Top Forward Lines in Fighting Sioux Hockey History

[fightingsioux4life]

With the buzz being generated by the CBS line this season, it got me to thinking about the other great forward lines in the history of this storied program. With the help of USCHO.com and the 2013-14 Men's Hockey Media Guide, I have compiled the statistics of the CBS line, along with four other potent lines from previous teams:

 

Line/Player	GP	Goals	Assists	Points	PPG
Hrkac Circus (1986-87)
Tony Hrkac	48	46	70	116	2.42
Bob Joyce	48	52	37	89	1.85
Steve Johnson	48	26	44	70	1.46
Totals	48	124	151	275	1.91
Line of Fire (2000-01)
Jeff Panzer	46	26	55	81	1.76
Bryan Lundbohm	46	32	37	69	1.50
Ryan Bayda	46	25	34	59	1.28
Totals	46	83	126	209	1.51
The Money Line (2003-04)
Brandon Bochenski	41	27	33	60	1.46
Zach Parise	37	23	32	55	1.49
Brady Murray	37	19	27	46	1.24
Totals	38	69	92	161	1.40
DOT Line (2006-07)
Ryan Duncan	43	31	26	57	1.33
T.J. Oshie	43	17	35	52	1.21
Jonathan Toews	34	18	28	46	1.35
Totals	40	66	89	155	1.30
Pony Express (2010-11)
Matt Frattin	44	36	24	60	1.36
Evan Trupp	44	17	24	41	0.93
Brad Malone	43	16	24	40	0.93
Totals	44	69	72	141	1.07
CBS Line (2015-16)
Drake Caggiula	19	13	14	27	1.42
Nick Schmaltz	20	3	23	26	1.30
Brock Boeser	20	13	8	21	1.05
Totals	20	29	45	74	1.26

 

Most of the stats here are pretty self-explanatory, but I will elaborate on a couple of points:

 

The “Totals PPG” figure represents the average PPG of all three members of that particular line. This gives us an overall picture of how potent each line was/is based on overall production per game.

 

The “Games Played Totals” figure is uniform for the Hrkac Circus and Line of Fire, but the other three lines had one player that didn’t play as many games as the other two players on that line. So this number represents the average number of games played for that line. I did not know how else to treat that column.

 

Through 20 games (including tonight), the CBS line is on track to rank amongst the best lines in program history. They are approaching the productivity of the DOT line and may even make a run at The Money Line and the Line of Fire before the season is over.

Edited December 13, 2015 by fightingsioux4life
Forgot "Money Line" of 2003-04

[siouxfaninseattle]

As good as they have been, CBS will need to pick it up to get close to the Line of Fire. I can see them doing it.

[Goon]

How could you forget the Money Line?

[fightingsioux4life]

How could you forget the Money Line?

Whoops, my bad. I'll amend my original post to include those guys. It's hard to remember all the talent that's gone through this program.

[Cratter]

Panzer was robbed!

[grandforks]

BC Connection (42 games in 78-79):

 

Mark Taylor  24--59--83

Kevin Maxwell  31--51--82

Cary Eades  27--23--50

 

The next season:

 

Mark Taylor  33--59--92

Doug Smail  43--44--87

Phil Sykes  22--27--49

40g for Taylor and Smail, 37g for Sykes

[fightingsioux4life]

Anyone with lines I don't know about or were too young to remember, please post them here.

[82SiouxGuy]

Steve Johnson wasn't the only wing that played with Hrkac and Bob Joyce in 1986-87. Brent Bobyck played quite a few games at wing on that line.

[Vegas_Sioux]

Panzer was robbed!

By a goalie he beat twice

[sioux rube]

That Hrkac Circus line still amazes me the numbers they put up. Wow.

[Cratter]

By a goalie he beat twice

UND scored on its first shot of the game in the semis. 

[brianvf]

UND scored on its first shot of the game in the semis. 

Spiewak shoots...and scores!

[Cratter]

""C'mon, Spiewak! This isn't the Ice Capades out there."

[Oxbow6]

Good thread that will produce some interesting debate but one point about the CBS line as of right now is they are #1, #2 and #3 in the nation in +/-. 

[808287]

Agreed that the Taylor, Smail, Sykes line in 79-80 was a dangerous line. Doug Smail was the fastest skater in the NCAA and could bury a breakway.  

[burd]

It would be interesting to compare overall amount of scoring across the NCAA in the years those lines played.   With those numbers, you could add a multiplier of some sort to adjust for changes in the game.  I think we all believe college hockey was a different game when the Circus played, but it's just a notion, at least in my case.   I'd love to do it, but I have to take out the garbage and clean the garage . . .  

[Vegas_Sioux]

It would be interesting to compare overall amount of scoring across the NCAA in the years those lines played.   With those numbers, you could add a multiplier of some sort to adjust for changes in the game.  I think we all believe college hockey was a different game when the Circus played, but it's just a notion, at least in my case.   I'd love to do it, but I have to take out the garbage and clean the garage . . .  

what would you do with the video replay. Not saying it was done but isn't it thought that tony got an assist just for being on the ice, with the thought he must have touched the puck somewhere?

[jk]

what would you do with the video replay. Not saying it was done but isn't it thought that tony got an assist just for being on the ice, with the thought he must have touched the puck somewhere?

Really?  I have a hard time even reading those words.  Most of his assists were THE play that made the goal happen.  

There's no doubt goaltending was poorer then, and as a result scoring higher, but you can't really compare eras.  I do know Hrkac made more opponents look silly than anyone I've ever seen.  That oughtta count for something.

[geaux_sioux]

My vote goes to any line featuring Hextal

[808287]

Really?  I have a hard time even reading those words.  Most of his assists were THE play that made the goal happen.  

There's no doubt goaltending was poorer then, and as a result scoring higher, but you can't really compare eras.  I do know Hrkac made more opponents look silly than anyone I've ever seen.  That oughtta count for something.

I wouldn't say the goaltending was poorer, but I get what you mean.  The equipment was different (smaller pads and trapper).  Goalies themselves were also generally smaller (the 6'3 goalies weren't common).  As a result, there was more open net to defend (and shoot at) and scoring was a little easier.  Though now you can make the argument that composite sticks give shooters an advantage they didn't have back in the eighties, but I think the open net area argument holds better.

And yeah, for as many goals as Hrkac had, he was THE setup man laying that biscuit on the stick of Bob Joyce just moments before it was in the net.  Those two were fun to watch together.   

Edited December 13, 2015 by 808287

[The Sicatoka]

Steve Johnson wasn't the only wing that played with Hrkac and Bob Joyce in 1986-87. Brent Bobyck played quite a few games at wing on that line.

Yup. Bobyck played on that line in April I believe. Malcolm Parks played on that line for a few games also. 

You could've put Goon or geaux_sioux out there with Hrkac and Joyce and he'd have put a 10-20-30 season scoring line up. 

[Fetch]

Someone should put together a video / movie of any & all video of the Hrkacs Circus 

[geaux_sioux]

Someone should put together a video / movie of any & all video of the Hrkacs Circus 

How about all of these lines? Watch and compare.

[SiouxFanatic]

Someone should put together a video / movie of any & all video of the Hrkacs Circus 

[Fetch]

Thanks I had forgot that