Big A HG

I understand your point, and in simple terms, you're correct...an easy to understand analogy. Though, in pro ball, AA is the true developmental league. It's loaded with the young, rising stars and where they see the most growth and challenge among similar-aged peers. AAA is a bit more like a warming bench for MLB-ready players, but many are fringe big leaguers. Your young prospects will step from AA to AAA, but the ones on the fast track will oftentimes spend more time in AA and less in AAA as long as everything correlates once they hit AAA. Like others have said, the ECHL is pretty substantial step down. They're great players, but the AHL is the true development league for the NHL for those that need actually need development outside of the parent organization and aren't NHL ready right away.

I was told that if UND let him go there'd be countless teams ready to snatch up the incredible coach.

Getting drafted may be the most exciting part of a young hockey player's career. After all these years, they are now a part of an organization. I can only imagine how much your mind races and all the dreams you have stored up finally on the cusp of coming to fruition in those first moments of wearing your new organization's sweater. Once that high wears off a little bit and some more common-sense discussions take place, things will settle into where they may. I can't imagine there are many NHL organizations who aren't okay with one of their 18 year olds going to play a year in college with the talent level they can compete with and against, especially at UND in the NCHC.

Don't care if I'm beating the horse for the millionth time....but, all UND hockey needs is some competence. It didn't have competence at the helm. We have competence and then some now.

Our PP stats every year seem okay...never horrible...but always feels like we score all our PPG's when already up by 3 or 4 goals. Need some timely ones which never seem to happen.

Yessir

NIL does add some degree of complexity for them, but, in my opinion, they'll succeed in bringing in plenty of good players because the talent pool is larger than ever. Maybe they won't net the very best of the available talent, but doesn't seem like they need to do that to be successful anyways.

Was there as well for that trip....but if they do that, I hope they at least get three whole periods out of their opponents unlike at Conte.

Agree with this. Denver sucking for so much of the title game made me feel better about the UND game. Like I told my buddy, Wisconsin played like a Mankato team with Big Ten level of talent. When their effort level is as high as it was, it's really tough to compete against. Credit to Wisconsin for getting that level of talent to play that type of game. But, of course, the ginger finds a way to prevail.

It's a miracle, Hicks lives. Thought he passed for a moment.

This was a huge area where Dane had the foresight to do what he did in having a dedicated GM and his thought process to recruiting compared to what Berry was doing. It really feels like we are in an advantageous spot in relation to our peers for the first time in awhile.

The SEC and to some extent the ACC have been paying athletes long before NIL. Now, NIL allows the rich B1G schools to play on even footing and the results are showing. The Big Ten alumni base has long been known as some of the wealthiest and dedicated fanbases in the country as a whole, even for the lower end programs. That doesn’t mean the SEC or ACC won’t have any sort of success going forward, but the Big Ten is back to being the bully on the block.

You're welcome, burd! Glad you're feeling better.

There had been so much obviously wrong with Berry for more than a few years and the ostriches kept their heads buried because he was a "nice guy"...except he isn't actually that nice.

Because some people care about the details.