2023-24 Season

[twballgame9]

This is about them not being able to handle a forecheck. Been an issue all year. They were good enough to overcome it against everyone else.

[twballgame9]

The next time BC wins a face off or catches a pass without it going 7 feet off the stick I might die of shock.

[twballgame9]

Switching up the lines was the mediocre coaching BC did not need.

[BCEagles25]

Awful gross powerplay execution. Stop trying to cross it through a crowd. Put some shit on net you have 2 minutes not 2 hours

[twballgame9]

Brown looks like a deer in headlights.

[BCEagles25]

Overrated. Maybe not even a top 10 BC team. If you can’t handle a forecheck, you’re not that good

[twballgame9]

Hope Gauthier looks forward to many games against the Bruins. That's an epic mouth running.

[twballgame9]

Overrated. Maybe not even a top 10 BC team. If you can’t handle a forecheck, you’re not that good

Eh after 40+ games that's coaching, not talent. That team was so frigging good they could overcome not being able to get the puck out of their own end. What a gag job.

[BCEagles25]

Hope Gauthier looks forward to many games against the Bruins. That's an epic mouth running.

Yep. Hope he’s taking it the hardest. “There will be tears” yeah fuck you buddy

[Reverend Mike]

...more like greg clown.

[twballgame9]

Can't believe BC needed BU to win a game to win a natty.

[Dick Rosenthal]

The verdict is in, Brown is a Ceglarski-type, not a York-type. What an absolutely disgraceful bed shitting. Gutless to the core.

[claver2010]

cutter gone as he should be and will play for ducks in last game of season this week.

as of last month, seemed like all parties were aligned that gabe is coming back.

would consider either will smith or leonard coming back a pleasant surprise, the kid is more optimistic and obviously more plugged in

[DuchesneEast]

cutter gone as he should be and will play for ducks in last game of season this week.

as of last month, seemed like all parties were aligned that gabe is coming back.

would consider either will smith or leonard coming back a pleasant surprise, the kid is more optimistic and obviously more plugged in

I saw someone say all 3 and Fowler would coming back. Hard to believe, but would be awesome to see.

[Logitano]

cutter gone as he should be and will play for ducks in last game of season this week.

as of last month, seemed like all parties were aligned that gabe is coming back.

would consider either will smith or leonard coming back a pleasant surprise, the kid is more optimistic and obviously more plugged in

I saw someone say all 3 and Fowler would coming back. Hard to believe, but would be awesome to see.

My understanding is they are all returning to BC next year.

The NHL executives are genuinely pleased with the coaching the players are getting at BC (that is a direct shot at the end of the prior administration).

[DuchesneEast]

cutter gone as he should be and will play for ducks in last game of season this week.

as of last month, seemed like all parties were aligned that gabe is coming back.

would consider either will smith or leonard coming back a pleasant surprise, the kid is more optimistic and obviously more plugged in

I saw someone say all 3 and Fowler would coming back. Hard to believe, but would be awesome to see.

My understanding is they are all returning to BC next year.

The NHL executives are genuinely pleased with the coaching the players are getting at BC (that is a direct shot at the end of the prior administration).

They play in a good league against the top college talent and practice against NHL draft picks every day. Great place to develop.

[PhillyandBCEagles]

cutter gone as he should be and will play for ducks in last game of season this week.

as of last month, seemed like all parties were aligned that gabe is coming back.

would consider either will smith or leonard coming back a pleasant surprise, the kid is more optimistic and obviously more plugged in

I saw someone say all 3 and Fowler would coming back. Hard to believe, but would be awesome to see.

Goalies are dependent on their NHL team's depth chart as much as they are their own personal readiness

I'm not sure what the Canadiens system looks like but if Fowler would be anything less than guaranteed to be #3 in their system by fall it makes sense for him to stay

[DuchesneEast]

cutter gone as he should be and will play for ducks in last game of season this week.

as of last month, seemed like all parties were aligned that gabe is coming back.

would consider either will smith or leonard coming back a pleasant surprise, the kid is more optimistic and obviously more plugged in

I saw someone say all 3 and Fowler would coming back. Hard to believe, but would be awesome to see.

Goalies are dependent on their NHL team's depth chart as much as they are their own personal readiness

I'm not sure what the Canadiens system looks like but if Fowler would be anything less than guaranteed to be #3 in their system by fall it makes sense for him to stay

They traded Jake Allen to the Devils this year and this is an article on prospects, looks like Fowler is the best.

https://awinninghabit.com/2023/11/21/montreal-canadiens-plethora-goaltending-prospects/2/

[claver2010]

https://twitter.com/ericgallanty/status ... 5086719134

[DuchesneEast]

https://twitter.com/ericgallanty/status ... 5086719134

Its not making me feel better. We just went up against a wall of a goalie and they were getting the bounces.

[claver2010]

well well well..

@SWhyno
#AllCaps GM Brian MacLellan confirms top prospect Ryan Leonard is NOT joining the team for the playoffs and is returning to Boston College for another season.

"We support Ryan’s decision to return to one of the best programs in the nation to continue his development."

[Logitano]

well well well..

@SWhyno
#AllCaps GM Brian MacLellan confirms top prospect Ryan Leonard is NOT joining the team for the playoffs and is returning to Boston College for another season.

"We support Ryan’s decision to return to one of the best programs in the nation to continue his development."

Pretty sure I already said this.

[Dick Rosenthal]

Aside from the development angle it serves the Caps purposes. They know that they likely have two more years of having a zombie team that exists solely for the purpose of getting Ovi’s corpse past Gretzky from a goal scoring perspective. He has 41 goals to go, he scored 30 this year, so they have to figure that his ceiling is 30 for next year and it’s more likely, the way he faded this year, to be 25 next year.

They kind of fucked up this year making the playoffs. Next year I’m sure they’ll tank for all their worth while Ovi inches closer. Presumably, after next year, Ovi will be close enough that the Caps will be able to cashier some of the more expensive pieces that were kept to make Ovi happy and can begin the actual rebuild, at which point it would make sense to sign Leonard. Why let Leonard burn a year off his rookie deal for a year that will be all about Ovi and nothing about development.

[claver2010]

powell coming back for 5th year. defense is going to be loaded

[claver2010]

sharks winning lottery doesn't bode well for the fresh prince to stay for another year, they're going to put the full press

[claver2010]

the kid is saying smith signed, unsurprising. would've been great to have the #4 pick around for another year. fingers crossed on leonard

[claver2010]

some profiles on recruits:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/552184 ... prospects/

teddy stiga:
When I asked two staff at the NTDP about Stiga midway through the season, one called him the most underrated player on the team and the other simply said, “Teddy Stiga is just a hockey player.” That latter line, as ambiguous as it is, feels rather fitting. Scouts had a tough time putting a finger on a projection for Stiga to start the year, because while he was a likeable and talented player, he was a 5-foot-10 winger who didn’t wow people a year ago. His progression since, though, has been among the steepest in the age group. He isn't necessarily a mold or an archetype but he stirs the drink on the ice, whatever line he's on is usually the one that’s clicking, and his game has just taken off. Coming into this year, there were questions about which non-Hagens/Eiserman forward would separate themselves from the other ‘06s at the program and, for me, Stiga has emerged to establish himself as a cut above Brodie Ziemer, Kamil Bednarik, Christian Humphreys and Max Plante (with Ziemer as the closest for me).

He always seems to be in the mix of the play offensively on his line and producing and making plays when they’re there to be made. He’s got a great feel for the game and on-ice awareness. He’s consistently noticeable. He’s competitive and engaged and will let opposing players know both of those things when challenged. His shifts always seem to be spent in the offensive zone. He’s a plus-level skater who keeps his feet moving on and off the puck. He’s got skill and craft and showed some real creativity as the year progressed, with sneaky vision. Add in gifts as a small-area player with noticeable handling and finesse skills, some spins, and a knack for finishing on the chances he gets and he’s intriguing. He has caught my eye in most of my viewings this year, plays with some jump, seems to make plays in transition and inside the offensive zone, and seems to fit with talented players. I think he might surprise some people at BC next year with the impact he’s ready to make.

dean letourneau (plan is still '25 arrival, we'll see with will smith + movement):
Letourneau drew a lot of attention from scouts this season as a towering center who can skate. Believe it or not, I've had staff at SAC tell me he's also closer to 6-foot-7 or 6-8 than his 6-6 listing from NHL Central Scouting, too. His skating, shot and puck control in tight to his body all leap out as unusual for a player his size. He's fluid through his crossovers and comes out of them lighter than you might expect. It can be difficult to project players from the Prep Hockey Conference, but SAC has a track record of developing one or two prospects per draft, and BC did a good job bringing along Jack McBain, another big center who traveled a non-standard path.

When you see him on the ice, his makeup is striking. When he finishes his checks (which he needs to do more of), he can overpower opposing players at the boards or muscle through in control. Off the cycle, players at the prep level don't engage with him, which allows him to take pucks off the wall and make plays with his good sense on the puck. He plays the flank on his off-side on the PP rather than the net-front/bumper role big men are usually tasked with. He's got some vision, handling and a natural shot. I don't love how passive he can be without the puck, though. There's too much standing around and too much time spent with one hand on his stick. I'd like to see him close out pucks and win them back quicker than he does because he's actually got a good stick when he's around it. I'm not sure he'll make a good penalty killer up levels (which players his size are usually asked to do) without an adjustment to his approach and play style. Those things can be taught, though, and there are definitely some real gifts/tools to work with. There haven't been many forwards his size who've made it (it's more common for a defenseman) but there are some who believe he can get to where Brian Boyle and a couple of others have as a bit of an exception to the rule. And if he's more than that, he'll be a pretty unique player.

He went down to play a couple of games for Sioux Falls in the USHL over the holiday break and didn't look himself in 11 minutes per game, and hasn’t been able to return after SAC’s season ended due to a nagging injury (I know scouts would have liked to see him down there again). I believe he’s on the outside looking in for Team Canada for U18 worlds, as well. The expectation is that he’s going to play next season full-time in Sioux Falls before going to BC. He's going to need some time but there are teams that will get excited about his makeup and consider him in the late-first/early second round (though I know there are some, like me, who’d like to see him be more involved off the puck). He’ll be fascinating to track.

will skahan:
Skahan’s a big, already-200-plus-pound defender with decent mobility for his size and age who has played to good defensive underlying numbers on an NTDP blue line that had a tough time. His offensive game has developed slower than many hoped and expected it would but he outlets the puck well, he’s got a heavy shot, and with his frame and mobility, scouts are intrigued by his potential defensively. His father, Sean, is also a strength and conditioning coach who has worked with the Minnesota Wild and Anaheim Ducks, so he comes by the power and strength in his game honestly (he's stronger than his peers and can push junior-level players off pucks, though he also has a good stick). There’s a lot to work with there.

His gap-ups still need some work but he’s a good skater going forward and has some real power to his stride. He’s vulnerable to getting beat wide by quicker players and can misread plays and pull himself out of position and then have to recover, but when he’s dialled in he can make life hard on opposing carriers. He’s also capable of joining the rush and finding the trailer and involved himself more in transition as this season went on. I was definitely expecting him to take a bigger step as a big-time two-way defenseman with the U18 team this year than he did, though, and that has slid him into more of a late-second or mid-round range for me as a result. The team that drafts him will be hoping that he can develop into an Alex Vlasic type (Vlasic didn’t have a translatable statistical profile in his three seasons at BU but has made it as an NHLer on the back of his strength, athleticism, size and defensive play).

[DuchesneEast]

Thanks Claver, obviously excited about Stiga but curious about the other 2.

Assuming Leonard stays, do we know who will replace Smith on that line?