yzerman19

Freshmen to skate on the first line as freshmen...Parise did, and I think Zajac did by mid-year. Osh was a second liner, Toewser too. Parise and Oshie were both true freshmen. Toews was 17. At 18, Toews was the best two-way center in college hockey and our #1 pivot.

I agree with a lot of your thinking. If you read one of my earlier posts, I didn't want to split up the RPM line either, but the more I think about it, the more I think that you surround Grimaldi with two guys with some chemistry and experience. You want Rocco to have a ton of success early, and surrounding him with MacMillan and Parks should help that. I also think that Rowney proved he can lead a young line to success last year. Having him on a third line makes it an immediate scoring threat. He is a senior who scored what, 18 goals last year? If I recall correctly, that's what the Osh did...not comparing Rowney to Oshie, but he did score 18 goals.

Thinking about line combos that give us depth makes me excited Knight with Kristo and O'Donnell (Knight and Kristo already have chemistry- I think O'Donnell can play the Nelson role) Grimaldi with MacMillan and Parks (MacMillan and Parks already have chemistry- I am excited to see a healthy Grimaldi in the mix) Rowney with Koules/Caggiula/Chyzyk (Rowney showed he can deliver with a pair of talented kids last year. If this line looks like the RPM line from March 2012 by March 2013, we are in great shape). energy line is going to be about who wants it the most among the rest

Cichy was not willing (or able) to switch his mentality to a bottom 6 forward from a top 6 forward. That is a problem for playing time when you are 7th or 8th on the depth chart. It isn't any easy thing to do, so this is not a knock on him. When you've been creating offense your whole career, and now you need to completely change your instincts to be more physical or be more conscience in the other zones..if you don't, then you don't get game time, you don't get game time you'll never earn a top 6 spot.

I'll rephrase- Assuming that they all show up and work hard, I would find it highly unlikely that any of the forwards I listed are in any jeopardy of losing their spots.

I think the only guys with guaranteed jobs up front are: Knight, Kristo, O'Donnell, Rowney, MacMillan, Parks, and Grimaldi I think that Koules will get "top 9" ice because of his pedigree Chyzyk and Caggiula were obviously brought in this year for a reason as well...I could see those two being big time fourth line energy with some scoring touch...maybe even moving up the depth chart if they produce. Certainly moving up the depth chart as they age. As much as they've contributed, I think that guys like Gaarder and Pattyn and Rodwell and Dickin are going to have to earn their ice next year...St. Clair too...especially after sitting out a year...i'm not even sure what this new Sanderson is all about...

How old was the old Bulldog Brad Federenko? He must've been like 40...I think he had a mortgage and a couple kids...just kidding, but most teams have had 24-25 year olds show up on the roster from time to time.

I believe that fighting has a place in the game and should not warrant automatic suspensions. That being said, however, I totally agree that the inmates are running the prison this year. This has gotten ridiculous. It starts at the player level; when you disrespect an opponent enough to intend to injure them, that is an issue. This Philly-Pitt series has escalated into Israel vs Palestine: no one cares about who started what or who ended what, only that you have to hate the opponent and fight them. As for who the villains are- I am a fan of neither team...however, my opinion is that I like the way Philly plays, and I think Pitt looks like a bunch of crybaby whiners. It resembles a SIoux-Gopher series in that way. Thanks, Steve

Most midget hockey came into existence because of poorly run or non-existent community based hockey. We are fortunate in GF and in Roseau, Warroad, heck most of ND and MN, to have strong community based hockey. The BIGGEST driver in the old days was simply ice...we always had outdoor ice from Dec-Feb in the upper midwest. That is not the case in the rest of the country (as a generalization). The bigger question is about competition- you only get better by playing the best. Is a midget AAA schedule better in terms of competition than a good high school section? Maybe...maybe not...depends on where you live. Did playing at Shattuck make Parise or Toews better or were Parise in Toews already better and just played at Shattuck. I don't know. My guess is they would've been great if they played in India.

Gophers will be pre-season #1 in the WCHA. They won the MacNaughton and they made it to the Frozen Four. Who would oust them? Us? Assuming we lose Blood, Lammy, Eids, Kristo, Nelson and Dell- unlikely. DU lost Zucker, CC lost Schwartz, UMD lost Reider, Brown, and Connelly (to name a few) UMN will be pre-season #1

Congrats to Dave. This is well deserved. He and his staff and his senior leaders did a remarkable job considering the hurdles we faced.

He'll come up to GF and visit big brother one time, and his mind will be made up. Maybe we could just happen to have Parise, Toews, Oshie, Stafford, Zajac, Frattin, Blake, Commie, and Greene up that same weekend.

I see what you're getting at, but it assumes a fairly equal program status. If Eades left to coach Minnesota or one of the Boston schools or New Hampshire or Maine or Michigan you might run that risk of a recruit following. I don't think that would be the case with Mankato. No offense meant to the purple cow program, but any rational person would not put it in the same tier as UND for the top-end recruits

I'm pretty sure he got banged up that year. Oshie's entry contract SEASON AHL SALARY NHL SALARY P. BONUSES S. BONUS CAP HIT 2008-09 $62,500 $850,000 $450,000 $85,000 $1,275,000 2009-10 $62,500 $850,000 $425,000 $85,000 $1,275,000 2010-11 $62,500 $850,000 $400,000 $85,000 $1,275,000 Toewser's entry contract: SEASON AHL SALARY NHL SALARY P. BONUSES S. BONUS CAP HIT 2007-08 $50,000 $850,000 $1,750,000 — $2,800,000 2008-09 $50,000 $850,000 $1,950,000 — $2,800,000 2009-10 $50,000 $850,000 $2,150,000 — $2,800,000 Brock's entry contract: SEASON AHL SALARY NHL SALARY P. BONUSES S. BONUS CAP HIT 2012-13 $67,500 $900,000 $1,925,000 $90,000 $2,825,000 2013-14 $67,500 $900,000 $1,925,000 $90,000 $2,825,000 2014-15 $67,500 $900,000 $1,925,000 $90,000 $2,825,000 So, as you can see, Brock's deal is richer- assuming he plays in the NHL

Brock got the best entry level contract I have seen. It wasn't going to get any better for him. Might as well take the dough. Seriously, he maxed out everything under the CBA, AND he got huge incentives baked in. I do not fault him for taking that deal.

true...and if Kristo stays...well, looks like we could roll 3 pretty talented forward lines out there... Say Kristo stays and we decide to break-up the Rowney line...maybe put Rowney with a couple kids again? It worked last year... Knight with Kristo and O'Donnell Grimaldi with Parks and MacMillan Rowney with Koules and Chyzyk St. Clair with Pattyn/Rodwell/Gaarder Kristo goes and you go to: Knight with Parks and O'Donnell Grimaldi with MacMillan and Koules Rowney with Chyzyk and Rodwell St. Clair with Pattyn and Gaarder At D: Schmaltz and Forbert Mattson and MacWilliam Simpson and Gleason

Top Six forwards assuming Kristo goes pro: Knight, Grimaldi, Rowney, O'Donnell, MacMillan, Parks Challenge is that you probably don't want to break up the chemistry of Rowney, Parks and MacMillan, but Knight is an awesome center, and Grimaldi also plays center. Big question is if you move Grimaldi to wing or if you bust up the chemistry. I'd do Knight with Grimaldi and O'Donnell Rowney with MacMillan and Parks

No one is irreplaceable. Kaner is a dynamic offensive weapon, AND he puts butts in seats. He is one of the guys people pay to watch. He might be a one-dimensional player, but his offensive skill set is elite. GMs have two goals: win and draw attendance and television viewers. Kane helps do both.

I'll PM you

<p> </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>No, I did not. One great grandparent does not qualify for anything that i am aware of, especially when there has been no &quot;official&quot; tribal affiliation by my family since before the turn of the 20th century. &nbsp;I also did not attend UND. &nbsp;I am actually (whisper now) a double Gopher...However, I have never, not once, cheered for the rodents in hockey. &nbsp;You can't grow up in GF and be a Gopher fan, even if you move. &nbsp;I have actually now lived in the twin cities longer than I lived in GF too, but Sioux pride runs deep. &nbsp;Much deeper than two degrees.</p>

"liberalism" is supposed to mean an open mind, by definition. I grew up believing that definition. Now, I understand that it is an allegory for a political agenda. That agenda is to cause discourse and to oppose any belief that is not core to the agenda. It has never been more manifest than it is in the nickname debate. My position on the nickname is that it is over and time to move on; however... I am 1/16th Dakota Sioux. All my family has been raised white. Regardless, I am part Sioux. I am offended by the fact that someone in an office somewhere believes that they are more capable of making decisions than I am. I have an MBA and make multi-million dollar decisions daily, but I guess someone, somewhere believes they know what is best for me. I question how many are aware of the native ties to the State of ND. I know that they don't respect the pipe ceremony- which means more to a native than any of this "white man paper". I know they don't comprehend the respect that is given at the Ralph or before each puck drop. They have no idea about the fact that the logo is a piece of art created by and for "the people" with each color meaning something, each feather meaning something, and even the direction of the face meaning something. It bothers me that a bunch of fat white men in a room can make a decision about the SIoux name...it reminds me of other legal papers and promises and presents delivered by white men to the Indian. The NCAA is no different than the gattling gun- eliminating all remnants of the people from the land, so that the white man can live in peace. Long live the fighting sioux, and way to go Hak for your quiet rebellion.

I don't understand it if coming from the family...All first rounders take out an insurance policy in case of injury, so it isn't fear of that...whatever the reason, he is gone, and I wish him all the best and thank him for his contributions these last two years.

You know this for fact? If he (Brian) got that worked up about fan criticism, that is a personal character flaw. You play big time sports, you need a thick skin. I was no big fan of Lee, but I was never brutal either...I can't believe that a player would care that much about fan gossip. Seems pretty pathetic if true

Yes, if he stayed and played two more years, he could've been in that boat. I wish he was coming back!!

Agree! You can never, ever, cheer for the rodents.