Kevin G

silky mitts

Griffen "Nets"

Katie Hale looks different.

Hockey in a nutshell.

It's so good to have Sioux hockey back.

Just read the article. What jumped out at me: Grant Cruikshank is still playing college hockey. How did he snag an eleventh year of eligibility? And has anyone else heard that his mom was a pretty good skater?

I read the post too quickly and thought, "Good grief, Brock has hand-in-mouth disease?"

It seems like so much will depend on how the freshmen adapt to the college game. This team has depth in spades, but it could really use some high-end offensive skill. So ideally at least two of the freshmen forwards will "pop" and be able to stick in a top-6 role. IF that happens, this year's team will be so dangerous. Also--and this is just a crazy hunch--I think Hain might display another level of offensive prowess this year (assuming his knee is totally healthy). Plus Caulfield and Kunz will (hopefully) assert themselves with authority, and boom! Let's GO!

Getting it out of the way early?

And that rug really ties the room together.

I bet Trupp will be a fantastic coach.

The discussion of arena music over in "Ralph Fan Engagement" just gave me a freaking brilliant idea (for someone else to implement) for money-laundering a NIL collective. Step one: establish a "Fighting Sioux Fan Collective" (FSFC for short) as a legal entity whose purpose is to create NIL deals and partnerships for men's hockey student-athletes. Step two: members of the FSFC create one arena-rock style song and copyright it. (I'm not even sure copyrighting would be necessary in this scheme.) Step three: the FSFC as a legal entity licenses the song to UND/the Ralph for $1 million per year. Step four: the FSFC then uses that income to create NIL deals for players on the hockey roster. Step five: need more cash for more NIL deals? Repeat steps two through four. I mean, like, BOOM! Right!?!

Their net is higher though. In volleyball inches, our boys are like eleven feet tall.

The biggest question mark, imo, is our ability to create offense against defensively sound teams.

What I want to see this year: Caulfield and Kunz to use their size and be more aggressive. Lots of scorers. Gaber can't be the only offensive threat, and he's better when he's not pressing. Blue-line missiles from Kleven. Don't care where they go. Freshmen and new guys get up to speed quickly. No no-look passes/passes to no one. Four lines of relentless forecheck. Number NINE. So excited...let's GO!

Agreed, though one could argue that without a key faceoff win in the national semifinal game, that team may not have made it to the title game.

Slightly off topic: what's with Pearson's hair? Real or rug?

Apparently so, yet there must be high-dollar donors in the background supporting Pearson. Otherwise Pearson would be gone by now.

My guess is that (a) the administration wants to fire Pearson, but (b) Pearson has dogged support from one or more big donors. If this is the case, Pearson's continued employment at the University of Michigan without a contract makes some sense. There would likely be powerful parties behind the scenes who have so far successfully prevented the administration from completely terminating Pearson. But the AD, University President, or both can slow play the firing while trying to keep the donor(s) on board. The biggest hole in my theory is this: if the AD/administration wants Pearson out, why would they sit on the results of the investigation so long? Leaking the report is their best bet to bring pressure to bear on the stubborn donors to drop their support of Pearson. Perhaps the AD and University President aren't on the same page, or maybe they wanted to get rid of Pearson more quietly, without the details of the investigation becoming public and thereby giving the University of Michigan (another) black eye. In any case, it appears inevitable that Pearson gets the boot before the season begins. UMich probably already has another coach lined up to step in whenever they can pry Pearson out of his office.

Ok that's hilarious.

Mel didn't want him?

Was wondering the same thing today.

Or maybe they could give back to the fans by lowering the price of NCHC.tv?

And what if Hain scores more goals in his super-senior year than Spicer does in his entire college career?

That would be frickin' awesome.