Wilbur

So last year we nuked the bullpen for prospects, this year we gave up prospects for the bullpen. Guess I'd rather be on the trying to win side. If the starters can get the game through the 5th with a lead I like their chances with the additions. Anxious to see what they get out of Kremer.

So does Moreland become next in line at GFC? What does the #gobc think?

Grubb with a goal in the second period for Team USA in the Gretzky-Hlinka Cup up in Edmonton.

Alright, Tom Miller posted that UND is ranked #10 in a preseason FCS poll. Without looking, here is my guess on who is ahead of us in this extremely critical poll. In no particular order: Tarleton State, Montana, SDSU, Montana State, South Dakota, UC Davis, ISU Red, Villanova, Tennessee Tech (even though we waxed them). And I just looked.....7 of the 9. Not terrible. I gave Tennessee Tech and South Dakota too much credit, and forgot that Youngstown's QB won the Walter Payton Award, and that Rhode Island is okay according to some.

It does make me wonder where some of these schools will get their non league games from. The red river valley schools now can get games within arms reach an hour or two away in Minnesota. I imagine from a hotels/bussing stand point you save on some costs as you had a ton of Friday/Saturday weekend swings with the teams across the state from one another.

Saw on Facebook today that the head coaching position for the Hazen/Beulah girls team is posted. As expected, Jamestown slides to the east, and there will be region tournaments for the girls this year to qualify for state.

Makes sense. Played my high school hockey years ago with him, and typical that he has talented kids with his wife being a pretty good athlete herself. Do you know if his wife still teaches at Century?

My bet would be Leif Mattson as he has a daughter on the team and he coached the Mandan boys for a few years. Unless his daughter is heading out of the state of course.

Just when I think its about to explode they find a way to go 3-4 on a tough road trip to start the second half. Now they've got the A's and a very much depleted Royals coming to town, where its a real possibility for them to get 4 of the s6 games and maybe get over .500 and stay there.

Looks like we are going to see some pieces move here in the next few weeks. I'd assume Ryan, Jeffers, Bell, maybe Clemons as well. You've got a real future with Culpepper, Jenkins, Rodriguez. Honestly wouldn't surprise me to see Caratini move to as a rental for a team that just needs catching depth and a guy that can play first if you need him to. I give Shelton credit for keeping the ship above water as long as he could with zero bullpen. A credit to the new hitting coach, as the team leads the American League in runs scored.

I've heard rumblings that Looker will stay on as their home PA and road radio. New blood in the booth for home games on the play by play side.

I'm sure more will come out, but want to thank TH for all the years behind the mic. I'd say I listened to him for the better part of 38 years of covering UND hockey. Even with everything being on TV nowadays I always tuned in after games for the goal recaps and post game interviews. Godspeed Tim.

Down to counting the days until fall camp gets rolling. Really excited about the group this year, and a big early test at Nebraska that will show if the kids are ready to take the next step. I'm excited to see more creativity on the offensive side of the ball, and I know that Jerry will only grow with Danny by his side. Thursday night football to open the slate should be rocking.

One of the better skaters I saw from a pretty good group with Shattuck, but yes, undersized and physically can't handle the bigger d men in the corners. Growing trend of some pretty good talent in the SoCal area that grow up with the Jr. Kings and then find the elite places like Shattuck. Reminded me of another California Kid, Cooper Soller. Can't imagine we are too far away from UCLA or USC adding to the B1G hockey group with more and more players from that place in the world.

Longest tenured coach in ND would be Paranica then? I've heard rumors that he's thought of stepping away, but we know how the rumor mill goes.

That was the hockey equivalent of completely controlling the game and then a questionable major penalty in the third gives your opponent more life than they had all game and its a stretch to the finish. Some will say its a red, some will say Messi did the same thing and didn't even get a yellow last week. Not having Balogun in Seattle is going to hurt if the ruling is upheld. Honestly I don't know if they even have a group that looks at that kind of thing. Great game from Tillman and the back end. Those guys grinded.

I'll miss seeing him around the rink. You talk to any coach around the state and they all have a lot of good things to say about Ole. Hopefully his health stays up to par in his retirement. Is he still going to teach, or is he retiring from that as well?

Wilbur? Ohhh....goalie....goalie...

Thankfully it got pushed to 20 to at the moment save the high school game a bit. What the next thing will be who knows.

The 5 in 5 rule could be a mighty blow for high school hockey. Instead of kids sticking around and playing through their senior years they'll be pressed to make a decision on high school hockey vs. junior hockey. I'll use a kid like Benson from Sheyenne as an example as he lead the state in scoring. If that rule goes into place he'd have one full year of potential junior hockey after this year. His dad being the head coach he likely sticks around and plays before and after the year in Watertown where he is tendered, but after that he'd just have the one full year. ACHA teams may be licking their chops with this one as it doesn't apply to them at all. Stay tuned.

Don't show this to the Pohlads. Got better while spending less.

I see the pros and cons of the rule changes. No bailout TO on an icing is for more offense, but will lead to more delay BS of the team that has been out there on a 2 minute shift, unless the officials start calling delay of game on it. I'd rather see it stay the same and each team uses a TO where they want it. I think the players for the most part adapted really well to the no hand pass rule. I guess adding it back in the defensive end means that when a guy is down on his knees in the corner he can glove the puck to a teammate to keep the game going. Count me in the should've kept it where it was group with that one too. As far as the trapezoid and goalies being unfairly limited in showing off their athletic ability in the corner by playing the puck....I mean we need to let the best athletes on the ice show off that skill. I know @burd agrees......

I think the Friday night game against Omaha in the playoffs summed up the end of his tenure to a T. Up a goal in the third period, and you got outshot 17-0 while sitting back and taking punches from Omaha like they were the Soviet Red Army team. Murdered in the faceoff circle, outhustled, outhit, out whatever you want to call it, yet after the game we talked "culture" and "finding a way" and "a full sixty on Saturday" when our goalie just stood on his head so we could barely get to the finish line. I don't know if that, or needing to beat Robert Morris in OT and getting pushed to the brink by them after having to beat them in OT was the low point.

I'm going to need to know what bar now....and where I can get a Sandy t-shirt.....

Bringing in a tough as nails kid that isn't afraid to get in front of pucks with the half shield on, and has played with Carels a bit. I'll call that a win. Dumanski is captain material in a few years, his coach at Prince George just loves the kid. Dressing 7 d men most nights is my guess, the battle between that group to stay out of the suites on game night is going to be fun to see.