tnt

Would we cheer for the gophers or St. Cloud? You are naturally going to create more animosity for teams you play regularly.

For the sake of college hockey and players that get pushed to sign after their junior seasons even though they aren't ready, I hope the NHL fixes this policy. As someone else said, the more situations like Vessey's happen, the more likely NHL teams are going to push guys into signing after their Junior season, or even sophomore season, like L.A. tried with LaDue.

From what I understand Ladue could have a greater max salary if he stayed. Would love that to be the case, but I'm not going to get my hopes up.

They probably figure since he didn't tickle the twine, he might as well get a feel for it somehow!

It is a tough question, because whether you have pro potential or not, carrying an injury that could possibly nag you in the future is still concerning. Would hope and guess that the medical staff said it was an injury that wouldn't result in further damage.

True, but at what point if you are the coach and know this guy has a pro career on the horizon do you say I care more about you and your future than winning a game, albeit a big game.

Then I guess Garry Bettman isn't the only one not concerned about player safety.

Perhaps you are right, because I don't know the extent of his injury. And maybe my cynicism is reflective of this same will he or won't he scenario last year as well. All I know is that there have been several UND players that have played with very painful injuries in the playoffs, and we didn't find out until after the season that they had actually been playing under those circumstances. Maybe it is the media part of this component that bothers me, as they were building it up for the heroic ending.

I know he was hurt, but part of me thought that he felt that if they won the National Championship, he would come back out of the locker room and have hero status. Maybe I'm a cynic but it felt kind of theatrical the number of times he went back and forth. I'm no trainer, but it seems you are either good to go and are going to endure the pain, or you are not. What did they do in the locker room to magically make him ready to go again. Maybe he did get his injury wrapped again, but it just seemed too much back and forth and at some point I just tell the rest of the guys to pick up the slack.

I thought so too, but when I heard he might be brought in at defense I figured they just want to have some more depth that can be flexible in their positions. Maybe they figure he will be a role player regardless, so another year in the BCHL isn't going to give him impact status.

Darn that 5% chance.

Hope Stecher has a successful career in pro hockey, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him coaching at some level beyond his playing career. I know his dad was/is a coach, and you can tell, because Troy seems like a coach on the ice, always instructing the officials where the face-off should be, etc.. Truly a joy to watch someone with such an unbelievable work ethic who plays the game so intelligently!

Guessing Anaheim might care a little more!

What better time to do it than when everybody is still on the high of winning the National Championship. People are still buzzing about that, so the carnage isn't quite as bad as it would be otherwise. Feel bad for those athletes needing to look elsewhere now, especially when some athletes are going to get a stipend next year.

I think I heard Hennessey say that Bowen could come in as a defenseman possibly. I suppose that all depends on who we lose, and at what positions. Curious to see if Adams is a possibility to come in. Would guess if we keep Schmaltz that is unlikely.

Didn't Derek Forbort say something of the sort?

Stecher, after saying he will probably leave, said "I hope people can understand that". I wouldn't get too worried if I were him, because if they can't after the heart and soul he gave to UND, I would say good riddance to those people.

He may just being goofy and giving Boeser grief.

You mean where grandma keeps the peanut butter?

Yeah, didn't think that through, but they would bring the jam!

I agree. Pacific Rim is a great name.

Who is the "T"? If Schmaltz leaves, you could have the PBJ line, with Poganski, Boeser and Jost.

True, but to be railing on people about drugs as he did time and again on his program, while he was doing the same things or worse disqualifies him from being taken seriously in my book.

As far as how we play, I would take the word of most NHL brass, coaches and former coaches. Like Andy Murray says, "They play the right way". You hear that sentiment time and again when referring to UND. I don't want to make a broad statement and include everyone, but you just don't hear those type of statements about Minnesota. In fact, you don't hear that about many of the players that play there. You don't hear they are hard to play against much either, but once again that doesn't include all of them. Jeff Dubay is a phony and has always been a phony. He had the best job in the world and threw it away for crack. Then when he had a second chance he threw it away again. All the while that he was doing crack he was railing on other people for things that they were doing that he perceived as wrong. Forgive me if I can't listen to someone who wants to spout off about something wrong in a "sport", while their life is mess. It's called priorities Dubay, and you might want to get them straight at some point, or you'll end up right back where you were before.

Yeah, no reason to cryptically announce anything after such a monumental win. Whatever he or others decide is fine by me because they delivered the goods and then some!