BusinessSoot

This team has been “soft” all year…

Everyone relax. First regulation loss since when?.?.?.?..?. I remember an 8-1 loss at St Cloud a couple seasons ago and everyone was their minds………..it’s one game. Sun will come up tomorrow.

It’s early in the season, yes. But the same three headed monster continues to surface, just like it has over last couple of seasons…..even strength scoring and untimely penalties. UND has been very subpar in these areas. I’ve said before, the forwards don’t score on a regular basis 5x5 and it needs to change or close games will continue to go other way. At some point something has to give. I have said many times to a few, if UND is above .500 after 10 games, I would be surprised and happy. Will this team make the NCAA tourney, yes, but the swagger is not quite there yet for this team to be elite. The first 10 games will tell a lot, I like this group. Lots to be excited about, locker room leadership much better than last year, but certainly a ways to go……

Looking for stats related to the number of UND 5 on 5 goals scored by the forwards vs scored by the dmen over past two seasons.

It is ok Young Grasshopper, opinions and views make the engine on this forum run!!

Not necessarily. Remember, according to many on this forum for the '22-'23 season, "we have the best d core in the country...".....things better get straight from get go or the already questions out there on what the hell is going on with UND's d-core/coaching , will go further under the microscope.

The ’23-24 UND roster, a roster still not complete, has some wood to cut to get to the level of either of those teams tonight. That was my point. Don’t care how either team playing tonight assembled their roster, those were two good teams.

Watching QU/MU……..UND has a long ways to go to get to the level of: 1) QU with an older age , disciplined, d zone efficient, excellent goaltending roster or 2) MU younger talented up and down, fast, skilled roster, with excellent goaltending that plays with pace and purpose.

But those leaving were all "great" in '21-'22 on this forum and UND had the "best d-core in the country" for '22-'23. Would really enjoy our favorite hockey beat writer to ask the really hard questions as to why the man in charge thinks there has been such turnover.

Bingo.

I'll say this again....... when roster moves were made last year BEFORE returning players were sat down and talked to the coaches end a big WTF went thru the locker room. And from what I heard last summer letting Ferner walk with eligibility, was a big blow to the locker room and the young dmen. Had many guys questioning what was going on. He was very well respected by all. NHL caliber player, no way, but all teams need "that guy". Calder getting strung along after season didn't sit well either with most. Is there a trust issue with the HC and his staff? KG is a part of the daily d-core/goaltending coaching development, something is not right..... Does Berry solely control the roster decisions? I honestly am very curious as to WTF is happening as well...... this is not good.

Fair enough. I have don't necessarily see it that way, due to the fact his "hard decisions" failed in every way last year. The 10 and 19 5th year failed venture, cost ice time/development of others, as one example. Two freshmen of class of '21 left, that in itself is concerning, considering those whom are leaving were contributors to a Penrose team a year ago. (Portz played every game as a freshman). 5x5 scoring from forwards has been clearly an issue the past two years and the list could go on. Hopefully the business model Berry is trying to instill/get corrected gets sailing in the right direction. He had a pre season ranked #4 team on paper last year............ My two cents.

Why "kudos to Berry " for Portz leaving? Just curious.

Well stated. Can't imagine a scoring explosion from 28 next year, based on historicals. 28 coming back eating into time/development from a guy like 29?? Time will tell.

The players didn't suddenly show up on campus uninvited. And surely staff did their homework on each player. Did coaching staff hope for a one year "fix" with Calder/Ferner for example, then team had success, coaches thought they could bring in "better players for a better end goal in mind " and that led to their departure because the "plans changed"? If that is the case, they (staff) got adverse results. I have said for a long time, the decision to bring in players last year from portal, and from what I heard last summer, without any conversation as a group prior with the returning players. Hence why Calder entered portal so late. He was told plans changed 3 weeks after UND's season ended. That sent a wrong vibe to a lot of guys in that locker room. And now with Bast/Constanini/Johnson leaving, something is not adding up. My two cents.

Or this......... coaching staff tells players with eligibility left, they will have a reduced/no role moving forward, even after they contribute/significantly contribute in some way shape or form, over their course stay. Case in point, let's look at the players who have left/in portal currently, the UND program with eligibility since '21-'22 Penrose team: Calder/Ferner- both came with 2 season remaining, both told they really don't fit into the following season's plans. Doubt they had even thought about not coming back. Hence why they did not participate in Sr. night festivities at end of '22. Guessing Budy was also told he was not going to fit into plans moving forward. Bast/Constantini/Johnson: all had times of very timely/solid contributions in '21-'22 and all showed promise, then boom, off to the portal because of who knows what happened. Brining in Farmer/Sidorski did nothing to make this years team better, keeping Sedin/Hain probably hurt development chances for some up front as well. DeRidder not as they thought, played better down stretch, but I would say he was a disappointment as well. Team flirted with .500 hockey most of year and missed NCAA tourney, so proof is right there that the changes HC decided on didn't work out. This all after a pre seaon ranking of #4 in the country. So question is, what is happening to the development of these players? Is coaching staff that far off the mark on recruiting and now portal is something they lean on moving forward? Hellsten also had moments where he contributed in '21-'22 and had some opportunities in '22-'23 to take control but did not. Point being, 5 players with eligibility left who were part of a championship lock room, all gone from the program. Did the changes after last year this have an effect on '22-'23 season and the locker room? Can't imagine these guys were bad eggs, or they would not have been brought in, in the first place. UND hockey has hit some very interesting times.

Interesting take, I disagree. For as may "grade A" chances this year 5x5, that were not converted by the forwards, leaves to wonder why? I highly doubt it is because they were worried about the backend/ goalie. Opportunities were certainly there, not a very good conversation rate. I would also be intrigued on how many 5x5 and "big/crucial" goals were scored by the d-core over the past two years. I can think of several games/instances where that was the case.

Scary thought that we are even relying that heavily on the portal. IMO, portal won't matter as much if the forwards don't figure how to score goals consistently 5x5. As much as the defensive woes were exposed this year, lack of scoring by forwards 5x5 has been as big or bigger an issue the past two seasons.

I'll say this. There was no "mentor" for the young d-men this year like there was the previous year. Decision was made to bring in Farmer and replace the "mentor", that was there previously and who also had a year of eligibility left. The "mentor" was a solid defender, who could make a first pass out of the zone consistently and could be some one for the young guys to lean on. I promise you, the "mentor" they had in place for the on/off ice for the young guys in '21-'22, was missed. Resumes do not always translate to better success.........the intangibles are very hard to replace.

Kid has been a defensive liability since he arrived on campus. As I have stated before, until he got things figured out between his ears, he was going to struggle. Best for both parties that he moves on. Also, he came in a year too early, no where near ready physically or emotionally for college hockey. So, this is on the coaching staff just a bit as well.

Now we wait and see who signs and leaves early and who hits the transfer portal. I’ll set the total over/under at……..5. Thoughts?

Sidorski. He puck watched and was too wide, thus forward down middle. A fitting end to the year.

Sidorski. Caught outside the dots and F3 comes right down middle. As much as Sidorski played this year, because we had no other option, his defensive deficiencies were exposed tonight several times. 100% not James.

100%. Sidorski was the guilty one.

One of the other main issues the last two seasons.......no consistent scoring 5 x 5 from the forwards. (last years team got some very timely 5 x 5 goals from the d-core thru out the season which helped). When the d has been as badly exposed like they have been this year, sub par goaltending = recipe for a .500 record. Throw in a some roster changes that have not worked out, and a non cohesive locker room rears its ugly head. Anyone else notice UND scores a goal and the players don't seem overly excited. Just kinda ho-hum over to the guy who scored. The body language for this team is something else. The coaches, in my opinion, have missed the mark with several recruits the past few years. A few players came in too early. Example, another year of USHL for #6 would have been beneficial. Let's remember he did not complete a full season in USHL due to injury. Was he mentally and emotionally prepared for college hockey? I'm saying no?