Clendening done at BU

Well, it is always great seeing Parker and his team lose one of their better players but this one is sure to sting over in BU land. Defenseman Adam Clendening has decided to forgo his final two seasons over there as he signed a three year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks tonight. Huge loss for Parker and his team.

Ranking BC Hockey's Top 5 Rivals

There really hasn't been a lot to write about the last couple of weeks so I needed to think of something that would maybe make for an interesting story. I often think about, "Who are BC Hockey's biggest rivals" ? Well, you all know who is #1 and if you don't then well I don't know what to say. But after The Other School, it is a bit of a toss up between two and five. I am sure everyone has their own opinions on who the programs biggest rivals are, but here is how I see it.

1. Don't Even Ask.

2. Northeastern. Here is where it gets hard. Everybody knows that BC Hockey's biggest rival is BU but after that, everyone has their own thoughts about who are BC's other big rivals. I am going to go with Northeastern at #2 because they are a crosstown, Beanpot, and Hockey East rival. While it can be said that the Huskies are not very competitive with BC every year, they certainly are in the top five because they are a Beanpot and in league rival.

3. Harvard. If you ask former BC players that played in the 50's, and 60's, I am sure most of them would tell you that their most hated school is Harvard, not BU. If BC and Harvard were still in the same league like they used to be, I am pretty sure the Crimson would be #2 on this list but because we don't see them as much anymore, they are not as high as NU or BU.

4. Notre Dame. If you went around campus and asked say 100 students about who BC's biggest rival overall is, I would bet nearly all of them would say Notre Dame. Hockey wise, the Irish are not BC's biggest rival, that is not yet anyways. When Notre Dame comes over to Hockey East in two years, I am sure that the rivalry between these two Catholic rivals will sore. For now however, the Irish remain at #4 because they only play BC once a year (at most).

5. UNH. Over the years, it seems that the Eagles and the Wildcats have played in some huge games against each other whether it be in the regular or post season. Every BC UNH game is close (Except for the one earlier this year) and hard fought. I think there is a huge amount of respect between the coaching staffs of both teams and it is certainly always fun to watch these teams play.

Others not listed- UMass, Maine, North Dakota, and Michigan. 


Until next time,

GO EAGLES

Stephen Gionta and Peter Harrold help Devils to Stanley Cup

This is getting scary. Seriously. Not only are BC hockey players tearing it up in the college game, former Eagles are playing some of the best hockey of their pro careers right now. BC will have three former players in the Stanley Cup this season (more than any other college) in Stephen Gionta and Peter Harrold for the New Jersey Devils and former star defenseman Rob Scuderi for the LA Kings. It should be a great series but either way, it's a win for the BC hockey program with just another former player(s) winning on the highest level.

My Prediction- Devils in 6. 

Have a great weekend, 

GO EAGLES !

Catching Up

It has been quite a while since I last posted on the blog and in reality, there is not too much going on right now in the world of BC Hockey. The one thing I have not posted about but have been tweeting about is the 5 million dollar donation to endow the head hockey coaching postion at Boston College. The person who made the donation has asked to remain anonymous therefore, I have no idea who it was. Today, two future Eagles in Chris Calnan and Adam Gilmoure (both Nobles guys) were drafted in the USHL draft. Gilmoure went in the second round while Calnan went in the tenth. On the recruiting front, there is not much going on but it should be noted that Providence College picked up a big recruit this week in goalie Jon Gillies (Previously committed to Northeastern). This is just more salt in the wounds of the Huskies after they lost some recruit named Johnny Gaudreau last season to another Hockey East team. No idea who the guy is though. On the scheduling front, BC's non conference opponents have been announced as the Eagles will take on Dartmouth, Yale, and Notre Dame @ Conte Forum and will also travel out to St. Paul, MN for the Mariucci Classic (Hosted by the University of Minnesota) over Christmas break. Another topic that should be mentioned is BC's success in these NHL playoffs. The Eagles currently have five former players remaining in the playoffs. The biggest surprise however may be the successes of Chris Kreider who has quickly blossomed into one of the premier players on one of the NHL's best teams. Chris' speed, shot, and size allows him to be a major factor on the pro level. It is really cool to see a guy adjust from the college game to the the pros in such a short amount of time. 

There are no early departures to report around Hockey East as there certainly won't be anybody bolting out of Chestnut Hill any time soon. The biggest threat to leave around the league is BU defenseman Adam Clendening but all sources say that he will stay at BU for his junior season. Also, I can tell you that BC's schedule will not be finalized until early September but we should be able to put all the pieces together based on other opponents' schedules that come out before BC's. Anyways, that is really all. I hope all of you are enjoying the off season and are hitting the golf ball straight.

Until next time,

GO EAGLES

Eagles to open year with Huskies

While the schedule is still not available for next year, I can tell you that BC will raise it's 2012 National Championship banner versus Northeastern on Friday October 12th @ Conte Forum. The Eagles were 4-0 versus Northeastern this past season.

Changing of the Guard in Boston Hockey

When you talk about great rivalries, you are not just talking about teams that are close in distance to each other or the famous players that each team has but you are talking about the history of what makes that rivalry so great. If you are a Boston hockey fan, you have to pick a side when it comes to college hockey. It's either Boston College (the good side) or the dark side, Boston University. It's really not hard, if you like hockey and you live in Boston, you must pick a side, even if you have no interest in college hockey. When you talk about great rivalries in college sports, there are certainly some great ones like UNC Duke, UCLA USC, Michigan Ohio State, and many others but none compare to the intensity that is BC BU hockey. For a long time in this storied rivalry, the Terriers owned the Eagles as they seemed to win every big game versus us whether it was the Beanpot, Hockey East, or NCAA tournament. However, since a man by the name of Jerry York returned to his alma matter, he has led his Eagles to 15 years of dominance over their greatest rival. My dad always says to me, "You're lucky to be a BC hockey fan now because for so long they (BU) dominated us all the time". Every year in the 80's and 90's even when we had teams that consisted of guys like Janney, Leetch, Stevens, and Brown, the Eagles couldn't quite overtake the Terriers as the kings of college hockey in Boston. 

The biggest award when you talk about BC and BU is National Championships. The two teams have combined for 10 in total and four in the last five years (3 from BC). Just a couple years into the Jerry York era at BC, BU won another National Championship making it four for the Terriers and just one for BC. Let's just say since that BU championship in 95, it's been all Eagles. Disagree ? Look at the numbers. We have made ten Frozen Fours since 1998 while BU has made just one. Since 1998, we have four National Championships, they have one. Since 1998, we have won eleven Hockey East championships while they have won just four (including 1998). Let's not forget that the Eagles are an amazing 8-2-1 all time at BU's Agganis Arena. Another amazing number is that BC is 5-2 in it's last seven games at the TD Garden versus BU including three straight victories dating back to the 2010 Beanpot finals. 

If you are a BU fan reading this right now, come on, be honest, you had your time but now is the time of the Eagles. BU fans will argue with "Well, we beat you at Fenway". Guess what, there was no trophy on the line during that Fenway game. When there are trophies on the line between these two ancient rivals, it seems that as of late, it's always the Eagles that come out on top and there is nothing wrong with that. 

Until next time, 

GO EAGLES 

Sullivan to Attend BC this season

As we reported yesterday, Collin Sullivan (Avon Old Farms) will be attending Boston College but we didn't know what year. We now know that Sullivan, a Canadiens draft pick, will be attending BC this season. The defenseman coming in next year will be Matheson, Jeke, Piazza, Doherty, and now Sullivan.

Eagles Pick up Collin Sullivan

While it has been rumored for a while now, I am finally able to confirm that Collin Sullivan (A former Yale recruit) has now committed to Boston College. The part I have not been able to confirm but am 95 % sure about is that Sullivan will be coming to the Heights next season. If in fact Sullivan (a Canadiens draft pick) does come next year, it would be a huge boost to an already young defensive core.

Until next time,

GO EAGLES !

Recruiting Update

Now that it's the offseason, the news everyone wants to know about is what is happening in the land of recruiting. The big news this week was that Jack Eichel (96, Jr Bruins), committed to the other school down Comm Ave instead of the nicer one. I think everyone (including myself) was surprised by this move especially with the type of success that BC is having and what is going on down on the ugly side of the street. Anyways, this really isn't a huge loss as the Eagles have already landed the biggest 2015 recruit out there in Noah Hanifin (St Sebastians ) and also picked up Colin White (Nobles) for the following year. In regards to next years class, I think the two big guns of the class are Mike Matheson (defenseman) and Frank Vatrano (forward) both of whom will need to have a big impact on the team next year. Matheson, along with Travis Jeke and Teddy Doherty will need to fill in the big shoes left open thanks to the losses of Cross, Dumoulin, and Shea. I think up front is where this team is going to be really strong next year. Yes we lose three really key guys in Paul Carey, Chris Kreider, and Barry Almeida but guys like Steven Whitney, Pat Mullane, and Bill Arnold are primed for big seasons next year (Not to mention some guy named Johnny Gaudreau). Now, there are a lot of rumors out there that Collin Sullivan, a former Yale commit, has now decided on BC. Sullivan is a Montreal Canadiens draft pick and is "a highly skilled two way defenseman" - a Canadiens message board. I am pretty sure Sullivan is coming here but I just don't know what year. If he were to come next year, it would certainly be a big help for the team.

Overall, I think next years class is going to be pretty solid when it's all said and done. Is it as good as the 13 class ? No, but some players in this class could really end up being good players. Like I said earlier, whoever the defenseman are next year, they are going to need to play some really solid hockey in order for this team to be good. On the scheduling front, Merrimack released their schedule and they will come to Conte on 11/16 and we will go up their on the 15th and 23 of February. Well, thats all I have for you tonight. The 5k Race For Education was great as everyone on the team was there for it. Great to see that kind of support from the guys on a Saturday afternoon.

Until next time,

GO EAGLES

Where Does This Team Rank Among The Best Hockey East Teams of All Time ?

The title above, "Where does this BC team rank among the all time best in Hockey East " ? is certainly a good one and could be a great debate. Here is what I have to say, I think this is the third best team in the history of Hockey East. The first place team without a doubt is the 1993 Maine Black Bears who steamrolled everyone and went 42-1-2 on their way to a National Title. The second best time in my opinion is the 2001 Boston College Eagles. When you look at this team compared to the 01 Eagles, you could certainly make the argument that this is the more talented squad but 01 Eagles just didn't miss a beat. Other teams that would be up there are the 2010 Eagles and the 2009 and 1995 Terriers. When I look at this team, because of their slow start I don't think it's fair to put them above the 2001 squad or the 93 Black Bears. If the team played like they did post Maine series in the beginning of the year, then maybe we would be talking about the best Hockey East team ever. I mean compare the 01 and 12 teams and you see some striking similarities. Both teams won the Hockey East championship, Beanpot championship (Both over BU !), and National Championship in dominating fashion. I guess thats just the DNA of a Jerry York coached hockey team, you don't lose in the playoffs. Anyways, the 09 BU team was admittedly pretty darn good as they had Matt Gilroy and Collin Wilson to help them to their 5th National Championship. I'm not saying this in a bias way or anything but that was not the best Hockey East team I have ever seen. sure they were good but we managed to play them tough three times out of four and should have beat them in the Hockey East semifinals. UNH has also had some good teams but unlike the Eagles, the DNA for a UNH hockey team is to just completely throw it in reverse come playoff time.  Some other teams that could also be in the top five are the 99 Black Bears (National Champs), 2011 Eagles, 99 UNH Wildcats, and the 2004 Maine Black Bears. So here is my final list..

1. 1993 Maine Black Bears 

2. 2001 Boston College Eagles 

3. 2012 Boston College Eagles 

4. 2009 Boston University Terriers

5. 2010 Boston College Eagles 

Until next time, 

GO EAGLES 

Coach York: The Greatest

Coach York and the team after his 900th win. 

When you talk to someone at say ESPN about the best coaches in the history of NCAA division one athletics, mostly all of them will say the names Wooden, Coach K, Summit, Bryant, and maybe Sabin. The name almost all of them will leave out is the best coach in the history of college hockey, Jerry York. There are a lot of great coaches this sport has seen (Berenson, Mason, Parker, and Comley) but none are compared to the legend that is Coach Jerry York. Simply put it, he is the greatest figure in this schools athletics history, the greatest figure in Hockey East history, and the greatest figure in the history of NCAA hockey. What is the best part about Coach York ? His enthusiasm for the sport of hockey. It could be -10 degrees outside, the team could be in a rough stretch, and the other coaches may be tired from recruiting but everyday/night Coach York lives by the term "Everyday is a great day for hockey". One player told me this year that they obviously want to win games for the school and standings etc but they also don't want to lose for the man that gave the opportunity to come to this wonderful school. The biggest thing you have to do as a coach is you have to have the kids buy into your system, no matter the sport. At Boston College, Coach York not only gets kids to buy into his system but he gets them so excited to play night in and night out.

I think when you compare BC to other college hockey programs around the country, the way that Coach and his team go about business is as close to professional as it gets. Like I said in an earlier post, there has never been a better mix of a coach, disciplinarian, and person like Jerry York. With all of the problems going on in college athletics today, it just makes BC and Coach York look that much better. Boston College is certainly a model program for every other program in the sport to follow. You will never meet a man that loves what he does more than Coach York. I mean, the man loves Boston College, specifically BC hockey. Many players have said that Coach York is like a second father for them and he is certainly a role model for the players on that team and people like me who are always looking to be a " good person" such as Jerry York is.

Until next time,

GO EAGLES

Catching Up

Well, the feeling of being National Champions may not wear off until puckdrop in October but there are still a lot of things that we need to get settled before opening night. The first thing is scheduling. While I don't know the full schedule yet, BC is rumored to be playing non conference games versus Yale, Notre Dame, Holy Cross and the tournament out in St. Paul over Christmas break. The tournament is already confirmed and the Notre Dame game is on November 9th @ Conte Forum according to sources. Yale has been confirmed for a while now. Also, BC is also rumored to be playing old rival Holy Cross the day after Thanksgiving, also at Conte Forum. That game however has not been confirmed. As of now, here is what we know about next years Hockey East schedule. Here is what we have.

BU- 1 @ Conte, 2 @ Agganis

UNH- 2 @ Conte, 1 @ the White

Maine- 2 @ Conte, 1 @ Alfond

NU- 1 @ Conte, 2 @ Matthews

Vermont- 1 @ Conte, 2 @ the Gut

UMass- 2 @ Conte, 1 @ the Mullins

Lowell- 2 @ Conte, 1 @ Tsongas

PC- 1 @ Conte, 2 @ Schneider

MC- 1 @ Conte, 2 @ Lawler

I like how that pans out for BC. I mean two games @ Agganis is basically two wins already and thankfully we only play in the hostile confines of the Alfond just once. UMass and Lowell are two teams that could be in contention for home ice next year so it is good to get them twice at home. The Eagles have been good @ PC but do struggle from time to time @ MC and @ UVM even though those teams will not be very good next year.

On the recruiting front, BC lost a big recruiting battle to archrival Boston University this week when Jack Eichel (Chelmsford, MA) committed to play at the awful school on Comm Ave instead of the good one. It is Unfortunate for the Eagles and the staff but it certainly will not be a killer as the years go on. It also appears that Mike Piazza, who was rumored to be held back a year due to concussions, will start his BC career next as he seems to be back at 100 %. Right now, here is what we have for recruits coming in next year.

Forward- Vatrano, McMullen, Silk, Richardson

Defense- Jeke, Matheson, Piazza, Doherty

As we reported earlier today, Pat Mullane was elected by his peers to be next years captain. I personally love this move for many reason. Like the captains before him, Pat is a leader on and off the ice and is definitely one of the hardest workers in the program right now. Definitely a well deserved job that comes with a lot of duties but I am sure Pat will be able to handle it. I think Pat Wey and Steven Whitney will also be great assistant captains based on what they have brought to the table in their first three years here at BC.

I don't really have anything else for you as of now but I should be learning more about the schedule for next year in the next couple of weeks. If your looking for something to do this weekend make sure to stop by Conte and run in the BC Race to Educate. It is a 5K run benefiting  the St Columbkille School in Brighton. The hockey team will also be there to show their support. Stop by !

Until next time,

GO EAGLES

Pat Mullane named 2012-13 Captain

Senior Pat Mullane has been named next years captain by his peers this afternoon Coach York announced. Steven Whitney and Patrick Wey will serve as assistant captains on the squad. I think Pat is the perfect fit for the captains spot. There are a lot of similarities between him and past captains such as Tommy Cross, Matty Price, and Joe Whitney that will make him a great captain. Congratulations to both Pats and Steven for earning this job !