nascar99

Good road sweep

NET FRONT PRESENCE

Spunar dialed in

SCSU color guy is annoying as f***

Sal Viviano (2007, Grand Blanc MI, Waterloo Black Hawks) commits to Northern Michigan, he's off to a good start in junior

I know this team is young at many spots, but with how well balanced the roster is assuming good health, they might as well make a deep run this year. No guarantees that all of the key underclassmen are back for 2026-27. Josephson being this good, this important already was not on my radar, he's transitioned from the Dub to North Dakota extremely well.

I grew up in Northwest Indiana, about an hour southeast of Chicago, hence my Blackhawks fandom. Only been in Columbus since 2021. I like going to Blue Jackets games, cheap & fun. The younger generation and true Ohio born & bred people are most definitely Blue Jackets fans, but there are tons of transplants here, more than you'd think. Columbus being a growing city in the center of the state attracts a ton regionally, plus the number of out of state Ohio State students who stay here for jobs post graduation. Lots of Northwest Ohio/Southeast Michigan transplants who are Red Wings fans and Eastern Ohio/Western Pennsylvania transplants who are Penguins fans here.

Braiden Scuderi (2009, Haddon Heights NJ, Cedar Rapids Roughriders) commits to Notre Dame. Mildly surprised there, thought Scuderi would be going to Boston College or Boston University, seems like Sheahan and the ND staff continue to recruit well.

I think Pat is an off ice advisor for coaches & management

Ran into Bob Motzko and a few of the Gophers players at the convenience store I frequent in Columbus about an hour ago (Minnesota in town to play Ohio State). Wished Motzko the best of luck coaching the US at World Junior this month, said I was surprised that Zellers didn’t make Final Evaluation Camp Roster, Motzko said “He just barely missed”. Also thanked him for developing Rinzel (& Moore as he pointed out) very nicely for my Blackhawks.

This is the correct take from Reschny. The vast majority of major junior players should spend time in the NCAA before turning pro, the new rules allow for them to create a legacy in both the CHL and NCAA

Jonah Sivertson (2008, Prince Albert Raiders, Regina SK) commits to St Cloud State. Very solid pickup for the Huskies.

Source?

Peyton Kettles off the market, as he signs his ELC with the Penguins. Not the smartest move IMHO, don't think he's going to be ready for pro at 19 or 20 years old straight out of junior. Ben Kindel making the jump was a bit surprising, but at least he had been a high end producer in the Dub, Kettles is not that. Would have benefitted from NCAA time, but oh well.

Adding Delic made them 5x more fun alone

Francisco looks like a legitimate piece on the back end that Notre Dame stole from Minnesota Duluth territory. Not many impressive guys on that team. Cullen will be very good when fully healthy, Nelson didn't have a great night but he's going to be very good in the NCAA at Notre Dame.

Tyler Young looks very good

No one on this NTDP team stands out besides Francisco and maybe Cullen

Penn State just blew the lead. 3-2 Goofers

FINALLY STRINDEN

Terrible

This is like if Kentucky Men's Basketball played an exhibition against Montverde or Oak Hill and didn't try, such a rough watch so far

Funny how Heinert says Wathier is from Des Moines: he was only born there when his dad was playing minor pro, raised & played all of his minor hockey in Quebec. I think Knowling was born in Chicago but raised in Toronto and played all of his minor hockey there. Classic loophole to play for the States, Emery used it, Bordeleau did too

Would have preferred for UND to come out guns-a-blazing and get the big lead, then coast, instead of just coast for the whole period

The u18 team mostly commits as 16 year olds, so there's no recruiting advantage for this 95% of the time