yzerman19

Another thing that people criticize the PWR about is that it is time agnostic. So, a win is a win, no matter when it occurs. Take a typical UND year, clearly beating us in November is easier than beating us in February. That would never factor in. A lot of folks think that if you are playing your best hockey at the end of the year, it also deserves some additional credit. If you are tied in virtually all aspects with four or five other teams near the bubble, but you go 10-2 down the stretch and the others go 5-7 or 6-6, should that be worth some additional credit? The PWR does take subjectivity out of it- it is a math formula, we all know that while it makes it consistent, that doesn't necessarily make it right. A few years ago, the PWR worked so that UND lost its way to a #1 seed in the NCAAs...

definitely true. The pairwise is determined by RPI (which was well dscribed earlier as your record, your opponents' records, and your opponents' opponents' record), your comparison of record head to head, your comparison of record against "teams under consideration" for the NCAA tournament, and your comparison of record against "common opponents". RPI is the tie breaker. RPI, COP, and TUC are all worth "one goal" each win head to head is wort "one goal". Example: If UND has a better RPI, better record against COPs, and better record against TUCs, but gets swept in a 4 game series by the Gophers, the Gophers would win the pairwise comparison vs UND 4-3. They do not double count TUC and head to head when calculating TUC, so in this example, say both UND and UMN are tournament teams, the Gophers four wins would not hurt us twice vs the Gophers- those 4 losses would be removed from the TUC record for purposes of that pairwise calculation i.e. UND vs UMN. It is important to note that the pairwise is a comparison of one team vs each of the other teams under consideration for the tournament. Wins against cupcakes do not help. The RPI of those games is often lower than the total RPI, in which case they are removed from the RPI calculation. Losing against cupcakes kills you. Again, the best bet for sandbagging the Pairwise is to play non-conference games vs the middle tier opponents. If you're BC, it is ideal to play last years Wisconsin or a St. Cloud- they are TUCs, but they weren't tournament teams (falling outside the top 16). BC should win these games- in a one or two game series- boosting their record against TUCs and COPs for WCHA teams. Even in a great year, it is tough for a UND to sweep all four games vs a Wisconsin or St. Cloud (case in point- last years .500 record against them). If BC plays Wisconsin once and St Cloud twice and goes 2-1 vs them, and UND plays those teams 8 times and goes 5-3, BC has the PWR advantage on both TUC and COP: 0.666 vs 0.625. So, you want to play mid-tier teams that your non-conference powerhouses play most often. That is sandbagging, however, I still believe to be the best, you need to play the best. In an ideal world UND would play BC/BU/Maine/NH/Cornell/Michigan type teams every year.

The RPI described is right on. The TUC and the COP components have not been addressed. If you beat say New Hampshire in a one game out of conference situation, and say BC goes 3-1 vs them in 4 games. You win the COP category vs BC ( all else being equal). Now it is likely that you face more than just the one COP (common opponent), so it isn't as simple as I am describing. In theory, you are best playing your out of conference games against the middle tier teams- you are likely to win one game, and they are likely to pull off one win vs the top teams in a 4 game series.

Hak has said its a restructure, so potentially the roles of recruiting and power play and defenseman might be split. Hak himself played D... A successful former pro as recruiter and D coach makes sense- Bombardir would be great, Herter too. Berry was awesome, but he might be a tough hire. A great offensive coach to run the power play, recruit, etc also maks sense- Steve Johnson fits that bill. If I were Hak, the ex d, I take over the d coaching personally, and bring Johnson in to recruit and coach forwards and the power play.

Not the first time that a CEO and VP had a fundamental difference in philosophy or vision and the VP moves on. It is business. I am guessing that it was all about business.

Having had two of the recently most successful local boys come through our program can't hurt (Zajac and Toews)

It will certainly keep the sticks down...as for yaps, I don't think you can get around that with an auto match penalty for fighting still on the books...I do think it is important to keep fighting out of the college game. You don't want the NCAA to be a training ground for goons (not you goon)...Imagine that world...a Michigan Tech vs Alaska game would have endless fighting...it would look like the Federal League...we'd have to get Hak a brown leather suit ala Reg Dunlop.

And as a generality, US fans are pretty ignorant regarding international play and the Memorial Cup...I've heard many US hockey fans ask "what is the WJC?" We die hard Sioux hockey fans...who are talking about it in May...are an exception- oh, and I am American!!

The futures draft protects the team from losing that prospect to another USHL team. You are correct that it is not a commitment to play. In hockey, it is all by birth year, so all the players taken yesterday are 96ers. Meaning that they are either 15 or 16 years old right now. The entry draft does not have an age limit. That is the biggest difference. When drafting, the teams are most concerned about managing that list of affiliated players, because if a player is not on that list, any USHL team can go after them, invite them to a try-out etc. The teams are also trying to manage that affiliate list for this coming season and the next couple as well. So, the teams will protect the players that are already part of the team that they don't want to lose, and they will also protect the guys that they see joining the team this year, next year, etc.

The USHL has two drafts- the futures draft and the entry draft. The futures draft occurred yesterday. I assume this is the one your are wondering about. The futures draft allows for teams to protect the rights of the players that they select through the 2012-2013 season by having them on the affiliate listing. Meaning that players selected in the futures draft have their USHL rights held by the team that drafted them throughout this coming season even if they spend the year playing high school or midget. The USHL teams are limited to how many players they can "protect" and put on the affiliate list, so they are careful to try not and waste either their draft picks.

It is possible that the Leafs pressured him to go CHL as well. His numbers were not bad for an 18 year old freshman. He also might not like school or the coach or the system. Put it all together and you really only have three choices- transfer schools and sit out a year (no way, not for a first rounder), stick it out at Miami (no fun if you are truly miserable, and if you are miserable, you aren't going to develop), or lastly, go to the CHL. We don't know the kids circumstances, and he is likely only telling part of the story so as not to burn bridges or cause issues or embarrass himself or others...I mean, he might be in a world of hurt academically too...all conjecture.

I agree with most of your lines and logic...I also think that there will be 2 forward lines that jockey for that energy line role each night...maybe even a rotation with one line playing fridays and one line playing Saturdays. That would keep all the boys at game speed if they need to be inserted for an injury, etc. 5 lines in practice, top 3 play both games, bottom two rotate...might be a good way to go- at least at first. As for letters...I think that Mac and Knight both wear Cs and you put As on Kristo and Rowney

On the flip side, kids who go up there at 16/17 are playing a higher level talent than they would be in high school. I believe Kane dominated the OHL in a year that he started the season as a 17 year old. Crosby 16 and 17. Giroux 17. Modano 16/17. Langenbrunner skipped his senior year at Cloquet to go up to the O. If you haven't finished high school yet, and are a great hockey player, the CHL will pit you against the best competition you can play against. Now if you are 18 and done with high school, that is a different story, but if you are 16...well- I do realize that the USHL has grown/improved since the Modano and Langenbrunner days

Gregoire was initially a DU commit as well, unless I am mistaken

Wasn't St Clair initially a CC commit and switched to UND?

I wish Koules the best...he is a kid. It is going to be a tough row to hoe for a kid like him to make it in the NHL...You have to think that if you are going to struggle to crack the top 6 at UND, the odds of cracking the top 6 in the NHL are slim. Sometimes a player has to face facts and accept a role and get a free education out of the deal... I suspect (without having seen him play) that he would most likely have gotten stuck in the David Toews situation... Be grateful that our beloved team has the talent it has, where these kids are worried about playing time.

I wish Koules the best...he is a kid. It is going to be a tough row to hoe for a kid like him to make it in the NHL...You have to think that if you are going to struggle to crack the top 6 at UND, the odds of cracking the top 6 in the NHL are slim. Sometimes a player has to face facts and accept a role and get a free education out of the deal... I suspect (without having seen him play) that he would most likely have gotten stuck in the David Toews situation... Be grateful that our beloved team has the talent it has, where these kids are worried about playing time.

Maybe you know the facts...I was thinking he was probably talking about international play from say 16-20...who knows, maybe he is an OHL follower. I consider myself fairly knowledgable about some of these kids, but it is usually through watching international play. Obviously they had to have impressed in minor, midget or bantam before ever getting that chance...Fowler did impress me in the WJC, and I know the numbers he put up in the OHL. From that alone he looked like a sure fire NHL player...

I took it with tongue and cheek Obviously everyone who plays against Pronger hates him, and everyone who plays with him or is a fan of the team he is playing on loves him. A huge, physical dman who has a deep, deep mean steak who also can QB the power play and when healthy and in his prime could put up 40-60 points...everybody wants that guy.

He is big and strong and physical AND he is also excellent offensively. His upside comparisons are to guys like Chris Pronger

I think Frattin is more an example of why staying and playing four years is smart. It would only be speculation, but I would guess the year that Gregoire had probably impacted Danny's thinking a lot. Gregoire had a great junior year and exercised his free agent option and left early...to spend a bad year in the AHL. Frattin is a success story- same with Matt Read. I'm glad Danny is paying attention! It helps him and it helps us.

I still think we'll see this... at least to start the year Knight with Kristo and O'Donnell Grimaldi with Parks and MacMillan Rowney with Koules and Chyzyk St Clair with Rodwell and Caggiula Forbert and Schmaltz MacWilliam and Mattson Simpson and Gleason just my final two cents before i hit the sack...happy about Danny coming back! GO SIOUX!

My opinion, so take it for that, but I don't think that Rodwell has shown top 6 skill. He is fast and pretty physical. If he earns it, I could see him on a third line to start the year, but I don't think he'll crack the top six. My gut tells me that he will be competing for an energy line role, which he could excel at.

My most recent post has Knight with Kristo and O'Donnell and then Rocco with Parks and MacMillan...I know that breaks up the RPM, but I think you need to if you want to roll three scoring lines. As for the off-wing, I think Kristo could do it very effectively. It might allow for him to create a little more space. It also would allow him to move across the middle of the ice and let loose with the quick release. No way does Knight lose his first line center role, and you can be sure Grimaldi will also play center... I also think, at least at the beginning of the year you really don't want to put too many freshman on the ice at once, and I do really think that you want to set Rocco up for success. Playing between MacMillan and Parks will allow him to create and still be somewhat protected by those two and their abilities and experience.