Wow, lots of potential topics in here Wayne!

----- Original Message -----
>    (I long for the days when we had a player or two or someone else
>    close to the players and coaches write occasionally in this forum.
>    It's fun to guess and spout off, as I'm about to do, but it's also
>    fun to get a reality check now and again).  ;-)

What about Nonni?  I would consider her "close to the players and coaches".
But you are right there were several players who contributed way back when
and will probably happen again.  I am not sure how many players even know
about this forum, but if we keep growing like we have this year in terms of
participation, it won't be long!

> In the past ten years, I think we've had at least 3 great captains.  I
> only knew one personally, but I think (all three relatively shy
> individuals) motivated their teams during their captaincy with actions
> significantly in addition to their hockey play.  It's almost a
> prerequisite for a team vying for a National Championship.
>
> So why Prestin Ryan? It's just a hunch. ;-)
>
> P.S.  My "3 great captains" all played after Maine's greatest captain:
>       Jim Montgomery.

My first inclination was to dispute that Montgomery was the greatest
captain, but I think you are right.  Montgomery saw Scott Pellerin take the
team to the top, but not perform in the NCAAs.  All he did was score 3 goals
in the final period of the national championship game.  That's not a bad way
to lead.  Helps too when a guy named Paul Kariya is setting you up.  300
points in a career is not a bad standard to set either!

After that...  I'd rate Chris Imes next.  As we've discussed before, Imes
was so valuable to his team that despite not having superstar numbers he was
runner-up for the Hobey Baker in 1995.

Peter Metcalf comes next for me.  2002 was his team and he carried that team
to within seconds of a national championship.  I think we saw how important
he was by the way we missed him in 2003.

It is interesting how in both Imes and Metcalf they are generally regarded
as great leaders on teams that over achieved, but fell in the national
championship game.
---
Deron Treadwell - [log in to unmask]
http://www.blackbears.net