stickboy1956
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Posts posted by stickboy1956
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I don't think I would describe UND offensive talent as average. I think well balanced would be more realistic.
I think Goaltending is the only "?" everything else looks pretty solid.
You can have an offense that is balanced and average.
Whlle we only lost Oshie and Kaip up front, replacing TJ's points isn't a lock with the new players coming in/or veteran players stepping up. We also need to replace almost 50 points from the blueline with Bina and Chorney leaving.
I do think our scoring will be down from last year. TJ will be hard to replace.
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They haven't had much trouble recruiting goaltenders. I think you have two good ones right now and with Lee coming later on, it's growing into a trend.
The question lies in the rest of the team.
I think SCSU has the coaching to change from joke to legit and have showed it at least in league play in recent years.
I know they have had zero NCAA wins, but I do recall Dahl putting some legit teams on the ice, including the one that beat us (and Blais) in the F5.
Save the joke label for other teams in the league.
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I don't disagree with you...however, I just don't see who else fits. I don't see Gregoire and Toews with Duncan even more than I have trouble seeing Frattin up there. The only guy that might fit is Watkins, but then you separate Watkins and VV....but maybe Gregoire fits on that line and Frattin moves to third.... Either way, I think we will see Hak juggling lines all season...
I could see VV centering Kozek and Duncan. Duncan and Kozek finished the season on the same line last year and VV has probably earned a chance to be our #1 center.
I could also see Gregoire and Toews being together on a line - with maybe Watkins or Malone on the other wing.
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I assume the Minn series will be part of the student season tix package, although classes are not in session.
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Anybody hearing any rumblings about any new recruits. It seems like forever since we've heard anything about possible recruits. I still would like to see a Dylan Olsen commitment to UND.
Olsen is on the Canada Summer Under-18 Team roster - one of the few non-CHL/college eligible players in camp.
http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.cfm/ci_id...nr_id/55921.htm
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It's official -
"For the first time in franchise history, the Wild will begin its preseason schedule away from the state of Minnesota, instead opening its show on the road Sept. 20 in one of the most impressive hockey facilities in the world ...
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It was great seeing some good hockey and was a welcome relief from some of the heat we had a couple of days. We attended 3 nights of it. Talked to Jerry York from BC last night during one of the games. Lots of college coaches in town. Saw the Don and his crew there too.
2008 United States Under-18 Select Team
UMinn recruits are represented well (Walters, Budish, Leddy).
I thought that NTDP players were not eligible for the team but Beau Schmitz of the U17 team is on the roster and Nick Mattson is not.
We need some 91 recruits - UMinn has got a good start.
Chris Heisenberg's 2009 Hockey Recruits
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Televising more away games would increase awareness and interest in the program, which would more than likely result in higher attendance at home games. Actually, televising more games period (regardless if they're home or away) would be good for generating more interest in the program.
I just thought I saw that we lead the nation in attendance.
The visablity of the program is pretty high, locally and nationally.
UMinn has an advantage vs. us via TV in that FSN is available via DirectTV/Dish Net, while FSSN is only available via "old school" dish. If FSSN were available on Digital Sat, it might help recruiting (if we need help).
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They need to start televising more than two away games. And only airing one football game is pathetic. I'm glad this contract is only for one year.
I'm becoming more and more convinced UND needs to take the leading role with FSSN. Yes, airing road games is a money loser, but it's a smart marketing expense in my opinion.
<cue someone to tell me to open my checkbook....>
I think the hockey team does ok re: marketing.
It is probably the 2nd most exposed/marketed team in the country, behind UMinn with its FSN contract. I don't believe Wisco gets the same coverage on FSN Wisco vs UMinn.
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The game in the WCHA will not change as long as holding and obstruction are legal. It favors the Wisco type game, and, a team that might play more wide open is at a disadvantage if the opponent can hold and obstruct. As a result, all teams in the WCHA are forced to play that game if they want a chance to win. The Blais coached teams would have had to do the same thing Hakstol teams are doing, the small fast team of the late 90's would have a tough time winning now the way the league teams play and the way the rules are enforced.
I submit the Sioux do not play the hold/obstuction game - they play a physical/speed game, which is how they have played since Gino took over in 78-79; Blais' teams played the same way, as does the current team.
See a pattern?
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I too want it high tempo with 45+ shots a game but unfortunately, I don't see a style change without a coaching change. Same thing with the Wild. It'll fun to watch a Blais style game in Fargo this fall. (When the Sioux are away of course)
What tactics does Hakstol employ vs. Blais that holds scoring down?
A trap? Left wing lock?
I don't think so.
One observation - I think players in this era shoot less than they did years ago. I don't think this is coaching, though.
Did you notice that scoring is down league wide the past couple years?
I guess Steve Johnson is the answer.
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I wonder why Joe didn't go to the Caps Dev Camp?
http://capitals.nhl.com/team/app/?service=...rticleid=367602
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Risebrough and the Wild owner are in the same mindset as the Twins in many ways. They want to be competitive. However, he is unwilling or (if the owner is like Pohlad) unable to spend money to get the 2 to 3 players that would break the Wild out of mediocrity.
I know you are a Minnesota hater but you do realize the Wild had a larger payroll than the Red Wings last year, don't you?
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I think Bickel made a very stupid decision. He isn't EJ. And the last defenseman to bolt after his freshman year for the pros? Why, that would be Jake Taylor to the NY Rangers. He's played, what... ZERO NHL games since bolting? I'm not even certain that he'll get resigned by NYR (if he hasn't already).
Bickel now has to prove that he's ready for the pros far sooner than he would have had to had he even waited one or two more seasons.
Talented, if a tad cheap at times, as he may be, I believe he put himself into a very high stakes position.
He will be 22 soon - he got the max contract for this CBA .
He was not a blue chip recruit - a few years ago he was playing in Owatonna in the NAHL.
I think he made out pretty well.
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First off, like Sioux Hab It said, the Canadian team is stacked. Even a first round draft pick like Travis Zajac didn't even make that team. As for our U.S. players, asside from Kristo, I don't think that we have a real blue chip recruit. Not saying that our U.S. players aren't good, but it isn't really a blue chip class of players like we had in 03 and 05.
Agreed.
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I actually think that is good news, we don't have to worry about losing games during the X-mas break because there are a bunch of Sioux players on the team of Canada and the USA.
... or is it a baraometer of the talent level of our recruits??
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How about insist that his defensemen play defense first when Gerbe was on the ice, rather than let Chay take the chances he was able to get away with all year, but not this day.
... and we know he didn't tell his players this? Didn't we have a pretty good GAA coming into that game?
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The flaw with talking about Genoway's role in all of this is that Genoway is a fan favorite.
It is ALWAYS easier to blame a player you don't like rather than to own up and state that your favorite, or one of your favorite, players had a bad game.
iramurphy is right. As a team we played awful hockey. Genoway had his worst game of the season. Yet after the game there were fingers pointed at two people mainly: Finley and Hakstol. There is some valid points made about questioning the preparation of Hak for this game, but there were zero valid points made about Finley.
It is a crying shame that we live in a world where there are people who enjoy putting people down, putting the "hating" on, and generally being destructive towards people who really don't deserve it.
You don't have to be excited that Finley is staying. You don't have to like Finley. But I really think the "Please Go" statements (and worse) needs to stop.
What should have Hakstol done differently in preparing his team? It was his 4th F4 as a head coach and has 2 trips as an assistant w/Blais.
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Here's my possible starting roster:
Duncan - VandeVelde - Kozek
Watkins - Trupp - Frattin
Miller - Zajac - Martens
Malone - Toews - Davidson
Gregoire, Hextall, Lamoureux
Genoway - Finley
Marto - Lapointe
Jones - Blood
Fienhage or MacWilliam
I like the first line with VandeVelde and Kozek because they did play on the same line alot last year and of course Duncan. The second line I like the two Soph. playing with the senior Watkins, if Watkins doesn't produce early I think he could get bumped down a line or two. The third line I like Zajac and Martens, not to sure about Miller. I wasn't to impressed with his play last year. The 4th line I do like Malone, I could see him moving up a line. The freshman Toews, Gregoire, Hextall, Lamoureux I could see them getting starts as the season progress and as they develop.
1. It's official - Feinhage is coming, not MW
http://www.areavoices.com/undhockey/?blog=28803
2. Frattin needs to earn his top 6 position - he was brought in as a scorer and he needs more than 4 next year to keep himself in the lineup.
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So he's another Walski. Excellent. We need hard workers, especially since goal is going to be our weak link this season. Eidsness may be good, but he's a freshman. I hope he's like Bachman or Kangas, but if not, then it will be a long season good defense or no.
How do you know goal will be our "weak link" this year? Eidsness is the first Sioux goalie drafted since 1993 (Toby Kvalevog).
I suspect as the league gets younger, our goalies will be younger as well. We should get used to it. Quality, older (20) goalies are going to be harder to find.
We have had some pretty good seasons from rookie goalies in the past, as I recall. I bet the coaching staff thinks he's ready.
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A couple of nice pictures of TJ Oshie playing at the Blues Hockey fest on the blues site.
JPL is on the Blues dev camp roster along with TJ and Chris Porter.
http://downloads.blues.nhl.com/other/08dev...camp_roster.pdf
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Was he held back a grade, or did he just start school a year later than others his age? Not uncommon thing to do. I want to be clear because when you say someone was held back a grade to me there's a connotation along with that.
Yes - that is the best explaination. It's too bad he didn't decide to do what Ness did.
I guess my overall point was that I wish he was coming this year. I'd rather have him be a three years vs. two.
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Kristo still needs to graduate high school, so that's a pretty simple answer to the "why isn't he coming this fall" question.
Some kids accelerate, he decided not to.
To be more accurate, somewhere along the way, Kristo was held back a grade. He is a June, 90, compared to Fienhage, who is a May 90 bday.
Aaron Ness was held back a grade at some point as well (May 90 bday) - he "accelerated" his studies to get back to where he should be. Kristo could have done the same thing.
Jordan Schroeder is the kid who will be coming to college "early" - he will be draft eligible next year.
Don't expect to see Kristo at UND more than 2 years - this is why it would have been nice to see him at UND this year.
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Any thoughts on whom? I would like to see the Wild draft him. For no other reason than he is a talented left wing. The Wild are in desperate need of talent at the left wing position.
It looks like the Wild also are interested in Defense, too. (I know - it's posted in another thread.)
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_9597147
"Strong, right-handed defenseman," said Tommy Thompson, Wild director of player personnel. "He had enough credits to graduate (from high school after) the first semester. He stayed at Eastview for football. Then he went to Indiana to play in the USHL."
Without giving away any secrets, it's fair to say Thompson really likes him. In a draft top-heavy with defensemen, it's difficult to project which team will grab him.
"It's really hard to predict where you will go," Fienhage said. "Wherever I go, it will be great. I think it would be fun playing for the Wild. I guess I'll know in a couple of days."
2008-2009 Sioux Hockey Roster
in Men's Hockey
Posted
"Stud" goalies are hard to find to begin with - having 2 on your team is very rare these days. Usually high-end goalies want to play, not ride the bench. They will want playing time.
You could say UMN had 2 highly rated goalies last year: Frazee and Kangas. (I know - Frazee stunk as a Gopher but he was a highly rated goalie coming in as a frosh)
I bet the UMN coaching staff whispered to Kangas that there was a great chance he would see a lot of ice time, even with Frazee there.