Sean Pickett writes:
>[log in to unmask] (Tony Biscardi) wrote:
>>I was told recently that it was announced (second-hand
>>source) that Boston  University defenseman Chris
>>O'Sullivan would be moved from defense up to  forward.
>>
>>****** my opinion ******
>>
>>GREAT!!!
><reasons deleted>
>
>My opinion: BAD, NO, NO, NO.
 
The key to whether or not this works will be how Kealty, Kelleher and
Coleman develop on defense.  Coleman was highly touted when he came
in, but he was too tentative and inconsistent last season.  I have to
think he remains a question mark.  Kealty and Kelleher are likewise
expected to do much, but if they have the same adjustment problems, I
don't think O'Sullivan will spend much time up front.
 
BU, along with Merrimack, has the deepest and finest defense in the
league.  BU's forwards are already the best - each of the other eight
teams has trouble putting together more than one scoring line.  This
makes me think Parker is looking towards the NC$$s with this move; in
the short run, it could drop BU's defense below Merrimack's in terms
of experience and ability.  But in the long run, BU will benefit with
the added size and defensive capabilities up front, as well as depth.
Parker must be satisfied with the way the younger Ds are coming along
to make this switch.
 
You only have to look at the way BU has been handled easily by an LSSU
team that knocked them around each of the last two seasons to see why
Parker has cause for concern.  BU used to be quick and big, a deadly
combination that was hard to top.  They're still quick but they have
lost some size and strength up front with some of the recent graduates.
In HE, they now win with skill instead of power.  Against a Western
team that has the size, however, chances are not so good.
 
Another factor that I don't think has been mentioned, is that the
addition of O'Sullivan up front helps plug another weakness of BU in
terms of total team defense.  Last season, if there was any obvious
weakness, it was whether the forwards as a whole could get back to
help out.  Now you have three defensemen on the ice when his line is
out there.
 
It also gives you the luxury of being able to dress, in effect, seven
defensemen.  Merrimack did this in dressing Chris Ross as a forward,
and he was often switched back if someone was having a poor game or
when a defenseman took a penalty.  I expect that with 9 experienced
DivI defensemen this season - Hodge, Cornforth, Costa, McKenna,
Jakopin, Ross, Capuano, Infanger, and Union transfer Alex MacLellan -
6 of whom are juniors or seniors - we could even see two Ds dress as
forwards for the Warriors.
 
Normally conservative Merrimack coach Ron Anderson even unveiled a
power play of four defensemen and one forward during the 3-0
quarterfinal loss to Lowell.  And 3 of the Ds played up front and just
crowded the net.  I would be curious to see how this design would
develop as a season went on, since that night they looked like fish
out of water.  At the time, it couldn't hurt since the forwards were
not getting the job done.
 
Basically, the depth that teams like BU and Merrimack have allows them
to be flexible in trying to plug holes that develop.  And that can
only make the team better.
 
One other comment: BU's penalty killing was often atrocious last year.
I chalked that up to a combination of the forwards not getting back
and individual defensemen tending to have off nights.  Getting
O'Sullivan more involved in the play from the forward spot killing
penalties may alleviate those problems, although it would remain to be
seen whether he would switch back when BU is a man down.
 
>Last year, from his first game, he once again added
>tremendously to BU's defense.  I have followed BU for nine
>years, and I think Chris is the single best defenseman to play
>for BU in that time.
 
IMO, if he were to stay at defense, he has the ability to be the best
BU has had.  But he has not yet distinguished himself the way Ahola
did, and one could even make a case for Dave Quinn although his
career was cut short.  Scott Shaunessy was good too, but he may have
been just prior to that nine year range.
 
BTW, mark me down as another who appreciated Eddie Ronan.
 
It sure is fun to start talking strategy and projections rather than
the latest round of musical coaches. :-)
 
23 days till Concordia-Merrimack (and New Brunswick-BU)...
---                                                                   ---
Mike Machnik                                            [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                    *HMM* 11/13/93
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