brianvf

If Magnussen can put up 30+ pts playing on BSU's first line...he could really take off playing with Cole and Will. That 2nd line would really cause some teams trouble too if Simpson can come in and get his scoring touch dialed quickly. It's not a forward group full of stars outside of Zellers, Reschny, etc, but that is one DEEP group. If the 1st/2nd lines aren't scoring in one game...then the 3rd/4th lines certainly can.

Then who are we looking at for the final piece? If it's not one of the big boys DuPont or Rudolph, I'd guess it's a relatively unknown WHL guy like their Ollie last forward spot selection last year.

Character kid raised on a farm in Manitoba? I can't see him going thru with announcing a commitment to a team just to leave this fall before playing a game at UND. Kid hasn't even turned 18yo yet. Would imagine whatever NHL team drafts him would want to see how the youngster would do in a step up in competition first.

Quotes from Bryn and Dane about Carels: https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/und-commit-carson-carels-embodies-everything-were-looking-for-in-a-player

Yeah, I think there's still space available if the staff really wanted to bring in another chippah at D. Verhoeff, Carels, MacKenzie + another chippah are your four Dmen for PP1 and PP2. With how young the d-corps is, I'm guessing that the extra player will probably usually be an extra D like it was last year. Which leaves Emery, Laurila and one of Lindberg/Boser for PK spots. Same thing as the forward group, there's gonna be some talented players sitting each game. You hope that the group is bought-in and realizes that...if not, you lose some players to the portal in the off-season and replace with portal & recruits. Look at the loaded rosters at both Mich and MSU right now...I don't think our staff should be tentative at adding another chippah at defense if they are able.

Massive piece added to the backend! Welcome aboard Carson! One D spot and a depth goalie are the last two spots available. Shaping up to be a really good, deep team. Forwards (15 of 15): SR - Magnussen, Malinoski, Menghini JR - Croal, Lindberg, Swanson SO - Josephson, Kernan, Reschny, Zakreski, Zellers FR - Davis, A.Schultz, B.Schultz, Simpson Defense (7 of 8): SR - JR - Boser, Emery SO - Laurila, Verhoeff FR - Carels, Lindberg, MacKenzie Goalies (2 of 3): SR - JR - SO - Spunar FR - Heil

Carels has been rumored for so long, glad to see it finally come to fruition. Really young but stacked d-corps. Only going to get younger with another FR. Will be interesting to see who Bryn can get for that final piece.

That's been my thinking as well. If they weren't going for two "big names" on D, then you'd think that the other one would have committed by now. Unless they're holding off until the guys all commit, and if they miss on one of them, then they have an experienced guy waiting (similar to what they did with Young last year). I could see Carels being a one and done. He's so polished already. It'll be fun to see how quickly he transitions to NCAA play if he commits to a school. I'm assuming Emery is gone after his JR season. I would almost guess that DuPont might stick two seasons in the NCAA if he commits for this fall. Verhoeff I guess would depend on how much he progresses on his skating and decision making this upcoming year. Whoever drafts him might just want him in their system too. Definite possibility of some holes to fill after this upcoming year!

We were getting Crosby though if he went NCAA.

You have to figure that they'd head to the NCAA...they've shown to be too good for the WHL level but not quite good enough to jump right to the NHL. Is there a blueblood NCAA school that has two top 6 forward spots still open/available at this point?

Everett and DuPont win the WHL finals tonight and advance to the Memorial Cup. Everett's first title in 23 years. Prince Albert and Rudolph's season is over now.

I think we have a better shot at DuPont than we did McKenna. From what I've heard, DuPont cares less about $ and more about who will better prepare him for the NHL. That still leaves quite a few blueblood schools and could certainly see UM being one of his final options like you said. Would be great if we're in the conversation at least.

I'd take both. And we do have room, for sure. Not ideal to have four FR dmen, but they'd all be very highly talented and would be really fun to watch. I figure this for replacements: Liv --> DuPont Wiebe --> Carels Strath --> MacKenzie Zmolek --> Boser Jubenvill --> Lindberg

If he knew that DuPont was coming to UND, I doubt he would "break" the news like that. Probably more that he just knows that DuPont is going NCAA-route for next year...and we can hope/dream that UND is the destination. But who knows. Ha!

Been rumored for quite some time, but great get for BU to replace Hutson's spot on the blueline. From what I've watched of him, he can be electrifying offensively and has terrific skating...but he also can put himself into poor positions and situations with that offensive mindset. Could be interesting to see how his play transitions into NCAA play, especially on BU, which really struggled with their defensive play last year.

If by "doing something outdoors", you mean leaving the house at 5am or 9pm, then for sure. Otherwise anywhere in the middle and you'll die out in that furnace if you want to do something active. That's me, for sure!

Haha, it's the annual summer tradition of opposing fanbases getting excited about the possibility of Carle finally moving on to the NHL ranks. Only to be disappointed when he's back behind the DU bench again come fall.

I saw pics posted from my friends back in ND of the dust storm. That happens in Phx too, they call them haboobs here. Any decent windy day and you'll see the wall of dust/sand coming your way...it's pretty crazy watching it pick up everything from the desert and blow it all thru town. In about a month, I'll desperately wish I could be living a GF summer rather than the Phx 110+ every day for like 120 days straight. With "lows" in the upper 90s. Brutal. One more summer! Then we're moving back to the midwest. Can't wait.

Everett (DuPont) off to a 3-1 lead in the WHL finals series over PA (Rudolph). Game 5 is tomorrow. If we're after either of those players and waiting out their seasons for announcements, the losing team should be available soon...the winning team probably not until after the Memorial Cup concludes at the end of May.

This. If we have four FR dmen next season, they'll all be highly skilled, but FR nonetheless. They'll make mistakes, so it'll be good to have experienced 200ft forwards to help out until they get up to speed.

Dang. He's one that a lot of us were hoping would end up in GF if he was going NCAA. MSU crazy stacked run continues. These stacked first rounder teams have yet to win anything in the postseason, but it'll happen sooner rather than later I'd guess. And this list doesn't include Belchetz:

WHL finals series tied at 1 game a piece between Everett and Prince Albert. Game 3 is tomorrow. Both DuPont and Rudolph with 0g/3a so far.