yzerman19

The challenge is and always will be $. The other challenge is the superordinate goals of college hockey i.e. parity and expansion of the sport. There is certainly precedent for teams switching conferences ala Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech being part of the WCHA as well as the CCHA at various times. Facilities are a challenge, as is population base, but Houghton isn't exactly a metropolis. A Big 10 conference is often considered, but the historical strength and tradition of rivalries such as UND with WI and UMN pose definite challenges in terms of loss of revenue and dilution of a highly regarded league. The F5 is the most successful conference tournament in part due tot he willingness of fanbases like UMD, UND, and SCSU making many trips. What do you do with Bemidji State? It is really a tough question given scheduling limitations. It certainly makes sense for them to compete with the other MN schools... There has to be a way to make it work. Traditionalists I know aren't fans of MSU and SCSU even being in the WCHA, but they have certainly been competitive and have earned the right to be in the conference. BSU has now won more NCAA tournament games than SCSU! NDSU wants to get hockey going...We can't really throw an unestablished program into the mix though. WHat about the private schools in the region with a history of success on the DIII level? There is certainly precedent among the private schools out east ala BC. I know we won't solve this problem on this forum, I am just grasping at straws. It is a shame if BSU is not welcomed into the WCHA after a F4 finish...

He's using it as a bargaining chip with Kitchener. If they really want him and he threatens NCAA hockey hard enough he might be able to get the contract he wants. Some of these major junior players make decent cash.

With you 100%. Throw in Gregoire with a year of experience and Zajac and Hextall's tenacity... As I've said before, I think we'll score goals, the question is can Blood, Finehage, and McWilliamclear the front of the net and give some punishment a t this level, while not being liabilities?

I am looking forward to seeing the progression of Marto, Gregoire and Frattin. Frattin impressed me this year with how he handled it when the pucks weren't going in for him. He scored a ton of goals in the middle of the season, and when he got a little snake bitten as the season progressed, he didn't press, but garnered a lot of helpers. His skating is sick, and he his speed and presence opened up the ice for others. He was a big time scorer in junior, and I expect him to push 20 goals next year. Gregoire is very talented and should become a two way leader on the squad this next year. I look to him to pick up a lot of Duncan's large skates. I think that either Kristo or Cichy will skate with him, and they will put up big numbers as a unit. Marto really came into his own on both sides of the ice this year. Like Frattin, the kid skates like Coffey. I look forward to seeing a lot of production his way and an even more solid presence in our own end as he gets stronger. No one seems to be able to tell me what new recruits are natural centerman. While any center can play wing, the responsibilities of the pivot in the defensive zone are tough to adapt to in the WCHA. If Kristo is as fast as people say, I like him with Frattin. I don't know who plays between them... Gregoire and Cichy and Malone Frattin and Kristo and Trupp Zajac centering Hextall and Bruneteau Toews and Lammy and Forney Davidson I still think Chay signs, but if not: Genoway and Blood Marto and Lapoint Finehage and McWilliam Gleason

Zach was projected as a first or second line scorer. JT was projected as a franchise player

MN and UND still play up tempo for the most part. That's why guys like Parise and Schroeder and Vanek and Toews picked UMN and UND. I am going to write a letter to all athletic directors in the WCHA expressingm y concerns. I suggest that all who feel the same way should do the same.

My biggest question is why and how did Chay beat BE to the post to try and block the GTG ? The shot was wide, BE should've been hugging that post. Oh well, next year... The team that I'm really excited about is the 2010/2011 squad.

you don't run plays defensively unless you count a switch or are talking about the breakout. The rule in an extra attacker situation is tie up. Tie up the puck along the boards, tie up your man's hands. Cardinal rule is to clear out the front of the net. Forwards have a ton of defensive responsibility, especially the center. Anyway, it should've been the law of the jungle.

Dunc will get signed.

These aren't little boys who should all get a participation trophy. These are elite athletes playing for one of the most prestigious programs in the country. They are not immune from criticism, fair or unfair. Certainly they have invested more into the team than we fans have, that is without question. But we fans invest our fair share ourselves, be it with $ or with time. I personally like Big Joe and I know that he was one of the most improtant contributors to our successes this year. That favorable opinion, however, does not apply to his play universally. Joe got beat down low ont he game tying goal. He also didn't look sharp at many key times of the game. THe VV line played great offensively, but they also were a minus as a unit.

Biggest difference is that Toews and Parise were #1 draft picks. That puts them on the highway to the NHL, not the road to the NHL. Given VV's draft position and skill, he will play in the AHL before the NHL no matter what, so why not start now and start getting paid for it? VV is as good as gone.

If Chay goes pro, and despite his critics and size, etc. he will be a pro hockey player; we are in a world of hurt on the blueline. I do not think that Chay is the second coming of Scott Neidermayer, and I think it is doubtful that he will see the NHL. However, he is definitely AHL material. Coming off WCHA defensive player of the year honors and first team al-WCHA and being undrafted will most likely lead to some offers...If he gets offered a job with a $100k signing bonus and $65k per year to skate in the AHL, I'd be surprised if he didn't jump. Back to the blueline sans Chay. Marto and Blood Lapoint and Finehage Gleason and MacWilliam That is a very, very green dcorps. I predict that dcorps costs us some games early leading to another second half team. We will be fine up front, although I don't know who we have for natural centers other than Zajac.

losing sucks. The loss to BC in 2007 hurt more. The loss to Denver in 2004 regionals hurt more. We had a freshman goalie, and no big time NHL talent. We didn't have a WJC talent player for the first time in years. This team gave me more entertainment than I thought I'd get.

So Finley and VV with separated shoulders, Hexy with a broken foot, Watty with a sprained knee, Trupp with some mystery ailment. Sucks, but you play with the cards you're dealt. Maybe our injuries were worse than other teams'.

A goalie coach could certainly help, but I think a d coach ala Brad Berry would be even better. I get what you say about jpar, but Lammy was a Hobey finalist who stole us a few games.

Not only a 2 and a 3, but 8 and 9 overall. Still no excuse, we should've won that game.

So we couldn't buy a goal in the Final 5, but we can rock out 5 in the regional...I agree that something must be done about the play in the WCHA. UNH didn't play last weekend, but had two weeks off to nurse their wounds. I have to believe that factored in at the end. When is the last time that BE let in 6 goals? The big stage, a long season, I have to believe that it took its toll on the kid. I sort of feel like this was the end of a golden age in Sioux hockey. The 2000's will go down as a decade of almosts...1 title, 2 runners up, 6 trips to the Frozen Four. How many elite NHL players? Parise and Toews, Stafford and Zajac, Oshie, Greene, Lee (no comments please), Murray...Add in ridiculous college players: Bochenski, Lundbohm, Dunc, Chorney. Great leaders and role players like Porter and Bina and Kaip and Prpich. Man it has been a fun time to be a SIoux fan. This year's edition ws built on depth...how come in the biggest game of the year all the production came from the top two lines? I really did think that we carried most of the play yesterday. It was certainly an entertaining game. I wish the WCHA would call games that same way, that was pretty up and down hockey.

Malone will be on one of the top two lines.

we're going to be in a lot of trouble defensively. In the end it was defense that cost us this year too. You can't expect to win giving up six goals. We will be very solid upfront. The new guys have some big time skill. I'm expecting that kristo and Cichy play with Gregoire and Frattin. I like the idea of putting Zajac and Hexy together.

ISn't Chay undrafted? I could see some major offers coming...tough to turn it down

Season over. Big Joe seems to play his worst games in the playoffs...don't know why, but he does. You should never lose a hockey game when you score 5 goals. It was a big time choke job. When the SIoux went into a defensive shell after VV's goal, I knew we were in trouble. We are not a defensive team, so playing defensively is never a good thing for this squad. I expect to lose Chay and VV this offseason. Fun year, I think this team overachieved. The MN sweep and the shelacking of Denver at the Ralph were the highlights.

I forgot the best of all...OV! Kokanee in Canada is vastly better than Kokanee in the states, eh?

If you've ever been to Canada, if you have any Canadian friends or relatives, or have ever drank a LaBatt's, Molson, Moosehead, or Kokanee you are Canadian.

As long as you wax it

Wow, we are on the same wave length! Check out my post on the powerplay thread from a couple days ago. Passing is the most important aspect of hockey. If you ask anyone who played pro, the passing is the key difference at that level. Hard, Fast and On The Tape!