SiouxMeNow Posted March 28, 2004 Posted March 28, 2004 Heard TH tell RT "make sure Zach gets on the plane tonight..." Anyone hear anything about Zach's plans after tonight?? I'm hoping the NHL lockout and the fact he didn't accomplish one of his goals (National Title) will mean he might be willing to give UND another year....hope so anyway...anyone hear anything different?? Quote
Marty Posted March 28, 2004 Posted March 28, 2004 I don't think Zach is even contemplating leaving at this moment. He just poured everything he has into an entire season and it all came crashing down in a free fall. I know I am worried about Zach leaving for the NHL but I don't think that Zach hasn't even thought about it since the loss. Quote
Superman0099 Posted March 28, 2004 Posted March 28, 2004 He just poured everything he has into an entire season and it all came crashing down in a free fall. I don't think there's a better way to put it. I don't know if I've ever seen a player work so hard on every shift of every game all season. Dissapointing end to a good season, but there will be more NCAA's. Time to start looking forward to next year. Quote
7>4 Posted March 28, 2004 Posted March 28, 2004 From someone at last night's game, I totally agree. Parise is a stud. IMO, the Sioux outplayed Denver badly. Just picked a bad time not to bury some changes. Duluth beats Denver by at least 3 goals. I hope Parise and Bochenski stay if nothing more than my selfish reasons to watch them play together another year. Quote
sagard Posted March 28, 2004 Posted March 28, 2004 I said it on USCHO, but I'll say it here as well. UND was great long before Zach came to town, they will still be great upon his departure. The only way I see UND falling out of the top two in league play next year is if two or three defensemen leave. As the Gophers proved this year, they are a lot harder to replace. Quote
sioux fan in phoenix Posted March 28, 2004 Posted March 28, 2004 I said it on USCHO, but I'll say it here as well. UND was great long before Zach came to town, they will still be great upon his departure. I agree. Although Zach makes everyone around him & the team better, not 1 player does a team make (unless it's a Gretzky or other superstar). I get the impression sometimes that other players ride his coattails & rely on him too much to be the savior. As a reference, I think the team played some of its best cohesive hockey during the WJC when its big guns were gone. JMO.. Quote
Diggler Posted March 28, 2004 Posted March 28, 2004 UND will still be a good team without Zach, but this past month I have gained a new respect for him. The amount of talent he has and the amount of effort he puts in, is amazing. I hope he comes back because it will obviously help UND and probably just as important, I just love watching him play. Quote
ScottM Posted March 28, 2004 Posted March 28, 2004 I'll play "devil's advocate". If Zach does leave, I would bet we will actually be better next season. All of the hype can be a huge distraction to the rest of the team. If Zach is no longer the focus of the media, fans and other teams, I think other players would have the opportunity to develop. Really, how often is a college hockey player, from any program, hyped in the NY Times? I love Zach wearing the Sioux uniform, and really hope he comes back for another run, but I don't see our team falling apart because he went pro. We have a strong core of younger players who are very talented, and a good class of recruits. Goaltending is pretty stable, and will probably better, we have a strong group of younger d-men and very talented forwards. The sun will not rise, or set, on what Zach decides about the NHL in the next few days. Quote
Diggler Posted March 28, 2004 Posted March 28, 2004 Can Zach play in the playoffs? Have the final rosters been set? I haven't oayed much attention to the NHL. Quote
Riverman Posted March 28, 2004 Posted March 28, 2004 I'll play "devil's advocate". If Zach does leave, I would bet we will actually be better next season. All of the hype can be a huge distraction to the rest of the team. If Zach is no longer the focus of the media, fans and other teams, I think other players would have the opportunity to develop. Really, how often is a college hockey player, from any program, hyped in the NY Times? I love Zach wearing the Sioux uniform, and really hope he comes back for another run, but I don't see our team falling apart because he went pro. We have a strong core of younger players who are very talented, and a good class of recruits. Goaltending is pretty stable, and will probably better, we have a strong group of younger d-men and very talented forwards. The sun will not rise, or set, on what Zach decides about the NHL in the next few days. I agree with most of your statement. This team needs just one good puck handling D-man. aka Curtis Murphy! Go North Dakota EAST!(Bulldogs UM-Duluth)! Quote
sprig Posted March 29, 2004 Posted March 29, 2004 Unless the rules have changed, there have been college players that have gone right to the SC playoffs following the NCAA's. Quote
PCM Posted March 29, 2004 Posted March 29, 2004 Unless the rules have changed, there have been college players that have gone right to the SC playoffs following the NCAA's. Yep. I remember Farkas from Boston College going right to Toronto and scoring a goal in the playoffs immediately after the 2000 season ended. Quote
jloos Posted March 29, 2004 Posted March 29, 2004 I was just looking at NJ's site for any possible news, didn't find any, but found this interesting: Tallackson, Barry Minnesota, WCHA 6-4 195 RW R Grafton, ND 04/14/1983 I didn't know Tallackson was born in ND, that makes 4 ND born players on the Gophers this year. Quote
Superman0099 Posted March 29, 2004 Posted March 29, 2004 I love Zach wearing the Sioux uniform, and really hope he comes back for another run, but I don't see our team falling apart because he went pro. I don't think people are worried about the team "falling apart" without Parise. For me, I just love watching him play, especially with Bochenski and Murray, theres just something there with Parise that you RARELY see in college hockey. In any case, he's going to do whats in his best interest, and with the way he gets mangled and mauled during every game without the calls, it wouldn't suprise me to see NJ bring him up, if only to protect their investment. Let's face it, Zach Parise is the most complete player college hockey has seen in a while, and he is ready to play in the NHL. Quote
BigGreyAnt41 Posted March 29, 2004 Posted March 29, 2004 I thought there was a deadline. I seem to remember Sejna going to the NHL too late to play in the playoffs and got stuck in the AHL. At least that's what I SEEM to remember, don't quote me on it though. Quote
GBpakrzz Posted March 29, 2004 Posted March 29, 2004 I'll play "devil's advocate". If Zach does leave, I would bet we will actually be better next season. All of the hype can be a huge distraction to the rest of the team. If Zach is no longer the focus of the media, fans and other teams, I think other players would have the opportunity to develop. Really, how often is a college hockey player, from any program, hyped in the NY Times? I love Zach wearing the Sioux uniform, and really hope he comes back for another run, but I don't see our team falling apart because he went pro. We have a strong core of younger players who are very talented, and a good class of recruits. Goaltending is pretty stable, and will probably better, we have a strong group of younger d-men and very talented forwards. The sun will not rise, or set, on what Zach decides about the NHL in the next few days. While I can appreciate hearing the other side of the argument, the above statement(s) are not accurate. The Sioux will be solid next year with or without Parise. But to think that we would somehow be better off without him is silly. The kid is on a completely different level talent wise and is the hardest working guy on the ice. The Sioux can survive if he leaves, but it would sure be nice to see him stick around another year. Quote
redwing77 Posted March 29, 2004 Posted March 29, 2004 We are only losing 3 and gaining 5 (yikes) + 1 goalie. Which means, assuming there are no early departures, we're the favorite for the McNaughton for sure and may be a favorite for the Frozen Four next season. I think the tourney strategy worked in its majority with the exception of finishing the play. We also looked pretty tired so, apart from that and breaking in the new blood, all the Sioux have to work on this off season is special teams (which is something, IMO, everyone works on regardless) and conditioning. And for gosh sakes, I hope Smaby doesn't lose anything over the off season. He's been razor sharp since the benching. Quote
JWG Posted March 29, 2004 Posted March 29, 2004 You can go to the NHL right away. in 2001 Travis Roche went straight from the NCAA title game to play for the MN Wild the very next day. It was odd to all of a sudden cheer for Travis only 1 day after seeing him as a rival. Quote
Smoggy Posted March 29, 2004 Posted March 29, 2004 You can go to the NHL right away. in 2001 Travis Roche went straight from the NCAA title game to play for the MN Wild the very next day. It was odd to all of a sudden cheer for Travis only 1 day after seeing him as a rival. The debate is whether or not Zach would be eligible for the playoffs. Quote
kramer9 Posted March 29, 2004 Posted March 29, 2004 I wonder how long Zach or Matt Greene or whomever will wait before making there decision on wheater to leave or not? I hope personally that they both decide to hang around for a least 1 more year so they can accomplish the goal which is a national championship. I know it would be hard to turn down millions of dollars in the NHL but I think Zach has more of an inner fire that other players who have left earlier didn't have but in the case of Roche and Bryan Lundbohlm they at least left UND after winning the national championship. I think losing Zach next year will hurt UND more than people think, he makes Brandon and Brady and even Jordan so much better with his on and off ice presence. Quote
ts_mpls Posted March 29, 2004 Posted March 29, 2004 Ironically, speaking of Zach and Paulie Martin, they could be playing together soon (along with former Gopher Erik Rasmussen and Duluth boy Jamie Langenbrunner). Don't the Devils still have the rights to Parise? tim Quote
Diggler Posted March 29, 2004 Posted March 29, 2004 And David Hale. Yes the Devils still have Parise's rights. Still think they got one of the steals of the draft. Along with the Wild getting Patrick O'Sullivan. Quote
SiouxMeNow Posted March 29, 2004 Author Posted March 29, 2004 Personally, I'd like to have Zach around just one more year as a representative of UND!! What a class act - upstanding citizen and great p.r. guy for UND when he does interviews all over the country. Mind you...I want to see him keep playing for UND for another year for his skills too...AM I STUPID!?! But he's a great guy to have around GF regardless and he'll always be welcome here ANYTIME! If he decides to go...best of luck and thanks for the memories Zach and we hope you remember GF...we'll always remember you! Quote
PCM Posted March 29, 2004 Posted March 29, 2004 I just heard Dean Blais on the radio say that he expects Zach to leave for New Jersey. Tim Hennessy thinks that Matt Greene will also be leaving because Edmonton is so high on him. Hennessy said that with Parise, the deal is on the table and it's up to Zach to stay at UND or head for the pros. Blais and Hennessy talked as if it's a foregone conclusion that he'll go. Quote
airmail Posted March 29, 2004 Posted March 29, 2004 I just heard Dean Blais on the radio say that he expects Zach to leave for New Jersey. Tim Hennessy thinks that Matt Greene will also be leaving because Edmonton is so high on him. If that is the case, and I also think it may be, we are fortunate to have had Zach here for two years. Certainly one of the best college players I've had the privelege to watch. Oh what the hell. Zach can't contribute in New Jersey... the looming lockout... Jordan is still here... HE STAYS! Quote
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