Greatest Sioux Team

[Marty]

My vote would be a close call but goes to the 1999-2000 Champions. So many great players on that team it was unreal. Then again, there was so many great players on every team.

[Brent_Bobyck]

Joyce, Parent, Koberinski, The Hrkac Circus, Belfour, S. Johnson.....so many great players on the '87 team. They have to be the best.

[SiouxTupa]

For raw talent, consider the 98-99 team. Sure they lost to Wisc for even the WCHA regular season title (if I remember right), and didn't do so hot in the NCAA's, but this was Jason Blake's last year as a member of the team...combine that with the talent that won it all the next year, and WOW.

Think of the UW team that beat them that year too...Reinprecht and Heatly, that was something.

My vote is for the 2000 champions though.

[schmidtdoggydog]

For raw talent, consider the 98-99 team. Sure they lost to Wisc for even the WCHA regular season title (if I remember right), and didn't do so hot in the NCAA's, but this was Jason Blake's last year as a member of the team...combine that with the talent that won it all the next year, and WOW.

My vote has always been for the 98-99 team even though they didn't win a championship. They were absolutely dominate during the regular season ending 32-6-2. At one point, they were 18-1-1, I believe, in the league which is remarkable.

And although they didn't have the huge names like the '80, '82 and '87 teams, they did have Karl, the Panzers, the Ulmers, Goren, Roche, Commodore, Blake, K. Hoogsteen, Williamson, Dorey and Defauw, among others.

They were a pleasure to watch, but it sure was disappointing not seeing them in Anaheim. Thankfully, the 2000 team got BC back for knocking UND out the year before.

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

The Hrkac Circus...Hands down. I remember them and I was a 5 year old Gopher fan at the time!!

[Goon]

The Hrkac Circus...Hands down. I remember them and I was a 5 year old Gopher fan at the time!!

Now your a recovering Former Gopher fan.

[mksioux]

This is an easy one.

The Hrkac Circus.

Going into the Final 4, I remember thinking that there was absolutely no way that team was going to lose.

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

This is an easy one.

The Hrkac Circus.

Going into the Final 4, I remember thinking that there was absolutely no way that team was going to lose.

Well, sure. Basketball teams can't skate

[Fighting Sioux Fan]

The Hrkac Circus hands down, the '82 Champs would probably be number two...

[jojordan23]

I wasn't that interested in hockey when the Hrkac Circus was blowing by everybody else, so I never paid much attention to it until I was a student at UND. I started going to games in '96-'97, and I have been a devout fan ever since. From what I have heard, and from the point totals they put up, the Circus would have to be the best team for now. I hope that after this year's Sioux team leaves college, they are known as part of the best teams in Sioux history. I think they have that potential, and hopefully they will achieve it.

[CoteauRinkRat]

The Hrkac Circus, no doubt.

[jojordan23]

For raw talent, consider the 98-99 team.

[CoteauRinkRat]

Carl G. (I won't even try to soil his name by misspelling it)

At least get his first name right please.

Karl Goehring

[dagies]

The Hrkac Circus, best or not will always be tops in my heart because that's who I got to see play while I was at UND 1984-1987. Those years created a Sioux fan for life.

[jojordan23]

At least get his first name right please.

Karl Goehring

Geez, I can't believe I didn't even spell his first name right! BTW, I edited the post. Thanks for pointing it out CRR.

[tnt]

Does anybody remember when the Grand Forks Herald had mythical games between the teams and it came down between the 1986-87 team and I believe it was either the 79-80 or 81-82 team. The early eighties team was the mythical champion, which I wouldn't disagree with. It probably would come down to officiating. If they let things go, the early eighties would get my vote, if they called it tight, then Hrkac and company would have an edge.

[jojordan23]

If they let things go, the early eighties would get my vote, if they called it tight, then Hrkac and company would have an edge.

Only because Jim Archibald would have beaten the entire Circus to a bloody pulp, even if they played for his school...

[jk]

In Arch's senior year (37 goals?), he was converting Hrkac's passes into goals. That was a real nice team, sort of in transition with players from the early 80's (Arch) and the 87 team (Hrkac, Joyce, Johnson).

[CoteauRinkRat]

Would have been interesting to see what kind of numbers Hrkac would have put up if he wouldn't have taken that year off to play for the Canadian National team.

[lawkota]

This is my 100th post, so I'm making it a big one.

The 86-87 team was far and away the best college hockey team in that late 80s period. They won the WCHA by a fair margin over Minnesota who was quite possibly the second best team that year. But UND was on another plane compared with the Gophers. I remember leaving Joe Louis after the Mich St/Minn semi-final (Taz Boy was there too) and a Spartan fan asked a Gopher fan if this North Dakota team was any good. The Gopher fan was probably still a little upset (many thought the Gophs got robbed in the semi) but he said (paraphrasing) "We played UND 6 times. We beat them once in our best game of the year. They beat us 5 and it wasn't even close. You guys are going to get killed tomorrow." There was no team in the couple years before or after 87 that could have touched the Hrkac Circus. The biggest question about that team remains how they possibly could have lost 8 times that year.

The 82 team did not enjoy that dominance over the other good teams of that era, notably the Badgers of 81-83 or the other Sioux teams. They didn't have an eye-popping record, nor did any of their players produce big time numbers (Sykes led the team in goals with 39 and points with 63; Murray led the team with 29 assists, although 7 other players had 20+ assists). They were also prone to unraveling, like in the 9-0 loss to Wisconsin in the WCHA playoffs. But they were an incredibly close group that had at least 10 guys who could claim to being the best on the team. Plus they had the best goalie combination ever in Jensen and Casey.

Even though they were only 5 years apart, the two squads played a completely different style of hockey. The 82 team was a physically menacing squad that also had more than a handful of talent. The 87 team probably had more top end talent, but nowhere near the physical presence.

I would say the 87 team was the best Sioux team ever because it is the one most likely to rank as one of the best ever among all of college hockey. But if you put the 2 on the ice, I wonder if the 87 team could stand up to the physical pounding they would take. Like tnt stated, it might all depend on who was reffing as to who would win. Also, if (big if) the 82 team could control the Hrkac line, the 87 team would never be able to handle the depth of the 82 team.

I think we are pretty spoiled in that we can debate who was the best among what are some of the best teams ever to play college hockey.

[PCM]

I never had the pleasure of seeing the 87 team play other than video highlight footage, but I voted for them on reputation alone.

I like the 2000 team best because I was in Providence when they won the national championship. They weren't a dominant team during the regular season, but they peaked at just the right time.

[jojordan23]

This is my 100th post, so I'm making it a big one.

The 86-87 team was far and away the best college hockey team in that late 80s period. They won the WCHA by a fair margin over Minnesota who was quite possibly the second best team that year. But UND was on another plane compared with the Gophers. I remember leaving Joe Louis after the Mich St/Minn semi-final (Taz Boy was there too) and a Spartan fan asked a Gopher fan if this North Dakota team was any good. The Gopher fan was probably still a little upset (many thought the Gophs got robbed in the semi) but he said (paraphrasing) "We played UND 6 times. We beat them once in our best game of the year. They beat us 5 and it wasn't even close. You guys are going to get killed tomorrow." There was no team in the couple years before or after 87 that could have touched the Hrkac Circus. The biggest question about that team remains how they possibly could have lost 8 times that year.

The 82 team did not enjoy that dominance over the other good teams of that era, notably the Badgers of 81-83 or the other Sioux teams. They didn't have an eye-popping record, nor did any of their players produce big time numbers (Sykes led the team in goals with 39 and points with 63; Murray led the team with 29 assists, although 7 other players had 20+ assists). They were also prone to unraveling, like in the 9-0 loss to Wisconsin in the WCHA playoffs. But they were an incredibly close group that had at least 10 guys who could claim to being the best on the team. Plus they had the best goalie combination ever in Jensen and Casey.

Even though they were only 5 years apart, the two squads played a completely different style of hockey. The 82 team was a physically menacing squad that also had more than a handful of talent. The 87 team probably had more top end talent, but nowhere near the physical presence.

I would say the 87 team was the best Sioux team ever because it is the one most likely to rank as one of the best ever among all of college hockey. But if you put the 2 on the ice, I wonder if the 87 team could stand up to the physical pounding they would take. Like tnt stated, it might all depend on who was reffing as to who would win. Also, if (big if) the 82 team could control the Hrkac line, the 87 team would never be able to handle the depth of the 82 team.

I think we are pretty spoiled in that we can debate who was the best among what are some of the best teams ever to play college hockey.

Amen to that.

[lawkota]

I'm gonna blab some more cause I've got nothing else to do.

While I'm sure I saw them play plenty, I don't remember the '80 team that much so I really can't comment on them. Actually, I have better memory of the '78 and '79 seasons. The '97 team was my favorite just because many thought they were a fluke and they seemed to enjoy the game so much.

I agree with those above who cite the talent of the '99 team. That was an incredible team and I remember thinking after the BC loss that'll we may never have a team like that again. Nevertheless, the '99 season ended on a sour note. Whenever a thread comes up on USCHO about best team ever, someone will mention the '97 Michigan team. Most then dismiss them because they didn't win it all. As unbelievably good as that team was, I agree with the popular sentiment. You've got to close the season out with a title to cement your place in history.

BTW, nice avatar PCM. What I'm wondering is - who is the "odd guy" that he talks to?

[jojordan23]

I'm gonna blab some more cause I've got nothing else to do.

While I'm sure I saw them play plenty, I don't remember the '80 team that much so I really can't comment on them. Actually, I have better memory of the '78 and '79 seasons. The '97 team was my favorite just because many thought they were a fluke and they seemed to enjoy the game so much.

I agree with those above who cite the talent of the '99 team. That was an incredible team and I remember thinking after the BC loss that'll we may never have a team like that again. Nevertheless, the '99 season ended on a sour note. Whenever a thread comes up on USCHO about best team ever, someone will mention the '97 Michigan team. Most then dismiss them because they didn't win it all. As unbelievably good as that team was, I agree with the popular sentiment. You've got to close the season out with a title to cement your place in history.

And I'll say it one more time.

Amen to that.

[yzerman19]

The Hrkac circus was the greatest college hockey team of all time period. Anyone who wasn't around GF at the time really missed out. Other squads have put together more NHLers, but top to bottom the 86-87 Sioux were so unbelievable...just think if Hrkac, Joyce, Ian Kidd, and Ed Belfour had stuck around another year (they all had remaining eligibility)...If they had played together again, I have no doubt in my mind that UND would've repeated.