AJS

Either way works for me!

If I'm Sather, I'm trying to get back. Job security.

Everything on the line this weekend. All about home ice / avoiding Denver. Split is a good result. Anything more and although it won't matter for PWR, really continue to build momentum. Anything less and they are in a really bad spot.

What's so insane to me with the Forum guys is the genuine arrogance they have for covering NDSU. What's crazier is McFeely / Izzo outside of covering have no connection at all to the programs. Over the years, the Forum guys have become by far the #1 reason I despise NDSU athletics.

We really need to dig into that statement. To a certain degree, you're right. We need to change the word important to somewhat matter, which I think more accurately reflects the truth. Under Chaves, being average is not only acceptable, but gets you extended. The same goes for being somewhat below average. M/W B-ball sitting at 6th place in the Summit, will get high fives all around from Chaves. Berry finishing 4th / 5th and missing the NCAAs. Maybe not high fives, but ah, what can you do. Why I say, somewhat matter is accurate, is for change to happen, Chaves needs to see someone go full Bubba. It's damn near impossible given the support the programs get (which I will give credit to Chaves for) to go full Bubba. It does appear that M/W Basketball & Hockey will end up being average / slightly below, which means status quo. A month ago, it was looking like all three had a chance to go full Bubba, but they've all settled on being average.

Is there going to be a moment when the coaching staff realizes having two of your worst forwards (8/29) on your pp is a bad idea?

They are completely out of control on the offensive end, it’s legitimately embarrassing to watch.

Refuse to believe they are this bad.

Also, not sure I’ve ever watched a game where I felt neither team could score on the power play. UMD is bad.

Keep same lines together, but put 29-8-27 as the 4th line on the line chart tonight. Come on Berry, show how you play matters, even with your super special Seniors. 3rd / 4th lines were by far the two best lines last night. Really want things to click for McLaughlin on the 1st line, but they aren’t. Croal should play every game. Who shouldn’t when Perron is healthy? Clearly 29.

I have a spreadsheet going, which I update weekly. I'll separate into three groups, (1) Commits (2) Current Offers (3) Committed Elsewhere

Caleb Francois (Minnetonka), committed to Iowa State.

Curious, is the conventional wisdom that the high-end CHL players who will be playing college next year, know where they are going, but haven't announced? The exercise we continue to do, 02/21/2025 update. Senior F's: 5 Incoming F's: 2 (Zellers, Klee). Based on past history, I don't think O'Neill would come in as a True Freshman, given his production this year UND is in the need of a minimum 3 players. For the top players, you of course need to win recruiting battles. I do think 3 with the CHL now in the mix, is doable. 3 guys that you feel good about (1 "star" in the mix, two other "high-end"). This is also not taking into account, guys that decide to sign (ex: James), or guys that portal out. Needing 5+ guys in the off-season is a recipe for disaster. Especially if you lose non-Senior Top 6 guys. Is this coaching staff truly anticipating no departures outside of the Senior class? I'm sure he's a great teammate, but we cannot add another Dalton Andrew to the F group. Wish I had any confidence in this coaching staff.

35 total offers, 34 current offers. 7 where UND is the only offer, 13 where UND was the first offer. Aiden Wunderlich (Casselton, ND): UND, Montana, NDSU Deshon Jenkins (Ft. Myers, FL): Florida A&M, West Virginia, Toledo, UND Hakeim Smalls (Seattle, WA): Nevada, UND, Sac State, San Diego State, Montana State, Boise State, UNLV Henry Gabalis (Everett, WA): UND, Sac State, Montana, Idaho, Montana State, Arizona, Washington State Tristan Baker (Seattle, WA): UND, Idaho Pierce Petersohn (Dodge Center, MN): UND, Minnesota, NDSU, Northwestern, Iowa Luke Tetzlaff (Kaukauna, WI): UND Ben Wenzel (Appleton, WI): Eastern Michigan, UND, Lindenwood, Central Michigan. NDSU Nate Appleget (Lincoln, NE): NIU, UND, SDSU, Lindenwood Blake Buhr (Sheboygan, WI): UND, Cornell Noah Dietel (Litchfield, MN): UND Kobe Russell (Prescott, WI): NDSU, UND, NIU, SDSU Pierce Decker (Fort Collins, CO): Montana, Wyoming, UND, NAU, UNC Bradley Esser (Harrisburg, SD): SDSU, UNI, UND Brayden Dozier (Maple Grove, MN): NDSU, UND Brooks Hendrickson (Mount Horeb, WI): UND Ethan Headings (Iowa City, IA): UND Will Vala (Downers Grove, IL): Illinois State, Ball State, ODU, UND, Lindenwood, Central Michigan, Arkansas State, EMU, Fordham Jhace Woods (Sioux Falls, SD): SDSU, NDSU, UND Brandon Jenkins (Arlington Heights, IL): Murray State, Liberty, Toledo, Illinois State, Cincinnati, Ball State, UND, Ohio University, Miami of Ohio, Kansas State, ODU Jayden Brown (West Des Moines, IA): NDSU, UND Kaedyn Smith (Chandler, AZ): UND Xavier Rivera-Rogers (Phoenix, AZ): NAU, UND Jeremiah Daoud (Allen, TX): UND Michael Farr (Racine, WI): Eastern Michigan, Lindenwood, UND, Central Michigan, NDSU Noah Daniel (Fort Dodge, IA): UND, NDSU Marquis Richardson (Chandler, AZ): Iowa State, Central Michigan, NAU, UND, Hawaii Bryson Williams (Omaha, NE): NDSU, SDSU, UND, Colorado State, Lindenwood, Washington State Keaton Reinke (Saint Charles, IL): Toledo, Penn, Miami of Ohio, NDSU, Northwestern, NIU, Stanford, UND, Iowa Myles Ellis (Flossmoor, IL): Akron, Miami of Ohio, Marshall, Kent State, UND MarQuan Brewster (Palatine, IL): UND Deron Russell (Minneapolis, MN): SDSU, NIU, UND Levon Morton (Mesquite, TX): Montana State, UTEP, UNT, Texas State, UND Carter Harris (Allen, TX): Cornell, Illinois State, UND

We need as many people as possible to see this post. This coaching staff is a complete disaster. Probably a bad example, different school and different sport (& W's and L's, Entz was so, so much better than Berry), but I do see similarities between what's happening currently with UND hockey and football at NDSU under Entz. The North Dakota hockey machine, with its investment (budget), facilities, fan base, it's damn near impossible to be consistently mediocre. If you look at the NCHC, you'll see two true peers (Denver, ASU), before this year, you had one. Finishing ahead of SCSU, Duluth, Omaha, shouldn't be that difficult. Outside of legacy, location, UND isn't going to be losing recruiting battles with those schools. Lack of leadership from the AD, feels like we could be stuck. Ok regular season (first round NCAA loss), then miss the tournament, ok regular season (first round NCAA loss), then miss the tournament. Need enough people to get through to Armacost, because we are going to be stuck on a slow downward slide with Berry and Co. This program is not part of the elite class of teams anymore. Sad whats happened.

Not for the same reasons but can we all go back two seasons (last time they missed the NCAA tournament) and the decision to bring Senden / Hain back for their 5th year and the dominos that caused which according to some wasn't well received by all in the locker room. It's so disappointing how bad Berry is at this.

Might be worth it. They showed some fight tonight.

All Chaves has to do to make this a reality is inform Berry next week that his contract will not be extended, regardless of results next year. Next year will be his final year coaching at the University of North Dakota. Thank you, but we’re going a different direction at the end of next year. No maybe’s, no ifs. Too easy, @gfhockey, let’s pass this along.

I think the most likely scenario is Berry steps down after this year and becomes an assistant coach at some level (NHL, AHL). Makes sense on every level for Brad. Clearly, also the best case scenario for the university / program.

Could we be looking at a Matt Entz situation? Brian Jones? That would be a win / win for all.

This coaching staffs lack of foresight is so frightening. This is a lost year, with a bad Senior class (besides Berg). The 4th line should be 27-8-15. Kunz should be on the 3rd line. Take 15/29/8/27 off the power play. Not only is having 15 play in the top 6 / PP / PK a detriment this year, but does nothing for the future. Why I’m picking on 15, is it’s so frustrating to watch a bust from the portal come in and given and treated like he’s an all-timer that’s just on a slump. Berry’s quote about James was telling. How he finally “earned” power play time. What has 15 ever done to “earn“ pp time? This coaching staff is a complete joke. They should be selling hope for the future, putting players that can come back in the best situations possible.

So, why are non-P4 schools opting in? There has to be some sort of advantage. Not really worth the discussion, Chaves will follow whatever NDSU does, which very well could be the right call. Here's my point. Let's pretend these non-P4 schools that are opting in, are doing it for a reason. @nodak651 very accurately laid out why NDSU would not want to. It would be exciting to see Chaves go against the grain a bit here. Forcing NDSU's hand would be a bonus.