defensivend

Here's food for thought: Sandy had only been an assistant coach when they gave him the coaching job for Duluth at UND he was one of the recruiters as well. He has done a great job but remember he was only an assistant. Dave and Brad are the recruiters here and they are the ones who have gone and brought these kids here yes Dean was a factor and so was the arena but they are the ones who got these kids to come so don't you think that Dave deserves his chance just like Sandy got. I for one do and I think that the system that is in place will continiue and so will the great recruiting that we have gotten from them will also continiue. Also remeber that a lot of these kids also have a loylaty to Dave and Brad and this will be able to continue and also they will know where they stand which is really good for the kids. We have a great tradition here and if for no other reason I believe Dave will not let that go down the tubes. As for Cary Eades coming as an assistant I hope not his sportsmanship leaves a lot to be desired.When they lost in the state tournament he wouldn't even go and shake hands and that is not the kind of attitude we want here. I've seen that more than once from him.

This was in the Herald's web page : Hakstol to get Sioux interim job Dave Hakstol will be named interim men's head coach hockey today. Hakstol, the Sioux associate head coach, will take over for Dean Blais, who has resigned to take a job with the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. Hakstol will be the interim head coach and Brad Berry will be the interim associate head coach. A search for Blais' replacement will begin immediately, Sioux athletic director Roger Thomas said. Blais was named associate head coach of the Blue Jackets on Friday.

Dean Blais has always said that he wanted to coach in the NHL so this isn't really a surprise.So as for all the speculating about why it really came from his own mouth he said" he didn't want to reach 60 like Gino and wonder if I could've made it at the next level "and hopefully he will have the same sucess he has had at this level in the show. But you should not over look the assistant coaches that we have they are the ones who have done most of the recruiting as has been done in the past. Blais has done his fair share but these guys need to be reconized for a lot of the players that are here. Don't sell them short we will do fine without Dean.

If anyone is interested O'Connell playd with the Florida Everblades and went to the Kelly Cup finals lost in 4 but good games .He had a +11 at the end of the playoffs and 7 points only 1 goal 6 assists.

Question? How long did it take you to get your banner??? 20 something years!!! Oh and then you had a North Dakota kid on the team when it happened !!!!! Interesting

Go to theralph.com web site you can try to purchase tickets for individual games tho they haven't started to sell individual games yet or you can keep checking ticketmaster. Also on the ralph web site they have a ticket exchange where you signup for and they sell or trade tickets not sure how well that does but these are a couple of possibilities.

In the echl those that fight take them off when they are going to fight and the real problem doesn't come from fighting it's the pucks in the eye and the elbows and sticks. Shields can help eliminate some of it and there is that good old boys club if you wear a shield your a whoose so that is some of the reason they don't look at Jermey Ronick who missed quite a bit of the end of the season because of a puck in the face and he almost geave up his career and I think when I was watching the game the other noght I don't think he had a face shield on. Why not because we don't do that but you'd think your face and eyes were worth it. If mandatory then everyone would have to and the comments wouldn't be made and I do think it would cut down on a lot of the injuries. If they aren't mandatory then they aren't going to do it

Shields are mandatory in the echl and the players aren't gripping to much. There are always pro's and con's to this Tim O'Connell got a broken orbital bone (goes around the eye) with and elbow if he had worn a shield he wouldn't have had that. The next year he also got a puck in the eye which also fractured his other eye (orbital bone )with a shield he wouldn't have happened. This happened while playing in the ahl wear it isn't mandatory. So what price does your eye have to you? Remember when Commadore got the puck in the eye. Sticks will get up under the half shields but may not be as devasting as with out . Sometimes players don't always make the best choice for themselves and being mandatory takes that choice out of your hands. O'Connell didn't wear a shield the following year and that is how he got the second eye injury but if it had been mandatory might not have gotten the injury. We tend to do what everyone else does and it may cost you in the end.

In the comment on lamoureax playing at Central and not RR may be his choice and not recruiting if I'm right I think his dad played there.(not sure about that) and if it is so it may be that his family has strong ties to Central. I had a son who played in GF and he Played for Central and he could"ve played for RR but both my husband and I went to Central and that is where our children went it had nothing to do with recruiting.If he'd had his choice he would've went to RR all his friends were there. Recruiting does happen, I'm sure but you know the kids go where they will get the most out of any program. The bottom line is to be the best at what you do and most of the young athletes today want to be the best and lets face it not all schools,towns etc have that ability to give it to them so they seek it else where. If you really want to go further in the sport than just high school then sometimes you have to go where you will get noticed.There were those who left for the USHL early giving up their senior year and it was their choice to go. In the hopes to get into college or better and for some it worked. I think that a lot of it isn't recruiting it is a choice they make for themselves and of course winning it what it is all about it is just a fact of life. Even in the pro's you look at all the leagues NHL and down there is so much shifting of players during the season that i think they meet themselves coming and going and it is all about getting the best players ,the right mix to win. For athletes it's all about getting there.