yzerman19

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.

Mark MacMillan is listed at 6 feet 168 pounds- this means in reality he is probably 5'11 and 160- that is a THIN college hockey player. He has some great skill and potential- imagine if he was 20 pounds heavier? 180 would not slow him down at all, but would give him that extra mass when going to the net and getting ridden by a dman. Right now he is likely giving up 40 pounds to the average WCHA defenseman...that is a lot...maybe he needs to go lay brick with Fratty's old crew in Alberta- that'll put on 20 pounds of muscle in a summer (I know, I did it laying concrete roads one summer in college).

Identity and nostalgia are definitely at the top of the list: Identity-UND hockey is North Dakota's representation on the national map; not just athletically or the global university, but really the whole State. I am proud of being part of the small club that is North Dakotan, and UND hockey shows the world what can come out of our small, cold, "fly-over" state. I left ND at 18, but I've never stopped being a Sioux fan- even after two degrees from the University of Minnesota!! Nostalgia-running from University Avenue to the old Ralph with my Dad in twenty below cold, then seeing The Farce, and getting home past my bedtime. Watching 3 national championship teams as an elementary school kid. Jim Archibald. Playing knee hockey in our old, unfinished basement with a space heater, pretending to be Phil Sykes or Troy Murray or Dan Brennan or Tony Hrkac or Bob Joyce while watching the game. Warming house pizza and frozen toes with the game on the radio. Taking my wife (BC alumni of all things) to the Ralph before she was my wife and showing her the new Ralph with pride. Oh, and Jim Archibald.

He's still in the AHL and still posts a save % over .90 and a GAA under 3.00 He still wakes up screaming at night "Not Toews again!"

He's getting married while still in college?

There could be a number of reasons...let's not get too far off the deep end just yet

hmmmm...I wonder what is going on there...

You know, citing the kid seems a bit overzealous...I can remember being in college and it being bar close- getting hushed out by the bouncers and needing to hit the head. Sometimes they didn't let you, and if you gotta go, you gotta go. Or maybe he was just looking for attention like the guy in the San Francisco airport security fiasco.

Big Timing- gotta be careful when you do that, especially when you're "stuff" really isnt that good. We've got a long way to go before we can be considered big time (excluding hockey)

What about Scanlon? Ooohhh Baby!

point taken, but living in the Twin Cities, I am not subjected to (fortunately) any of that which you describe

So did the 1997 flood... I am a huge Sioux hockey fan, and I loved growing up in GF- I'd have to look at the articles, but I would guess that there was very little "special" about the articles beyond the success of the hockey program in terms of winning and in terms of pros produced compared with the relative small size of the school and obscurity of the location. Look- I always tell people I grew up in North Dakota, but when I am in a major city on the east or west coast, I am greeted with blank stares- it is nothing to be ashamed of, it should be embraced. Don't try to be too big-time, we'd only embarrass ourselves; and we have more class than that.

This seems a bit like Marsha Brady syndrome- NDSU is not on anyone's radar either.

Thank God you did not say Pierre McGuire

agree, and that is the reason behind my ending phrase "one big time program"

Hate to burst your bubble, but UND is not on the radar of anyone outside of NoDak or outside of college hockey circles. Not a knock, I am a fan and grew up there. It just is not on the radar for most of the country...It is a small school in a small town in a small state...does have one big time program

Me too...and ditto

That was his charm- UND, Grand Forks, and North Dakota aren't exactly the cosmopolitan centers of the world- Sweeney represented and embraced a hometown feel.

Personally, I will miss Pat Sweeney- he was a fantastic character

Somehow my reply went to the wrong thread...on iphone

I've lived in Minneapolis for 17 years. Safe is relative. I would not be comfortable with my wife and a girldriend walking around down there late at night. I live in south Minneapolis in a neighborhood of 500kish homes, and there are occasional police helicopters and searchlights at night. I feel safer downtown Chicgao and downtown NYC at night- heck even center city in Philly feels safer than downtown Minny.

Looks like I should be an agent with that 5 year 20 mil prediction