Chuck Schwartz

I'm assuming that it just means they need to sign him before training camp (with all the NHL players) for obvious reasons. Otherwise he will be back with North Dakota. This is just a prospects camp.

Just noticed that LaPoint is listed as #1 on the Florida Panthers defensive prospect depth chart. Link Don't confuse the list on the right with the depth chart.

O man another Gopher v. Sioux flame fest...

Because your a UMD fan? Or because he deserves it?

Here is my 2006-2007 USA WJC Roster Nate Gerbe-Phil Kessel-Kyle Okposo Bobby Ryan-Peter Mueller-Jack Skille Nick Foligno-Pat Kane-Bill Sweatt Ryan Stoa-Mike Carman-Chad Rau Mike Forney Erik Johnson-Jack Johnson Brian Lee-Taylor Chorney Mark Mitera-Brian Strait Jamie McBain Jeff Zatkoff Jeff Frazee

No offense to Forney because I love his game. But...I think the jump to a line with Toews and Duncan might be a bit pre-mature.

I saw over 100 hockey games live last year and im 20 years. I dont see it very far fetched that he did too. (Considering he is a scout for a hockey scouting service) It pisses me off sometimes that people consider someones age too heavily when they create an opinion. If you didnt know the kid was in high school you (not specificly you five hole) would have thought it was awesome...at least I know I did. (With the exception of buckysieve who doesnt like it because it has negative thoughts about Kessel...oh my )

Go home buckysieve...you have no idea what your talking about and dont know this kid. This kid has probably forgotten more hockey knowledge then you will ever aquire.

Sorry guys...just a little self promo for another crappy blog that I am running... http://www.hockey-thoughts.blogspot.com/

According to todays Eau Claire Leader Telegram it looks like LaPoint is going to play in Green Bay next season and enter UND in 2007. And I'm not even gonna reply to the two ridiculously jelous posters commenting on him earlier.

*$&@#(@#()*#@&!(*&!(&!!!!!!!!

Looks like Lundin from Maine is going back to the USHL (5th pick to Sioux Falls) Not sure what his interest towards Nodak would be.

I'm gonna go with the Rangers or Senators taking LaPoint in rounds 1 or 2.

NHL Central Scouting Profiles for Sioux Recruits Mike Forney-F-Thief River Falls HS (MN) Mid Term Ranking-43 Final Ranking-39 MICHAEL HAS A WIDE STANCE WITH A LONG STRIDE

At the Chicago Showcase, Sioux recruit Derrick LaPoint (Profile 1, Profile 2) started off the tournament tonight with a goal in a 3-2 Wisconsin win over New Jersey. Wisconsin Prep Hockey Story

Now your just talking about nickles and dimes...let it be

Exactly the point that I am trying to make. It is not always necissary. It's on a case to case basis. If they can play at the next level, let them.

You're changing up your arguments to get off of the base statement that you made. And I proved to you that he obviously has played at a higher level (USA Select Festivals, Elite League) and done extreamly well. You refered to playing at a higher level such as Midget Majors. Which he has played at a higher level then Midget Majors in the Elite League. Then you say B/A doesnt count. But it counts that Oshie played B/A in the USHL. He's proven himself at a higher level time and time again which is what i'm trying to point out. I'm not arguing against him playing in the USHL next season. I'm arguing that he has already proved himself at the next level. He doesnt need to prove himself in the USHL. They dont send 10 NHL scouts to every high school game he played in this season for nothing.

Team Wisconsin for all intents and purposes is a Midget Major program. The Elite league for all intents and purposes is a BETTER Midget Major league than any others. The best Major program in the country plays in the league and is an average team. Dont say that it's off season hockey. Because for these kids its not off season hockey. They are busting thier tails because they know that at every Elite League and USA Select Festival game there are 15-20 minimum college and NHL scouts there watching them play. They dont take nights off. You're also making very general statements in saying that its the right thing to do by playing a season at the Junior level. Some kids are just more naturaly ready then others. Did TJ Oshie need to play a full season in the USHL? ahh no absolutely not. He played a few games and that was all. Different cases for every player. You've never even seen the kid play and have never heard anything so dont make assumptions.

Dominating the Wisconsin High School level for a few months each winter is only a small sample of what he has accomplished. If you looked into anything you would have realized that he has competed at the National USA Hockey Select 15, 16, and 17 hockey festivals. Is this not a higher level then Wisconsin High School hockey? Along with that he has competed in the Mid-West Elite High School league B/A the High School season for the past two seasons. If you need more information on that league here is the site. ELITE LEAGUE The Elite League alone had 7 NHL draft picks in the last draft. In the next draft they should have 7-10 more. Thats including 3 first round draft picks in the last 2 seasons. Also Okposo and Forney are projected to go in the top 15 this season. Does that not count as playing at a higher level? Included in those 7-10 are Mr. LaPoint. Who at the Mid-Term rankings was #96 overall for his draft class in North America. Since then his stock has soared. He has been invited to the NHL Scouting combine for the top 100 players in the WORLD. He could go anywhere from late in the first round to the fifth round. I personaly think he'll go somewhere end of the second/early third but hoping for better obviously. Add in the fact that Minnesota and Wisconsin both were offering full rides along with North Dakota does that mean that he is some hack? Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin are perennial powerhouses, did they all of a sudden become crappy recruiters? Also you bias towards Wisconsin is old thinking and you need to change your ways. The University of Wisconsin just won a National Title with 12 Wisconsin born players on the team. Wisconsin also has had a player drafted in the top 10 of the draft in I believe 3 of the last 4 drafts. Suter to Nashville, Skille to Chicago, and this coming year Kessel will go between 1-3. The kid is going to be a player. Anyone that has watched him knows the potential that he has. Do you have any more questions pal?

I have a good feeling LaPoint will be brought in since he is in-directly taking Smabys scholarship.

The NHL announced thier list of invitee's for the Combine in Toronto May 30th-June 3. If you dont know anything about it the NHL invites the top 115 players for the draft to Toronoto to test on multiple things athleticly as well as each player will interview with almost every team there. I had the privledge to go to this event about 7-8 years ago when I was a youth hockey player playing in a AAA summer tournament who just happened to stay at the same hotel as this event goes on. Here is the link and the players who were invited. http://www.nhl.com/news/2006/04/268346.html Player Club League Ahnelov, Jonas Frolunda Jr. Sweden Jr. Alexandrov, Yuri Cherepovets Russia Anisimov, Artem Yaroslavl Russia Armstrong, John Plymouth OHL Armstrong, Kevin Spokane WHL Backstrom, Nicklas Brynas Sweden Bartley, Victor Kamloops WHL Beleskey, Matt Belleville OHL Bennett, Brett U.S. National U-18 USA Berglund, Patrik Vasteras Sweden Bernier, Jonathan Lewiston QMJHL Berra, Reto Zurich Switzerland Biro, Marek Trnava Jr. Slovakia Jr. Bouchard, Francois Baie Comeau QMJHL Brassard, Derick Drummondville QMJHL Breault, Benjamin Baie Comeau QMJHL Burki, Codey Brandon WHL Calla, Brady Everett WHL Carle, Mathieu Acadie-Bathurst QMJHL Carman, Michael U.S. National U-18 USA Caruso, Michael Guelph OHL Clutterbuck, Cal Oshawa OHL Corrente, Matthew Saginaw OHL Daniels, Ryan Saginaw OHL Danis-Pepin, Simon Maine Hockey East Degray, John Brampton OHL Dudas, Jesse Prince George WHL Emmerton, Cory Kingston OHL Enroth, Jhonas Sodertalje Jr. Sweden Jr. Fiala, Ondrej Everett WHL Figren, Robin Frolunda Jr. Sweden Jr. Fischer, David Apple Valley U.S. High School Foligno, Nick Sudbury OHL Forney, Michael Thief River Falls U.S. High School Frolik, Michael Kladno Czech Republic Geoffrion, Blake U.S. National U-18 USA Giroux, Claude Gatineau QMJHL Grabner, Michael Spokane WHL Gryba, Eric Green Bay USHL Helenius, Riku Ilves Finland Hillier, Ryan Halifax QMJHL Holloway, Bud Seattle WHL Holzapfel, Riley Moose Jaw WHL Hughes, Bobby Kingston OHL Hughes, John Belleville OHL Irving, Leland Everett WHL Joensuu, Jesse Assat Finland Johnson, Erik U.S. National U-18 USA Juutilainen, J.M. Jokerit Jr. Finland Jr. Kana, Tomas Vitkovice Czech Republic Kazionov, Denis Tver Russia Kessel, Phil Minnesota WCHA Kulemin, Nikolai Magnitogorsk Russia Kveton, David Vsetin Czech Republic Lagerstrom, Tony Sodertalje Jr. Sweden Jr. Lapoint, Derrick Eau Claire North U.S. High School Latal, Martin Kladno Jr. Czech Republic Jr. Lazaruk, Kris Kootenay WHL Lessard, Pierre-Luc Gatineau QMJHL Lewis, Trevor Des Moines USHL Little, Bryan Barrie OHL Lucic, Milan Vancouver WHL Lynes, Luke Brampton OHL Makarov, Igor Krylja Russia Marcinko, Tomas Kosice Jr. Slovakia Jr. Marvin, Aaron Warroad U.S. High School Mason, Steve London OHL Matthias, Shawn Belleville OHL Maxwell, Ben Kootenay WHL McGinn, Jamie Ottawa OHL Mitera, Mark Michigan CCHA Montgomery, Kevin U.S. National U-18 USA Mueller, Peter Everett WHL Mursak, Jan Budejovice Jr. Czech Republic Jr. Musatov, Igor Spartak 2 Russia 2 Neuwirth, Michal Sparta Jr. Czech Republic Jr. Nodl, Andreas Sioux Falls USHL Nyholm, Robert IFK Jr. Finland Jr. Okposo, Kyle Des Moines USHL Osala, Oskar Mississauga OHL Palmer, Joseph U.S. National U-18 USA Peckham, Theo Owen Sound OHL Persson, Dennis Vasteras Jr. Sweden Jr. Petry, Jeff Des Moines USHL Popov, Andrei Chelyabinsk Russia Potuer, Graham Everett WHL Rakhshani, Rhett U.S. National U-18 USA Ruzicka, David Kladno Czech Republic Ryan, Joe Quebec QMJHL Sanguinetti, Bobby Owen Sound OHL Seppanen, Timo IFK Finland Sheppard, James Cape Breton QMJHL Shutron, Ben Kingston OHL Simek, Juraj Kloten Switzerland Sneep, Carl Brainerd U.S. High School Staal, Jordan Peterborough OHL Stewart, Chris Kingston OHL Strait, Brian U.S. National U-18 USA Summers, Chris U.S. National U-18 USA Swan, Bryce Halifax QMJHL Tikhonov, Viktor Dmitrov Russia Tlusty, Jiri Kladno Czech Republic Toews, Jonathan North Dakota WCHA Turek, Ryan Omaha USHL Varlamov, Semen Yaroslavl 2 Russia 2 Vasyunov, Alexander Yaroslavl 2 Russia 2 Vishnevski, Ivan Rouyn Noranda QMJHL Weber, Mike Windsor OHL White, Ryan Calgary WHL Williams, Nigel U.S. National U-18 USA Wishart, Ty Prince George WHL Wright, Ben Lethbridge WHL Zatkoff, Jeff Miami (Ohio) CCHA Zharkov, Vladimir CSKA 2 Russia 2 Zhukov, Valeri Nizhny Novgorod Russia

Thats 1

Here are my thoughts on LaPoint next season. Two scenario's...if Smaby leaves, and if Smaby stays. Remember, these are just MY thoughts and do not reflect the thoughts of him or his family. If Smaby stays: 2% Whichita Falls 98% USHL If Smaby Leaves: 60% UND 39% USHL 1% Whichita Falls He should be a first round USHL draft pick if not top 3. I do not see any way he ends up in Wichita barring something horrible happening.

April 12th (today) and lasts until August 1, 2006