Boy, am I itching for some college hockey. I'll have to settle for some
good 'ole HOCKEY-L discussion and maybe a Chris Warner Hockey
Report subscription if I ever get around to making the call. I'm trying to
decide what topics I'll ramble about. The impact of Jack Parker's decision
on college hockey? The ongoing "Shawn Walsh" discussion?
Minnesota's tough opening schedule? Lowell's new rink? My Hockey
East Pre-season picks? etc., etc., etc.
 
Doesn't Jack Parker's recent publicity create a good deal of interest in
college hockey? I imagine if I was a hockey fan who had little information
on college hockey, I'd be inclined to think "What does Jack Parker enjoy
so much about coaching in HockeyEast?" (If I even knew BU was in
HockeyEast!) Jack certainly has paid the highest complement to
something practically everybody else would consider a "stepping-stone"
position to bigger things. I realize his fortune was that he was in the right
place at the right time ... but hats off to Jack Parker just-the-same.
 
A lot of the discussion speculating on why he stayed centered around
the whole "teacher-loves-impacting-lives-of-young-people" mentality.
There may be some substance in that, but I'd have to place that issue no
higher than #3 at the best ... and again, my theory is just more
speculation. Knowing what I know about Jack ... #1 reason was family
and the amount of time he could spend with them. #2 reason would be
free-time (aka quality of life). Jack values his time away from hockey
very much. I heard he once said the two favorite things he enjoys about
coaching college hockey is July and August. Jack impresses me as a
man with many values and a strong balance in life. He saw the Bruins
job as a threat to that balance and his decision will allow him to continue
contributing to the BU college hockey community and college hockey in
general is better for it.
 
I still hope Lowell beats BU at least once this year ... again.
 
On Shawn Walsh ... come on Walsh-bashers ... get a grip. The
infractions weren't all that bad and the cover-up attempt wasn't either. Its
not like he hired someone to take a wrench to Chris Drury'd knee during
practice for Pete's sake. Funny how much the UNH population is so
intolerant. I imagine there's some jealousy there as in the rest of the
college hockey crowd who choose to continue the discussion/bashing.
Walsh performed the miraculous last spring and Maine Hockey looks to
be incredibly strong - "UNDER THE UTMOST SCRUTINY!!!". I agree with
Bob Griebel for the most part ... and I'm looking forward to the strong
competition of Maine and their representation of HockeyEast. HockeyEast
is definitely lining up for a strong season and should compete heavily for
those Top10 rankings.
 
- Paul.
 
Paul's Pre-Season College Hockey National Rankings.
#1 Maine
#2 MIchigan
#3 BU
#4 UNH
#5 Minnesota
#6 Denver
#7 Lowell               (Picked for last place by HockeyEast Coaches)
#8 Mich. State
#9 N. Dakota
#10 Boston College
(also receiving votes Merrimack, LSSU, Vermont, Providence, Clarkson)
 
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