dagies

Someone out there is much smarter than I and I hope to learn from you. Who exactly is the NCAA, and why do they need to make money. Who does this money go to?

You don't much hear about numbers being "un-retired". Can you fill us in more on the circumstances? Sounds like it could be an interesting story.

Ok, I know YaneA's not including me here.

I kind of like it, though I am not sure I am as confident in Fylling in that role as you, on the first line. I just don't know what he will be bringing next year. I will say that I was impressed with his effort and his role in 2001. That 4th line of Fylling, Oleary and Hasbargen played above their heads, IMO. So maybe you are right there. Also, I think McMahon is ready to step up higher than his 4th line role. Just my impression and I am always SO right. So maybe I would switch the 2 of them. Not sure I would argue any of the other options you suggested. Like jk said, at some point next year you are going to be right.

Goon, maybe you or someone else remembers this but wasn't there some talk at the time that he might jump straight to the NHL?

I did. Prove me wrong...

I obviously didn't know the guy myself. But still think about it wistfully. Certainly it was a tragic loss for his family and friends. I think of the hype on that guy, and how cool it would have looked to see that monster on the ice with the Circus in 1986-1987. Gino said in Fight On Sioux that Big George would have played on the first line. Ok, how big was he? If memory serves he was 6-2, 6-3 and 240? Wow. I just hope this 20 year thing isn't some sort of trend. I hesitate to even say that.

This just struck me. I don't mean anything by it. Casey died in 1966 Pelawa died in 1986 .........

I agree, Scott, but I think Leinie will be the 6th man more often than D. Marvin. Just guessing...

Notermann Spiewak Massen Bochenski Fournier McMahon Lundbohm Parise Hale Genoway Fylling Canady Connelly Faul Palmiscno B Connelly

hey, as long as it all averages out. I am expecting Fournier to be an assist guy.

In the WCHA Scoring Offense: Games Goals G/GM 1 Minnesota 44 197 4.48 2 St. Cloud State 42 179 4.26 3 Denver 41 158 3.85 4 North Dakota 37 134 3.62 Nationally 1 New Hampshire 4.60 2 Minnesota 4.48 3 St. Cloud 4.26 4 Maine 4.23 5 Denver 3.85 6 Boston University 3.71 7 Air Force 3.62 North Dakota 3.62 If we just consider THIS past year's offensive numbers, and we wanted a top 2 finish in the WCHA and a Frozen Four finish in the NCAA's, we would need to be in the 4's in G/GM.

It does, however, show that Speez might be a little optimistic with 5 over 20. I hope he is right, though. I would be happy with 3, I think. As long as the rest of the scoring is spread out.

GO SPEEZ!!

GO GOON!!

I think it is possible that the actual scoring leader for the team might be a soph. However, I believe the upperclass scoring leader could be either Hale or Lundbohm. My vote is Lundbohm right now. I think he has some potential that was not tapped last year for some reason. We may see that blossom. However, I still feel R. Hale might surprise us this coming year with his production and if Lundbohm doesn't have the proverbial "break-out" season then Hale will be the guy, IMO.

Goon, maybe you or someone else will remember whether I am right or wrong on this. I remember seeing the Sioux down at Mariucci early in the season Leinweber's freshman year. I guess that would be 1999-2000. If my memory serves he was out there with Roche and my buddy and I thought they were the better Dmen on the ice that night. Oconnell and Commie were out there together, and so were Schneekloth and Mazurak. Of course, we were on Oconnell's first three years momentum and we cringed everytime he touched the puck. Well, we know how much I know. Commie and Oconnell were near dominant that season, and Leinweber did not turn out to be one of the better dmen on the ice as the season turned out. If I remember, however, I believe before the season Blais had said something about have some very high expectations of Leinweber. Maybe my memory is not correct, or maybe Blais was not correct in the end. I don't know. Anyone remember anything? I have to think with as early as he came in to the program, it must have been because there were some high expectations on him.

Leinweber is not a guy I have been that impressed with in the past. But he is very young relatively. I will also say that when I saw him in the last half of the season, I really thought he had stepped up his play. I am encouraged that his senior season will be his bright spot. We'll see but he's kind of my Wes Dorey for 2002-03.

And I suppose if you like to carry a few extra forwards you can always find someone who wants some icetime in a crunch, like Murph. Makes sense. I now agree 7 seems like a likely number to carry.

Here are stats on next years defensemen, in order of size.

Call me dense but I am not sure what you were referring to here. I think I read on the POI site a few weeks ago that somebody's buddy is a buddy of Ryan Potulney and supposedly Ryan was saying if Grant is with the Gophers then Ryan would play with the gophers and if Grant left early then he would play for the Sioux. There's my source so salt that as much as you would like. I think he and Grant would overlap by 1 year. Danny Irmen had similar numbers to Ryan in the USHL. Any scuttlebutt on him? I like seeing ND boys in Green.

From today's GF Herald:

5-hole, I agree that the gophers lose a similar level of scoring, but the team is so much deeper than the Sioux team that lost that scoring. I've seen a few people predict the gophers about 5th or even lower next year and that is absurd. We have seen a great coach (Blais) reload after losing a load of talent (1999) and win the championship the next year because the team had talented, depth ready to step into place. I see the gophers in the same situation. Maybe I am delusional but I still feel the gophers are the cream of the WCHA next year, and I believe their goaltending will prove to be solid. I think the Sioux will be solid next year. How good remains to be seen. They have a tremendous upside, yet significant questions to be answered.

Can't say I'm not happy to hear he is going. However, anytime a talented player leaves college hockey it is too bad. I would rather see ALL our players stay, rather than some leaving early. Still the gophers are going to be awfully good and I don't think this hurts their team terribly much next year. The loss of Leopold, Pohl, Hauser and Taffe is a tremendous loss, but at UND we have seen how the rest of the team has stepped up after such losses. This last year we did not but the team was comprised of such a heavy load of freshmen that it was tough. In the past, however, that didn't happen. In fact, I believe we lost an incredible number of strong players in 1999 and we know what happened in 2000.