2021-2022 AUS Thread
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dm8895
V-Reds , McJesus Stan , Beer Leaguer
I’m genuinely more excited for this season than I’ve been any time in recent memory. The rich are still going to be the rich I think but theirs so many unknowns. I expect the top 4 teams in recent years to remain the top 4 and the bottom 3 to remain the bottom 3 but in what order they finish is anyone’s guess... I want to say UNB is the favourite but theirs to many unknowns , the only thing I feel confident in is that Dal will finish 7th...
On the note of Dal, does anyone know what exactly caused their program to fall behind so badly ? I remember not long ago when they were playing at a National championship and had Chris Stanley who seems to be one of the forgotten super stars in AUS hockey.
On the note of Dal, does anyone know what exactly caused their program to fall behind so badly ? I remember not long ago when they were playing at a National championship and had Chris Stanley who seems to be one of the forgotten super stars in AUS hockey.
FreddyFoyle
Registered User
One of the causes for Dal's decline was a recruiting scandal several years ago. The AUS and then-CIS clamped down on their athletic scholarships and put them under review. It is too long a story to get into all the details. This was before Chris Donnelly was hired.
I would also suggest that Dal used to be the school of choice for students-athletes coming from the QMJHL, as for a time the Halifax Mooseheads was the only team in the Maritimes in the Q (or maybe Moncton was in then, can't remember for sure). With more Q teams in more Maritimes communities, the players get exposed to more schools. For example, there certainly is a pipeline between the Sea Dogs and UNB.
Once you fall into the basement, recruiting must get harder. Especially when cross-town SMU has had more recent success.
UNB Bruins Fan
Registered User
AUS Fan
Registered User
Dal was the wild card in 2003-04 and won Bronze against a totally uninterested UofA team. Yes, Stanley was a good player and Dal had several in the early years. As 'Foyle points out, the "scandal" played a big part in the demise of Dal hockey. At the same time the school lost interest in sports and poured their dollars into buildings designed to attract International students.
To his credit, Donnelly has worked hard to bring in good players and it shows. The fact that Dal is going to build a rink is a positive as well. I like to see a competitive cross-town team. It's much more fun to watch a good game.
To his credit, Donnelly has worked hard to bring in good players and it shows. The fact that Dal is going to build a rink is a positive as well. I like to see a competitive cross-town team. It's much more fun to watch a good game.
dm8895
V-Reds , McJesus Stan , Beer Leaguer
I see , I vaguely remember the scandal , but I was born in 1995 so my memory on some things is a little distorted through a young mans point of view. Definitely one of the youngest CIS Hockey fans I’ve come across haha. Thanks to you fine gents for filling me in on the stuff that seems just a little foggy, when Dal went to nationals in 04 I still believed in Santa Claus , and Ryan Lindsay was my hero in life haha.
Rob
Registered User
UNB
Acadia
X
SMU
UdeM
UPEI
Dal
I thought this might be the year that UNB finally loses its grip on first. Their recruiting class is just too strong though. From the small preseason sample size it is an incredibly fast team. Only issues may be their D. Not much size up front either.
The reason I'm putting Acadia ahead of SMU and X is the goaltending factor. X had disappointing goaltending last season and I don't feel the Huskie found a suitable replacement for Brassard.
While I do have the Tigers in last I wouldn't be surprised to see them finish ahead of the Panthers. Goaltending again being the factor. The Panthers lost their prime recruit before the season started.
UdeM still have Montpettite in nets and St. Cyr. Might challenge for 4th spot.
Acadia
X
SMU
UdeM
UPEI
Dal
I thought this might be the year that UNB finally loses its grip on first. Their recruiting class is just too strong though. From the small preseason sample size it is an incredibly fast team. Only issues may be their D. Not much size up front either.
The reason I'm putting Acadia ahead of SMU and X is the goaltending factor. X had disappointing goaltending last season and I don't feel the Huskie found a suitable replacement for Brassard.
While I do have the Tigers in last I wouldn't be surprised to see them finish ahead of the Panthers. Goaltending again being the factor. The Panthers lost their prime recruit before the season started.
UdeM still have Montpettite in nets and St. Cyr. Might challenge for 4th spot.
UNB Bruins Fan
Registered User
According to Bruce Hallihan’s preview, UPEI should have Shane Farkas for the 2nd half.
Seems like injuries are already starting to pile up…Acadia will be without Stallard and SMU will be without Neumann for the first half. Moncton is missing Deslauriers to begin the season as well.
Seems like injuries are already starting to pile up…Acadia will be without Stallard and SMU will be without Neumann for the first half. Moncton is missing Deslauriers to begin the season as well.
Rob
Registered User
dm8895
V-Reds , McJesus Stan , Beer Leaguer
I don’t think UNB played amazingly tonight , but I think we might need to re-evaluate where we all had Udem ranked.
UNB Bruins Fan
Registered User
Very boring game IMO, but that was obviously Moncton’s game plan. Very good showing for them considering their injuries.
Rob
Registered User
FreddyFoyle
Registered User
Btw, they're bringing us humans back into the Hockey Top 10. Voters will rank 15 (!) teams each week, and somehow those rankings will be integrated with the computer rankings.
Island Husky
Registered User
Island Husky
Registered User
Personally, I think it began when Darrell Young was let go. Shane Easter, hired after, was battling some of the demons left over, although he and Darrell recruited some very good players on whom Fabian Joseph capitalized. Marty Johnson, Chris Pittman, Dan Tudin, Freddy Belanger, Gelinas, and others. Easter was let go after two years, but in the Divisional semi final they took top ranked Saint Mary's to three games. This was a foreshadow of what was to come. Fabian Joseph was hired, and the team began a resurgence, notable accomplishments the bronze medal AUS fan mentioned and the memorable, emotional, five game AUS Final with Saint Mary's in 2002. SMU won in double OT but they were pretty much even out there. The story was Fabian did not do alot of heavy recruiting, he relied on his contacts it was said. I don't know but others might. In any case, Fabian departed and the more precipitous decline began. Then of course, the scandal which occurred during Pete Beliveau's tenure a few years later. It was not recruiting, it was payment to players in excess of CIS regulations. I think they were financially penalized by the school. Then of course, the old memorial arena came down as AUS Fan says to make room for new residences, and with it went a big part of their identity. They moved to the Hfx Forum and lost a lot of campus exposure, where they were probably the most popular team. It is a hard road back, takes many years. A SMU Coach told me i 1993, we were paying for mistakes made 7 years prior from a scandal.
Rob
Registered User
Island Husky
Registered User
No problem Rob, one thing I noticed is Mitchell Balmas has not been in the lineup for the any of the exhibition games
UNB Bruins Fan
Registered User
dm8895
V-Reds , McJesus Stan , Beer Leaguer
The camera guy at the UPEI-UNB game is going to give me an epileptic seizure at this point..
Edit: he must be a lurker on here, second has been way better
Edit: he must be a lurker on here, second has been way better
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RED ARMY EAST
Registered User
UNB Bruins Fan
Registered User
Rob
Registered User
I was questioning how good the Panthers goaltending would be this season with two rookies. Well Jonah Capriotti put in one of the best goaltending performances that you will ever see stopping 38-41 shots.
A closer game than I expected. Panthers tie with 8 seconds left. Tyler Boland scores a PP winner for UNB in overtime. 3-2 win.
A closer game than I expected. Panthers tie with 8 seconds left. Tyler Boland scores a PP winner for UNB in overtime. 3-2 win.
Rob
Registered User
Yeah that is incorrect. Should be 0 for 5. Still a big night for X on the power play.
