yzerman19

I like the intelligent speculation. I especially appreciate someone who understands the nuances of a play maker, a corner man and a finisher. There are a couple intangibles left out of course, such as chemistry. I believe that you keep guys together who play well together. So Zajac and Stafford must be on the same line. I haven't seen the rookies play at all, but another important factor is speed. You don't want a really fast guy on a line of slower guys. Also when factoring centermen, you need to know who is a good faceoff man. Also, I have never known a center who couldn't play wing, but i have known a lot of wingers who are terrible playing center ice. As for Oshie, I'm sure he will be a fine player, but he definitely isn't a Brady Murray. Brady was special because he has world class speed. He was a threat everytime he was on the ice, and his speed opened up lanes for his mates. WIth Brady's size, he may never suit up in the nHL for any more than a cup of coffee, but his size and speed really suit the European game. He could have a very nice career over there. Oshie will get very limited time this year as the coaches work to develop him. I think you have to put another scorer out with Toews in either Spirko or Porter.

I agree, although I will always doubt the quality of NTDP players. I keep saying that Wheeler reminds me of Tallackson. Kessel will have a very good year.

Now I have no affiliation to Michigan, but comparing UND to Michigan is kind of a stretch. Yes, UND's hockey program has been every bit as if not more successful than MI lately, but Michigan is basically an ivy-league caliber academic institution and is a national player in DI in all sports. As much as I like UND and could care less about Michigan, Michigan is all in all a superior academic institution and collegiate experience. If someone I cared about was debating between attending UND or Michigan, I would say go to Michigan in a second. Sorry, but I have to be pragmatic about this one. Only exception would be if this person was a hockey player with an interest in aviation.

I'm starting to think that the gold colored glasses in the MN corner have finally corrupted their reality. I was cruising around their forum and they are talking about the U18 championships going on right now, and some guy actually made the comment that it's time for Phil Kessel to show the Canadians who the real "next one" is. Now I will always route for the USA, and I hope we win, but have some perspective folks. Phil Kessel is a talented kid, but to compare him to Sidney Crosby is going a bit far. Sidney's dominating a talent pool that is the greatest in junior hockey at 17. There is a big difference between playing for NTDP and playing in the Q.

I could see thirty plus with a healthy Brady Murray on his wing. He and Brady really played well together on the playoff run until Brady got hurt. Zajac's reaction to the injury indicated to me just how much he likes playing with Brady.

I'm just glad Zajac played well enough to earn this silly debate. Good work to the coaching staff.

Gophs have a lot of talent up front, but so does UND. Chucko<Porter (NHL disagrees, but Chucko didn't show me much last year) Hirsch<Murray (although he does drive the net well) Kessel <>Toews (noone knows yet) Irmen<Stafford (the NHL thinks so too) Wheeler<Zajac (Wheeler might have potential, but Zajac has shown his-both 1st rounders) Potulny<>Spirko(depends on which Potulny, pre or post X-mas last year) The rest of the NTDP guys against our BCHL guys is a toss up I think CC is the favorite and Denver, MN and UND are all close behind

I defintely agree that one player a team doesn't make. I almost wrote that in my original post here. A lot of extremely gifted players play their entire careers from Bantams through the NHL and never win a title. I value everyone's opinion, but as a player I would rather play with ZP on offense and I would rather play against Zajac on defense. ZP is a playmaker who makes everyone on the ice dangerous. Zajac is a strong finisher with good size. Both players add value to any team. Parise's numbers and accolades do dwarf Zajac's, and having watched both play. Parise is a vastly more dangerous player.

I can't believe there is any debate regarding Zajac vs. Parise. Parise is a special player, Zajac is a very very good player. ZP was the best playmaker in college hockey for two years. He was the best player in the world while leading USA to the WJC gold. That is way more of an accomplishment than getting UND to the frozen four. UND only got as far as they did because of ZP in 03 and 04. ZP's credentials are incredible and he had a very good year at Albany despite playing on a pretty weak team. Parise was a Hobey Finalist as a rookie, Zajac didn't even make the all rookie WCHA first team. I think Travis is great, and I'm glad he is on our team, btu I'd trade two Zajac's for one ZP.

People need to learn to read more closely. I never called players with half-shields Sally's. In fact I reference the fact that I wore a half-shield at the last level when I played. I said in my prior post that you are thought of as a Sally if you wear a mask. I never said that i personally thought a player with a mask on was a Sally. I talk about not putting on the facemask, because you don't think about getting hurt. You think about scoring goals and winning games. If you were worried about getting hurt enough even to think about it, then your mind isn't in the right place. This is the arrogance and swagger I am talking about. Getting hurt is the furthest thing from your mind and should be. Just a side note for any interested, i have a scar on my chin and lower cheek that is about three inches long that is left over from the plastic surgery I had that reconstructed the 12 stitch scar I received when I was opened up by a goalie stick in Selkirk MB. I was 18 years old. I wore a half shield before it happened and I kept the shield for the rest of the season. The thought of going to a full mask never even crossed my mind. The peer pressure was of more concern to me than an injury.

I don't appreciate being called dumb. Especially when it is opinions regarding hockey. Where quite frankly, I feel my opinion holds value, as I experienced a hockey career that goes a lot further than most. Getting hurt is a risk you take, if the possiblity of getting hurt is too great for you, join the friggin' band. It's like the parents who make their kids where helmets on their bikes. Control is an illusion. People have accidents and can get hurt. Mafia man, you went after me with references to a boarding call, a sucker punch, and a stick swinger...what do any of these things have to do with the topic at hand? What do those things have to do with face masks or playing without fear? Are you going to blame the Danny Heatley accident on not wearing a half shield too?

ZP isn't scared, the half shield isn't a bad way to go; however, it won't protect the eyes from a stick that comes up underneath it. My argument is mostly against the full shield.

No visits to the doc involved (knock on wood) I always felt invincible out on the ice, and I'm sure guys at the AHL and NHL level feel that even more. Facing vulnerability is not good in an athlete. Arrogance and remorseless swagger make a better athlete. You can't play scared.

You would be thought of as a Sally if you wear a full mask. I

1. CC - Ton of talent, senior team, close but no cigar this year and want to smoke. 2. Denver - Talent, system, three in a row is unprecedented 3. UND - Great young players, pro prospects matched only by UMN 4. UMN - Equally talented young players as UND, 4th due to goaltending 5. WI - Can't get over the hurdle; good, but not good enough 6-10. Who Cares? SCSU, UMD, AA, MSU and Tech all are pretty bad. MSU actually has a couple talented players, so I give them the nod. UMD needed to ride the frozen four last year to a big recruiting class. Sandy failed. Most interesting matchup: UND and UMN. The best rivalry in college hockey just keeps growing. Stafford, Zajac, Toews, Murray, Lee, Greene, Porter and Smaby vs. Wheeler, Kessel, Chucko, Potulny, Irmen, Stoa, Goligoski and Hagemo. That's a lot of drafted talent. Throw in guys like Spirko versus Howe. The teams match up well. Tons of firepower, UNDs defensive core will be young, but if the backbone returns they will be solid, UMN had a couple great freshmen D this last year. UND has better goaltending. Even matchup. Fun

Great news on Toews. I think that he has experienced play against better competition and excelled at it every bit as much as Kessel has. I am not impressed with the NTDP, and the products it sends to NCAAs. Hopefully Kessel and Stoa are the next Tallackson and Waibel.

I believe that both Kessel and Toews will have solid, but short WCHA careers. I haven't been overly impressed with offensive players from the Development team, but I did see Kessel play very well at the WJC. IMO he was the third best forward on USA after Stafford and O'Sullivan. His game was very raw. I haven't seen Toews play, but he has Parise-esque credentials, and any player that goes number one in the W draft has some serious talent. MN and UND will field lineups with multiple first round picks with Zajac, Stafford, Wheeler, Toews, Kessel, Chucko, Lee and Stoa all being first rounders already or projected first rounders. Wheeler caught Wayne's eye, which says a lot, but he didn't put up big numbers and he reminds me of Tallackson. Anyway, both programs will be solid again, and it will be who is playing the best come March and April who brings home the important hardware. The WCHA has really separated into two classes of team with UND, MN and Denver being in every NCAA title game this millenium. CC, Wisconsin and UMD (last year) also are competitive on a fairly regular basis. The rest of the league is the perpetual doormats and will remain so, as the top talent continues to migrate to REA, Mariucci and Colorado. Marto is being heavily recruited and rightly so. I watched him play this year and he reminds me a lot of another guy I know and watched play, Paul Martin. Obviously Paul Martin 2005 is much different than Paul Martin 1999 or 2000 and that is the Martin that Marto reminds me of. If he works and develops the way PM did at UMN, he could be NHL material.

I've followed the AHL pretty closely all year and the all-rookie team guys are all very deserving. The forwards are all winger and goal scorers. Parise is definitely the same caliber player, he just plays a different game. Zach is a playmaker, all the other guys are finishers. The other guys also benefit from having very strong players on their teams. Zach is the best player on his team. Zach is smaller and younger than a lot of guys too. I have no doubt that Zach will be a Cliff Ronning kind of player in the NHL.

Duncan is a center. I don't know if Toews plays center or wing, can someone answer that for me? Duncan's lack of size is fine, a team can do just fine with one small center. Two small centers can hurt a team. How about this fora first unit PP: Stafford (on point) Zajac Toews Murray Lee

Hey Raynman, what about Porter? Duncan is a centerman and is very, very small. Stafford will not go, because as a number one pick, he is going to need them to show him the money,and without a league, that probably won't happen. Greene as a second round pick would demand less money and is the only probable pro signee the Sioux have. Smaby will not go. Toews is obviously the real deal and Hak just might go with: Spirko, Zajac and Stafford Murray, Duncan and Toews I like the idea of Porter, Prpich and Fabian out there causing problems as a third line. The fourth line would be a mix with Kaip, Kozek, Watkins and Miller vying for time and chances to move up to the big gun lines. Up front we will be fine and if Greene stays we will be fine in back too. I see it like this: Greene Lee Smaby Radke Bina Chorney Jones

I don't think so. I think, like all hockey players, Brady just wants to play. Also, hockey players are tough and are used to playing with pain. If it hurts a little when you shoot and a lot when you get hit, big deal. You tough it out. I think that Andy Murray and the LA Kings would not let that happen, and I don't think Dave is that kind of coach.

The end of the Denver game was disappointing to me, as we couldn't put any offense together. Our defense has been outstanding, I will definitely give a ton of credit to the defensemen, JP and PL and all of the forwards who have been hustling back. The MN game was kind of a joke. It looked like both teams were sort of going through the motions. A 3rd place WCHA trophy isn't exactly a big deal to these storied programs. MN was without some of their best players too. I WILL NEVER LEAVE THE BANDWAGON! Raised in GF, educated at U of MN; my two favorite teams are still UND and whoever is playing the Gophs. I was raised on Sioux hockey and care more about SIoux hockey than any other sport/team there is. Both Stafford and Zajack are highly skilled players, but they need that third piece of the puzzle. Neither one of them appears to be that great at creating. Stafford is great along the boards and in the corners, Zajack is great moving with the puck. We need Brady. Losing Prpich is also a huge blow, he really mixes it up and frustrates opponents.

I wish I shared the optimism. The only time all year that I have seen Sioux hockey played by the Fighting Sioux started with the healthy Murray vs UMD in the first round playoffs. There are certain guys that make everyone else around them better and there is definite chemistry among linemates that either you have or you don't. You get used to how other guys play, you know where they'll be and you can just have fun out there. Spirko is definitely a good player, but he doesn't react the same way as Brady does given certain situations. This makes TZ and DS have to think instead of just react and play. I watched a disappointing SIoux team without Murray in the lineup, and I watched a tremendous team with him in. I unfortunately don't think we will play two games in the regional. Murray is that important. In my opinion he is the best player on the team. It is too bad that just when we get the wheels greased, we lose BM.

This kills our line dynamics. I don't think we can go anywhere without him. It is better for him to get that fixed though. This year we had a good shot with our defensive corps. Being healthy at the right time is so important.

I so hope your gut is wrong and they will be back.