Chris Imes
 
 
Coach Walsh's comment will undoubtedly trigger some
interesting discussion about whether Chris Imes is, as
he suggested, the best defenseman the college game
has ever seen.  As an unabashed Imes fan, I'm ducking
for cover on this one....
 
How about a more objective, but related, subject?  Is
he the "winningest" player ever?  If we use a minimum
of, say, 120 games played over a four-year career
(without the stipulation that those four years be played
consecutively), it would be hard to beat Imes 137-20-12
(.846 winning percentage) mark.  Imes, of course, has
no true classmates in the sense that he played four seasons
with any one teammate since Jacque Rodrigue and Dave MacIsaac
were both Black Bears last season, when Imes was away
with the Olympic team.
 
Some research reveals that the best recent record for a
senior class appears to be that of the Michigan State Class
of '87 (featuring Mitch Messier, Bill Shibicky, Bob Essensa,
Norm Foster and others), which compiled a four (consecutive)
year mark of 139-37-4 (.783 winning percentage.)  That
class, by the way, was recruited by Shawn Walsh.