2024-25 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[brianvf]

1 hour ago, nodakgirl93 said:

The kid is only 18 and breaking records in the ushl. Definitely need a good playmaker but also need some finishers. 

Swanson looks to be the playmaker and Boisvert the finisher. Depending on how quickly they can adapt to the college game. 
Hopefully Perron finds another level next season and OMac continues his progression. Despite Gaber disappearing at the end, we’ll still need to replace his goals and Johannes hustle/grit. 

[brianvf]

Maybe Zellers coming in next year as well? That was mentioned in the Recruits thread. He put up a pile of points, but def a big jump from Shattuck to NCAA. 

[Oxbow6]

Who's excited about UND potentially being at Scheels for the regional next season.......at least for one game??

[90siouxfan]

Will Swanson be lured away from us by a juicy nil offer?

[Wilbur]

53 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

Who's excited about UND potentially being at Scheels for the regional next season.......at least for one game??

They've got to make it....

[I Ranger]

9 hours ago, brianvf said:

I'd like to think he'd be smart enough to stick around another year, but who knows with kids these days.
He sure got knocked off the puck easy at times (this game and all year).
Another year of strength conditioning could do wonders.

100% agree. The first 10 minutes of the game last night he got knocked on his ass about 5 times and I made mention how this is showing he is no where near ready for the next level physically! His skill is off the charts but I don't recall ever seeing a player of his talent take so many crushing hits. He gets crushed at least once per game. 

[siouxforce19]

7 hours ago, brianvf said:

Maybe Zellers coming in next year as well? That was mentioned in the Recruits thread. He put up a pile of points, but def a big jump from Shattuck to NCAA. 

I’d be a bit surprised to be honest. I feel like we would have heard if his plan has changed by now? 

[Oxbow6]

35 minutes ago, 90siouxfan said:

Will Swanson be lured away from us by a juicy nil offer?

Anti-gravity beds and nap room >>> $50K NIL

[Oxbow6]

BTW gonna try to get to Force game tonight.  Been there already this season.  Swanson is legit.

[scpa0305]

2 minutes ago, siouxforce19 said:

I’d be a bit surprised to be honest. I feel like we would have heard if his plan has changed by now? 

Kind of hopeful you’re right. I recently heard he’s coming in from a Twitter journalist, but that was the first time. I get worried when we bring in skilled players right away (that aren’t first rounders) as I worry they get in berrys doghouse too early and bolt. 

[siouxforce19]

8 minutes ago, scpa0305 said:

Kind of hopeful you’re right. I recently heard he’s coming in from a Twitter journalist, but that was the first time. I get worried when we bring in skilled players right away (that aren’t first rounders) as I worry they get in berrys doghouse too early and bolt. 

I’m with you. Unless they are absolutely convinced he can be an immediate contributor in the top 6, I would not bring him in. He would be better off after a year of juniors. 

[Wilbur]

I'm excited for Swanson.  Smaller kid that needs a good defensive center that can contribute offensively.  No problem offensively, but if he's with a Blake they've got to have a center that's good low or the line will get bullied by heavy teams. 

[scpa0305]

2 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

I'm excited for Swanson.  Smaller kid that needs a good defensive center that can contribute offensively.  No problem offensively, but if he's with a Blake they've got to have a center that's good low or the line will get bullied by heavy teams. 

Me too. Omac will be fine. I really liked his progression from yr 1 to yr 2. He’s a stud.

[The Sicatoka]

We are small, light, and soft on possessing the puck. That needs to change.

[The Sicatoka]

I foresee needing 5F, 3D, and 1G. 

Blake will stay as I suspect Jason will have a father/son talk about how emotional outbursts will get you crushed at the next level. Jackson needs time to learn that just as his father had to. 

[Wilbur]

All projections here from current roster with remaining eligibility.

Goalies:  Hedquist and Kaleb stay, Ludvig goes. (2 on roster)

Defense:  Zmolek, Livanavage, Weibe, Benoit all stay, Komzak leaves.  (4 on roster)

Forwards: Schmaltz, Berg, Perron, Strinden, Omac, Jammer, James, Kunz all stay. (8 on roster)

Montgomery, Blake, Ness, Gaber, all gone.  If they can tell Dan Senkbeil that he should find a new place they can tell Montgomery.  Grand Forks kid, that's great, but he's an undersized grind line guy, and like @The Sicatoka said, we need to get bigger.

Now I need @brianvf to tell us who is coming in recruit wise. 

 

[cowboys5xsbs]

I hope we find a better goalie.  I am still not sold on the ones we have currently.

[AJS]

My ideal offseason.

• With the exception of Jamernik, all other Gr. / 5th / SRs move on.

• One of the FR D-man (Benoit / Komzak) Portal out. Think they need a better mix between classes

• All others return (no pro contracts)

• Add portal goalie. Want a true goalie competition next fall with Hedquist. 

• Add Portal D-man. High-end RH shot. Gr / Sr. 

[AJS]

9 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

All projections here from current roster with remaining eligibility.

Goalies:  Hedquist and Kaleb stay, Ludvig goes. (2 on roster)

Defense:  Zmolek, Livanavage, Weibe, Benoit all stay, Komzak leaves.  (4 on roster)

Forwards: Schmaltz, Berg, Perron, Strinden, Omac, Jammer, James, Kunz all stay. (8 on roster)

Montgomery, Blake, Ness, Gaber, all gone.  If they can tell Dan Senkbeil that he should find a new place they can tell Montgomery.  Grand Forks kid, that's great, but he's an undersized grind line guy, and like @The Sicatoka said, we need to get bigger.

Now I need @brianvf to tell us who is coming in recruit wise. 

 

Love all the projections, outside of Montgomery. In this age of college hockey, you need guys like him who know they are the 15F (or 8th D, 3rd G). I want him to return as 15F. I would make an argument that you actually need two these days (14th & 15th). Stack your Top 13. Play & develop them. 
 

Edit: Hope that Komzak is the D’s #8 guy & Benoit portals. Replace Benoit with a high-end RH veteran Dman w/ one year left. 

[siouxforce19]

1 minute ago, AJS said:

My ideal offseason.

• With the exception of Jamernik, all other Gr. / 5th / SRs move on.

• One of the FR D-man (Benoit / Komzak) Portal out. Think they need a better mix between classes

• All others return (no pro contracts)

• Add portal goalie. Want a true goalie competition next fall with Hedquist. 

• Add Portal D-man. High-end RH shot. Gr / Sr. 

I wouldn’t be opposed if we got a portal forward that could win faceoffs for us, since I think that area could use some improvement, but there’s probably not a ton of room up front to add one. 

[The Sicatoka]

My guesses?

Persson goes; go to portal for a clear one-year rental. My guess? Dom Basse (nee CC and SCSU). 

Forwards out: Gaber, Ness, Johannes, Albrecht, Emerson, Monty. Six open slots. In come Croal, Swanson, Boisvert, Littler, then go to the portal for size and a faceoff guy. 

Defense? I think the five eligible return and in come Strathmann, Jubenvill, and Emery. 

That's a 15/8/3 26-man roster. If there's 27th slot this year I'd think it'd be an insurance one-year portal D. 

[AJS]

6 minutes ago, siouxforce19 said:

I wouldn’t be opposed if we got a portal forward that could win faceoffs for us, since I think that area could use some improvement, but there’s probably not a ton of room up front to add one. 

I would hope they wouldn’t. The question I would pose is what Fr. would not develop because of the addition. What if Emerson got the minutes Ness / Albrecht got this year. Come March, what kind of impact could he have had? We’ll never know.

[The Sicatoka]

3 minutes ago, AJS said:

I would hope they wouldn’t. The question I would pose is what Fr. would not develop because of the addition. What if Emerson got the minutes Ness / Albrecht got this year. Come March, what kind of impact could he have had? We’ll never know.

Would you give up Cam Berg to find what could've been with Emerson. 

[Wilbur]

29 minutes ago, AJS said:

Love all the projections, outside of Montgomery. In this age of college hockey, you need guys like him who know they are the 15F (or 8th D, 3rd G). I want him to return as 15F. I would make an argument that you actually need two these days (14th & 15th). Stack your Top 13. Play & develop them. 
 

Edit: Hope that Komzak is the D’s #8 guy & Benoit portals. Replace Benoit with a high-end RH veteran Dman w/ one year left. 

I'd honestly want to use his spot to bring in a portal guy like a Johannes to add size for that bottom six forward role.

[AJS]

9 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

Would you give up Cam Berg to find what could've been with Emerson. 

No, but I absolutely wouldn’t have brought back 13 for a 5th year. I also would not have played 11 in front of him. 
 

Ultimately my point is this. Play talent & develop talent. Construct your roster so that there are spots for guys like Montgomery X2 when looking at the F group. Two F’s that will only play in case of injuries. Great teammates, but have their role.