Closing in on Epic Title Drought

[SiouxScore]

that could be the problem right there...hak would rather not give up a goal than to score a goal sometimes...just look at the last fifteen seconds of the game from yesterday...it might be so ingrained into the players heads that they don't use instinct and react...i think it was schmaltz that just sat on the blue line staring at the scrum right in front of him on the boards...just frickin sat there...he should have been going forward with everything he had but he just stayed there??? why?

That's probably the right play by Schmaltz in that situation we had 2 guys on the puck you hope they win the battle and get the puck back to Schmaltz for a shot to the net. Its not like he was backing out of the zone and just trying to prevent an empty net goal he was in a position to receive a pass and get the shot on net but unfortunately our 2 guys lost the board battle.

[metalsioux07]

They fired Eades and brought in Berry and that's done nothing. Do they fire Jackson and hope that his replacement is the change the team needs? If they were to do that and they still don't win a championship, when does the finger get pointed at Hakstol? They got rid of the wrong coach when they let Eades go.

[sprig]

Hak wasn't "handed" anything. He was given a very difficult job with plenty of pressure and plenty of support.

Maybe I'm getting old or maybe I don't like people who hide behind a blog and call for someone's head when they themselves don't have a stake in this program other than to tell Gopher fans we won 8 and they only have 5 or whatever they have.

When Ralph made his announcement that he was donating $100,000,000 there were a handful of people invited to a meeting room at Hyslop after the ceremony. Ralph was there. I was there. Where tf were you and don't pretend you have the faintest f'ing idea what Ralph would say or do. Ralph would give Hakstol and his staff a cocktail and tell them they did a great job and keep it up. He would tell them he appreciated the effort. He would tell Hak he prepared well and did a hell of a job. He would probably tell a story of one of his failures and how there were dumb asses in his life who had no faith in him or his dreams and ideas. He would tell Hak don't worry about the pissants he has his back. Then he would light up a cigarette and have another cocktail. Then he would say "Dave is there anything else I can do to help?". He would never do the chickenshit stuff you and a couple of other Pee Wee B guys are doing right after a game when these guys laid it in the line for you and I as fans but mostly for each other and the traditional of this school and program. Ralph would throw your sorry ass out of the room. Hakstol would still be coach cuz Ralph understood as well as anyone that in the end the road to success has ups and downs and you don't let the failures or setbacks keep you form accomplishing your goals. He would measure a man like an old soldier does. He could go to war with Hak. You sir, would not be in that band of brothers. Knock off your whiney I deserve a Natty and we haven't won won since Dean bull$%!# and do some self reflection as to why you have never been nor ever will be one that people would go to war with. The moderators may boot me but they allow you to say dumb ass stuff about others and they should. But then you need to accept that the overwhelming majority of people with an IQ above 80 and or know something about hockey are tired of your shtick.

The majority of Sioux fans agree with you. The dumba**es will continue to spew here forever, they are ignorable, not easily, but ignorable nonetheless.

[dagies]

Sorry to hear about your wife man, hope she is doing much better. 

 

Good post.  I understand what you are saying too, just getting tired of the constant letdown from this program. 

 

Anyways..good post. 

Thanks man!   Doing great....we're one of the lucky ones.  Or she is, (but she's still stuck with me.  Not TOTALLY lucky I guess)...

[Taz Boy]

Go Fighting Sioux!

 

My heart breaks for Coach Hakstol, his staff and players (former and current) who in my opinion are long overdue and have deserved a better fate time and time again.  Unfortunately, in sports and in Eastwood westerns, deserve's got nothing to do with it.  Sports are mixed with cruelty and joyfulness, love and hate, that's why there's so much passion.

 

I hope Coach has a restful spring, and comes back swinging once again.  Keep it light and positive, folks.  Being part of Sioux nation is nothing to be ashamed of.  The most respected program in all of college hockey, with the most respected coaching staff, is in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

 

Let's worry less about #8, which is inevitable, and more about the joy of the journey and what it took to get there.  I can guarantee you this, when Coach Hakstol finally does win that first title, I will ball like a little taz girl, laugh and scream simultaneously while dancing like a crazed lunatic.  It is gonna be sweet, and perhaps a little disturbing for any children in the vicinity.

 

taz

[Irish]

The high amount of passion here indicates how much people care about this program.  There is no doubt that Hak has recruited well and he and his teams work their butts off.  Given the tournament success of his two predecessors, the million dollar question is - are we just the most unlucky program ever, or is there something we need to change?  The games we have lost usually have a series of bad bounces, odd penalties, and weak goals - on the other hand in almost every game we get less than stellar goalie play and start out behind.  I wish I knew the answer.  I don't have any idea what is causing this.  I do know that every frozen 4 year I have high expectations based on a different reason - this year we have a Hoby Baker finalist goalie or this year we have the best defense in the nation, or this year we have the best line in the country, or this year we are going in on a roll.  Doesn't matter - results are the same and it is frustrating. I'll be the first to admit that I don't have any idea what needs to change.  I'm not in the fire Hak group, but as we see on this board, Sioux fans are not really the type to hang participation banners.  I hope Hak figures it out soon.   

[scpa0305]

If Jack Eichel had been wearing a North Dakota jersey this season, odds are Brian Jones could have had them playing in tomorrow night's game.

On the flip-side, if Eichel or even Rodrigues takes a puck to a kneecap in the last game of the regular season, does Quinn still get BU to the Frozen Four?

Rodrigues, maybe. Eichel....not a chance.

[farce poobah]

They fired Eades and brought in Berry and that's done nothing. Do they fire Jackson and hope that his replacement is the change the team needs? If they were to do that and they still don't win a championship, when does the finger get pointed at Hakstol? They got rid of the wrong coach when they let Eades go.

 

I think this is an underdiscussed topic ... that relatively lower-profile move 3 years ago (2 recruiting classes ago).

 

Here I'm going to have to disagree.  

 

Let's start with the fact that I admire Cary Eades.   From the moment he walked onto campus in the fall of 1978, his drive and passion lifted others around him ... to two NCAA titles as a player (one during the era where two NCAA wins got us a title) and more as a coach.  The guy wins wherever he goes ... high school, college, USHL, Canadian Juniors, anyplace he competes he's gotten it done.   If not for a career ending injury, he might still be playing pro.

(Well .... maybe not.)

 

But it was clear that we needed in our coaching staff someone who's played the defenseman position at all levels, who could raise the play of our defensive corps from really good to outstanding.   This starts with getting the best recruits, which has happened these last couple recruiting classes.  

 

Its safe to say that the d-corps has elevated their game under Berry.  (So much so that I worry he gets summoned away by the big bucks of the NHL.)  If I'm a high profile recruit looking to go the NCAA route and play under someone who really develops defenseman for the next level, UND has to be at or near the very top of that list.

 

With a limit on coaching staff size, someone had to go.   I'm sad it was Eades.   Nobody bleeds greener blood than he.    But the hiring of Berry to coach the D has worked.   As a layperson, I'd say its working spectacularly well.

 

I'd welcome thoughts of those who know the game better than i.  

[scpa0305]

I think this is an underdiscussed topic ... that relatively lower-profile move 3 years ago (2 recruiting classes ago).

Here I'm going to have to disagree.

Let's start with the fact that I admire Cary Eades. From the moment he walked onto campus in the fall of 1978, his drive and passion lifted others around him ... to two NCAA titles as a player (one during the era where two NCAA wins got us a title) and more as a coach. The guy wins wherever he goes ... high school, college, USHL, Canadian Juniors, anyplace he competes he's gotten it done. If not for a career ending injury, he might still be playing pro.

(Well .... maybe not.)

But it was clear that we needed in our coaching staff someone who's played the defenseman position at all levels, who could raise the play of our defensive corps from really good to outstanding. This starts with getting the best recruits, which has happened these last couple recruiting classes.

Its safe to say that the d-corps has elevated their game under Berry. (So much so that I worry he gets summoned away by the big bucks of the NHL.) If I'm a high profile recruit looking to go the NCAA route and play under someone who really develops defenseman for the next level, UND has to be at or near the very top of that list.

With a limit on coaching staff size, someone had to go. I'm sad it was Eades. Nobody bleeds greener blood than he. But the hiring of Berry to coach the D has worked. As a layperson, I'd say its working spectacularly well.

I'd welcome thoughts of those who know the game better than i.

I like berry but und hasn't had a dman actually stay in the show for some time. All I can think of is Greene. Everyone else is up and down. Meanwhile MN is right behind some CHL team as the program producing the most current NHL dmen.

[fightingsioux4life]

Well then, let's call 'em out!

FightingSioux4life.

Add to list, deny your self or shut the h e double hockey sticks up!

First of all, don't ever tell me to shut up.  Ever.  This is a fan message board and I will express my opinion whether you like it or not.

 

Second of all, I don't answer to you and neither does anybody else.  You are not "lord and master" of Fighting Sioux Fandom.  If anybody deserves that title, it would be Al Pearson.

 

And finally, no, I am not calling for Hakstol's head.  Changing head coaches is a very serious decision that can have very long-lasting consequences and shouldn't be done willy-nilly.  Replacing Gino with Blaiser was necessary back in 1994 as the program was decaying and not getting any better.  But most of the time, it isn't that easy to determine what the right course of action is.  And this is one of those ambiguous situations.  It is very similar to the situation that Gopher fans were in with Doug Woog in the 1980's and 90's.  Lots of regular season wins, lots of NCAA tournament appearances, a half-dozen trips to the Frozen Four.....but zero NCAA titles.  Some Gopher fans liked Woog and his consistent winning, while others were getting tired of waiting for that elusive fourth NCAA title.  That same debate is now playing out on siouxsports.com.

 

What I find amusing is that some of the same people on here who are saying Hakstol is the greatest thing since sliced bread and color television are probably the same people who used to mock and ridicule the Gophers and Woog for choking in the postseason year after year after year (the term "Golden Chokers" immediately comes to mind).  Talk about a 180 degree flip-flop.  I also used to criticize the Gophers and Woog for repeatedly choking when the chips were down and I am now holding Hakstol and UND's program to that same standard.  I and a few others are being consistent about my criticisms, while others on here have totally changed their perception of what success should consist of based on whose ox is getting gored.

 

I have nothing against Dave Hakstol as a person and I am not at all hungry to throw a family man out on his butt with a pink slip.  But my first loyalty is to UND as an institution (not just athletics, but that is certainly part of it), not any individual person.  And the lack of NCAA titles under Hakstol is a problem for the program.  NCAA titles are not everything, but they are a key component to making a program great, not merely good.  Would NDSU football be considered "great" if they had two runner-up finishes and two semifinal appearances instead of four straight FCS titles?  I think we all know the answer to that.  And I don't think Craig Bohl would have that job in Wyoming right now or the job at NDSU for that matter.

 

I have noticed the very protective Grand Forks media (Schlossman, Miller, Hennessy) loves to compare UND to Boston College when it comes to winning percentage, NCAA appearances, NCAA tournament wins.....and then conveniently leave out the inconvenient truth that over the past 15 years, Boston College and Jerry York have 5 NCAA titles and North Dakota and Dave Hakstol have ZERO.  If you are going to compare the programs, put ALL the statistics there, not just the ones that make Hakstol look good.  But that is what the Grand Forks media does; anything that might make the program look less-than-great gets left out.  Hakstol is probably the most protected head coach of any sport outside of NDSU football in the region.  And that isn't necessarily a good thing.

 

In closing, people like myself do not have a blood lust to see someone fired and thrown out of their job (Hakstol).  But when the marquee program on UND's campus (and, I would argue, the entire state of North Dakota) continues to fail on the biggest stage (the Frozen Four), we get concerned.  We understand that NCAA titles are what at program builds its long-term championship legacy and heritage on.  Don't get me wrong, I love those three straight Final Five titles we won from 2010-2012.  I loved the WCHA regular season titles we won under Hakstol in 2009 and 2011.  And I will be cheering along with everyone else when our first NCHC regular season title banner gets raised in the Fall.  But in order to build and keep a reputation as an elite college hockey program, it is necessary to hang NCAA banners on a somewhat regular basis.  Otherwise, you get put into the same category of the 1980s and 90s Minnesota Gopher teams: very consistently good, but not great.  Not elite.  And if I am wrong about all this, then we might as well anoint the Buffalo Bills as the Team of the 1990s.

 

That is my position on the issue.  That is other people's position on the issue.  And I stand by it.  And I sleep very well at night, thank you very much.

 

Any questions?

[fightingsioux4life]

Comparing NDSU football and UND hockey doesn't make a whole lot of sense either NDSU football doesn't play at the top NCAA level of their sport while UND hockey does.

I am calling Red Herring and Straw Man on this post.  At their respective levels of competition, NDSU football has established a dynasty and UND hockey has become a wanna-be.

[fightingsioux4life]

It was Michigan playing their best game of the season and Hunwick standing on his head with some help from the iron against UND and them playing an average game against Duluth.

Here we go with the "hot goalie" excuse again.

 

Most of our shots were from the outside and we didn't have a lot of traffic in front of the net.  At this level, that isn't going to score a lot of goals for you.  Unless I was in net.

 

And of course, we didn't crash the net because in Hakstol's beloved "baseline defensive system", that is just too reckless.

 

UMD got the job done two nights later.  'Nuff said.

[snova4]

I am calling Red Herring and Straw Man on this post. At their respective levels of competition, NDSU football has established a dynasty and UND hockey has become a wanna-be.

What would the dynasty look like if the boys were playing DIII hockey? I only state that because the quality of players at the true pinnacle of college football is very different than those that play at UND and Bison level right now. I realize the Bison have come in and beat some FBS schools, bit they aren't exactly playing Alabama, Florida Ohio State, LSU, and USC.

[fightingsioux4life]

What would the dynasty look like if the boys were playing DIII hockey? I only state that because the quality of players at the true pinnacle of college football is very different than those that play at UND and Bison level right now. I realize the Bison have come in and beat some FBS schools, bit they aren't exactly playing Alabama, Florida Ohio State, LSU, and USC.

So you are going to pooh-pooh what the Bison did at the same exact level that UND is at for football?  Oh, that's right, if it isn't hockey, it doesn't matter.

[jdub27]

I am calling Red Herring and Straw Man on this post. At their respective levels of competition, NDSU football has established a dynasty and UND hockey has become a wanna-be.

And before the went on their recent run, they were on a 21 year title drought.

[fightingsioux4life]

And before the went on their recent run, they were on a 21 year title drought.

Yeah and Rocky Hager and Bob Babich paid the price for that.

[snova4]

So you are going to pooh-pooh what the Bison did at the same exact level that UND is at for football? Oh, that's right, if it isn't hockey, it doesn't matter.

Not pooh poohing, their success. Just saying the comparisons aren't the same.

[Goon]

I think this is an underdiscussed topic ... that relatively lower-profile move 3 years ago (2 recruiting classes ago).

 

Here I'm going to have to disagree.  

 

Let's start with the fact that I admire Cary Eades.   From the moment he walked onto campus in the fall of 1978, his drive and passion lifted others around him ... to two NCAA titles as a player (one during the era where two NCAA wins got us a title) and more as a coach.  The guy wins wherever he goes ... high school, college, USHL, Canadian Juniors, anyplace he competes he's gotten it done.   If not for a career ending injury, he might still be playing pro.

(Well .... maybe not.)

 

But it was clear that we needed in our coaching staff someone who's played the defenseman position at all levels, who could raise the play of our defensive corps from really good to outstanding.   This starts with getting the best recruits, which has happened these last couple recruiting classes.  

 

Its safe to say that the d-corps has elevated their game under Berry.  (So much so that I worry he gets summoned away by the big bucks of the NHL.)  If I'm a high profile recruit looking to go the NCAA route and play under someone who really develops defenseman for the next level, UND has to be at or near the very top of that list.

 

With a limit on coaching staff size, someone had to go.   I'm sad it was Eades.   Nobody bleeds greener blood than he.    But the hiring of Berry to coach the D has worked.   As a layperson, I'd say its working spectacularly well.

 

I'd welcome thoughts of those who know the game better than i.  

 

Just to biggy back on what you said. If anything, the UND defense the last two years has been one of the top in the country. Look how the d-core has played the last two seasons. I don't think that's by accident. There's no big, slow footed d-man that look like pylons out there. 

[jdub27]

Yeah and Rocky Hager and Bob Babich paid the price for that.

 

They also had down seasons that were completely different from anything Hakstol has ever had.

[snova4]

So you are going to pooh-pooh what the Bison did at the same exact level that UND is at for football? Oh, that's right, if it isn't hockey, it doesn't matter.

And quite frankly, you were the one making the flagship comparison, not me. You can't reverse course in the middle of the discussion by implying that I don't think the rest of the sports matter.

[SiouxVolley]

Blais' teams lost many first round NCAA games, but when they made the Frozen Four they won.

Hak's teams normally win the regionals, but can't get over the hump in the FF.

Hak has a higher NCAA win % than Blais, but people here are calling for his head. He should just plan on losing more first round games to save the team for next year, like Blais seemed to do.

[SiouxScore]

What would the dynasty look like if the boys were playing DIII hockey? I only state that because the quality of players at the true pinnacle of college football is very different than those that play at UND and Bison level right now. I realize the Bison have come in and beat some FBS schools, bit they aren't exactly playing Alabama, Florida Ohio State, LSU, and USC.

Exactly.

[siouxkid12]

First of all, don't ever tell me to shut up.  Ever.  This is a fan message board and I will express my opinion whether you like it or not.

 

Second of all, I don't answer to you and neither does anybody else.  You are not "lord and master" of Fighting Sioux Fandom.  If anybody deserves that title, it would be Al Pearson.

 

And finally, no, I am not calling for Hakstol's head.  Changing head coaches is a very serious decision that can have very long-lasting consequences and shouldn't be done willy-nilly.  Replacing Gino with Blaiser was necessary back in 1994 as the program was decaying and not getting any better.  But most of the time, it isn't that easy to determine what the right course of action is.  And this is one of those ambiguous situations.  It is very similar to the situation that Gopher fans were in with Doug Woog in the 1980's and 90's.  Lots of regular season wins, lots of NCAA tournament appearances, a half-dozen trips to the Frozen Four.....but zero NCAA titles.  Some Gopher fans liked Woog and his consistent winning, while others were getting tired of waiting for that elusive fourth NCAA title.  That same debate is now playing out on siouxsports.com.

 

What I find amusing is that some of the same people on here who are saying Hakstol is the greatest thing since sliced bread and color television are probably the same people who used to mock and ridicule the Gophers and Woog for choking in the postseason year after year after year (the term "Golden Chokers" immediately comes to mind).  Talk about a 180 degree flip-flop.  I also used to criticize the Gophers and Woog for repeatedly choking when the chips were down and I am now holding Hakstol and UND's program to that same standard.  I and a few others are being consistent about my criticisms, while others on here have totally changed their perception of what success should consist of based on whose ox is getting gored.

 

I have nothing against Dave Hakstol as a person and I am not at all hungry to throw a family man out on his butt with a pink slip.  But my first loyalty is to UND as an institution (not just athletics, but that is certainly part of it), not any individual person.  And the lack of NCAA titles under Hakstol is a problem for the program.  NCAA titles are not everything, but they are a key component to making a program great, not merely good.  Would NDSU football be considered "great" if they had two runner-up finishes and two semifinal appearances instead of four straight FCS titles?  I think we all know the answer to that.  And I don't think Craig Bohl would have that job in Wyoming right now or the job at NDSU for that matter.

 

I have noticed the very protective Grand Forks media (Schlossman, Miller, Hennessy) loves to compare UND to Boston College when it comes to winning percentage, NCAA appearances, NCAA tournament wins.....and then conveniently leave out the inconvenient truth that over the past 15 years, Boston College and Jerry York have 5 NCAA titles and North Dakota and Dave Hakstol have ZERO.  If you are going to compare the programs, put ALL the statistics there, not just the ones that make Hakstol look good.  But that is what the Grand Forks media does; anything that might make the program look less-than-great gets left out.  Hakstol is probably the most protected head coach of any sport outside of NDSU football in the region.  And that isn't necessarily a good thing.

 

In closing, people like myself do not have a blood lust to see someone fired and thrown out of their job (Hakstol).  But when the marquee program on UND's campus (and, I would argue, the entire state of North Dakota) continues to fail on the biggest stage (the Frozen Four), we get concerned.  We understand that NCAA titles are what at program builds its long-term championship legacy and heritage on.  Don't get me wrong, I love those three straight Final Five titles we won from 2010-2012.  I loved the WCHA regular season titles we won under Hakstol in 2009 and 2011.  And I will be cheering along with everyone else when our first NCHC regular season title banner gets raised in the Fall.  But in order to build and keep a reputation as an elite college hockey program, it is necessary to hang NCAA banners on a somewhat regular basis.  Otherwise, you get put into the same category of the 1980s and 90s Minnesota Gopher teams: very consistently good, but not great.  Not elite.  And if I am wrong about all this, then we might as well anoint the Buffalo Bills as the Team of the 1990s.

 

That is my position on the issue.  That is other people's position on the issue.  And I stand by it.  And I sleep very well at night, thank you very much.

 

Any questions?

Ya, Boston College only has 4 titles in 15 years.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, when do you start blaming the players for not winning? You can't just throw Hak under the bus without throwing the players too. You can't tell me that Hak got outcoached on Thursday night....Hak wasn't the one who let in two soft goals; so do we blame the all mighty Karl Goerhing for not coaching Zane well enough? Schmaltz apparently not being in position towards the end of the game, do we blame Berry?

These are things people dont want to talk about because apparently anyone can coach the players that are currently on the roster and take them to the FF. 

Pattyn said it best in between periods on Thursday "they need to man up and play". When your captain is saying that in an interview, he isn't calling out his coach, he is calling out all of those guys with a jersey on that they need to get their head out of their asses and pick it up.

[tnt]

Not pooh poohing, their success. Just saying the comparisons aren't the same.

Yeah, can't remember NDSU losing players early to the professional ranks, nor recruits at the last minute or mid season to another competitive league. Dynasty's are more likely in divisions where that doesn't happen, that's why Alabama staying near the top is fairly impressive as well.

[snova4]

Yeah, can't remember NDSU losing players early to the professional ranks, nor recruits at the last minute or mid season to another competitive league. Dynasty's are more likely in divisions where that doesn't happen, that's why Alabama staying near the top is fairly impressive as well.

Imagine a line with Oshie and Toews as seniors, and still having the pony line. Still having Rocco this season, Brock Nelson on last year's team.

Actually, that's making me a little sad.