The Sicatoka

We need a kicker who’ll make the field goal to go up three scores.

I followed this one on the UND WBB Twitter account. Based on that it was what I call a "bad undapantz" game: They kept creepin' up to the very end; but, things came out OK.

Even this CapFriendly sheet isn't as ugly as Minnesota's, and this one ain't pretty when you look at it.

Will that clear out $20 million in cap space for a retrofit? The only "out" of this for the Wild is a buy-out or two or three, or ... They need to be calling the cap space teams and doing a trade, for example: Suter, a 2021 second round pick, and Wild retain half of Suter's salary for a used puck bag and a coach's whistle missing the pea*. *If you want the whistle with the pea that's a 2021 first round pick (instead of the second round pick).

< mic drop >

Ah yes ... the true inverse of the "Ginger or Mary Ann" deliberation.

All of the Minnesota Wild's problems are spelled out here.

< cough > .... Costello? ... < cough-cough >

Yahoo's response:

New reality.

Was Brett Favre on the plane?

... and cash? ... and a player to be named later? ... and a conditional draft pick in a future draft?

OK, you got me there. Bast doesn't age out in 2020 (assuming his team isn't carrying too many over-agers). My brain was using "2021" in the math for some reason.

The Schloss has spoken. https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/4769533-Signing-Day-arrives-but-three-UND-hockey-recruits-wont-be-inking-Letters-of-Intent And "who's your Budy, who's your friend" ... (somewhere Toby Keith cringes). https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/4769868-Despite-WHL-offer-Brendan-Budy-stays-course-and-signs-with-UND

Ottawa left Wolanin (Rd4, #107) for three college seasons. What do they do with a Rd1 and a Rd2 ...

Bast is a 2000 YOB. Moore and Miller are 2001s. The phrase "age out of junior eligibility" is in play. Signing Kleven and Sanderson (both 2002s) makes me wonder if we're not at risk of losing four (Poolman, Peski, Kierstad, JBD) at season's end. You'd back fill with Bast (age out otherwise), Moore, and the NDTP guys. (My assumption: Miller would delay.) (That scenario would be messy: Rieger, Gabe Bast, Tychonick, Frisch, and four freshmen. Not much experience on the ice and a bulge in the defensive recruiting cycle.)

The 99s and 2000s will age out of junior eligibility. There's a problem. Bowen and Halliday are 2002s. They'd better show they are truly special to come in at 18. (For every Jon Toews there's a Michael Forney.) As I stare at this more, I wonder more about Randklev, Costello, and Mancinelli. I say that because I started pondering not 2020, but 2021 forward in total (now to then): Need 9, but which 9 from the pipeline.

Then you're having a nightmare: This year's freshman class was the oldest YOBs on the recruits list (except for injured Randklev) back-filling open roster slots.

Here's one for all y'all to ponder: Fall of 2021 the defense could be ...junior Ethan Frisch and seven sophomores and freshmen. Yes, Poolman, Peski, Bast, Rieger, Kierstad all graduate; JBD (first rounder) could jump after a junior year, as could Tychonick. Best case is JBD, Tychonick, and Frisch plus five. I'd say most likely is Tychonick, Frisch, and six.

I'm the guy that says look at the YOB (year of birth). Unless a guy is a Toews/Parise/Oshie type you won't see them underage. Players we've been bringing in are at least 18 upon arrival and probably 19 early in the season (e.g. Frisch). 1999: Randklev, Gaber, Ness 2000: Budy, Costello, Portz 2001: Rizzo, Mancinelli, Schmaltz As has been noted there are five forward departures (Bowen, Michaud, Smith, Yon, Johnson). Randklev is very slow recovering and that is concerning. Costello is showing in the BCHL what he showed in the USHL (which is disappointing). Mancinelli is reportedly now decommitted. That leads me to believe that the most likely five are Gaber, Ness, Budy, Portz, and Rizzo. (If Randklev gets it going maybe Rizzo stays in juniors another season.) If they need a sixth (via early departure) and assuming Rizzo in, it's a healthy Randklev or maybe Costello, or Schmaltz.

Polls are human opinions. I prefer analytics like Massey ratings or Bradley-Terry* or hockey Pair Wise. *Best known implementation to fans here is the KRACH college hockey rankings.

Incredible. It's fiddy.

Remember: The world revolves around NYC and JFK airport. It's 8 hours from JFK to London; it's 7 hours JFK to LAX. No big deal.

Why not just go all-in and say ... ELEVENTY-BILLION to 2 Miami.

Electrolux. Sucks. C'mon ... I get nothing for that. Really?