scpa0305

Actually he is....because his program is known for developing high quality NHL players...that is the sole attraction (besides the Ralph) of coming to UND for most players. But you kind of noted that in the second part of your post.

Yes....obviosuly. I was talking about potential line-ups and why I think Grimaldi should play wing (this year), because our team is stacked but we need his skill set in the top 6.

I really like this lineup....except St. Clair will move up to a third liner at some point during the season.

Maybe....but name one tiny (and I mean tiny) center that ever played in the NHL. Because Rocco will get his shot at the NHL. It's too tough for little guys like that to win faceoffs against giants. By tiny, I mean the Gerbe's, St. Louis's, Blake's, Fleury's, etc. Guys under 5'8''.

Well because, there is no way Rowney sits as a bottom six forward (only if he struggles to start the year). The guy was top 2-3 during the second half last year. He scored 18 goals last year (9 on the PP) and he was playing with two freshman. I also believe he had like 1-2 points before the first 15 games. You also don't put Grimaldi in a bottom 6 role. Hak knows all this...so I believe he'll keep both of them in a top 6 role. One will simply have to learn to play wing and I believe that will be Grimaldi as he is tiny.

I have heard that too but he is way too small to play center in the league so he better learn how to play wing in college.

Yes I like yours way better. That top line SHOULD happen; I don't know why anyone would mess with that 2nd line after last year (plus there is no way you move Rowney off the 2nd line to start the year) and the rest of those lines are nice.

Actually I rode an elevator with MacMillan and Corban Night at last year's Final Five and Mark is a legit 6'1''. I am a conservative 5'11'' and he was definitely taller than me. I also bet he was like 175 at the end of last year. Hopefully going into this year he can at least get up to 180-185 lbs. He is slender though.

Who is the point man for that red team (on the PP I believe)....he needs to come to visit.

Fair. I like your added assessments....but his rebound control I will hold at my very low rating. Lucky for him he had Blood, Macw., and crew to swat away those rebounds. Your exactly right about the big play ability. He never bailed his team out that much....he could make the first save on an average shot but could not get to the upper corners quickly nor was he great with breakaways. But, again, I agree with your assessments.

And then the year he bolted from MN he went on to be an AHL all-star and (I believe) AHL goalie of the year...could be wrong on the second piece. Either way, almost got called up to the show until he imploded the next year.

True....that can be said with all positions within the game. I grew up with some really good hockey players....but they simply couldn't bring it that much. A lot changes when hockey becomes your job.

I know a scout and he has said the same thing many times...what is different now, from 10-20 year ago, is that there are a lot of good goalies who have great fundamentals. Most likely because they focus on one sport, or play year round, or are trained from day 1. But they have to because the game has evolved so much. But, there are always the new types of goalies that make me reconsider this....Rinne, Quick, etc.

Sorry to rain on your parade but the goalies you listed (I believe that was you) were great goalies on some pretty terrible teams before the made in further professionally. This simply weren't noticed or were drafted and stuck behind layers of good goalies in the minors. There is a big difference, Dell was on a great team. Lets get one thing straight here, while Dell wasn't terrible for us (except for the beginning of last year) by no means was he an absolute stud. He is a big goalie with above average positioning but has major puck control problems which most people that pay a lot of attention to the game can see. This is most likely why no AHL team signed him and why he bounced to the E a year early....because Gothberg will end of stealing his job and he will be out of other options.

Yes, I believe they played for the team (could be wrong though).

I believe he plays in Austria, where he makes much more than he would in the E. He won the ECHL goalie of the year a few years back as well.

Hahaha, funny nickname. But yes....Phil was much better.

There are some good goalies in there.

We'll have to agree to disagree. His positioning is slightly above average but his rebound control was well below average. He played good this year in the playoffs and I felt he played really well against U Mich in the Nat'l Championship two years ago. But to say he is as good as you are saying I cannot agree with. Also, Phil L. was better than Dell.

Actually, now that I read your post, I still slightly disagree, because more and more kids ARE steered the major junior route. Hopefully with these fines coming down there will be a more level playing field. Also, more and more Europeans ARE coming to the CHL. For time's sake, google the last 3-4 drafts and check out where the kids came from and/or where they are going to play. From a kid I skate with that played for the NTDP a couple years back, their "advisors (or agents I call them)" really push hard for the real good kids to go play in the CHL. But you are correct in that a small amount of top end kids do come to the NCAA, hopefully that number continues to grow again. I miss the middle 2,000's where a decent number of top end kids started coming to college...then as fast as it started, it stopped. On the filp side, I'm starting to notice that more and more late bloomers are coming out of college and really making an impact in the pros. I like that as well.

Sorry, you're right....I didn't read the entire post. My bad. I have simply been reading the same biased posts for 3 months now so I assumed you would be bashing major junior and saying how college hockey is the best way to go. I read your post....makes sense.

Yeah, this makes sense. He may only have a year left in school so he can always get that done relatively quickly. And you are correct, I believe if he would have struggled early at all (like last year's debacle) he would have lost his job for good. Makes sense.

While I believe Gothberg will come out the starter, I agree with your statement. Let him and Saunders split time until one of them proves they should be the starter. Should be fun to watch.

So I have felt the whole time that we are getting a goalie in Gothberg that will be an instant improvement over Dell. I also know that Saunders is supposed to be a hard worker and could challenge for some minutes; but what absolutely blows my mind is that Dell left for the ECHL....who does that? I mean, I have absolutely no concerns with him leaving, but I am more interested with his thought process. Yes he had decent stats here but it was only because of the team in front of him (as many teams he worked with obviously found out this summer). I still find it shocking that he takes off for the ECHL, I simply have never heard of this. Does anyone know if he was finished with school?

So the rumor is they also tried to lure the Schmaltz bros...I wonder if they cooperated with the investigation? Subsequently, Jordan Schmaltz (1 rd pick) was cut in the first round from the U-20 tryout camp....everyone knows the Development team is run by guys who love the CHL/NHL. Just speculation only but I'm still having a real hard time grasping that Schmaltz was cut that early when he is a legit blue chip prospect but yet they keep some 3rd and 4th rounders. He should have been the 2nd or third best dman on the team, let along not making the top 7.