Sioux Hockey 09/10

[Siouxhockey78]

Thanks

[siouxweet]

If we've learned anything from Hak, he will juggle lines early, and he will move guys in and out of starting lineup.

[redwing77]

The question is: Should we start the Fire Hakstol thread down as a preemptive measure to just get it over and done with or should we wait for the start of the season?

[siouxweet]

The question is: Should we start the Fire Hakstol thread down as a preemptive measure to just get it over and done with or should we wait for the start of the season?

why not it will give us 5 months of entertainment

[yzerman19]

The question is: Should we start the Fire Hakstol thread down as a preemptive measure to just get it over and done with or should we wait for the start of the season?

We should probably start it now.

We might as well all praise Genoway and scapegoat Lapoint too

[redwing77]

We should probably start it now.

We might as well all praise Genoway and scapegoat Lapoint too

Can we provide healthy skepticism and find games where MacWilliams made some boneheaded move or got burned by a player (world class or otherwise) so we can beat on him too?

[Goon]

The question is: Should we start the Fire Hakstol thread down as a preemptive measure to just get it over and done with or should we wait for the start of the season?

They closed the last one but I thought maybe we could start it again since we are bored.

Oh Yeah Carolina forced a game 7.

[junior24]

Do you skate Forney on a checking line? I doubt he'd accept that role. He'd be better off signing an ATA and rolling the dice. I've got nothing against him, but he is an unknown commodity with a max of two years. He has put up good numbers in Green Bay, similar to Cichy and Kristo who both have four years of eligibility.

You have to have a grind em down physical line. Kozek could shoot, which made him a threat on that line last year, but his job was to hit. 4 pretty lines equals maroon and gold and watching the guys in green end your season.

I'm still not sure if Mattson plays junior. He might not want to, and he would certainly be welcome on many campuses with the guarantee of ice time.

If were seriously looking at something like

VV with Gregoire and Cichy

Malone with Frattin and Kristo

Lammy with Hextall and Davidson or Bruneteau

Toews with Trupp and one highly contested spot

VandeVelde is a center, and will be no matter what next year.

[AZSIOUX]

VandeVelde is a center, and will be no matter what next year.

thats what his line chart suggests with the 4 guys centering the other 2 players

[I Ranger]

thanks for catching that. I totally forgot about Darcy for a minute.

So now competition is even tighter:

Scoring 1: VV with Gregoire and Cichy

Scoring 2: Malone with Frattin and Kristo

Checking: Zajac with Hextall and ?

Scoring 3: Toews with Trupp and ?

Of course we don't know chemistry yet, I think Cichy and Gregoire might click well. I put Frattin and Kristo together for speed. I like Hexy put there mucking it up and improving the scoring punch potential of the checking line. I think Toews and Trupp could be a very creative scoring threat that could be put in a lot of circumstances.

That leaves Lammy, Davidson and Bruneteau looking for checking line duty.

It leaves a big ? As to the plan for the rest of the recruits. Will they be happy to play another year of junior or a first year of junior? And then you do have to consider Forney.

As I've said before, lots of horses in the stable, not a ton of ice time available.

I would guess with the way VandeVelde, Frattin and Malone played in the last game against UNH and how much Hak liked that line that they would be paired together for the start of the year. The only way I think that won't happen is if they want Malone to play center but I liked the way he played on a wing with VV and Frattin. Also, I could see Kristo and Cichy playing together.

[mikejm]

I would guess with the way VandeVelde, Frattin and Malone played in the last game against UNH and how much Hak liked that line that they would be paired together for the start of the year.

I agree with this. I liked the way that line played. I also like the size; there is no way anyone's going to push that line around.

[stickboy1956]

I would guess with the way VandeVelde, Frattin and Malone played in the last game against UNH and how much Hak liked that line that they would be paired together for the start of the year. The only way I think that won't happen is if they want Malone to play center but I liked the way he played on a wing with VV and Frattin. Also, I could see Kristo and Cichy playing together.

Just remember - Kozek and Duncan played together at the end of 07-08. Did they play a shift together last year?

[siouxweet]

Just remember - Kozek and Duncan played together at the end of 07-08. Did they play a shift together last year?

yes they did I know for sure in the second half Kozek was moved upto the top line w/Duncan for a few games.

[siouxhockeyfan11]

Yes that line played well and Malone showed great flashes of talent at the end of last year but Vandevelde will be the first line center this year and I think we might need someone with more scoring touch to play the wing instead of Malone, hopefully he can put up lots of points this year. I'd like a Vande, Gregoire, Frattin line and I also like the idea of Kristo and Cichy playing together..Kristo's speed opening up space for Cichy to put in the goals.

[siouxforce19]

Yes that line played well and Malone showed great flashes of talent at the end of last year but Vandevelde will be the first line center this year and I think we might need someone with more scoring touch to play the wing instead of Malone, hopefully he can put up lots of points this year. I'd like a Vande, Gregoire, Frattin line and I also like the idea of Kristo and Cichy playing together..Kristo's speed opening up space for Cichy to put in the goals.

Malone-VV-Frattin will probably start the season together. (I heard this on the radio) They have good size and could be dominant next season and the chemistry is already there. I like what Malone brings to that line. I would say keep Gregoire and Hextall together too and insert Trupp into Duncan's vacated spot on that line. I could see Kristo and Cichy playing together as well, possibly on a line with Toews.

[redwing77]

I think Hextall should be with Gregoire and Kristo.

[siouxforce19]

I think Hextall should be with Gregoire and Kristo.

Do any of them play center? Because neither Gregoire or Hextall did last year and I only saw Kristo play at the World Juniors, so I'm not sure.

[stickboy1956]

Do any of them play center? Because neither Gregoire or Hextall did last year and I only saw Kristo play at the World Juniors, so I'm not sure.

Kristo needs to play on the wing to take advantage of his speed and explosiveness. We don't want him stuck down deep in Dzone coverage.

[siouxforce19]

Kristo needs to play on the wing to take advantage of his speed and explosiveness. We don't want him stuck down deep in Dzone coverage.

That's what I thought, thanks.

[DAR]

With VV back lots of forward line combos to ponder....should be another exciting year. Lots of good forwards to mesh together. On D I really hope Fienaghe can make a splash this year. If Pointer comes back and can start the season I see a good d corps. With a few unknowns as always.

[yzerman19]

I think that you have to split up freshman early in the season. You have to give the guys a little time to adjust to the speed of the WCHA without having the whole world's responsibility on their shoulders. That is the main reason for my line combos.

So:

I like splitting up Cichy and Kristo to help them adjust.

I like having one power forward on each of the first two scoring lines in Malone and VV.

I liked the way Malone and VV played together last year in the NCAAs too.

I like Frattin and Kristo together, because along with Marto and Genoway I think they are the fastest skaters on next year's squad.

I like Gregoire and Cichy, because they had very similar numbers in junior, indicating to me that they both can finish as well as set-up goals.

I like Hextall and Zajac on the checking line, because they can be both sweet and nasty. Neither is afraid to get their hands dirty, and Hexy proved he could score. I think Zajac can score too if playing with the right boys.

I think that we are also truly limited by our centermen. The experienced pivots on the team are VV, Malone, Zajac, Lammy and Toews (a little). Zajac and Lammy are not preferred scoring line players.

I think we'll see a lot of flopping among the three scoring lines. I predict we have a pretty consistent checking line in terms of personnel.

[redwing77]

Do any of them play center? Because neither Gregoire or Hextall did last year and I only saw Kristo play at the World Juniors, so I'm not sure.

Crap. I thought one of them was in juniors at least... oh well

[Goon]

Crap. I thought one of them was in juniors at least... oh well

Isn't it something they can learn though? If a player plays wing position must then not learn how to take faceoffs? Because they do from time to time.

[stickboy1956]

Isn't it something they can learn though? If a player plays wing position must then not learn how to take faceoffs? Because they do from time to time.

Wings take face off's all the time (I think Langenbruner and Parise switched off depending on what side the draw was on).

That's not the main factor when determining Wing v Center. You usually want your center deep in your zone helping the D. Wings can stay high in the zone and be ready to use their speed to get up the ice and stretch the other team to create more space for the D/C. Once on the attack, positions are generally interchangable. On PP the wingers usually set up wide on their off wing and let a C or another big body bang in front with the opposing D.

An aside - it's too bad we didn't have the depth at center and had to move Duncan to C. I think it wore him out a little to play deep in our D zone instead of out high waiting for the breakout pass. He handled the switch well, but he was a better wing than a center.

[Goon]

Wings take face off's all the time (I think Langenbruner and Parise switched off depending on what side the draw was on).

That's not the main factor when determining Wing v Center. You usually want your center deep in your zone helping the D. Wings can stay high in the zone and be ready to use their speed to get up the ice and stretch the other team to create more space for the D/C. Once on the attack, positions are generally interchangable. On PP the wingers usually set up wide on their off wing and let a C or another big body bang in front with the opposing D.

An aside - it's too bad we didn't have the depth at center and had to move Duncan to C. I think it wore him out a little to play deep in our D zone instead of out high waiting for the breakout pass. He handled the switch well, but he was a better wing than a center.

That makes sense.