brianvf

Agreed on giving him another year to develop. Talent-wise, he is better than the vast majority of NCAA players, so will probably be just fine at the next level. I'd be more worried about how easily he got knocked off the puck sometimes this year (especially noticeable early on in the last Michigan game). Physically...I agree with you that he certainly would have benefited from another year to prepare for the NHL grind. I don't think NIL amounts are available to the public, just rumors. Supposedly Eiserman was offered $100k+ to decommit from UMN and go to BU instead. I've seen similar numbers thrown around for all of the BC super freshmen.

I feel a lot better after hearing the news that Berg is returning. Losing Blake/Gaber/Berg would have been a really tough blow to lose all those goals. So at least retaining one is a huge help. And then adding Wilkie and ..(amazing player to be named later).. out of the portal.

Snuggerud was drafted in 2022 compared to Blake in 2021 though, so odds are that the Blues didn't put the full court press on Jimmy to sign compared to what Carolina more than likely did for Jackson. But the first announcement that Snuggy was coming back came from UMN's NIL collective group, so he obviously got something. So it would for sure be interesting to hear what he might have gotten...and if Blake was even offered anything from the new UND NIL collective to possibly stick around.

I'm thinking the main difference was that Carolina didn't have an AHL team this past year but their plan is to have one again for 24/25. So they needed to sign a bunch of players to fill up their farm system again.

That's already completed. I think they finalize that right after the regionals are done.

Two really good centers to start up the middle with Berg and Wilkie now. I like the idea of putting OMac on the wing alongside one of those two after his faceoff struggles to close this season.

Starting to take shape. Projection based on current info: Forward (15): GR - Jamernik SR - Berg, Kunz, Schmaltz, Wilkie JR - McLaughlin, James, Strinden, Montgomery SO - Perron FR - Swanson, Boisvert, Croal, Littler/Klee X - Portal Defense (8): JR - Zmolek SO - Livanavage, Wiebe, Komzak, MacDonald FR - Jubenvill, Strathmann, Emery Goalie (3): SR - Semptimphelter JR - Johnson SO - Hedquist

Will be interesting to watch BC & BU offseasons as well. Both have a ton of highly skilled underclassmen that could leave early. But will those players "pull a Snuggy" or "pull a Blake"? That will determine how stacked their teams are next year.

So far...two forward spots. That could go a number of ways. -- both Littler and Klee brought in along with other freshmen forwards -- one of those two above comes in and then add a portal forward -- neither of them come in and we get two portal forwards

I wonder if Blake will look back on this in 5 years and wish he would have stayed another year. Similar to those interviews with Parise and Oshie. They all look back later and wish they would have stayed for one more season. Best of luck in the bigs, Jackson. We'll be rooting for ya.

Every postseason thread since 2017 has been going in circles unfortunately.

Good old Agnew.

Schloss says we should know both Blake's and Berg's decisions by the end of the week. https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/daily-skate-jackson-blake-arrives-in-carolina

I'm certainly not giving up on them, by any stretch. Just lowering my expectations a little. With Blake & Berg and our current portal additions, I would peg this team as top 5 pre-season. With both Blake & Berg gone, they won't be a top-5 team in my opinion. Of course, that can change if they progress during the season. Less talented teams than that have won the title in the last decade.

Yep. Unfortunately puts a big dampener on our offensive chances for next season with Gaber and potentially Blake/Berg gone as well. That's our top 3 goal scorers from this past season. Highest returning goal scorer would be OMac then with 13 goals. I know that some returning guys will step up with increased ice time and special teams play and that we have a very good recruiting class and portal pickups coming in...but that's a lot of talent and points to replace. I feel less optimistic about next year's team since the Blake/Berg news has been floated around. Of course, maybe they could put it together at the end...that's my hope.

I just can't believe that he didn't just cover it. With how slow it was going and with all that traffic right in front of him? Just cover it for the faceoff. Every time.

Unfortunately Blake's last time putting on the UND jersey will be that bonehead play trying to take out the Mich player after the buzzer...and then injuring himself. Blake would have even more leverage next season if he stuck around...then he could become a FA if he wanted.

Emerson has been out of sight, out of mind for so long now, didn't even consider him a player on our team.

Ha! I LOL'd at this. You think they're not liking his development into a NCHC player of the year and Hobey Hat-Trick finalist?

8 of those players were seniors or grads, so far only one portal entrant. We knew those first 8 were gonna be gone regardless.

Dang. There goes our depth at center.

Agreed. If we didn't want Morrow partly because of his parent issues, we certainly don't want Lucius.

Whitelaw would be a nice pickup. I remember him standing out with his forecheck when we played UW in the early season. He was a little sparkplug. Plus that would have the added benefit of balancing out the forward classes a bit, as he could join Perron in the SO class.

Ah good call, forgot he redshirted last season with his injury. I blame CHN which has him listed as a junior this year.

Projection based on current info: Forward (15): GR - Jamernik SR - Berg, Kunz, Schmaltz, Wilkie JR - McLaughlin, James, Strinden, Montgomery SO - Perron FR - Swanson, Boisvert, Croal, Littler X - Portal Defense (8): JR - Zmolek SO - Livanavage, Wiebe, Komzak, MacDonald FR - Jubenvill, Strathmann, Emery Goalie (3): SR - Semptimphelter JR - Johnson SO - Hedquist Wilkie added, huge news with Blake news coming soon. Makes for a lot of experience up front. Six players will use up their eligibility next season. But our D-corps is very talented and young...should be set on the back end for a few seasons now.