible to compete at this level when you’ve got 4 guys playing out of position.

Rumor mill says illness is working its way through again and some that are playing are not 100 percent-closer to 50-60.

Honestly I’m tiring of all the excuses

Considering the short handed status, hefty on ice minutes for those skating, and some of them being ill - I tend to be sympathetic rather than having unrealistic expectations

I’m sympathetic that this has been an overall unfortunate year, but: Cornell isn’t the only team with injuries and or the flu. This was supposed to be a really good team. The constant losing is repeatedly explained away with excuses about injuries, illness, basically anything OTHER than taking accountability for bad execution, lack of talent, bad coaching, or whatever is actually going on.

fastforward

BearLover

fastforward

Tom Lento

pjd8

BearLover

arugula
Castagna to me has been a gigantic disappointment. Very few players look so good while getting nothing done. The Utahns should be concerned.

I agree, but pretty much the entire team has regressed. It’s kind of hard to single out anybody.

Yes, I think this is about how Cornell functions as a team, more than individual effort. When individuals are "to blame", I think it's more about how their absence disrupts the cohesion of the team, rather than individual performance on the ice. All the line juggling, etc, makes it hard to hit a groove, which leads to frustration, which leads to more absences, which makes it harder to hit a grove, which leads to more frustration.......

A reset is in order. It make take the start of the postseason to give us the reset we need.

Resets in the schedule and added practice time may help, but if the injuries and suspensions keep coming the season’s over. It’s all but impossible to compete at this level when you’ve got 4 guys playing out of position.

Rumor mill says illness is working its way through again and some that are playing are not 100 percent-closer to 50-60.

Honestly I’m tiring of all the excuses

Considering the short handed status, hefty on ice minutes for those skating, and some of them being ill - I tend to be sympathetic rather than having unrealistic expectations.

If true, this team is full of schlemiels and schemozzles.

I think it's fair to be disappointed by Castagna's production.

It's a little much to say the Utah Soon-to-be-Mammoth-Singular-not-Mammoths-Plural-for-no-reason-whatsoever need to be any more than slightly concerned. Down years happen.

arugula

scoop85

Trotsky

arugula
Castagna to me has been a gigantic disappointment. Very few players look so good while getting nothing done. The Utahns should be concerned.

I think this is the craziest thing I have ever read on this forum. And I post on this forum.

Obviously we each have opinions and all that. But this just leaves me mystified. We aren't even watching the same universe.

I think you may need to give these folks a call: [act.alz.org]

Ignoring the ad hominem, please explain what I’m missing in expressing disappointment that a scorer is not scoring.

Sorry, that was directed at Trotsky. I’m on your side on this.

Dafatone
I think it's fair to be disappointed by Castagna's production.

It's a little much to say the Utah Soon-to-be-Mammoth-Singular-not-Mammoths-Plural-for-no-reason-whatsoever need to be any more than slightly concerned. Down years happen.

Fair

scoop85

arugula

scoop85

Trotsky

arugula
Castagna to me has been a gigantic disappointment. Very few players look so good while getting nothing done. The Utahns should be concerned.

I think this is the craziest thing I have ever read on this forum. And I post on this forum.

Obviously we each have opinions and all that. But this just leaves me mystified. We aren't even watching the same universe.

I think you may need to give these folks a call: [act.alz.org]

Ignoring the ad hominem, please explain what I’m missing in expressing disappointment that a scorer is not scoring.

Sorry, that was directed at Trotsky. I’m on your side on this.

Gotcha.

Still haven’t heard any reason why I’m wrong, only that it’s a “crazy opinion”

arugula
Still haven’t heard any reason why I’m wrong, only that it’s a “crazy opinion”

Welcome to the club

Dafatone
I think it's fair to be disappointed by Castagna's production.

It's a little much to say the Utah Soon-to-be-Mammoth-Singular-not-Mammoths-Plural-for-no-reason-whatsoever need to be any more than slightly concerned. Down years happen.

Sophomore slumps are very much a thing, and Robertson and Castagna (more mildly) are in 'em.

arugula
I single out Castagna because of the promise he showed last year and the high draft bias. If you think that two goals plus one empty net shows he’s been good ok. Results business. He’s relied upon to score. For example, Walsh with similarly high expectations has met them. JC while good at the dots and reasonably responsible hasn’t. I see puck possession but not much else. Please educate me. If this is the craziest thing you’ve seen on this board I’m rather surprised and you’re buying next time in Ithaca.

"Accomplishing anything" is well beyond goal count.

Castagna is our most feared player on the ice for the opposition. He attracts the strongest defender. They tweak their positional play to account for him. He typically has guys playing inside his sweater. You watch hockey. You know all the things guys do without showing up on the scorecard.

If you are saying Castagna has the largest gap between talent and goals, then that is a reasonable statement (although DeSantis and this year Robertson might make an argument). But to say "without accomplishing anything" is the type of 2024 overdramatization which... well... somebody already make the Stephen A. Smith joke.

arugula
Still haven’t heard any reason why I’m wrong, only that it’s a “crazy opinion”

You asked me to explain myself at 2:15. I responded as soon as I read your reply. You stamped your foot at 3:48. Come on, son.

Time was, I was the most obnoxious and immature poster on this forum.

Now I'm not even top 5.

Trotsky

arugula
I single out Castagna because of the promise he showed last year and the high draft bias. If you think that two goals plus one empty net shows he’s been good ok. Results business. He’s relied upon to score. For example, Walsh with similarly high expectations has met them. JC while good at the dots and reasonably responsible hasn’t. I see puck possession but not much else. Please educate me. If this is the craziest thing you’ve seen on this board I’m rather surprised and you’re buying next time in Ithaca.

"Accomplishing anything" is well beyond goal count.

Castagna is our most feared player on the ice for the opposition. He attracts the strongest defender. They tweak their positional play to account for him. He typically has guys playing inside his sweater. You watch hockey. You know all the things guys do without showing up on the scorecard....

I agree with this. I think JC doesn't have a lot of faith on his teammates and it leads to too much hero ball. He's fun to watch and i think he'd look a lot better if he either adjusted to the teams' style or had teammates that could keep up. I don't think Utah had to worry even if he has to worry about fighting through the players ahead of him on the depth chart.

ugarte

Trotsky

arugula
I single out Castagna because of the promise he showed last year and the high draft bias. If you think that two goals plus one empty net shows he’s been good ok. Results business. He’s relied upon to score. For example, Walsh with similarly high expectations has met them. JC while good at the dots and reasonably responsible hasn’t. I see puck possession but not much else. Please educate me. If this is the craziest thing you’ve seen on this board I’m rather surprised and you’re buying next time in Ithaca.

"Accomplishing anything" is well beyond goal count.

Castagna is our most feared player on the ice for the opposition. He attracts the strongest defender. They tweak their positional play to account for him. He typically has guys playing inside his sweater. You watch hockey. You know all the things guys do without showing up on the scorecard....

I agree with this. I think JC doesn't have a lot of faith on his teammates and it leads to too much hero ball. He's fun to watch and i think he'd look a lot better if he either adjusted to the teams' style or had teammates that could keep up. I don't think Utah had to worry even if he has to worry about fighting through the players ahead of him on the depth chart.

I agree with this. The hero ball thing drives me nuts. I’m well aware of the little things that go on in a game which make a player effective. If by taking all that pressure from opposing defenders, his play set up others that would be accomplishing something. Maybe accomplishing nothing is an exaggeration but accomplishing a lot less than you would hope I think is accurate because for all the work he does, the main objective, someone scoring, isn’t happening.

Really nice backhand assist on Mack’s goal, though.

George64
Really nice backhand assist on Mack’s goal, though.

Never said he wasn’t highly skilled. That’s sort of the point. Two goals and 8 assists for a guy with that skill is disappointing.

arugula

George64
Really nice backhand assist on Mack’s goal, though.

Never said he wasn’t highly skilled. That’s sort of the point. Two goals and 8 assists for a guy with that skill is disappointing.

He’s listed as 5th on the stat line behind

Walsh 9g 8a +/- 0
Bancroft 8g 4a -1
Kraft 6g 5a +8
Pseniska 5g 6a +1
Castagna 3g 8a -3

arugula

George64
Really nice backhand assist on Mack’s goal, though.

Never said he wasn’t highly skilled. That’s sort of the point. Two goals and 8 assists for a guy with that skill is disappointing.

this is tricky, because people keep responding to you, but you don't have to restate the premise of your opinion every time someone points out that they think he's good. the value in letting it go is that eventually everyone forgets about it and someone brings up ned harkness coaching lacrosse and the circle of life goes on.

Imagine Gretzkys numbers if made the same great passes to guys who couldnt score.

But then again. If you take away half is assists he still almost leads the NHl in all time pts.

Today Scott Wheeler of the Athletic came out with his Utah prospect rankings and listed Castagna #13 on a very deep Utah prospect pool (he has Utah as having the 7th best prospect pool in the NHL). In earlier team rankings he included Walsh, Veillieux, and Stanley in the top 15 of their respective NHL team’s rankings.

scoop85
Today Scott Wheeler of the Athletic came out with his Utah prospect rankings and listed Castagna #13 on a very deep Utah prospect pool (he has Utah as having the 7th best prospect pool in the NHL). In earlier team rankings he included Walsh, Veillieux, and Stanley in the top 15 of their respective NHL team’s rankings.

To be fair, though, the Bruins (30) and Sens (27) have a shit prospect pool (outside of Yakemchuk) and the Isles (25) have a few high end talent picks (Eiserman, George) but not much else.

On Walsh (5): "This is where the Bruins’ pool really starts to tail off (which isn’t a commentary on Walsh, who is a nice story)." "His challenge will be that he’s not a grinder type and I’m not sure his game offensively is going to be quite dynamic enough to get him to the NHL."

On Veilleux (11): "It’ll be years before the Islanders know what they have in Veilleux in terms of NHL potential but he should become a heady NCAA defenseman who can contribute at both ends."

On Stanley (13): "doesn’t have a high ceiling but he could become a third-pairing option in time."

On Castagna (13): "Last year, he posted 25 points in 35 games at Cornell, good for fourth on the team in scoring. This year, though his production has plateaued on a weaker Cornell team, Castagna has continued to be a regular contributor at five-on-five and on both special teams as a teenager." "By all accounts, he was a special kid at SAC, where he excelled in the classroom, on the lacrosse field and also in theater, too. He’s worth monitoring for his athleticism and speed."

stereax
On Castagna (13): "Last year, he posted 25 points in 35 games at Cornell, good for fourth on the team in scoring. This year, though his production has plateaued on a weaker Cornell team, Castagna has continued to be a regular contributor at five-on-five and on both special teams as a teenager." "By all accounts, he was a special kid at SAC, where he excelled in the classroom, on the lacrosse field and also in theater, too. He’s worth monitoring for his athleticism and speed."

Jesus, in one person the best of Ken Dryden, Rob Pannell and Christopher Reeve. After his pro days are ended, bring Castagna back as a Master in Hans Bethe House.

scoop85
Bancroft has to shoot when he’s right in the slot with no defender on him.

He's got a great shot. We've seen it before. One thing in addition to shooting more that I would like to see him improve on is skating with the puck or skating hard to a spot in the offensive zone. I've seen a few times this season where he gets the puck and just cruises. There was a chance he had against Harvard on a two on one where he got the puck in a great spot but because he was coasting it allowed the goalie to get over in time to make the save. He's got what it takes to play at the next level. Hopefully we get to see him continue to refine his game by the time he departs.