I am not as well versed on recruiting as most of you. What I can do is
share with you an experience of mine in looking at prospective players.
I have been working in North Vancouver for 19 months (just finished) and
gone to a few local games at the post High school/prospective college
level of play. From talking to parents there, and reading local papers,
I can say that those kids want to play in the states - for exposure.
But when it comes to them being approached by a school, they also look
for development in the process. We at MAINE have lost the -1- / -2-
punch, and I am sure you know what I am saying without filling in the
blanks.
We can look at prospects, but they also look at us for development.
R/ZERB
Bill Dewkett wrote:
> IMHO, if you are going to compete at Div I levels you need to be
> bringing in the players with skills equal to those teams you are
> competing against at the national level. These days with alums and
> high rollers looking for results, you can't wait to develop players
> over 4 years. One or two down seasons begins a downward spiral
> especially in terms of getting top recruits to come to Maine.
>
> Today, Div I sports are adapting to the fact that marquee players may
> only stay for a year or two before turning pro. You must look at
> players in terms of one or two years and be lucky if they stay 3 or
> 4. The pro's have changed the coaching and recruiting philosophies
> for everyone.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "james acheson"
> <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 9:57 AM
> Subject: Re: An interesting statistic
>
>
>> I was not saying that the original post was off base,
>> I was sort of saying that having super freshmen is not
>> THE answer either.
>>
>> Kessel or WIght??? Honestly, I would take Wight.
>>
>> Oshie and Toewes did nothing for getting UND a
>> championship.
>>
>> and Deron, THIS is not the year to compare Maine to
>> Minnesota and say that Minnesota is head and shoulders
>> ahead of Maine in any way. Both are in 9th place in
>> their leagues. And lucky for Minny, the get to go to
>> their tournament, no matter what.
>> I have given the blue chip recruiting thing alot of
>> thought and I honestly would prefer NOT to take
>> Freshmen that are leaving after one season.
>> Anecdotally, look at what it did to Maine, Kariya left
>> and Maine was pretty bad (sure there were extenuating
>> circumstances, like suspensions and forfeits).
>> Purcell left and Maine's record is terrible... Maybe
>> there are extenuating circumstances here too, but
>> aren't these the only 2 freshemen NOT to play their
>> entire sophomore seasons at Maine, who left for the
>> pros? (I guess Shawn ANderson might be the other, but
>> he was way before my time).
>>
>> also, for what its worth, look at the super freshmen
>> that BU keeps bringing in. Are they drunks? Is
>> parker a moron? Is mars just always transitting
>> Jupiter wrong??? BU cannot win anything besides the
>> beanpot with all their blue chippers, and while they
>> got to the NHL more frequently than Maine players do,
>> tehy cannot win college hockey championships. Perhaps
>> it is chemistry. Maybe Grant and Tim are looking for
>> chemistry.... I dunno.
>> SUPER freshmen are not the answer, I don't think. I
>> want the freshmen to be just skilled enough to
>> contribute for 4 years, but not too skilled. (Like
>> Leveille, Moore and Bellamy... yes Bellamy, he will be
>> quite a good pro player)
>> --- Deron Treadwell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>> How about Teddy Purcell? Recruited by Maine, left
>>> after one year and played his sophomore year in the
>>> pros. But then again, you did that on purpose.
>>>
>>> I agree with the subsequent post that Maine
>>> traditionally does develop talent. Our juniors will
>>> be needed next year, but I for one am hoping for a
>>> few more Teddy Purcell's for next year because we
>>> are going to need them.
>>>
>>> Michigan has 9 National Championships.
>>>
>>> Minnesota has 5 National Championships (including a
>>> couple years we all might remember 2002 and 2003).
>>>
>>> I don't think we are in any position to start taking
>>> shots at Michigan and Minnesota when we have 8 wins
>>> to our credit. Find me the last time Michigan and
>>> Minnesota failed to win 10 games and won ONE (count
>>> them) league game at home.
>>>
>>> I don't think the original post was offbase at all.
>>>
>>> -Deron
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----
>>> From: james acheson <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2008 8:52:21 PM
>>> Subject: Re: An interesting statistic
>>>
>>>
>>> Michigan has for quite a while landed much better
>>> freshmen than maine. And just like the freshmen at
>>> Minnesota, they play their sophomore years in the
>>> NHL.
>>> Maine has had very few freshmen turn pro, even Paul
>>> Kariya did not turn pro after just one year.
>>> That said, I think that Travis Wight was a better
>>> team mate and player his senior year than Phil
>>> Kessel was his freshman year. From the standpoint
>>> of what he brought to the ice each and every game.
>>> If I recall correctly, their plus minuses were polar
>>> opposites.
>>>
>>> Bill Dewkett <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>> An interesting note about "young team". Watching
>>> Michigan play Lake
>>> Superior after listening to the heartbreaking
>>> losses, an interesting
>>> statistic was mentioned...Michigan's freshman group
>>> has scored 123 points so
>>> far this season. Our freshman group has garnered 33
>>> points. Are we falling
>>> down in the recruiting aspects?.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Deron Treadwell"
>>> To:
>>> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2008 5:17 PM
>>> Subject: College Hockey News
>>>
>>>
>>> > Deron Treadwell has sent you an article from
>>> College Hockey News
>>> > (www.collegehockeynews.com)
>>> > It can be found online here:
>>> >
>>>
>> http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2008/02/18_notamaine.php
>>> >
>>> > --------------------------------------------
>>> >
>>> > Deron Treadwell: "Recent CHN article, with
>>> interesting Whitehead quotes."
>>> >
>>> > --------------------------------------------
>>> >
>>> > 2008-02-18
>>> >
>>> > NOT A MAINE YEAR
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > by Adam Wodon
>>> >
>>> > This has not been the kind of season Maine is used
>>> to.
>>> >
>>> > After losing a pair of overtime games to Boston
>>> University last weekend,
>>> > the Black Bears have lost seven in a row,
>>> worsening an already trying
>>> > season to the point where Maine (8-17-3) is in
>>> serious danger of not even
>>> > qualifying for the Hockey East tournament.
>>> >
>>> > Not counting the official 1993-94 record, when
>>> Maine was forced to forfeit
>>> > numerous games due to multiple NCAA violations,
>>> the last time the Black
>>> > Bears finished so much as under .500 was 1985-86,
>>> in Shawn Walsh's second
>>> > year. Finishing under .500 is virtually guaranteed
>>> at this point.
>>> >
>>> > "We are in ninth place and I think that says it
>>> all," said Maine coach Tim
>>> > Whitehead, who has had Maine in the Frozen Four in
>>> four of six seasons
>>> > since taking over for Walsh, including last year.
>>> "We have to climb up
>>> > here and get into the playoffs, and put ourselves
>>> in a position where we
>>> > can look to win the Hockey East tournament if we
>>> are going to get into the
>>> > NCAAs. We have a long way to go as we are not even
>>> in the playoffs if the
>>> > season ended today."
>>> >
>>> > The challenge became more difficult after this
>>> past weekend, when a
>>> > resurgent Boston University and its
>>> suddenly-improved netminder Brett
>>> > Bennett, outplayed Maine and its star goalie Ben
>>> Bishop. Maine scored 1:55
>>> > into Friday's game, then never again the whole
>>> weekend.
>>> >
>>> > Maine did what it wanted to do defensively, but
>>> wasn't able to score any
>>> > goals.
>>> >
>>> > "For a young team, we have been very disciplined,"
>>> Whitehead said. "We had
>>> > a couple of exceptions to that, down at UMass two
>>> weeks ago, we took too
>>> > many penalties, but other than that, we have done
>>> pretty well with that."
>>> >
>>> > Maine had to deal with a number of players that
>>> graduated, but so did a
>>> > lot of teams. The injuries hit this year too,
>>> including the Keenan Hopson
>>> > and Chris Hahn, who recently returned, and Billy
>>> Ryan, who still has not.
>>> > Ryan, who is out with a hip injury, was expected
>>> to carry a big load, but
>>> > the senior only has four goals in 19 games.
>>> >
>>> > "We would love to get Billy back, but I don't
>>> know. He has been out for a
>>> > while, and has a serious injury so we are not
>>> going to push the envelope
>>> > there and risk a future injury," Whitehead said.
>>> "The good news is that he
>>> > did skate non-contact (last) Monday for the first
>>> time, so that was good."
>>> >
>>> > Whitehead knows what he's up against this season,
>>> and that there is no
>>> > magic potion to turn things around. His job is to
>>> keep the psyches
>>> > together so the team doesn't totally crumble, and
>>> if necessary, start
>>> > building for next year.
>>> >
>>> > "There is no glaring deficiency in our game, but a
>>> lot of little areas
>>> > that need to be elevated," Whitehead said. "We are
>>> simply not generating
>>> > enough quality scoring chances and not scoring
>>> enough goals when we do get
>>> > them. We have to continue to work on that. A lot
>>> of the areas that we have
>>> > to improve on are not over-night fixes,
>>> unfortunately. In the end, we have
>>> > to stay determined that we can find a way to win
>>> some games down the
>>> > stretch whether we score a lot of goals or not.
>>> >
>>> > "We have played a lot better and we have improved
>>> in a lot of areas,
>>> > especially special teams, but unfortunately, it
>>> really has not shown up on
>>> > the score sheet on a consistent basis. It is tough
>>> for our players to
>>> > believe that we are improving, and have a chance
>>> to make the playoffs, but
>>> > that is exactly what they have to do."
>>> >
>>> > One bright spot all year has been the play of
>>> senior defenseman Bret
>>> > Tyler, who was named a finalist for the Walter
>>> Brown Award, as New
>>> > England's best American-born college hockey
>>> player.
>>> >
>>> > "Bret Tyler is a heck of a hockey player. He is
>>> one
>> === message truncated ===
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ____________________________________________________________________________________
>>
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>
>
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