Congrats to Chase Langeraap who has signed on with the South Carolina Stringrays of the ECHL. He already dressed for their first game last night out in Kalamazoo against the K-Wings (one of the random pro teams I’ve seen to before). Former Minuteman Stephen Werner played a couple seasons with the Stringrays from 2006 to 2008. Nice to see Chase taking his game pro.
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Hockey East announced their major award winners last night. As I predicted earlier this week, Mike Pereira lost out to BU’s Charlie Coyle for Rookie of the Year. However, that was just a minor difference of opinion compared to the epic snub that was Mark Dennehy somehow not being named coach of the year. Listen, I have tremendous respect for Jerry York and consider him the best coach on the college level. But he had his core group of players coming back off a national championship last spring and essentially has his pick of recruits every year. On the other hand Merrimack has been an absolute joke for most of its Hockey East existence. They played their home games in the equivalent of an MDC rink in front of a handful of fans. When he took over the program a great number of Hockey East fans were actively campaigning for Merrimack to be kicked out of the league because they were a drag on the conference. Five years later Dennehy has brought Merrimack to the Garden, got them home ice in the Hockey East playoffs, and for a period this season had them in the top five in the country. No matter what happens tonight or tomorrow they will be heading to the NCAA tournament. This isn’t a great turnaround story of this season. This is one of the most amazing turnarounds in the history of college hockey. Yet, somehow in Hockey East’s eyes, Jerry York did the better coaching job this year. I’ve seen some major screw jobs in my many years of Hockey East on the ice, but this off ice one may be the worst. I’m flat out astounded.
In a more minor surprise I thought the voting for player of the year to be suspect as well. It doesn’t bother me that UNH’s Paul Thompson won. While he wasn’t my pick he did have an amazing season and is a worthy winner. But the runner-ups were John Muse and Kieran Millan? Millan? Seriously? The guy was 4th in the league in goals against and win percentage. How was Cam Atkinson not a runner-up? He’s a Hobey Baker finalist after all.
Here’s the Hockey East major awards. And here are the various All-Star teams.
Fear The Triangle - UMass Hockey Blog 
blindspots88
/ March 18, 2011Absolute idiot fan hypothetical, but I think it bears speculation. What are the chances of Dennehy coming back to UMass when Toot finally rides the Zamboni into the sunset? I would think that Dennehy would want to move up in the coaching ranks eventually (I don’t see Merrimack as a long term destination, I mean, its a terrible Home Depot). Has there been any speculation on who would be the top successor for Toot?
/offseasontalk
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rocks22
/ March 18, 2011Dennehy is a BC alum so I have to think his dream job is in Newton. I suppose he could come back to UMass but maybe only if it didn’t seem like BC wouldn’t happen for him. He did just sign a long extension with Mack though.
If Toot suddenly retired Dennehy would be at the top of my list of replacements. Although I’d also like to see Dean Stork be considered.
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George
/ March 18, 2011If Mark Dennehy were to come back for visit #3, it would have happened this past off season. It was made pretty clear by both schools AD’s that they wanted the guys they had by extending their contracts.
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