jk

Tessier is listed as being from Moncton, NB. Someone said: "I would expect that they may be given a second chance, though they may not deserve it." In what world should 15 year olds not be given a second chance? What should we do with them, write them off? People make stupid mistakes, and usually eventually they have to suffer the consequences, as these guys are no doubt doing. Imagine that phone call to your parents. In terms of their hockey careers, I would guess that someone somewhere will find room for them on a team, within Hockey Canada's rules. I don't know what it ultimately means to their chances of choosing the college route, but it doesn't seem like this development helps.

I don't agree on UND versus MN departures. Leopold is MN's great example of a player who stayed an extra year, and it paid off handsomely. There are plenty of good examples both ways. Jason Blake returned for his senior year. Hale, Greene and Smaby have all stayed for an extra year. For MN, Martin, Ballard, Taffe and Vanek all left early, similar to Commie, Parise, Bochesnki, etc. This last offseason, Greene was SO ready for the next level. Based on his play near the end of the year, Potulny seemed clearly not ready physically for a higher level of hockey. Fans of both teams would puke to even consider it, but the programs are more similar than different in this and other ways.

I love that line. I've talked about the phenomenon before, but never with such a great line. Of the two choices, I prefer the current strategy (which was made possible in large part by the building), but it's plenty tricky. As long as you keep bringing in the top talent, I think the window pretty much stays open. But if you have a down recruiting year, and all the top talent from the previous few years happens to leave early, you could have a pretty empty cupboard. I feel like UND is in a great position to compete for about the next three years, but after that probably all the early-round NHL picks currently on the team will be gone, and the years following will be dependent on continuing great classes.

Message board chatter has Genoway as a very smooth skater. Sorry, can't help much beyond that. 2007-08 is after graduation of the Stafford class (or whatever's left of it). It's interesting because this is the second 2007 offer we've learned of (Genoway and Mario). There will probably also be some early departures that Summer, so I wouldn't mind getting a few names on the sheet. Hmm ... Zajac says his brother is chippy, while sitting next to Prpich, who is a senior. Your Fighting Sioux agitator replacement?

I've now read the stories. The story detailing TJ's career and personal development is really terrific. PCM, I don't know what your day job is, but you could do this for a living. This story was very, very well written. Thanks. Oh yeah, and is anyone else getting pumped for hockey??

I'll read the article in a moment, but I have to comment on the photo accompanying the "Controversy" article: Now THAT is hockey hair. Way to go TJ.

I send them e-mails from time-to-time praising them for their entertaining work. Seriously. I'm pleased to have another place to go for college hockey reading, and some of their stuff is very funny. They showed their much-noted (here) anti-UND bias by predicted them to finish second in the WCHA this year. I can't believe they picked UND lower than first.

It's an old rule, but a good one: Don't post in anger or frustration after a loss. I still think it's perfectly appropriate for Grand Forks to deny a casino in town, but closing down all the Native American programs at UND out of spite is probably a little too much. Still, UND would need to examine its mission, and where Native American programs fit into it. If the name is gone, is there still a special relationship that suggests having such a focus on Native American higher education? Maybe the answer is yes, but perhaps to a more limited degree. UND should focus on excelling on issues that are important to the state, where UND can make a difference in the state's future. To me, the biggest issue facing the state in the previous and next decade is the death of the "farming way of life," with all the economic and cultural after-effects. Basically, for a number of generations, families farmed and the state's economy and culture were built around this fact. All across the state, farmers are aging, retiring and dying, leaving empty farmsteads; the towns that used to support them are withering away. NDSU has the "farming" aspect of the issue well-covered. The land will still be farmed, ever more efficiently thanks to NDSU. It's the after-effects that seem more important to me. What does the state look like when the century-long foundation of its structure is gone? UND should help the state move to whatever it will be for the next century. It seems to me that business acumen will be key in this post-farming century, so UND should focus on its business school and entrepreneurship. What industries can flourish in a place that is, frankly, pretty difficult to live in for a third of the year? Wired businesses, where information and communication travel, while the people are warm and cozy inside. UND should focus on information technology. Energy is ever more important to the country, and North Dakota has abundant capabilities below the earth's surface and above it (the lovely wind). Unfortunately, it's hard to store and transport energy efficiently to other parts of the country. UND should focus on energy technology, to help the state become an energy powerhouse (because the wind's not going to stop blowing till Minnesota stops sucking). UND has well-established medical, legal and aviation programs, and should continue to play to these strengths. In addition, it could focus on business, information and energy to help the state move to the post-agriculture era. I don't see Native American studies on my list. Absent a special relationship, UND should focus its resources elsewhere. Other people may have a different list of priorities for the state, but I'm not sure Native American studies are going to wind up being crucial to the state's future on most lists.

I don't think I've ever posted in the name forum, and I probably shouldn't now, but ... I think I agree that, if the name ultimately is changed, economic retaliation would be appropriate. For those that think it's childish, I would say that nearly all decisions are about money in the real world, and it's childish to think otherwise. There would certainly not be a Native American casino in Grand Forks, and I would have the state sanction some limited gambling of a similar nature to compete directly with the existing casinos. All those Native American programs at UND - gone, with the savings used to fund the logo change. The medical school program - gone, along with the controversy. With no University connection to Native American culture, I don't see any reason for special programs. Harsh, but that's what I think.

It's pretty clear they were trying to spread it around to all the leagues and recognize some niche players. Considering their approach, I think the Sioux players who had a shot of making the team were Prpich, to fill the role of agitator and penalty killer, and Smaby, to add a bone-crushing defensive defenseman. By the way, anyone remember Smaby tossing guys around like rag dolls during the playoff run last year? I think he was just as effective physically as Greene (near heresy I know) but spent less time in the box. I hope he's ready to play 30 minutes a game this year.

"Mulock was a league leader in the Western Hockey League last year - in collecting pine needles in his hind-quarters while splitting the year with the Giants and Pats. The six-foot, 180 pound centre spent much of last season watching from the bench. He saw limited ice time over 71 games, and collected seven goals and 12 assists. He added an assist in four playoff matches." ----------------------- This was from an old story, as he's entering his third BCHL year now. One of the sad cases where a player chooses major junior, rides the bench, then has to go another route, with no NCAA eligibility left. Well, maybe he has some eligibility: He played two years in the WHL, so he'd have to sit two years, plus at least 71 additional games for his second WHL year. It looks like he might have to sit out his freshman, sophomore and junior years, and he might become eligible sometime in March of his senior year.

Five days until the exhibition game, and a week until "Meet the Sioux." Anybody have any idea what we have for a team this year? From a pure talent standpoint, this team probably has six NHL first-round draft picks and three second-rounders. ("Probably" includes Toews being drafted in the first round, which isn't assured but seems reasonable at this point.) Of eighteen skaters, nine will be first or second rounders. That's just sick. Has anyone ever heard of that much pure talent on one college team before? It's possible that in ten years perhaps half of those players will be in the NHL and we'll look back amazed that they were on the same team. Here's the downside: They may ultimately be among the most talented teams in NCAA history, but barely in the top half of the league this year. All that talent is extremely young by NCAA standards. This is the extreme example, but Jon Toews, when he's 22, may well be better than 99% of the players in college hockey this year. Unfortunately, that's five years from now, and he's just a shadow of the player he'll be then. Even elder statesman Drew Stafford, a junior this year, is still just 19. One of the tired old message board disputes discusses a hypothetical matchup between a major junior team and a college team. Part of the support for the college team is that, while it may be less talented, it is usually a few years older, on average. This season's UND team may be as close as we get to seeing this matchup, as you could view UND this year as a super-talented major junior team. There are a few older players, like Fabian and Prpich, but mostly this team is stacked with elite teenagers. There have been a lot of good college teams, championship teams, that won with 21, 22, 23 year old players. One even won a title with NO NHL draft picks, let alone first and second rounders. Of course the defense is especially young. Their potential is intriguing, especially the potential to move the puck a little better than we have seen in a number of years. But consider the skates they have to fill: as of today, Matt Jones, Matt Greene and Andy Schneider are still up with the big clubs at their NHL training camps. I don't think any will make their NHL clubs out of camp (and I could be wrong), but all three are very nearly NHL players. That's how good the defense was last year. Anyway, it should be very interesting to watch the young guys move closer and closer to their potential; there should be some real flashes of brilliance. But it could also be ugly at times, against the usual suspects, but also against some teams with older, experienced players like Mankato, Tech and UAA. So we may have to be patient and hope they come together in time to make a run.

Just because Mario apparently decided to play for Tri-City this year doesn't mean anything for 2006 or 2007 (on this I think I agree with Kermit). The Mueller comparison is a good one, and we'll have to wait a season to see how similar their situations ultimately are. Mueller is an ultra-elite talent, and he had basically run out of places to play, as an amatuer. He had pretty well dominated at the USNDT, and he probably would not have been sufficiently challenged in the USHL. He hadn't finished high school, so college wasn't an option. That left only the WHL. Mario was 7-15-22 and -7 last year in 59 games, so obviously he hasn't outgrown the USHL. He'll still be well challenged there this year, so he made a good choice this Fall, IMO. He was also the youngest player on his team by a fair stretch last year, so he has a good chance of having a better year this year. If he in fact has a great year this year, then he'll have a pretty tough choice next year: play another year in the USHL, where he was already great, or step up a level in competition by heading to the WHL. If he's "just" solid this year, then the path to college would seem clear, after dominating the USHL in 06'07 (hopefully). As an aside, both Kessel and Toews would have been in Mueller's predicament this year had they not successfully accelerated their schooling. Also, just because I'm mentioning Mueller, Kessel and Toews in this thread doesn't mean I think Mario is that kind of a prospect. I've never seen most of the guys play, so I really have no idea.

I believe Foyt was a recruited walk-on; he was invited to come play for the team, but without a scholarship. There was some press in the town he played junior hockey in about him coming to play for the Sioux that Fall.

No offense to anyone posting in threads about the Sioux name, or satellite and internet coverage, or tickets and roadtrips, but is there anything hockey-related going on? Did any players pull a "Bulldog:" sitting on their parents' couch drinking beer all Summer long? Anyone come back in killer shape, ready to have a breakout year? Have the freshmen fit right in during Summer skates, or conversely looked out of place? Are we in for a serious rebuilding year, or can the team mature quickly enough to compete a little ways into the Spring?

Duncan and Finley average 6' 1/2" and 191 pounds. Looks pretty routine.

I've never seen Martens play, but my impression was that he has soft hands and is more a slick player than a grinder like Kaip or McMahon. I guess we'll see. (Although we might not see too much this year, since playing time will be very competitive.) As for McMahon, I thought he was a pretty hot commodity when he was recruited; I'm guessing he had a nice scholarship.

Prpich and Greene playing through significant injuries in the postseason helped to drive the team to its near-greatness, from what I heard. In addition, both Prpich and Fabian are older, which could aid a captaincy. I see those two with good chances of wearing a letter.

I believe school has started at UND, which means dryland training and then captains' practices soon. Last year's "C", Greene, and "A"s, Schneider, Jones and McMahon, have moved on. So, who will run the captains' practices? There aren't many upperclassmen, so I assume the list of candidates includes Prpich, Fabian, Porter, Stafford, Zajac and Smaby. Any ideas?

The news that his recovery is progressing well is super. The article also gives us a few answers about the plan for the near future. He can skate and work out now, and his next check-up is in about six months, or near the end of February. Even if he were cleared to play then, it's hard to imagine a scenario where it would make sense to add a player for the last few weeks of the season. So now he can concentrate on recovering, and hopefully be cleared to play and be his usual mini-tower of strength again beginning in the Fall of 2006.

This makes the Finley commitment even more important. Good luck to Dowzak; it might end up being a good move for him.

Barry's also a good buddy of our very own former captain Matt Greene.

Congratulations to Matt and good luck. Thanks for anchoring a spot in UND's chain of pro-style defensemen: Commodore for three years, Hale for three years, Greene for three years. Smaby is next while Finley matures, and on and on.

Patience. Let FSU lead the charge for a little while and see how things start to settle. There's nothing wrong with taking a little extra time to survey the landscape before deciding on the best course of action.

My point is that being named to a position doesn't mean success necessarily follows. I'm a fan of Gretzky the player, and he seems to be a nice, humble person as well. It just seems like you are reaching a bit on the list; I personally think the Olympic and World Cup wins are his only real off-ice accomplishments. Since you asked, my area of expertise is pretending, on message boards, to know something.