Speed_Kills

I'd be fine if they never put numbers on the front of the jersey again. *shrug*

Welp, looks like Bear won't be coming to North Dakota next year either. Signed with DET.

Losing the interlocking ND was (from a fan perspective) an unexpected outcome of the re-brand and an extra kick in the nuts. The football team had a variant of that for decades.

Agree. His PxP is very average at best (he’s admittedly gotten better with less corny phrases and letting the game speak for itself) but he’s a HUGE ambassador for college hockey. He negotiated a certain percentage of hockey (college or NHL) into ESPN contract. Yes, he favors HE but they are also on ESPN+ but I think he’s done a really nice job of increasing exposure to hockey. He will be missed when he retires if someone doesn’t take the reigns from him.

I think we will continue to be in the running in the future for those type of players as that transition becomes more popular and more of known entity. There's also no guarantee the top CHL guys even go college route. The top guys in the CHL historically have done well in the NHL. First year of a new dynamic, these kids have a lot to think about.

The BSU series drives me nuts. High risk, no reward.

Yes

I'll take that problem.

I have no firm knowledge of DJ and Herter's current relationship but they were teammates at UND for 3 years. The HC decision was not theirs to make. If Herter comes back I'd say the decision made by the powers-that-be would be a non-issue.

I think there is a "meaningful chance." I won't put a percentage on it but it's his if he wants it. Depends on if 1) he wants to make a so-called lateral move to come home after being passed up for the head job and 2) does he get a significant pay raise by doing so. Source I know spoke with Herter and he was under the impression after the interview process that he would have been offered UND HC job if WMU had been eliminated in the regionals. UND wanted to move quickly and WMU kept/keeps winning. I do think they haven't posted the associate HC position in the hope that he wants to come in. Would be a huge get. Very connected. Winner everywhere he goes.

I believe this is correct. Online articles indicate that *if* he decides to go the college route, NIL dollars are not important. Most important is development for the next level. Several sources indicate North Dakota and Michigan are the two in the running. Here's to hoping.

Honestly, his chances of playing are not greater if he enters the portal. A sub-.900 save percentage is not that attractive. Unless he goes lower half of CCHA or AHA he will be a back-up/competing for starts wherever (if) he goes. I’m very neutral on what he chooses to do.

I would say this is not true, at least in the MIAC and WIAC schools. I knew and played with several high-end NAHL guys who decided to hang up the skates due to the cost of school to play DIII.

Stay tuned. Very soon.

Cam Berg was a portal pick-up as well. I would say a lot of the portal players that UND has historically picked up also have that "bleed green" attribute. Not every single portal pick-up is going to work out. But it's part of the process now.