Sioux Roster

[TheSiouxFan]

Heres the press release from fightingsioux.com

Sophomore Chris Fournier will not return for 2002-03 hockey season

(Sept. 3, 2002)--University of North Dakota men

[Goon]

And please, no more backing in for entire third periods. What DI team can't score when you give them all of neutral ice, plus the blue line, plus half the defensive zone (Sioux's).

You have point. Last year I noticed UofM really stacked the defensive zone and made it hard to get across the blue line in the third period of games, hence fustrating the opposition I would like to see UND return to this type of game plan. I also remember Denver using this tactic against the Gophers in the final game of the final five. Lock down the neutral zone in the third and protect the defensive zone.

UND did this in years past when they won the NCAA title in 2000. I remember in 2000 they really played tough defense come tourney time. In the third period they cranked it up and played solid defense. This can lead to breaks the other way if they play it right.

In other words don't give up the neutral zone and defensive zone. Fore Check, Fore check...

[sprig]

Remember the Frozen Four third periods against Maine, MSU and BC (in 2000)?

[The Sicatoka]

An article in the Herald about this that you can find. Imagine that.

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/s...rts/3997203.htm

[jk]

Here is the Anchorage paper's story on Fournier. It's an interesting read. It definitely sounds like he chose to leave on his own, and that Blais is not happy about it.

It will be interesting to hear the whole story, when it comes out. I only know what I have read on the internet, but there are some oddities.

It doesn't make sense to me that he stayed in GF to work out for the summer and then came in out-of-shape. Would not teammates and trainers (if contact with them is allowed) have had an idea a problem was developing as summer progressed?

Did he really skip captain's practices?

There is talk of Fournier wanting to transfer to another school. Is this really why he left, and not the conditioning issue?

Is 19.4% body fat really terrible for a college hockey player (I really don't know; it does sound like a lot)? Did the captains come down too hard on him, and is that why he left? My answer right now would be one not based on all the facts, since I don't know them. But I think if the captains want to set the tone of commitment, then that's fine with me. (I'm guessing this is what most Sioux fans will think, especially ScottM and Goon).

Stepping back from the details, I think that if a player thinks he made a wrong choice and is not happy where he is, then he should feel free to move on. This isn't the Soviet Union. He should go where he wants to go, and I hope he prospers, except against UND.

http://www.adn.com/sports/story/1717399p-1834188c.html

[PCM]

Here's a story from the Lincoln Star Jounral about why Fournier says he left and what he'll be doing in the the upcoming season.

Is there a chance that because Fournier will be playing for the Lincoln Stars, he'll make a Fylling-like move and return to the Sioux next season?

[sprig]

It is odd that he worked out all summer yet comes in with near 20 body fat. Not sure how many athletes can carry that much and perform but I do know 20% on me ain't purty.

Would appear that (from a link posted by Hammy, interview with Fournier) Chris was unhappy with his ice time and wasn't offered too much hope for an immediate gain in ice time by Blais. Is that the same link PCM has above (think so).

Not sure what he expected, but as we all know Blais demands dedication and hard work, and lots more players than Fournier have sat when lack of effort is perceived.

Seems that he was having a hard time going from team star, leading scorer at Lincoln, to limited ice time for the Sioux. I don't believe he can expect to get much better than that anywhere in D1, without some commitment on his part.

Looks like he's deciding between UAA and another year in juniors this year. Would expect he'll be back at Lincoln since he'd have to sit out the year at UAA.

[NDHockey]

I think some of this talk about bodyfat is making a little too much out of things. What are we fielding? A hockey team or a bodybuilding team? I understand that being in shape is a part of the game but I also know that just because you are in good shape, it won't mean that it automatically tranlates to success on the ice.

I hope Chris does well whatever he decides on. I hope he didn't get a raw deal.

[sprig]

It may be the body fat/in shape thing had nothing to do with it. Appears in Fournier's interview that he wanted more playing time, and Blais wouldn't guarantee it, so he left. I'd bet noone has been guaranteed ice time by Blais. Players will get what they earn, on and off the ice. As a fan I wouldn't want anything less.

No doubt Blais isn't real happy with the decision this late. Might have used that scholarship money for another recruit.

[The Sicatoka]

Playing time is the issue for him? We all know the Dean Blais philosophy: Skate or sit.

But another thought has crossed my mind in light of guaranteed playing time coming up as an issue for Fournier (a center). I don't know, I'm just going to ask:

Could this indicate how good some of the other centers are (Genoway and Parise and McMahon)?

[forecheck]

I was thinking the same think Sicatoka. We seem to have quite a few talented centers. Add Lundbohm, Fylling, and possibly Spiewak to your list, and that's quite the competition. If he realized how hard the other centers were working this summer and became concerned about his playing time, yay for the fans!

Does anyone know if Parise came up to Grand Forks this summer to work out with his teammates?

[kr]

Today's Herald has a blurb on Chad Dahlen, he'll sit out this year as he has transferred from Ferris State, he will have 2 years to play. If you go to this link http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/s...rts/4005283.htm scroll to the very end (last part of Fee Throws). There is a quote of Coach Blais, and I'll leave it at that.

[sprig]

"More weight, less body fat." Interesting in light of the Fournier debacle.

You may be right, Sic. Appears that there could be a lot of depth at center. Some of them will be playing wing, no doubt.

So what's the general feeling, will Blais use the Fournier money to recruit another forward for this year, or will it be divided among those with less than a full ride, currently. Or don't any of those exist.

[The Sicatoka]

I was waiting for someone to invoke the word "wing."

At an almost 5'8" and ---* pounds, how would Fournier fare on the wing? Imagine him going into the corner against DeMarchi and Tallackson. He needs the open ice at center. But is he one of the top four centers on that roster? I don't know.

I do know that Fylling or Lundbohm or Spiewak, and especially McMahon, would have a lot better shot at living to tell about time on the wing in the WCHA.

I still don't like the fact that this seems like he made up his mind a while ago and now the team has an open scholarship and is left short a forward.

* I am not going to open up THAT can of worms.

[Greyeagle]

Sic - You just did.

It doesn't seem to affect Riddle and he's not that big. I thought the Hoogstiens were wings to - and no one confused them with the jolly green giant.

Then again there's Spehar.....

[sprig]

Certainly small wingers have been effective forecheckers; it's just a matter of work ethic and attitude.

But from a fan's perspective, it feels better seeing a wing the likes of Matt Henderson or someone of similar build smacking the likes of DeMarchi

And we can't wait for the Gophs to develop the next cherry picker.

[ScottM]

So, really what Blais was faced with was a fat, playing time prima donna who thought he was entitled to ice time? Not to mention that he waited, as was pointed out, until the start of camp/school leaving us tied into his scholarship? In spite of his potential, I'm glad he's gone if he's going about it that way. The last we need on the team is another Jason Blake or Landon Wilson ... then again those guys actually performed on the ice, so it wouldn't be too bad.

[NDHockey]

I would doubt that the other players at that position had much to do with it. I mean, unless Blais is breaking NCAA rules and watching captain's practice, I doubt he'd have a good idea about who is skating better than who as far as centers go. Not to mention, it is kind of early to make that kind of judgement when games are still weeks away

If it was really a matter of other players being better at that position, would Blais really be as upset as he kind of seems about Fournier leaving? I don't think so. He'd probably shrug it off and give Fournier his release.

I think some people are trying to rationalize this situation as if it for the better and I don't really agree. Looking back on the thread where people put lines together, most people had Fournier as a pretty solid contributor.

[sprig]

It's never good to lose a player you want to keep. No doubt Blais wanted him to stay and put in the work necessary to warrant increased ice time. But given the ultimatum, "Play me more or I'm leaving", without proving yourself, I'd say it's best for the team that he leaves. Too bad, however, that this didn't take place much earlier, rather than at this late a date.

[PCM]

Maybe I'm remembering incorrectly, but I thought that Fournier last season saw as much ice time as could be expected under the circumstances.

Considering that he was a freshman, lost a lot of weight after being ill early in the season and was then injured, playing in 28 games isn't too shabby. I also thought that Fournier was starting to show improvemet near the end of the season, which made me think that he would be a key player for the Sioux during the upcoming season.

In my mind, this a more likely scenario: After Fournier came to school overweight and out of shape and the captains informed Blais of Fournier's absence from their practices, he had a talk with Chris about how much ice time he could expect to see if his work ethic and attitude didn't improve. Between the words of warning from Blais and the pressure from other players, he probably decided to leave UND.

When a sports reporter calls Fournier to ask why he left, he's probably not going to say, "Because I was lazy and screwed up."

Saying that he left because Blais was going to reduce his ice time is a convenient excuse and probably true. But my guess is that Blais probably made that statement based on what Fournier had done (or hadn't done) recently, not on his performance last season. I find it hard to believe that Blais would be talking to Fournier about a reduced role before the season even began unless Fournier had done something to warrant it.

[sprig]

Appears Fournier has enrolled at UAA and will sit out this season. Apparently Coach Hill has told him what he wanted to hear: "Chris will definitely be a top-two line center and play on one of the power-play units. He's going to make some wingers awfully happy because he can deliver the puck at the right time."

http://adn.com/sports/story/1735600p-1851727c.html

Surprising that the UAA coach would say that before Chris proves himself. Maybe UAA doesn't have any real gems at center.

[TheSiouxFan]

Should be interesting watching Fournier return to REA in a couple years.

[PCM]

I wish Chris luck, but not when he plays against the Sioux.

[ScottM]

Suprising that the UAA coach would say that before Chris proves himself. Maybe UAA doesn't have any real gems at center.

If Hill wants to kow-tow to a playing time prima donna, let him. I'm sure the UAA faithful will consider this some sort of great coup. Then again, what's Fournier going to do if the UAA captains get on him? Unless Hill promised him the C and his own jet too.

[HKNTSMN]

Let