as15

Haha, thinking the same thing.

St. Louis wins 4-3, Oshie took quite a few big hits this game but was his usual scrappy self. Blues are looking pretty good.

I am a die-hard hockey fan, especially of the Sioux and I have been to many Utah Grizzlies games, who play in the ECHL, and it isn't the greatest hockey. If a team was in Grand Forks I more than likely would not go to any games. I think having a big time college program and a very good USHL team is enough in terms of hockey for North Dakota.

I said that an advantage for players to play Midgets instead of Juniors is that they can still attend high school in their hometown. You disputed that by saying they would have to make to Grand Forks and get an guardian or something. I then brought up the Nick Schmaltz example saying he drives to Chicago a couple times a week to practice with his Midget team. The answer to your question would be absolutely yes. There are 6-8 players from Bemidji that drive to TRF twice a week to skate on the hockey teadmill, I think if they are willing to do that they would be willing to make basically the same trip to Grand Forks to practice with the Midget team. I think it would be pretty easy to get this team together with just local kids. All the Grand Forks schools, Fargo schools, Moorhead, TRF, Grafton, Bemidji, Crookston, Detroit Lakes and maybe Roseau and Warroad as well. I would be very surprised if there isn't 20 players out of just those communities that would want to play Midget.

Not really, look at what Nick Schmaltz has been doing the last few years. Lives in Verona, WI and commutes to practice in Chicago. He still attends HS in Verona.

Midgets is different because those players can still attend high school in their home town. They only practice a couple times a week.

As been stated before, I really think this will have a huge impact on recruiting for UND. The majority of American player's outside of MN and ND, play midget hockey. Get those players up to Grand Forks a few times a year when they are younger, give the players a chance to see the arena, a game and the city. Maybe they even become fans.

Good choice by the Ranger's. He will be much more effective than John Scott, unless this game turns into the Pens-Flyers game of last night.

I'm going to compare him to Lindros....Except Lindros had real injuries if I recall. Crosby didn't have real injuries? He just felt like missing 100 games the last 2 years with fake ones, I guess.

He has been my pick to get the job since this whole process started.

You are right, it happens very often in other sports. It happens in hockey too, just not that often. The most recent one is Johnny Gaudreau, committed to Northeastern, coach left, then ended up playing for BC. I can't remember anyone else though. This is kind of different though, moving from a smaller program to a very large one. I wouldn't be too worried about any of our recruits jumping ship to Mankato, Major Junior's on the other hand....

Signed LOI, unless you are referring to Windsor.

It says his brother is coming this fall, and he (Nick) is going to Green Bay.

Wow I stand corrected, I could've sworn he played in the AHL during the 08-09 season but I guess I'm wrong. I wonder why he played in so few NHL games that year?

What worries me is that the NYI's seem to rush prospects. Look at what they did to Nino, he has spent the last 2 year's playing 4th line minutes in the NHL, doing nothing in terms of development. He was the 5th overall pick 2 years ago. I'm all for generating excitement for your franchise but if it comes by stunting a player's development then it is absolutely not worth it. I hope this doesn't happen to Brock and they let him develop in the AHL before calling him up. With that being said, I agree with your statement. If you are ready to contribute at the NHL level, then turn pro. I think Oshie's situation (playing half in the AHL and half in the NHL during your first year) should be the minimum opportunity in terms of player's leaving early, otherwise come back until you will be able to contrubute.

Those guys almost played full time in the NHL during their first 3 years, therefore got paid an NHL salary almost the entire time (Oshie played almost half of his rookie year in the minors). I would think Brock spends the majority of next year in the AHL, making an AHL salary.

I remember way back when the Islander's wouldn't pressure Brock Nelson, look how that turned out.

I really think that with those players listed that this team would've been without a doubt the best team in the country. Take a look at these lines; Gregoire-Knight-Hextall a top-10 line in the country two years ago. Gregoire best overall player in the country. Nelson-Grimaldi-Kristo probably the best line in the country MacMillan-Rowney-Miller either this or BC's 3rd line is best 3rd line in the country Rodwell-Lamoureux-Parks very good energy/grinder line, could put O'Donnell here for more offense Kreider led BC with 45 points. Gregoire, Knight, Nelson, Grimaldi, and Kristo would all have had over 45 points in this lineup.

Its either July 1st or June 1st for player's using the loophole (Kristo, Gregoire, probably Schultz) to become free agent's. August 1st is when graduating senior's will become free agents if not signed.

Get lucky.

I bet 90% of the player's that didn't stay at least 3 years, were 1st rounders or undrafted.

Unless you are a sure-fire NHL player, and just need to refine your game a bit, I would choose the CHL, but there aren't very many of those kinds of players. Most CHL player's play what would be there freshman and sophomore year's at the college level. How many player's are ready to make the jump to the NHL after their sophomore year of college? Not very many, maybe a few players a year, that is why I like the college route better. How many of those CHL player's would've benefited from playing two more years (in college rather than the CHL) before heading to the pro league's? I would guess an extremely large amount. What if Matt Frattin played in the CHL instead of UND? Would he be NHL ready after two year's in the CHL? Absolutely not, he was an above-average college player after his sophomore year, nowhere near NHL ready. Many players just need time to develop, college hockey gives them that, the CHL does not.

I remember reading an article a few years back saying how the CHL education packages only pay out the amount of tuition of the school that is closest to his hometown. So in Bittner's case he would get tuition for UM-Crookston, which is about $10,000 a year. That really limits a player on where he can go to school. You will not find many 4-year institutions that are less than $10,000 a year in tuition, and if he is going to finance his education solely with that money, it basically guarantees he has to go to school in Minnesota, ND, SD, or Wisconsin. I also want to say that the player get's one year of tuition paid for every year they are in the league.

With his contract I can see him playing alot of time in the NHL next year. As weird as it is, several NHL teams are very near the cap floor and have a hard time staying above it, the Islander's are one of them. Having an ELC loaded with incentives like Brock's, will allow the team a little more roster flexibility in terms of staying above the cap floor.

I would say right now it is between him or Nathan MacKinnon for 1st overall, but alot can change in a year.