yzerman19

roger that...we're on the same page

I agree with those being key roles, but I don't believe that your lines need to be built around specialists in each role. For example, it is best when players can play all of those roles or at least more than one. Depending on where the puck is on the ice, positional play will dictate your responsibility in terms of "getting" along the boards or positioning yourself in a soft spot to prepare to be a shooter, or seeing your teammates who might have a better look at the net. Every forward on a scoring line needs to be able to do all 3 roles reasonably well. If you are talking special teams, I can agree a little more with defined accountability once set up. On the forecheck, two forwards should almost always be collaboratively "getting" and "setting"

yeah, it could put up points if they aren't too pretty with it. I'd like for Danny to find "his spot" ala Duncs top of the circle. Danny has an NHL wrister, which is wasted from the point with someone on him. He needs to be the weakside shooter on the PP. Your pp2 could be Rowney with O'Donnell/MacMillan/Parks/Caggiula/Chyzyk and Forbert and Simpson on the points

I've thrown a few combos out there...top 6 bottom 6 is more of an NHL approach to hockey- yeah, I've heard it used in other leagues, but it is definitively more relevant to the NHL. I would contend that we might have a top 9 and bottom 3 this year. If there isn't much of a drop-off in offensive creativity between the second and third lines, then you have a top 9. I also think that Rocco is creative enough to build a line around him- if in straight God-given hockey offensive ability if he is 2nd on the team after Kristo or maybe even first, then build a line around him. Put them on separate lines in order to make guys like O'Donnell and Rowney and Parks and MacMillan better. As for special teams, we've had Danny on point for the last 3 years- I really hope Bubba changes that. I'd like to see Knight, Rocco, Danny, Schmaltz and Mattson as our #1 PP

Was he a sophomore last year? Edina's program is stacked and ice is hard to come by as a soph. They also play a top schedule. Still, those are paltry numbers...he might be a late bloomer...

I have to believe that Cagguila is pretty special based on the fact that he is coming in as an 18 year old...that said, I wouldn't be surprised to see him on a line with Grimaldi or Kristo- maybe Grimaldi with the hopes of building chemistry for next season. I have liked O'Donnell on that top line a lot- I am sure he will see some looks up there. WIth Chyzyk- 20 goals in the USHL has generally translated to pretty good success in the WCHA

I think even Toewser started his UND career on the third line...also, we are talking 5x5 lines, there is no reason Rocco couldn't get big time special teams minutes and play 5x5 from the 3rd line to start the year. If you don't want Rocco on the third line, and Rocco will not play wing, and you don't want to split up the chemistry of Rowney, MacMillan and Parks, you could always go with something like this: Knight with Kristo and Chyzyk Rocco with O'Donnell and Caggiula Rowney with MacMillan and Parks St Clair with Rodwell and Pattyn Mac and Schmaltz Forbert and Mattson Simpson and Gleason

Who knows, maybe O'Donnell, Caggiula, and Chyzyk come in and look like rock stars, and the Rowney, Parks, MacMillan line becomes the absolute best 3rd line in the country... lots of fun speculating...

Thank you for helping me make my point...a lot of the folks who want to see Grimaldi on that first line, that would be like replacing Trupper with Gregoire two years ago. I guess the point is #1 on ice chemistry trumps every piece of paper or stat sheet #2 balanced scoring gets you a title- That Sioux team was the best team in the nation and beats Michigan 8 or 9 outta 10- and they (2010-2011 Sioux) had the best 1-2 line punch with balanced scoring #3 I don't care about stats- I care about wins #4 I don't care about Hobey Bakers- I care about national championships I am liking our team on paper this year...I can't wait to see them on the ice

We've arguably won the best top-line title in the country 3 times in the past decade, but never a national championship. Parise- Bochenski- Murray Toews- Oshie- Duncan Zajac- Stafford- Spirko

It is not an insult to not be on the so-called top line- You don't stack a line, unless that is your only primary offense. Balanced scoring wins titles. I disagree wholeheartedly with converting a highly talented center to wing so that they can "fill out" the top line

I think we can all agree: scoring 1: Knight with Kristo and someone scoring 2 (to start the year at least): Rowney with Parks and MacMIllan Scoring 3: Grimaldi with someone with enough skill to play with him and someone to protect him/them with a little experience Energy: The guys who earn ice in practice So, who is left and what do we know about them? O'Donnell- decent physically, solid offensively, scored some goals last year before getting hurt Rodwell- speedy, mucks it up, never done much offensively at the college level Pattyn- prototype Sioux energy line guy, put on 20 pounds in the gym this summer Gleason- can play forward or D, speedy, smart Gaarder- overachieving energy line guy Chyzyk- good offensive numbers in USHL (20 y/o) Caggiula- good offensive numbers in the OJHL (18 y/o)- fact he's coming in at 18 means he will play St Clair- early bloomer, sat out a year, modest numbers in USHL (20 y/o)

I just think that Rocco needs to be surrounded by better offensive players- no offense to Rodwell or Caggiula, but Rocco is as talented offensively as say a Kristo...

I'd also throw in- top end talented teammates and the opportunity to compete for a national championship every single year- as big reasons to choose UND Living in a smaller college town where you're the biggest deal around also doesn't hurt

I've often pontificated about O'Donnell on that top line...it is a very realistic scenario. I'd like to see Rocco "protected" with some more experienced offensive talent

It is also important to call out that any center can play wing, not any wing can play center. Parise played center both years at UND and switched it up in the NHL- Zach's not as small as Grimaldi, but he isn't a big guy either. I also agree that Hak is not "concerned" about a position shift of a key player at the next level, but at the same time, in order to continue the great program and tradition, he does have to develop high draft picks into NHL players

That is your opinion, but I will guarantee you that Grimaldi does not play wing. Aside from development, If you move Grimaldi to wing so the top two lines are Knight with Kristo and Grimaldi and Rowney with MacMillan and Parks, you completely stack two lines and then have a big drop off. If I am coaching against that, I can match my top line and my checking line against those two lines, along with my top 4 defensemen, and then hope to get some bounces or a special teams battle to win. If you have a physically mature, senior, 18 goal scorer on the third line, that causes me huge headaches- My bottom d-pairing and a second or third scoring line is going to have trouble with him. If you had the Forbert and Mattson D-pairing out with Rowney and O'Donnell, that is a very good offensive threat. I could see Rocco centering the third line to start the year- get him comfortable and healthy. Remember, you can have an excellent scoring line as long as you have two skill guys on it, especially if one is a center. You could've put me on the off-wing with Gretzky and Kurri and I would've produced.

We have 3 puck moving dmen that will get ice ahead of Gleason: Mattson, SImpson, Schmaltz. I always like a dpairing with one puck mover and one "punisher"- Mac is really the only punisher, but Forbert and Panzo are more punisher than Mattson, Simpson or Schmaltz. I think we need Joe in the lineup, as his speed and smarts and utility are invaluable. He could be this year's Jake Marto. In order to be effective in our end, Joe would need a Forbert or a Mac though- a bigger body, as a partner. I think that those guys will be paired with Mattson and Schmaltz (who probably will bring more offense than Joe)

Chyzyk was a pretty solid scorer in the USHL last year, that is why I put him up on that line. As for the walk-on work horse, I assume that you mean Gaarder? He will definitely compete for a fourth line spot. Hak has generally rewarded the hardest workers in practice with opportunities on that energy line. I think the other freshmen will be in the same spot: Caggiula, Sanderson, as well as the elder MacMillan transfer.

That's what I was thinking...also, the lines that I put out there have at least one VERY fast player on each line: Kristo, Rocco, Rodwell, Gleason- that is dangerous speed on each line. Having Gleason in the lineup as a forward also protects us in the event of a 5 minute and a game against a d-man or really any series of penalties against d-men. If Mac gets tossed for a CFB and then later in the game Forbert gets 2, you can spell the other boys by rotating Joe back there.

I always believe that you roll lines versus stacking one line. I think this Sioux team could roll 3 scoring lines... What if: Scoring 1: Knight with Kristo and Chyzyk (Knight and Kristo make this line a legitimate top line regardless of who plays the other wing) Scoring 2: Grimaldi with Parks and MacMIllan (keep the chemistry on the wings, insert Rocco) Scoring 3: Rowney with O'Donnell and Rodwell (could be the best 3rd line in the league) Energy: St Clair with Pattyn and Gleason (Pattyn and Gleason earned it last year, i think St Clair gets in) D pairings: Mac and Schmaltz Forbert and Mattson Panzo and Simpson

I agree that those guys will play, but they are not coming into the lineup in top 6 roles (other than Rocco) I agree that they could definitely become studs- I could see Chyzyk and Caggiula being Knight/Rowney players, which is what I said in my previous post. Now I also believe that Knight is a better player than Rowney, but I don't want to get into who is like who or who is better than who. In fact, I think Knighter is one of the most underrated players in college hockey. He is a beast two-ways, wins draws, plays hurt, and is clutch. As for Schmaltz- yes, he will get special teams play right away, yes, they will not put him out against a lot of other teams top lines, and yes, they will likely protect him with someone like Big Mac as his partner- first rounders get 20 minutes of ice minimum, guaranteed, unless they really suck the big one.

This is not a class loaded with blue chippers. Grimaldi (who shouldn't be part of this class) is by far the biggest offensive upside new forward. Schmaltz should be real good in a couple years- it is tough to be a freshman first round dman in this league (Brian Lee anyone?) I think the rest of our class is role players who hopefully develop into the future Corbin Knights and Carter Rowneys. It isn't like the years when we brought in Parise or Toews or Oshie or even Kristo...Grimaldi could be that type of player though- scouts compared him to Brian Gionta

Just saw that Sanderson is indeed an overage Canadian- been a while since we've had one, but if I am reading the card correctly, it says he is a 21 year old freshman

I have to say that I didn't pay much attention to Dicken when he was out there, but I did not notice him being overly "soft" as many are insinuating. I would guess that it has less to do with his "soft" play and more to do with the fact that he was unlikley to get much ice time- In fact, I think it is kind of mean spirited to call him out for this as he moves on. I'd prefer to say "thank you" and "good luck" in Manitoba, YOUNG man.