2023-24 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

Every other thread is steering to this topic as 22-23 continues to circle the drain. Might as well get this going early.

Who comes in, who leaves via signing or transfer, how do the non-conference opponents look, etc.

[brianvf]

Here's what I posted a few months ago in the 22/23 season thread as an outlook to 23/24:

Quote

The team's poor play has me looking ahead to the 23/24 season.   Unfortunate, but it is what it is.

Schedule
Some tough non-conference opponents, but IMO an easier lineup than this year (UW, Army, BSU 2x, UMN 2x, @ BU 2x, MSUM 2x, and Fairbanks 2x).
UMN will lose a ton this off-season but will still be good, BU is looking stronger and has some good recruits lined up, and Mankato seems down a bit this season.
Plus, all games are at home except for the BU series.

Roster
Definitely gone: D(3) - Sidorski, Farmer, Jandric  F(2) - Hain, Senden  G(1) - DeRidder
Potentially gone: D(3) - Moore (if DET wants him), Frisch (5th year option), Kleven  F(3) - Albrecht (5th year option), Gaber (free agent signing), Caulfield (5th year option)

Anywhere from 3-6 Dmen gone, which if it's toward the 5-6 number would be a huge number of starters to replace.  Would definitely need to hit the portal to bring in some 1-2 year guys if that's the case.  Could see Albrecht and Caulfield using their 5th year option if given the choice by the coaching staff.  Could also see some guys hitting the transfer portal too if the locker room atmosphere is a mess and they want a fresh start.  Gaber's decision is huge.  If he returns for his senior year, it automatically boosts our offense quite a bit.

Recruits
From our current recruit list, the guys that seem the most ready to come in next season:
F(2) - Croal and Perron
D(4) - Benoit, Wiebe, Livanavage, and Strathmann
G(1) - Hedquist

Hedquist isn't having a great season in the BCHL, so not sure if the coaches would bring him in or look for another recruit or portal goalie.

Outlook
Honestly, if Gaber returns I think that our offense is even better next season than this year.  Perron is the real deal and you'd get Blake/OwenMc/James/Strinden all with another year of experience under their belts along with a group of Schmaltz/Costantini/Jammer that shows signs of breaking out.
Defense and goaltending is the question mark once again.  Can Hellsten carry the goaltending load?  Bast would be the anchor of the d-corps with hopefully an improved Johnson (and Moore/Frisch if they return).  The dmen recruits will all make freshmen mistakes, but all have skill that will benefit from the extra playing time.  And honestly, can't be much worse than what we've seen at times this year.

This was all before Johnson was put on "permanent bench" status, so I guess add him to the potentially gone list as well.

[The Sicatoka]

I see the incoming class looking like 5D, 3F, and 2G and the fall roster as 15F/8D/3 (or 4*) G. 

*That would be up to Hellsten. 

[brianvf]

1 minute ago, The Sicatoka said:

I see the incoming class looking like 5D, 3F, and 2G and the fall roster as 15F/8D/3 (or 4*) G. 

*That would be up to Hellsten. 

My post was also before the new dman recruit Tanner Komzak as well.
So the 5 incoming dman recruits could be Wiebe, Benoit, Livanavage, Strathmann, and Komzak...unless one of those gets delayed another year to bring in an experienced portal dman.

[The Sicatoka]

9 minutes ago, brianvf said:

My post was also before the new dman recruit Tanner Komzak as well.
So the 5 incoming dman recruits could be Wiebe, Benoit, Livanavage, Strathmann, and Komzak...unless one of those gets delayed another year to bring in an experienced portal dman.

Based on DOB the oldest five are: Komzak, Benoit, Jubenvill, Wiebe, Livanavage (then Ausmus, Strathmann, and McInnis). 

It won't be Ausmus or McInnis coming in and Elite Prospects projects Jubenvill as a fall 2024. 

It's like they're set for five ... and ready for the unthinkable (needing six, meaning bring Jubenvill in 2023). 

[The Sicatoka]

We're running 16F right now.
Two run out of eligibility (10, 19).
Two more are seniors but have a Covid year available to them (13, 28). 
And then there are the wonders:
- does 17 sign
- does 5 portal out
- do any others look at the portal? 

I'd say Emerson and Perron are the obvious two to bring in, and then it becomes what else is needed to stay at 15F. (I don't see another year at 16F.) 

[Dave Berger]

1 hour ago, The Sicatoka said:

We're running 16F right now.
Two run out of eligibility (10, 19).
Two more are seniors but have a Covid year available to them (13, 28). 
And then there are the wonders:
- does 17 sign
- does 5 portal out
- do any others look at the portal? 

I'd say Emerson and Perron are the obvious two to bring in, and then it becomes what else is needed to stay at 15F. (I don't see another year at 16F.) 

 

Spot on regarding Michael Emerson and Jayden Perron.

 

Full article regarding the 2023-24 roster will drop later this week, but I will say that Cody Croal (2003 birthdate) is most likely the third forward in (if necessary), followed by Jaksen Panzer (2004). Singleton (also 2004) went back to the AJHL this season and most likely will come in Fall of 2024.

 

Aside from the two certain losses up front (Hain and Senden), the other forwards to watch (in order of flight risk) are Caulfield, Gaber, Montgomery, Albrecht, Kunz, and Costantini.

 

Dave

 

[AJS]

Moving this to the correct thread. I see two crucial things that have to happen this off-season and then a handful of other interesting scenarios to follow.

Crucial:

• Two goalies are brought in to challenge for the starting job. They both need to be starting quality goalies. Like @The Sicatoka mentioned, either going to be 3 Goalies on roster (if Hellsten leaves), or 4 if he stays. Hellsten if he stays needs to become more of an emergency goalie. 
• 15 uses his Covid year. 

Important:

• 17 Returns for his Senior year
• 28 Uses his Covid Year*
• 18 / 29 - Hope they return for Junior years

Expected:

• 25 Signs
• 6 Enters Portal

 

[brianvf]

1 minute ago, AJS said:

Moving this to the correct thread. I see two crucial things that have to happen this off-season and then a handful of other interesting scenarios to follow.

Crucial:

• Two goalies are brought in to challenge for the starting job. They both need to be starting quality goalies. Like @The Sicatoka mentioned, either going to be 3 Goalies on roster (if Hellsten leaves), or 4 if he stays. Hellsten if he stays needs to become more of an emergency goalie. 
• 15 uses his Covid year. 

Important:

• 17 Returns for his Senior year
• 28 Uses his Covid Year*
• 18 / 29 - Hope they return for Junior years

Expected:

• 25 Signs
• 6 Enters Portal

 

Good breakdown and agreed completely.
I still think next year's team has the chance to be a good amount better offensively than this year's team...if they can shore up the D and the G aspects...then it could be a good rebound year after this disappointment.

[The Sicatoka]

Carson Albrecht turns 25 in May. I do wonder if he's going to stay. 

[SiouxScore]

1 hour ago, The Sicatoka said:

Carson Albrecht turns 25 in May. I do wonder if he's going to stay. 

To me there is no need to bring Albrecht back, between him Portz, and Ness I feel like they are same player and you don't need 3 guys bringing that same profile to the lineup.

[AJS]

1 minute ago, SiouxScore said:

To me there is no need to bring Albrecht back, between him Portz, and Ness I feel like they are same player and you don't need 3 guys bringing that same profile to the lineup.

Completely agree. I hope there's been some lessons learned this year. Unless you're talking high end / Top 6 guys of course, but there's no reason to bring back Player A for a 5th year when you have others that are more than capable to fill that spot. 

[SiouxScore]

3 minutes ago, AJS said:

Completely agree. I hope there's been some lessons learned this year. Unless you're talking high end / Top 6 guys of course, but there's no reason to bring back Player A for a 5th year when you have others that are more than capable to fill that spot. 

Right now I feel like we have a team built on basically 2 skilled/scoring lines and 2 grind type lines and we need to adapt our personnel to get into 3 skilled/scoring lines.

If you look at our lineup right now I'd say Jamernik, Senden, Portz, Albrecht, Ness, Hain, and Strinden are more of the grind type right now although I do think Strinden and Hain could play with skill and elevate to those roles but they haven't been put in those positions. Kunz and Caulfield I'm not real sure where they fit because they bring some skill but I'm not sure they skate well enough to play as much of a skill/scoring role as you'd like.

If you look at what could be here I would classify Blake, Gaber, Schmaltz, Costantini, James, McLaughlin, and Perron as guys who need to play the skill/scoring type roles/style. The biggest thing I want to see moving forward is more speed and skill but also playing those speed/skill guys together. To me if you get Gaber back something like this is what I'd like to see:

James-McLaughlin-Blake

Gaber-Schmaltz-Perron

Strinden-Costantini-Emerson

Kunz-Jamernik-Portz/Ness

[Oxbow6]

Just my 1 cent....21 doesn't get enough credit. He's not a blue chipper but he's definitely not a grinder. Big body that can skate. Can play a heavy game but his hands are better than most.  

[ChadR]

Hopefully Berry makes some tough decisions on some of the underperforming underclassmen. Hopefully we can grab a couple big name forwards in the portal also.

[siouxweet]

6 hours ago, AJS said:

Moving this to the correct thread. I see two crucial things that have to happen this off-season and then a handful of other interesting scenarios to follow.

Crucial:

• Two goalies are brought in to challenge for the starting job. They both need to be starting quality goalies. Like @The Sicatoka mentioned, either going to be 3 Goalies on roster (if Hellsten leaves), or 4 if he stays. Hellsten if he stays needs to become more of an emergency goalie. 
• 15 uses his Covid year. 

Important:

• 17 Returns for his Senior year
• 28 Uses his Covid Year*
• 18 / 29 - Hope they return for Junior years

Expected:

• 25 Signs
• 6 Enters Portal

 

28 can just go, no COVID year please.

[The Sicatoka]

14 hours ago, SiouxScore said:

Right now I feel like we have a team built on basically 2 skilled/scoring lines and 2 grind type lines and we need to adapt our personnel to get into 3 skilled/scoring lines.

This is part of the change to a speed game that has happened at DU and WMU. 

The closest thing we've had to a scoring third line was a 2016 "heavy" line that happened to be quick (not fast) and have a little scoring touch. 

[The Sicatoka]

10 hours ago, siouxweet said:

28 can just go, no COVID year please.

Even if 28 staying helps keep 15? 

15 staying is key for the defense. 

[I Ranger]

15 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

This is part of the change to a speed game that has happened at DU and WMU. 

The closest thing we've had to a scoring third line was a 2016 "heavy" line that happened to be quick (not fast) and have a little scoring touch. 

I think the reason why they were the "closest to a scoring third line" is because they were our second line after the CBS line. 

[Clark17]

I say burn everything.   N update the emojis?

[The Sicatoka]

17 minutes ago, I Ranger said:

I think the reason why they were the "closest to a scoring third line" is because they were our second line after the CBS line. 

I considered the line Gersich was on as the second. (I might be flipping years around in my memory.)

[I Ranger]

7 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

I considered the line Gersich was on as the second. (I might be flipping years around in my memory.)

I think you must be as Gersich was playing on the 4th line with Olson and Simonson and the third line was Janatuinen-Chyzyk-Sanderson if memory serves correct. Championship game was a little different as Johnson was hurt and St. Clair slotted in. 

[SIOUXELEVENS]

43 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

This is part of the change to a speed game that has happened at DU and WMU. 

The closest thing we've had to a scoring third line was a 2016 "heavy" line that happened to be quick (not fast) and have a little scoring touch. 

100% agree with this but one of my biggest issues. Is when does Berry change anything ? Just run the same lines and d pairings and style no matter what. I would be embarrassed the way DU handled us this year, it’s like we aren’t even in the same league. 

[The Sicatoka]

17 minutes ago, I Ranger said:

I think you must be as Gersich was playing on the 4th line with Olson and Simonson and the third line was Janatuinen-Chyzyk-Sanderson if memory serves correct. Championship game was a little different as Johnson was hurt and St. Clair slotted in. 

You being correct (and thinking more I believe you are) may make the point all the more. 

Look at the names out there in 2016 and the (I'll be nice and say) mediocre skill level. Other than the CBS line, who would've played for DU last weekend? 

[stoneySIOUX]

7 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

You being correct (and thinking more I believe you are) may make the point all the more. 

Look at the names out there in 2016 and the (I'll be nice and say) mediocre skill level. Other than the CBS line, who would've played for DU last weekend? 

I'm assuming you mean forwards only, right? Because if not, we'd have a significant chunk, if not all, of the d-men.