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I've seen people speculating on Twitter that UND has been "jerking" around Rowe for a while. Guess what, in the college hockey environment today with players going to Major Junior and what not, if you are an average player, you are going to get pushed back in order to get more skill in the lineup to offset talented defections. It's sad in a way, but it is the state of college hockey. Add to the mix that Rowe has had injury problems every year, and you get this type of scenario.

I saw somewhere that he signed his letter in November, is that not the case? I assume UND can release him from that though, which may be the case when they talked about potential playing time. Too bad it didn't work out, as I think his dad played in town here and his grandparents still live here.

Not a huge fan of any inanimate object, as the pride factor doesn't seem to be there any more than if we were the forks or spoons. That said, don't know that we'll find any name like we had that would exude pride. Roughriders or Reapers would be high on my list. Any mythical nicknames not yet taken?

I know what would really drive the elites and NCAA crazy, The University of North Dakota Capitalists! Have dollar signs as the logo. Of course the NCAA would go nuts even though they are all about the money!

I think you're right, it's Auston Matthews that is a year away. I would say Boeser will probably want to play with those linemates,

I would rather have Nick Schmaltz setting me up to help my draft status, but if he already has a friendship and chemistry with them, I certainly can see why he would choose that route.

Wow, apparently Chambers isn't the only clueless writer there!

Yeah, that would work too. Thought I had been through everything on this thread, but I guess not.

If we can't be Wheatkings because it won't work that well for the women, perhaps we could be the Threshers or Thrashers and have wheat stalks on the sleeves of our jerseys and a takeoff of the evil corn masks you see at Cornhusker games with a wheat theme on a Grim Reaper type figure yielding a scythe to cut down the opposition.

What would the politically correct professors and do-gooders do if we revised history a bit and started to suggest that we weren't forced to relinquish the nickname, we just decided that it wasn't a name we could be proud of anymore. Can you imagine the outrage.

He quit on his team before the sememster is up when things aren't going good. Character always reveals itself during adversity. Would we have come out of our early funk last season if we had people with this mentality?

Maybe you don't read this board. How many Sioux fans think that the Sioux should never lose a game. There are idiots from each fan base, it isn't exclusive to one team.

Yeah, with all the top ranked teams getting beat, there must be a lot of teams playing down to their competition. Or, the other team tends to play hard too, even if fans perceive them to be horrible.

But if you're Boston, do you then give up a player that has trade worth by letting him become a free agent and pick a situation that is better for him. In the end it's his decision, but I would bet Boston will make an attractive offer to him.

Couldn't wait to get back from the game and watch this board go from one extreme to another. Funny, but the same people crazy about Johnson starting, would be the same to rip Hakstol if Zane got hurt and Johnson didn't have any game experience. I think a lot of people had this game pegged as one in which he may get a start.

I have heard in post game interviews several times now that the opposition is focusing on our defensemen jumping into the play more now. I think game films from last year are really making teams make adjustments to how our defensemen are a big part of our offense.

Former recruit Luke Voltin is the BCHL player of the week.

Yeah, considering those things, the injuries, including those playing their way through some, UND hopefully has a lot of room to grow. Add to that the continued growth for Nick Schmaltz, Olson, and Poganski, and the upside seems great.

I think UND is going to need to schedule more of these games in the future, especially when they start playing Minnesota again, and Wisconsin is up to the level they should be. Not many conference games that are easy now. I know you have to schedule return games for tough teams, but it would be nice to schedule as many tough non-conference opponents at home as they can and play the weaker opponents on the road. Bottom line is you need a few softies with the league we play in. St. Cloud is a good team but look at their record with their difficult schedule.

Might it be Jiri Fronk, the leading goal scorer in the USHL with Cedar Rapids?

Last week UND was # 11 in the Pairwise, which is pretty close to the bubble, especially when you have teams like Boston College that will be much better at the end of the year and possibly needing to get an automatic to get in. Things change very fast, especially with a loss to teams like Lake Superior or the sort. I remember last year in January people were thinking we had no shot, then later thought we were a shoo-in to make the tourney, only to need Wisconsin's help to eek our way in.

Exactly, we are talking about human nature here. If all the fans are expecting a pounding this weekend with years and years of knowledge that no game is a sure bet, you can assume that college age players are thinking the same way. After the Bemidji State game, the coaches certainly have a tool at their disposal to get the lesson through to the players, and we certainly will learn more about the maturity and compete level of this team.

I guess if we are interested I would like to know the reason he was suspended. When a player that could help an FBS school is given one more chance, I don't know if I would want to take a chance when we are trying to create a culture of accountability. Don't want the win at all costs culture that takes chances because they fill needs. Like I said don't know the circumstances, but it seems odd he is on his last chance with Arkansas. Begs the question what it was he did.

Agree that it is nice to have new blood, but hockey up until now has been relatively clean as far as cheating goes. Does the big-time element of schools from a league like the Pac-12 start to bring in the win at all cost mentality? Not saying it will or won't, just know that college football is a dirty world. On the bright side, if hockey gets a nice following, the NCAA will overlook the cheating in certain circumstances if money is involved.

I guess I look at the term Blue Chipper as someone who is going to come in as a freshman and make an impact right away, to the point of being on one of the all league or all rookie teams. So a recruit can start off looking like a blue chipper, but by the time he gets to campus he might not be. I think Gersich is going to be an impact player with us right away next year. With all the players we lose, he is going to have more of an opportunity to do so.