redwing77

Can't speak for Commodore, but Greene and Smaby were both heavily pursued after their sophomore years. Especially Smaby.

Rolston had a career year last year, that much is true. Can he repeat it? Parrish is an above average scorer, sure. But how will he adapt to LeMaire's system? Brendal? Who is he? The 1.5 scoring lines I stated contain Gaborik, Parrish, Rolston, Demitra, and Koivu. And Koivu is on the list purely by potential.

I think their problem isn't defense or goaltending so much as it is scoring. They still only have 1.5 scoring lines (Koivu added in there because of his potential). Many of the guys that the team looks to are really nothing more than character/role players (Walz, Bouchard, DUpuis, Foy, Veillieux) and checking/unknowns (White, Radivojevic, Weinhandl). Oh, and I'm discounting the biggest worthless roster spot in Boogaard. Apart from Gaborik, those on the scoring lines would basically be 2nd line players on any other team.

Precisely. The Wild will score slightly more goals than last year but it won't matter. Demitra will see LeMaire's system and cringe. His scoring will drop like a stone.

Well, actually, it does come down to Toews. If Toews doesn't sign on the dotted line or hire an agent, or participate in training camp, then it doesn't matter what Chicago wants.

I'm confused with this post. Ok, bucky, I am well aware that you have a bone to pick with Sioux fans. Hey, whatever. But it isn't that uncommon that Kessel has a history of having attitude "issues." I'm not saying it happened at the U, but when former teammates start talking about it, GMs start talking about it, and media people start talking about it, when are you going to believe it? You don't believe us? Fine. That's your business. However, now I'd like you to dig deep and hard and try to find proof, here or otherwise, that Toews has EVER been a lockerroom cancer or had any attitude issues. How about any information on Toews in the lockerroom? How about quotes saying that Toews would rather be in the NHL than at UND? Sure, Toews has stated that, if he can crack the NHL lineup next year, he'd sign, but otherwise he'd head back to UND rather than going to the AHL. Where was that from Kessel? If Kessel had said that, then I doubt you'd get this kind of thing. Please, if you disagree with us fine, but if you disrespect us, then leave. You aren't doing anyone any favors by posting here.

I'm just getting dizzy watching these reports "He's staying" "He's going" "He's staying" "He's going" And around and around and around... Do SOMETHING, dang it!!!!

The Wild don't want to let their mediocrity out into the open too soon and to a crowd that, though they are fans, won't be regular season ticket or ticket purchasers at the X. Don't worry though, you can catch the Mild on FSN North all season long having one of the leagues best PKs and leagues worst PP and total offense.

Parise forgive me, but I'm not so sure. Why? I cite Vanek. No, I'm not going to get into who is better: Oshie or Vanek or Parise or Kessel.. It doesn't matter. What does matter is the fact that Vanek walked into Rochester just as reportedly cocky as Kessel is now. He played for a few games and then the Rochester coach did the unthinkable: he benched Vanek. After that, Vanek put together a very good season in the AHL. Say what you will about Lucia, but only Dahl is dumb enough to bench a top scorer. It just doesn't happen very often without good cause in the NCAA. Therefore, maybe UMTC will give Kessel another year of experience, but I doubt Lucia can afford to do what is truly right for Kessel: a big helping of humble pie served individually.

Karl Goehring gets another shot at a possible NHL berth. He signed today with the Nashville Predators. Here is the story. Good luck Karl!

I was thinking about emotional scarring at a young age... something along the lines of "These girls are all prettier than me and their flaunting their bodies is harming my self esteem. Ergo (Us nerdy types can use that word in a sentence!), if I'm being harmed because my self esteem can't handle the fact that there are people who are more beautiful and less inhibited than I, then those girls are obviously being opressed by men and sex!" It's called gender feminism. If there is a problem in the world, men are behind it. If it weren't for men there wouldn't be a need for sex. And if there wasn't a need for sex then the porn industry wouldn't exist and all crime would be minimized to the petty acts of stealing Mabeline products at your local Walgreens." By the way, gender feminism isn't a made up term. It actually exists. If you need examples, Lori is one of those types, but a woman by the name of Andrea Dworkin is a better example.

JFR- I can understand cutting sports to try to keep the others "afloat" but cutting crew is a big blow (the biggest blow IMO to RU). I know crew means little to us Midwesterners, but it is HUGE in New England, parts of the East Coast, and even overseas (I hear Oxford is heavy into crew). I'm not sure how popular exactly crew is at RU, but one doesn't eliminate a sport at a University that dates back over 100 years and have people just shrug and say "Oh well." What do the boosters have to say about this, JFR?

Hockeysfuture is more reliable than INCH... unless they use INCH's sources. Anyways, I agree, jk. Although I'd say that there is a better than 50% chance that Toews returns to UND, we're not out of the woods yet.

From what I understand, we're not in the running for Bruneteau. Pat Kane is ineligible as it is widely believed he went to London of the OHL. Didn't Brad Malone commit somewhere? In any case, he's from out East. I'd expect BC to get him or some other school in HockeyLeast. And something bugs me about Mario L. This guy has a schollie on the table for UND for 2007. He also has an offer to join his brother in Red Deer. Yet he hasn't made a decision either way. So how long do we hold the scholarship offer open to him knowing that, if he should hold on to this and then turn it down, it may be too late to use that scholarship on an adequate replacement?

Normally I'd agree with this (because 99.9999999999999% of the time this is the case). However, Toews on numerous occasions has been quoted saying that if he can't crack the NHL lineup he'd rather go back to UND. Kessel, on the other hand, has basically stated that he'd rather be a pro than go back to the U. Now, apart from other people around here, I have my own conspiracy theory behind this and it has nothing to do with the the U, Lucia, or Holy Cross. It has to do with two things: 1. $$$$ and 2. Hockey. When he signs, he gets paid... a lot. It also starts him on the road sooner towards a free agent contract, which is bigger $$$. As for the hockey, no, I'm not saying that the U has a poor hockey program, but what I AM saying is that the only thing Kessel has to study is the playbook and whatever the Bruins tell him to study. There is no eligibility riding on it (so if he screws up on a question or three that the coach asks him he may sit a game, but he won't have to sit a semester). Maybe Kessel doesn't like the academic side of collegiate hockey but doesn't like the physicality of major juniors? The jury is still out and I'm still predicting Kessel will sign. St. Louis' camp hasn't begun yet so I'd even wager EJ's status is still up in the air (though I'm now leaning towards 1 year of college for EJ). Skille and Toews... I expect Chicago to sign one of these two at least. I hope it is Skille.

Thank Parise Gilbert is gone. That guy ALWAYS raised my bloodpressure when he faced the Sioux.

I believe Vandevelde will have a good freshman campaign, but it will not be Oshie-like or even Duncan-like. He started out slowly in Lincoln and built up steam. I expect Vandevelde to do the same thing at UND his freshman year. Out of the gates, I don't expect him to do much. Down the stretch, I could see him doing well for himself... 10-15 goals, 15-25 assists, that area.

Carter's departure hurts for his team more than Pavelski's departure. My opinion.

No one knows right now. This will be determined in Training Camp. Genoway, no doubt, will have every opportunity to make the Anaheim roster if he can earn it. If he doesn't, he'll head to their AHL affiliate.

That's the impression I got too.

A good point. But then again, only the Bruins would trade away their top talent for nobodies. I don't know if the Blackhawks would do that because, last time I checked, they didn't have any top end talent to trade.

I mean wherever the Sioux may land after next season, championship or (hopefuly not) otherwise. Uh, when did the Blackhawks get bought by the owner of the Bruins?

I don't mean to be snide towards UW, but if Chicago were smart, they'd sign Skille and let Toews come back to UND. Then, the second UND is out of the running after next season, sign Toews. Let's face it, what us Sioux fans are hoping for is one more year. Forget about it being any longer. I think Skille, though not as offensive minded as Toews, is more NHL ready at this point.

Yeah, that's what I meant.

Forgot about the squirt tourney. Let's also not forget other youth hockey venues. I mean, the Fargo Flyers are quite popular. Youth hockey camps in town and in Grand Forks are well attended by F-M kids. Fargo South's hockey program is pretty decent. Shanley, West Fargo, and Fargo North's programs aren't that poorly attended either. Don't let NDSU fans confuse you. There are numbers of F-M residents who many not follow hockey beyond the high school level, sure, but to say that F-M residents don't know hockey is a misnomer for sure.