UCONN New Athletic Director

[FDNY99]

Thompson and Letunov are great players but they are both very raw still and almost exclusively offense, plus they can't alone carry the team. Nichols can/does (like the weekend he had vs. Maine)

And in Thompson's case sure, he is a great player and will be a force but to say he's the best on the team when he has 1 5v5 goal is a huge stretch. zls is wrong. Sorry dude.

Mike Liut was a GREAT player...Sean Burke was a good player who IMHO was very over rated..,.having seen both at the Hartford Civic Center many times that's my opinion. I'm using this because you seem to be pre-occupied with bringing the Whalers back..which I commend you for.
Robbie Nichols is the most important player for this team..BUT Thompson and especially Letunov are kids with talent NEVER seen before wearing a UConn ice hockey uniform. I have been watching UConn hockey since the early 80's when I would get my dad to bring me to games at the old open air rink on campus. It amazes me that people here on this board and I'm gonna name you and Mr Cav hater @hockeyfan44 in that group just think this program should start right up and play with the top teams in HE right away. You wouldn't think or expect that from the football tema if we suddenly started playing in the SEC so why is it any different for the hockey team. Robbie Nichols has the rest of this year and all of next year to finish up his eligibility. I wouldn't expect Cavanaugh, Joe Periera or Brendan Buckley to bring in a top flight replacement until the 2017-2018 season. That means they have this recruiting cycle and next recruiting cycle to get a goalie. If at this time next season they haven't signed a goalie yet..then yeah I'm worried. I'm gonna cut Mike Cavanaugh slack until he can recruit kids to a new on-campus facility. I don't know if you are old enough to remember but Jim Calhoun had a VERY hard time getting decent kids until they opened Gampel. The Fieldhouse was a dump. Freitas compared to the rest of HE..is a dump and not acceptable. @hockeyfan44 talks about how the coach at PSU would have made a good choice to bring in as coach instead of Cav...why would that guy even think of coming to UConn when his ON-campus facility makes both the XL AND Freitas look like something from a 3rd world country. This isn't gonna be easy...if you entered this with the understanding there would be a LOT more a s s kickings taken than given then you won't be disappointed. Should Cav have not changed up his style of play like he has said he was going to do in the pre-season...who knows. I thought Mike Cavanaugh was there right choice when he was hired by Warde Manuel..and I think so today. And you know what...when I talk to my neighbor about hockey she has nothing but GREAT things to say about Cav...but then again her brother won a national championship at BC and her nephew plays at BC now...and Cav recruited both of them. When UConn played ND at the Barclay's Center earlier this season...NY Ranger Kevin Hayes went to the game...why..Mike Cavanaugh.

 

[mac2351]

People who follow UConn sports have no idea how good Letunov is or even who he is. He is arguably the best male athlete at UConn. If he played football or basketball, he would be by far the biggest star on campus. Unfortunately, he plays a sport few watch or pay attention to.

He is on a level by himself when it comes to this team. If he ever left at this year, people would notice a dramatic difference in the team.

 

[hockeyfan44]

People who follow UConn sports have no idea how good Letunov is or even who he is. He is arguably the best male athlete at UConn. If he played football or basketball, he would be by far the biggest star on campus. Unfortunately, he plays a sport few watch or pay attention to.

He is on a level by himself when it comes to this team. If he ever left at this year, people would notice a dramatic difference in the team.

He is a very good offensive player on a very bad UCONN hockey team let's not send him to the Hall of Fame just yet. He ended up at UCONN in late August because BU rejected his admission application. I agree there will be a dramatic difference in the team when he signs with the Coyotes. Is the kid physically ready for the AHL it doesn't look like it from the eye ball test but the Coyotes will probably sign him sooner rather than later to get him into their development system and try to make him an all around player because it's obvious he is not one right now. They probably want to see him earn his minutes on a good team instead of being rolled out on every other shift after give aways, not back checking, not playing defense, see if he can play in all 3 zones, work on his skating and strength. The kid definitely has some serious skills and more importantly hockey sense. Thank you BU because without this kid we probably only have 3 or 4 wins this season instead of 8.

 

[FDNY99]

He is a very good offensive player on a very bad UCONN hockey team let's not send him to the Hall of Fame just yet. He ended up at UCONN in late August because BU rejected his admission application. I agree there will be a dramatic difference in the team when he signs with the Coyotes. Is the kid physically ready for the AHL it doesn't look like it from the eye ball test but the Coyotes will probably sign him sooner rather than later to get him into their development system and try to make him an all around player because it's obvious he is not one right now. They probably want to see him earn his minutes on a good team instead of being rolled out on every other shift after give aways, not back checking, not playing defense, see if he can play in all 3 zones, work on his skating and strength. The kid definitely has some serious skills and more importantly hockey sense. Thank you BU because without this kid we probably only have 3 or 4 wins this season instead of 8.

Nice to see our resident Holy Cross troll back taking shots at Cav again.....

 

[Kgun7]

He is a very good offensive player on a very bad UCONN hockey team let's not send him to the Hall of Fame just yet. He ended up at UCONN in late August because BU rejected his admission application. I agree there will be a dramatic difference in the team when he signs with the Coyotes. Is the kid physically ready for the AHL it doesn't look like it from the eye ball test but the Coyotes will probably sign him sooner rather than later to get him into their development system and try to make him an all around player because it's obvious he is not one right now. They probably want to see him earn his minutes on a good team instead of being rolled out on every other shift after give aways, not back checking, not playing defense, see if he can play in all 3 zones, work on his skating and strength. The kid definitely has some serious skills and more importantly hockey sense. Thank you BU because without this kid we probably only have 3 or 4 wins this season instead of 8.

I already regret replying to this ....

You obviously have no idea who Frank Vatrano is ... and you obviously don't pay attention to the AHL. Being a good player on a bad team is not a stand alone detriment to the overall development of a prospect. On the contrary ... being a mediocre player on a very good team can mask many weaknesses.

 

[Kgun7]

FDNY99 - IMHO ... Liut and Burke were both very good NHL goalies. I always thought Liut was very solid and steady ... but had a ceiling. I always thought that Burke had more potential ... but was inconsistent. Liut was the glue that kept together a solid group of veterans with great positioning and decision making. Burke was a rookie superstar that brought the devils to within 1 game of the Stanley Cup finals. Only to see his career get dinged a little with contract disputes and back injuries.

BTW ... I really miss the Whale ...

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I already regret replying to this ....

You obviously have no idea who Frank Vatrano is ... and you obviously don't pay attention to the AHL. Being a good player on a bad team is not a stand alone detriment to the overall development of a prospect. On the contrary ... being a mediocre player on a very good team can mask many weaknesses.

Stop making sense, it won't work.

 

[The Viking]

As if your Whaler-worship wasn't enough to question your hockey bona fides, the idea that Rob Nichols is a better player than Letunov or Thompson confirms it.

Why exactly are you taking shots at the Whalers?

 

[HartfordHank]

Thompson (on the PP) or Letunov can carry a team longer and farther than Nichols can.

The goaltender, unfortunately, is the most important player on a hockey team. The goaltender can put a team on their back and carry them. They make mediocre teams good and good teams great. They allow teams to win games that they have no right winning. To many times in hockey the best team does not win the team with the best goaltender wins.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

The goaltender, unfortunately, is the most important player on a hockey team. The goaltender can put a team on their back and carry them. They make mediocre teams good and good teams great. They allow teams to win games that they have no right winning. To many times in hockey the best team does not win the team with the best goaltender wins.

This is true. See: Gilles, John

 

[zls44]

Two of the best goalies in the world just got undressed by John Scott.

 

[zls44]

Two of the best goalies in the world just got undressed by John Scott.

(Cheap gag, I stand by it.)

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

A UConn Hockey sweatshirt here at the Beanpot tonight. Which one of you is it.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

Hey, I still hold onto my Whaler-worship as well. Sometimes.

So do I ...

 

[hockeyfan44]

The goaltender, unfortunately, is the most important player on a hockey team. The goaltender can put a team on their back and carry them. They make mediocre teams good and good teams great. They allow teams to win games that they have no right winning. To many times in hockey the best team does not win the team with the best goaltender wins.

Hartford Hank I agree with you 100 %