The Sicatoka

The dreamwalk with the college hockey gods gets hazy beyond #1.

The more I ponder it the more I think this is a "balance now / balance later" dilemma. Balance Later: Take two more one-year portals. A year from now you have a junior, four sophs, and three freshmen. That's not very balanced but it is what it is Balance Now: Find juniors or sophs to flatten the distribution today, but what'll you have for space in a year for (assume Strathmann and Jubenvill and McInnis). And does Bubs get to make this decision or is it made for him (meaning who's willing to come in from where and when).

After (pre-season) picking DU in 2022 and Quinnipiac in 2023, I wonder if Schlossman is waiting until after the Red crests or is starting now on building his high altar to make sacrifice* to the college hockey gods to learn the 2024 champion. *It's kind of a Norse funeral pyre thing crossed with an Aztec sacrifice involving a gopher ... or so go the rumors. It's all very hush-hush and held on a private pickleball court at an undisclosed location. Still trying to confirm if it's catered by Deek's Pizza.

... or continue to exist. (The budgets are that bad in Illinois and the enrollments are in freefall.)

You've always had a bit of a "Steven Tyler" vibe to ya ...

We're at (for sure*) 15F/6D/3G. Today'd be a great day to round out the defense. *as sure as anything is in college sports today, that is

I can only come up with about 115,546,519 reasons you could be wrong. https://www.capfriendly.com/players/jonathan-toews

But we live in an "immediate gratification takes too long" world.

Imagine making a bad play and skating back to a bench with HC Hakstol and Assistant Coach Toews looking at you.

Captain Serious ...

The projected roster has three goalies and fifteen forwards but only six for sure defense. Today'd be a good day to get clarity on the last two defense slots.

It keeps every option open to him. Smart move.

Jeff Boschee holding on line one for you.

Not a surprise, but UND makes Persson official.

Zmolek? Go to hockeydb.com and look up the 1993-94 Dallas Stars roster. Recognize any names?

Sign an NLI and you must spend a year in residence at the school. Period. The only exception: If the school releases you. It's in the link I previously provided.

It could be a signal to other schools an NLI has been signed so quit calling these guys.

Like I said, they'll keep bringing these out so we forget we still need defensemen.

Silye?

In a word: Nope. https://www.ncsasports.org/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-national-letter-of-intent#:~:text=The NLI is a binding,aid for one academic year.

@Big A HGyou may have written "NIL" where you meant "NLI" a couple times.

Aren't you somewhere in hinterlands Wisconsin? Out in those parts I thought as long as you're not serving the dog for dinner or < ahem > "something else" the dog you're good. Need a @MafiaManruling on this.

My motto: Eschew sesquipedalian obfuscation.

If I were Mankato I wouldn't release a single recruit from an NLI unless I had a guarantee they are not going to Wisconsin.