brianvf

Agreed. I wonder how many years we'll get from him? Hopefully at least two, as he looks to be a special player.

http://ckdr.net/sports/index.php#0000012674

No more Dean. That's too bad. I'm sure he'll be back with another user name soon enough.

Brad confirmed on his blog that Malone is still with the Sioux and will not attend the Halifax training camp. Good news.

Sometimes the lack of info is the best info.

I'm guessing that Malone isn't going anywhere. Per Schlossman's Q&A with Cichy, it sounds like Halifax likes to put rookies on their training camp roster even if they have no intention of being at the camp (or going to the team). Plus, that roster has been available for a couple weeks already. If Malone had left the team for the QMJHL, I'm guessing that we would have heard about it "officially" by now.

I know, it's going to suck having an experienced dman coming back for another year. Better than your 1st round draft picks though, who leave midseason.

I hope that he comes back for his senior year, but he will probably be a strong candidate to leave after this upcoming season. Especially being that I see him having a monster year.

I not only don't have a problem with it...I think that is tremendous news. Finley was one of our most consistent dman all season long last year...he had a couple of lapses in the playoffs, but that didn't change the fact that he was solid for the rest of the year. If this news is true, he will be a leader of our d-corps next season, and I would expect him to have a great year.

Good job grouping all Sioux fans together. I don't hold a grudge against Clarke. It's his decision. I'm actually glad that he made his decision now, two full seasons before he was supposed to take the ice for the Sioux. That gives Hakstol plenty of time to find a dman for that vacated spot. While I would have loved to see him in a Sioux uni, the UND hockey program will go on...with or without him. I have the same thoughts about Gregoire. It was his decision. I'm sure that some DU fans were upset by his change of plans, just as some Sioux fans are upset about Clarke. But those feelings will pass, and other recruits will take their places. That said, I will enjoy seeing Gregoire in a Sioux uniform much more than I would have seeing him in a DU uni.

He certainly is, but competition for forward spots next year is going to be high. You could swap him for Zajac on the 3rd line, but I liked the thought of a really gritty, tough line of Hextall and Zajac with Watkins. Either way, it's not like these are starting lineups for the October opener here, so we have some time to play around with them.

Duncan-VandeVelde-Gregoire Trupp-Toews-Kozek Hextall-Watkins-Zajac Frattin-Malone-Miller Martens-Davidson-Lamoureux

IIRC, they were both on the Protected List for USHL teams for next year, so I think that would be a good assumption to make.

Michigan only has 2 titles since 1965. Not exactly what I would call the best program either.

We're lucky he didn't get traded to UMN, otherwise he would have to leave at midseason!

Update from the Sioux blog: I would guess that the other skater will be the addition of MacWilliam to cover Chorney's spot, and then possibly a goalie to replace Snider if needed.

Also from that blog post:

Kind of like you and your fellow Gopher fans thought about Wheeler, right?

Here's the article from the Herald: Chorney close to signing

Nice job focusing on just the numbers. The fact of the matter is that while Duncan's numbers did go down last year, he also was one of our best defensive forwards and spent a good chunk of ice time out on the penalty kill. Regardless of whether his numbers go up or down next season, the Sioux are a much better team with him coming back. Of course NHL teams are skeptical of him...he's like 5'4". But I'm not worried about what his NHL career will be like...or even if he'll have a NHL career. I'm just excited to see him out on the ice for his senior season and see what he can do as a Captain for the Sioux.

You're comparing Duncan to alot of freshmen that came in as very high NHL draft picks and were expected to do very well. I would consider Duncan's freshman season as still very good. And you can't argue with his soph year...bringing home the Hobey says it all. While he probably won't have that much of a shot in the NHL because of his size, he will still always be one of my favorite Sioux players of all-time. And he will still be one of our offensive leaders next season. Will his numbers be as good as his soph/jr seasons? Maybe, maybe not. But he is a player that excels in other areas, away from the stat sheet. Short and sweet: The Sioux are lucky to have Ryan return for next season, and will be a better team because of it. I look forward to watching him wear the Sioux jersey for another season.

Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. I'm sure the Gophers won't go through another 20+ year drought like before.

Brad Elliott? This could go on forever. I think you mean Brian Elliott.

I wonder if both will come in (along with Blood) if Chorney or Finley leaves early. All dmen (9): Sr - Chorney, Finley, Jones Jr - Genoway So - Marto, LaPoint Fr - Blood, MacWilliam, Gleason Don't the coaches normally want 8 dmen on the roster? Unless there is a walk-on, or someone else that I am missing, I would think that both Gleason and MacWilliam would come in if someone leaves. And if both Chorney and Finley leave, then maybe Finehage would come in too. Although it would not be ideal to have 4 freshmen dmen and only 2 upperclassmen.

Heisenberg has Fienhage listed as an 09 now, and both MacWilliam and Gleason as 08 or 09 recruits. If he is correct, it would be Gleason and/or MacWilliam joining Blood this fall depending on the decisions of Chorney & Finley.