yzerman19

Clearly my statements were about individual performance, however it would be hard to believe those individuals' team successes weren't at least partially attributable to their personal success...they all won something while here...MacNaughton or Broadmoor...I realize all we care about are NCAA banners, but hey, we're the Sioux. Impact players based on legacy? Let's talk about that. Who is still revered in Sioux lore? Hrkac Then the circus: Joyce and Johnson (even though he only skated hrkac's wing part of the season) Belfour Blake, Panzer, Hoogsteen, Roche, Commodore, Goren, Murphy Archie!!!! Sykes, Patrick, Murray, Casey,there's another guy from my childhood...forward who played with Sykes...big time scorer Parise Oshie, Toews and Duncan

I think another issue is that we did have some first rounders around that time who not only lived up to, but exceeded the hype at UND: Parise, Toews, Oshie, Zajac, Stafford All #1s that made it happen at UND. It is important to note that wile good as a freshman, it took Stafford three years to play like a first rounder...the others I mention made big time impacts as rookies.

A general point in expectation management: Derek Forbert and Simpson are pegged as a big time prospect in the NHL. That means there is upside. It in no way means that they are immediately ready to make an impact at the WCHA level. Cases in point: Lee and Finley were first round draft picks who weren't exactly fan favorites. Dmen tend to be bigger projects than forwards, and have steeper learning curves. Let's all remember that.

We want the best product on the ice in perpetuity. That means getting the best talent in and playing and developing. We want to keep getting the Parises, Toews, Oshies of the world first and foremost.

"A man makes his own luck" - Billy Zane, Titanic.

Scholarships aren't lolipops at the bank. It is the job of the coaching staff to build the best product for the ice while adhering to the ideals and traditions of the program including developing college hockey players for the next level and developing young men of character. Fienhage was given an opportunity, and he did not make the most of it. I think talent and ability reflects a lot on the logjam. If there is a log jam, and you are good enough to play, you will. It is my personal opinion that Lapoint is the next odd man out. For some reason Hak loves him. I do not. I prefer Gleason. Again, sorry that I invited you to the dance, it turns out that there is someone better out there, and I am going home with them.

The major junior deal is due to an agreement between the CHL and NHL. Fienhage is a drafted player, a project, and not ready for an investment by Buffalo. He also is fortunate to be able to still be young enough to play junior hockey. Therefore, he will play for the CHL club that has his rights. Fienhage does not deserve this? Please, he didn't earn it. I would've never believed that Gleason and of all people Davidson would skate in front of him when he came in. He simply is not good enough and didn't work hard enough to get good enough. What were blood and marto's upper body injuries? I like Knight at center, always have. I like him centering Kristo and Gregoire. That keeps Malone Trupp and Frattin together. That's a pretty solid top two lines.

My guess on Toews is pretty simple in that by years end he was a top 12 skill wise, but not a top 9. Hak seems to like to roll one checking line, which i think is a good thing. Burke put the USA olympic team together thinking top 6 scorers and bottom six grinders/energy. On the 3 scoring lines, Zajac, Malone and VV were just too physically strong for Toews to compete with at center. Toews produced fairly well, but not as well as Gregoire, Hexy, Trupp, Kristo, Frattin, and Knight at wing. Prior to Frattin's return, Toews was getting more ice time. Much like Cichy, you are not going to put Toews out on the checking/energy line. Neither is wired that way. My guess is that coming in they will both be slotted as regulars and will have to earn that place in practice vs the new guys. I think we see letters on Marto and Gregoire for sure. I put lines on another thread, but it is all speculation at this point, as we don't know who is coming in. I think: Malone with Frattin and Trupp (easy) Knight with Kristo and Gregoire Lammy with Bruno and Hexy (I've always liked Hexy as a scoring threat on a checking line) Nelson with Cichy and Toews D. Mattson with Rodwell and Rowney (practice and earn it) Chay (or Blood) with Forbert Marto with Simpson Blood (or Gleason) with Mac Gleason and N. Mattson

Sorry, meant Hill

Is the WCHA season too long and brutal? I love the western style, but it was clear in this tourney that the Eastern style prevailed. They play a shorter season and IMHO a less physically draining one. Wisconsin beat a fellow WCHA team to go to the 4...RIT, BC, and Miami...at least tjhe NCAA got a mix of established programs, the recent power (miami) and the upstart underdog. That along with 4 conferences represented...they are probably thrilled.

If I'm coaching (thankfully for all of you, I am not). My depth chart looks like this: Goalie: Eidsness Dell Defense: Genoway and Forbert Marto and Simpson Blood and MacWilliam Gleason and Mattson Lapoint and Fienahge Hill Forward: Malone, Frattin, and Trupp Knight, Gregoire and Kristo Lammy, Hexy, and Bruno Nelson, Toews, and Cichy D. Mattson, Rodwell, and Rowney (only negative +/- on team this year) Davidson Clearly guys have to earn the right to play, but those would be my depth charts coming in this year. You can see that I put the potential #1 draft picks in the top 20...you kinda have to.

Here's an interesting thought...is Mike Eaves the best coach in the WCHA right now? His coaching record looks earily like Blaiser's at UND. If they win it this year, he might be the guy. Clearly Donny isn't what he was 7 years ago. Hak get us there, but has yet to win one. 2 years in a row one and done. Gwoz has just had his third ocnsecutive one and done. Motzko finally got an NCAA win. This is not an indictment of Hak, it is simply a comment on Eaves.

As I was once called out (then complained and had my reference stricken), I am going to make my position known officially. Hak should not be fired. It is important to look at all the factors, not just wins and losses. This loss, while disappointing, can be chalked out to being outhustled and being taken off our game. It can happen. We made a strong comeback in the third. Yale's goals were the result of: Goal 1: lucky bounce, tip, and traffic. Goal 2: defensive breakdown and a nice offensive play. Goal 3: defensive breakdown and being outskated to a rebound. In a one and done playoff, anything can happen. We took an extremely immature team, without our only established star, with a hodge podge on defense(due to injury) to the big dance. Losing to DU under Blaiser with the Parise, Bochenski, Murray, Stafford, Greene, Jones and Smaby team was a loss that hurt more, as we were extremely talented. Losing to BC with the highest drafted team in Sioux history including the DOT line hurt more, as again, we were more talented. This was not our year from the moment that Chay went down. Maybe even before, as we had no big time scorers. The coaching staff and team leaders changed the course of a "doomed" season and gave us some great games. I give the likes of Hak and Jackson props for doing all they could with this squad. I hate to blame the officials for a loss, but the Sioux were up against the wall once it was determined that the heavy physical play, if at all questionable, would be called. Additionally, the TV timeouts and the heavy stickwork, and fear of playing too physical killed the Sioux. The turning point of the game was when what looked to be a 5 on 3 powerplay became 4 on 4 hockey due to JG taking a little bit of a liberty and the Eli embellishing (read: diving to make scsu or robbie earl proud), and Hexy going to the box for his mouth. Fienhage and Pointer and Blood just weren't fast enough to match up down low with the speedy midgets in blue. Game, set, match. We can rest assured that we will have a legit chance at the NCAAs again next year, Yale? Who knows...I guess they can feel good about having so many US Presidents as distinguished alumni...maybe this loss is George Bush's fault : )

There has to be a shakeup. Only guys with guaranteed spots on forward are: Malone, Trupp, Frattin, Kristo, Knight, Lammy, Hexy and Gregoire Toews, Cichy, Bruno, Nelson, D. Mattson, St. Clair, Rodwell, Rowney, and Davidson will all be fighting for ice. On D it is chaos...

Joe Senser's in Bloomington draws a nice crowd, and they do a nice job supporting Sioux fans all year. Just off 494 and France on American Blvd.

SCSU has 3 1985s on their roster...two of which have already turned 25. To put that in perspective, they are older than: Travis Zajac, Drew Stafford, Jon Toews, and TJ Oshie

SCSU is a #2

Anyone know what time the Lacrosse game is on?

Is that a fact? While I'm not a huge fan of the dynamic duo you mention, WCHA refs should help the Sioux. Yale will watch film that shows how to be successful against the Sioux: Pressure the dmen to force turnovers and prevent transition goals. Play slow down hockey. Don't let the Sioux get pucks deep and work their systems using big strong forwards and timing passing plays. Wait to counter punch. Let the Sioux be aggressive and make mistakes or draw penalties; then capitalize. That is how you beat us. We showed last weekend that we can beat a very good team who tries that style. UMD We showed last weekend that we can skate with anyone including the then #1 team in the country and keep a lead. DU We showed last weekend that we have heart, are tough to rattle, and trust in our systems to allow us to come back from behind against a very good team. SCSU We've beaten two solid teams, huge rivals as a matter of fact, with their season on the line. All games from this point on are with the season on the line. As for Cornell, yeah those wins are respectable and Yale had a 21 goal scorer on the ice at the time. As for Wisconsin, I think they were short three or maybe even four super stars at the time due to the WJC. We need sound positional play in our own end. We need to capitalize on aggressive forechecking by reversing the puck and breaking out effectively with heavy forward support down low. We need BE to be at his best. We need all of our players to elevate their game; Hexy did it when he came back, Frattin and Gregoire did it vs Minny and CC, Trupper did it last weekend, VV's been doing it lately, as has Malone. All these guys have stepped up for a game or two and lead the way. We need them ALL to do it this weekend. All that said, our dcorps and their ability to play sound in our end, reverse the puck to initiate transition and step up into the play (Blood has been doing this) in order to win.

Imagine me pulling your original post and calling you out as "not knowing hockey" because you misstated our loss last year in the NCAAs as being a second from the Frozen Four. You call me out specifically in your post above. Read my posts in context. Hak missing 2 final fives would probably not be well received by alumni, and might get him fired. It was a hypothetical. Blais going to Minny would warrant upset faces too. I don't know many Sioux faithful that would be pleased with that scenario. Would I hire Dean Blais? Yes, as I think he is the best amateur coach in the world and showed another reason this year with WJC gold. Regardless, I use this site to vent A LOT. Most people on here support the program completely, including me. I support the program having grown up in GF, despite being a two time Gopher(undergrad and MBA). I for one do not put blind faith in anyone, however; and I will always want more championships. I live in Mpls and travel to several games a year and watch 90 percent of those that I don't attend on the internet. Insinuating a lack of my worthiness as a Sioux fan is insulting and shows an ignorant disrespect. I will happily talk hockey and buy a beer to 99 percent of people. If you want to make a judgment, read every post and educate yourself. Most of my issues with Hak are constructive. You will see me complain about the cycle and the high breakout. You will see me complain about the defensemen's abilities to handle an aggressive forecheck. These are coaching issues. There is plenty of good too, but I don't teach kindergarten.

Just ones who go to Yale, and just for next Saturday!

I've been looking for video of Trupper's up over and around move with the puck from last night. I saw it live and wan't sure if I saw what I saw...a little showing off the wax job ala lacrosse style. Anyone got a link?

I just scanned BC's roster...their team is full of tiny men again.

Yale lost Backman the aforementioned Ivy League POTY along with his 21 goals and then got bounced from the ECAC tourney in 3 games by Brown. They were not playing this weekend. Yale is 2-0-1 (we're 5-8-2) against the tourney field having beaten Cornell twice and tied Wisconsin. We've played 10 more games than they have (42 vs 32), so there are several ways to look at that: They have fresher legs, but we've been through more. COmpound that with them resting for two weeks vs us playing 6 games in 9 days. I think that this full week off will take care of the fatigue, and if anything make us stronger down the stretch. Yale has a strong powerplay at 23.5 percent. They take a lot of shots and score a lot of goals. They also have had golatending by committee and all their goalies have pretty mediocre save %s. I don't know if they have played a puck possession team like us... As someone else noted, they are quite small in stature for the most part. Our tall defensemen are going to need to be smart, Blood's elbows will be head high on a bunch of these guys. We've got to play physical but smart...we did that for the most part this past weekend. Establish a physical presence, but stay out of the box. Bottom line is that they can't match our depth. Sioux win 6-3.

I know that they lost the Ivy League POTY to injury not long ago, so they are down a top player. I'm not sure where they finished in the ECAC tourney...