Boston College Athletics
Men's Hockey: 2010-11 Season Outlook
October 05, 2010 | Men's Hockey
Oct. 5, 2010
As Jerry York looks ahead to the 2010-11 season, he does so with great interest, characteristically bright enthusiasm and ever-present optimism.
For Boston College will welcome the return of the bulk of its squad from last winter, a reason for which the veteran head coach and fans alike can - and should - feel rightfully encouraged. Last year's club finished the season with a 29-10-3 record. It won the Beanpot title, the Hockey East Tournament title and the NCAA Championship in Detroit, Mich.
Surely, York and his staff - Mike Cavanaugh, Greg Brown and Jim Logue - will aim to build on the great success the program achieved in the year that passed and it will surely aim to continue to build on more than 13 years of unbelievable excellence that has culminated with three national titles - 2001, 2008 and 2010 - in the last decade.
"We feel very optimistic about this particular team based on a number of reasons," the coach said. "First and foremost, the experience gained from going through a national-championship season the year before. We played deep into the season and we played teams from different conferences. Everything we went through last season will certainly benefit this particular team."
The returnees include 17 lettermen, a group comprised of nine forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders in senior John Muse and sophomore Parker Milner.
Milner and Muse combined to start all 42 games last winter, totaling a 2.45 combined goals against average and a .906 save percentage. Muse recovered from offseason hip surgery and played seven of the first eight games of the season, eventually allowing the then-freshman Milner to ease - and excel - into college hockey.
"From the blueline back - which is essential if you're going to have a championship-level team - we have good depth," York said. "We have some young emerging players who have really stepped up. We feel excellent about the core of our six returning defensemen."
Those six returning defensemen have a combined 249 games of experience and played key roles in allowing opponents an average of 26.5 shots per game. They were particularly sharp in the team's final 13 games last winter during which the Eagles trailed an opponent for just 55 seconds in 792:27 total minutes that elapsed during that stretch.
The group of nine returning forwards includes each of the Eagles' top three scorers and nine players who recorded 20 (or more (points). All totaled, the returnees accounted for 79 percent of last year's total offensive production.
But York is also quick to note that the immeasurable contributions of last year's graduating class - Matt Price, Matt Lombardi, Ben Smith and Carl Sneep - will be unquestionably missed and difficult to replace. The class of 2010 captured two Beanpot titles, three Hockey East Tournament titles, advanced to three national championship games and won two NCAA titles.
"We're extremely cognizant of the fact that we graduated four seniors who were instrumental to our success, not only in terms of playing ability, but in terms of leadership qualities," the coach said. "One of the benefits is that the players who are assuming leadership roles this year had Ben Smith, Matt Lombardi and Matt Price as mentors for them all last year. In terms of last year's three captains, they left some indelible marks as far as leadership and maturity level. We'll see a direct connection between the leadership displayed last year and the new leaders learning from their mentors."
Headlining those elected to fill the vacant leadership roles left by their graduation is senior forward Joe Whitney, who will serve as captain of the 2010-11 team, and junior defenseman Tommy Cross and senior forward Brian Gibbons who will serve as assistant captains.
"One of the issues that teams have when they have won a national title the year before is a tendency to just think about April," York said. "We want to concentrate on the journey and have an outstanding season from September through April and enjoy the process as we go through it. That's a priority for us."
IN GOAL
Lettermen Returning/Lost: 2/0
Newcomers: 0
Boston College's situation in goal is solid, yet competitive. John Muse has played in 110 career games and enters his senior season having already backstopped Boston College to more tournament titles than any goaltender in school history. The East Falmouth, Mass., resident has been between the pipes for two Beanpot titles, two Hockey East championships and two national titles.
He went 19-8-2 with a 2.40 goals against average and a .910 save percentage as a junior, improving his playoff record to 17-1, a remarkable record that includes a perfect 8-0 mark in NCAA Tournament action.
"John's statistics are off the charts as far as championships won," York said. "His ability to play in big games is documented. I think his ability to recover from his hip surgery is one of his great traits. He rehabbed very well. You can talk about his statistics and championships, but his ability to come back from the hip operation is very impressive to me."
Parker Milner, a sophomore who saw action in 14 games last winter, provides York and his staff with a more-than-credible option. The Pittsburgh, Pa., resident went 10-2-1, totaled a 2.32 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. Those marks included an 8-1-1 record, a 1.93 goals against average and a .921 save percentage in 11 Hockey East contests.
"Parker showed us that he could be our goaltender. He can win games at this level," York said. "We know what John Muse has and now we have another player who can step in and win games. That gives us great depth."
Chris Venti, a junior, will also drive Muse and Milner and compete for playing time. A Needham, Mass., native, Venti has seen action in three games.
"Chris Venti is an amazing young guy who could be our hardest worker on and off the ice," York said. "He really adds depth and a true sense of character to our locker room."
ON DEFENSE
Lettermen Returning/Lost: 6/1
Newcomers: 1
Two juniors - Tommy Cross and Edwin Shea - represent the lone upperclassmen in a corps of six returning lettermen behind the Eagle blueline. Cross and Shea have 121 games of combined experience between them.
A Simsbury, Conn. product, Cross has played in 62 career games, including the final 18 games last year.
"Tommy Cross is one of the few non-seniors to wear letters for us and that is a direct reflection of what his teammates think of him," York said. "He's battled through some knee operations and appears fully healthy now for the first time since he's become a BC player. I think we're going to see a completely different Tommy Cross both defending and with the puck this year."
Shea, a Shrewsbury, Mass., resident, has 59 collegiate games under his belt.
"This year is a pivotal year in Edwin's development at BC. We're counting on him to be a solid contributor to our team," York said. "He's gained 10 pounds during the summer and looks terrific physically."
Four sophomores - Patch Alber, Brian Dumoulin, Philip Samuelsson and Patrick Wey - return following a freshman season filled with challenges and success.
"Dumoulin, Alber, Samuelsson and Wey all played key minutes for us last year," York said. "As freshmen, that's pretty impressive. Now they're moving up and we think their confidence level and skill level will be that much better given what they went through last year."
Alber, who saw his first collegiate action on January 22, 2010, excelled down the playoff stretch, registering a plus-10 rating in eight playoff appearances. Alber notched his first career goal in the team's win over top-ranked Miami in the Frozen Four.
"Patch Alber was probably our biggest surprise on defense. Late in the year when he had the opportunity to play, he really stepped forward and there's no question in my mind that he can be a valuable player for us this year," the coach said. "He has a really good head for the game and brings a lot of energy to our team."
Dumoulin, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound product of Biddeford, Maine, played in all 42 games as a freshman and earned All-Conference Rookie Team honors. He further established himself as one of the nation's elite young defensemen, registering a school-record plus-40 rating and capturing All-Tournament honors at the Frozen Four in Detroit, Mich.
Samuelsson, a 6-foot-2, 198-pound product of Scottsdale, Ariz., also played in all 42 games as a freshman. A steady defender, Samuelsson registered 14 points and plus-15 rating in 2009-10.
Wey, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound product of Pittsburgh, Pa., played in 27 games during his freshman season. Wey missed 15 games because of various injuries, including nine straight games in early January because of a broken wrist.
Dumoulin, Samuelsson and Wey each participated in the U.S. National Junior Team evaluation camp in Lake Placid, N.Y. in August.
Isaac MacLeod, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound product of Nelson, British Columbia, is the lone addition to the Eagle defensive corps. A fifth-round draft choice of San Jose in 2010, MacLeod played 56 games for the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League in 2009-10.
ON OFFENSE
Lettermen Returning/Lost: 9/3
Newcomers: 3
Last winter, Boston College scored 171 goals - its highest total since the 2000-01 season and the third-most under head coach Jerry York - and ranked second in the nation with a 4.07 goals per game average. Led by junior forward Cam Atkinson (30 goals) and senior forwards Brian Gibbons (50 points) and Joe Whitney (45 points), Boston College returns 79 percent (360 of 456 points) of its total offensive production from one season ago.
"We're certainly going to be a very dangerous offensive team," the coach said. "We were a dynamic offensive team last year. One of the keys to our success is that we were very unselfish. That's something that we will preach again this year. That will be our mantra. The ability to share the puck is a key ingredient to becoming a good offensive team. We have a lot of players who can create offense for us. We are expecting each of them to bring their game up a notch this year."
The group of nine (of 12) lettermen that return from a year ago includes a pair of 100-point scorers in Whitney and Gibbons.
"We have two four-year regulars in Joe Whitney and Brian Gibbons. They mirror each other in certain ways - they play on the power play, kill penalties and play with a lot of grit," York said. "They'll certainly be mainstays for our club. Besides wearing letters, we will count on their production this year."
Whitney, a Reading, Mass. resident, enters his final season with 111 points in 122 career games. He led all Boston College players with 14 points - four goals and 10 assists - in eight postseason victories last winter.
"Joe Whitney's improved over his three years with us as much as any player that I've coached as far as maturity. He's a full-fledged captain and an outstanding leader for us," York said.
Gibbons returns for his senior season with 113 career points - 38 goals and 75 assists - in 121 games. The 5-foot-8, 165-pound forward posted a career-high 50 points a year ago en route to All-Conference and All-New England first-team honors.
"Brian Gibbons certainly has been one of the best players in our league through his career here," the coach said. "His confidence level is at an all-time high now. He will wear the letter very proudly for us."
Four juniors - Barry Almeida, Cam Atkinson, Paul Carey and Jimmy Hayes - each played in at least 41 games in 2009-10.
"As a group, those four are dynamic forwards who have all shown improvement," York said. "Atkinson, Carey, Hayes and Almeida are all big-game players who can break open games with some good offensive instincts."
Atkinson is an elite player who is the team's top returning scorer, having tallied 53 points - 30 goals and 23 assists. He led the nation in goals scoring last winter.
Almeida totaled eight goals and 13 points and played in all 42 games last season, skating alongside graduates Matt Price and Matt Lombardi. The 5-foot-8, 183-pound forward was slowed by a groin injury through most of the season. He has since undergone offseason surgery.
Carey enters his junior season with 30 career points, including 21 points in 41 games as a sophomore. A skilled skater with deft playmaking abilities, the coach points to the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Carey is poised to have a breakout season in 2010-11.
Hayes finished last season ranked fifth on the team with 35 points in 42 games, nearly tripling his production from a 13-point freshman campaign. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Hayes, proved particularly productive down the stretch, leading all players in scoring in the league tournament and finishing tied with Atkinson for second in scoring in the team's eight playoff victories.
York also points to his sophomores as those who possess great potential for significant improvement. Chris Kreider, Pat Mullane and Steven Whitney each played significant roles in their inaugural season of college hockey. Mullane and Whitney totaled 28-point freshman seasons while Kreider, an All-Conference Rookie Team honoree, totaled 15 goals and 23 points last winter.
"As the season progressed, those three became excellent contributors to our club," York said. "This is the year I think all three can make big steps forward. They were factors, but this is the big step from freshman to sophomore. They're comfortable and more experienced and I think we'll see big gains from that class."
Junior Tommy Atkinson and sophomore Brooks Dyroff will add much-needed depth to the Eagle forward lines and will be called upon to play.
Three newcomers - Bill Arnold, Patrick Brown and Kevin Hayes - will further bolster the Eagle forward lines.
Kevin, the younger brother of Jimmy, was a 2010 first-round draft choice of the Chicago Blackhawks. Brown, who hails from Bloomfield Hills, Mich., twice earned All-State first-team honors at Cranbrook-Kingswood. Arnold, a US National Team Development Program product, was a fifth-round selection of San Jose in 2010 NHL Draft.
