BusinessSoot

Captain has been invisible since Gopher series and has looked slow at times, and there are other regulars/returners as well not up to par but are a continued presence in line up.....so it is not just the guys in the bottom of the line up that are at question. Sitting a vet(s) here and there might be the wake up call this team needs. My two cents......

You're right the "stuff against the wall approach" is not working. Can't imagine what is going through these kids heads. One game in , next night out, to stay at home...........complete mind game. Locker room has to be an absolute mess.

My thoughts exactly. The list could go a lot longer than the three listed. Development of players who were big contributors last year are put on back burner for the “we’ll make a run this year with 19 and 10”……

Not a great effort by the captain to get to the dman and take away a shooting lane. attitude reflects leadership….

Obviously no “glue” or not enough of it in locker room. And for those who thought “we have the best d-core in college hockey”……. 6 came in too early, and until he gets things straight between the ears, he won’t be a solid contributor. The kids body language when things don’t go perfectly is something to watch. So to say “give 6 a chance”….he has had plenty. 4 has never committed to playing d in his own zone since he arrived. 3 not much of an upgrade, did he bring any leadership to the room.? 15 and 25 are having seasons to forget. 7 has been decent and 2 was certainly not the first (or second or third?) choice out of the portal. 24 injured didn’t help matters. Goaltending…….3 net minders chosen by the staff, including a transfer this year, to hold the fort while the others develop. Failed formula to this point. Either KG can’t effectively communicate/teach or he is being tuned out. Very puzzling. Johnson get a shot to start soon? Can’t hurt. Consistent scoring from forwards obviously a concern again this year. Contributors on a team last year, seeing reduced roles. So, qu bring back some 5th year guys to “make a run this year” going to cause more harm than good when it comes to forward development? That was the risk. Some of this years short comings are on the young men on the roster, yes, but this staff has chosen the players to be here and until there is more “glue” in the locker room, and steady progress on the ice, this talented roster on paper is in for a very long rest of the season. Attitude reflects leadership. Hope ship sets sail in right direction tonight.

Hoping for a sweep.......only happens if d-men actually take care of d-zone first and worry about o-zone after a successful break out pass....... Has to change starting tonight if this team wants bigger and better things this season.

We saw the preview of Kleven and Frisch paired together in Albany last season vs ND........#trainwreck Jandric and Kleven last year together were a very solid pair, we have yet to see them back together this year. Ironic Frisch is w/o Sanderson and off to a very shaky start this year??

1)Yep, three weeks after UND season had ended. Kid was lucky to end up where he ended up based on the timing of the decision. 2)Ferner is not in Europe. His decision was based off of Farmer coming and from what I was told, his role would diminish. So yes, he made his own decision. Both examples (1&2) of how this has turned into a cut throat business with the portal and telling two guys (from the portal a year ago) with eligibility left, that plans have changed. Reasonable to assume both players had planned to be in Grand Forks for their last two years of eligibility. 3) Your opinion, you are entitled to that. My opinion is the 7 eligible dmen coming back had a chance to have another solid year together, without Farmer. We'll never know what could have been, and maybe by years end, everything works out where these current 8 dmen have a solid year overall as does the team and it is a moot point. If coaching staff feels Farmer gives team a better chance to win and make a deeper run than last year, so be it. They are the ones getting paid to make those decisions. 4) I'm taking grizzled vets on fourth line all day long........

Possible. I had not heard anything to that point. Regardless the situation, the current roster has to have the best players be the best players, consistently. Good news is with Frisch -6, Kleven -7, Gaber-5, Schmaltz -4, McLaughlin -5 , they are aware their 5 on 5 play needs to improve and I suspect it will. Hoping for improvement this weekend against UNO.

Nick Por...er ?? Whoever that is, you have the wrong person in mind. I have a lot less info than some and if you follow Twitter timelines of people coming and going from the program since last Spring, and talk to a few people here and there, not difficult to piece some things together. I'm just a guy who follows UND hockey very closely and post on here from time to time.

We hear all about culture from Berry all the time. No doubt culture/traditional over the years is one of the best in college. However, let's look at what has happened since the end of last year. The reward for a third consecutive conference championship: 1) Two additions from the portal, and retuning players find out through hear say and social media. I'm sure there was shock and ah and a "what the heck is going on". 2) Calder told come back at a reduced role, three weeks after the season ended, or transfer. We still need forwards to puck in net....3) Ferner, received similar message (Farmer in (which not impressive thus far) = Ferner make a decision to return or not). 4) Portz, kid plays in all 39 games last year, starts this year on outside looking in. 5) Albrecht similar scenario, he ends last part of last season as one of our best forwards down stretch. (arguably best forward vs ND). He gets the reward of watching from stands on opening night and on parents weekend to boot. No loyalty to some that help you get through thick and thin last year? That is perception that I and some I talk to at games are asking. Players come and go, yes. Players need to earn their spot, yes. And there will always be talent at UND. But for a team last year to go through everything they went through, and to have abrupt changes to roster/locker room before college season was even over last year, seems a bit off for me. Players with college experience getting passed up early on by "potential" of others. And yes, some of the freshman are justified in their roles thus far. You have to wonder if these changes/decisions have had an effect on the locker room at all and does everyone right now trust "the process". I get it, it is a business, but is the current business model working???? Guess time will tell. Hope the roster gets it all figured out for a nice run in Feb/March.

Things need to get cleaned up real quick if this team is going to win this weekend. Defensive zone is a mess. Outshot last weekend 79-38 and having limited scoring chances ourselves, is a recipe for potential disaster. The QU and Minny weekends have shown, at least to this point, plenty of room for improvement and plenty of cause for concern. Returning d core plus Farmer less than impressive thus far. This team is walking a fine line of being 0-4 last four games..........hope things turn in the right direction soon.

Sidorski won't see the ice unless there are injuries.

Frisch and Kleven's assist numbers were brutal, regardless of what up front help perception was. For as much pp time for Frisch and to only have 6 helpers is puzzling. He is a solid defender (hopefully he never gets walked like he did vs ND again), but his ability to run a pp and move the puck quickly not in his wheelhouse. The d core improvement rests with the ability for each player to mature. (can't have a guy spear an opponent after a goal as a selfish example), and all have to commit to playing d first/offense second. Going to be really interesting to see whom the third pair is and how they accept their roles. Moore and Johnson don't strike me as d first guys, and could be the third pair this upcoming year. Bast more a of a d first guy for a third pair. My opinion is keep Kleven (+16) and Jandric (+10) together. Played well together. '21-22' Dmen assist totals: Sanderson 18, Jandric 14, Moore 7, Frisch 6, Ferner 4, Bast 4, Kleven 3, Johnson 1 Also, Albrecht has to be in line up every night. Need the energy and grit.

I guess I' m a bit old school and would have liked the 7 eligible returning dmen to get a chance to grow together one more year, rather than pick up a top 4 guy and rattle the depth chart. Farmer a good player? For sure he is. Is he the answer to get past regions and into a frozen 4? He could potentially help, but if the guys up front can't score........... Hoping for a a better record/finish in '22-'23 with the players remaining and that are coming in.

"Were you hoping that they would have gone a different direction?"..........................yes.

And with Sanderson not playing many games, the 7 d carried their weight as best they could and the pecking order w/o Sanderson in the lineup was assumed to be somewhat set for 22-23, until Farmer was plucked out of the portal.

BTW, I appreciate everyone's insight and opinions on this forum. Wished I would have chimed in years go. Go Sioux

Farmer has been told he will be a top 4 dman.

Coaches expected neither of those??? My guess is if they told Johnson to play another year of Jr's, he walks elsewhere . In fact he doesn't play the minute he does after Xmas, he considers walking after this year, my opinion. But that is neither here nor there. Johnson and Bast are not up to speed. Getting there, but not up to speed. Go and re-watch the ND regional game and make note of every single puck battle lost down low, wrong angle to puck/player in d zone etc and watch the terrible first 5 min of the game by all 6 dmen that saw the ice....it was not good at all watching it live, even worse watching it on the replay. Playoff time and our d core at regionals were subpar. A lot of hockey maturing over the summer needed by 4-6-24 to make the bottom pairing a factor. Hopefully the experience they got this year helps with the process.

Respectfully disagree. There were no injuries at the beginning of the year. In my opinion he must have earned the right to play to start the year and did so while others got caught up to speed/develop. No way Johnson and Bast were even close to being ready for the college game at beginning of the year and Moore was very raw as well. Ferner then gets injured misses a month, more injuries to others and the younger guys finally got a chance to play on a regular basis. A blessing the young guys got to play and get the experience. My two cents.

Question is who is willing to come in and be ok in the 8 spot for one year? There will be little to no room for playing time unless injury etc. Clear message that they are going with the 6 returning guys, as the guys who will be playing along with Farmer. Brining in Farmer and putting him in the 4 slot, bumped everyone else returning down a notch. ("Hey thanks you 7 dmen for carrying the load last year, but this group is not quite good enough we are brining is a guy and putting him right into the 4 spot") Can't imagine that went over very well. But is what it is. We just saw a guy with 99 college games under his belt, and from all reports a great teammate and locker room guy, leave. Ferner likely told he will not play as much/if at all, stick around if you'd like, no hard feelings if you don't. (Guessing same message for Calder). The business side of things in college sports right now is very tough. Will be interesting for sure to see who they grab out of portal.

Yes, thank you Brady. Best of luck. Safe to say he provided a steady, veteran presence on the 5/6 pairing, allowing others to develop throughout the year. He may not have been pegged to play a lot at beginning of the year, but did so nicely, not any real panic in his game. Going to be interesting to see who fills that role next year on the 5/6 pairing. 4 and 6 need to shore up the defensive side of their game.... 24 has the potential as that steady, reliable guy.....

That will be left up to UND when they want to announce anything.

Have heard one more roster spot will be open, as another has decided to leave the program.