2023-24 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[fightingsioux4life]

52 minutes ago, SiouxFanSince1990 said:

Temper the expectations. I see a team that may struggle to start the year, but will finish strong. 

Struggling early is fine if it leads to growth and improvement as the season progresses.

[SpudsSioux]

1 hour ago, Kevin G said:

I commend the coaching staff for partially rebuilding the roster with what looks like excellent portal additions. Good job.

Now, please beef up the recruiting pipeline so we don't need the portal quite so badly.

This!.

I love our top end guys for this year (Emerson, Perron and the D) and the current Junior class (Boisvert, Swanson, McInnis). If we could land someone like Emery or Hensler (if he's accelerating) to that class this could turn around in a hurry. Of note, the only coach I've seen that Hensler follows is Berry.

For the Sophomores, have to hope and think we have a shot at the local kids at the NTDP (Laurila, O'Neil and Lindberg).

Edit: YHH confirmed Hensler is accelerating.  

[nodakgirl93]

1 hour ago, SpudsSioux said:

This!.

I love our top end guys for this year (Emerson, Perron and the D) and the current Junior class (Boisvert, Swanson, McInnis). If we could land someone like Emery or Hensler (if he's accelerating) to that class this could turn around in a hurry. Of note, the only coach I've seen that Hensler follows is Berry.

For the Sophomores, have to hope and think we have a shot at the local kids at the NTDP (Laurila, O'Neil and Lindberg).

Edit: YHH confirmed Hensler is accelerating.  

For Hensler, he also has an insta but it's private. I've read it's down to UND, MN, and MI. Don't know how accurate that is. 

[The Sicatoka]

The projected roster has three goalies and fifteen forwards but only six for sure defense. 

Today'd be a good day to get clarity on the last two defense slots. 

[siouxhockey5]

20 hours ago, SiouxFanSince1990 said:

Temper the expectations. I see a team that may struggle to start the year, but will finish strong. 

As long as the struggles don't put us to far down in the pairwise......................

[The Sicatoka]

The more I ponder it the more I think this is a "balance now / balance later" dilemma.

Balance Later: Take two more one-year portals. A year from now you have a junior, four sophs, and three freshmen. That's not very balanced but it is what it is
Balance Now: Find juniors or sophs to flatten the distribution today, but what'll you have for space in a year for (assume Strathmann and Jubenvill and McInnis). 

And does Bubs get to make this decision or is it made for him (meaning who's willing to come in from where and when). 

 

[siouxforce19]

19 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

The more I ponder it the more I think this is a "balance now / balance later" dilemma.

Balance Later: Take two more one-year portals. A year from now you have a junior, four sophs, and three freshmen. That's not very balanced but it is what it is
Balance Now: Find juniors or sophs to flatten the distribution today, but what'll you have for space in a year for (assume Strathmann and Jubenvill and McInnis). 

And does Bubs get to make this decision or is it made for him (meaning who's willing to come in from where and when). 

 

McInnis is one I wouldn’t be super confident about being here in a year. He’s hardly played any games this year, so he may need more time.  Obviously a lot can happen in a year but worth keeping an eye on. 

[The Sicatoka]

Monster get.

 

[cowboys5xsbs]

Doesn't this cut into the freshmen class for dmen next year 

[mattim]

Somebody with a better memory and knowledge please give us an update of numbers at each position and number of years remaining on their contract?

[The Sicatoka]

22 minutes ago, cowboys5xsbs said:

Doesn't this cut into the freshmen class for dmen next year 

Pehrson only has one season left. He fills a need very, very well (RH, defensive, experienced, used to playing with younger guys who'll make coverage errors). 

A year from now Pyke and Pehrson will both be done. 

[N of GF]

Michigan top-pair defenseman Keaton Pehrson to transfer to UND - Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, East Grand Forks news, weather & sports

"It's awesome," Pehrson said. "When you think of college hockey, some of the most historic programs are North Dakota and Michigan. To be able to experience that is pretty exciting. I have a couple of buddies on the (UND) team, too. It's such an awesome, historic program.

"I talked to coach (Brad) Berry. With everything he talked to me about, it seemed like a no-brainer. When you add in the facilities, it was an easy decision for me."

 

There are plenty of people on these boards that are convinced that Berry can't recruit and has killed this program. I understand that some of you may miss this stuff because you don't want to pay for the joke of a newspaper we call the GF Herald, but I can assure you that these are the same type of comments that come out of the mouths of every recruit Berry picks up. We've had some down years, but I believe Berry is more capable of turning it around than many of you give credit for.

[The Sicatoka]

I wonder who Pehrson knows already. 

[siouxforce19]

1 minute ago, The Sicatoka said:

I wonder who Pehrson knows already. 

Griffin Ness and Hunter Johannes for sure. 

[stoneySIOUX]

1 minute ago, The Sicatoka said:

I wonder who Pehrson knows already. 

He's from Lakeville, so probably Blake for sure.

[stoneySIOUX]

I know there's still some nerves around the future pipeline, development, etc. (I, for one, love our pipeline, but as GF says, when have I ever not loved it? LOL), but my goodness, this team came into shape pretty dang well. Big props to Bubs and crew.

This looks like a playoff team on paper, without a doubt. OF COURSE, we all said that last year, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be optimistic. 

[The Sicatoka]

One more D is mandatory to get to 8D and 26-man roster (right now guessing it's not Strathmann and he plays one more USHL year). 

Now the question: If they run 27-man roster is it 16F or 9D? 

[The Sicatoka]

Bubs-winkle may have pulled a defense corps out of his hat! 

[AJS]

How I think about this is Pehrson might not be the top NHL caliber defenseman that was in the portal, but for what UND desperately needed, he was most likely the most coveted player for the UND coaching staff that was in the portal. The addition of Pehrson changes expectations for next year. Here's where we're at now defensively.

• Pyke / Pehrson would be a great Top pairing.
• Zmolek would be a great Second pairing RHD 

Now, you can look at the talented LHD Freshman class and whoever proves it, can step into that 2nd pairing. 

The scouting reports on all three of the portal defenseman has to give everyone so much optimism. Defense first. That's exactly what they need for next year (from those portal additions).

[AJS]

5 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

One more D is mandatory to get to 8D and 26-man roster (right now guessing it's not Strathmann and he plays one more USHL year). 

Now the question: If they run 27-man roster is it 16F or 9D? 

16F. @I Ranger called it... that decision is directly tied to the uncertainty with Montgomery. 

[The Sicatoka]

5 minutes ago, AJS said:

16F. @I Ranger called it... that decision is directly tied to the uncertainty with Montgomery. 

Has Zmolek's hip been tested in contact yet? That's the other open question. Hence the 16F/9D question. 

[SiouxForever]

Chemistry and true leadership (or a true leader stepping up on this team) will drive this team to how far it'll go next year imho!

They'll have to gel and teach the freshie D-man and the freshie D-man will need incremental jump/progress for the 2nd half of the season. 

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

As much as we bemoan the portal, it sure does make the offseason more interesting around here

[brianvf]

31 minutes ago, AJS said:

How I think about this is Pehrson might not be the top NHL caliber defenseman that was in the portal, but for what UND desperately needed, he was most likely the most coveted player for the UND coaching staff that was in the portal. The addition of Pehrson changes expectations for next year. Here's where we're at now defensively.

• Pyke / Pehrson would be a great Top pairing.
• Zmolek would be a great Second pairing RHD 

Now, you can look at the talented LHD Freshman class and whoever proves it, can step into that 2nd pairing. 

The scouting reports on all three of the portal defenseman has to give everyone so much optimism. Defense first. That's exactly what they need for next year (from those portal additions).

Or split them up and pair one experienced dman with one freshman to break those guys in as well.
The team has certainly come together quickly.

Last season all these decisions took a few more months to work themselves out.

[The Sicatoka]

7 minutes ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

As much as we bemoan the portal, it sure does make the offseason more interesting around here

It's only April.