2023-24 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[crb1]

He can't disappear for long stretches next year. He has to lead, no more getting lost in the shadows.

[brianvf]

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/judd-caulfield-to-return-to-und-for-fifth-season

Quote

"I'm extremely excited to be coming back," Caulfield said. "We're going to have a great year next year. We have a lot of guys returning, especially in the forward group. I'm really excited about Gaber coming back. Hearing that news was awesome. A lot of guys were pumped to hear that. We're going to have a great season next year."

"It definitely played a role in my decision knowing Gaber was going to be back," Caulfield said. "I was kind of thinking he wasn't going to be back. I talked to him for a while, discussed the situation, and when he said he was coming back, it definitely influenced my decision. He's going to have a huge impact on the team and it's going to be a fun year next year with him in the lineup."

Quote

"First and foremost, we have to get the team together as soon as we have our roster going," Caulfield said. "Usually, the guys are here in the summertime. It's the best time for us to bond as a team. There are going to be a lot of new faces on the back end. With our forward group, hopefully we spend a lot of time in the offensive zone. But we're going to have a great team next year. I'm confident the 'D' they're bringing in are going to be more than capable. There will be a lot of studs back there that can do the job. I'm really pumped for next season."

 

[The Sicatoka]

1 minute ago, SIOUXELEVENS said:

Judd seems way too laid back/quiet to be captain but I’m not sure how he is in the locker room. 

Alternatively, Gaber seems too emotional (emotions running him) at times. 

[SIOUXELEVENS]

14 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

Alternatively, Gaber seems too emotional (emotions running him) at times. 

Good point 

[SIOUXELEVENS]

How about the fifth 

[Oxbow6]

Judd coming back is good from a leadership standpoint. He needs to be put in the correct role. Career high point total at UND is 20 as a Jr. A 21 point Fr season player was regulated to bottom 6 and extra skater and is now gone. Caulfield needs to be in the lineup but not at the expense of a more talented high ceiling underclassmen. Can't pull a 10 19 situation again next season.

[stoneySIOUX]

3 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

Judd coming back is good from a leadership standpoint. He needs to be put in the correct role. Career high point total at UND is 20 as a Jr. A 21 point Fr season player was regulated to bottom 6 and extra skater and is now gone. Caulfield needs to be in the lineup but not at the expense of a more talented high ceiling underclassmen. Can't pull a 10 19 situation again next season.

Once the team switched to their defensive mindset, he became a beast, IMO. He didn't pot a lot of goals down the stretch, but had some big ones. He played a man's game - net front greasy stuff, killer forecheck, massive PK, etc. I personally see Juddy with a top six MUCH, MUCH more than I saw Hain and Sendo down the stretch. 

Back to everyone's favorite "getter, setter, netter" convo, I think he provides him some versatility. I think he could play the getter role with OMac/Perron (setter) and Blake/Gaber (netter) big time. He could also form a shut down group with guys like Strinden, Portz, Kunz, Albrecht (if he stays). 

[Oxbow6]

5 minutes ago, stoneySIOUX said:

Once the team switched to their defensive mindset, he became a beast, IMO. He didn't pot a lot of goals down the stretch, but had some big ones. He played a man's game - net front greasy stuff, killer forecheck, massive PK, etc. I personally see Juddy with a top six MUCH, MUCH more than I saw Hain and Sendo down the stretch. 

Back to everyone's favorite "getter, setter, netter" convo, I think he provides him some versatility. I think he could play the getter role with OMac/Perron (setter) and Blake/Gaber (netter) big time. He could also form a shut down group with guys like Strinden, Portz, Kunz, Albrecht (if he stays). 

28 27 21 3rd line

8 9 17 22 26 have to be top 6. Leaves one spot. 28 isn't it.

 

[brianvf]

7 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

28 27 21 3rd line

8 9 17 22 26 have to be top 6. Leaves one spot. 28 isn't it.

Add Perron to the top 6 open spot and that's a great top two lines.

[The Sicatoka]

36 minutes ago, SIOUXELEVENS said:

How about the fifth 

Fifth? I could run three and be done. 

[stoneySIOUX]

10 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

28 27 21 3rd line

 

Honestly, that could turn into the 23-24 version of the "Heavy Line" from 2016. I really like that combo a lot.

[stoneySIOUX]

12 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

8 9 17 22 26 have to be top 6. Leaves one spot. 28 isn't it.

 

I'm not sure I agree Schmaltz has to be top 6 in terms of his skills, other than the need for a draw-winning center. 28 isn't a center, so I get what you're saying. I'm not saying Judd HAS to be top 6 by my initial comment. I'm saying he's got more offensive upside with who he is as a player than Sendo and Hain had this year.

[The Sicatoka]

If 28 could be the seventh top six forward, the guy you spot up when a group is  struggling, that’d be a great role. Wes Dorey was that role in 2000.  

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

Schmaltz should be line 3 and FOGO until another top FO specialist emerges.

[Sweethockey]

3 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

If 28 could be the seventh top six forward, the guy you spot up when a group is  struggling, that’d be a great role. Wes Dorey was that role in 2000.  

Agreed, when Judd won the Ironman last fall, I expected to see someone like Cole Smith. That didn’t happen. He couldn’t hold the puck and didn’t have the speed to chase it. He did get better near the end of the season, but I was hoping for him to move on. I hope it works out.

[Oxbow6]

UND scored 3 goals or less in roughly 2/3 of the games (23) this past season. 

[I Ranger]

1 hour ago, Oxbow6 said:

Judd coming back is good from a leadership standpoint. He needs to be put in the correct role. Career high point total at UND is 20 as a Jr. A 21 point Fr season player was regulated to bottom 6 and extra skater and is now gone. Caulfield needs to be in the lineup but not at the expense of a more talented high ceiling underclassmen. Can't pull a 10 19 situation again next season.

This exactly. He needs to be utilized for what he is at this point which is a third line winger that is an excellent penalty killer. Don't force him into another role! 

[dustnyou]

3 hours ago, Oxbow6 said:

Judd coming back is good from a leadership standpoint. He needs to be put in the correct role. Career high point total at UND is 20 as a Jr. A 21 point Fr season player was regulated to bottom 6 and extra skater and is now gone. Caulfield needs to be in the lineup but not at the expense of a more talented high ceiling underclassmen. Can't pull a 10 19 situation again next season.

Net front on the pp screening the goalie so Gaber can snipe . 

[burd]

It's good to hear Judd express confidence in the blue line talent they are bringing in, but D is a steep learning curve for freshmen in D-1 hockey.    

[brianvf]

7 minutes ago, burd said:

It's good to hear Judd express confidence in the blue line talent they are bringing in, but D is a steep learning curve for freshmen in D-1 hockey.    

Maybe Berry told him all the sweet high end portal talent they're bringing in.   

[tnt]

1 hour ago, burd said:

It's good to hear Judd express confidence in the blue line talent they are bringing in, but D is a steep learning curve for freshmen in D-1 hockey.    

Exactly, which is why they need Moore to revert back to his sophomore season. Find two reliable portals and have one play with Strathmann, one with Livanavage, and pair Moore with Wiebe.  Who knows how things work out, I know most of us weren’t expecting Frisch to play a lot his freshman year, but he played so well he forced Tychonick out the door.  Hopefully we get a few pleasant surprises.  Maybe a guy like Benoit becomes a steady guy for us.  

[The Sicatoka]

Does our coaching staff have the balls to play like we've seen the B1G play during the last 48 hours? 

B1G teams got a three goal lead and pulled the stops, threw open the throttles, and went 8, no, 8, no, 9, no, 11! 

UND plays from the "Lennon-Schweigert-Berry" mindset: Get up two scores and "manage" your way to victory. Notice has been served; that game is gone. 

UND needs to see, realize, learn, and act. Speed kills. Defensive responsibility now means the puck on your stick in the offensive zone or busting ass to reacquire the puck. "Managing" a lead is dead.

And most importantly, dismantling an opponent is not only acceptable, it's now expected.

Michigan had PP1 out with an eight-goal lead in the third. Berry puts out the fourth line for a PP with a three goal lead in the third. Frankly, ... no, no longer acceptable. 

Mercy died this weekend. The mindset going forward must be kill shot, then as many as you can hang on the board. 

When the team wins by 7, the question must be: why not 8 or 10. 

Can Berry coach that?
Does he have the stones to do that?
If he's too nice for that I can find someone who'll play by the new rules. (Same for Schweigert.) 

So can Berry do it?
He'd better; I know at least four coaches that'd do it to him in a heartbeat after this NCAA opening round. 

New Rules, and they don't include "managing" leads or mercy. 

[scpa0305]

13 hours ago, stoneySIOUX said:

Once the team switched to their defensive mindset, he became a beast, IMO. He didn't pot a lot of goals down the stretch, but had some big ones. He played a man's game - net front greasy stuff, killer forecheck, massive PK, etc. I personally see Juddy with a top six MUCH, MUCH more than I saw Hain and Sendo down the stretch. 

Back to everyone's favorite "getter, setter, netter" convo, I think he provides him some versatility. I think he could play the getter role with OMac/Perron (setter) and Blake/Gaber (netter) big time. He could also form a shut down group with guys like Strinden, Portz, Kunz, Albrecht (if he stays). 

His vision is iffy. He’s doesn’t play the same game. 

[scpa0305]

1 hour ago, The Sicatoka said:

Does our coaching staff have the balls to play like we've seen the B1G play during the last 48 hours? 

B1G teams got a three goal lead and pulled the stops, threw open the throttles, and went 8, no, 8, no, 9, no, 11! 

UND plays from the "Lennon-Schweigert-Berry" mindset: Get up two scores and "manage" your way to victory. Notice has been served; that game is gone. 

UND needs to see, realize, learn, and act. Speed kills. Defensive responsibility now means the puck on your stick in the offensive zone or busting ass to reacquire the puck. "Managing" a lead is dead.

And most importantly, dismantling an opponent is not only acceptable, it's now expected.

Michigan had PP1 out with an eight-goal lead in the third. Berry puts out the fourth line for a PP with a three goal lead in the third. Frankly, ... no, no longer acceptable. 

Mercy died this weekend. The mindset going forward must be kill shot, then as many as you can hang on the board. 

When the team wins by 7, the question must be: why not 8 or 10. 

Can Berry coach that?
Does he have the stones to do that?
If he's too nice for that I can find someone who'll play by the new rules. (Same for Schweigert.) 

So can Berry do it?
He'd better; I know at least four coaches that'd do it to him in a heartbeat after this NCAA opening round. 

New Rules, and they don't include "managing" leads or mercy. 

When did we have a three goal lead?  

[Oxbow6]

12 hours ago, Oxbow6 said:

UND scored 3 goals or less in roughly 2/3 of the games (23) this past season. 

 

16 minutes ago, scpa0305 said:

When did we have a three goal lead?  

Not often