COMMITTED UND Recruits

[Speed_Kills]

1 minute ago, tnt said:

Don’t know if they asked him to stay another year, but it would have been nice to have Stephen Halliday.  Also Scott Morrow, even though people have expressed issues there.  Not sure what the actual deal was with Rizzo, but some people know if he just changed his mind after being committed to us for years.

Rizzo (and his Dad) wanted more or less "guarantees" of top-6 minutes, PP time, etc. as a freshman. He was told you have to earn those at UND so he bolted for DU - unfortunately worked out well for him.

[tnt]

2 hours ago, nascar99 said:

I don't even think he's not panning out, he's about what we expected for 18 year old rookie in the Dub, but with the rules change, there's just so many more great players you can bring in immediately. With Jackson/staff wanting O'Neill to develop another year in junior so he would be ready once he got to campus, he wasn't willing to do that, so they mutually parted ways it seems. Sucks, but that's life in the new NCAA Hockey world where the talent pool is so much better & deeper.

O'Neill will be a solid NCAA player at a place like St Thomas, Colorado College, Miami, Augustana, but it may take him a bit to have that success since he's likely not fully ready for the jump up from junior to the NCAA

Exactly, I really like his game, but if he came in next year we would be heavily weighted to grit without the upside we might need offensively a little sooner.  Hate to be close to a championship team, but short another impact player or two who can contribute offensively right away.  Someone will be getting a nice team guy.  

[tnt]

Just now, Speed_Kills said:

Rizzo (and his Dad) wanted more or less "guarantees" of top-6 minutes, PP time, etc. as a freshman. He was told you have to earn those at UND so he bolted for DU - unfortunately worked out well for him.

Thanks for the inside info.