Game 0: We versus Us

[SiouxForever]

1 hour ago, tnt said:

His best attribute is his speed, so maybe that isn't best utilized on the power play once you have it in the zone.  I think they want some net presence.  I believe he will be a key cog in the penalty kill, where his speed will be invaluable.  It is also something that can give him a chance at finding a nice role at the next level.  That said, I wouldn't doubt he gets a chance on the second PP unit, especially if there is inconsistency.  Sounds like Johannes was possibly just filling in for Kunz on that second power play unit after Kunz got hurt in the scrimmage. 

Didn't James play with Owen McLaughlin and same line in the USHL? They both have great speed. I'd like to see those two paired together.

The top 9 this year for the first half of the season will be very interesting and I'd imagine lines will change a bit.

Hunter Johaness adds size and scoring and then Cameron Berg adds scoring and faceoffs. 

I think the top 3 lines need a sprinkle of Johaness, Striden, and Kunz to add some size and grit for RG, JB, JP, OM and DJ.

Have to protect the skilled guys, but then I look at your height & size on the D-core and almost every D-man is 6 feet which is nice! So there's your protection there too in scrums/battles.

[The Sicatoka]

22 minutes ago, SiouxForever said:

... almost every D-man is 6 feet which is nice! So there's your protection there too in scrums/battles.

Based on online rosters of last and this season, Ethan Frisch (5'11") would be the second shortest defenseman this season (Livanavage, 5'10"). 

[burd]

The thing we really have no clue about at this point (or even part way into the season) is on-ice chemistry.  I don't think the importance of that is often exaggerated.  

[The Sicatoka]

10 minutes ago, burd said:

The thing we really have no clue about at this point (or even part way into the season) is on-ice chemistry.  I don't think the importance of that is often exaggerated.  

All teams, all victories, start in The Room. 

[hockeytherapy13]

3 hours ago, The Sicatoka said:

Hang with me while I flesh out this notion ...

The top two lines (and probably PP units) are like the "diamond" (1-2-3-4) in a Blue Angels or USAF Thunderbirds show. Everyone comes to see the speed, skill, and precision of the "diamond". But what about 5 and 6, the solos?

The solos are guys who can make their own noise, show their skills independently ... or while you're so worried about the diamond leaving the main show surface they sneak up behind you and boom they blow the toupee off @Oxbow6 head.   

Dylan James is Angel/T-bird 5 or 6. He can fly in a group but as he showed late last season don't lose sight of him or ... he sneaks up behind you and boom.

You need a seventh forward like James (can fly solo and still wow you) in a "top two lines" world. (Wes Dorey was that guy in 2000.) 

However, I want us in a 9-3 (top three lines) style, so yeah, get the pieces together for 9-3. 

As Schloss has noted on the podcast, This is where our team will shine. Having a player like James on the 3rd line is going to kill teams because we can have the advantage of depth and matching.  Other teams are already going to have their defensive guys lined up against blake, Gaber, Perron, etc. But then we get a Line out with James, jammer and Strinden (ok I dreamt that line up in my head but it sounds nice, right?) and boom we have a 3rd line that just won a faceoff, had puck possession and potted a goal. 

[Irish]

1 hour ago, burd said:

The thing we really have no clue about at this point (or even part way into the season) is on-ice chemistry.  I don't think the importance of that is often exaggerated.  

And "culture"

[Kevin G]

1 hour ago, burd said:

The thing we really have no clue about at this point (or even part way into the season) is on-ice chemistry.  I don't think the importance of that is often exaggerated.  

Right. You can’t overstate the importance of playing as a connected five-man unit. Quinnipiac, for example, had elite connection last season. 

[burd]

1 hour ago, Irish said:

And "culture"

"Culture" is a real thing and important to a program, but I wasn't meaning to specifically include that, though I suspect you knew.    I don't even think players have to be especially close off the ice to have chemistry on, though that surely helps.   They just need to know where each other is on the ice and be willing and able to play as one.   It just happens with some groups of players-- in almost any team sport.  

[Blackheart]

Culture has been used as a punch line the past few years here on SiouxSports…I’ll take whatever gets the boys playing good team hockey.

[Kevin G]

2 hours ago, burd said:

"Culture" is a real thing and important to a program, but I wasn't meaning to specifically include that, though I suspect you knew.    I don't even think players have to be especially close off the ice to have chemistry on, though that surely helps.   They just need to know where each other is on the ice and be willing and able to play as one.   It just happens with some groups of players-- in almost any team sport.  

This is my biggest hope for this year's team: Play as one.

[burd]

58 minutes ago, Blackheart said:

Culture has been used as a punch line the past few years here on SiouxSports…I’ll take whatever gets the boys playing good team hockey.

Yeah, shame on me for missing that. 

[The Sicatoka]

Podcast retrospective:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-und-hockey-podcast/id1652915803 

" ... Ludvig Peh-shon ... " is the goalie. 19:40 mark.   
... but he's rolling with "person". 

And Benoit is Anglicized ... "Ben-oyt" 

Full pronounciation guide on 12 of 21 
https://fightinghawks.com/documents/2023/10/6/Notes_231007_Manitoba.pdf 

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

2 hours ago, The Sicatoka said:

Podcast retrospective:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-und-hockey-podcast/id1652915803 

" ... Ludvig Peh-shon ... " is the goalie. 19:40 mark.   
... but he's rolling with "person". 

And Benoit is Anglicized ... "Ben-oyt" 

Full pronounciation guide on 12 of 21 
https://fightinghawks.com/documents/2023/10/6/Notes_231007_Manitoba.pdf 

I thought I head the correct pronunciation as "Pair-shown" with a little Swedish twang on it.

[90siouxfan]

I was told there would be no math.

[fightingsioux4life]

This has the potential to be a very good team once March rolls around. Any growing pains we have to live with in October and November will be well worth it.

[brianvf]

35 minutes ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

I thought I head the correct pronunciation as "Pair-shown" with a little Swedish twang on it.

They said on the latest podcast that is the correct pronunciation but Ludvig said to call him Person just to make it easier on everyone. 

[Esoteric]

On 10/5/2023 at 6:04 AM, The Sicatoka said:

We have: 

- last year's UA(F) captain
- last year's Michigan alternate captain
- a former AHA second team all conf (2021-22)
- a former CCHA All-Rookie Teamer 
and that's just on defense.

We also have:
- Miami's top goalie since 2020-21
- one of Omaha's top two centers last year
- then Johannes

I'd say those seven, plus the twelve returnees, yeah, the freshmen have folks to learn from. They just need to find the guy they can work with to be the mentor. 

The freshmen should have a great year with that type of leadership.