NORTH DAKOTA vs. Manitoba Byzinz

[NewUNDAlum]

Here is my lineup:

 

Caggiula-MacMillan-Parks 

Poganski-Schmaltz-Johnson

Pattyn-Gaarder-OD

Chyzk-St. Clair- Olson

 

LaDue-Schmaltz

Thompson-Mattson

Stecher-Poolman

 

McIntyre

 

Reasoning:

1. Group has been together for awhile and has been productive.  No need to fix something that isn't broke.  Should produce big points this year.

2. This is the boom or bust.  The offensive potential is something to behold.  Start with it early.  See how it works, if it doesn't it can always be changed.

3. Old school Sioux line.  Grit all the way.  Some offensive potential but they are a bunch of tough SOBs that will punch you in the teeth.

4. I thought Chyzk and St. Clair played well down the stretch.  Olson seems to fit well with these two.  High motor guys that will get after it.

 

1. Always been a fan of putting your top 2 dmen together.  Both will see a ton of ice time.  May not be a better defensive pair in the country.

2. I hope to see more improvement out of Thompson.  I'm still luke warm on Mattson.  If they play to their potential this unit will be fantastic.

3. I love Stecher.  Smart player.  Nothing fancy.  Just gets the job done.  Poolman is the wild card.  He could very well come in and be a stud like LaDue.

 

G:  Might be the best in the nation so yeah.

[burd]

I still don't know quite to think about OD, except that I'm eager to see how the year goes for him.   Sometimes the guy shows some sniper; other times he seems like a grinder.  

 

Nope, sniper is the wrong word.   More like a nose for the back of the net.

[SiouxForever]

I still don't know quite to think about OD, except that I'm eager to see how the year goes for him.   Sometimes the guy shows some sniper; other times he seems like a grinder.  

 

Nope, sniper is the wrong word.   More like a nose for the back of the net.

 

A lot of our success will fall on Pattyn (you know what you're getting there) OD, and Chyzk. We need all three to have their best years, yet and get off on a hot start. 

[siouxczech29]

So, will this game be on TV outside of the area?  Fox College Sports perhaps...

 

Is this a game that NCHC.tv will broadcast? 

[Oxbow6]

I still don't know quite to think about OD

 

 

This should not be a question that should be asked after playing 3 years but I'm with you.  Hopefully he can put together a decent season.

[keikla]

This should not be a question that should be asked after playing 3 years but I'm with you.  Hopefully he can put together a decent season.

 

A lot of those questions are secondary to habitual injuries.  His performance at training camp this summer was quite promising.

[as15]

Brad E. Schlossman @SchlossmanGF

Nick Schmaltz likely to center Drake Caggiula and Luke Johnson tomorrow, while Mark MacMillan centers Brendan O'Donnell and Michael Parks.

 

Top 6 is what a lot of us predicted to start the year.  The Schmaltz line will probably outscore MacMillan's, but I would guess the all-senior line will be tasked with playing against the top lines of the opposition. 

 

 

[siouxforce19]

Brad E. Schlossman @SchlossmanGF

Nick Schmaltz likely to center Drake Caggiula and Luke Johnson tomorrow, while Mark MacMillan centers Brendan O'Donnell and Michael Parks.

Top 6 is what a lot of us predicted to start the year. The Schmaltz line will probably outscore MacMillan's, but I would guess the all-senior line will be tasked with playing against the top lines of the opposition.

Yeah I'm gonna disagree on that one. I definitely don't see the Schmaltz line out scoring a line of 3 seniors.

[as15]

Yeah I'm gonna disagree on that one. I definitely don't see the Schmaltz line out scoring a line of 3 seniors.

 

I just figure that an underclassman (Caggiula, Johnson) is more likely to have a substantial increase in production than a senior that has already played in 100+ games, which historically has been the case.  I think Caggiula, Johnson, MacMillan, and Parks will all be around 30-35 points, with MacMillan possibly closer to 40.  Schmaltz's production, like all freshman, is the real wild-card.  I could see him scoring anywhere from 20-40+ points this year.  O'Donnell probably tops out at 25, max, unless he had a big summer.

[scpa0305]

 

Brad E. Schlossman @SchlossmanGF

Nick Schmaltz likely to center Drake Caggiula and Luke Johnson tomorrow, while Mark MacMillan centers Brendan O'Donnell and Michael Parks.

 

Top 6 is what a lot of us predicted to start the year.  The Schmaltz line will probably outscore MacMillan's, but I would guess the all-senior line will be tasked with playing against the top lines of the opposition. 

 

 

 

I like both line.  curious to who plays on the third.

[SiouxScore]

 

Brad E. Schlossman @SchlossmanGF

Nick Schmaltz likely to center Drake Caggiula and Luke Johnson tomorrow, while Mark MacMillan centers Brendan O'Donnell and Michael Parks.

 

Top 6 is what a lot of us predicted to start the year.  The Schmaltz line will probably outscore MacMillan's, but I would guess the all-senior line will be tasked with playing against the top lines of the opposition. 

 

 

 

Yeah this is what many figured to be the top 2 lines but it will be interesting to see who the other 2 are tomorrow and who doesn't play. I'm still thinking Pattyn-Gaarder-Olson and Simonson-St.Clair-Poganski while Chyzk and Murphy are the ones who end up being out but there are a lot of different combos Hak could put together with these 8.

[yzerman19]

I think the Schmaltz-Jewels-LJ line will be our top scoring line.  I can't remember the last time we had a first round forward, slotted to be a top 6 NHLer who was coming in from junior hockey...was it Zajac?  My point is that his skill set and experience combo gives me confidence that he will put up rookie numbers more similar to a Toews or Oshie than to say a Nelson. 

[siouxforce19]

I just figure that an underclassman (Caggiula, Johnson) is more likely to have a substantial increase in production than a senior that has already played in 100+ games, which historically has been the case.  I think Caggiula, Johnson, MacMillan, and Parks will all be around 30-35 points, with MacMillan possibly closer to 40.  Schmaltz's production, like all freshman, is the real wild-card.  I could see him scoring anywhere from 20-40+ points this year.  O'Donnell probably tops out at 25, max, unless he had a big summer.

 

I think Caggiula will have a big year, but I'm on the fence on the kind of production Johnson and Schmaltz will have, as like you said, Schmaltz is a wild card and IMO Johnson had kind of an up and down year last year, which isn't out of the ordinary for a freshman. I'm looking forward to seeing if he can take another step forward. 

 

MacMillan-Parks-OD combined for more than 70 points last year and neither of them were healthy at the same time. I see them as the most productive because they've played together for parts of the last 3 years, so there is a familiarity that Caggiula-Johnson-Schmaltz don't have quite yet. 

 

That said, I think most of us agree that these are the 6 guys we expected in our top 6.