yzerman19

I hear you that it is pretty mercenary, but man, if I wasn't having fun at the rink anymore, and someone offered me a swimming pool full of money. I might feel badly about leaving, but you have to go. Loyalty is important, but not above happiness and financial security. There are a lot of things that I would love to do, that feel better than what I do, and would make others happier, but bottom line...I gots to get paid. I wish KO tons of luck, I wish it wouldn't have gone down like this, I wish the Islanders and the Gophers weren't acting like children. KO already seems to understand that its a business, I hope he also realizes that the rink isn't always whiter.

I bet they all think that Kessel is better than Jonny too.

The more that i've thought about this, you can't blame Okposo. Unless you really have your sights set low, your dream is not to play college hockey. I've got great coworkers and a great team that I am a part of at work, but if I got a call from somewhere else offering me my dream job at a compensation rate that could take care of my entire family, possibly forever if I work hard and am careful with my money, I'd be gone that minute. Yes, it is unfortunate, but loyalty doesn't pay the bills. The bush league comments are in poor taste. KO should've said, "It has been an honor to play for the Golden Gophers this past year and a half. After much thought, I have decided that it is the right time for me to move on and pursue my dream of an NHL career. I wish my teammates, friends, coaches and the Gopher program the best of luck for the rest of the season, and I apologize to those who feel that I am letting them down." Garth Snow should've said, "We are happy to have KO on our roster, we look forward to continuing advancing his development." Can't fault a kid for chasing his dream and getting rich in the process. "Want loyalty? Get a dog." - Gordon Gecko

Anyone who doesn't think that Parise and Toews are the real deal NHL style is a moron. Typical Gopher arrogance. The three highest scoring former WCHA players in the show right now: Heatley, Stastny and Parise. How on earth can anyone believe that we can't recruit. It must be tongue in cheek. I believe there was a thread that noted that without pro losses, we would've fielded a team in 2005 that would've had Parise, Toews, Zajac, Stafford, Murray, Oshie, Duncan, Greene, Smaby, Chorney

Any reference to Gretzky and the Kauker makes me smile I can't believe those guys are still around. I remember being little and those guys hanging around Purpur (then it was City Arena) for Pee Wee games and Apollo Park for little league. My mom used to worry about my safety around them until she realized how harmless they were.

Patrick, Murray, Baron, Commodore, Blake, Parise, Zajac, Toews, Jones, Greene, Stafford, Belfour, Casey Broten, Broten, Broten, Erickson, Millen, Rasmussen, Hendrickson, Vanek, Leopold, Martin, Ballard, Johnson, Kessel Carle, Stastny...oh yeah Heatley!!!! I don't think the WCHA is failing to develop players

WCHA solidarity. Andy Murray blasted our program for failing to develop Brady. The majority of the NHLers are products of the CHL and are border line illiterate. Nice guys, but not exactly winning any spelling contests. The franchises are run by these guys, who don't like the fact that the kids have to concentrate on things other than hockey. They tolerate the college programs only with the hope that the players will develop without the clubs having to pay them. As much as I blast the Gophers and old Delta Don, you can not question the program, tradition or coach. The Gophers and Don Lucia are top tier. Yes, Johnson and Kessel left after one year, yes KO is leaving now, yes Chucko is looking like an NHL bust, but Thomas Vanek had 40+ goals last year in the show. Leopold has logged regular ice time for 6 years, Martin logs a regular shift, Ballard too. Question: Is this the NHL's way to save the Great One some face for his wasted #1 pick on Wheeler...get the whole NHL to think that the Gopher program is terrible at develping players so Wayne can not be criticized? If Wayne Gretzky, who is not only the greatest hockey player of all-time, but also the crown prince of Canada and the president of hockey canada, had drafted or was even paying attention to a player on my team, I would make sure they developed. Fortunately for us, the only players from UND that hockey canada has paid attention to in the past decade are Zajac and Toews, who I think have proven that they were well developed at UND!

Before i get corrected, obviously ZPar didn't play in the WJC last year, it was 2004

Discussing the terms of a players contract during negotiations would never happen. Either way, it doesn't matter. As for WJC talent...I seem to recall a few Sioux on that team last year...Oh yeah, Taylor Chorney was captain wasn't he, and oh yeah, Zach Parise was the first American to be tourney MVP since, well, EVER. Tough loss for the Gophs. They don't have anyone who can play physical down low without KO and Stoa

Leaving mid-season is a horribly selfish thing to do to your teammates. That being said, however, I wish KO the best of luck at the next level. He is an outstanding hockey player who seemed to always work hard. His strength was sick. MN will definitely be hurting down low without Stoa and now Okposo. Wheeler is big and skilled, but not very strong. I just don't know if the Gophs have anyone who can fill KO's shoes. You can't fault a kid for taking the money. If the league rookie max is thrown at you, you'd be nuts not to take it. A player only has so many years in his legs.

I doubt he is going to the AHL. With the suspension of CHris Simon, I bet the Islanders are looking for a prospect to fill in. Kyle Okposo was listed as their top prospect at fall camp.

Wow, if true that is a big blow to the Gophs. Kyle Okposo is a heck of a hockey player. Another in a long line of pain for programs like MN and UND...we get the top tier talent, but they don't stay long. Pretty unprecedented to leave your team mid-season though. That doesn't show very much class. In a team sport like hockey, where you are a family, it is like getting a divorce.

The NCAA will set up the Regional locations by first using the brackets in their full integrity (only compromising to prevent an intraconference first round matchup) and seeing which brackets a host school falls into. In the current scenario only CC and the ECAC (Clarkson) are hosts. Holy Cross and Bucky don't make the cut on this early pass at bracketology. The other two brackets will then find their region based on #1 seed proximity and attendence concerns.

I think that is a pure testament to our strength of schedule. Osh and Duncs would make it on points per game at 1.00 each. We have not had any teams that we can blow off the rink and have players rack up 4 or 5 points. I have little doubt that if we played some of the cupcakes that other teams have we wouldn't have players with a few more points.

A number one seed would be great for the last line change. I really just want to avoid another WCHA team in the Regional. I agree with the statement that any team can win in the one and done. Bounces, goalies standing on their heads...it can definitely lead to upsets ala Holy Cross. Think about the game winners in both the Final 5 and the Regional last year vs MN. Wheeler's goal...pure miracle; Porter's wraparound...save is made 99% of the time. One and done makes for anything can happen. We haven't had a lot of puck luck this year...hopefully Kermit is waiting for the NCAA run

Interesting to note that of the 16 teams in the field, UND has 8 on the schedule. If you exclude ourselves that's 8 of 15. We have yet to play Bemidji State and New Hampshire, but we have a better than .500 record against the field. 1-1-0 vs Denver, 1-1-0 vs CC, 1-1-0 vs MN, 1-0-0 vs MSU, 0-0-1 vs BC, 1-0-0 vs Northeastern, 2 games vs NH, 2 games vs BSU. We aren't rolling over teams, but I think that some of the naysayers have lost some perspective. There is not a team that we can not beat in the one and done NCAA tournament.

Straight up 1 vs 16, 2 vs 15, 3 vs 14 etc: Miami #1 vs Air Force or Bemidji state #16 UND #8 vs Northeastern #9 Denver #2 vs Air Force or Bemidji State #15 New Hampshire #7 vs UMass #10 Michigan #3 vs Clarkson #14 Michigan State #6 vs BC # 11 Notre Dame #4 vs Lowell #13 CC #5 vs MN #12 Only 2 intraconference first round matchups and they are both 2 vs 3 seed matchups. Swap out MN for BC and then UMass for MN. This gives CC (the top 2 seed the second to lowest 3 seed as an opponent). Now we have: Northeast Regional Miami #1 vs Bemidji State #16 UND #8 vs Northeastern #9 Midwest Regional Denver #2 vs Air Force #15 (rivalry = potential upset = good for college hockey and attendance) New Hampshire #7 vs MN #12 East Regional Michigan #3 vs Clarkson #14 Michigan State #6 vs UMass #10 West Regional Notre Dame #4 vs Lowell #13 CC #5 vs BC #11 No intraconference first rounds, no one compalining too badly. Locations: CC will clearly play at home as the host school in the West Regional in Colorado Springs. Clarkson is the only ECAC representative, so they will be in the East Regional in Albany, NY as the host is ECAC hockey and RPI. Northeastern is from Boston, and they will buoy attendance in Worcester...so will adopted Gopher upset sister school-UND for host Holy Cross. That's the Northeast Regional. Gopher faithful will follow the rodents to Madtown for the midwest regional. Northeast Regional : 4 conferences represented East Regional: 3 conferences represented (2 CCHA teams) West Regional: 3 conferences represented (2 Hockey East teams) Midwest Regional: 3 conferences represented (2 WCHA teams)

New Hampshire is a Tier 1 college hockey program. Now that we are going into the second half, these games are all huge for the PWR. NH swept CC. Two wins by us adds a +2 in the COP portion vs CC. 2 Head to Head wins also will put us above the Wildcats in the PWR. The keys to the PWR and the NCAA tourney this year hinges around a couple things. 1, the higher seeded team gets to be "home" as far as the last line change. Huge in tightly contested NCAA games. I love having the option of getting Osh and Duncs out there against another teams' fourth line, late in the game, with a close score. The other huge part is simply the matchups. I do not want to see CC, Denver or Michigan until the Frozen Four (if we can get there). Michigan is playing terrific, and they definitely want a piece of us after last years goal fest and smoking them at the Ralph two years ago. Winning is the only way to guarantee that we don't face one of those teams early in a Regional final or even earlier. All games matter now. New Hampshire was, much like us, thought to do very well this year in the preseason. We are better than .500 against the current TUC, let's add another hundreth to that. 11 days 'till Sioux hoxkey. I hope the boys are getting some rest, getting healthy, and getting centered with their minds ready to go. Time to stop watching Slapshot and start watching Rocky. GO SIOUX! Second Half surge starts now, with how you handle the break.

I am all over the place, but I will try again... Vande is playing well in all facets. I put him as the number one center. Oshie can play center, but he is a better winger, and he can play with anyone. It sounds like Duncan and Frattin had a little chemistry, so maybe put them together. Vande with Osh and Kozek. We could certianly try that. Trupp with Frattin and Duncan. Might bring some much needed Offense, but it lacks a digger. Kaip with Watkins and Malone. I like this line. I can see Malone as a Porter down the road. Zajac with Forney (give him his shot) and Miller (he does have some upside potential) I have to support Genoway at D. Lapinte and Chorney Finley and Bina Genoway and Jones

Thanks again for relaying the coach's show. We all appreciate it. The evaluating comments make me wonder what they are thinking about changing. Line shuffling is pretty easy to do; i wonder what else they are contemplating? As we hit the halfway point I think it is important to evaluate the team this far. Special teams: Power Play unit 1 gets a "B-", Power Play unit 2 gets an "F" PP taken as a whole C- Penalty Killing has been very good "A-" Goaltending: Noone started out hotter than JPL. He is still playing very well. "A" Defense: In the defensive zone "B+", breaking the puck out "D+", In the offensive zone "B-" Taken as a whole C+ Offense: Transitional hockey "B+", cycling "B-", finishing "C-", forecheck "B", backcheck "B-" Taken as a whole B- Team grades: C-, A-, A, C+, B- cumulative: B-

I'm not a coach so I don't know but if your PP lines are made up of guys from different lines throughout your lineup, how much trouble do you have putting a line on the ice after the PP, when your PP guys are gassed? Hopefully the powerplays will only last about 30 seconds, so we won't have to worry about that No, many powerplays are made up of pieces of other lines. I agree with the playmaker, getter and shooter. It is generally the most effective so who is what? shooters are Duncan, Kozek and Frattin maybe? getters are Kaip, Malone, Zajac, Watkins, Vande playmakers are Oshie and Trupp maybe? So maybe try: Vande, Oshie and Kozek Trupp, Duncan and Malone Kaip, Watkins and Frattin Zajac, whoever earns it

I think on every scoring line you want to have a guy who can put the puck in the net. Right now, after the first line you start wondering. Yes, Kaip has chipped in, and Kozek has 6 this year, but other than Oshie and Duncan there aren't really other guys on this team that you fear right now. I still believe that stacking one line makes it easier for opponents to key on that line and take them out of the game. Keep the big guns together on the PP. Do you think that SCSU or Mankato State has enough depth to shut down Oshie AND Duncan if we split them up. I doubt it.

Alright, as I have nothing better to do, and as I am clearly a much better master of team chemistry than Hak; I have decided that it is time to switch up the lines. TJ Oshie is our best one on one forward, and can arguably be effective on any line with any other forwards. Ryan Duncan has been shadowed by defenders and has not been able to get his wicked wrister off very much. With that in mind, and with what I have seen this year, I advocate the following line combinations: Line 1: Vandevelde, Duncan and Frattin Line 2: Kaip, Watkins and Oshie Line 3: Trupp, Kozek and Malone Line 4: Zajac, Radke and Davidson D1: Finley and Bina D2: Chorney and Lapointe D3: Genoway and Jones PP1: Vandevelde, Duncan, Oshie, Chorney, Lapointe PP2: Kaip, Kozek, Frattin, Genoway and Bina I think that splitting up Duncan and Oshie will allow for better matchups for one or the other, depending on who the opponent has out there. Frattin played well with Duncan against Michigan State, so he moves up to line 1. Oshie on line 2 with Kaip and Watkins could really make that line deadly. With Watkins' speed and Kaip's physical play, that could open up a ton of room for TJ to take guys one on one and beat them. For the record line 1 vs line 2 is interchangeable. It will totally depend on matchup. In fact, I think that Line 2 might actually be our #1 line. Third line is all potential. I think those 3 have a ton of talent, and we should keep giving them chances. Fourth line, I think its time to go for a street brawl line. Big, Physical, one job...beat up the opposition. on D, I still believe that Genoway belongs on the point. He brings good offensive upside. Pair him with Jones who provides no offensive upside. On the PP units, put our current first line back together for P1, and totally revamp the 2nd unit. I like Genoway and Bina as the D-pairing on PP2, as they both have a history of scoring goals from the point.

KO'D? I like the insinuation Vande has played well enough to keep his spot. To keep on topic. Malone played a very fiesty. physical game. It was the best weekend of his young career.

I'm glad you agree on those points. I am not Don Cherry (forunately) but those are some of the things that I have noticed. I'm glad that the guys have two weeks to recoup. I think it will work wonders.