Great Article on the Team

[claver2010]

I've also heard the Rags are willing to give up one of DZ or McDonagh, a first and a prospect who I forget (not McIlrath). Regardless, I think something will go down soon and the faster they can get in cap hell, the better. The Rangers would have about half the cap dedicated to four players.

Rangers final offer: Columbus GM Scott Howson rejected what is believed a Rangers’ final offer of Dubinsky, 21-year-old defenseman Tim Erixon, 2011 first-rounder J.T. Miller, 2010 second-rounder Christian Thomas and a first-round selection in this June’s Entry Draft.

[claver2010]

Article on Kreider in the post:

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/rangers/opportunity_knocks_FjDhpB7jdsoES1uhNmqILO

BC star Kreider could join Rangers for playoffs

Posted: 12:41 AM, February 29, 2012

Larry Brooks
The new Rangers have been careful not to rush prodigies and not to repeat mistakes of the past such as forcing 18-year-old, sixth-overall draft selection Manny Malhotra into the NHL in 1998 as a symbol of a youth movement that existed for the most part in the imagination.

Now, in this Age of Enlightenment during which the organization run out of Penn Plaza has evolved into a pipeline factory, each player charts his own course through his play on the ice and his maturity off it.

There was no doubt, for instance, that Derek Stepan belonged in the NHL from the first day of his first pro training camp in 2010, even if he was just four months removed from his sophomore season at the University of Wisconsin.

It was plain at first sight, for example, that Ryan McDonagh would be an NHL defenseman much sooner than later at his initial pro camp in 2010 just months removed from his junior year as a Badger, even if sooner would include a brief apprenticeship in the AHL.

Stepan needed no minor-league apprenticeship coming out of school. McDonagh required a few months, as did 23-year-old Carl Hagelin after graduating from Michigan last year before joining the Rangers on Thanksgiving.

And now within weeks, Chris Kreider will be given the opportunity to chart his own course when the Boston College winger’s junior season concludes.

He will be given the opportunity to earn a spot on Broadway.

It is well known general manager Glen Sather steadfastly refused to include the rights to Kreider — in addition to other assets — in the package that Columbus was demanding in exchange for Rick Nash.

During Monday’s post-deadline press briefing, Sather alluded to the possibility of adding Kreider this season in referring to, “people who are probably going to turn pro at the end of the school year.”

The general manager went further during a conversation with The Post yesterday.

“Absolutely,” he said, when asked if he expects the 6-foot-3, 225-winger who presents an uncommon blend of size, speed, power and touch, to leave Boston College at the end of the season.

“Absolutely,” Sather repeated, when asked if he intends/expects to sign Kreider in time for him to play this season.

If the Rangers do sign the 20-year-old, the first year of Kreider’s three-year Entry Level contract would be burned regardless of whether he plays a single game for the Rangers or even is placed on the NHL roster.

That is not a deterrent for Sather. It could, however, be additional incentive for Kreider, who has taken an accelerated course load and who is dedicated to getting a degree, to leave school before graduating. The next collective bargaining agreement is certain to feature a more restrictive Entry Level system.

The Boston College Eagles are ranked first in the country. The NCAA regionals are set for March 23-25. The Frozen Four will be played April 5-7, the same weekend the NHL regular-season ends, but a week before the AHL season concludes.

It is rare enough for a player to skip directly from the NCAA Tournament to the NHL in a matter of days — Michigan’s Jack Johnson made his debut with the Kings within a week of the Wolverines’ elimination in the 2007 western regionals — but it is unheard of for a player to go straight from school to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Maybe Kreider could be the exception, or maybe he would need a weekend or two in Connecticut. Maybe more than that. It’s impossible to know.

This much is certain. The Rangers are eager to find out, and they will allow him to chart his own course.

[claver2010]

Sather was interviewed during Saturday's game about Kreider

[twballgame9]

No one comments on chantel mccabe in this crew? damn.

[claver2010]

Article on Johnny Gaudreau in today's globe:

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/mens_hockey/articles/2012/03/09/bc_thrilled_after_gaudreaus_shift_from_northeastern/?page=full

BC thrilled with shorthanded shift

Johnny Gaudreau had his future mapped out. The crafty forward had committed early to Northeastern and he was excited about playing hockey for the Huskies beginning in the fall of 2011.

But others’ decisions had a domino effect. Last June, NU coach Greg Cronin accepted a job as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The next month, assistant Albie O’Connell, with whom Gaudreau had grown close, headed to Harvard to join Ted Donato’s staff.

That left Gaudreau with a dilemma: head to NU and its new coaches or look for a different school. He elected the latter and chose Boston College. It was fortuitous for the Eagles, too, because a scholarship was open after defenseman Philip Samuelsson left to sign with the Penguins organization.

BC, which has a legacy of playing small but talented forwards, added the 5-foot-7-inch, 150-pound native of Carneys Point, N.J., and the result has been electrifying.

Gaudreau heads into tonight’s start of the Eagles’ Hockey East quarterfinal series with visiting UMass third on the team in scoring (16-17-33 in 36 games).

During the Eagles’ current 11-game winning streak, Gaudreau has generated 15 points (8-7-15), tied for a team high with Barry Almeida (7-8-15).

Looking back on his decision-making process, Gaudreau said it was a hectic time.

“With three weeks of school left, I didn’t know if I’d have enough time to pick a new school,’’ said Gaudreau, who was playing for the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL at the time. “I really wasn’t sure what I was going to do. I talked to some people and they thought the best decision for me was to meet some new teams and see what I liked from there.

“I visited a bunch and, right away, I felt like I belonged at Boston College. As soon as I got there, I felt something. It’s like home to me.’’

Coach Jerry York said landing Gaudreau was a bonus.

“We got a Christmas present early with Johnny Gaudreau,’’ said York. “We were never actively involved in recruiting him because he committed so early. He certainly has all the attributes of some of the top players we’ve had here.

“I think what makes him a little bit different is his vision. He can see people who are open that normal people cannot see. He has great hockey sense and terrific vision on the ice. He sees all 10 players on the ice at once.’’

Gaudreau started the season strong, but at midseason, around the same time the Eagles were struggling, he hit a wall. But, as the team found its rhythm again, so, too, did Gaudreau.

“He had all the ingredients and essentials to be a top-flight player,’’ said York, “but there’s always that question when you move up from junior to college, ‘How is he going to handle the strength factor and the physicality and just the maturity [of players] who are 23, 24, or in some cases, 25?

“He’s made the adjustment with only a few hiccups. But boy, he’s bounced off that wall and he’s better now than he’s been at any point in the year. He brings you out of your seat when you watch him.’’

For Gaudreau, the learning curve was difficult because of the strength of play in Hockey East. There was less parity in the USHL, where Gaudreau helped Dubuque win the Clark Cup championship last season.

“It was good for me [to play tougher competition],’’ said Gaudreau. “At the beginning of the season, we were playing really well and it’s hard not put up numbers when your team is playing well. But then we hit a rough patch. We weren’t playing the way we were at the beginning of the season. So those two months, it wasn’t very fun.

“We just got back to [making fewer] turnovers on our blue line and getting pucks deep, and, ever since then, it’s been a great ride for us.’’

He said the transition was made easier because of Dubuque coach and general manager Jim Montgomery, the former University of Maine star.

“If I would’ve went to any other team in the USHL, I don’t think I’d be playing college hockey right now,’’ said Gaudreau, who had 72 points in 60 games last season. “Coach Montgomery, he was a small player, and he taught me a ton out there. I just can’t thank them enough for everything they did for me.’’

Montgomery said Gaudreau was a joy to watch develop into a dynamic talent.

“He can turn nothing into something just because of his creativity and his hands and his lateral movement,’’ said Montgomery, who said Gaudreau reminds him of Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk. “He’s just an exciting hockey player who can take fans, and even his own teammates, out of their seats. I think he’s a great fit for any type of hockey at any level.

“He’s fearless. He’s small, but he goes to tough areas and that’s why he scores goals. He has a rare combination of skill and will. He’s a force even as freshman in college hockey. BC plays a very up-tempo offensive-minded game, and that suits John right to his strengths.’’

Gaudreau said one of the factors he considered when choosing BC was how well smaller players have fit into the program.

“Looking through a lot of players coming through here, 5-foot-7, or 5-8, or 5-9, and you see how well they do here and how well they do in the NCAAs, it definitely gives you the feeling that the coach likes small players and they’re not just going to put the small players on the end of the bench because they’re not big and strong and physical,’’ said Gaudreau. “Coach likes that speedy kind of forward and that’s one of the bigger reasons I did choose BC - as well as the academic side.’’

York said Gaudreau, who won’t turn 19 until August, reminds him of past Eagles Brian Gionta, Ben Eaves, and Ryan Shannon.

“The have similar stature and abilities and competitiveness,’’ said the coach.

From a lifestyle perspective, Gaudreau said the smaller school and relatively suburban campus (as compared with NU) is a more comfortable place.

“I’m definitely not a city kind of person,’’ he said. “When I committed [to NU], it was going to a little nervous for me, going into the big city with a whole bunch of students. But going to [BC], I felt more myself.

“I grew up in a high school with maybe 2,000 kids in it and my middle school maybe had 500 kids in it, so I always grew up in small areas, and BC was definitely a better fit.’’

However far the Eagles go in the postseason, Gaudreau said he believes what has happened to him was meant to be.

“I thank God every day for giving me the chance to play here at BC,’’ he said.

I can't remember seeing a FR forward that young so skilled at recently at BC. We've seen flashes from a lot of the 1st rounder, future 1st teamers.

Jimmy Hayes with a 4 goal game
Atkinson with his breakaway over Wisconsin in the season opener
Kreider with his Beanpot goal
etc

No one brings it every night at the level that Gaudreau does.

[claver2010]

Article on Kreider from WSJ

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304450004577275872109720192.html?mod=wsj_share_tweet

Rangers' Future Is Waiting...and Waiting

New York Patiently Waits for Top Prospect Chris Kreider, Who Has Repeatedly Eschewed the NHL to Play for Boston College

By MIKE SIELSKI

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass.—Glen Sather had already spent more than two and a half years waiting for Chris Kreider, and as Sather pressed a phone to his ear and prepared to speak to a national television audience, Kreider made him wait a few minutes more.

The Rangers' president and general manager was poised for an interview during the CBS Sports Network broadcast of a recent men's ice hockey game between Boston College and Vermont. But the interview couldn't begin at its scheduled moment—six minutes into the second period—because Kreider had just put the puck into the Vermont net for his 20th goal of the season.

Once play resumed, Sather again failed to answer a familiar question: Will Kreider, the Rangers' first-round draft pick in 2009, join the team in time for this year's playoffs? "Whether he's going to play immediately," Sather said, "is going to be up to him."

A 6-feet-3-inch, 225-pound junior forward, Kreider has become the J.D. Salinger of college hockey since enrolling at Boston College, eschewing the opportunity to enter the NHL immediately to instead sequester himself on this campus a few miles west of downtown Boston. After each of Kreider's previous seasons with the Eagles, the Rangers recommended that he turn pro. He declined. Now, with the Rangers atop the Eastern Conference, Kreider has an entire NHL organization and its fan base wondering whether he'll begin his career with the Rangers this spring or return to BC for his senior season.

"It's not something I enjoy at all," he said. "Imagine if you're on my team in college. I'm telling the New York media, 'Yeah, I'm gone. I can't wait to join them.' How does that look? I'm supposed to be a leader in one facet or another, and I'm almost writing off the season?"

Though Kreider would not reveal whether he has made a decision, let alone what that decision is, it is difficult to find anyone who has spent any significant time around him or the Boston College program who believes he won't leave school once BC's season ends—which, if the Eagles reach the Frozen Four, would be in early April, just in time for the NHL playoffs. "The car's warming up in the driveway," said Eric Frede, who called the BV-Vermont game for CBS. Given that the Eagles won a national championship in Kreider's freshman year and their second consecutive Hockey East regular-season championship this year, that he is just four classes away from graduating with a degree in communication, and that even Eagles head coach Jerry York said, "He's ready," there seems little reason for Kreider to return. What worlds are left for him to conquer in college?

"He's at the stage where what he has to learn is from the pros," said Gordie Clark, the Rangers' director of player personnel. "That's the way I put it to Chris, and that's the way I put it to his parents."

David and Kathy Kreider, Chris's parents, declined to comment for this story, but Chris said that the emphasis that they placed on education as he was growing up made the choice to stay at BC for his freshman and sophomore years really no choice at all. He has immersed himself in two pursuits—hockey and schoolwork—since arriving here. He carries a 3.0 grade-point average, has taken summer courses in an attempt to complete his degree as quickly as possible, and rarely attends the sorts of bacchanalian social gatherings so common to the college experience. "It's been more of a job," said Kreider, who turns 21 on April 30, and because ice hockey is not necessarily the keynote men's sport at Boston College, "it's been very easy to stay off the radar."

Part of the reason Kreider has been so patient to begin his professional career is that he emerged as an NHL prospect rather suddenly. During his sophomore year at Masconomet High School in Topsfield, Mass., he underwent a terrific growth spurt, sprouting four inches in height and putting on 20 pounds. He subsequently transferred to Phillips Academy Andover, a secondary school with a more highly regarded hockey program. The first time a Division I coach told Kreider he wanted to recruit him, Kreider was so excited he began to cry.

"He just blossomed into what you see now," said Bill Blackwell, the head coach at Masconomet. "He was dominant, just freakishly fast, great hands and strength."

Clark puts Kreider's speed on par with that of Rangers rookie Carl Hagelin, the fastest skater in this year's NHL All-Star Skills Competition, and to watch Kreider against Vermont was to understand the comparison. Twice, Kreider surged down the right wing and backhanded the puck into the slot, and on neither occasion was a teammate there to accept the pass—because none were fast enough to keep up with him. "And down low," Clark said, "he's so bloody strong holding the puck."

That combination of speed and power made Kreider the focus of trade rumors last month as the Rangers pursued Rick Nash, a star forward for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Throughout February, Kreider's friends teased him about the speculation, interrupting his meals and morning skates with reports of phony transactions. "He wouldn't talk to me on trade-deadline day," said Samson Lee, one of Kreider's roommates.

It would not be unheard of for a player in Kreider's position to return for his senior year. Of the 20 former Boston College players on NHL rosters this season, 11 used all four years of their college eligibility. But if Kreider does elect to come back, he runs the risk of alienating the very people most eager to see him in a Rangers uniform.

"It's another part of the process," he said. "When the time comes, that's something I'll deal with."

In his mind, that time has not come yet. After Boston College beat Vermont, 4-0, to clinch the Hockey East title, Kreider sat slumped in a corner of the locker room. He had removed his jersey and his shoulder and torso pads, leaving himself bare-chested, and as his teammates spoke one by one at York's prompting, commending each other for solid defensive plays and timely goals scored, Kreider kept his eyes straight ahead, his face a blank slate, as if he were allowing his mind to wander. He was not. "It was a special moment," he said later, "as is any moment you are able to win a trophy." So he made sure to take everything in, to listen to his teammates' every word, to think only of the here and now, nothing else.

[claver2010]

Jerry York’s way keeps BC a close family

By John Connolly
Friday, March 23, 2012 -

Just over 20 years ago, a Boston sportswriter attending the Frozen Four walked into the lobby of the Saint Paul Hotel in Minnesota and met then Bowling Green coach Jerry York.

“Hey, where can I get a Dunkin’ Donuts coffee around here,” York said with an ever-present smile.

York’s down-to-earth demeanor made the hub writer feel as though they had seen each other the previous day. Such is the affable manner York displays with anyone who comes in contact with his Boston College hockey program.


What’s more, it’s worked.

York, who sends top-seeded BC (29-10-1) against No. 4 Air Force (21-10-7) tomorrow at DCU Center in Worcester, has the most wins (33) in NCAA tournament history. This season, York became the second coach to reach the 900-win plateau and needs 15 more to match all-time leader Ron Mason (Lake Superior, Bowling Green, Michigan State), who has 924.

This season, 20 of his former BC players skated in the National Hockey League.

It has all been a wonderful, wintry sojurn for the soon-to-be 67-year-old Watertown native with the perpetual bounce in his step, who shows no sign of slowing down.

The coaching odyssey began nearly 40 years ago when York, then the youngest Div. 1 coach at 26, and his Clarkson University assistant Bill “Flapper” O’Flaherty ventured north to the Ontario hamlet of Levack in quest of a young phenom named Dave Taylor.

“We were both pretty young guys,” said Taylor, now the 56-year-old director of player of personnel for the Western Conference-leading St. Louis Blues. “He came up to recruit me in 1973. He was just a terrific person.”

Taylor went on to set Clarkson’s still standing single-season and career scoring marks, and joined the Los Angeles Kings where he was member of the “Triple Crown Line” with center Marcel Dionne and left winger Charlie Simmer, all of whom scored 100 points during the 1980-81 season.

“He has very high values and holds his players to carry through in the proper way,” said Taylor. “The four years I spent playing for Jerry and Bill O’Flaherty enabled me to advance my career and play in the National Hockey League.

“Jerry is a very patient person, too. My first year there we missed the playoffs and by the time I graduated we were the best team in the ECAC and there was only one league back then. We had some good times up there.”

York took his 125 Clarkson wins in seven years (1972-79) and moved to Bowling Green, where he spent the next 15 years. York-coached Falcons teams captured four CCHA regular season titles, made six appearances in the NCAA tournament and won the 1984 title, outlasting Minnesota-Duluth in the longest NCAA men’s championship game (four overtimes) on record.

Respect leads the way

Current BC associate coach Mike Cavanaugh made his coaching debut as a volunteer assistant at Bowling Green.

“The one thing that they had at Bowling Green and that they have here at BC is that Jerry doesn’t have a lot of rules, but I was always amazed at how much respect the kids have for him and how they don’t want to disappoint him,” said Cavanaugh, who played his high school hockey at North Andover. “It’s not so much they’re afraid of being yelled at or screamed at, like a Bobby Knight might (yell) if you walked into practice and messed up. Jerry isn’t like that. The players just don’t want to disappoint him. He has that unique ability to instill that in his players.


“This season, both Rob Blake and Nelson Emerson popped in unannounced to watch Jerry’s practice and say hello and both were on their way to an airport,” Cavanaugh said. “I mean, that goes back a long way. That’s 20 years ago and Rob Blake is a first ballot Hall of Fame player. (Bruin) Mike Mottau stopping in yesterday. That type of stuff, I’m not sure it happens at a lot of other programs. Kids feel that, not indebted, but appreciative of how Jerry has mentored them and as they move on in their professional career they appreciate it even more.”

A solid program

Along the coaching trail, York devised small wrinkles that seem minute and quirky at first glance, but in hindsight go a long way toward building the success of the BC program.


One example is the schedule on the corridor wall. York flips the placard upside down so that April and the Frozen Four is at the top. Throughout the seasons, players never lose focus of the ultimate goal. Another example is the so-called road kill, pucks with the opponents logo depicting key road victories. York also imports motivational speakers.

“There are parallels between a successful basketball team or successful corporation and we have to learn by it. We have to stay open to it,” York said. “I always thought that was important. Plus, if you look at how many times a coach speaks to his team. Just take the 40 some odd games, the two intermissions, you speak to them every practice. Now, you’re up around 250 times a year that you are addressing your team. So, to bring in a fresh voice with different dynamics, I’ve never been one to think, ‘Hey, I know it all’, and I learn as much from Doc Rivers and Bill Belichick and (Terry) Francona as anybody. I just think it’s important.”

The road kill began simply because something was in the middle of the room..

“We had this column in the middle of our locker room and it was a support column and it couldn’t be moved,” York said. “It was just an old gray column. I said, ‘let’s dress it up.’ We thought about putting team insignia on it, team pennants. Finally, we came up with putting a puck on the wall.”

Be an Eagle

York said the main dogma remained the same — bringing in top recruits.

“Make sure you recruit good players and then make sure you have them on the same train and the train is going toward team goals,” York said. “We really stress that at BC. If you come here, the Eagle is much more important that the player. We play for the team. We play for the locker room. No individual is more important than our team. It’s a cultural thing. It’s a BC thing. It’s something we demand. The history and tradition are all part of it. It doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to win national championships, but it guarantees you won’t be part of our club if you don’t buy into it.

“That hasn’t changed because the train can go different ways. Guys can get off at different stops. But if you are going to be successful, you have to stay on the train and you all have to be thinking the same.”

The most recent of York’s trains to stop at the NCAA championship station was the 2009-2010 team captained by Matt Price, Matt Lombardi and Ben Smith. Price, retired from hockey and back home in Milton, Ontario, where he works in real estate/finance, reflected on playing for York.

“It was an absolute treat. I don’t know where to begin,” said the 23-year-old Price. “It was the best four years of my life. Going to the rink every day was a blast. Coach has developed something special. From the players to the coaching staff, to the ticket office to the Zamboni guys, coach finds a way to make you a part of the program. Coach has it figured out and finds that good balance between business and pleasure and the guys thrive on it. He reminds you each week about what the guys before us did. It’s perpetual.”

Bruins prospect Tommy Cross certainly has NHL dreams to pursue once BC’s NCAA playoff run finishes. Cross ponders the good times playing for York.

“That’s all of the traditions that coach has here. It’s part of what makes the program special,” said Cross. “They just get passed down from year to year, like the speakers. I’ve been fortunate to have Hall of Famers like Mark Messier, Joey Nieuwendyk, Steve Yzerman but then also front-office people like Brian Burke and Don Sweeney from the Bruins [team stats]. Then, outside of hockey like Bill Belichick, obviously. Tito (Terry Francona), Doc Rivers. So, to hear what they have to offer about sports is pretty special and just goes to show coach relates to us more than just a hockey club.

“It’s great to hear stories when people come to talk to us. We love to hear stories about Kevin Garnett or Vince Wilfork [stats] or Tom Brady [stats] because those are people we look up to because of how skilled they are and how dominant they are at their own profession.”

[claver2010]

Several Articles:

Alber article - http://bit.ly/bcpa3
Shea article - http://bit.ly/bc8es

[claver2010]

York Q&A in the BC Chronicle:

http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/publications/chronicle/FeaturesNewsTopstories/2012/features/jerryyork042612.html

Boston College men’s ice hockey coach Jerry York ’67, MEd. ’70, recently led his team to its third national title in the last five seasons and fourth since he took over as head coach in 1994. After 40 seasons as a college head coach (including seven at Clarkson University and 15 at Bowling Green), York has 913 career victories – the most of any active coach – and five NCAA titles. He will likely surpass former Michigan State mentor Ron Mason (924 career victories) as the winningest coach in the history of the sport sometime next fall. Chronicle caught up with York as he worked though his daily exercise regimen on a stationary bike in the Conte Forum weight room.

This is the fourth time you have coached BC to a national championship. Does winning ever get “old hat” after so much success?

Never. They are all separate and they are all unique memories. You think of the 2001 championship in Albany, then all of sudden, you are in Denver in ’08 and Detroit in ’10 and now, it’s Tampa in ’12. There is none that is above any other – but each, in its own, is an unbelievable experience for everybody that was involved. Part of what makes them special is what winning a championship also means to your coaches, your players, the student body, the alumni and the “subway alumni.” We all take this ride that is an incredible experience for all of us.

The most recent is the freshest in your mind, but they are all very, very special. They are memories that we all can share.

The 2011-12 season is now in the books and the NCAA trophy is in the display case. Is it time to relax a little bit?

I always say that when you win a national championship, the season never ends. First, we had the celebration on campus [April 10], then in rapid fire, we made appearances at a Bruins playoff game, a Red Sox baseball game, and this year, with [Boston Celtics coach] Doc Rivers having talked to our team, we even expect to go to a Celtics’ playoff game. There will be a White House trip fairly soon, and our own Pike’s Peak Club banquet where we finish up our year in-house.

All of that has become part of a “magical tour,” but that’s the kind of spring you really like to have. We’ll also be going to the American Collegiate Hockey Association convention in Florida, and of course, we are always conscious of recruiting – that process never ends. Hopefully, we’ll get in a few golf outings for our staff. We always look forward to hearing from the BC alumni who reach out to invite us to play.

This year’s championship squad seems to have a great team chemistry. Is this the secret to success?

Since I have been here, even back in the ’90s when we weren’t quite as successful, there has always been a great chemistry within our team. Then we started getting more skilled players into our program. We had some terrific players when I first came, players like Dave Hymovitz [’96], Don Chase [’96] and Tommy Ashe [’96]. But we didn’t have a whole roster full of them.

I think to go after national titles, you’ve got to be very, very deep with your core group, but then you need a lot of “soldiers,” too. Team chemistry has always been a big part of what we are. Everybody knows the “Xs and Os.” We don’t “out-X and O” people – you just can’t do it. You can’t “out-technology” the other coaching staffs.

What we do have is a terrific mindset that once you enter our program, you are an “Eagle,” and that’s way above any individual pursuits here, like All-America honors or Hobey Baker honors. Then there is that feeling that we share this with each other – we care for each other, kind of a cultural thing, a BC thing. That is what separates us from a lot of other teams. Other teams have gotten good players, and have mastered the Xs and Os, but our emotional involvement in winning games and chasing trophies is what drives our whole engine.

I think that is a mainstay, and it’s never been more evident than this year when we went 6-9-1 through one stretch [in January] and coming off back-to-back losses to Maine. We just kept working and our game elevated. All of a sudden, our defensive corps and [goaltender] Parker Milner especially, went through 19 games and we won every single one and only gave up 21 goals. In a nutshell, that’s amazing. It’s mind-boggling. We are pretty capable of scoring goals, so if you are limiting teams to that type of offense against us, I don’t know if you will win every one of those 19 games, but you will win a lot of them.

We talked about not wanting to be mediocre. We don’t want to be “average.” That’s not our makeup. That’s not our personality. We are on a track now of having that associated with our program – we win one then lose one. We are an average team. Our goals were not established to be average. I think it kind of jostled us a little bit. Other teams can do that to you. We play in a pretty good league – it’s not Watertown High out there. But even before Maine, we had been up and down. We have always had leaders like Ben Smith [’10], Joe Whitney [’11], Ryan Shannon [’05] and Brian Gionta [’00] and those are the leaders we have recruited, developed, whatever.

Tommy Cross ’12 is certainly in that class of leadership. The team always had resolve, but Tommy kind of pushed it to another level, just like those other guys.

You had some pretty well-known and successful sports people in to speak to you team this past year. Did that have good results?

Besides Doc Rivers, we had [former Red Sox manager] Terry Francona, [Patriots’ head coach] Bill Belichick. But I think Brian Leetch [New York Rangers, Hockey Hall of Fame], though, as a former Eagle player himself, really hit home. He came and you could just feel his attachment to the program. He talked about preparing for big games, told the kids “You are going to be nervous, and maybe have an unsettled stomach, but if are prepared then you are going to be confident. It’s when you are not confident going into big games, that you run into trouble, you become scared. The reason that you are not confident is that you have not prepared very well.” He reinforced what our coaches are always talking about, that practice is where you get better and develop that confidence. Now you go into a big game – and you still might be nervous, like when you are trying to win a national championship — but you are prepared and you are confident.

You are a cancer survivor. Has this changed your outlook in any way?

I’m in the recovery process – it has been six years this August [since undergoing surgery for prostate cancer]. My primary care doctor and my surgeon have both told me that I am clean and everything was a success. The biggest thing is that we caught it early and removed the prostate gland. The cancer was contained in that part of my body.

A lot of your contemporaries are planning their retirements. Any thoughts of how much longer you will stay active as a coach?

There has never been a thought process for me where I think, “If I win this game, I’ll retire,” or “If I win a national title, I’ll retire.” I have a tremendous amount of passion for not just hockey, but Boston College hockey. Working at this institution, it’s very unique in all of the collegiate environments. There is something so special here. Unless you are part of it, it’s hard to explain to people, but when you are on our campus, when you work here every day, there is a spirit no one else has. As long as Fr. Leahy [University President William P. Leahy, SJ] and the administration feel that we are doing a good job, I’m going to stay. I love it here.

[claver2010]

Kreider article in today's Globe:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2012/05/08/right-out-boston-college-chris-kreider-helps-rangers/R9dcxwf74f2CrgRApFidGO/story.html

WASHINGTON - Jerry York was traveling home from the American Hockey Coaches Association convention in Naples, Fla., and he picked up a newspaper at the airport in Fort Myers so he would have something to read on the flight.

The veteran Boston College hockey coach chose the New York Daily News and was greeted by a full color photo of Chris Kreider on the back page.

Kreider, who won his second NCAA championship under York on April 7, jumped from college after his junior year to sign with the New York Rangers and made an instant impact. He scored the winning goal in Game 6 against Ottawa in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, was on the ice in the final minute in the Rangers’ Game 7 victory, and had the winning goal and an assist in Game 1 of the conference semifinals against the Capitals.
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Photos
Just more than a month removed from winning an NCAA title with Boston College, Chris Kreider is now thriving in the NHL playoffs with the Rangers.
Chris Kreider: From BC to the NHL playoffs

“He’s had some big stages that he’s played on,’’ said York. “But none bigger than this one.’’

Although college coaches are never happy to see players leave early, there was no doubt in York’s mind that the Boxford, Mass., native was ready to take the next step in his blossoming career, but York didn’t expect Kreider to make such an impact so soon.

“His size, his strength, the way he’s improved his hockey IQ, he’s gotten so much better,’’ said York. “But I was kind of hoping myself that he’d wait and go through a regular NHL training camp and be part of a team from the get-go. That’s hard to do, but this is extremely difficult to do, what he’s been asked to step in. The Rangers have had a remarkable year and for him to be a major part of it, that’s asking a lot of a young kid.’’

Kreider, who turned 21 a week ago, has received plenty of support from the organization that selected him in the first round (No. 19 overall) in the 2009 draft, and it doesn’t hurt that it is chockablock with Boston influences.

Former BC captain Brian Boyle is a teammate, coach John Tortorella is a Boston native, and assistant coach Mike Sullivan (a former player, assistant coach, and head coach of the Bruins) is from Marshfield, Mass. Assistant general manager Jeff Gorton, a former Bruins assistant GM, hails from Melrose, Mass., and director of player personnel Gordie Clark played for the Bruins and worked in the front office.

Despite that support system, there is no hand-holding in the playoffs, so Kreider is still working without a net to some degree.

What Kreider has done so far is telling, according to Boyle.

“He’s a pretty smart kid, he fends for himself pretty well,’’ said Boyle. “We’re just impressed with how he’s handled himself.

“It’s an adjustment coming into pro hockey. You usually have a summer to think about it and prepare for it, and he had a day and a half and went right into playoff hockey.

“There was no pre-training camp or training camp. It was right into playoff hockey and he’s done a great job.’’

Boyle said it helped that Kreider was the product of a system such as BC’s.

“It was huge for my development and his as well,’’ said Boyle. “Everything BC offers, it turned me into a man for sure. I learned a lot aside from hockey, but the hockey turned me into a much better player as well.

“The schedule we play and the guys we practice against every single day when you’re there and the way we played the game, it was very beneficial for me, and it shows with Chris as well. He’s come a long way since his freshman year.’’

Raising his game

Kreider, who played two years at Masconomet and two at Phillips Andover Academy, has the informal nickname of “Mr. Second Half.’’ As well as he played in the opening months of the season, it was during the stretch run and the postseason that Kreider has shined brightest.

“When there’s a trophy on the line, when it’s something really important, he seems to have the ability to raise the level of his play and he’s done it repeatedly,’’ said York.

Defenseman Tommy Cross, who was captain of the Eagles this season, said Kreider is a mature, humble kid who just wants to help his team.

“The big games, the big stage - and that’s what the second half is - that’s when he is at his best,’’ said Cross. “What I’ve been watching in the last two weeks, it’s the best I’ve ever seen him play. It’s unbelievable what he’s doing, it’s great. I’m so happy for him. It’s unheard of.’’

Samson Lee, Kreider’s roommate and close friend the last couple of years at BC, was at Game 1 of the Capitals series in New York with Kreider’s father, David, and a family friend and were stunned when Kreider’s shot beat goalie Braden Holtby. When the crowd at Madison Square Garden began chanting Kreider’s name, Lee said, they all got goose bumps. But he said success never will go to Kreider’s head.

“He was telling me the other day, he was skating down the ice and he turned around and saw [Washington star center] Nick Backstrom,’’ said Lee. “He thought, ‘Am I really on the same ice as Nick Backstrom?’ I think, for him, he’s enjoying it a lot.’’

Lee had no doubts that Kreider was ready to move on from the college game.

“It was a tough decision between living out his dream and finishing school,’’ said Lee. “We’ve been pretty lucky to have him for three years.

“It’s not surprising that he’s there. It’s a lot of fun watching him doing what he’s doing right now and making such a big impact, just because you see him as a college kid, and when you get to go watch him play [in New York], it’s almost surreal. It’s hard to believe.

“For all of us, we all had faith in him. We knew he was a determined kid. Like he says, it’s just hockey but quicker.’’

Kreider, who has been almost embarrassed by the media attention directed at him, said it has been a whirlwind.

“It’s been crazy,’’ said Kreider. “I’m just trying to keep my head down and work hard. [The level of play] is ramped up considerably. Every single player you play against, they are that much better, that much bigger, that much stronger.

“It’s a fun experience. You want to play against the best players, and that’s what this league is. The game moves faster, the puck moves faster, everything is more precise. If you make a mistake, it’s capitalized on within seconds. Everything is that much quicker.’’

No time to reflect

Gorton said the Rangers expected Kreider to provide depth during the playoffs but an opportunity arose when Carl Hagelin was banned for three games for his hit on Ottawa’s Daniel Alfredsson in Game 2 of the series.

“Hagelin got suspended, and the door opened, and he was able to show what he could do,’’ said Gorton.

Although the Rangers had interest in Kreider leaving after his sophomore year, Gorton said the extra year of college helped his game advance.

“In hindsight, maybe it was [best to stay at BC],’’ said Gorton. “It’s hard to say. Could he have been here all year and scored 25 goals? Maybe.

“But the reality is, he got another championship, he won another Hockey East [title] and Beanpot and he added to his resume. It’s hard to argue with what he did at BC and how they prepared him.’’

“We’re all proud of him,’’ said York. “It’s mind-boggling.’’

For his part, Kreider said, there has been no time for him to reflect on anything. That will come later.

“It’s been like this for the last three years or so,’’ said Kreider with a laugh. “I came off the national championship as an 18-year-old, then I had coaches tell me I was going to the World Championships [in which he participated twice].’’

He also won a gold medal at the 2010 World Junior Tournament, playing with current teammate Derek Stepan.

All of that high-level competition has prepared him for where he is today. He hopes the ultimate trophy - the Stanley Cup - is the pot of silver at the end of this rainbow.

“I’ve had a really blessed hockey experience,’’ he said. “I haven’t had time to pinch myself. I’m just trying to enjoy it.’’

[claver2010]

Cross in the Chronicle: http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/publications/chronicle/FeaturesNewsTopstories/2012/features/tommycross051012.html

Seniors to Remember: Tommy Cross
05/10/12

By Ed Hayward | Chronicle Staff
Published: May 10, 2012
Name: Tommy Cross

Hometown: Simsbury, Conn.

Major: Communication. Minor: International Studies

Notable activities: Captain of BC’s 2012 NCAA National Champion Men’s Ice Hockey team; Eagle of the Year Award as outstanding senior male student-athlete; co-recipient of the 2012 John "Snooks" Kelley Memorial Award, as the individual who best typifies Boston College hockey; Boston College Junior Male Outstanding Scholar Athlete in 2011; vice president of university relations for the BC Student Athlete Advisory Council; volunteer with Community Connections at Newton North High School

Post-graduation plans: Signed contract last month with the Boston Bruins; played final week of the season for the Providence Bruins of the AHL before returning to classes

Overview: Cross graduates from Boston College with an impressive collection of hardware: two NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey National Championships, Hockey East regular season and tournament championships and three Beanpot trophies. But the senior defenseman, known as a smart, physical force on the ice, earned praise for his measured leadership as the Eagles’ captain this year, particularly for refocusing the team following a mid-season sweep at the hands of Maine. The Eagles went on a 20-win streak on their way to claiming the program’s fifth national title on April 7 against Ferris State University.

Who has had the most profound influence on you during your time at BC?
Clearly, Coach (Jerry) York has been a big influence. But when I first came to campus he introduced me to Fr. Tony Penna in Campus Ministry and told me he would have a huge impact on my life. And he was right. I have lunch with Fr. Penna once a week and we talk. He’s helped me when things had me rattled. He helped me, especially as a leader, the last two years. He wouldn’t tell me what to do, but he encouraged me and he was always there for me. The way he treats people makes him a role model for the entire team.

Which professor had the biggest impact on you?
Visiting Assistant Professor of Communication Celeste Wells. I originally took her writing course because it fit my schedule. But I found her to be the most inspiring teacher I’ve had. She brought great energy to class and treated each student with such respect. She helped to guide us along through the course. She’s a teacher who stands out above the rest.

Outside of your success on the ice, what experience has made the biggest difference for you at BC?
My experience as a volunteer with a program called Community Connections at Newton North High School. It’s a program for students with disabilities and I go there at least every other week and spend time with the kids. They’re so excited to meet BC athletes and talk to us. We send each other e-mails and I brought the Beanpot Trophy and we drank soda out of it. It makes my day to go there. So much has been given to us as athletes and students and we’re so fortunate to be at BC. It’s important for us to give back.

What will you miss the most about BC?
My roommates Edwin Shea, Barry Almeida, Paul Carey, Chris Venti and Tommy Atkinson. We’ve gone through our four years together – at the rink and off. They’re my best friends. It’s hard to think about all of us not being together all the time. We leave here with a lot of great memories.

If you weren’t going to play professional hockey, what would you be doing?
I’d like to be involved as a coach or an administrator in college athletics, maybe one day working as an athletics director. It would be great to do that at BC. I think it would be rewarding to work with athletes and to work on the administrative side of college athletics.

He'd probably be better than right now

[claver2010]

Article on Destry Straight, he has a real chance to make a big leap his SO year. Was very young as he was pushed up a year.

http://blogs.theprovince.com/2012/06/13/hoc-re-visited-frozen-four-title-run-caps-dream-frosh-season-for-w-vans-straight/

Ask Destry Straight a few questions about the storybook season he was able to help author as a freshman forward with the Boston College Eagles, and he remains as even-keeled as his surname.

And that’s no easy task considering all of the things that the West Vancouver native and member of The Province’s 2011 Head of the Class experienced en route to helping his team win the NCAA Div. 1 Frozen Four national championship this past April in Tampa, Fla.

“For sure I didn’t expect to win a national championship so definitely, it exceeded my expectations,” the 6-foot, 165-pound forward and Sentinel Secondary graduate relayed last week, back home on the North Shore following a season in which he continually showed the ability to excel as more and more responsibility was heaped upon his shoulders.

And what a season it was.

From experiencing the time-honoured tradition that surrounds the annul four-team, all-Boston series known as the Beanpot, to working his way up the roster to spot on a line with emerging NHL star Chris Kreider, to stepping up and delivering his best play just as the Eagles were set to embark on an incredible 19-0 win streak to end their season, capped by a 4-1 win over Ferris State before a crowd just shy of 19,000.

It’s a resume that has helped Straight set himself up perfectly to assume a much bigger role this coming season as a sophomore on a team which became the first to win three Frozen Fours over a five-season span since Denver pulled the trick 51 years ago.

And although his point totals were modest (3-7-10 in 43 games), Straight’s responsible play (plus-9) allowed veteran head coach Jerry York to task him with a more offensive role as the season progressed, and during Boston College’s 19-0 streak, he scored a pair of goals and added seven assists.

Making the transition to major NCAA Div. 1 hockey from the ranks of the B.C. Hockey League as a pure freshman is no easy task. In fact the jump is great enough that most elect to play at least another season in the local loop.

“But I had a pretty strong year in the BCHL,” said Straight, who as a 17-year-old went 26-41-67 for the Coquitlam Express, “so I just wanted to continue my hockey career moving forward as quick as I could, playing at the highest level possible. Coming straight to Boston College was pretty much an easy decision for me.”

Yet the communications major admits that the week of preparation leading up to games was as demanding a schedule as he could have anticipated.”

“To me, it related well to playing major midget, where we would practice all week and play two games,” said Straight, who also formerly played with the North West Giants. “But this year we practiced a whole lot more for a whole lot longer than we did in the BCHL, and practice meant a lot more. If you wanted to get more ice time and prove yourself, then practice was the place to do it.

With freshman gusto, Straight opened the season in a more defensive role, playing centre on a grinding line. But his ability to grasp systems and his flair and decisiveness around the net allowed him to show his versatility when he moved into a top-six role as a left winger.

“At the start of the year, I was on the fourth line, doing more of a checking role,” says Straight. “By the end of the year, I was playing more, and I was playing (on a line with) Kreider and (Kevin) Hayes. So my role really changed from defensive to offensive.”

For Straight, playing alongside Kreider, the 19th overall pick of the 2009 draft, was something of a revelation.

Kreider, who led Boston College in scoring this past season (23-22-45), signed a three-year deal with the Rangers following the Frozen Four, and became the first player in NHL history whose first two goals were playoff game winners. He set another NHL first when he finished his playoff run with five goals, the most ever by a player who had never played in a regular season game.

“Me and my other freshman classmates would watch the games (Kreider played in the playoffs against Ottawa and Washington) and we would get pretty excited when he scored,” says the undrafted Straight, who says he’s content to just let the process unfold when the NHL draft takes place next week. “It was really cool knowing that maybe it’s not that far to reach, you know, playing in the NHL.”

There was so much else to soak in as well.

Straight marveled at the level of intensity in the crosstown clashes between Boston College and Boston University, labeled the so-called Green Line Rivalry because of the traditional four-mile street-car ride that makes up the journey between the two campuses. BC’s Eagles beat BU’s Terriers in a 3-2 overtime thriller at Boston Garden to win the Beanpot for the third straight season.

And then there was the matter of being a part of a team that finds a magical stride, and goes on a chemistry-filled, season-ending win streak that culminates with a national title.

“The energy in practice, that is what everyone talks about,” Straight says of the bond built over a span in which the Eagles outscored their foes 77-21. “It definitely turned our season around. To see how much fun everyone was having, that was definitely cool to see.”

So it is a much more worldly and wise player who returns to the Chestnut Hill, Mass., campus later this summer.

“I enjoyed the challenge,” he says of his freshman season. “It is going to be so beneficial when I start next season.”