Wilbur

USHL teams can tender up to two players (2010 birth year this year, always 16 year olds) in exchange for their first and second round picks in the phase 1 draft before the draft happens. Phase 2 draft happened today, which is the 17-20 old pool of guys. I believe teams have 50 guys on their protected rosters.

Girls EDC tournament to be six teams. Start at home sites or "pods" followed by conclusion of tournament in Grand Forks. Championship at Purpur before Boys I'm told.

Jesper has been great in the net for the Wild. Gives them the option to try and trade Gus in the off season as their AHL kid is pretty good and right about NHL ready.

I'll agree, I think most years it wouldn't change much with the current 55% and 45% or whatever they decide to do percentage wise nowadays. I'd personally be a bit ticked off if UND didn't make the postseason based on a 3x3 outcome between UCONN and Boston college late in the season for example. I'm not a fan of the 5 minute 5x5 during the regular season. OT just turns into a tennis match with both teams dumping the puck and trapping the neutral zone after both teams battled for 60 and neither wants to drop points when it gets there. I don't see the system changing, fans want a winner, and its used at most of the upper levels of hockey during the regular season.

I think to get away from 3x3 mini hockey deciding playoff percentages that we need to call games ties that end after 60 if you aren't going 5x5 in OT. Anything that comes after that shouldn't be considered a win in the NPI or a loss. Have your 3x3 and your shootout if you want to, but the game is a tie for the records. I think you'd see more teams press to score a bit more in the 3x3 if they had less to lose from it. Best of 3 first round playoffs. Reseed, best of 3 super regionals, then the normal F4. If your arena isn't available its on you to find a backup and make it work or play on the road. I mean lets act like this is a D1 operation here, and I hate the argument that "hockey is different because of Arenas". I'd also like to see a player impact panel, where the kids can voice their opinions on some game play or rule changes they'd like to see. Team Captain serves as the rep, leave the coaches out of this one.

Very few western kids. I looked at the 16U T1 team roster from last season and the furthest west a team member was from was either Jamestown or Devils Lake. Team ND tryouts this weekend in West Fargo. Interested to see how many western kids show up.

Okay Derek. This lineup is what it is. Sitting back and playing Rocco Ball (not that it matters with what their record will be) isn’t going to cut it and will for sure mean 100+ losses. The limited opportunities you will have to win 1 game in a series can't be missed. You've got to bunt runners over, try and steal bases, and not take out Ober with 83 pitches..... I'm not really sure what the philosophy is currently, but they need to just bring some kids up to the big and let em play.

A former coach in North Dakota High School hockey that I respect a lot refers to it as "checkbook hockey." The age groups I see a lot of kids in the Fargo metro for these AAA tournaments is scary. Much too young to be specializing. Golf, track, baseball, lacrosse, tennis. Get them using different muscles and get their thinking differentiated a bit as well.

Caleb Heil sensational again for Madison last night. His team puts up 13 total shots last night and he wills them to victory. He was the story of that series, stealing three games.

I guess its a battle between Payton and Andy Dalton of all people to back up Mr. Positive energy.

I think he should've went to FBS, the offers were there. Prove it against the big boys instead of guys who get the coverages screwed up every third play.

So got a big citrus, a linebacker, and an OT with the dreaded "short arms". And Greenard is now an Eagle.

They just best hope that the big guy heals and puts the injury behind him. Until that time all we will hear is "see it wasn't Kwesi's fault!"...when it was very much KAM's fault.

See....big guy....huge.....history of breaking foot which has really limited him for the past few years, and anyone who has broken a foot will tell you its easy to break it again. Lot of guys had him as a day 2 guy, yet here we are. I was thinking Safety or Corner, but what do I know.

Two rookies didn't look terrible yesterday. We ended the Mets losing streak, but if you look at who was pitching for them vs. us and who was in their lineup vs. our lineup that game shouldn't have been close at all.

Edit, not Kendry....

I guess its could be worse....we could be the Mets.... The pitching matchup tonight and the lineups should've meant a Mets victory. Twins win and Kendry Rojas tomorrow....

Goalie turned right shot defenseman....Schloss always big on right shot d men.

Parise/JPL holding on line one for you.

This is an excellent take. Face offs extremely important and are amplified when you get into the one and done where zone puck possession is so key in the outcomes of games. I think there will be a real battle for the center roles on this year's squad.

I just can't get over the Varland trade. Talk about stupid stupid. Alan Roden and Kendry Rojas for one of the best relievers in baseball. That would be like the Twins being able to trade Matt Wallner for a top tier 8th inning guy.....And he's not even making a million bucks this year. Just a devastatingly horrific trade.

And another one today. Feel for the team, but this will be the norm all year long unfortunately.

So did I miss the official announcement on Sandy not coming back?

I think today is probably your look ahead to what we are in for most of the year. A good six inning start for Bradley, you have a two run lead late, but you have zero shut down relievers and you lose the game. Another good start for Bradley though.

Emilio Pagan back in Minnesota for the weekend.....Never forget..... I don't know what was worse, his late game collapses or Rocco continuing to put him out there for late game collapses.