COMMITTED UND Recruits

[HeidiSioux62]

I hope the coaches they work with until they get here put some emphasis on skating. There's nothing more frustrating than having a huge dude on the ice that gets consistently skated around like he's a big orange (or green) road pylon.

[Siouxhockey1978]

I hope the coaches they work with until they get here put some emphasis on skating. There's nothing more frustrating than having a huge dude on the ice that gets consistently skated around like he's a big orange (or green) road pylon.

Well said and one name comes to mind

[sioux rube]

Well said and one name comes to mind

J_ _ F_ _ _ _ _?

[geaux_sioux]

J_ _ F_ _ _ _ _?

No show Joe

[siouxforce19]

I hope the coaches they work with until they get here put some emphasis on skating. There's nothing more frustrating than having a huge dude on the ice that gets consistently skated around like he's a big orange (or green) road pylon.

Scouting report on Evers calls him a "smooth skater", so I'm not sure that would be "pylon" material. And with Mantha, I've also seen him described as a "mobile, puck-moving defenseman". So I think it's important to remember that just because they're big guys, doesn't mean they can't skate. I think there's more of an emphasis in recruiting these days to find big defensemen that can skate, probably because of past issues with d-men that get skated around like it has been said.

[Siouxhockey1978]

I have seen Mantha play in Fargo and he's man child looked like he had good hands and yes he skate if out falling down

[UND99]

I hope the coaches they work with until they get here put some emphasis on skating. There's nothing more frustrating than having a huge dude on the ice that gets consistently skated around like he's a big orange (or green) road pylon.

I caught Mantha and Sioux City in Fargo a couple weeks ago and his skating was fine. Haven't seen Evers live, but I've seen some iso video of him and again, skating should not be a concern.

[crb1]

Please post any video links of recruits if you find them please.

Our D looks great coming in the next couple years and our forwards look good as well. Murphy, Johnson, N. Schmaltz, C.Wilkie. Never rebuild just Reload.

[MissSioux85]

More on Christian Evers' commitment

Evers, who is currently playing for the Omaha U16 AAA team, also had interest from Nebraska-Omaha, Minnesota, Minnesota-Duluth, Michigan and Western Michigan. He visited Nebraska-Omaha.

He followed the Gophers a little bit growing up, but eventually became a UND fan.

“Once I got old enough to figure out what mattered, my favorite team was always North Dakota,” he said. “North Dakota is one of the best organizations in the United States. The coaching staff is amazing. I can’t wait.”

http://www.grandfork...group/homepage/

[Just Curious]

Nice article on Luke Johnson and his family and hocke connections:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=643279

[Just Curious]

I was at the Force game last night and watched Pelnik play. He didn't get very much ice time, but from what I saw I was fairly impressed. He is BIG and plays with alot of edge and has a nasty streak (two things I feel are vital for a defensemen). He did make a few mistakes, sloppy passes and was a bit over aggressive at times; but overall I was impressed. What confused me was that for as good as I thought he played, he didn't see ANY ice time in the 3rd period and very little the first two periods. Not sure if he is still injured or maybe the coaches have another opinion of his performance. I thought the Force's defense was HORRIBLE. Their captain and #13 (Wade) got most of the ice time on the blueline and I thought they made many more mistakes than Pelnik and were VERY soft in their own end.

Anyways, just my two cents, but for as much as the hype around Pelnik has died down, I think we may have another MacWilliams/Blood on our hands.....with a bit more coaching that is.

[siouxforce19]

I was at the Force game last night and watched Pelnik play. He didn't get very much ice time, but from what I saw I was fairly impressed. He is BIG and plays with alot of edge and has a nasty streak (two things I feel are vital for a defensemen). He did make a few mistakes, sloppy passes and was a bit over aggressive at times; but overall I was impressed. What confused me was that for as good as I thought he played, he didn't see ANY ice time in the 3rd period and very little the first two periods. Not sure if he is still injured or maybe the coaches have another opinion of his performance. I thought the Force's defense was HORRIBLE. Their captain and #13 (Wade) got most of the ice time on the blueline and I thought they made many more mistakes than Pelnik and were VERY soft in their own end.

Anyways, just my two cents, but for as much as the hype around Pelnik has died down, I think we may have another MacWilliams/Blood on our hands.....with a bit more coaching that is.

Thanks for the update. I hadn't heard if he was still injured or not. Good to know he is back on the ice.

[Siouxhockey1978]

Wade Murphy is leading point now in the BCHL with 22 points in 12 games not bad at all.

[as15]

Is anyone else surprised to see that Luke Johnson has only 1 point through 4 games so far? Has anyone seen him play this year that can make some comments on his play? He should be our biggest forward recruit for next year so I was surprised to see his low point totals.

[Just Curious]

Does anyone have any updates on the USHL recruits?? I saw Pelnick play part of a game for the Force and he hasn't been in the lineup since. I know he was coming off of an injury, and I thought he played well, but I am curious if he is benched or still hurt. Same goes with Mantha, he hasn't been in the lineup lately along with Rowe? I believe Johnson also sat out Saturday's game this past weekend. Any info on how many of these are injuries and how many are performance based??

[tnt]

Does anyone have any updates on the USHL recruits?? I saw Pelnick play part of a game for the Force and he hasn't been in the lineup since. I know he was coming off of an injury, and I thought he played well, but I am curious if he is benched or still hurt. Same goes with Mantha, he hasn't been in the lineup lately along with Rowe? I believe Johnson also sat out Saturday's game this past weekend. Any info on how many of these are injuries and how many are performance based??

I know Rowe missed the game on Friday, but played on Saturday and had a goal and an assist. Not sure about why the others haven't been playing.

[Just Curious]

I know Rowe missed the game on Friday, but played on Saturday and had a goal and an assist. Not sure about why the others haven't been playing.

Thanks, I must have missed that boxscore this weekend. I just saw the Friday score.

[scpa0305]

Is anyone else surprised to see that Luke Johnson has only 1 point through 4 games so far? Has anyone seen him play this year that can make some comments on his play? He should be our biggest forward recruit for next year so I was surprised to see his low point totals.

I was going to post the same thing a few days ago...but thought I would catch some heat. Yes, his point totals are troubling given the team is undefeated. I heard some say we should see what Luke does with Kevin Roy off his line. He was taken off his line during the second half of last year and during the playoffs which Luke really struggled to find his groove. I'm sure he will turn things around. He may be hurt too (didn't play last weekend).

[siouxforce19]

I was going to post the same thing a few days ago...but thought I would catch some heat. Yes, his point totals are troubling given the team is undefeated. I heard some say we should see what Luke does with Kevin Roy off his line. He was taken off his line during the second half of last year and during the playoffs which Luke really struggled to find his groove. I'm sure he will turn things around. He may be hurt too (didn't play last weekend).

I saw Lincoln play a lot last year, and I don't think I ever saw him on a line with Kevin Roy. Except maybe on the PP. He played with Jared Hanson (now at CC) and Matt Friese (now at UAF) whenever I saw him play.

[AZSIOUX]

Adam Tambellini and Wade Murphy invited to Canada West camp pre world junior A challenge

I believe Luke Johnson has been invited to USA??

[tnt]

Was going to start a decommitted recruits thread, but figured why dwell on it. It is interesting to note that in Brad's ice time notes in the paper today he mentioned that Stephane Matteau Jr. has already been suspended twice for a hit to the head and a hit from behind. Couple that with all the issues he had in the past few years, and maybe the 5-minute majors could have deterred from his worth had he come here. Don't know what kind of numbers he is putting up in Major Junior, but doubt he would be putting up huge numbers his first year of college hockey.

[UND99]

FWIW, Miles Koules is off to a nice start with Medicine Hat. 12 points (5G, 7A) in 14 games, T-3rd on team in scoring. Been very good on the PP, but is struggling ES with a -8.

[MissSioux85]

Was going to start a decommitted recruits thread, but figured why dwell on it. It is interesting to note that in Brad's ice time notes in the paper today he mentioned that Stephane Matteau Jr. has already been suspended twice for a hit to the head and a hit from behind. Couple that with all the issues he had in the past few years, and maybe the 5-minute majors could have deterred from his worth had he come here. Don't know what kind of numbers he is putting up in Major Junior, but doubt he would be putting up huge numbers his first year of college hockey.

Honestly, I was mad when Matteau decommitted but now I feel that it was a blessing in disguise. He was suspended on three or four separate occasions while playing for the NTDP... spearing, attempt to injure (for a hit he delivered on Colten St. Clair), slashing and cross-checking majors, gross misconduct for hitting a linesman.... 7 game suspension, 8 game suspension, 1-2 game suspensions. He jumps to the Q and has already been suspended twice for a hit to the head and a hit from behind.

I know UND teams are notorious for being aggressive, but Matteau plays downright reckless. I'm a bit surprised New Jersey is the team that ended up drafting him. Sure he's talented, but his on-ice behavior has to be a concern.

Of note, according to Hockey DB, Matteau has 8 points (4G, 4A) in 12 games for Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

[tnt]

Luke Johnson was first star of the game tonight for Lincoln with a goal and an assist. Jack Rowe duplicated those stats tonight and was named 3rd star.

[MissSioux85]

Schlossman confirms Tucker Poolman commitment

Former East Grand Forks Senior High defenseman Tucker Poolman has committed to UND for either 2013 or 2014. Poolman is the son of longtime UND trainer Mark Poolman, a former UND football player.

Poolman, 6-2, 193, is currently playing for the Omaha Lancers in the USHL. He has four points and 24 penalty minutes in 11 games this season.

Poolman played in the NAHL last season. There was a lot of recruiting interest in him to start this season, including some from Maine and Minnesota Duluth.