Wilbur

My guess or vote is Pittsburgh. No more Staal, a bit of cap space to bring in a good team guy, and its not too far of a move for him. Being so close to the Stanley cup has got to make him want it even more. So, a contender it is..... I'm a Minnesota sports fan (minus goldy of course...), and they just don't get the big name free agents...I mean maybe when he's 38, but not when he's in his prime.

I...uh....You watched him play in college right? We are talking about Chay right? Charles....the younger brother?

Parise would be an idiot to sign with the Wild. I know its home, and they'll throw a lot of money at him, but if he ever dreams of winning a Stanley cup he can't come home just yet. The same can be said for Suter....

Not pleased by this. I wish he had signed with a team that actually had a decent future ahead of them, and one willing to give him a chance. Last year Chay was the best defenseman on the Aeros yet he only got called up for one game (which he was one of the best players on the ice). Its tough to call myself a wild fan when they'd rather bring up a higher drafted player, than a player that is producing for them in the minors.....

I think what Gothberg provides something the Sioux haven't really seen in a goaltender in his ability to play the puck as almost a third defensemen. I love his size and his lateral movement is excellent for a big goaltender. Have not seen Saunders whatsoever....just a big kid that has seen a lot of rubber in Alabama.....

Brad posted that we may see a penalty clock....blasphemy....

It means so much to me because of the special link to my dad that Fighting Sioux hockey has given to me. We went to a ton of games when I was young but I remember one specifically when UND was playing St. Cloud State at the Old Ralph. UND scored late in the third period to take the lead and the pep band (after of course playing the school song) went right into the beer song. I'll never forget seeing my dad wipe the beginning of tears from his eyes, as it meant so much that we were sharing that moment together (and of course the Sioux were going to win). Even going to football games, when the team ran onto the field at Memorial Stadium, or onto the turf at the Alerus, I always see it get to him. Now that I'm a dad I just get emotional as all hell when my wife puts our one year old in his fighting sioux jersey, or other Sioux outfits before a big Sioux game. The torch is definitely getting passed!

Nice job assistant coach A and B.....

Nothing to really do with the topic, but Brad posted a list of UND's first rounders the past ten years. Two names stuck out to me. Joe Finley going to the caps at 27, and Brian Lee going to Ottawa at 9.....Not sure those were the greatest first round picks in the history of those organizations. Still can't believe that lee went 9th.....wow. I know the injury hurt big Joe quite a bit, but hopefully he can get up with the Sabres for a longer stretch next season.

More reasons to cheer for the Blues. Oshie....check....Backes....check....Elliott....check....... Biased college hockey fan here...

I have heard nothing from any rumor mill but seems likely that Dell will not be back another year. When Kristo and others were talking about coming back you think he would have made a decision at that point in time, but was likely waiting for some kind of an offer.

Add this one to the list of "North Dakota doesn't get any respect". I remember when the Final Five printed posters that said North Dakota State University and I was told by hockey fans from outside ND that I should turn the other cheek and that its great that college hockey has sponsors like Red Baron etc.... ~I'm betting that the NCAA wouldn't send Alabama's division I championship banner to Auburn.... ~North Carolina wouldn't get Duke's..... ~Florida State wouldn't get Florida's..... It made me chuckle, but its just another strike against an already poorly run collegiate athletics association.

Pretty good analysis from the diehards of les habitants..... ~Right on with Kristo's size. ~Dell does seem to be a bit lackadaisical at times, but makes the saves he needs to. ~Cichy does need to put on a little bit of weight if he's going to make it in the professional ranks.

Exactly. It used to be the fat kid would end up in the net at the youth level, but now you're seeing the better athletes at younger ages becoming goaltenders, which leads to better goaltenders at the upper levels as well. I'd say the equipment has a lot to do with it as well. The stuff is so light now, that all of these goaltenders are that much quicker to the point where it doesn't matter that they mandated smaller equipment. I played goalie in the generation where the pads would get wet, suck up water, and you'd have weights stuck to your legs. Now these pads repel water, and stay light on a goaltender the duration of a game or practice. I wasn't good enough for an equipment change to help me, but give these great athletes more of an edge and you'll see why leagues are changing rules to improve scoring.

Looks like the nickname is on its way to being retired. Very bittersweet, but the university needs to move on. PS: Nobody can say, "look how this county voted....look at how this county voted". People are voting yes because they don't want the university to be harmed by keeping the nickname. In a straight up vote of yes or no with no ramifications either way, people would vote to keep the nickname across the state.

So, I guess I don't understand hockey because I'm in favor of having the full cage.... I was a goalie though....so having something protecting my face with pucks flying at me was kind of important.... Either way it doesn't matter. Said it before....will say it again....Would love to hear Nick Fuher's opinion on it.

This is a great discussion topic. Its kind of like, "I can drive my vehicle better without this, even though it means I may get injured a bit more if I get into an accident". The NFL is having kind of a similar situation. They are requiring their players to wear more protection in an attempt to prevent injuries, and the players are all up in arms because the extra padding will hinder the way they play the game. I'll agree with the previous post. I have so much respect for players who get in front of 100 mph slapshots with nothing protecting their faces. The guys who lay out with the possibility that they'll get one somewhere in the noggin. There will still be players out there that play the game recklessly if the game goes to half shields. I just don't want to see blood on the ice at the Ralph and a college kid with 8 stitches above his right eye. I wonder what Nick Fuher would say about the topic? I know the incident in his situation was a fluke thing....but his life changed quite a bit.

If they did J.P. Parise might have landed a slash in 1972...

I've wondered this as well. If you have half shields obviously you'll have high sticks that cause a bloody nose or two. What will the penalty be for a high stick that cuts an opponent or draws blood? I'm all for the safety of the game and players not taking liberties with overaggressive play, but at the same time I think the one thing that kind of set college hockey apart was the full cages. Seems like Toews, Oshie, Stafford, and Parise didn't have any issues with vision or scoring with the full cage. It doesn't matter to me either way, but I guess I wouldn't mind it if things stayed status quo.

Only rule change I wasn't fond of was the hand pass rule. Any time a team needs a whistle in their own end after a broken stick, or long shift...boom, hand pass. I'm sure they won't let the guilty team have a line change, but still will lead to more stoppages in play.

I'm for him not being drafted by any team in the state of New York. Still amazed that Garth Snow still has a job with the Islanders with all of the playoff success they've had the past few years. Hmmm.....last appearance....2007. I give the guy credit for his first year on the job, but since that first year the Isles haven't been over five hundred, and he's pissed off his fair share of people around the hockey world. *EDIT* He can be drafted by Buffalo. Lot of good former college hockey guys on that squad.

I was kind of thinking this as well. How would BC do against a team like London or Windsor? I'm all for NCAA teams and CHL teams playing exhibition games against each other. Don't think that it will ever happen, but boy would it make those boring exhibitions into some quality hockey games. Last year's Sioux team with Frattin and company could beat any CHL team, this year's squad....meh.....

I was talking about the three or four games I watched bits and pieces of collectively. I can't say that I sat down and watched an entire game.

I watched some of the games....kind of a bit boring at times. One thing I couldn't stand was the cheap stuff after the whistle over and over and over again. I know these guys are playing for a national championship....but after you see someone get cross checked for the fifth time from behind it gets pretty old. Pretty sloppy defensive play at times, the youth definitely shows.

I think they are a top ten team, and extremely talented, but at the same time their goaltenders combined have exactly zero NCAA wins.....Patterson was huge for them last season....it will take some adjusting without him.