Q. Doyle, as the captain of yet
another very young team, with nine freshmen and eight sophomores, what are you
and your assistants doing to build team chemistry?
A. To build chemistry in
my mind, it doesn't matter what you are doing as long as you are together. The comfort
every player has with each other goes a long way throughout the season. So far,
we just try and spend as much time throughout the week together, whether that comes
from watching football on Saturdays and Sundays together or hanging out after
practice. I am lucky enough to live close to campus, so this summer I was able
to spend a good amount of time around the incoming freshman when they were here
for summer school.
Q. Since your arrival at
BU, not only has your speed improved, but your agility as well. How did you achieve this
and what areas are you looking to improve on personally this season?
A. Skating is a huge part
of our teams success. The forwards that I am able to face on a daily basis are
a huge part of my ability to improve year by year. Every summer I work with a
guy named Adam Nicholas who has done a lot for me. I skate with him frequently
throughout July and August and he is a major factor in my development. Also,
the second that coaches are allowed on the ice with us, coach David Quinn has really pushed me
throughout the year. His knowledge and experience for every defensive situation
is beneficial for my growth as a player. The situations that he puts the
defensemen in throughout practice allows us to improve our footwork and defensive
play.
Q. Your scoresheet
contributions took a big step up last year with 5 goals, 8 assists and 45 shots
on goal. Do you attribute those numbers to experience, greater comfort with the
offensive scheme, recognizing and jumping on opportunities—or all three?
A. Being more of a
defensive defenseman, the scoresheet is something that I am not very dependent
on as a player. With that said, it is obviously nice to score goals and chip in
offensively but we have a lot of skilled players that have helped me improve
statistically each year. The main thing that has allowed me to increase
production each year is the confidence in my skating. The first two years I was
a lot more timid because I did not trust my feet to bail me out of situations.
As I have grown into my body more, from work in the weight room and extra
skating, I have felt the confidence to put myself in more offensive situations.
Q. Two freshmen—Patrick Harper and Johnny McDermott—are coming in directly
from prep school programs. What did you find to be the biggest adjustment when
you arrived from Kimball Union and what will you tell them?
A. I have
talked to them quite a bit about the jump from prep to college. The general
assumptions about the size and speed of guys are undeniable. All I can tell
them is the grind of the season can get to you at times, and there will
certainly be a lot of ups and downs, but it's how you respond each game. College
hockey is very mental and I just tell them to trust their ability and enjoy
each game because there aren't many better places to be than BU.
Q. How often do you speak
with the Islanders about your development at BU? (Is it former Terrier Chris
O’Sullivan?) What do they want you to improve before you turn pro?
A. I talk to a few different people within the Islander’ system
throughout the year. Being in a system with a lot of guys who have been through
the college ranks is really nice and beneficial for me. As far as improvements
go, they just talk about the year-to-year jumps you make as a player. Take care
of what is in your control; get stronger, work on skating, be confident, enjoy
and learn from the leadership role I have been placed in. They like the system, the coaching staff and the quality of the players here at BU,
so it is a good situation to be in.
Q. Does Coach Quinn’s
defensive system lend itself to the style and development that NHL teams are
seeking?
A. His track record speaks
for itself. He is very well regarded by people at the pro level, and the
players he has coached at every step of the way have gone on to be very good
players. The work he does with the defenseman in practice that I alluded to
earlier is something that will pay off not only this season but at the next
level as well.
Q. BU fans enjoy big open
ice hits like the one you had against Duluth (video @ 6:15) in the 2015 regional. Do you look
for an opportunity to make a statement with a hit? Or is it a matter of being
ready when a puck-carrier has his head down?
A. It has a lot to do with
timing, and the gap the defensemen have leaving the offensive zone. It is
always nice to lay the big hit but it is something that is not always
available. Fortunately, I am not the only defenseman on the team who enjoys the
open ice hits, as Charlie McAvoy and Johnny MacLeod have been known to lay thunderous hits.
Q. With Brandon Fortunato’s departure, can we
expect to see you gaining more power play opportunities?
A. Haha, I guess you never know. But my role on this team is to
take care of the defensive side and pitch in offensively when I can. I was able
to fill in occasionally on the powerplay last year when guys went down with
injuries. We have two very talented freshmen defensemen coming in who will join
Charlie McAvoy on the power play along with a lot of talented forwards, so we
will see what happens.
A. Communication will be a
big key for us this year. To get better in our own end we need to be better at
talking and working off each other. We also need to be more efficient moving
the puck. Breakouts are something we can really work on because it will prevent
us from being hemmed into our own zone.
Q. Last season, the
penalty kill, both in Hockey East and overall, was about 81%. What needs to be
done to improve that number?
A. Sacrifice. Plain and simple. The effective penalty kills are
the ones where people accept their role and the situation and are willing to do
anything to keep the puck out of the net. Obviously we will let up goals and
sometimes you have to tip your cap to the other team’s power play but bearing
down to block shots and clear pucks will definitely improve our penalty kill
numbers.
Q. Finally, which
returning BU player will surprise Terrier fans this season?
A. For me personally I am
really excited about having Nik Olsson and Nick Roberto back in our lineup this
year. I don’t know if people realize how important they are to our team. With
that said, I think from freshman year to sophomore year is where players may
have the biggest jump. We have a few players that will really improve off of
last year’s campaign. With that said, I would have to say Jordan Greenway might
not surprise Terrier fans per se, but I personally am expecting some big
numbers from him this year in particular. He is a special player with his blend
of size and skill and I think with a year under his belt he can really take
over and dominate games.
