Reloading Thread

[fightingsioux4life]

my biggest gripe with Hak over the 4 years he's been coach is that on numerous occasions his teams haven't come ready to play, maybe it's players attitudes maybe it's something else. I hate comparisons but how many time sunder Blais did a team not come ready to play, especially in the biggets games of the year, not very many. Under Blais if a player didn't play well and was lazy he sat them no matter who it was-this is what I would like to see from Hak is more if you don't come ready to play you sit. It almost seems that the "star" players have a spot in the lineup unless they are injured no matter their play. again talent alone won't win a title but hard work will.

I have been thinking the same things since the train wreck last Thursday. Blais and his coaching staff were very good at pushing the right buttons at the right times, which is one of the most important parts of being a coach in any sport at any level. If the team had an off-night on Friday (which didn't happen very often), the team usually came out on Saturday clicking on all cylinders. Blais even sat Jason Blake in 1997 in Colorado Springs for the Saturday game because he didn't like Blake's defensive game (or lack thereof). That was also Karl Goehring's coming out party as a freshman, in case anyone's memory needs some help.

Also, this pre-lockout NHL style of hockey has to go. This team looks more like the Minnesota Wild every year that Hakstol is in charge. It might work in the regular season, but once you get into the playoffs, you are not going to shut down every team you play. You have to score goals and you have to have forward depth that can put pressure on the opposing team's defensemen and goaltender. That also increases puck possession time and takes pressure off of your own defensemen and goaltender. Boston College right now looks like the North Dakota teams of 1997-2001. As I recall, those teams hung a lot of banners in the old REA.

As Tom Dennis said in the Saturday, April 12th editorial in the Heraldo, 95% of what it takes to win a national title is there. But if the other 5% doesn't fall into place, we will continue to come up short in March or April.

[yzerman19]

While I can understand the direction these thoughts are coming from, even with perfect hindsight, I can not think of who I would've benched, let alone when throughout the season in order to try and get more out of them.

Early on? Considering our longest losing streak this year was a whopping 2 games, I don't see where we needed a big time adjustment.

Later? We rode an 18 game unbeaten streak!! Are you saying that you'd have benched a regular when you're on that kind of roll?

I think that we were just short this year. Maybe we peaked too early, who knows.

I do know that we weren't our best this playoffs. I also know that the only team that we faced who had a winning record against us was the national champion at 1-0-1.

We had a very good year. I just think that we ran out of gas or something down the stretch.

Maybe the game was too easy for some of these guys, and they lost interest. Maybe they needed to get their a$$es kicked in February or March to inspire them.

[Oxbow6]

Also, this pre-lockout NHL style of hockey has to go. This team looks more like the Minnesota Wild every year that Hakstol is in charge. It might work in the regular season, but once you get into the playoffs, you are not going to shut down every team you play. You have to score goals and you have to have forward depth that can put pressure on the opposing team's defensemen and goaltender. That also increases puck possession time and takes pressure off of your own defensemen and goaltender. Boston College right now looks like the North Dakota teams of 1997-2001. As I recall, those teams hung a lot of banners in the old REA.

As Tom Dennis said in the Saturday, April 12th editorial in the Heraldo, 95% of what it takes to win a national title is there. But if the other 5% doesn't fall into place, we will continue to come up short in March or April.

BINGO!! And that is why they have been to 3 straight Championship games. They skate, they are fast and they can score. Was also suprised by how physical they were. If you can't catch them, you can't hit them. UND needs more speed and scorers to get to where they want to go which is to win those last 2 game at the Frozen Four.

[dagies]

my biggest gripe with Hak over the 4 years he's been coach is that on numerous occasions his teams haven't come ready to play, maybe it's players attitudes maybe it's something else. I hate comparisons but how many time sunder Blais did a team not come ready to play, especially in the biggets games of the year, not very many. Under Blais if a player didn't play well and was lazy he sat them no matter who it was-this is what I would like to see from Hak is more if you don't come ready to play you sit. It almost seems that the "star" players have a spot in the lineup unless they are injured no matter their play. again talent alone won't win a title but hard work will.

Hmmm.

I remember a dominant Blais team getting whacked by an underwhelming Denver club with ugly uniforms back in the Target Center in the Final Five. Then there are a couple depressing regional losses by those dominant teams. Teams that rolled through the regular season with impunity.

Blais was a great coach, but his teams weren't flawless nor should he be considered that way.

[fightingsioux4life]

While I can understand the direction these thoughts are coming from, even with perfect hindsight, I can not think of who I would've benched, let alone when throughout the season in order to try and get more out of them.

Early on? Considering our longest losing streak this year was a whopping 2 games, I don't see where we needed a big time adjustment.

Later? We rode an 18 game unbeaten streak!! Are you saying that you'd have benched a regular when you're on that kind of roll?

I think that we were just short this year. Maybe we peaked too early, who knows.

I do know that we weren't our best this playoffs. I also know that the only team that we faced who had a winning record against us was the national champion at 1-0-1.

We had a very good year. I just think that we ran out of gas or something down the stretch.

Maybe the game was too easy for some of these guys, and they lost interest. Maybe they needed to get their a$$es kicked in February or March to inspire them.

I only used the Jason Blake incident as one example of how Blais pushed the right buttons with players to get the most out of them. I am not saying it would have worked with this team. And while our longest losing streak in the first half of the year was two games, we also split a bunch of weekends (home and away). That is a sign of inconsistency and players not being ready to play night in and night out. We developed some consistency in the second half, but that didn't hold up for the playoffs. And that is what ultimately caught up with us in Denver. And if we ran out of gas down the stretch, it means that we don't have enough depth (especially up front) right now to finish a playoff run with a championship. That is something that needs to be addressed by the coaching staff in recruiting strategy and philosophy.

[fightingsioux4life]

Hmmm.

I remember a dominant Blais team getting whacked by an underwhelming Denver club with ugly uniforms back in the Target Center in the Final Five. Then there are a couple depressing regional losses by those dominant teams. Teams that rolled through the regular season with impunity.

Blais was a great coach, but his teams weren't flawless nor should he be considered that way.

Nobody is saying Blais was perfect or that his teams were flawless. But for the most part, his teams were prepared (mentally and physically) to play, whether it was against Michigan Tech or Minnesota. And the games you mentioned were not blowout losses like the one we endured last week. The Denver game was a one goal loss in the 1999 Final Five title game. The two regional losses were by one goal to Michigan in 1998 (at Yost Ice Arena) and a two goal loss in 1999 against Boston College (one goal if you discount the empty-netter). Yes, those losses were disappointing, but I don't think it happened as much back then as it does now. This season, I would go to The Ralph on Saturday night after a Friday night win and often wonder if the same team would show up again so we could sweep at home. When that happens as often as it did this season, there is a definite problem with consistency that I think must be addressed.

[brianvf]

PCM's Coaches Show Recap: Season Finale

http://boardsroom.blogspot.com/2008/04/sea...ux-coaches.html

On whether Oshie, Duncan, Chorney, Finley and Kozek will leave early:

Those guys have decisions to make. We

[sagard]

One thing those who long for the Dean Blais days need to remember how much more competitive the coaching ranks are now in the WCHA. Blais started his fantastic run taking on Woog, Sertich and Sauer in their later years. While they were still capable, they were starting to slip. Gwozdecky was getting the rink built and DU wasn't really as dangerous as they would become. Lucia was of course very good at CC, but now they have a new rink and really haven't dropped off under Owens.

It sure seems like the WCHA coaches are pretty much killing each other over recruits. Blais would no doubt be fine again in the WCHA, but the days of four league titles in five seasons are over in my opinion. Four Frozen Fours in a row is a pretty fine accomplishment as most of you know. As soon as you guys don't run into DU or BC in the playoffs, I'm thinking your set.

[jukenjive27]

One thing those who long for the Dean Blais days need to remember how much more competitive the coaching ranks are now in the WCHA. Blais started his fantastic run taking on Woog, Sertich and Sauer in their later years. While they were still capable, they were starting to slip. Gwozdecky was getting the rink built and DU wasn't really as dangerous as they would become. Lucia was of course very good at CC, but now they have a new rink and really haven't dropped off under Owens.

It sure seems like the WCHA coaches are pretty much killing each other over recruits. Blais would no doubt be fine again in the WCHA, but the days of four league titles are over in my opinion. Four Frozen Fours in a row is a pretty fine accomplishment as most of you know. As soon as you guys don't run into DU or BC in the playoffs, I'm thinking your set.

It's not really a fact of who we run into, we can beat BC and DU, we have proved that, but the fact of the matter is the team has to come to play, like thursday they didn't come to play and totally !@#$ their pants, which I think is the reason why so many people are disappointed, not the fact that they lost, if the sioux had played the best they could and lost, I would not be so disappointed.

[siouxweet]

Michigan wa supposedly to have a rebuilding year this year and they brought in 12 freshman, look what they did. If we can keep our losses to a minnimum this could be a very good year. every year hak's been here they've moved up the WCHA standings:

2005-5th

2006-4th

2007-3rd

2008-2nd

2009-1st?

[Big A HG]

Michigan wa supposedly to have a rebuilding year this year and they brought in 12 freshman, look what they did. If we can keep our losses to a minnimum this could be a very good year. every year hak's been here they've moved up the WCHA standings:

2005-5th

2006-4th

2007-3rd

2008-2nd

2009-1st?

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but Michigan finished the same as us this year.

[siouxweet]

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but Michigan finished the same as us this year.

they do have a conference championship banner to hang-something we don't.

[Big A HG]

they do have a conference championship banner to hang-something we don't.

I knew that would get brought up, but they do not play in our conference and not much thought is put into a conference title whether it's a regular season or playoff banner. Their season was a disappointment because they didn't win the title. The elite teams want national championships.

If we win a conference title and don't win the national championship...it would be a disappointing season.

[yzerman19]

I only used the Jason Blake incident as one example of how Blais pushed the right buttons with players to get the most out of them. I am not saying it would have worked with this team. And while our longest losing streak in the first half of the year was two games, we also split a bunch of weekends (home and away). That is a sign of inconsistency and players not being ready to play night in and night out. We developed some consistency in the second half, but that didn't hold up for the playoffs. And that is what ultimately caught up with us in Denver. And if we ran out of gas down the stretch, it means that we don't have enough depth (especially up front) right now to finish a playoff run with a championship. That is something that needs to be addressed by the coaching staff in recruiting strategy and philosophy.

Totally agree. Without Trupp, after the first line, we fell off, BIG TIME. Kozek scored 18 goals, most while playing with Osh and Duncs. Vande scored some goals, again most while playing with Osh and Duncs.

Problem was after Oshie, we had ZERO play making super stars. Duncs and Kozek are snipers. They are not playmakers, they are goal scorers pure and simple.

Trupp can make plays, but it was pretty clear that he was a good freshman playmaker, not a good WCHA playmaker. He wasn't a Toews or Parise (to his credit, no one claimed he would be, and Toews and Parise are clearly one in a decade kinda talent).

Accompanying our lack of scoring depth was defensive corps that other than Zach Jones and Joe FInley pre-playoffs, was fairly ineffective in our defensive zone. CHorney and Bina were ok defensively, but they were clearly much more offensive oriented. Genoway was a stud offensively, but not so good in our end. Marto and Lapoint were freshmen who made freshmen mistakes on both sides of the rink. I think both showed some offensive upside and some defensive downside. Although I think Marto improved dramatically towards the end of the season.

This was not the team, and it was not the year. No Biggie. As I stated before, the 2005-2006 team with 6 #1 draft picks and 3 #2 draft picks...Stafford, Zajac, Toews, Oshie, Finley, Lee, Chorney, Kozek, Smaby was really the deepest team talent-wise. On top of those 9 huge prospects, we also had a guy who is playing pro in Europe (Spirko) a future hobey winner in Duncan, and great character guys like Porter, Kaip, Fabian and Prpich...How did we lose that year????

[yzerman19]

Big A,

I understand what you're getting at with that pic at the bottom of your posts, but man, it is hard to see 2 BC champs, 2 DU champs and 2 Gopher champs on there!

[Goon]

Big A,

I understand what you're getting at with that pic at the bottom of your posts, but man, it is hard to see 2 BC champs, 2 DU champs and 2 Gopher champs on there!

It's symbolism, we are tired of watching other teams hoist the championship, now is the time for UND.

[Sterling]

Nobody is saying Blais was perfect or that his teams were flawless. But for the most part, his teams were prepared (mentally and physically) to play, whether it was against Michigan Tech or Minnesota. And the games you mentioned were not blowout losses like the one we endured last week. The Denver game was a one goal loss in the 1999 Final Five title game. The two regional losses were by one goal to Michigan in 1998 (at Yost Ice Arena) and a two goal loss in 1999 against Boston College (one goal if you discount the empty-netter). Yes, those losses were disappointing, but I don't think it happened as much back then as it does now. This season, I would go to The Ralph on Saturday night after a Friday night win and often wonder if the same team would show up again so we could sweep at home. When that happens as often as it did this season, there is a definite problem with consistency that I think must be addressed.

Anyone who makes any comparison between Blais and Hakstol is completely out of touch...there is no comparison until Hakstol achieves something worthy of comparison. The only coach he can be compared to right now is Doug Woog, both made it 4 straight but Woog won WCHA titles. Hakstol hasn't won anything despite having the best facilities in the world as a recruting tool. After next year he won't deserve another year at UND.

[Sterling]

This was not the team, and it was not the year. No Biggie. As I stated before, the 2005-2006 team with 6 #1 draft picks and 3 #2 draft picks...Stafford, Zajac, Toews, Oshie, Finley, Lee, Chorney, Kozek, Smaby was really the deepest team talent-wise. On top of those 9 huge prospects, we also had a guy who is playing pro in Europe (Spirko) a future hobey winner in Duncan, and great character guys like Porter, Kaip, Fabian and Prpich...How did we lose that year????

Isn't the answer obvious?

[yzerman19]

Are you referring to Jordan Parise's fabulous .400 sv % in the first period of the semifinal vs BC or are you hinting at Mr. Hakstol's shortcomings?

[stickboy1956]

Anyone who makes any comparison between Blais and Hakstol is completely out of touch...there is no comparison until Hakstol achieves something worthy of comparison. The only coach he can be compared to right now is Doug Woog, both made it 4 straight but Woog won WCHA titles. Hakstol hasn't won anything despite having the best facilities in the world as a recruting tool. After next year he won't deserve another year at UND.

I don't see a 17-22-0 or a 15-19-9 season anytime soon, which is why Woog was fired, 10 years after his 4 straight F4 run.

The only reason Hak isn't still the coach 10 years from now is that he has moved on/up.

[buckysieve]

I don't see a 17-22-0 or a 15-19-9 season anytime soon, which is why Woog was fired, 10 years after his 4 straight F4 run.

The only reason Hak isn't still the coach 10 years from now is that he has moved on/up.

If Blais can go 16-19-2('02) then so can Hakstol. That same year BC had a down year and missed the NCAA's and obviously the Gophers had a down year this year finishing seventh. It can happen to the best of programs.

[THETRIOUXPER]

Totally agree. Without Trupp, after the first line, we fell off, BIG TIME. Kozek scored 18 goals, most while playing with Osh and Duncs. Vande scored some goals, again most while playing with Osh and Duncs.

Problem was after Oshie, we had ZERO play making super stars. Duncs and Kozek are snipers. They are not playmakers, they are goal scorers pure and simple.

Trupp can make plays, but it was pretty clear that he was a good freshman playmaker, not a good WCHA playmaker. He wasn't a Toews or Parise (to his credit, no one claimed he would be, and Toews and Parise are clearly one in a decade kinda talent).

Accompanying our lack of scoring depth was defensive corps that other than Zach Jones and Joe FInley pre-playoffs, was fairly ineffective in our defensive zone. CHorney and Bina were ok defensively, but they were clearly much more offensive oriented. Genoway was a stud offensively, but not so good in our end. Marto and Lapoint were freshmen who made freshmen mistakes on both sides of the rink. I think both showed some offensive upside and some defensive downside. Although I think Marto improved dramatically towards the end of the season.

This was not the team, and it was not the year. No Biggie. As I stated before, the 2005-2006 team with 6 #1 draft picks and 3 #2 draft picks...Stafford, Zajac, Toews, Oshie, Finley, Lee, Chorney, Kozek, Smaby was really the deepest team talent-wise. On top of those 9 huge prospects, we also had a guy who is playing pro in Europe (Spirko) a future hobey winner in Duncan, and great character guys like Porter, Kaip, Fabian and Prpich...How did we lose that year????

I'll tell you how we lost that year...stupid penalties, by guys that should have known better.

[soohockey15]

I am so looking forward to seeing the Jr. Toews. What can anyone tell me about him. Is he a one and done kind of guy?? Is he gonna leave us early like Zack, (before the tourney is over)or is he gonna be a guy who will give us a few years.

Who else has some promising prospects. Any sizable defensemen?

God-Awful defensive games by everyone minus marto didn't help either

[Goon]

If Blais can go 16-19-2('02) then so can Hakstol. That same year BC had a down year and missed the NCAA's and obviously the Gophers had a down year this year finishing seventh. It can happen to the best of programs.

What your point? Next season the Goofs could go 16-19-2.

[Goon]

After next year he won't deserve another year at UND.

I don't think there is going to be a big ground swell to run Hakstol out of town on a rail.