2020-21 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[AJS]

Am I crazy?

Last years team finished 3rd in the country in goals scored. It was an incredibly efficient group where depth was key. The part where I feel crazy, is I think this upcoming years team will be immensely more talented. Where I saw holes in the Forward group last year that will be sewn up this year.

1. Never able to find that 6th guy to play in the Top 6 (w/ Michaud / Pinto)
2. True Talent with Weatherby on the 4th line

 

[yzerman19]

22 minutes ago, AJS said:

Am I crazy?

Last years team finished 3rd in the country in goals scored. It was an incredibly efficient group where depth was key. The part where I feel crazy, is I think this upcoming years team will be immensely more talented. Where I saw holes in the Forward group last year that will be sewn up this year.

1. Never able to find that 6th guy to play in the Top 6 (w/ Michaud / Pinto)
2. True Talent with Weatherby on the 4th line

 

Weatherby has too much value offensively and in the faceoff circle to be on the 4th line IMO.  

[90siouxfan]

27 minutes ago, AJS said:

Am I crazy?

Last years team finished 3rd in the country in goals scored. It was an incredibly efficient group where depth was key. The part where I feel crazy, is I think this upcoming years team will be immensely more talented. Where I saw holes in the Forward group last year that will be sewn up this year.

1. Never able to find that 6th guy to play in the Top 6 (w/ Michaud / Pinto)
2. True Talent with Weatherby on the 4th line

 

Whom do you see filling Cole Smith's shoes?

[AJS]

4 minutes ago, yzerman19 said:

Weatherby has too much value offensively and in the faceoff circle to be on the 4th line IMO.  

That's sort of the issue. I also think he's unbelievably valuable as a Center, so where do you move him? He is talented enough to be in the Top 6, but who are you moving out of the Top 2 Center roles? 

[siouxforce19]

25 minutes ago, AJS said:

Am I crazy?

Last years team finished 3rd in the country in goals scored. It was an incredibly efficient group where depth was key. The part where I feel crazy, is I think this upcoming years team will be immensely more talented. Where I saw holes in the Forward group last year that will be sewn up this year.

1. Never able to find that 6th guy to play in the Top 6 (w/ Michaud / Pinto)
2. True Talent with Weatherby on the 4th line

 

1. Just my opinion, but I thought they should have left Blaisdell there. 
 

2. Weatherby is tricky. Like, he should be at center, but also could be top 6. They tried moving Pinto to wing, which didn’t work, and I’m not sure Weatherby on wing is most beneficial either. 

[as15]

3 minutes ago, yzerman19 said:

Weatherby has too much value offensively and in the faceoff circle to be on the 4th line IMO.  

 

Just now, AJS said:

That's sort of the issue. I also think he's unbelievably valuable as a Center, so where do you move him? He is talented enough to be in the Top 6, but who are you moving out of the Top 2 Center roles? 

I definitely agree, but who does he replace as a center?  Adams was very effective on the top line, Pinto is obvious, and Senden is too good as a shutdown center.

To maximize the playing time of our top players while still utilizing their strengths, I think one option is to move Adams back to wing and use Pinto and Weatherby as the top 6 centers.  

 

Adams - Weatherby - Kawaguchi

Mismash - Pinto - Gaber

Hain - Senden - Ness

Rizzo - Blaisdell - Caulfield

 

Once again, way too much talent on the 4th line.  What a problem to have....

 

 

[AJS]

1 minute ago, 90siouxfan said:

Whom do you see filling Cole Smith's shoes?

Nobody. He's so unique. The role he plays he does better than just about anybody I've seen in college hockey. I'm excited to see somebody like Blaisdell or Ness with Senden / Hain. I do think if you go thru the line up, that 3rd line will be the only one that takes a step back. Doesn't mean they still won't be solid, but Smith is a big loss. 

[fightingsioux4life]

13 minutes ago, yzerman19 said:

Weatherby has too much value offensively and in the faceoff circle to be on the 4th line IMO.  

But isn't that a good "problem" to have? Having that many talented players means we'll get scoring from lines that usually don't score much.

[AJS]

3 minutes ago, as15 said:

 

I definitely agree, but who does he replace as a center?  Adams was very effective on the top line, Pinto is obvious, and Senden is too good as a shutdown center.

To maximize the playing time of our top players while still utilizing their strengths, I think one option is to move Adams back to wing and use Pinto and Weatherby as the top 6 centers.  

 

Adams - Weatherby - Kawaguchi

Mismash - Pinto - Gaber

Hain - Senden - Ness

Rizzo - Blaisdell - Caulfield

 

Once again, way too much talent on the 4th line.  What a problem to have....

 

 

Co-sign that lineup. I love it. 

Just think, you still have Budy that you're able to insert into that lineup. 

[burd]

55 minutes ago, AJS said:

Am I crazy?

 

 

Probably, but you have us as company. 

[AJS]

4 minutes ago, keikla said:

Do you split Adams, Mismash, and Kawaguchi after the year they had together?

Kawaguchi had pretty spectacular numbers, obviously, Adams were solid, Mismash ok. I like them as a line, but imo, they didn't produce to the level where you at least don't give it some thought. 

[yzerman19]

38 minutes ago, AJS said:

Kawaguchi had pretty spectacular numbers, obviously, Adams were solid, Mismash ok. I like them as a line, but imo, they didn't produce to the level where you at least don't give it some thought. 

Adams has shown he performs much better at Center.  I think we have 4 rock solid centers in Adams, Pinto, Weatherby, and Senden.  I think Senden is clearly your energy guy.  We could easily roll an interchangeable top 9 that is all about matchups without skipping a beat.  

[siouxczech29]

1 hour ago, AJS said:

Co-sign that lineup. I love it. 

Just think, you still have Budy that you're able to insert into that lineup. 

Jackson Keane too! He was good at the end of the shortened season 

[I Ranger]

16 minutes ago, yzerman19 said:

Adams has shown he performs much better at Center.  I think we have 4 rock solid centers in Adams, Pinto, Weatherby, and Senden.  I think Senden is clearly your energy guy.  We could easily roll an interchangeable top 9 that is all about matchups without skipping a beat.  

Exactly on Adams playing center as he even mentioned that he is much more comfortable at his natural position of center and thinks that is why he produced much better this year. Weatherby is tricky because I agree he is a natural center and performs much better there than at wing which is why I never thought he was a great fit with Pinto and Michaud simply because he isn't a wing and was never comfortable. Crazy good problem to have with such depth at center when a year or two ago we were talking about having too many 3rd/4th line centers having to play top 6 simply because we didn't have any top line centers. 

[scpa0305]

1 hour ago, as15 said:

 

I definitely agree, but who does he replace as a center?  Adams was very effective on the top line, Pinto is obvious, and Senden is too good as a shutdown center.

To maximize the playing time of our top players while still utilizing their strengths, I think one option is to move Adams back to wing and use Pinto and Weatherby as the top 6 centers.  

 

Adams - Weatherby - Kawaguchi

Mismash - Pinto - Gaber

Hain - Senden - Ness

Rizzo - Blaisdell - Caulfield

 

Once again, way too much talent on the 4th line.  What a problem to have....

 

 

I like that lineup.  Only change is I’d give caulfied a chance on the second to start the year. He played good there in flashes last year.  Also, you have to make the freshman earn it (unless they’re a super high pick like Sanderson).  
 

Where’s Budy? Whoa...next years team is loaded.

[yzerman19]

Adams with Guch and Mash (don't mess with what worked)

Pinto with Hain and Blaisdell 

Weatherby with Gaber and Rizzo 

Senden with Caulfield and Ness

[siouxforce19]

6 minutes ago, yzerman19 said:

Adams with Guch and Mash (don't mess with what worked)

Pinto with Hain and Blaisdell 

Weatherby with Gaber and Rizzo 

Senden with Caulfield and Ness 

Yeah, I came up with similar. I had Budy instead of Ness on the 4th. 

[Wilbur]

Can't split up the top line.  Seems like Mismash finally found his place on the team and that unit's puck possession was tremendous.

[UND-MH-Fan]

I think we need to remember even though Berry has a guy on the 3rd or even 4th Line doesn’t mean he thinks that guy isn’t a tip 6 guy. He spreads the talent through out the lines very well and finds those matchups that mesh well. Which provides him the confidence to roll 4 lines in important games when guys need rest. Weatherby is definitely a top 6 guy but he might not have meshed well with the listed top two lines. Wouldn’t mind to see Gaber slide in with Adams and Kawaguchi at some point. His obvious scoring ability might go well with Kawaguchi and Adam’s pkaymaking ability. Keep Pinto on line two so we aren’t using our PP1 all game long as our top line.

[yzerman19]

33 minutes ago, siouxforce19 said:

Yeah, I came up with similar. I had Budy instead of Ness on the 4th. 

Yeah, I am speculating on the freshies...I figured Rizzo and Gaber's offensive reputations would be nice adds to Weatherby...his faceoff ability and having them as the third line also protects them to some degree as they adapt to the college game.  

I liked Blaisdell and Hain's motors on the wings on the second line to create opportunities on the forecheck for Pinto to finish.

I think Senden and Caulfield plus whomever adds a good energy line, although I am hesitant in separating Hain and Senden since they play so well off each other...

[scpa0305]

2 hours ago, siouxforce19 said:

Yeah, I came up with similar. I had Budy instead of Ness on the 4th. 

I’ve heard Ness has a super motor and is tough to play against. Pt/gm in the ushl and you got an every nighter.

[siouxforce19]

16 minutes ago, scpa0305 said:

I’ve heard Ness has a super motor and is tough to play against. Pt/gm in the ushl and you got an every nighter.

I have him as the extra skater right now. I want to see if he’s more disciplined at this level, since I’ve seen his PIMs. 
 

There’s probably not much of gap among the 4th line and scratches so I could see this changing often. 

[tnt]

2 hours ago, yzerman19 said:

Yeah, I am speculating on the freshies...I figured Rizzo and Gaber's offensive reputations would be nice adds to Weatherby...his faceoff ability and having them as the third line also protects them to some degree as they adapt to the college game.  

I liked Blaisdell and Hain's motors on the wings on the second line to create opportunities on the forecheck for Pinto to finish.

I think Senden and Caulfield plus whomever adds a good energy line, although I am hesitant in separating Hain and Senden since they play so well off each other...

I was thinking the same about Hain and Senden, but was thinking that as long as there are other guys like Ness to fill the role with Senden, Hain probably deserves a chance to show he has the ability to fulfill another role.  Doesn’t hurt to give guys like Blaisdell and Hain the chance to show the clubs that drafted them that they are flexible, and as long as it doesn’t hurt the team, why not.

 

[Oxbow6]

Take out Pinto Mismash Adams and Guch.........here's the order I have "going to have a "breakout year" category:

Weatherby > Blaisdell > Caulfield > Hain

 

[Oxbow6]

Tychonick transferring to UNO.