2024-25 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[Blackheart]

On 6/21/2024 at 7:30 PM, Esoteric said:

 Goal breakout season for Schmaltz. :). 

Will he double/triple the total from last season?

[Esoteric]

On 6/22/2024 at 12:39 AM, siouxfaninseattle said:

Before last season I would have thought it wouldn't be possible for him to score less than ten goals. I think that's where he will be next season.

Sadly, I was excited for his potential last year.  I believe his upside potential is still much better than last year.

[Esoteric]

13 hours ago, Blackheart said:

Will he double/triple the total from last season?

I would like to see 12 goals and at least 14 assists for Schmaltz.  Set high expectations.  When coaching high school soccer and near the end of the girls season, the team threw me a 50th birthday party, on field during training.  I told them for my birthday, I would like 50 goals for the next year, players and parents were shocked - that would be a 25% increase in goals.    End of next year we hit 50 goals.  Sadly, one team we could not beat and those games were usually 1-0.  

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

2 hours ago, Esoteric said:

I would like to see 12 goals and at least 14 assists for Schmaltz.  Set high expectations.  When coaching high school soccer and near the end of the girls season, the team threw me a 50th birthday party, on field during training.  I told them for my birthday, I would like 50 goals for the next year, players and parents were shocked - that would be a 25% increase in goals.    End of next year we hit 50 goals.  Sadly, one team we could not beat and those games were usually 1-0.  

I hope he entered his year end meeting offering to relinquish any scholarship/Alston/whatever that was zero sum with teammates. We've had a LOT of draft picks with better production that weren't back the next year.

[The Sicatoka]

As disappointed with his production as we are, I'm hoping he's unsatisfied with himself and has something to prove. 

[hockeytherapy13]

2 hours ago, The Sicatoka said:

As disappointed with his production as we are, I'm hoping he's unsatisfied with himself and has something to prove. 

Heck even if he ends up being solid on a shutdown I think that would be great. I also would rather he not get many reps on the power play again, but maybe I'm missing something haha

[scpa0305]

On 6/23/2024 at 12:58 PM, Esoteric said:

I would like to see 12 goals and at least 14 assists for Schmaltz.  Set high expectations.  When coaching high school soccer and near the end of the girls season, the team threw me a 50th birthday party, on field during training.  I told them for my birthday, I would like 50 goals for the next year, players and parents were shocked - that would be a 25% increase in goals.    End of next year we hit 50 goals.  Sadly, one team we could not beat and those games were usually 1-0.  

That’s some goal  

[brianvf]

Couple draft articles from the Herald:

Will Livanavage get picked:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/will-the-third-time-be-the-charm-for-jake-livanavage-at-the-nhl-draft

Quote

The only two freshman defensemen in the country who had more points than Livanavage last season are expected to go in the top 15 of the draft Friday — Denver's Zeev Buium (50) and Michigan State's Artyom Levshunov (35). Minnesota's Sam Rinzel (28 points) finished fourth nationally among rookie defensemen, one point behind Livanavage. He was a first-round pick in 2022.

Emery's dominant combine:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/e-j-emerys-record-setting-nhl-combine-could-push-him-up-draft-boards

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The 6-foot-3, 183-pound defenseman dominated the testing, finishing first in four categories and blowing away the field in a couple of them.

Emery finished first in the horizontal jump, vertical jump and no-arm jump.
His horizontal jump of 123 inches is the longest on record in NHL Combine history. He beat the rest of this year's field by at least 4.7 inches.
His vertical jump of 27.23 inches was 3.6 inches higher than second-place Jett Luchanko.
His no-arm jump of 23.57 inches was more than an inch higher than anyone else at the NHL Combine.
Emery also tested out with a body fat of 3.64%. The second-lowest was Ethan Procyszyn at 6.84%.

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Projected landing spots
F Sacha Boisvert (2024 recruit), first or second round
D E.J. Emery (2024), first or second round
F Will Zellers (2025), mid-rounds
F Mac Swanson (2024), mid-to-late rounds
D Sam Laurila (2025), late rounds or undrafted
D Jake Livanavage, late rounds or undrafted
G Caleb Heil (2025 or 2026), late rounds or undrafted
F Carson Pilgrim (2025 or 2026), late rounds or undrafted
D Keith McInnis (2025 or 2026), late rounds or undrafted

 

[siouxfaninseattle]

Dare I say.....a couple of blue chippas? And the way Livanavage played last season I can't see him not getting drafted.

[siouxfaninseattle]

I think there will be a couple of UND players playing with a chip on their shoulder this season. Mac for getting drafted #207 and Linanavage for not getting drafted.

[omahasioux1]

12 minutes ago, siouxfaninseattle said:

I think there will be a couple of UND players playing with a chip on their shoulder this season. Mac for getting drafted #207 and Linanavage for not getting drafted.

Lets hope so. How are you doing?

 

[Esoteric]

4 hours ago, siouxfaninseattle said:

I think there will be a couple of UND players playing with a chip on their shoulder this season. Mac for getting drafted #207 and Linanavage for not getting drafted.

Linanavage has not been drafted?  That is weird considering his skill level and learning curve is pointing toward an NHL CAREER.

[The Sicatoka]

Livanavage.

Three a’s, two v’s. 

[nodakgirl93]

8 hours ago, Esoteric said:

Linanavage has not been drafted?  That is weird considering his skill level and learning curve is pointing toward an NHL CAREER.

He was passed his first draft year. It's rare a player gets drafted the 2nd time around. I think he surprised everyone with how great he was. 

[siouxfaninseattle]

15 hours ago, omahasioux1 said:

Lets hope so. How are you doing?

 

OK. I will send you a message.

[siouxforce19]

2 hours ago, nodakgirl93 said:

He was passed his first draft year. It's rare a player gets drafted the 2nd time around. I think he surprised everyone with how great he was. 

This year was also his third year of draft eligibility. So this was the third time he’s been passed over. It was a long shot for sure. 

[Kevin G]

If Livanavage continues to produce, he's got a chance to get signed as a college free agent like Troy Stecher, who is suddenly on the cusp of 500 games played in the NHL. They're almost exactly the same size although Stecher had a pretty big advantage in being RHD while Jake is LHD.

This could be a big year for Jake. I'm guessing that he will quarterback the first power play. He was at 0.76 pts/game last season; is a point-per-game out of reach this season? (There were only four defensemen in college hockey who made the point-per-game threshold last year. I could have named two of them for sure, maybe the third, but I would never have guessed the fourth.)

[brianvf]

Congrats to Alex, he deserves it!

 

[The Sicatoka]

https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/video/wiebe-availability-7-5-6356758607112 

Wiebe at Vegas camp; lots of interesting takes. 

[brianvf]

A lot of players and recruits at development camps, now all starting to get to GF to start the offseason push:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/three-undrafted-und-players-get-looks-from-nhl-teams-at-development-camps

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Senior goaltender T.J. Semptimphelter, an incoming transfer from Arizona State, skated with the Nashville Predators. Incoming freshman forward Cody Croal participated with the Philadelphia Flyers and classmate Dalton Andrew skated with the Boston Bruins.

Quote

In addition to Strinden, there were 11 other drafted players on the 2024-25 UND roster who participated in NHL development camps this summer.

They are forward Jake Schmaltz (Boston Bruins), forward Cade Littler (Calgary Flames), forward Jayden Perron (Carolina Hurricanes), forward Sacha Boisvert (Chicago Blackhawks), defenseman Andrew Strathmann (Columbus Blue Jackets), forward Dylan James (Detroit Red Wings), defenseman E.J. Emery (New York Rangers), forward Owen McLaughlin (Philadelphia), forward Mac Swanson (Pittsburgh), forward Jackson Kunz (Vancouver Canucks) and defenseman Abram Wiebe (Vegas).

Quote

Semptimphelter said one of the highlights was getting to know UND teammate Ben Strinden, a Predators draft pick who attended camp for the third time in his career. Semptimphelter and Strinden were teammates in the three-on-three tournament. Their team won it.

Quote

Two future UND players also participated in camps as draft picks. Forward Will Zellers skated with the Colorado Avalanche and forward David Klee participated with the San Jose Sharks. They're both expected to be freshmen in the fall of 2025.

 

[Oldguy]

11 hours ago, brianvf said:

Cody Croal participated with the Philadelphia Flyers and classmate Dalton Andrew skated with the Boston Bruins.

Encouraging to see two undrafted freshmen getting invites.  They both put up impressive numbers in their leagues, and could be better than people might expect.

[hockeytherapy13]

6 minutes ago, Oldguy said:

Encouraging to see two undrafted freshmen getting invites.  They both put up impressive numbers in their leagues, and could be better than people might expect.

I'm guessing Croal is going to be an absolute pest with a heck of a motor, will be excellent on the PK and a great 3rd/4th line player.  This incoming freshman class seems to have a lot of potential and will hopefully be rolling strong by December. 

[LuvHockey]

Just for the curious: 88 days till the puck drops….

[Esoteric]

On 7/3/2024 at 4:30 PM, brianvf said:

Congrats to Alex, he deserves it!

 

Well deserved.  Congratulations.

[Esoteric]

On 6/19/2024 at 10:30 AM, brianvf said:

The nice thing this next season will be that our offensive depth will mean that we're gonna have some talented players on the 3rd/4th lines.
Should hopefully create some tough matchups for opposing teams.

An even nicer thing is that 3rd and 4th lines are allowed to score and score, according to the hockey rules