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2024-25 University of North Dakota Hockey Season


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1 hour ago, The Sicatoka said:

I'd rather a top nine (expected to score) and a grind. 

DU had 11 guys with 30+ points; UND had 4. 

The mindset needs to be more than "up one with 20 to play is good enough". 

I agree we should play like we are down no matter what the score is , play that way until the final horn. 

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1 hour ago, The Sicatoka said:

I'd rather a top nine (expected to score) and a grind. 

DU had 11 guys with 30+ points; UND had 4. 

The mindset needs to be more than "up one with 20 to play is good enough". 

But to be honest, the way they were playing when they got those points wasn't conducive to winning the championship they did.  They were horrible defensively early in the year, including our big comeback against them.  They only scored 8 goals in 4 games in the national tournament, but they shut down the opposition pretty well, with the help of insane goaltending.   

I still think we could use a high end offensive defenseman like the younger Buium, but I really like that we appear to have defensemen that can play that shutdown game.  We just need to make sure we are doing that at the right time of year, as if we would have brought the same mentality we had against Denver the series in Grand Forks, we wouldn't be having the same conversation we have had for the past several seasons. 

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Good day to talk about next winter...as it's literally snowing outside right now. Sheesh.

And the snow looks just like Dippin' Dots (which is the ice cream of the future).

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1 hour ago, tnt said:

I still think we could use a high end offensive defenseman like the younger Buium, but I really like that we appear to have defensemen that can play that shutdown game. 

I think Livanavage is getting there. He took major steps this season. I bet he’s gonna be fun to watch progress the next couple seasons. 

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1 hour ago, tnt said:

But to be honest, the way they were playing when they got those points wasn't conducive to winning the championship they did.  They were horrible defensively early in the year, including our big comeback against them.  They only scored 8 goals in 4 games in the national tournament, but they shut down the opposition pretty well, with the help of insane goaltending.   

I still think we could use a high end offensive defenseman like the younger Buium, but I really like that we appear to have defensemen that can play that shutdown game.  We just need to make sure we are doing that at the right time of year, as if we would have brought the same mentality we had against Denver the series in Grand Forks, we wouldn't be having the same conversation we have had for the past several seasons. 

The million dollar question is where did that mentality go and why couldn't we build on it after a great series?  The big concern is that it happens year after year.

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1 minute ago, Kevin G said:

I believe Griffen Ness would be eligible to return for another season. Has he or the team made any announcement about his plans? 

He was playing in the ECHL after the season ended so… 

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On 4/14/2024 at 4:41 PM, SiouxScore said:

As of now I'd go

Swanson-Berg-Perron

James-Boisvert-McLaughlin

Kunz-Wilkie-Strinden

Schmaltz-Jamernik-Croal

Livanavage-Zmolek

Wiebe-Emery

Strathmann-MacDonald

Jubenvil

Hedquist

The top 2 lines.......100% agree with

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1 hour ago, SIOUXELEVENS said:

Might need to split up Swanson and Perron , pretty small line up.

Swanson-Berg-Kunz

James-Boisvert-McLaughlin

Perron- Wilke- Strinden 

Jammer- Schmaltz- Croal

 

Nope.....can't keep burying Perron in favor of Kunz. Kunz has 30 total points so far in his career at UND. Again DU had 11 guys with 30+ points this past season. Just for one season I'd like to see this coaching staff let their top talent roll. Let them develop together. 

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On 4/14/2024 at 4:41 PM, SiouxScore said:

As of now I'd go

Swanson-Berg-Perron

James-Boisvert-McLaughlin

Kunz-Wilkie-Strinden

Schmaltz-Jamernik-Croal

Livanavage-Zmolek

Wiebe-Emery

Strathmann-MacDonald

Jubenvil

Hedquist

I think if we are going top 6 and bottom 6 this looks really good. But like some have said, this team has the chance to have a top 9 and go for goals with 3 lines rolling a lot. With that in mind, I’d flip Kunz and James around so that Kunz can add some size to the line with Boisvert and OMac, and then James can add more speed to the Wilkie and Strinden line.


This year Kunz is primed to be a 25-35 point guy if he’s with the right players. He took a big jump from his soph to junior years and he seems like he’ll make another jump this year. But I agree with others in that we HAVE to keep Boisvert in a top 6 role so that he can develop and hit his ceiling faster.  But since he’s still a string bean (as is OMac) then having a guy like Kunz can really help give that line some strength. 

All things considered, if this team goes with a top-9 approach and plays like they are down a goal all the time, they will be able to wear teams down. 

Plus our 4th line, if it looks the way you have it above, will make it even more frustrating to play against as they could really shut things down. 

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1 hour ago, Oxbow6 said:

Nope.....can't keep burying Perron in favor of Kunz. Kunz has 30 total points so far in his career at UND. Again DU had 11 guys with 30+ points this past season. Just for one season I'd like to see this coaching staff let their top talent roll. Let them develop together. 

I said this in an overly long post above, but Kunz is primed to go 25-35 points this year if he’s with the right guys. He went from 5 points as a sophomore to 19 points as a junior and really only played top 6 minutes half the year. Put him in a top 9 role and have him play with skilled guys. Then we are looking at a guy that could be similar to Malone or Vandevelde in regards to point production in his senior year 

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3 hours ago, Oxbow6 said:

Nope.....can't keep burying Perron in favor of Kunz. Kunz has 30 total points so far in his career at UND. Again DU had 11 guys with 30+ points this past season. Just for one season I'd like to see this coaching staff let their top talent roll. Let them develop together. 

You mean like the CBS line? That makes too much sense to happen. I like Kunz, a really nice kid. I would like to see him on a “heavy line” with Strinden. Those two could do some damage in that role.

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3 hours ago, Oxbow6 said:

Nope.....can't keep burying Perron in favor of Kunz. Kunz has 30 total points so far in his career at UND. Again DU had 11 guys with 30+ points this past season. Just for one season I'd like to see this coaching staff let their top talent roll. Let them develop together. 

If Perron puts it together on the d zone side of things this line could roll.  Watching Mac on the power play last night for the Force...just tremendous vision and really an understanding of the timing of the entire operation.

 

 

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5 hours ago, Oxbow6 said:

Nope.....can't keep burying Perron in favor of Kunz. Kunz has 30 total points so far in his career at UND. Again DU had 11 guys with 30+ points this past season. Just for one season I'd like to see this coaching staff let their top talent roll. Let them develop together. 

Agreed. I like Kunz and he might have a breakout year, but Perron is a special talent that I foresee taking the place of Blake. He will score 20+ goals this year if given the opportunities.

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4 hours ago, hockeytherapy13 said:

I think if we are going top 6 and bottom 6 this looks really good. But like some have said, this team has the chance to have a top 9 and go for goals with 3 lines rolling a lot. With that in mind, I’d flip Kunz and James around so that Kunz can add some size to the line with Boisvert and OMac, and then James can add more speed to the Wilkie and Strinden line.


This year Kunz is primed to be a 25-35 point guy if he’s with the right players. He took a big jump from his soph to junior years and he seems like he’ll make another jump this year. But I agree with others in that we HAVE to keep Boisvert in a top 6 role so that he can develop and hit his ceiling faster.  But since he’s still a string bean (as is OMac) then having a guy like Kunz can really help give that line some strength. 

All things considered, if this team goes with a top-9 approach and plays like they are down a goal all the time, they will be able to wear teams down. 

Plus our 4th line, if it looks the way you have it above, will make it even more frustrating to play against as they could really shut things down. 

One of the biggest things I was looking at and it is something I don't think Berry looks at enough is trying to put guys together that play with the same pace/skating ability. Trying to get speed guys together and really push the pace.

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On 4/19/2024 at 9:06 AM, SIOUXELEVENS said:

My top six

Mclaughlin/Berg/ Perron/James/Boisvert/Swanson 

third shut down line  Jammer/Wilkie/strinden

With all due respect, I’m not sure Wilkie was brought in to play bottom 6. He’ll get top 6 to start the year…100%.

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20 hours ago, Sweethockey said:

You mean like the CBS line? That makes too much sense to happen. I like Kunz, a really nice kid. I would like to see him on a “heavy line” with Strinden. Those two could do some damage in that role.

I like Kunz in a top 6 role when he’s moving his feet. He’s not a bottom 6 player. He’s only productive playing with offensive players. 

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23 hours ago, Oxbow6 said:

Nope.....can't keep burying Perron in favor of Kunz. Kunz has 30 total points so far in his career at UND. Again DU had 11 guys with 30+ points this past season. Just for one season I'd like to see this coaching staff let their top talent roll. Let them develop together. 

I think we’ll have more of a top 9 this year. 2 good PP’s. Top 6 will obv be heavy, but our third line will have skill. Maybe the young guns on one line? Swanson-Boisvert-Perron

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56 minutes ago, scpa0305 said:

I like Kunz in a top 6 role when he’s moving his feet. He’s not a bottom 6 player. He’s only productive playing with offensive players. 

He knows how to screen a goalie and needs to be on a line with at least one sniper to take advantage of that. 

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So Wilkie and Kunz top 6? Who with better skill and talent with a higher ceiling do you bury down the depth chart?

This top 9 is not happening cause there is zero chance Schmaltz and V get 4th line minutes.

 

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