brianvf

I expect a big year out of Trupp next season. I think he is really poised to make a big jump up in performance and points. If VV comes back, I could easily see UND making another run for the MacNaughton. If he doesn't, I still see the Sioux finishing top 3. Someone mentioned it earlier, but it doesn't look like a very strong year for the WCHA again. At least other leagues are losing some top players early as well, that will help balance things out again.

Impossible, I tell you!

He did correctly predict that Duncan wouldn't even score 10 goals without Oshie. Oh wait...oops.

You must have been really lazy, as I posted this about 6 posts before yours in this thread. He was a junior, and a free agent.

It sounds like Northeastern goalie (and Hobey Finalist) Brad Thiessen has signed with Pittsburgh. http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Brian-Metze...iessen/54/20439 He was a junior.

And so does Joe. Finley signs with the Caps...will play for Hershey in the AHL to start.

From my viewings of both DU and UW, I would have put Wiercioch as at least the 3rd best dman if he would have been with UW. McBain and McDonagh, and then Wiercioch. Goloubef, Smith, and Gardiner did not impress me nearly as much as Wiercioch. It looks like UW's 6th dman rotated between Springer, Little, and Johnson, who combined for a total of 8 points. I would have thought delaying Springer or Little to bring in Wiercioch would have made for an amazing d-corps (more amazing than it already was, at least). Just my opinion. I understand that things sometimes don't work out between players and teams, but IMO that was a huge loss for UW after watching how well he did this season at DU.

Sounds like Wiercioch will return to DU for next season: http://letsgodu.blogspot.com/2009/04/wierc...u-for-next.html That's huge for them. He was an exceptional freshman dman. UW really screwed up with him... They are still waiting on Ruegsegger and Rakhshani...and to see which pro team wins the Bozak lottery.

Another episode of BMT: http://www.areavoices.com/undhockey/?blog=47793 Looks like they will have 5 more episodes of BMT after this one. Also noted in the comments section by Brad about Forney: So still undecided...or at least not announcing yet.

From the Sioux blog: Great news on LaPoint as well!

Weird, I heard he was going back to the USHL, the Lincoln Stars needed him.

Excellent news!

They also announced plans with to work with EA Sports to release the college hockey video game!!! Yes, I knew it would happen eventually.

Kristo promised a sick kid at the hospital that he would put up 60 pts next year. With him and Cichy putting up 90 points combined, we'll be just fine.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/113097 We should start scheduling more cupcake teams again, as that seems to be the easy way to make the NCAA tourney now. Canisius anyone?

Ian Kidd wants to go to Detroit too!

UM won the 1st NCAA title in 1948, then followed that up by winning it in 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, and 1956. Rensselaer interrupted their streak in 1954, otherwise they could have won 6 in a row. What's amazing to me is that they've only won it three more times since 1956 after taking 6 of the first 9 titles. I believe that Red Berenson started coaching them during that 1954 season.

Who knew that BMT would become such a recruiting tool?

Great, I do all that and then you say that. Agreed though. Just look at all the 3 and 4 seeds in the F4. Crazy.

I think a lot of teams will struggle in the early season next year. Breakdown of next year's teams (since I am bored). MTU - Graduate 10 seniors. Keep their top 4 scorers though. UAA - Lost top scorer Crowder to the pros. Otherwise keep the rest of their top 5 scorers. MSUM - Might struggle. Lose Berge, their top scorer, and Bruess, plus they graduate both of their goalies. Next season they won't have a goalie that's played any WCHA minutes. UMD - Lose 7 seniors, including their best forward (Sharp) and their best dman (Meyers). Will their postseason run give them confidence for next year? SCSU - Might be decent offensively if Roe & Lasch stick around. Still need work defensively, especially with the rumors that Weslosky is leaving. UMN - Stoa gone, possibly Schroeder. Rumors going around about Hoeffel and Flynn. Otherwise, they only lost 2 seniors, so if the majority of players come back, they should be strong. CC - Could see them really struggling. Bachman, Rau, Walsky, Connelly all gone, plus their backup goalie O'Connell graduates. The only goalie left on roster saw 29min of playing time this year. Rumors that Sweatt will sign as well, which would be their top 4 point getters from this year all gone. UW - Hard to say until all their early departures are certain. McBain gone and Connelly graduates. Geoffrion, Mitchell, Davies, and McDonagh all flight risks. DU - Bozak good as gone, plus flight risks in Rakhshani, Wiercioch, and Ruegsegger. I could see a couple of the top 5 teams from this year moving down, and vice versa.

Agreed. Agreed. And agreed.

I would think Fontaine has an outside chance. He was right up there with Sharp in points all season. Pretty talented sophomore. I think Schroeder has a very good chance at leaving as well, depending on who drafts him. He tore it up at the WJC, which I'm sure really impressed the scouts... Going back to UMD...why do I get the idea that the Connolly's are going to be the type of players that torment the rest of the league for another three seasons? Those two look to be great pickups for Sandelin.

I think Marto and LaPoint will really head up the d-corps next season. Both of them really took a step forward this year, and I expect them to do it again next season. Genoway will be Genoway. Leading the rush up the ice and providing great offensive chances from the blueline. Yes, the opponent will get chances off his pressing occasionally, but IMO his defensive blunders are more than made up for by his offensive prowess. Next year he will be better at identifying the right times to pinch... Blood showed great improvement when he was required to fill in for LaPoint. Finehage, MacWilliam, and Gleason will battle for the remaining 2 open spots. While our d-corps will be younger this upcoming year, they will be good at moving the puck...Marto, Genoway, and Gleason are all very skilled skaters. If they can make a breakout pass to our skilled forwards, we'll be just fine.

A DU poster on USCHO said that there is a good chance that Bozak, Ruegsegger & Rakhshani all go pro this offseason. If true, that would be a huge blow to their offense for next season. Bozak was pretty much a guarantee to be gone, but the other two were just possibilities.

Simply awesome. I am a Beaver fan the rest of the way. So glad to see them make it instead of Cornell...I just can't stand their style of play. Go Beavers!!