2022-23 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[SJHovey]

3 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

 

It's a good read. 

If Spicer had followed the ask and come in 2023, he'd still be one of the younger forwards at college entry this century. 

College hockey listed Jack Hughes of Northeastern as the youngest player in college hockey this past season, 18 yrs, 5 months at the start of the season, two months older than Spicer would be at the beginning of this next season.  Hughes scored seven goals in a pretty poor HE this year, and is expected to possibly be a late first round pick.  Ranked #7 among North American skaters.  Spicer is ranked 122.

I don't think Brad and the coaches made a mistake.  Maybe the kid goes somewhere, gets top six minutes and has a good college career.  Good on him if he does.  Always like to see local kids succeed.  But the odds don't favor it.

[The Sicatoka]

Brad's story has an (intentional?) tell. 

In his youngest recruits by age list he includes, not as potential, but as "fact": Dylan James (19th youngest under Hak/Berry), Jackson Blake (25th), Owen McLaughlin (35th), and Ben Strinden (54th). Thus, we know our incoming freshman forwards. 

I'll say it again: The article is a good read. 

[Big Green]

29 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

 

It's a good read. 

If Spicer had followed the ask and come in 2023, he'd still be one of the younger forwards at college entry this century. 

I still wonder and we will probably never know, but what was communicated to Spicer as far of when he was to come in.  If he was under the impression that he was coming in this coming year than I don't blame him for wanted to move on.  Sometimes you have your heart set on something and feel like you are ready for college.  I would agree he should be waiting an other year before college, but i just hope Berry is not telling recruits what they want to hear to string them a long.

 

[jdub27]

1 hour ago, The Sicatoka said:

Brad's story has an (intentional?) tell. 

In his youngest recruits by age list he includes, not as potential, but as "fact": Dylan James (19th youngest under Hak/Berry), Jackson Blake (25th), Owen McLaughlin (35th), and Ben Strinden (54th). Thus, we know our incoming freshman forwards. 

I'll say it again: The article is a good read. 

Either he went back and edited it or you missed this part at the bottom:

** Denotes potential 2022 arrivals. UND hasn't set its roster yet for next season.

Though I don't think its a secret or a coincidence why James, Blake, McLaughlin and Strinden are all listed.

[RhettRingers]

3 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

Either he went back and edited it or you missed this part at the bottom:

** Denotes potential 2022 arrivals. UND hasn't set its roster yet for next season.

Though I don't think its a secret or a coincidence why James, Blake, McLaughlin and Strinden are all listed.

According to a very reliable source of mine all 4 will be on campus in the fall.

[The Sicatoka]

1 hour ago, Big Green said:

... but i just hope Berry is not telling recruits what they want to hear ... 

In this case we know Berry didn't tell a kid what he wanted to hear. 

Frankly, I'd be more worried about what the US NTDP is telling kids.

So many (try to) make the jump directly to college. So many struggle their first year or two at college. Why? US NTDP is a skill game. College is an upperclassman game, and with rare exceptions known as first-rounders, upperclassmen (20-24 year olds) are no comparison to an 18 year old.  

[petey23]

14 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

In this case we know Berry didn't tell a kid what he wanted to hear. 

Frankly, I'd be more worried about what the US NTDP is telling kids.

So many (try to) make the jump directly to college. So many struggle their first year or two at college. Why? US NTDP is a skill game. College is an upperclassman game, and with rare exceptions known as first-rounders, upperclassmen (20-24 year olds) are no comparison to an 18 year old.  

Their argument is they have played against college competition. But anyone who watches their games can see that while the colleges may try and win the game they do try and win the game without much hitting and physicality.

[stoneySIOUX]

1 hour ago, The Sicatoka said:

 

It's a good read. 

If Spicer had followed the ask and come in 2023, he'd still be one of the younger forwards at college entry this century. 

Basically summed up all I was referring to yesterday. 

[stoneySIOUX]

1 hour ago, Big Green said:

I still wonder and we will probably never know, but what was communicated to Spicer as far of when he was to come in.  If he was under the impression that he was coming in this coming year than I don't blame him for wanted to move on.  Sometimes you have your heart set on something and feel like you are ready for college.  I would agree he should be waiting an other year before college, but i just hope Berry is not telling recruits what they want to hear to string them a long.

 

Very common conversation to recruits is "we see you coming in around X season if everything goes to plan" ... So, he could have had that in his brain since he was 15 that he was coming in 22-23 and someone in his camp didn't feel like he should budge and that he was ready. Everything we've talked about for 4 or 5 days now was summed up in Brad's article. Spicer made his move and bought in to himself. I wish him the best.

[The Sicatoka]

27 minutes ago, petey23 said:

Their argument is they have played against college competition. But anyone who watches their games can see that while the colleges may try and win the game they do try and win the game without much hitting and physicality.

If you're saying they take it soft on little brother, yup, they do. 

If Bubs had pulled the stops against US NTDP in January and let Albrecht et al go "load test the boards*" with red, white, and blue jerseys things would've been different. But if one of those NTDP kids gets hurt ... oh my would the wailing and gnashing of teeth commence.

And they'd never schedule you again. So much for getting kids in to see REA. 

Again, which devil you want to dance with. 

 

*Would it be nicer to say "fill the seams in the boards with red, white, and blue spackle"? 

[gfhockey]

1 hour ago, The Sicatoka said:

If you're saying they take it soft on little brother, yup, they do. 

If Bubs had pulled the stops against US NTDP in January and let Albrecht et al go "load test the boards*" with red, white, and blue jerseys things would've been different. But if one of those NTDP kids gets hurt ... oh my would the wailing and gnashing of teeth commence.

And they'd never schedule you again. So much for getting kids in to see REA. 

Again, which devil you want to dance with. 

 

*Would it be nicer to say "fill the seams in the boards with red, white, and blue spackle"? 

Not like it helps anyways 

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

20 minutes ago, SiouxFanSince1990 said:

Spicer made a huge mistake. Good luck playing in a small empty rink somewhere. 
 

I prefer 

[scpa0305]

9 hours ago, The Sicatoka said:

Meh. Too easy. 

If you play for USNTDP you must be college ready.
Just ask Grant Mism..., um,
Gavin Hai..., er,
Judd Caul... 

Nevermind. 

Mismash was ready

[The Sicatoka]

9 hours ago, scpa0305 said:

Mismash was ready

Season    Team    League    GP    G    A    Pts    PIM    +/-    
2016-17    U.S. National     USHL    26    8    16    24    44    12                    
2017-18    U. of North Dakota    NCHC    38    9    13    22    35    4 

He's maybe the closest to it, but a year being "the man" for < USHL franchise here > would not have hurt him either. 

[Langster019]

Another example of this is the most recent episode of the Has Beens talking with Matt Van Voorhis. He seemed to plan on being in Denver one season, but coaching staff said you need to stay down for another year, did, and then came the following. Granted his came when he had a really poor season in the USHL. Can't really measure if it made him better for college but during his college tenure, he obviously helped a team win a natty.

[WoodChippa]

I think another example that has been lamented on this board is the Halliday case. He was highly touted as a 15/16 year old(#1 pick in the USHL futures draft) and it was a big get for UND. He then plateaued and many considered him to have under-performed. He went from being a project Top 10 pick as a 16 year old to someone who is currently undrafted (although I am guess he is drafted this year). UND either asked him to play another year of juniors or outright pulled the offer. After he became an open commit, it took quite some time for him to pick another school (over a year I believe). I am only speculating, but I am guessing other schools saw what UND did. The kid worked hard during the off season and improved the lacking aspects of his game and is now having a great USHL season as a 19 year old. My money is that the perceived insult of being asked to delay (or offered pulled) prompted the change in effort and he likely now projects as a solid college player. Not sure he will be the Top-10 player everyone imagined early on, but I am certain had he come in when scheduled this board would be calling for him to enter the portal.  Spicer may or may not suffer if he does not play another year of juniors, but I think looking at this stats would suggest the coaches made the right call/suggestion. If the player disagrees, it is their right to find a different route.

[The Sicatoka]

Allow me to show you all how a recruit's hearing works:

"If you continue to progress as you need to, on and off ice, your play, training and your school, you'll be here in two years." 

[The Sicatoka]

Since season's end @UNDmhockey has tweeted out "they're coming" or "they're staying" tweets about:

G: DeRidder
F: Gaber, Senden, Hain, Caulfield, Albrecht, Ness,
D: Frisch, Kleven, Jandric, Ferner, Moore, Farmer

They have not about ...

G: Hellsten, Feeney, K Johnson
F: Jamernik, Budy, Monty, Schmaltz, Costantini, Portz, Kunz  
D: Bast, Johnson

The 2021-22 freshmen being in the "not" list does not surprise me.
But nothing about Hellsten and LouieJam? Not sayin', just sayin'. And yeah, Hellsten is a 2021-22 freshman. 

And Budy in the "not" list ... no comment. 

[scpa0305]

On 4/19/2022 at 7:00 AM, The Sicatoka said:

Season    Team    League    GP    G    A    Pts    PIM    +/-    
2016-17    U.S. National     USHL    26    8    16    24    44    12                    
2017-18    U. of North Dakota    NCHC    38    9    13    22    35    4 

He's maybe the closest to it, but a year being "the man" for < USHL franchise here > would not have hurt him either. 

He was a second rounder and had 20 points his first year. He was coming in off the 2nd rd selection alone 

[ChetSteadman]

On 4/19/2022 at 12:54 PM, The Sicatoka said:

Since season's end @UNDmhockey has tweeted out "they're coming" or "they're staying" tweets about:

G: DeRidder
F: Gaber, Senden, Hain, Caulfield, Albrecht, Ness,
D: Frisch, Kleven, Jandric, Ferner, Moore, Farmer

They have not about ...

G: Hellsten, Feeney, K Johnson
F: Jamernik, Budy, Monty, Schmaltz, Costantini, Portz, Kunz  
D: Bast, Johnson

The 2021-22 freshmen being in the "not" list does not surprise me.
But nothing about Hellsten and LouieJam? Not sayin', just sayin'. And yeah, Hellsten is a 2021-22 freshman. 

And Budy in the "not" list ... no comment. 

Might’ve pulled your other hammy…

[The Sicatoka]

13 hours ago, ChetSteadman said:

Might’ve pulled your other hammy…

How? There's no predictions there, just observations of events.
And I'd like to see a couple more "they're back" tweets. 

Then again, I haven't stretched yet today and that right hip is barking. 

[AJS]

I would be equally surprised if anybody else left as I would be if there weren't 4 Freshman forwards. It looks like 17F / 8D / 4G for the 2022/23 season. What this offseason has really shined light on and now other situations have made more sense to me is the scholarship situation and performance. It's always been clear that your performance will most likely dictate your % the next year to some degree. The last piece of the puzzle for me though is the realization that as long as a player is ok with low scholarship (lets say they started with a higher % based on Junior pedigree) and potentially low ice time, then they have a spot on the team. Long way of saying you'll never see someone told that they aren't cutting it and they should look elsewhere. 

[The Sicatoka]

7 minutes ago, AJS said:

... as long as a player is ok with  ...

That needed highlighting. If there's attitudinal problems which affect team morale the formula changes. 

[The Sicatoka]

7 minutes ago, AJS said:

It looks like 17F / 8D / 4G for the 2022/23 season. 

I see where you're coming from.

What I wonder is what impact does carrying 29 (vs 26 or 27) on a roster have on overall athletics department Title IX equity and proportionality numbers? 

[AJS]

59 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

I see where you're coming from.

What I wonder is what impact does carrying 29 (vs 26 or 27) on a roster have on overall athletics department Title IX equity and proportionality numbers? 

Good point. I would also say on the hockey budget. The scholarship is pretty minimal compared to all the other expenses a player incurs.