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Would be interesting what the committee would decide if HC is eliminated and UND got #1 overall with Augustana a #4 seed but in the #13 to #15 range.

A strong WMU team is good for the NCHC & provides UND with good competition to elevate its own game. Better he went to the NCHC than the B1G or another conference. Good chance that UND gets one comparable to Benak or even better. Correct. It was previously thought by a few on this board (just last spring, in fact) that a few schools with large NIL reserves would hog all the elite players & make it difficult for UND & others to compete. That's been proven false, because there are simply too many talented CHL, USHL & international players to go around for just a few teams to all get.

There was talk on this board awhile ago about getting this guy into a UND jersey. Quite the acquisition for Mr. Ferschwiler.

How would that be an issue?

UND's NPI ratings: 03/06 (Friday) @ 10:10 PM: 58.686 03/08 (Sunday) @ 4:30AM: 58.687 The Saturday win kept UND in first, but its NPI rating went up only .001 from Friday night...a win against UMD will move the needle a little more.

Is Wodon on some NCAA committee or does he have some other influence that make his opinions on regional site locations matter?

Notre Dame defeated OSU in OT tonight, does that count as a 55/45 win in the NPI like in the regular season, or do teams get full credit (100%) for overtime wins in the postseason?

If you're going to have a sponsor, have a sponsor with deep pockets: Rydell Automotive. It appears he has other ads on the ice & elsewhere the arena, may as well have one on the uniforms, as well. It's a respected name that is recognized throughout the Upper Midwest & in many other states. With said sponsorship funds being funneled into UND's NLI warchest. Although it sounds like UND is currently having no issues with pulling in high-profile recruits anyway; but the extra money wouldn't hurt.

This year's team has been chock-full of freshmen who've acclimated nicely to the college game, with the vote of 'most surprising' going to Laurila for his almost seamless transition to D1 hockey. Sees the game so well, does well in high-pressure situations & doesn't take needless penalties. Comes across a cerebral player who manages his emotions very well, unlike others on the backend who are more likely to take silly penalties in the heat of the moment. Quite the feat for the freshman D.

When most other teams' assistants are on campus helping with their pp/pk or other coaching assignments, Chyzyk is deep in the bowels of Western Canada schmoozing with the likes of Carels & Preston over a meal after one of their games. UND currently has a clear advantage in recruiting with having the only GM in college hockey, especially during the season when other coaches are stuck on campus. Would imagine that other teams will follow suit & try to mirror UND's success in this area.

What's the context?

Interesting that big schools MSU & UND were after him, but not Minnesota. Or maybe the Gophers were but he declined early on. Jackson's proven to be a good recruiter, comes across as very open & personable in his interviews. Can see how a young man would feel comfortable trusting his development with him.

Michigan still at #2 overall, but they took a huge hit tonight in the NPI, went from approx. 59.4 to 58.6. UND is lurking right behind them like a jealous ex. If UND can do well this weekend at WMU, #2 is well within reach; provided that their 2nd period demons have been exorcized. MN almost won in ot the last time they met, so MI is far from invincible. These are the types of games that heavily-favorite teams often see in the national tournament: outshooting the opposing goalie over 2:1 & either barely winning or getting sent home early after a great regular season.

It's nice to have that rule in place, but it's something that cannot be enforced. The NCAA created this Wild Wild West environment of NIL & transfer portals, which is a perfect breeding ground & precursor for backroom deals, then enacted a rule which is almost impossible to enforce. The NCAA or a disgruntled coach cannot prove that a conversation took place. And Perron, his agent or Naurato --along with Pandolfo & all the other coaches who have zero problems engaging in this behavior--will certainly not admit their naughty ways because they have guilty consciences.

A little concerning that this frequent inconsistency is happening in late February when it should have been ironed out in the first half of the year. A team shouldn't need 4-5 months to play a full game. Echoes of recent years, although the talent on this year's team has allowed them to get away more with their sloppy play. Many different faces from last year, but same ADHD mentality. Maybe that's inevitable considering many of these players are still in their teens.

If memory serves me right, PSU went into last weekend's tilt with Michigan with only 10 healthy forwards; on top of that, they've now lost another forward who is also their captain. An injury bug reminiscent of last year's UND team. They're a gritty bunch who didn't shy away in the least from Michigan; the definition of a blue-collar team. Gadowski's got his guys playing hard every shift.

Zakreski's going to need a spot in the line-up once he's ready, but then again, it's tough to change what's already working for a team; unless the staff decides to go 7 forwards to accommodate him. Tough decisions, because there's no dead weight with the current top-12 F.

For sure. If no forwards leave early or transfer this off-season, there are only 4 openings for next year. One can assume with a high degree of probability that B. Schultz & Simpson are locks for next fall; leaving only 2 available spots. The decision will be quite difficult because there are these guys who could legitimately have a spot: Pilgrim, O'Neill, A. Schultz ... plus the possibility of a high-end CHL &/or senior F transfer from another NCAA team. That's 5 possibilities for only 2 openings. It's impossible to project with 100% certainty a player's future value to the team based on age/experience alone; but it may come down to the coaching staff deciding between an untested player at the NCAA level like Pilgrim or A. Schultz, vs a senior portal transfer like Rickwood. The benefit of bringing in seniors like Rickwood is they're already proven at the NCAA level & they bring much more maturity to the team; the downside is you risk losing young talent to another team. It's not just talent that wins titles, but talent paired with experience. The 25-26 BU team provides a cautionary tale of what having too young of a roster can do to a season. * Purposely omitted Williams & Sanderson from possibilities for next year because they seem like they'll be playing another year of juniors anyway.

Many underclassmen like UND, but the difference is they're without senior studs the likes of Rickwood, James & Strinden; guys who are consistent producers and who can also provide maturity & focus for the youngsters when things aren't going their way. Menghini will be the only senior next year, would be nice to have another senior transfer like Johannes or Rickwood to provide veteran leadership.

Besides talent, so many variables come into play in late March that make a team a champion: team peaking at the right time & playing with a strong identity, shrewd coaching, bounces, a hot goalie, being mostly injury-free. These other variables are just as important as having a stacked roster. Many years WMU & DU don't have the guns that other schools may have, but their two coaches have players who all buy into their systems & make championships possible.

According to doctors & Poolman, Zakreski appears to be completely structurally healed from his injury; only things, according to Jackson, are for him to regain his timing & build up his endurance. He & Klee in non-contact jerseys at practice.

Not only is Zakreski skating again, he's also practicing with the team. According to Taylor Budge in her reporting of this week's press conference. Having him back in the lineup (at some point) will be invaluable to the team's already significant depth.

Two lessons in this saga: For Boisvert, the grass is rarely greener on the other side. For Pandolfo, not all shiny objects have value. He'll probably due his due diligence next time before bringing in another high-profile portal guy. Tough spot for 17 yo Lawrence to be in: brought in mid-season with no training camp to acclimate himself, coupled with teammates who have either mentally checked-out &/or are simply underperforming.

There are more inside scoops here than the Herald. Their interpid beat reporter hasn't said anything regarding Zakreski since an early January press conference; unless it was noted in one of his articles or podcasts. Will be interesting to see who if anybody gets sidelined when he returns; perhaps Klee.

Snuggerud