AJS

At this point you would almost have to assume that he didn't. I'll never understand the timing of a decision like this, I mean why now? The most logical outcome would be him just signing with Buffalo. Would be a huge pick-up for whoever gets him, if he doesn't sign with Buffalo. This is the type of thing where I'd love to know the "Top 5".

Per Schlossman's daily column, it sounds like Duluth will only be losing Tufte and Anderson early. Looking at Seniors leaving / early departures, plus a few big time additions (Denver - Brink, WMU - Attard, UND - Pinto, Blaisdell), but not knowing each teams (outside of UNDs) recruiting classes very well, a couple quick thoughts. The Top 5 in the NCHC is going to be really tough. I don't think we'll see a runaway winner like St. Cloud this past year and I do think the favorites will be Denver and Duluth, but I wouldn't feel confident picking the pre-season standings. The same Top 5 will finish in the Top 5, but who knows the order. I also think overall, the Top 5 will be more solid. The 6-8 teams will finish the same as this year in some type of order. Also, the difference between the Top 5 and Bottom 3 will be wider.

Agreed he was still over (slightly) a PPG during the regular season and a PPG during playoffs. Sounds like it's a moot point at this point, but would have still preferred Rizzo over Caulfied next year. The "Top 6" talent is going to improve this year, but feel Rizzo could really contribute to that potential depth. I have only 7 players Michaud, Kawaguchi, Mismash, Pinto, Blaisdell -- Adams, Weatherby that fit. With injuries / two of them being true freshman / two unproven scorers, the more options the better. Edit: That being said, it'll be really nice having Rizzo as one of the cornerstone pieces to that 2020 class.

Pinto is on fire, 8 points (3G 5A) in 3 playoff games.

That's a big one, fantastic hockey player. Let's go back to my list: Shepard Tufte Anderson or Perunovich Samberg or Wolff (Staying) Two down

Anyone else starting to get the feeling like Duluth is going to lose nowhere close to the number most hoped for? I originally thought 4 would go, it's just been way too quiet for my liking.

@Brett0909 when was the last time you remember UND having a great power play? Last year was rock bottom, absolutely, but I’m also not going to pretend that it was ever rolling under Hakstol. It’s something for over a decade plus I’ve never been able to figure out.

Ethan Frisch interview, really well spoken kid.

Pinto with 4 points in his first playoff game, 1 G 3 A.

I'm really with this line of thinking. I would have preferred Rizzo over Caulfield next year, with only one of them coming in, but that doesn't appear to be how it'll shake out.

It still might happen, but Anderson to LA might have been a little premature by their writer. Matt Wellen (Duluth sports writer), talked with Anderson after the LA Kings guy tweet and Anderson said he was still deciding.

I agree about the rosters of 25 not working out the last couple years, emphasis on last year. IMO it's much more about the construction of the 25 man roster and not the number itself. Too many guys who play the same type of role (i.e. that of a 4th line player).

This. Very interested to see how it's going to play out. They are +2 right now.

Current list: https://www.uscho.com/pro-signings-by-ncaa-players-2019-offseason/ Hockey East is really taking a beating this off season with departures, with other top Seniors. Looking at last years records: 1. UMASS: Seems to be in pretty good shape, but lose top two scorers Makar and Pritchard (SR). Pretty good proven depth returning. 2. Northeastern: Lose top 3 scorers (all above 30 points) and a stud goalie 3. Providence: Lose 1, 3, 4, 6 and Senior goalie. 4. Lowell: Lose top 2 and Top D. Their point totals look like UNDs this year. 5. BU - Lose 5 early, under .500 record last year

At a minimum I'd like to see: Denver: Mitchell Duluth: Shepard, One Forward, Either Anderson or Perunovich and either Wolfe or Samberg That'd be one more for Denver and hopefully 4 for Duluth.

Couldn't agree more, but what goes for Garnder can be said three fold for guys like Keane / Yon / Johnson who because of injuries and lack of depth had to play roles they weren't cut out for. Keane playing on the second line at times and Yon / Johnson playing on the power play. These are guys that cannot be playing anything outside of a 4th line role at best. I said it earlier today, but I can't emphasis enough how gaining a net 2 Forwards (as it stands today) will greatly impact the team. Especially the caliber of players they are adding. I see the following, guys that were regulars at the end of the year: Michaud / Jones - Neutral Pinto / Garnder - From an offensive perspective a net gain, Pinto is a legitimate Top 6 talent, like @SIOUXELEVENS said, Garnder was made for the 3rd line Center Role Blaisdell / Keane - Night and Day difference as far as talent Caulfield / Johnson - Night and Day difference as far as talent Albrecht / Yon - Can't be worse If we think the Top 6 talent wise is (Michaud, Kawaguchi, Mismash, Pinto, Blaisdell, Adams), Top 9 include (Hain, Senden, Smith) -- you have a fourth line of a combination of Caulfield, Weatherby, Bowen, Hoff. You already have a one player buffer, before you have to get into Albrecht / Keane / Johnson / Yon. The last three playing big minutes last year. I think we're going to see a huge turnaround next year offensively.

Things we know going into next year. UND will have a solid 3rd line - Hain / Senden / Smith 2 "proven" scorers at the NCAA level The first line starts with Michaud centering Kawaguchi. Guys that have the talent to be contributors Top 6 Contributors next year outside of the two that are penciled into the first line. Mismash - 2nd round pick, a lot of talent. Had a solid Freshman campaign and then injuries last year. Injuries aside, he's easily a Top line guy Pinto - He'll be the 2nd line center. Great year in the USHL as a Senior. 2nd / 3rd round pick this summer. Blaisdell - Another definite Top 6 guy as a Freshman. Can really do it all. Most likely 3rd round pick this summer. Adams - We've seen the individual talent, can he actually take the next step? Weatherby - We'll see if he can make the jump from his Freshman year If we see the Top 6 as Kawaguchi - Michaud - Mismash - Solid D1 First Line Blaisdell - Pinto - Adams - A lot of talent I really do think next year they'll be able to mix and match a very solid Top 6 to go along with a good 3rd line. More importantly, there were 3 guys who played a lot last year that shouldn't see the ice on a good team. Even with some injuries, being that right now the Forward group is sitting +2 from last year, we won't see them nearly as much, much less all three of them on a nightly basis. Side note: Honestly, I really like a 4th line of Caulfied / Hoff / Weatherby / Bowen Offensively, there will be more talent (with the addition of Michaud / High end freshman) and more quality depth, which might be just as important.

USHL Pinto - '00 (F): 28-31-59 (56GP) Gaber - '99 (F): 22-28-50 (61GP) Halliday - '02 (F): 10-24-34 (55GP) Ness - '99 (F): 16-17-33 (57GP) Mancinelli - '01 (F): 13-17-30 (58GP) Schmaltz - 01' (F): 5-13-18 (60GP) Frisch - '00 (D): 4-13-17 (57GP) Reid - 01' (D): 2-17-17 (60GP) Miller - 01' (D): 4-12-16 (48GP) Randklev - '99 (F): 3-8-11 (21GP) Montgomery - 02': (F) 4-3-7 (36GP) Costello - 00' (F): 3-4-7 (55GP) NTDP U18 Caulfield - 01' (F): 12-24-36 (56GP) Rowe - 01' (G): 3.49 GAA / .872 SV% (32GP) NTDP U17 Sanderson -02' (D): 4-19-23 (41GP) Kleven -02' (D): 3-5-8 (49GP) AJHL Bast - 00' (D): 7-28-35 (45GP) BCHL Blaisdell - 01' (F): 33-25-58 (51GP) Stratton - 99' (F): 11-30-41 (50GP) Rizzo - 01' (F): 11-29-40 (37GP) Bowen -02' (F) 19-20-39 (58GP) SJHL Albrecht - 98' (F) 33-56-89 (56GP) Other Kunz -02' (F) James -03' (F) Moore - 01' (D) Johnson - 01' (G) Ausmus '04' (D) Panzer '04 (F) Spicer '04 (F)

Not yet, but should be anytime now. It was released April 12th last year.

From a couple days ago: https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/4597923-rb-depth-chart-pro-potential-and-new-offense-review-heralds-und-football-mailbag Defensive line is likely UND's biggest need in recruiting after spring ball in terms of players ready to see the field right away. UND's coaches think Jalen Morrison can be a quality starting nose. They've also rotated defensive end Carl Engwall into the middle on occasion. I'd expect an addition of a nose in the form of a junior college transfer or FBS dropdown following spring ball. This could be a more pressing need in 2020 when UND plays a Missouri Valley schedule than in 2019 against the Big Sky slate because of the difference in how the leagues use fullbacks and power-run schemes.

This is only the way I feel about the situation, but I bet it rings true with a lot of other people. You can't and shouldn't fault the way anyone close to the program has felt or the way they've expressed their feelings since the decisions was made. This obviously includes the twins. Not only is it natural, but something everyone else would have done and would be doing with a sport they were apart of or with fans / alumni, felt connected to. I like I'm sure everyone else was never anti-women's hockey. The only problem I have with this situation is how it was handled by the local media, which was almost entirely by Schlossman. To say he was unprofessional would be an understatement. Not only do I feel he couldn't have been more one sided with his reporting, but I also felt he was doing everything he could in his position to make UND look as bad as he possibly could. I agree that UND could have handled this better, but I don't believe that had anything to do with the one-sidedness of how it was reported. Schlossman with this situation turned from reporter to activist. I expect more although in this day and age I shouldn't, from the media. Report on the situation and lay out all the facts. I was always on the side that this was the best decision overall for the University going forward, so I supported it from day one, so you could say I have my own bias. I went from neutral feels towards the women's program and did sympathize, because it's tough on the players, obviously. Schlossman single-handily helped grow a more negative attitude overall towards a program that is no longer here. Before this all happened I felt the same about all the sports that were cut, but Women's hockey I now see in a worse light, that can't be said for the others.

I'm trying to temper my expectations going into next year, but this Michaud addition is really exciting. It's a rare situation where you can just add a guy that's already proven himself as an above average college player. We already know that he would have lead this team in goals / points, which I realize was in a different style / situation, but still. If we look strictly now at goals lost going into next year, his 13 would cancel out the combined goals scored by Jones / Shaw / JJ. UND needs to replace only 8 goals going into next year, which is almost unheard of. I'm very interested to see how the forward roster shakes out for next year, because even if they delay Rizzo, you'd think there would be a couple guys who are currently on the roster that won't be back.

I don't think anyone is going to dispute that an extra year of Juniors is a bad thing for him, in fact, I think most people would agree that overall it would help him out. Like I said, as long as everyone is on the same page (Rizzo, his parents and UND), then him returning to Penticton is a win for everyone.

Is Donovan still a recruit? That’s how.