Could Roll be on the Hot Seat?

[Drew]

INCH has an article about ten questions for next year. One of the topics is coaches that may be on the hot seat. The article states Roll maybe on the hot seat if the knights have a poor showing in the upcoming year. I find this difficult to believe, however, a bad year followed by a bad year.....he may be in trouble.

http://insidecollegehockey.com/7Archives/Features/0506/10questions07_0432.htm

[Brett Gobe]

INCH has an article about ten questions for next year. One of the topics is coaches that may be on the hot seat. The article states Roll maybe on the hot seat if the knights have a poor showing in the upcoming year. I find this difficult to believe, however, a bad year followed by a bad year.....he may be in trouble.

http://insidecollegehockey.com/7Archives/Features/0506/10questions07_0432.htm
I seriously doubt it. The University got their man and I think they stick with him through thick and thin. Granted they want to win but I think they know what they wanted going in and dont want another coaching change scenario especailly 4 years after the last coaching change.

But this leads to offseason discussion, which never hurts.

[MikeR]

Hot seat....no. Fan discontentment....yes.

I don't believe this scenario will play out, but if the Knights continued at the .500 level for 2 more years, I'd hope the administration would make a change.

Otherwise we become Union.:o

[Stemmer]

Not the hot seat.

Roll and Co will have all their own recruits now and this begins the time to truly judge what they can do with the program.

Knowing the admin and the AD, they want stability after the previous events. I'm confident, as are most fans I think, that they believe George has the program headed in the right direction.

INCH is doing "their job", i.e., stir up off season talk and a bit of controversy.

[RSTuthill]

Not an issue for two more years. The trend has to be dramatically upward by then.

So far I am not impressed. With that many drafted players the results should have been better. But by the same token, a coach has to be given a chance to work his/her system. Thus a half dozen years with one grace year would be my absolute limit. And something encouraging has to happen for the grace year to be given.

[vicb]

I believe the program is going in the right direction. I still think what hurt the program this past season is the defense and goaltending. As others have said lets see what happens this year and next and then judge.
To me the ECAC is a much tougher league than it was in the mid to late 90's and 2000-2002. Cornell, Hahvad, Dartmouth, Colgate have all improved tremendously. There are no knights off in this league anymore. Blow out 7-1 or 8-2 games are few and far between.

[JustMyOpinion]

The best players on our team were young Sophmores and Freshmen. We can't beat (on a consistant basis) a team that has good Juniors and Seniors.

GREAT Freshmen aren't as valuable as GOOD Seniors.

The next two years are important for us. Our top players are now Juniors and Sophomores with the addition of another strong Freshman class.

Our talent level has increased dramatically, but don't forget everyone else is recruiting as well. They are not sitting around waiting for us to get better. Most programs have had two or three stronger classes than us. Now it is down to one.

We are fine. Take a look at our home record last year. A pretty good indication of our progress.

[MikeR]

The best players on our team were young Sophmores and Freshmen. We can't beat (on a consistant basis) a team that has good Juniors and Seniors.

GREAT Freshmen aren't as valuable as GOOD Seniors.

The next two years are important for us. Our top players are now Juniors and Sophomores with the addition of another strong Freshman class.



Tell that to North Dakota (http://www.uscho.com/stats/team-overall.php?season=20052006&team=und&gender=m), Miami, and BC.

I do agree with you, to a point, as BC (http://www.uscho.com/stats/team-overall.php?season=20052006&team=bc&gender=m)'s 4 top scorers were Jrs or Srs.

[joecct]

Tell that to North Dakota (http://www.uscho.com/stats/team-overall.php?season=20052006&team=und&gender=m), Miami, and BC.

I do agree with you, to a point, as BC (http://www.uscho.com/stats/team-overall.php?season=20052006&team=bc&gender=m)'s 4 top scorers were Jrs or Srs.The one fallacy to your argument, Mike, is that NoDak, BC, and to a lesser extent, Miami, can get recruits that we can't. For example, how many Blue Chippah USHL or Western Canada prospects are @ Clarkson vs. the 3 schools you mentioned. If NoDak, BC, and CCT come knocking @ your door and all offer a full ride and playing time, which school WON'T you be going to? Yep, Clarkson University. Lack of National exposure, tournament bids, and a remote location work against us.

We have to get lucky with a couple of prospects that are under the radar and develop into outstanding players while @ CCT. Then we have to out-work the opponent every night. Get a couple of bounces and win quality OOC games and then start the tournament bids Rolling.

I like this coaching staff. I think they are an outstanding, straight shooting bunch of men that are handicapped by a bunch of issues outside their control. If we had the resources of BC, NoDak, Miami, etc. we'd be up there every year, no doubt about it.

[andy]

If Clarkson is recruiting handicapped explain: Todd Marchant, Willie Mitchell, Erik Cole, Todd White, Chris Clark, Craig Conroy, Randy Jones, etc etc. there are PLENTY of recent NHLers. The team just had a dry spell since 99, but Clarkson is hardly unable to get talent or hindered in recruiting. Clarkson may lose some 'regional' recruits. A Western player is more likely go go WCHA. Maybe its time to admit, at least now, that Western youth hockey (i.e. junior players from that region) is just superior, right now, to the talent pool in Ontario, Quebec, and the eastern u.s.!

The one fallacy to your argument, Mike, is that NoDak, BC, and to a lesser extent, Miami, can get recruits that we can't. For example, how many Blue Chippah USHL or Western Canada prospects are @ Clarkson vs. the 3 schools you mentioned. If NoDak, BC, and CCT come knocking @ your door and all offer a full ride and playing time, which school WON'T you be going to? Yep, Clarkson University. Lack of National exposure, tournament bids, and a remote location work against us.

We have to get lucky with a couple of prospects that are under the radar and develop into outstanding players while @ CCT. Then we have to out-work the opponent every night. Get a couple of bounces and win quality OOC games and then start the tournament bids Rolling.

I like this coaching staff. I think they are an outstanding, straight shooting bunch of men that are handicapped by a bunch of issues outside their control. If we had the resources of BC, NoDak, Miami, etc. we'd be up there every year, no doubt about it.

[Drew]

The one fallacy to your argument, Mike, is that NoDak, BC, and to a lesser extent, Miami, can get recruits that we can't. For example, how many Blue Chippah USHL or Western Canada prospects are @ Clarkson vs. the 3 schools you mentioned. If NoDak, BC, and CCT come knocking @ your door and all offer a full ride and playing time, which school WON'T you be going to? Yep, Clarkson University. Lack of National exposure, tournament bids, and a remote location work against us.


It may hamper us a bit but does not limit us.

Cole chose Clarkson over UNH, BC, Western Mich and Lake State
Todd White chose Clarkson over Michigan State
Willie Mitchell came from Western Canada and chose Clarkson
Recent recruits Guthrie and Mason chose Clarkson over BU, Michigan State, Maine, No. Dakota, Minn-Duluth

Clarkson being the small school, proximity to Canada, playing in front of friends and family, being big man on campus, has a lot going for it. Guthrie said he "fell in love with the place the first time he saw it".
If I was a recruit and a coach came up to me and said "Kid, we are a small school of 2800 students, and we are looking to play the UM, OSU, Mich St, Miami etc. and other 40,000 plus enrollment schools, and take them down on the way to an NCAA championship". I say, coach, let me on the bus.
I love being the underdog or small guy in the fight. The people at Lake State, in the early 90's, didn't know who we were when we rolled in their barn, but they knew who we were when we left.

[vicb]

If Clarkson is recruiting handicapped explain: Todd Marchant, Willie Mitchell, Erik Cole, Todd White, Chris Clark, Craig Conroy, Randy Jones, etc etc. there are PLENTY of recent NHLers. The team just had a dry spell since 99, but Clarkson is hardly unable to get talent or hindered in recruiting. Clarkson may lose some 'regional' recruits. A Western player is more likely go go WCHA. Maybe its time to admit, at least now, that Western youth hockey (i.e. junior players from that region) is just superior, right now, to the talent pool in Ontario, Quebec, and the eastern u.s.!

And for every Cole, Mitchell, White etc we had in our lineup the North Dakota's, Minn, and BC's had 3 such talented players. Like I said previously, we need better goaltending (I only wish Leggio played as well all year as he did against Cornell in the post season) and we definitely still need better depth on defense. I like our offense and with Marks and Beca coming in I think we have upgraded in that department. Roll and company can get the job done IMHO.

[Crease Monkey]

No one seems to mention this Merkowsky guy. Am I missing something about him?:confused: He looks like he will make quite a splash on the team.

[Stemmer]

Add Traylen to the list of highly recruited kids who chose Tech over a full ride from a higher profile program.

Fact is that Clarkson is a better fit for plenty of kids than a bigger or more urban school would be. It's very much the same dynamic at work that we experience in choosing a school for it's academic offerings.

Bigger is not better for everyone.

Many of the new recruits I've met during the summer hockey reunion over quite a few years cite the reasons Drew mentioned as why they chose Clarkson and many of them could have gone to HE schools or elsewhere considered more high profile than Tech.

Even more will make that choice when we start winning again.

[andy]

not really. he picked clarkson over bemidji state. that's not high profile.

[vicb]

not really. he picked clarkson over bemidji state. that's not high profile.

And he picked Clarkson over Ohio State. Andy, are you Puck Avalanche with a new moniker? ;) Hardly ever see you post anything positive about the program :eek: ? :rolleyes:

As for Merkowsky, he was removed from Chris Heisenbergs recruit site. According to Heisenberg, Merkowsky has decided not to pursue hockey. I guess we will see come October.

[andy]

seems short-term memory is in effect here.

Been labeled as not saying anything positive about the program. Well, here's a cut an paste from this very thread!

If Clarkson is recruiting handicapped explain: Todd Marchant, Willie Mitchell, Erik Cole, Todd White, Chris Clark, Craig Conroy, Randy Jones, etc etc. there are PLENTY of recent NHLers. The team just had a dry spell since 99, but Clarkson is hardly unable to get talent or hindered in recruiting. Clarkson may lose some 'regional' recruits. A Western player is more likely go go WCHA. Maybe its time to admit, at least now, that Western youth hockey (i.e. junior players from that region) is just superior, right now, to the talent pool in Ontario, Quebec, and the eastern u.s.!

*Maybe I'm clueless, but pointing out tons of NHL talent produced and recruited by the program seems positive to me?*

[vicb]

seems short-term memory is in effect here.

Been labeled as not saying anything positive about the program. Well, here's a cut an paste from this very thread!



Read my thread again Andy. Never said you don't say anything positive. My words were: Hardly ever see you post anything positive about the program. Just having some fun in a dreary post season devoid of hockey talk on this forum (Hense the smiley face) .

This season upcoming is gonna really tell us all something about this program and coaching staff. A .500 overall record and losing record in the ECAC is certainly gonna be a disappointment. The offense I think is fine. The defense, discipline and goaltending have to shape up.

[Earl_Leatherland]

I am not as down on the goalie situation as you are Vic. I think the rotation is what hurt this year. I don't think a rotation is bad and is needed, but not necessarily a "one on, one off" kind of rotation that dominated the year. A goalie really needs to get in a groove and I believe it was hard for either one of them to do it. Take your best goalie and do a "3 on 1 off" or "4 on 1 off".

Note: My superior ideas are the reason I am the dominant force in hockey prognostication (sp?) and am referenced regularly by all D-I coaches.:p

[Stemmer]

not really. he picked clarkson over bemidji state. that's not high profile.

Incorrect, at least according to what the coaches (plural) told me before he arrived. He had been offered at least one full ride by one of Michigan schools.

[andy]

Incorrect, at least according to what the coaches (plural) told me before he arrived. He had been offered at least one full ride by one of Michigan schools.

the player involved HIMSELF told me, directly, the only full ride he was offered was Bemidji State. Silly me for thinking he'd know his own situation better than bunch of folks on a chat board.

[vicb]

the player involved HIMSELF told me, directly, the only full ride he was offered was Bemidji State. Silly me for thinking he'd know his own situation better than bunch of folks on a chat board.

And of coarse maybe the player himself told the coaching staff at the time he was recruited a fib to make sure he got a full ride at CCT. Silly you ;) .