2012-13 Season

[scpa0305]

Rocco Grimaldi is going to be a top six forward - "if" he is on the third line it won't be for very long. Just a prediction. I am up for side bets as well.

Yeah....he was a top 6 forward last year at this time....even with his bum knee.

[Goon]

Yeah....he was a top 6 forward last year at this time....even with his bum knee.

Yeah, good point, I don't see him playing on the third line...

[Let'sGoHawks!]

Hate to bring it up, but:

Will any Sioux imagery be removed from the Ralph this season? Obviously, the center ice logo will be gone. Anyone heard of any changes this year?

[Wilbur]

Hate to bring it up, but:

Will any Sioux imagery be removed from the Ralph this season? Obviously, the center ice logo will be gone. Anyone heard of any changes this year?

It still totally baffles me that the NCAA could make the Ralph change logos all over the facility. UND rents the facility....unless that has changed recently, but not to my knowledge.

Obviously the logo on center ice will be gone, but who foots the bill if the rest of the logos (impossible by the way) will need to be removed?

[bigskyvikes]

No logos are being removed from the REA! Just center ice, this stuff is talked about so much and they are in the papers, you guys haven't read any of the hundreds of articles?

[yzerman19]

Who knows, maybe O'Donnell, Caggiula, and Chyzyk come in and look like rock stars, and the Rowney, Parks, MacMillan line becomes the absolute best 3rd line in the country...

lots of fun speculating...

[82SiouxGuy]

Who knows, maybe O'Donnell, Caggiula, and Chyzyk come in and look like rock stars, and the Rowney, Parks, MacMillan line becomes the absolute best 3rd line in the country...

lots of fun speculating...

O'Donnell looked pretty good at times before he got hurt last year so it wouldn't surprise me if he played that well or better this year. It wouldn't be a shock if he got some time at wing on the first line.

[Siouxperfan7]

No logos are being removed from the REA! Just center ice, this stuff is talked about so much and they are in the papers, you guys haven't read any of the hundreds of articles?

It is going to very strange going to games at the Ralph this year. When you walk in the door, everything will be the same. Sioux logos on the floor, on pictures of former players, on the banners. Everyone is going to be wearing Sioux jersey. Then the team will skate out in warmups with "North Dakota" jerseys on skating on the ice without the sioux logo on it. They will seem very out of place. Oh well, Time to move on I guess. Probably going to be the hard to do at hockey games the most!

[stoneySIOUX]

Yeah, good point, I don't see him playing on the third line...

This was my main point from the start. NO WAY Rocco is playing anywhere but the top two lines. Therefore, you either have him on the wing on the top line or break up the chemistry of Parks-Rowney-McMillian. It would be an awful waste of talent if he's sitting on the third line. He won't see nearly as much ice. Even at less than 100% when he did play, he was the best player (if not close) on the ice at all times. He's too dynamic and explosive to not see top 6 minutes.

[siouxczech29]

This was my main point from the start. NO WAY Rocco is playing anywhere but the top two lines. Therefore, you either have him on the wing on the top line or break up the chemistry of Parks-Rowney-McMillian. It would be an awful waste of talent if he's sitting on the third line. He won't see nearly as much ice. Even at less than 100% when he did play, he was the best player (if not close) on the ice at all times. He's too dynamic and explosive to not see top 6 minutes.

What line did he play on against the goofs last November? Who were his line mates?

[Goon]

This was my main point from the start. NO WAY Rocco is playing anywhere but the top two lines. Therefore, you either have him on the wing on the top line or break up the chemistry of Parks-Rowney-McMillian. It would be an awful waste of talent if he's sitting on the third line. He won't see nearly as much ice. Even at less than 100% when he did play, he was the best player (if not close) on the ice at all times. He's too dynamic and explosive to not see top 6 minutes.

Hey Stoney you're clouding the issue with facts...

[SIOUXELEVENS]

If Gaudreau can play the third line for BC I think Rocco can play the third line for us, plus he will see plenty of time on the PP and the PK

[yzerman19]

I think even Toewser started his UND career on the third line...also, we are talking 5x5 lines, there is no reason Rocco couldn't get big time special teams minutes and play 5x5 from the 3rd line to start the year.

If you don't want Rocco on the third line, and Rocco will not play wing, and you don't want to split up the chemistry of Rowney, MacMillan and Parks, you could always go with something like this:

Knight with Kristo and Chyzyk

Rocco with O'Donnell and Caggiula

Rowney with MacMillan and Parks

St Clair with Rodwell and Pattyn

Mac and Schmaltz

Forbert and Mattson

Simpson and Gleason

[BigGreyAnt41]

What line did he play on against the goofs last November? Who were his line mates?

Officially listed as the 3rd line, LW with Nelson and Parks.

http://collegehockeystats.net/1112/boxes/mminndk1.n05

[Wilbur]

I really don't see there being a ton of difference between UND's second and third line. Wherever he's at Rocco will get time on the number one or two unit of the powerplay, likely the top unit. Wherever he's at he'll likely contribute as well. It'd be nice to see them keep Rocco and Rowney separate so they can have that scoring possibility from lines 1-3.

Whether you have Rowney or Rocco centering the third line you're still going to likely roll three lines 5X5 (maybe four if that unit comes together well). IMHO with the forward depth that UND will have this season I think any of the top three lines could match up with a top line of any team that they play, with the top defensive pairing on the ice at the same time of course.

I think yzerman has it pretty close, but we differ just a tad bit....

Kristo-Knight-O'Donnell

MacMillan-Grimaldi-Parks

Rodwell-Rowney-Chyzyk

Cagguila-Pattyn-St. Clair (Gaarder)

Poor Jimmer....poor poor Jimmer....

[yzerman19]

I have to believe that Cagguila is pretty special based on the fact that he is coming in as an 18 year old...that said, I wouldn't be surprised to see him on a line with Grimaldi or Kristo- maybe Grimaldi with the hopes of building chemistry for next season.

I have liked O'Donnell on that top line a lot- I am sure he will see some looks up there.

WIth Chyzyk- 20 goals in the USHL has generally translated to pretty good success in the WCHA

[as15]

I have to believe that Cagguila is pretty special based on the fact that he is coming in as an 18 year old...that said, I wouldn't be surprised to see him on a line with Grimaldi or Kristo- maybe Grimaldi with the hopes of building chemistry for next season.

I have liked O'Donnell on that top line a lot- I am sure he will see some looks up there.

WIth Chyzyk- 20 goals in the USHL has generally translated to pretty good success in the WCHA

I have been saying the same thing about Caggiula and Chyzyk for a while. I have compared Chyzyk's year in the USHL to Parks' last year in the USHL, Chyzyk had the better year, if given the opportunity, he could have the same kind of impact as Parks did as a freshman. I realize that Parks got top-6 minutes last year, Chyzyk might not get anywhere near that this year.

[Wilbur]

If Chyzyk has a year like Parks did last year I'd take it in a heartbeat.

[scpa0305]

I think even Toewser started his UND career on the third line...also, we are talking 5x5 lines, there is no reason Rocco couldn't get big time special teams minutes and play 5x5 from the 3rd line to start the year.

If you don't want Rocco on the third line, and Rocco will not play wing, and you don't want to split up the chemistry of Rowney, MacMillan and Parks, you could always go with something like this:

Knight with Kristo and Chyzyk

Rocco with O'Donnell and Caggiula

Rowney with MacMillan and Parks

St Clair with Rodwell and Pattyn

Mac and Schmaltz

Forbert and Mattson

Simpson and Gleason

He did, but look at who he was playing with. Also, our first two lines were jacked. As far as your lineup goes, you simply shifted your order....that Rowney line is still the second line in terms of talent. You guys are all right, I think the fact we have such a hard time nailing down some great line combos is due to the outstanding depth this year. I sure hope this is the year. I was teased young in life as the first two national championships I was able to go to (96 or 97 and 2001) we won. Since then I have traveled many miles only to suffer terrible losses. This has to be the year, it's been too long.

[scpa0305]

This was my main point from the start. NO WAY Rocco is playing anywhere but the top two lines. Therefore, you either have him on the wing on the top line or break up the chemistry of Parks-Rowney-McMillian. It would be an awful waste of talent if he's sitting on the third line. He won't see nearly as much ice. Even at less than 100% when he did play, he was the best player (if not close) on the ice at all times. He's too dynamic and explosive to not see top 6 minutes.

100% agreed....move the little guy to wing to start the season; see how he adjusts. I guarentee that line won't have to play a ton of D. If it doesn't work you simply shuffle some lines up.

[yzerman19]

He did, but look at who he was playing with. Also, our first two lines were jacked. As far as your lineup goes, you simply shifted your order....that Rowney line is still the second line in terms of talent. You guys are all right, I think the fact we have such a hard time nailing down some great line combos is due to the outstanding depth this year. I sure hope this is the year. I was teased young in life as the first two national championships I was able to go to (96 or 97 and 2001) we won. Since then I have traveled many miles only to suffer terrible losses. This has to be the year, it's been too long.

I've thrown a few combos out there...top 6 bottom 6 is more of an NHL approach to hockey- yeah, I've heard it used in other leagues, but it is definitively more relevant to the NHL. I would contend that we might have a top 9 and bottom 3 this year. If there isn't much of a drop-off in offensive creativity between the second and third lines, then you have a top 9. I also think that Rocco is creative enough to build a line around him- if in straight God-given hockey offensive ability if he is 2nd on the team after Kristo or maybe even first, then build a line around him. Put them on separate lines in order to make guys like O'Donnell and Rowney and Parks and MacMillan better.

As for special teams, we've had Danny on point for the last 3 years- I really hope Bubba changes that. I'd like to see Knight, Rocco, Danny, Schmaltz and Mattson as our #1 PP

[brianvf]

I'd like to see Knight, Rocco, Danny, Schmaltz and Mattson as our #1 PP

Yowzers. That would put up some points on the PP.

Throw Rowney on the 2nd PP line for a big body with great hands and our special teams will look pretty darn good...

[yzerman19]

yeah, it could put up points if they aren't too pretty with it. I'd like for Danny to find "his spot" ala Duncs top of the circle. Danny has an NHL wrister, which is wasted from the point with someone on him. He needs to be the weakside shooter on the PP.

Your pp2 could be Rowney with O'Donnell/MacMillan/Parks/Caggiula/Chyzyk and Forbert and Simpson on the points

[bigskyvikes]

MAN, I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS TO START!!!!!!

Go Sioux!!!!!!

[bigskyvikes]

Just picture this, anyone see "Bluechips" with Nick Nolte? A Dicky V like character introducing the Sioux hockey team at the first game, with the intro ending with "this team is awesome baby with a capital AAAAAAAAAAA"