USA Hockey

Chris had a nice writeup of some of the best players he saw last weekend at the NAHL/Midget Showcase. I'm not as interested in the NAHL players, but it is nice to see who some of the best AAA players in the nation are. You can read the write up here, http://www.westerncollegehockey.blogspot.com/

Here are the week three stats from the elite league, http://hselitehockey.com/vertical/Sites/{4...0B259FCD37}.PDF

Just a reminder, the NTDP plays their last game in the NAHL showcase at 4:45 today at the Schwan's Super Rink in Blaine. If anyone is in the area, it would be a good chance to go and watch Kristo play.

There were some rumors on GPL earlier this summer that Minnesota recruit Nick Larson would redshirt for the Gophers instead of playing in the USHL. It turns out, that he is burnt out from hockey and will be taking the year off and possibly never playing again. Larson was an 08 recruit from Hill Murray.

This weekend is week 3 for the fall elite league. The games are again in New Hope this weekend so if anyone is near the twin cities area it would be good to go check out. Here are the stats after week two going into this weekend, http://www.hselitehockey.com/vertical/Site...AB40AC632D}.PDF

Davidson will be here for four years. Recently coming from a good source on this topic, what people need to understand is that you always want to overstock a certain amount on recruits. You can try to predict early departures, but there are also adverse circumstances pertaining to players leaving for personal reasons (in the case of Spirko) and injury.

The coaches will usually bring in more than what is lost. For example, after 04/05 we lost 6 forwards and 4 d-men and in 05/06 we brought in 7 forwards and 5 d-men.

This has nothing to do with family ties, the coaches will take a player if they feel he can play regardless of the name on the back. In this case, why not take a grinder that will come here on 1/4 or less scholarship so he can play for his hometown team.

The NAHL Showcase at the Super Rink in Blaine starts tommorow, there is also a Midget Major tourney taking place there, here are the schedules http://www.nahlshowcase.com/schedule.cfm http://www.nahlmidgetshowcase.com/schedule.cfm

Here is a summary of week two of the elite league, http://hselitehockey.com/vertical/Sites/%7...40AC632D%7D.PDF

This doesn't surprise me since I heard this from a source in Roseau a few weeks ago, I just didn't know how credible it was. His age doesn't represent his class because he turns 18 in May, so it's not like he will be a 17 year old d-men in the WCHA.

They are interested in Lee (because of his campus visit, don't know to the extent) and it has been nothing more than a few talks with Landman. From what I understand there are fowards they are higher on.

I've been slow with the updates this weekend because I've been watching Packers/Badgers football. Hextall had a good weekend, three points in two games. Although it is just exhibition, it's good to see that the USHL held their own against the Q. This definetly shows something for college hockey compared to major juniors. The Elite League results have not come out yet but I'll post them as soon as a I they're there.

Bruneteau with an assist tonight, http://www.lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en/index.php?p...id_partie=14568

Nothing that I have heard of. For 2008, I think we are solidified at forward and possible one more d-man, but I doubt he would be from Grand Forks. Simonson is probably the best player out of the Grand Forks area currently, and he is a right wing and could come at the latest 2010. For 09, there will probably be at least two more scholarship offers for foward. Kristo is already a right wing and there will be an offer for Budish, who is a right wing. After that they may go for a left wing player, so I'm not sure if there would be room. As for Mario, I would think they are solidified for 08 at foward and I doubt there would be any scholarship room there.

I was informed a short while ago that one of the players that we are recruiting and should have an offer for is Nick Leddy from Eden Prairie. If you haven't seen him play, he is playing in the fall elite league on Team Southwest with Gleason, Mattson, and Budish this weekend in St. Louis Park.

I think the scholarship offer was taken off the table since they are stacked up at foward for 08. He also didn't mention UND in the article as one of his choices.

He's still on the football roster http://www.eastviewfootball.com/. Players have done both before, but it its very physically demanding. I'm not sure if he will be this fall or not.

Fienhage is playing football for Eastview this fall so I wouldn't count on him playing in all of these games.

This week is really the start of fall hockey. The USHL starts their exibition schedule as the BCHL and AJHL start their regular season schedules. Also, the High School Fall Elite League also kicks off this weekend. The NTDP will start their schedule next week. Here is a list of all of our recruits that are starting play this week. Brett Hextall-RC Penticton (BCHL) Here is the schedule, http://www.bchl.bc.ca/leagues/schedules.cf...3&link=BCHL You can listen to the games with the BCHL fan zone pass (it is free) or you can follow the stats off their website. Brad Eidsness-G Okotoks (AJHL) Here is the schedule, http://www.ajhl.ab.ca/leagues/schedules.cf...5&link=AJHL Brett Bruneteau-LC Indiana (USHL) This is the weekend for the USHL vs. QMJHL, here is the schedule http://www.ushl.com/news/story.cfm?id=405 Joe Gleason-RD and Danny Mattson-RC, Acceleration Minnesota Team Southwest Here is the schedule for the Fall High School Elite League, if anyone is in the Twin Cities or Madison area it is a very good showcase of talent, http://hselitehockey.com/vertical/Sites/{4...C6E21E757A}.PDF

It's a nice pickup for St. Cloud, but becaue of the additions of Mattson, Kristo, and Fink (not to mention all the forwards in 08), I don't feel it is to big of a loss for us. There will be a scholarship for Budish and possibly one more foward, but after that I feel we will be done for foward in 09.

Just to point out, Birkholz did visit here.

That article is pretty old and I believe was posted here earlier, but he will be visiting Minnesota pretty soon (if not already) and will visit here for a game this year.

Remember that out of this list of players Lucia offered Mattson and probably would've offered Fink. Kristo was never really a factor since he committed so early and wasn't really looking at any other schools. Because of this, I wouldn't exacly say that Lucia needs to work harder on keeping kids in the cities. Also remember that for 2009 they still got Ness, Schroeder, and Youso, which are all players that we would've given offers to.

Look here buddy, if you would've read down I clarrified that Fink would have been offered had he waited. I also said that Kristo always wanted to play here so the Gophers never really had a chance to recruit him hard, it doesn't mean that there wouldn't have been an offer on the table.