yzerman19

Remember Matt Greene's poorly received comment about why he went to UND? The fact is it is a pro hockey factory. If you do not let guys leave early, they will not play NCAA, that simple. The other aspect of major junior, is it is a job. More games, long bus rides...Swift Current to Moose Jaw sounds like a fun trip in January. College on a full ride, as a campus God...college is fun. It isn't that much work, and you can keep being a kid. Not to mention you don't have to worry about getting gooned and having your career end as much as you would playing for Swift Current.

I think Mike would love that anti-Sioux people hate him and rip on him, Like the idiot poster. I can see that big sh*t eating grin on his face reading that. It is much better to be hated by opponents than to have them be indifferent. Mike is one of the best instigators and really got into other players' heads. He may not have scored 20 goals, but his antics probably contributed to mental mistakes and penalties that did. I will miss him. I've also heard that he is a great guy off the ice. In a lot of ways I'd rather have that said about me than anything else. Thanks Mike!!

Travis was about as prototypical NHL forward as we had in the college ranks. He can do all of the little things. He has a pro body, and his performance at the college level is an almost identical comparison to Keith Tkachuk. It is a privelege to have players of the Parise, Stafford, and Zajac caliber on our team. They are world class athletes. One thing that I have noticed in Hak's recruiting is that he is doing a great job of picking up talented BCJHL players that are undersized. Case in point Duncan, who I believe will score 20+ goals for the next 3 years. While he is an excellent hockey player, his size will keep him around. Brady Murray would've been a 4 year player if it wasn't for the weird import loophole he got into the Swiss league with, again top end talent, but not an NHL frame. 2007 freshman Evan Trupp 79 points as a rookie in the BC league, but 5'9 150 looks like a 4 year guy. Hak is mixing it up with the #1 draft picks who will be around for 2 years ( Forney) and guys like Trupp. It is a good way of doing things. The 2 year guys blow up the league while the smaller 4 year guys develop into top end players, then when the 2 year guys leave, the 4 year guy can almost replace him as a jr or sr. Here is what I think about next year: Zajac, Smaby, Stafford, Prpich (regulars that are gone) Toews will play at least one more year in the green. The only 18 year old that I can think of in the show is one Syd the Kid, and as good as Jonny is, he isn't Crosby. 22 goals in college vs setting records in the Q is a different world. If he puts up numbers like he did the last 2 months of this season all year next year, he will go to the big club at 19. Oshie will play one more year with the emphasis from the Blues being to put on a little more meat. The game he plays will take its toll on a body over a 100 game season (including playoffs). Lee and Chorney will probably play through their junior years. It takes a little more time to develop a defenseman. I predict Finley will turn pro after next year, reason being, that while he doesn't seem as effective as the other top draft pick defensemen, his size is more suited to the pro game, and I think that the pros will want him to hone his mean streak in the minors...similar to what they wanted to do with Smaby. Based on performance and need, I believe that Marto and Lapoint will all spend next year in the USHL and come up next year to replace possible pro defections. Sioux lines 2006-2007 Porter, Oshie, Spirko (Porter and Oshie played great together and Oshie and Spirko did too, synergy) Kozek, Toews, Duncan (all great shooters, Toews whole package, kozek will have some big skates to fill) Forney, Watkins, Zajac ( good size and skill-should be a great third line) Vandevelde, Kaip, Fabian (Rylan and Eric are workhorses, let's put a big bodied scorer with them) Lee and Chorney ( top talent will keep improving) Radke and Jones ( the two tough guys) Bina and Finley (imagine the height differential on the ice) As awful as this may sound, I would almost prefer to see Finley go pro to make room for Genoway. of course Parise and Lammy in the pipes.

Smaby and Stafford are as good as gone. bucky is right on very few 18 year old pro defensemen. JPar will be back. I think that Oshie and Toews will each play one more year. Zajac is a crap shoot. He will get offered NHL first round money to sign, but his brother is coming to town.

There is defintiely something to be said for a guy that all your opponent's fans hate! On a team stacked with first rounders, sometimes the play of your third and fourth liners gets overlooked. The play of Mike Prpich never got overlooked. Go out with a National Championship and solidify your rightful place of honor in Sioux hockey lore. The drink from the Denver goalie's water bottle is one of the greatest intimidation moves I've ever seen. I enjoyed every Prpich shift, and many times I would've loved to have had a microphone on him when he was grinning and talking to opposing players. One of the great characters in hockey. Thanks Mike!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Personally I like the idea that you can host a Regional and have home ice. The sites are determined well in advance of the season, so getting a regional doesn't guarantee that you will be there. Not much more than a month ago we were in danger of not getting to play in our own Regional. You can live by the advantage and die by it. UND benefitted this year, Michigan benefits what seems like every other year, but the underlying component is that UND and those Michigan teams also earned the right to host the tournament. Additionally, while home town crowds might give a little boost, they give a bigger boost to NCAA hockey; can you say attendance records and playoff atmosphere? The game is still settled on the ice. I can't believe any Gopher fans will bitch, considering I've heard so many comments about "Mariucci West" and the Sioux being a .500 team in GF. You could put an ice sheet on Pluto, the bottom line is the game is played and one on the ice, not in the stands.

2 things. 1. As far as goal scoring and the show...everyone in the show is a goal scorer. You don't get to the NHL as a forward if you haven't put up a lot of goals in your NCAA or CHL career. You learn quickly who the Jagrs and Iginlas are. Everyone in the NHL was a stud during their amateur career...goal scoring, play making...everything. Third line grinders probably put up 30+ goals in junior. 2. I will always root for the Gophers to lose because of their fans. MN fans are generally so MN centric it makes me want them to lose. If you didn't play HS in MN and then play for the GOphers, then, well, who are you? THeir ignorance of hockey's main youth stages i.e. Midget AAA and Canadian Major Junior is almost hunorous. In general they know little about the game the way it is played outside of MN, but act as though they know everything. I've known a lot of Golden Gopher players over the years, and they were all GREAT guys. I would root for them to win as people, but I can't give Gopher FANS that satisfaction. I'll never forget talking about a friend (who was playing for the Peterborough Petes at the time) when a female Gopher fan told me how sorry she was for him that he wasn't good enough for the GOphers. SHe and her husband refused to listen to me when I told them the GOphers weren't good enough for this friend of mine. They walked out thinking I was a retard, when the truth of the matter was I was right. Oh, the player I was talkig about? Jamie Langenbrunner.

Only a Gopher fan would have the arrogance to make statements about the talent level of a team that just got humiliated on the national stage. Erik Johnson is a stud, and the Gophs are lucky to have him. I am pretty sure that Toews will go number two overall after Johnson. His play down the stretch has really boosted his stock.

It's going to be tape delayed on Fox...since the Gophers are out, they assume noone cares. Is there such a term as rodent centric thought? The Sioux should roll tonight. Holy Cross's season is already a success in their eyes, and I think we saw last night that a Hungry young team that can roll 2 NHL caliber lines at you is a green juggernaut. I wouldn't look past the Crusaders, but they have to be riding high after last night, let's bring them back to reality. They did a grat job shutting down the Golden Chokers pp and potulny line. If they succeed in shutting down the Stafford, Toews and Duncan line, we will let them have it care of TJ, TZ and Sparky! It takes two things this time of year: skill and heart. We have both, I think the Gophs showed they only had one component of that. It's surprising given Delta Don's tremendous success that he couldn't inspire a better effort from his team to end the season. Right now, I think UND and Whiskey especially is saying "Phil who?" He certainly wasn't the tipping point. I want to see Zajac and Duncan keep sniping. It would be really cool to end the season with five 20 goal men. That's unbelievable depth. Hakstol has to be given consideration for coach of the year. 2 consecutive years of turning teams with small expectations into (hopefull) back to back Frozen 4 appearances. It could be argued that the senior Defensive corps last year made his job easier, but that certainly isn't the case this year. NCAA hockey should make a Hobeyesque award for the tournament run ala the Conn Smythe. I bet every Hart trophy winner without a ring would trade 20 Hart trophies for 1 Conn Smythe award,

RP has great numbers, but I think Carle wil get it. TJ for Hobey 2007!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Silliness, but I'm enjoying myself. Junior Lessard (32,31,63) outscored both Vanek(26,25,51) and Parise(23,32,55). Who is carrying their own bag to the rink? The examples one way or the other are too numerous to count. Bottom line is it is a much tougher route to the show when you aren't a first rounder. I believe Potulny is tied for the league lead in PP goals with 17 and second in ESGs. He is not a penalty killer. Stafford leads the nation in shorties.

Oh the compliments thanks dagies

Talk about similar numbers. Looks to me like we need to score first and protect a lead. It also looks like we score more in the thid, so we need to play even or ahead for the first two and win it in the third. I know, this is so profound. Go Sioux.

I think Hak has the guys believing they can do anything, which IMO is right where you want to be. Winning begets winning.

I didn't multiply right, there are 19 players with regular ice time, not 17. I forgot the last D pair. Moves the above post time frame to 9 years over 8.

I also want to end the number one pick discussion and will acknowledge good points made. I do want to comment that a lot of the players on the late draft hero list printed were Russian and/or European. At the time they were drafted (especially the Russians) there were huge challenges on getting them over here with the cold war and all. I remember the world junior squad with Segei, Alex and Pavel, and I guarantee that they would've gone first round if they were North American players. Some of those challenges still exist with other leagues (look at Malkin). In an NHL game, there are 17 players who get ice time, 4 lines of forwards, 3 defense pairs and a goalie. Obviously there are backups (especially in net) but if you take the 17 roster spots and figure that top end players will play abot 15 years in the show and mid-level players anywhere from 6-15. It doesn't take long to figure the that to get 16 of 17 roster spots would take the 2 top picks per year over 8 years. That doesn't factor in trades for veteran free agents who were top draft picks. I wish those guys luck...there has never been a Red River player in the show.

The rule is ammended now for host schools. Additionally it is a classless move, and as much as we like to rip the rodents, they are a class program and so is Delta Don. Why would any team in their right mind give a top-end opponent another reason to want to get out there and kick some a$$?

I have no problem punching a ticket for Zajac and Stafford because they are first round draft picks. The simple fact is that means a lot. There is a great old special that aired on cbc called "The road to the NHL" and really talked about the difference in what it took to make the show as a first rounder vs an undrafted player. It was enlightening. The undrafted player could score 2 points a game for 3 a week and get sent down, while the number one could go -20 for a month and stay up. As far as an NHL all star game for PK in 2 years...I certainly hope so. I think it will be more likely to see next year's MN recruit Erik Johnson in that game. Didn't Duluth have a big shooting, poor skating forward a couple years ago win the Hobey and not see an NHL rink for more than a day up to this point? High draft picks are more important than college stats...I think a mid-late first round pick about 6'2 200 lbs had 40 points as a freshman. Zajac 2005? yes, also Keith Tkachuk 1990 BU.

The saddest part is that CHucko will probably have a better shot at the NHL than a lot of guys we've discussed. He's got a big #1 draft pick sign. The league has rules around signing number one picks, so unless he has turned off the team so much that they are willing to let him go for nothing, they will have to pay him number 1 pick money. Once they pay out the dough, he will get every opportunity to prove he can't play, while other guys have to earn it by proving they can play.

I wish Potulny and Irmen all the best too. I am just trying to get the point across about how it takes more than a good season in college hockey to make it to the show. There are examples both ways as discussed, Jason Blake makes it while Brian Bonnin doesn't, Paul Martin makes it while Mike Crowley doesn't, etc. etc. When I say make it, I am refering to skating a regular shift in the NHL. A seasoned scout sees so much more than the average fan. How is this kids foot work, away from the puck, while getting ridden by a d man into the corner? How many goals scored would've been goals scored playing against NHL caliber defense and NHL caliber goaltending. A guy might score 38 goals, but his release might be poor, or he might have a gorgeous playmaker with him that might mean that only a handful were NHL caliber goals. COnversely, a guy might only score 15 goals, but 12 of them were with a lightening release with two defensemen all over him. It is a judgement call, and pro scouts make a lot of money for their judgment calls. I don't dispute enjoying Potulny in college, and the fact that NCAA is getting closer to the caliber of CHL play.

Eddie O a sniff in the NHL? The guy had like a 350 goal career in the NHL. That's a little more than a sniff. Yes there are individual examples such as Martin St Louis who make it, and there are first round busts. The bottom line for a hockey exec is to weigh the costs with the benefits. The costs to sign a first rounder are a lot bigger and are sunk. Might as well get some work out of someone you've already paid a lot. Kessel as the best player is still a joke. There are a number of players on several teams that are better players than Phil Kessel. Jack Johnson of Michigan who is coming to the Ralph is one. I can't dispute Kessel as a good player, he is. I give Irmen and Potulny props too. Facts are Facts, however, and the scouts know the business better than we do. Anyone for Irmen is ridiculous. Anyone in the minors is probably more appropriate.

The Bochenski/ Potulny comparison actually is pretty decent, and the point made well received. Bucks lit it up in the AHL skating with Spezza and even had a hat trick when he got called up to the show, but he hasn't had more than a cup of coffee despite all this. Welcome to big time hockey, if you aren't heavily invested in, it doesn't matter what you do at the AHL level. Look at Westrum, another great example. Size and skating get you a number one pick, and a number one pick gets you to the show. Unfair or not, that's the way it is.

I based my crystal ball on the historical likelihood of playing in the NHL when you are not a top draft pick. There is no way, again NO WAY that Ryan Potulny will skate in the NHL. Does he have an NHL shot? Sure, but not the mobility. If Philly is dying to sign him, it is to their AHL affiliate. Irmen is a grinder and has more of a chance, but again, not a #1 draft pick, limiting his chances. These guys both went in the 3rd round.

I would say odds of MN beating Holy Cross are in favor of Goldy 99 to 1. UND beating Michigan 70/30. UND and MN pretty much 50/50.

Potulny and Irmen lesser players than Stafford and Zajac? I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. New Jersey and Buffalo would probably disagree with you too. I will give props to Potulny for having an outstanding goal scoring year, but two or three years down the road Potulny will have hanged them up, Irmen will be kicking around in Houston, while Stafford and Zajac are flying first class in the NHL.