The Sicatoka

In my scenario, if we needed six it'd be him and not a portal. I'd rather not need six however.

36 is a college season. At the college level (and after at least a year of juniors), if you haven't figured it out you're down the depth chart.

I heard an off-hand comment recently that disturbed me about DeRidder in that he's only recently fully adjusted to playing in REA. Only recently? I know goalies take some time getting used to new surroundings (see Bob in FLA) but this is a super senior that has played in lots of college rinks. Then again, look at his first visit to various NCHC rinks. It follows because he struggles. Seems they need to do more due diligence on portals.

Counter-counter-point: Ashton Calder. Stuck like snot on hot Teflon (meaning 'not').

Give me a choice of do whatever is needed to retain 15 or portal in a guy, it's not a choice: 15. Even if it's 15, (4 or 24 because other leaves), and six freshmen, I'd roll with it. (Komzak, Benoit, Wiebe, Livanavage, Strathmann, Jubenvill)

At least you get good gas mileage at 20 mph.

To me, the AD should be the manager of the band: Just off stage, watching the books, making sure the stages are ready, and the tour dates are set. Your HCs are the "fronts" of the band, the people you should see most.

Not if you're looking to make a generational leap (from legacy-Gino to legacy-Blais).

I'd be in favor of throttling back to only use the portal for goaltending this offseason. Bring in a portal G and depending either a recruit or portal G. Bring two, retain Cheese, let 32 decide if we're carrying 3 or 4 G. Defense? Bring in five or six from the pipeline. No portals. And no incoming portals at forward unless there's an exodus out. I don't believe portals help the room (Berry's "culture"). Portals are "renters" and you need "owners".

Oh swee' Jesus ... did the poor lads have to stay at the SunLac?

What gets me is that the team hasn't turned itself around. We retained a captain. We should have leadership in the room. We have an experienced coaching staff. They should know which levers to throw. We've had a public distraction (trademark) that was quickly whisked away. We found out Berry's mom was ill and passed over the break. (Things like that normally pull teams together.) Yet the same lapses (play, penalties) show up time and again. This is where my belief that there's something fundamentally wrong in the room comes from. And apparently it can't be fixed until this debacle is over. Or, ... someone new needs to man up in the room and clear whatever is in the air. And fast.

Don't have to imagine. Nebraska football fired Bo Pelini (67-27, 0.723). He was 9-3 his last season.

You've exposed my question: Is Berry better as a top assistant (recruiter) than head coach. In 2016, with the CBS, the Heavy, and that six pack at D, I believe we could've had @Blackheart, @Oxbow6, and @Wilburbehind the bench and won. Or anyone (aside from Dave Hakstol who just had the Frozen Four curse).

Talk to me about coaching change in 12 months. The axe will be sharp, or put away, by then. I would stay away from the portal right now (except for goaltending, there is no other choice). Yes, if that means five or six freshmen defensemen, so be it. Berry brings in his recruits to his team and we see what happens.

Two players of equal ability, Blais normally played the younger to see how much further they'll develop.

I'm saying get this season over, get the super seniors out the door, let the guys who don't want to be here portal away, retain the guys who are part of the solution, bring in the incoming pipeline, and clean the slate.

Six games left in the regular season is awfully late to still be trying to figure it out and adjust. Side Note: I believe there is something horribly amiss in the room. That leadership (not coaching, leadership) in the room hasn't fixed it tells me where in the room the problem is. I have no proof, just observations and a gut feeling. An off-season and a major roster reset might not be all bad.

Berry and Jackson are Gino disciples and that is a slow game style that no longer works against speed systems like DU and WMU. Karl would bring an update style and speed (Blais disciple, worked in TBL system) to the game. And the pipeline has guys he could bring in as assistants: Smaby, St Clair, Chyzyk Bottom line: We need to drop a decade plus from the mindset of the HC in hockey (and football for that matter) and get to a modern game style.

Did Berry's team win in 2016 ... or did Hakstol's team with Berry behind the bench?

If you're going to refer to someone ... at least get Kris' name correct. And Kris is a CEO trained by her father. Berry's teams/coaching start costing money at the turnstiles ... see ya.

The skillset to coach is not the same to be AD. Some people may have both, but they are not the same.

Greeley CO on line one ... or are we just talking hockey. I'd say East Palestine OH but it's too soon.

Ah, you're saying ... <-- Press here.

"Sandy-sense": It's like Spidey-sense, but for UMD.