redwing77

With Bo gone, I think the lines will look different this year. I also read somewhere that Murray was going to try his hand at center. So, that being said, I am anticipating this line up. One disclaimer though: those players I list as wings are not particular to that side. So if I put a LW in a RW slot and vice versa, it was unintentional. Zajac-Murray-Stafford Spirko-Genoway-Porter Kaip-McMahon-Prpich Canady/Fabian-Massen-Fylling Greene-Jones Schneider-Radke Smaby-Fuher Bina-Marvin/Foyt Yeah, I put Massen in the lineup. I'm just not ready to give up on the kid yet. Last season on the ice it does seem like he lost some of his edge, but I think he will pull it together... or sit out the second half.

So when is the "Zach Jones for Hobey" campaign going to begin? Are you going to start right away in 2005 or are you going to wait until perhaps the sophomore season?

I for one think that, though it is bad, I never said that Bucks shouldn't go. He's a LOW draft pick! What makes any of you think, regardless of performance, that the money he is being offered now will be there next year? He could risk coming back and then find out that he's offered less, or traded to another team who decides not to sign him. It's possible. Look at the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars for the past 20 years (or so) on HockeyDB.com and count how many players Minnesota drafted beyond the 5th round that made the NHL with that team. I'm even curious to know how many in that category made it to the NHL period. The answer is not many even made it to the AHL. If Bucks gets the money, despite my PERSONAL preferences, I think he should jump.

Uh, if Bo plays LW at UND and the Sens need a physical LW, they can make it work despite the fact that he shoots right. My rationale? On the Red Wings, Brendan Shanahan shoots right. He's known for what Bochenski's scouting report states. He's a sure fire hall of famer as well. The Sens have Bo listed as a RW. However, if they need it enough (and from the Sens board, they do) They could very well swallow that distinction and make him a LW. This type of conversion is NOT all that uncommon. In the NFL, QBs are routinely drafted as Cornerbacks or wide recievers. In baseball, sometimes a shortstop will end up as a pitcher (Mike Hampton of the Braves and Brooks Kitschnik (sp?) of the Brewers). A winger could find himself a center if he is good at faceoffs. Just because Bo's listed as a RW, doesn't mean that's what he'll be as a Senator.

Who says I'm underestimating Karl? I'm saying that, like it or not, NHL is a business. Any businessman can tell you that the goal for any purchase (or in this case draft) is to make a return on the investment. Karl is a great catch for Columbus (even if they don't throw him a bone very often), but the bigger investment was in Leclaire.

First off, the timing isn't all that bad. If anyone is going to leave, it's going to be within the next 20-30 days or so (or however long it is until dry land conditioning starts again full force). Bochenski is a 7th rounder. They are rarely afforded high $$$ contracts. If the offer is good, what makes you think that one more year will make the offer better? Bo would be buried beneath yet another draft. With that in mind, it's probably in HIS best interests to go. Like cfm says, until it is official, I'm not going to "jump" And, IMO, the only thing for certain should Bo actually leave is that the Hobey will not be in Grand Forks this year unless the long shot (no offense MNS) Matt Jones takes it by surprise. The Sioux should still do good enough to win.

This is no slant. It's the truth. Karl was never drafted. Pascal Leclaire was. A first rounder as well. No one really blinks if a late rounder turns out to be a bust because those rounds are basically your "under development" type players. First rounders, though not a shoe in to be the next Gretzky (or in this case Patrick Roy => who was incidentally drafted in the 3rd round) are held to a certain standard. These players have all the raw talent to, theoretically, be able to jump right in, or at the very worst, take the fast track to the NHL. If Pascal cannot unseat Karl this season, the investment (meaning the first round pick and the contract $$$) will be deemed a poor decision by the GM staff (even if the GM who drafted him isn't with the team any longer). First rounders are investments. I hope Karl is the better one, though. Financially speaking, he has been all along. It's nice to know that performance-wise it is no different.

Yes he is. Jon is VERY good.

Where can I find the complete draft listing?

Yes. Hakstol was a USHL head coach. I think Berry may have had some experience in the USHL or similar league as well.

You had to quote that song, didn't you?

Given Fuher's timely defensive goals on the powerplay in the past and his offensive capabilities and also based on the hype behind Radke, a Fuher-Radke PP pairing isn't all that unlikely, IMO. I would say Jones-Schneider on the 1st PP line, Fuher-Radke on the second.

Hey, It'll probably get through security on the first night. Tough beans on the second night.

They share Big Macs?

I don't know, because I think some DI teams already have named their captains. Who knows. The only thing I know, thanks to help from a neighbor for the numbers, is that dry land starts in just over 30 days. If anyone departs it will be before those days expire. If no one does, we're all back! At least, that's what I think. And, once the roster is set in stone, I think that is when they'll start thinking about captains.

Oh yeah!?! Well... well... well...

This sounds like a really nice tourney, but from what I've heard, the purpose behind the XMas tourney was to give teams that normally didn't get an opportunity to come to the Ralph and play a top DI team a chance, therefore inviting lesser ECAC and CHA teams. That being said, I'd rather have at least one or two teams I'd normally not be able to see play during the tourney, however, usually the teams I'd like to see either host a tourney or attend a tourney that is steeped in tradition. Teams I'd love seeing are UNO, Michigan State, UMass, BU, and Ohio State. Yes, I realize that I'm stating mostly CCHA teams.

Ok, I seperate this into two colums: Best player I ever saw play: Zach Parise and Jeff Panzer Best player I heard of but didn't see: Tony Hrkac

Personally, I think that looking at this list, the true candidates for this position would be found in the bottom four listed. Steve Johnson would be a fine addition, but he's got it too good in the USHL to consider anything less than associate head coach. Just my opinion. This would be the same with Marks. He's a pro head coach. No one wants to take a demotion, even if it is for his alma mater. Again, I think he'd probably consider it if it were associate head coach or head coach, but not assistant. Which leaves the final four. I really don't know what to think of any because I don't know them very well. However, I'd probably go for Lee Davidson simply because he was one of the three that turned a program like UMD completely around. Or, I would go off the board. What is the status on Tony Hrkac? Does he plan to retire this year because of the CBA? If so, wouldn't he make a great assistant head coach? True, he probably won't do it, but it would be a neat idea. Or how about Jon Casey? We've been screaming for a goaltender coach for a long time, maybe he would be a good addition?

Yeah, I meant that Vanek would be leaving the Gopher program. As for the Moorhead/Fargo rivalries in hockey, I know only little about it. In high school, I did not care much for sports below the professional level.

I agree with everything except Fargo North. Replace them with Red River and then shuffle accordingly and you got it.

PCM is credible. Deeks is a moron. Plain and simple. I'll go on record in saying that I'll believe what the AD says over what the Herald says any day of the week. If PCM talkes to Roger and the Herald doesn't reveal the same, then obviously I'll believe PCM. Deeks- Here's a reality check, maybe you are in denial over. THE HERALD DOESN'T HIRE UND HEAD COACHES. Herald is #2 (if that high) to Roger Thomas, pal. Get over it.

I'm not sure about Kessel, from all accounts that I've seen, I don't know if UND really had a chance to get Kessel, so I am not sure Hak and Berry are wasting their time trying. I'm hoping we're recruiting Jones though.

I seem to recall having four goaltenders. Didn't we have Brandt, Siembida, Ranfranz, and Sofie a year or two ago? Faulting Blais for cutting Ranfranz is a tough call. I don't think it was as bad as everyone makes it out to be. It is unfair to Ziggy to have four goaltenders on the roster, but the 2005 season will see Lammy, JPar, and Ziggy if he stays. I think that would be a nice trio. Ziggy could always go to MUS-M (?) and compete with the 4 or 5 they have now. Edit: OH, and by the way, if Ziggy transfers (unless there is something I'm missing about the rule) he wouldn't be able to play until the 2005 season in DI hockey anyways, which would mean that he'd be on the active roster at the same time he would be had he stayed. I guess the only issue is the year of eligibility.

Kindof an off handed question regarding Brian Lee. Wasn't Lee eligible to opt into the NHL draft? Or am I a year early?