dagies

I hope you are right. He's one heck of a coach and it's easy to cheer for the program with him at the helm. If not, I think there are good choices in the wings who know how to win. Sandelin Steve Johnson Cary Eades etc

How many years does Blais have left on his contract? Is this the last year or one after this? There has been speculation on whether he is gone at the end of his contract or not. Some of that stems from his own comments at the time he signed the new agreement that 10 years in one place is probably long enough. I don't think we would see him leave for any other college program, does anyone else? MN seems locked up for good now. Where else would he really want to go? Pro ranks I suppose is a possibility. But I wonder if Blais doesn't want to at least see the current young players through. Last year he said he thought his freshmen class was good enough to win another championship. This incoming class is pretty solid, and next year appears to be pretty decent as well. I have no information that says one thing or another but my gut feeling is he is here for the next 3 years or so, once this current team's potential runs out (big class graduates, and stars like Parise, etc who might leave early). Then maybe he would turn it over. I can see another scenario. If my own speculation that Sandelin is being groomed to replace Blais is correct (again, I have no insider info, just my own opinions), considering they are good friends, maybe he leaves with the cupboard still full for Sandelin to come in and have strong success immed. All speculation. I think he'll stay for approx 3 more seasons.

I often try searching the archives by typing in "Sioux Hockey" and that usually finds any links to Herald articles that someone posts that I couldn't find. Not all, but most.

He'd probably drive the bus!

I think UND's chances were pretty slim when his brother went to UM. You don't see many brother combo's split up, unless the school itself doesn't want the #2 kid. However, it can happen. With the scuttlebutt I read on the boards with G. Potulney's situation, it seemed there was some family bad blood towards the UND program resulting from it, and when that happens, I think it is difficult to think that the #2 kid would end up anywhere else. That said, one can hope. I believe someone once posted on the gopher site claiming to be a friend of Ryan Potulney's and he said if Grant stayed at UM all 4 years he was going to UM and if Grant left early then to GF he would go. I don't see Grant leaving early, does anyone else? Of course, this is all hearsay.

Don't forget Palmiscno.

Sprig asks a valid question. I haven't seen them so I can't really comment. For 2003-04 we are bringing in: Chris Porter - F Brady Murray - F Eric Fabian - F Matt Smaby - D Chad Dahlen - D Layne Sedevie - G After this season we will lose: Notermann - F Spiewak - F Leinweber - D Hale - D* Jones - D* * - worst case scenario I don't know where you would put another recruit, frankly. It's the same argument that MN used when Smaby committed to ND. MN didn't recruit the guy much because they had no room for another D. I don't know where the Sioux have room for additional forwards. Does anyone really think any of our forwards will leave school early? I for one don't see it after this coming year. Regardless, I don't like to see good GF players going somewhere else. Again, I'm not sure they're better than what is coming in, or that I would have preferred them to be recruited over these kids, just that I would like to see the good GF players stay at home.

Gopher fans are reporting that Dan Irman has verballed to MN. If true, this would seem to throw a wrench into chances to land Ryan Potulney (if the Sioux ever had any). I have to say, I get a little concerned seeing good GF players heading to MN, or any other school for that matter. Now, I'm not being critical. Landing guys like Parise and Murray, etc is just fine with me. But in an ideal world I would like to see GF kids like Panzer growing up wanting to be a Sioux like MN kids want to be a Gopher. Too many guys head south and pretty soon the Sioux aren't the only game in town. To keep the local community involved in the Sioux program, I think it is important. Anyway, we'll see what happens. I wanted to bring this up for discussion.

http://www.fightingsioux.com/sports/hockey...ey/schedule.asp

Now that I have had a chance to review the righty-left situation I am going to take another crack at this. In fact, I am going to throw out 2 different scenarios depending on how some players earn or lose their chance to play from game to game. After all the hard work we are doing for Coach this summer, this next year is going to be a breeze for him. (lines are in no particular order) Left Wing Center Right Wing Fylling-R Spiewak-L Lundbohm-R The lefty Spiewak throws to the righty Lundbohm. This is Spiewak's line to run and Lundbohm's chance to showcase. The hardworking Fylling adds tenacity and effort, even though he is playing the off hand. This is ok as the speedy Spiewak will be setting up Fylling from behind the net, and playing the off hand will give Quinn better shooting angles. This line is balanced offensively and defensively, and is very effective overall R Hale-R Parise-L Massen-R This is Massen's chance to break out. The righty Massen receives from the left Parise. This is a young line, so Hale plays the off-hand wing to provide leadership and a physical presence to help protect "The Bullseye" Parise. Hale's ability to control the puck and work the boards and Parise ability to see the ice and make plays compliments both Hale and Massen and plays to their strengths. This line should be very strong offensively, and solid defensively with Hale and Parise. McMahon-R Fournier-L Bochenski-R I bet you have figured it out haven't you. I can't break up Fournier and Bochenski, and the lefty Fournier is throwing to the righty Bochenski. The hard-nosed and skilled McMahon, like R Hale and Fylling, can adapt his game to play the off-wing providing the physical presence this line needs, along with some strong 2-way play. This line will be overbalanced offensively, and needs a strong core of stay-at-home defensemen to balance it. Notermann-L Genoway-R Canady-R Hey, what's going on here? A righty center? We'll have to put a lefty wing with him that can throw the puck at the net. Yep, here's Notermann's chance collect all the goals the posts have cheated him out of the last 3 years. Canady provides a gritty, physical presence that compliments Notermann's speed. This line will probably be stronger defensively than offensively, but opponents will not be able to take them for granted because they will score. This represents my thoughts that Genoway did not sit out a year for nothing, that he can play some and will show it. Prpich-L Connelly-L Palmiscno-L These guys bust their butts and make the other 12 earn their spots. They will not be on the bench all season, they are too good. Palmo is the one I most worry about. I just think it will be tough for him to earn time this year. Below is what happens when a couple of these guys earn their way on the ice for Sat night: Notermann-L Spiewak-L R Hale-R Notermann and Spiewak are reunited, and along with R Hale they will provide a dominating line that no one score against, and generates scoring chances. Hale basically takes over where Bayda left off with the corner play, strength on the puck, etc. Notermann provides support and Spiewak sets 'em up. Fylling-R Parise-L Lundbohm-R Lundbohm is the centerpiece of this line, his chance to really show his stuff receiving from Parise. The hard working Fylling provides speed and physical play to complement Parise and Lundbohm. This line is balanced offensively and defensively and Lundbohm has a chance to shine. Connelly-L Fournier-L Bochenski-R This time the line adds the speed of Connelly over the physical play of McMahon. The line is not real physical, though Connelly plays bigger than he is. He's just not that big. But Connelly's speed creates opportunities. Fournier will utilize Connelly's speed and Bochenski will pick up the sloppy seconds when Connelly can't convert. Connelly's speed with help to recover when the line gets caught too deep. Again, this line wants a core of solid D-men to back them up. Prpich-L Genoway-R McMahon-R Anybody want to watch a line that has fun together? Prpich is not a scoring machine but gets his chances receiving from Genoway. Prpich gets to play because he and Canady are so similar and today we go with another left shooting wing to balance things out again. McMahon is back to his natural wing position and Prpich and McMahon have a blast playing together and want everyone to know it. Genoway is the recipient of all the energy and chaos created with McMahon and Prpich hitting everything in site. If Prpich can stay on the ice long enough, it is possible other teams might just refuse to come on the ice against these guys. A balanced offensive and defensive threat is this line Canady-R Palmiscno-R Massen-R These guys sit and wait for Monday's practice and try to earn their spots back.

Thanks, I'll believe CSB over Heisenberg and since I only watched Parise once last year and can't remember which way he shoots (boy, my scouting skills are lagging

I was curious who shoots righty and lefty and which position they played to consider for these line combos so I watched pieces of a couple of last years games and got this info from the tapes.

Face-Offs: Who takes the face-off? The Center of the line? The best face-off guy on the line? I can see both ways. Help.

I think you are contrasting the fact the our information on Smaby is pretty much all from an article Virg Foss wrote with quotes from Smaby's coach vs. fans of another team posting their own heresay through less "official channels". Question is is anyone right? Of course the coach is going to be glowing about his player for a newspaper article in the town the kid is going to play in. Doesn't make him inaccurate, but one could see how Foss' article might not be totally objective. On the other hand fans of opposing teams post less glowing information. They have motive as well. No one really knows what he will be like. Considering his hockey schooling, the coaches comments, the comments from the gopher fan with inside info, it's still fair to say the kid has a lot of potential to be a very good hockey player. His real value may not be seen for 2-3 years. I think there is more offensive capability with our current players than we saw last year. Just my guess as I am no talent scout. But I think Blais is recruiting the guys he has for a reason. They will be adequate offensively, and develop great defensive skills as a tandem.

Just yesterday or so there was a "Rick" on USCHO predicting that there as a very special player from the Mpls/St. Paul area that was going to commit to UND. The kind of top player that MN really would have wanted. I would guess this is the guy.... Anyway, Blais better be real careful in the middle of the game yelling "Matt, get on the ice!"

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/3716151.htm This article lists Eric Fabian and Joe Adams as possible future Sioux players. We know about Fabian. What does anyone know about Adams?

This article in the Herald says Fabian in a "possible" future Sioux player http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/3716151.htm

Goon, I knew that. This was just a play on the James Earl Jones - Matt Jones James Earl - Steve Earl joke. Bad, I know. It's mid-summer. Hockey and Hunting still 2 months away.

Hey, is James Earl any relation to Steve Earl?

Little Commie ripped up his knee a couple of years ago. Last year he was supposed to play at Green Bay with Matt Greene but was cut or dropped or left them prior to the season starting. I only know what I know from reading the internet. Don't know where he is now.

Wow.

Tantalizing!!! Inquiring minds want to know.