SpudsSioux

Boisvert has been a first round pick in every mock draft I’ve seen these last couple months. The mocks are including NA and Europe.

I don't think Kuehne is eligible yet. He's a fall birthday so he's only a Sophomore I believe.

One thing I really noticed with this group is the D-corp (and forwards helping out) are not letting letting nearly the amount of backdoor one-timers and tap-ins happen. Someone this fall mentioned when they hired Simpson they wondered if he would be able to teach that awareness and sticks in the traffic areas (because he was one of the best ever at it). It sure seems like that has been a focus point. There were multiple times last weekend it looked like one was going right to a Gopher forward and our D would get a stick on it at the last second to negate it. They are still allowing too many breakaways, but it looks to me like some of those are just not being super crisp with our passing yet. Forwards get a pass picked off and a good transition team goes the other way fast. But I would think goalies would take a breakaway over a cross-ice pass to a wide open back door player any day.

After Mooney, I would think Cooper Simpson.

Sorry I may have derailed this topic with that post. I was referring to the last time I really felt like this with the current run of high-end recruits. They didn't all make it here, but that was a time I felt like for about 2 years it just seemed like we were winning every big recruiting battle.

The only other one I can really think of is the run in 2010/2011 that seemed like we were winning every college recruiting battle for the NTDP kids...only to lose them to MJ after. I've wondered before if that's why our coaching staff went a different direction for awhile. I think the later recruiting now (not being able to until their Junior year) has helped with that a bit though. If I'm remembering right, all of these were in that 2010/2011 run of Hak's: Rocco, Koules, J. Schmaltz, N. Schmaltz, JT Miller, Stephan Matteau, Voltin, Thompson, Wilkie. Lots of program kids. Some panned out, some didn't, and some were 1st round picks that never ended up on campus.

For sure, would love to see one of those two! Hopefully if this is as big of a get as indicated (Kennedy tweeting it sure makes it seem like it), hopefully it's one of those guys. If not, it doesn't hurt our chances of landing a stud forward if we have a great group of D and goalie locked and loaded for them to play with!

Mooney and Potter timelines don't match up unless something drastically changed. Gotta be Lindberg or Heil.

Me too, haha. It seems like we're turning a little corner with the NTDP guys though (I know it could just be that we've had a nice run of local guys make it lately), but nice to see the 18s with 2 and the 17's with one early. If UND could lock up Lindberg that would be a nice presence on the 17's with Lindberg and O'Neill committed early here and Kuehne likely a primary UND target the grade below.

Sounds like it may be awhile before Mooney makes a decision. That may give UND a better chance though if they can get him to come for a game. Still feels like a long shot there. Potter decision will likely come earlier and probably a better chance we get him.

Spot on. They weren't going to get Smaby. Not just a paycut, but he knows his next step is an Associate coach position with the current trajectory he's on. I'm fine with a young guy without experience for a 3rd position if it's because his coaching career got started late because he was playing pro hockey (Trupp was this way as well. As soon as he was done playing, his coaching climb has happened fast). Above all, I'm just glad there is a 3rd and that it's a D guy. Hoping that takes some off of Karl's plate and he can hit goaltending evaluation and recruiting harder.

I don't think we were ever in on Morin. I wish we were; he was one of my favorite prospects in this class, but we never seemed to be in the mix. Gophers were in the mix, so glad he's not going there. If we land Lindberg, Laurila and either Potter or Mooney (in addition to O'Neil and Schultz), this could still be an incredible class, but we need those to fall our way.

He will be this year. He was tendered to the Force for the upcoming season.

Yup, you're right. I was thinking he was September as well, but he's October. So Laurila is the only one in that group that's 2024 eligible I think.

Hensler and Laurila are both accelerating so could come in as early as 2024. Hensler seems like a lock to come in 2024 to wherever he commits. Laurila likely plays a year of juniors. I think those are the only two eligible for 2024 Draft. Laurila is very very young for the draft (makes the cut-off by about 2 weeks) so he's got his work cut out of for him to move up. Will need to have a big season on the 18s. Hensler seems like a top 10 lock at this point. Fleece and Morin both considered potential 1st round picks as well and will be 2025 prospects. Edit: Hensler is 2025 eligible for draft, not 2024. Thanks @siouxforce19