Chuck Schwartz

You're taking what I said way too literally. He's going to play a lot of minutes regardless of his destination. That's the point.

Fabbro is going to get top pairing minutes pretty much anywhere he wants. He's that good. Very little chance that has an effect.

They are not a package deal. It may work out that way, but they are not tied to each other. From what I've heard Jost can't get into all the same schools that Fabbro can academically. Could play a role.

I have to admit, as an outsider, seeing this exchange with a UND fan not happy they hired an outstanding coach that has no business being a second assistant on a college hockey staff because he didn't play at UND is HILARIOUS. Imagine if they got Babcock? Man, what a terrible hire! He can't even tweet #UNDproud! I guess it's #McGillProud now! You guys kill me sometimes.

It helps that Boeser scored a hat trick the night Button went to go watch him play...

It's not even about recent trends, it's about the amount of work he has to put in to even get to college. Accelerating high school is really hard. It's even harder when you're an elite athlete traveling around the world playing hockey for Team USA. The work he's going to have to put in during the spring semester and over the summer to graduate early is going to be very demanding. And all that to play (likely) one year of college hockey? Not saying he won't do it, but it makes a lot of sense for a kid like that who is going to be a sure-fire top 5 pick in 2016 to just go to the WHL.

For the record Andy Baggot reported it, I just wrote about what Baggot said. I still think it's a long shot that he plays college hockey, FWIW.

I never said both players would end up at UW. In fact, I never said either player would end up at UW. Also, I know you have no clue where either player is going. Thanks for making that abundantly clear with your comments here.

Since you appear to be very connected to the recruitment process of these two players, where are they going to end up?

Bjustad can, and has been the most dominant player in the league for long stretches. But that doesn't always translate to points. If the choices were made on straight points, a ballot wouldn't be necessary. He's a top 9 forward in the league, regardless of his point totals.

Not that it matters, but Kristo was my 10th forward if anyone cares. Thanks, MissSioux85 for linking to my website. By the way, it wasn't a slight on Kristo...there are just unbelievable forwards in the league this season. It's a numbers game.

Jones was not at the game.

No surprise here, Jordan Schmaltz's little brother Nick committed to UND. He will be a 2014 recruit. Info per @DPlayawi. He calls him a defenseman but he's really a forward. He corrects that in a later tweet.

New Recruit Connor Gaarder-Coulee Region Chill 2010-2011 NAHL Stats You're welcome.

I never said there wasn't a possibility that he would leave. I said I have no reason to believe he isn't telling the truth that he hasn't been contacted by the Devils. Did you even read the article? If not heres a snippet. University of Wisconsin men's hockey coach Mike Eaves dispelled two East Coast newspaper reports that he was being considered for the NHL opening at New Jersey. Eaves said Monday he's had no contact with the Devils or any other NHL team about leaving his alma mater, where he's coached since 2002. Eaves attended the NHL Entry Draft in St. Paul, Minn., Friday and Saturday and saw four UW players -- freshman center Joseph Labate (Vancouver), sophomore left winger Michael Mersch (Los Angeles), freshman defenseman Patrick Daly (New Jersey) and freshman center Brad Navin (Buffalo) -- get chosen. But even with Lamoriello in the Xcel Energy Center, there was no contact, according to Eaves. "If there was going to be a time (to talk) that would have been it,'' Eaves said.

The article you guys are linking was written on Saturday and is part of the reason these rumors were spurred. Eaves said Monday he hasn't been contacted. I have no reason not to believe him. He's a straight shooter, if he was considering it, he would have said so or not returned the reporters call.

Not true. Eaves confirmed today that he hasn't spoken to any NHL teams this summer.

Hey, I posted mine first!

Why? They have two for sure series (SCSU and (CC) who are both TUC's and most likely a first round WCHA play off match up against a team who will be a TUC (most likely CC). So that's 6 games against average at best teams that will boost our PWR with wins. Sure, we haven't had success against the top end teams, but we have had succes with teams like St. Cloud and CC. Wisconsin has a real good opportunity to improve their stock the next three weekends. And what does making the Final Five have to do with anything? it's not like those games count for more than games this weekend. Especially if we dont' do well at the FF.

When the NCAA creates a criteria that includes record against ranked teams then maybe. But now they don't so it's moot point. the closest criteria of the formula they have is records against TUC and Wisconsin is 7-11-4. Which is far from great but not as arbitrary as saying they are 1-9-2 against ranked opponents.

I used to get upset at the over-recruiting thing but it doens't bother me any more. The 10% of fans (if that) that even follow recruiting to get it don't bother me. It only bothered me when it could be used against us in future recruiting. But kids aren't dumb, they look ahead and see who is committed, who is on the team, and where they are projected to be in the program. So if 3 years from now joe schmo from Apple Valley is playing the over-recruiting card on us, good for him. He's probably an idiot. It's the same thing with fans who complain that Wisconsin is a boring trap team. Little do they know Wisconsin led the country in scoring last year and this season have been in the top 10 all year until the stinker last weekend up in Alaska. Gopher fans are the ones I laugh at the most about bitching about the trap. I was at both the UW/UMN games at Mariucci this year and they trapped way more than we did. But most gopher fan's don't even know what a trap is, they just like running their mouths.

Haha, that's in the past. Eaves has been a lot more disciplined in recruiting the past 18-24 months or so. It initially started when we lost Paveski and Earl late in the game and had no backups ready. Then he went crazy and gave everybody and thier mother a scholarship. Been a lot more streamlined over the past few seasons.

It's a loss because we would have loved to have a talent like that but we have no room for him. Assuming Craig Smith goes pro before his senior season, we're projected to have 17 forwards for 2012 barring no other early departures or losing anyone to natural attrition.One of our forwards Ryan Little can easily be moved back to defense as well. Regardless, we've already got two forwards for that 2012 class that blow Stepan out of the water and a third who is just as good. We just picked up a Wisconsin high school player Brad Navin as well who finished third in the Elite League in scoring. And he's willing to wait untl 2012 OR 2013 depending on departures so he provided us a lot more flexiblity than Stepan. I think in the end for UW it came down to having the flexability in Navin over the upside in Stepan. Edit: Heisenberg lists him as a 2013 right now. If that's the case...I take everything I said here back.

Schmaltz's dad played football for the Sioux. FWIW, I'd say it's more like 50/50 on Ohio State and UND. He decommitted for one reason, Osiecki leaving. Ohio State will be a player for this kid.