brianvf

http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2011/6/3/2205598/nhl-draft-combine-day-1-recap

Remind me again...what place did national champ Duluth finish in the WCHA last season? As long as the Sioux make the NCAA tourney, anything can happen.

Desperation? Hakstol is in charge of one of the premier college hockey teams in the nation. He wouldn't offer just anyone scholly money if they weren't worthy of putting on the Sioux jersey. I'm guessing that this kid will be a role player for a couple years, but could end up seeing the ice with injuries or once he gets up to the speed of the WCHA. I'm thinking that many thought that Davidson was considered that when he first joined the team as well, and he put together a great senior season. Hakstol knows what he is doing. I'm also guessing that Di Puma's commitment has nothing to do with Gregoire's decision. If Gregoire signs, we'll be right back to 14 forwards...Hakstol would probably need to bring in another forward recruit if that were the case.

Here's what I would run, assuming Gregoire stays (please?). Miller - Knight - Gregoire Kristo - Grimaldi - Rodwell Rowney - Nelson - O'Donnell/MacMillan Dicken - Lammy - Parks/St Clair Miller is a big body and physical, which I think would tie in well with Knight's vision/passing and Gregoire's finishing ability. That 2nd line of Kristo/Grimaldi/Rodwell would perhaps be one of the fastest lines in college hockey. Pair Rowney and Nelson together with another one of the freshman forwards that can put the puck in the net. Pair Dicken and Lammy together with a freshman that can play good, defensive hockey.

Yeah, I didn't mean to make it sound like Grimaldi would replace all of Trupp's roles from this year's team. Trupp's tenacity and defensive play (especially on the PK) will be hard to replace for any player, especially a freshman...regardless of how highly touted they are. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if Grimaldi comes close to 35-40 pts his freshman season...which is where Trupp was as a senior.

No offense to either Trupp or Duncan...but Grimaldi is at a whole other level than them in regards to offensive ability and speed. He is going to be very fun to watch next season.

Whoops.

Agreed. It would be nice to have Gothberg come in as a freshmen in 2012 when Dell is a senior and then take over the reigns when he is a sophomore (like Dell did this year).

I started one last year, so might as well start another one for next season. It will be a long offseason. It is tough watching this year's group of seniors go out without winning the big one. They certainly were on fire at the end of the season, and they just got stoned by a stellar performance from Hunwick. Moving on to 2011-2012. The roster is looking like this so far: Forwards (11): Jason Gregoire (SR) * Brett Hextall (SR) Mario Lamoureux (SR) Danny Kristo (JR) * Corban Knight (JR) Mike Cichy (JR) Carter Rowney (JR) Brett Bruneteau (JR) Brock Nelson (SO) Derek Rodwell (SO) Taylor Dickin (SO) Defense (6): Ben Blood (SR) * Andrew MacWilliam (JR) Joe Gleason (JR) Ryan Hill (JR) Derek Forbort (SO) Dillon Simpson (SO) Goalies (3): Brad Eidsness (SR) * Aaron Dell (JR) Tate Maris (JR) Possible Incoming Freshmen (8): Andrew Panzarella (D) JT Miller (F) Rocco Grimaldi (F) Mark MacMillan (F) Colten St. Clair (F) Brendan O'Donnell (F) Michael Parks (F) Nick Mattson (D) *Potential Early Departure (4): Gregoire, Kristo, Blood, Eidsness Maybe a surprise like Cichy leaving for MJ or something like that. If no early departures happen, that would leave us with 17 forwards, 8 defensemen, and 3 goalies. We'll be a younger team, but still very talented. Not as talented as this year...but sometimes those teams still go on to greatness. We'll easily have the best freshmen forward group in the nation with Grimaldi, Miller, MacMillan, St. Clair, O'Donnell, and Parks coming in. I would anticipate Grimaldi having a Zucker or Schwartz type of season for us. Defense will be solid with Mac, Forbort, and maybe Blood being the anchors. Gleason will be the puck-mover. Mattson should get plenty of playing time as well. If Dell has another season like this year (tough to follow up this year), we could have another special team. Go Sioux!

How does Duluth look? Aside from their great PP, of course.

Time left in the 2nd? Sorry, stuck at work.

How many of UMD's goals have been on the PP?

Bad goal? Or just the lack of defense?

Don't be so bitter. Nothing like cheering for a CCHA team if your team doesn't make it. If UND loses and UMD wins on Thursday, I'm all for the Bulldogs.

Great stories farce! Please keep them coming if you don't mind writing them.

I liked this part too: JT and Rocco are going to be fun to watch on the team next season.

He's a good guy when you meet him in person, but he does like to get opposing fans riled up on message boards (and evidently, on the radio). His usual targets are SCSU fans. What was said about Kristo?

If you listen to the USCHO Hobey Podcast, it sounds like it is Miele's award to lose: http://www.uscho.com/podcasts/2011/03/30/uscho-com-hobey-watch-2011-podcast-episode-11-hobey-hat-trick/ And as petey23 said, I would be alright with it too if Miele won the award. Do I want Frattin to win? Absolutely. But with those two players so close, I think Frattin's past trips him up and it goes to Miele. A deserving award to either of them though...

Those are my seats for the F5 each year.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe the final voting has already taken place. The voting takes place just a couple days after the regionals are completed, and then the Hobey Hattrick is announced (essentially just the top 3 vote getters). Then they just wait to announce the winner until the F4. Agreed on Atkinson though...kind of a dumb thing to announce already when it hasn't been officially released.

According to Cam Atkinson's twitter (http://twitter.com/CamAtkinson13), he is one of the Hobey Hattrick, which will officially be announced on Thursday. So he will be the sole Eastern player...with the other two being Frattin and Miele. Frattin is the only player of those three still playing...and neither of the other two advanced past the 1st round. That has to increase his odds a bit.

That's too familiar to the now infamous DU checklist from last year. Chambers and the DU blog had that checklist going pretty early in the year. Once they hit the F5 and beyond though...didn't work out so well for them.

No doubt. If Gwoz agrees to let us wear black, I'm all for it!

From Brad: Not sure if any opposing coach would agree to have UND wear the black at this point.

The business suits are retired for the season at this point. The Sioux are the highest seed remaining in the tourney. So they are the home team from here on...