Thoughts On The Mike Ayers Hire

I like this hire. A lot. Simple as that. We're going to have the forwards, the goal scoring, and the type of defenseman that can jump up and make plays next season. The biggest question mark is going to be the defense, especially the play of Thatcher Demko (who I think will get the job). Hiring Demko's USNDT coach is as ingenious a move as Coach York and Coach Brown could have made. I mean, Demko is going to be this kid from Southern California who probably has no clue what college hockey means in this area, therefore and he might have a hard time adjusting to the expectations and pressures at the start of the season. Enter Mike Ayers. I think having a familiar face around Demko next season is going to really help him blossom into the "next" goaltender in the long line of greats that have played @ Boston College. Now, let's get real here. The kid is 18. He may not start right off the bat. I mean can you imagine walking in and your coaches saying "kid you're in our first game and o yhea, it's @ MICHIGAN". Hello.

Of course, the staff didn't hire Ayers on the soul basis of helping a guy like Thatcher Demko. They probably saw lots of traits that Ayers posses from years of experience @ UNH, St Cloud, the USNDT, and in the AHL. I think his skill and expertise are really going to bode well with the players once October rolls around.

Here is my biggest question regarding this hire. How quickly/how well is Coach Ayers going to adjust to the land of college hockey recruiting. It's so difficult to recruit against the North Dakotas, the Minnesotas, and the Michigans of the worlds these days and now with the NHL Draft and kids leaving after one year, it's almost impossible to get star talent to stay for more than two years. I think if Coach Ayers can immerse himself into the Boston College Hockey program and find out what makes this program so special, then he will be able to go out to Vancouver, Minnesota, New York, Connecticut, or anywhere else there is quality talent and he will be able to attract these guys to BC.

Personally, I cannot wait to meet Coach Ayers this fall (He's going to wonder who the nut is at practice everyday anyway) and I certainly wish him the very best as he begins this new adventure here @ Boston College.

Go Eagles !

Breaking- Mike Ayers Hired As Assistant Coach

Former New Hampshire goaltender Michael Ayers has been selected as the next assistant hockey coach @ Boston College. Ayers, a standout for the Wildcats from the years 2000-2004, will bring valuable experience gained from coaching the USNDT, and from being the goaltending coach @ St Cloud State, and with the Iowa Chops of the AHL (Ducks affiliate).

Welcome to the Heights Coach Ayers !

Go Eagles !

Assistant Coaching Search Update

This afternoon, College Hockey News reporter Scott McLaughlin reported that both former Boston College defenseman Mike Mottau and former UNH goalie Mike Ayers are finalist for the BC assistant coaching vacancy. If you don't remember who Ayers is, he was a fantastic goalie for the Wildcats a couple years back. The most interesting thing about him ? He coached Thatcher Demko last season with the USNDT. It is believed that the staff is looking for a "goaltending specialist" who can help with the young goaltenders coming in over the next few seasons.

The second guy, well, you all know who he is. Mike Mottau is not just a great player. He is one of the greatest defenseman in the history of college hockey and he is one of just two Hobey Baker winners from the Heights. I suspected from the very beginning of this search that Mottau would be one of the guys in the hunt. He has all the qualities that I think Coach York and Coach Brown are looking for in their next colleague and I think the experience of playing at all levels of the game could prove invaluable on the bench.

UPDATE !! (5 PM May 25th)

We have learned that former Eagles Ben Eaves and Jeff Giulano are candidates to land the job. That brings us up to 4 candidates.

Ben Eaves

Jeff Giulano

Mike Ayers

Mike Mottau

Go Eagles.

Updates

It's been so long since I wrote on this thing that I was beginning to forget about it. Well, maybe not. Anyways. I've got a couple updates for you.

Boston College will open next season @ Michigan on Thursday October 10th. The Eagles will play just one game in Ann Arbor before heading back home to play RPI.

I've got nothing on the assistant coaching search. As soon as I get some stuff that I can report, you'll be the first to know. One guy that you can cross off the list (he may never have been on it) is Albie O'Connell who will be staying @ Harvard next season even though he had offers to coach @ BU and UConn.

Ian McCoshen was named to the USHL first team while Austin Cangelosi made the second team.

Here are the BC guys remaining in the NHL playoffs-

New York Rangers- Chris Kreider and Brian Boyle

Detroit Red Wings- Patrick Eaves

Pittsburgh Penguins- Brooks Orpik

LA Kings- Robert Scuderi

The 2013-14 schedule is complete except for one game (Harvard). You can view it in the "13-14 Schedule" tab.

I'd like to congratulate Pat Mullane, Parker Milner, Pat Wey, Patch Alber, Steven Whitney, Brooks Dyroff, and Frank Maguire (team manager) on graduating earlier this week. Each of these guys did amazing things for this program and I wish them the best of luck as they move on from Boston College.

Go Eagles.

Eagles to Host Army on November 10th

West Point released their hockey schedule today and it confirmed an early report that the Eagles will indeed take on the Black Knights this season in Chestnut Hill. The two will face-off on Sunday November 10th @ Conte Forum, two days after Boston College takes on Boston University at Agganis Arena.

The schedule is almost full. Check out the "2013-14 Schedule" page for the complete list. Still have games vs Michigan and Harvard missing.

BREAKING- Coach Cav Takes UConn Job

Well, we all knew this day was coming but now that it is here, it certainly stings. Mike Cavanaugh has accepted the head coaching position at the University of Connecticut, thus ending a phenomenal career at BC, in which he helped bring 4 National Championships.

What can I say ? Coach Cav is not just another assistant coach that left to take another job. No. Not even close. There is no chance the Eagles would have dominated as much as they did with the talent that they had without Coach Cav. Guys like Ben Eaves, Johnny G, Nathan Gerbe, and Brian Gionta don't just grow on trees. You actually have to go out and find these guys and then convince them to come to your school. Coach Cav didn't just do that, he did it in the highest possible manner without ever breaking any sort of rules (a rarity in college athletics today). I can assure you that BC Hockey would not be where it is today without Mike Cavanaugh and I can also tell you that it's going to be a pretty substantial loss not having him on the recruiting trail from here on out.

Anyways, on the behalf of all BC Hockey fans, supporters, players, boosters etc, I would like to thank Mike Cavanaugh for all he did for this program, this school, and for this blog. He could have just walked away and never said a word to me but he was always there for questions and never hesitated to offer some advice or tell me to chill out after a rant about the lineup or the power play.

Thank you Coach Cav for all you did. You will be missed.

GO EAGLES !