Youth and success in the WCHA

[OETKB]

Last season, UND suffered its first losing season under Dean Blais.  Not even Blais could take a team regularly dressing 11 freshmen into the playoffs.

Consider the following among 20 player game rosters:

2000-1 = 10 Upperclass, 5 Freshmen

2001-2 =  6 Upperclass, 11 Freshmen

2002-3 =  5 Upperclass, 5 Freshmen (estimate)

2003-4 = 14 Upperclass, 2 Freshmen (estimate)

Based purely on experience level, the Sioux should have a better season this year than last and a very strong season the following year.

There are many other factors to whether a team does well or not, of course.  Here are some:

Chemistry among players

Coaching attitude shifts

Staff changes

Talent level of incoming players

Individual player development while in program

Strength of schedule (to a lesser degree)

I, for one, believe that UND's freshmen from last season did not lack talent.  Nor did Dean Blais slip in his coaching ability.  Chemistry among players was a question mark, though.

Also, last season, strength of schedule was something Blais lamented about as the season drew to a close.  With that many freshmen, it is next to impossible to be successful in the WCHA.  Denver's coach also made comments to that effect.

I'd like to know what others believe.  People have been talking about UND's lack of "proven" players, but with half the roster coming off their freshman season, can we expect them to be "proven"?  

"Balanced" might be the buzzword for the 2002-3 Sioux.  What a relief it is...

[Goon]

"Balanced" might be the buzzword for the 2002-3 Sioux.

[jk]

One thought on the projected makeup of future teams:  The top programs are often going to be heavy on first and second year players.  Because players leave early to the pros, it seems like no one has a big senior class anymore.  

For example, I think of UND's senior forwards this year.  I have thought of this as a big class, with five forwards that started their careers in the exhibition against the Canadian Nat'l Team (?): Bayda, Skarperud, Hale, Spiewak and Notermann.  Of the five, only two are senior forwards this year.  One went pro, one's eligibility expired, and one slipped to the junior class because of a medical redshirt.  

Because of this general phenomenon, you can expect to see a steady flow of freshmen into this program, and others.

[ScottM]

Nice analysis OETKB.  I would agree that the elusive "chemistry" was lacking for much of the season.  I think that may have impacted the leadership quality we saw, or didn't see, as well.   I think this year's team will be more mature and more confident, especially after reviewing those 1 point losses and third period collapses that punctuated the season.  We saw flashes of the great play and coordination later in the season, especially among the younger guys so I'd bet that will carry forward.  I think we'll have a pretty solid team, but a few question marks still remain in goal and on special teams IMHO.