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 === >> >> >> >> >> ____________________________________________________________________________________ >> >> Looking for last minute shopping deals? >> Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. >> http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping >> > >