tnt

So if you can't play in Major Juniors and be eligible to play NCAA hockey, how can you play against them otherwise?

Meaning Dane Jackson is staying.

Looks like Yzerman beat me to it.

An ex-gopher, Tom Ward from Shattuck would be very appealing because of his recruiting ties and ability to take over or help with the defensive corp. Realistically, don't think he would be willing to leave that situation when he probably wouldn't be the next in line for head coach.

I think you could likely have your pick of assistants, so who are some big names out there that have a fresh perspective, and the chance to develop into a successor at some point. I don't want to get into a situation like they did under Gino where you have such loyalty to in-house candidates that you overlook someone with more experience and recruiting connections. Just curious as to what Lamoureaux brings in that realm.

Well, Holmgren is a former gopher, so what do you expect?

If for some reason they decided to go that route, I hope the assistants have a different personality, because I know of a few players that needed a little positive reinforcement from time to time. Also, just a little curious if Bowen and Poolman knew Eades was going to be coach of Fargo, why they didn't stay. Not trying to start a rumor mill, just curious.

Isn't their a requirement that they have to open it up?

Well, you got your wish with Hakstol, so now you are on notice if we don't make the NCAA tournament.

He's in charge of the defense, and we have had the best defensive crew in the country the last few years.

So who has already signed their letters of intent, and who hasn't. I know Minnesota is in need of a defenseman for next year, and wouldn't hesitate at contacting Shaw if he hasn't already signed.

So some guy on GPL seems 80% sure that Keaton Thompson will leave. Hopefully we don't have a blindside like that coming, but you never know what is going on behind the scenes.

Yeah, it's kind of funny how in the past we would need to put a forward on the point for the power play out of necessity, and now we have an over-abundance of qualified offensive defensemen, to the point that Troy Stecher didn't operate on the powerplay much at all last year. With Ladue, Thompson, Stecher, Poolman, Wolanin and Shaw you have 6 guys that are qualified in that area, and Ausmus has enough offensive ability that he could play there if necessary. Wow, times sure have changed at UND on the back end.

You fail to see the bigger picture. Poolman and Bowen were sent by Hakstol to reel in Jost and Fabbro, and make sure Bast doesn't go to Major Junior.

Really like Badlanders or Sodbusters as names that are unique, and tie to the region. If you think of Cornhuskers, it wouldn't sound great if it didn't have years behind it, but now it would sound strange if Nebraska was called anything else, just like the Sioux. Would love to see them go with something unique that has many possibilities with imagery, I think both these would give us that. Since Rough Riders seems so divisive, these would be next on my list. You could even use imagery of Teddy if you wanted, but someone could come up with a unique logo for Badlanders that would be "bad" in a good sense, and as someone has already pointed out, the Springsteen song is built for it.

...and when things aren't going well we see that Matt Cooke is no better than Steve Ott. Cross checked and slashed Hossa, and once again stuck his leg out on Hjarlmasson. Wonder if they will still look at that hit for a suspension since Hjarlmasson came back to play.

Is Eaves trying to give himself an inside line on Jost and Fabbro? Not questioning Harbinson's abilities, just wondering if he would be on the radar if there weren't two big time recruits in the pipeline.

Did he ever visit here?

But they were picked that high because of the season they had the year before, when they weren't expected to do anything, and kind of flew under the radar. Montana and everyone else had them in their sights this past year.

Big Green, Green Hawks, Green Machine ... Really? The fact that anything like that is even moving on is a joke. Yeah, let's be just like all the other schools that had to change nicknames and pick a bird and the school colors. Why would you not get rid of that right off the bat? Wait, that's it, Green Bats!!

The fact that they had names like Force, Flames and Big Green receive the most votes in the early vetting process kind of makes me nervous. What about Big Green is unique, or tied to the state of North Dakota or a source for pride?

So he wasn't let go to move in a different direction with Brad Berry?

What is interesting is that there is talk that Cary Eades may become head coach/GM of Fargo. Wouldn't think he would have a great relationship with our current coaching staff, but who knows, perhaps you have to let bygones be bygones in order to survive in hockey. Burning bridges can't be good in any business situation.

That would be a decent name and fun to be able to play Garryowen, but the ironic part is, while we can't be proud of Sioux culture, the NCAA wouldn't allow us to be proud of ours either. Such is the pathetic society we live in today.

Yeah, don't know if I like the kind of element growth has meant out west. Don't want more of that making its way to the Eastern part of the state.