buckysieve

Potulny got his first NHL assist tonight vs. Pittsburgh. It was an even strength goal.

Who the better player is between these two has been decided for quite some time. Not even Sioux fans can try to argue that Prpich is anywhere near the player that Irmen was. Frankly, it's not even close. That's like a Gopher fan saying Andy Sertich is better than Drew Stafford.

I'm just saying that I don't think the Sioux overachieved. It's not supposed to be the put down you guys are making it into. Losing to Michigan or Holy Cross on home ice would have been an upset, therefore winning those games and moving onto the Frozen Four was to be expected. Beating St. Cloud State for the Broadmoor was to be expected. These are teams that the Sioux are better than. Overachieving in my opinion is beating teams that you're not supposed to beat. Beating UW at the final five can maybe be called a small upset but I think most fans of both teams agreed that game was pretty much a toss up before it started. And of course beating Mankato in the first round was also to be expected. I just don't see where the Sioux overachieved. Who did they beat that was a surprise? You can't find one example. This isn't a derogatory comment towards the Sioux. They beat whoever was in front of them throughout the post season until BC. I just don't think any of those wins were upsets.

I don't care where they were picked to finish. If you asked the 59 division 1 coaches to rank the best rosters in the nation, I bet that most if not all would have UND in the top three or four. I bet that many of them would have UND #1 or #2. That talent along with home ice in the regional is SUPPOSED to equate to a Frozen Four season. When you simplify it and just say they were picked to finish fifth in the WCHA and they made it to the Frozen Four, then yes it sounds like they overachieved. But we all know how worthless that Grand Forks Herald pre season poll is.

You're right. Nobody would've been surprised. They would've been shocked. UND had unarguably a top notch roster this year. Talent wise, it stacks up with the best. To say it wouldn't have been surprising to see the Sioux miss the top five of the WCHA is laughable. Quit sandbagging to make it look like the season went better than it did.

It's a pretty convienent excuse for Sioux fans to say they overachieved. All year long Sioux fans said, and for good reason, that the Sioux were as talented as any team in the nation. Yes they were young but get used to it. Teams like Minnesota, UND, Michigan, BC will always be young. Most of our best players won't stay even for their junior seasons let alone their senior season. Great programs will ALWAYS rely heavily on freshman and sophomores to play main roles. That's the way it is now. Being young is no longer an excuse. My point is UND DID NOT overachieve. One of the most talented teams in the country with home ice in the regionals is supposed to get to the Frozen Four. If anything, UND underachieved during the regular season.

Why would you drop the number one goalie recruit in the country after his freshman year in which he went 6-3-2 with a 2.36 gaa and a .910 save percentage? Not great numbers, but still pretty good. Very similar numbers to Parise's freshman year. He needs to mature off the ice some and needs to improve his mechanics and positioning, but he was widely regarded as the best incoming goalie last year. It's WAY too early to give up on him. In fact I think he'll have a very good sophmore season and take over the job from Briggs by season's end.

The Sioux were as talented as any team in the country this year. They were young yes, but who isn't. BC and Minnesota were young also. I find it hilarious that when the gophers finish short of the national title all the Sioux fans say they choked and underachieved. But last year and this year EVERY sioux fan talks about how great it is that the sioux made it as far as they did. Being young can no longer be an excuse. Having great seniors on your team will never happen again. Players will leave early EVERY year, therefore the best players will be underclassmen. This sioux team was good enough to win it all and they had home ice for the regional. Why have Sioux fans expectations been lowered? You're a top notch program and being young is now the norm, not the exception. It's time to lose the "we're young" arguement.

With 17 pages of, "I can't wait to wear my Holy Cross jersey in front of Gopher fans next year at Mariucci and the Final Five," you need to expect to get a little thrown back your way. But you're right. BC doesn't sting as much as Holy Cross.

Yes I get it, but we're talking about players who have already played some college hockey. Johnson hasn't done that yet. Jack Johnson was the third pick last year and he looks like he may stay for a second year. It's VERY rare for a kid to go from the U.S. development team straight to the NHL. In fact I doubt it's ever happened. I think Toews, Kessel, and Oshie will all play a second year of college and they're all first round picks(Toews and Kessel will both be top four picks). Johnson will play one year of college hockey. Z. Parise, Vanek, Heatley, J. Johnson, Kessel, Toews, and Oshie is a list of unbelievable prospects who were or will be first round picks. The majority of them, and maybe all, not only played college hockey but they played it for TWO years. Just count the number of 18 year old defensemen that are in the NHL and you'll see why I think Johnson will play one year of college hockey. There's no point in rehashing this, we already know our opinions on this subject. I won't turn this thread into, will johnson come to the U or not. In all seriousness, congrats to UND for exceeding EVERYONE'S expectations the last two months of the season. If I'm a Sioux fan I would think that this team would be one of the most memorable.

I'm sure they want to stay and that's why they say that. I believe they're being sincere. It's just tough to turn down the money when it's offered. With the rules, they can get around a $500,000 signing bonus now as opposed to only $170,000 next year. That's the reason Irmen left. He actually wanted to stay and play for the gophers next year but he would have lost a lot of money doing that. This is the last year to cash in with the bigger siging bonuses, that's why we're seeing a lot of defections and will see a lot more.

Irmen and Potulny said very similar things after their season ended. Parise and Zajac may come back, but what they said yesterday literally means nothing.

His toes? Definitely the strangest post I've ever read.

Something makes me think Parise will leave. He's an undrafted free agent so he will definitely get some offers this offseason, there's no doubt about that. McKee was undrafted also and he had numerous offers to look at before he signed and Parise had a better season than McKee. Also, isn't he 24 years old? He might think it's time to start his pro career. I think Stafford, Smaby, and Zajac are gone. It sounds like Toews and Oshie will have a decision to make also. Like you said we'll just have to wait and see. My gophers could still lose a couple more also.

Coming into this season I didn't think the Sioux had any chance at accomplishing what they did. A Broadmoor and a Frozen Four appearance is something to hang your hat on going into next year. Regardless of who the Sioux lose with early defections I've learned my lesson to never underestimate them going into any season. I was surprised to hear Barry Melrose basically gaurantee that Toews career as a Sioux is over when they lose. He said it at the beginning of the broadcast. I wonder if he was simply speculating or if he actually had some inside info to lead him to believe that.

Exactly. Hirsch, Kessel, Wheeler, Gordon, Stoa, Okposo, Howe, Chucko, etc. The forwards are not a concern. Defense is the key to next season. I doubt there's another team in the country who will be adding two elite d-men like Johnson(hopefully) and Hagemo to their roster. That will be a HUGE help. Overall the defense will be better next year and if Frazee steps it up, so will the goaltending. Like I said before, the gophers will always have skilled, good skating forwards who will perform well.

I know, but I really do believe they'll both be here next year. If Johnson comes and Hagemo is healthy, the gophers defense next year will be much improved. Especially with a more mature Frazee. Overall we only lost two good forwards in Potulny and Irmen. We gain two good ones in Hirsch and Okposo. I'm not concerned with the forwards, they'll always be skilled and will score. The gophers NEED Johnson and Hagemo on next years team.

Irmen signed his contract with the Wild today. I think this will be it for early defections for the Gophers. At least I hope so.

I was there. I sit a few rows behind you every year( except this year because you convienently decided to not show up). I do know what happened.

I had this dream the other night about some classless Sioux fan at the final five holding up tasteless signs making fun of Hirsch and his mental illness. He was wearing a flag as a cape and almost got beat up by Chucko's dad. At least I think it was a dream because I can't imagine anyone would actually be so heartless to actually make those signs and then display them. Where were you this year CVCL? Did you switch seats or did you just not show up at all, because you definitely weren't where you normally sit. I can understand how you'd be too embarrassed to return to section 108 after one of the most despicable acts by a fan I've ever seen. I couldn't care less what you say because you've already shown what a complete jerk you are.

A Macnaughton Cup is always a big accomplishment but yeah, overall it will go down as a disappointning season.

I bet that both will. Thanks again Sioux_Hab-it for pointing out an article that talks about the possibility of three gophers(Kessel, Johnson, Okposo) being taken in the top 5 of the NHL draft.

There was no new info in this article. Four of the five scouts has Kessel going in the top three. One has him going #1, and another has him #2. Not to mention, this is the International scouting service. The NHL central scouting service has him listed as the #2 prospect ahead of Toews, but I don't see you sharing that information with us. You cherry pick information better than our President cherry picks intelligence. And if Kessel actually does fall a bit in the draft that's good for the Gophers. If Toews rises a bit in the draft that's bad for the Sioux. I'm not really sure why you made me read this article but thanks, it put me in a great mood. The only thing I got out of this article was that two of the first three picks are Gophers.

Johnson will be a top 5 draft pick who has never played college hockey and you're convinced he will sign. Toews will be a top five draft pick who HAS played one year of college and you're convinced he'll stay. You look at things through green tinted glasses. Not to mention that d-men usually need more time to develop than a forward. I know what the experts are saying but they siad the exact same thing about J. Johnson. If Lucia isn't worried than why would I be? Lucia talks to Johnson and his parents on a regular basis, the "experts" do not. You guys act like an 18 year old d-men jumping right into the NHL is the norm when it's actually incredibly rare. By the way, Kessel won his third ROY award on USCHO. He shared it this time with Lerg, the goalie from MSU.

A Sioux fan talking about class. Spare me. It wasn't gopher fans who spit on Irmen in the penalty box seconds before the jersey pop. And don't say it didn't happen, it did. I talked to his mom about it. Every fan base has them, but to think UND is any better in that regard is laughable.