Season Preview Part I: The Defense

On Saturday night, the #1 Boston College Eagles will take the ice for the first time this season in an exhibition game versus the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds, commencing the 94th season in the history of the program. Instead of doing one massive season preview, I am going to break it into a couple different parts, one about the defense and one about the forwards. Let's take a look at this year's blue line.

A season ago, the Eagles boasted one of the best defensive cores in college hockey but after the  departures of Michael Matheson and Noah Hanifin, the staff will be relying on juniors Ian McCoshen and Steve Santini to log big minutes. I expected the Eagles to be the top team in the conference in terms of goals against last year but instead, they finished with a 2.39 goals against average, good for 4th in Hockey East. Of course, many around the league are raising questions about BC's blue line because they will be breaking in two freshmen, Casey Fitzgerald and Josh Couturier. Unlike Hanifin or other recent rookies, these two are not highly drafted NHL prospects but they will be asked to come in and contribute right off the bat.  I expect that McCoshen, Santini, Savage, and Doherty will get the majority of the minutes when it comes to penalty kills but I could certainly see a scenario in which one of those two rookies gets a look on the second power play unit. Going back to the questions about BC's D, I certainly see why people would have their doubts but let's remember that the best BC teams are built from the forward position on out. They tried to play a slower, more defensive style last year and it just didn't click for them. The reason I am optimistic about this back end is because I think they will be given ample opportunities to grow as the season goes on. In fact, Boston College plays just one NCAA tournament team from last season before Christmas break (Denver). The lack of depth on the back end is a bit of cause for concern but I think we will see the staff drastically cut back on McCoshen and Santini's minutes in games that are out of hand. I wonder if they would even consider dressing just 11 forwards and 7 defensemen because they have all the depth they need up front, why not add another guy to the back end to play every couple shifts in order to keep guys fresh?

Here is a bit on the expectations for each of BC's defensemen.

Ian McCoshen- I don't know if there is a guy I would rather want on my blue line than Ian McCoshen. He is tough, contributes offensively, shuts down other teams' top guys, and has the best shot I've ever seen at BC. This season, he will undoubtedly play the most minutes on the team, maybe even the league. I expect that he will anchor BC's top power play unit along with the first penalty killing squad, two things he also did a year ago. The only worry I have this year when it comes to #3 is his ability to stay fresh because he is going to play a ton.

Steve Santini- Like McCoshen, junior alternate captain Steve Santini will garner huge minutes throughout the year, especially vs the top players on the other end of the ice. Since his freshman season, Santini has been thrown right into the fire and has often succeeded. He doesn't have much of an offensive side to his game but he will join forces with McCoshen on BC's top penalty killing unit and will also be on the ice any time the Eagles are in need of a late game defensive stand. Of course, there was a big hole in BC's defensive core when "The Sheriff" missed 16 games a season ago due to injury. Hopefully he can stay healthy this year and become the driving force behind a BC defense that will certainly be relived of the pressure they faced last year.

Scott Savage- First off, I want to say that I'm a big fan of Scott Savage. I think he showed a ton of upside both offensively and defensively freshman year. However, he took a bit of a step back a season ago as he recorded 0 goals and a -7 rating, lowest out of any BC defenseman. Despite the ups and downs of last winter, I think a renewed offense will allow Scott to take more shots at the blue line and spend less time in his own end, an obvious formula for success. I thought the pace at which the team played at a season ago really affected #2 because he didn't have time to make any plays in the offensive zone and since the forwards had such a tough time moving the puck up ice, he often got stuck in his own end. It is my hope that the staff gives him another chance on the power play because he has an absolute rocket of a shot that found the net 4 times in 2014 to go along with 14 helpers. Look for a bounce back year from the junior out of California.

Teddy Doherty- The senior captain epitomizes everything you want in a BC Hockey player. He plays his heart out every game, has improved drastically from year to year due to his hard work, and possesses all the tools necessary to led this team both on and off the ice. The Hopkinton native was second amongst defensemen in points last year with 6 goals and 17 assists to go along with a +15 rating. I would certainly say he was BC's most consistent blue liner a year ago and I think that will carry over to this year. Doherty is an exceptional puck mover, especially on the man advantage. I'm not sure how they will sort out the blue line on the power play but I think #4 should be on the first unit along with McCoshen. With the skill up front, you have to wonder if the staff will go back to a four or five forward first unit. Anyways, I'm thinking big things are ahead for BC's senior leader.

Casey Fitzgerald- Now we get into the unknowns. The younger brother of Ryan comes to Chestnut Hill a bit under the radar after failing to get drafted in June. I've only watched him a few times but I think he will fit in just fine at BC with his smooth stride and offensive instinct. Again, I think there is a chance Casey gets some minutes on the power play early on as the staff plays around with different combinations. I would be surprised if #5 isn't paired with a seasoned vet like McCoshen or Santini in the early going to help offset any miscues in the defensive end. In talking with some people inside the program, there is feeling that if either Fitzgerald or Couturier can play at a high level for a large chunk of the season, it will make this team that much better because let's be honest, playing four guys every night will be tough. The staff doesn't need the newcomers to be the next Bobby Orr or Nick Lidstrom but they have got to find a way to play mistake free hockey this year.

Josh Couturier- The former Northeastern commit is the biggest question mark for me simply because I have only seen him play two or three times. Coach York described the Newburyport native as a "sleeper for us. He's a little older and he will bring good size to our defense. We believe he will be a contributor throughout the season." I think Coach hit the nail on the head, like usual. No one really knows how Couturier is going to adjust from playing in the USPHL to Hockey East but the good news is that he is physically on par with everybody else, he just has to get used to the speed of the game.

Travis Jeke- The senior defenseman out of Pittsburgh will provide some depth for the Eagles this season. I think he will certainly play between 7-15 games, depending on what happens with injuries and the performance of the the two freshmen. Like I said in the first paragraph, I think Jeke is a perfectly reliable 6th guy in the rotation who, believe it or not, has some skill to work with.

Hey, if you're worried about the defense don't get too anxious. Coach Brown will get them going in no time and even if they struggle at times, having the best forward group of the Coach York era won't hurt at all.

Go Eagles

Updates

With only a few days remaining until the start of hockey season, the Eagles continue to gear up for their exhibition game versus New Brunswick on Saturday night. The staff keeps playing around with different line combinations, here is what they had in store today.

Tuch-Sanford-Bracco

Wood-Cangelosi-Calnan

Fitzgerald-White-Gilmour

Gaudreau-Brown-Silk 

I would expect that those are the combinations they will use vs UNB but depending on what works and what doesn't, they could certainly mix it up before Army next Friday. Thatcher Demko was on the ice once again and looked as good as usual. I think we will see him between the pipes on opening night. 

Central Scouting came out with their annual September rankings this afternoon. Boston College landed 6 guys on the list- McInnis, Walker, Casey Fitzgerald, McPhee, Woll, and Campoli. That ties arch rival Boston University and Wisconsin for the most in college hockey

I will have the first part of my season preview up tonight around 8 o'clock. 

Go Eagles

McInnis Named MVP of All-American Prospects Game

BC recruit Luke McInnis took home MVP honors last night at the All American Prospects game in Buffalo, New York. McInnis, who will play for the Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) this year, scored the game winning goal in the third period. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to watch much of the game but according to those that did, 2016 recruit Mike Campoli stood out on both ends. SB Nation's Jeff Cox added that another 2016 recruit, Graham McPhee, is one of the most improved players on the NTDP squad along with Wisconsin commit Trent Frederic.

All in all, a solid night for the future Eagles.

I'll have my full length season preview up at some point next week.

Go Eagles

Eagles Pick Up Another Top 99

Coach York and his staff continued their recruiting upswing as USNTDP U17 forward Joe Cassetti committed this evening. The 6'2 forward out of Pleaseanton, California has recorded 3 goals in 4 games this season for an NTDP squad that also features BC commit Jacob Tortora. Cassetti made a strong impression on the staff this weekend at the USHL Pittsburgh Showcase, a tournament in which both Coach Brown and Coach Ayers attended.

This is another strong addition for BC's already potent recruiting pipeline. Their most recent gets of Pat Giles, Spencer Knight, and Cassetti, along with previous verbals from Tortora and TJ Walsh, are strong indications that the Eagles will certainly be contending for National Titles well beyond this season.

Here is a report from Jeff Cox on Cassetti.

Go Eagles !

First Practice Observations

I got my first glimpse of the 2015-16 Eagles today. The first thing observation I had was the pace at which the team was going at, even if it was just their third or fourth time together on the ice. Comparing the tempo of last year's practices to this year would be like comparing the speed of Honda Pilot and a Corvette.

Earlier today, Coach York told the Hockey East media that Thatcher Demko may not be ready for opening night, "He is not 100% yet but by the end of October, early November, he should be fully healed." Demko was on the ice today and from what I could tell, there were no instances in which he showed a lot of pain. Sure, we all want him in the net vs Army on October 9th but the reality is that this team should be able to beat their first four opponents relatively easily before things get a bit tougher in November. It is not the end of the world if he has to miss the first three or four games.

It is still early in the preseason but here are the lines the staff rolled out today.

Wood-Sanford-Calnan

Fitzgerald-Brown-Gilmour

Bracco-Cangelosi-Tuch

Gaudreau-White-Silk/Dudek 

Certainly, there are some interesting combinations but I doubt the staff will have the same exact lineup for opening night. 

On another note, BC was voted #1 in the Hockey East coaches poll for the 14th time in the last 17 years. Not bad. 

Go Eagles. 

Hockey East Media Selects Boston College As Preseason #1

20 of 35 Hockey East media members selected Boston College as the #1 team in Hockey East for the 2015-16 season. BC received 397 points overall, followed by BU who received 374. The Eagles also landed 3 players on the all Hockey East first team.  

Final order- 

1. Boston College 

2. Boston University 

3. Lowell 

4. Providence 

5. Notre Dame 

6. Vermont 

7. Northeastern 

8. UNH 

9. UConn 

10. Merrimack 

11. Maine 

12. UMass 

First team all Hockey East as voted by the media -

F- Tyler Kelleher (UNH) 

F- Danny O'Regan (BU

F- Kevin Roy (NU) 

F- Alex Tuch (BC) 

D- Ian McCoshen (BC) 

D- Matt Grzelyck (BU) 

G- Thatcher Demko (BC) 

Go Eagles

Recruiting Links

I know some of you are not on Twitter so I wanted to pass along these two recruiting links.

The first is a total clown show from the International Scouting Service, which listed the top 30 freshmen in college hockey. Of course, BC had two of the top four guys (White #1, Bracco #4) along with Chris Brown (#17) but in what was perhaps the most stunning thing I saw all day, Miles Wood was not on the list. Sure, it is awesome that college hockey has so many top end guys coming in this year but not one of them made the US World Jr team last season. Miles Wood did. It's a complete joke that he isn't on there. Here is the list

On the good side of things, SB Nation's Jeff Cox, who is as neutral as it gets when it comes to this stuff, ranked BC the #1 recruiting class in Hockey East. It takes someone that really dislikes BC to say that a class with the #21 overall pick, one of the highest scoring players in NTDP history, and the only freshman to make the WJC team, is not the #1 class. Unfortunately, those people are all around the internet but be sure to pray for them because they are in for a long year.

Let's be honest for a second. These rankings don't really matter that much but it just goes to show just how much people will not give BC any credit. How in the world is Miles Wood not on that list? How? How can one take a glance at BC's projected lineup and not say they're the preseason number one team? Am I lenient towards BC? Of course I am, but I've been around long enough to know that this the best forward group Coach York has ever had yet they're not everyone's preseason number one. Insane. Again, all these preseason rankings don't pull too much weight but it just goes to show that the anti-BC media machine is once again gaining steam.


Go Eagles

Possible Lineup Projection

I was on my way home from school this afternoon and I glanced over to my dashboard in order to switch the music that was playing. As I was doing this, the date September 14th jumped right out at me like a bat out of hell, signaling hockey season is almost here. It feels like that Denver loss took place five years ago  but I have to say, the offseason was a heck of a lot better thanks to Nate Leaman and the Providence College Friars. I am going to hold off on any "official" season previews for a few weeks but I think it would be a good idea to take a peek at some potential lineups. Of course, the staff will be welcoming in a ten man freshmen class headed by Jeremy Bracco, Miles Wood, and Colin White. Accompanying this new "big three" will be returnees Alex Tuch, Adam Gilmour, Ryan Fitzgerald, and Zach Sanford. I'm going to say this one last time so we can get it on the record. On paper, compared to the rest of the teams throughout college hockey, this is the most talented squad Coach York has produced at BC. Of course, the 2001, 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2014 teams were probably a little more stacked but college hockey as a whole was also a lot stronger in those years. By my count, Boston College will have the most NHL draft picks of any team at 13 (BU has 11).

A lot of pundits have released their Hockey East preseason polls over the course of these past couple days and many have sighted BC's defensive depth, or lack thereof, as a concern. I certainly see why people are hesitant to crown the Eagles after the departures of Mike Matheson and Noah Hanifin but historically, our best teams have been built on high powered offense, not stifling defenses. That is not to say that defense is not important, because of course it is a huge part of the game but let's not sit here and say Scott Savage and Teddy Doherty are minuscule pieces. If Savage can get back to playing the way he was in 2014 and newcomers Casey Fitzgerald and Josh Couturier can play solid hockey, the D will be fine. The biggest key this season for the D core will be it's ability to stay healthy because there is not a ton of depth back there. If Fitzgerald, Savage, and Couturier can show the staff early on that they can be relied on during key situations, that will go a long way in keeping Doherty, McCoshen, and Santini fresh. Sure, it's a little bit of a question mark but I think Coach Brown will get them going by midseason.

McCoshen-Doherty 

Santini- Fitzgerald 

Savage- Couturier 

Of course, the big guns on this team lie within the forward corps. As I said earlier, you could argue (like I do) that this is Coach York's best forward group in the past fifteen years. This is the first time in a long time where will have three lines, perhaps even four, that will have a legitimate chance to play against an opponent's top line night in and night out. For example, we couldn't match up versus teams like BU and Minnesota up front because they had first lines that blew our third out of the water. This time around, you could make the argument that BC's third line is better than anybody else's first line. I think these first three weeks of practice are going to be highly competitive because there are three or four freshmen that have a legit chance to play top nine minutes right off the bat. On top of that, BC returns all of it's top six forwards from a team, that despite all it's struggles, made the NCAAs. I haven't been to any practices yet so I'm not sure what the staff has in mind but I think they absolutely must put Tuch, Sanford, and Bracco together. If you can combine Bracco and Sanford's play making abilities with Tuch's finishing touch, then that would be flat out lethal. Also, the center position is a question mark because both Adam Gilmour and Colin White have a real chance at being the second line center. Perhaps they will move White to right wing and match him with Gilmour and Fitzgerald. Here is what I'm thinking 

Bracco-Sanford-Tuch

Fitzgerald-Gilmour-White

Wood-Cangelosi-Calnan

Gaudreau-Brown-Dudek/Silk 

Of course, things will fluctuate between now and October 9th but it's just nice to be talking some hockey again. 

Recruiting note- Mark Divver of the Providence Journal that BC may be in the mix for 2000 forward Joel Farabee, a former UNH commit. 

Go Eagles ! 

Remembering Welles Crowther and 9/11

It is my hope that you have already seen the video I linked here but I try and get around to posting it on every anniversary of 9/11 to remember what Welles and so many others sacrificed for our country.

Go Eagles

My Preseason Hockey East Picks

Although it is still probably a bit early to do this, I got an email a couple nights ago about my preseason Hockey East projections so I figured I would post them on the blog before I forgot. Of course, I am always a bit biased towards BC guys but I actually think most of the picks will be unanimous. Under a month baby!

My predicted order of finish-

1. Obviously

2. UMass- Lowell

3. Boston University

4. Providence

5. Northeastern

6. UConn

7. Vermont

8. Merrimack

9. Notre Dame

10. UNH

11. UMass

12. Maine

First team all Hockey East- Tuch (BC), Roy (NU), Bracco (BC), McCoshen (BC), Grzelyck (BU), Demko (BC)

That is all they asked for. Go Eagles !

Athletic Department To Provide Cost of Attendance Stipends

Earlier this year, Boston College was the only Power 5 team to vote against the cost of attendance stipends which would give student athletes extra money to spend on living expenses. Although BC was the only "nay" in the meeting, they fully expected that the measure would pass and had always planned on providing funds to athletes on scholarship. I cannot speak for other programs because I don't know what their situation is but I do know that the athletic department will be providing the cost of attendance to men's ice hockey players. I would assume that every other program on campus would get some kind of support, whether it is for all players or only the ones that are on full rides.

The only other teams in Hockey East that have also come out and stated they will provide the COAs are UMass-Amherst, Providence, and Notre Dame. At the end of the day, I think every institution will eventually put this into action, however, UMaine has said that they will not be able to provide their student athletes with this money.

No matter what the actual amount of money is (I assume around $2,700), this should certainly help the staff in their recruiting efforts. Personally, I am an advocate for the payment of student-athletes and I think this is a good start but as time goes on, I think you will see that number of 2,000-3,000 increase substantially.

Go Eagles