recruiting classes

[schmidtdoggydog]

Article from Wisconsin State Journal regarding ME's salary increase including comments alluding to the ranking of recruiting classes. If this is referring to the 2005-06 classes, I am a bit surprised by the rankings. Although I like UND's incoming class, I find it hard to believe the Gopher's class would not be ranked #1.

So what if Denver, Minnesota, Colorado College and North Dakota are loaded again after carrying the Western Collegiate Hockey Association banner into the NCAA Frozen Four? So what if three of the top five recruiting classes in the nation, according to Red Line Report, belong to North Dakota (second), Minnesota (fourth) and Minnesota-Duluth (fifth). UW, meanwhile, was sixth.

[redwing77]

Article from Wisconsin State Journal regarding ME's salary increase including comments alluding to the ranking of recruiting classes.  If this is referring to the 2005-06 classes, I am a bit surprised by the rankings.  Although I like UND's incoming class, I find it hard to believe the Gopher's class would not be ranked #1.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I doubt it. I find it surprising that Minnesota's class is ranked lower than UND, though. 100 to 1 odds that the #1 class belongs to Michigan. 50 to 1 that it is BC.

The thing that those listed have in common is that all of the schools mentioned are west of Ann Arbor, where hockey just doesn't exist.

[sagard]

The Red Line Report was published before Kessel committed, and doesn't pay attention to the rest of the WCHA (who happened to demonstrate superiority last April).

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/colu...ne-report_x.htm

That said the usual suspects (UND, UMich, UM, DU, CC) are all bringing in outstanding players and will have the talent to win the NCAAs next year and down the road.

The trick the next couple of years will be getting good NCAA draws and of course playing at your highest level at the end of the season.

[Goon]

Whatever, it doesn't matter right now, it maters later on after the players actually have played I think hockey is almost as big of a crap shoot as football and we won't find out till about if any of these players are a bust or not. I think honestly a Kessel is = to a Toews. Because if some have refered to him ast the next Sidney Crosby, I would rather have a Crosby then a Kessel.

If you guys remember from the watching the WJC Kessel doesn't play well when the opposition takes the body on him. I predict Mr Prpich will be meeting the Young Kessel on the ice a lot when the two teams meet. Prpich held Vanek scoreless for the weekend his last trip to the REA two years ago, let me say Thomas took a few cross checks and whacks (whatever it takes to win in my book). I also hope he will be pounding him with check every change he gets. Get in his head and his hockey pants (Not literally but check him and play him close to the vest, it was once said that Steve Kasper was in Wayne Gretzky's breezers when their two teams played each other) and make him not want to be on the ice.

Edited May 15, 2005 by Goon

[petey23]

UND's own Troy Murray made a good living being known as "gretzky's shadow".

[brianvf]

If you guys remember from the watching the WJC Kessel doesn't play well when the opposition takes the body on him. I predict Mr Prpich will be meeting the Young Kessel on the ice a lot when the two teams meet. Prpich held Vanek scoreless for the weekend his last trip to the REA two years ago, let me say Thomas took a few cross checks and whacks (whatever it takes to win in my book). I also hope he will be pounding him with check every change he gets.

I remember reading a scouting report posted somewhere about Kessel that alluded to what you are saying. He doesn't really like the physical stuff (most finesse players don't) and sometimes the opposition was successful in getting into young Mr Kessel's head and rattling his game.

That said, Prpich will have to be on his toes if he hopes to contain Kessel for a whole game.

[BringDeanBack]

I remember reading a scouting report posted somewhere about Kessel that alluded to what you are saying. He doesn't really like the physical stuff (most finesse players don't) and sometimes the opposition was successful in getting into young Mr Kessel's head and rattling his game.

That said, Prpich will have to be on his toes if he hopes to contain Kessel for a whole game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't forget though that Kessel will be a Gopher which means the reffing will be out to protect him. I guarantee you that WCHA reffing will not allow Kessel to be mugged like Parise was.

[redwing77]

Don't forget though that Kessel will be a Gopher which means the reffing will be out to protect him. I guarantee you that WCHA reffing will not allow Kessel to be mugged like Parise was.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They will call it "cracking down" instead of calling it both ways. I can't wait to see it. Prpich will handle Kessel, but undoubtedly he'll spend most of the game in the box because he touched Kessel. Meanwhile Harrington or whoever will clutch, grab, interfere, and perhaps even spear Stafford, Toews, Murray, and Zajac and probably won't get called.

[siouxnami]

Meanwhile Harrington or whoever will clutch, grab, interfere, and perhaps even spear Stafford, Toews, Murray, and Zajac and probably won't get called.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did you see the video? Harrington will not clutch, grab, interfere, and perhaps even spear, rather he will let spirko put himself and the goalie on my alltime highlight reel...

[Goon]

Don't forget though that Kessel will be a Gopher which means the reffing will be out to protect him.  I guarantee you that WCHA reffing will not allow Kessel to be mugged like Parise was.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think that UND will get its licks in on Kessel. Its only illegal if you get called for it.

[redwing77]

Did you see the video? Harrington will not clutch, grab, interfere, and perhaps even spear, rather he will let spirko put himself and the goalie on my alltime highlight reel...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Then you obviously missed Harrington's spearing of Stafford just before the game ended.

[sagard]

They will call it "cracking down" instead of calling it both ways. I can't wait to see it. Prpich will handle Kessel, but undoubtedly he'll spend most of the game in the box because he touched Kessel. Meanwhile Harrington or whoever will clutch, grab, interfere, and perhaps even spear Stafford, Toews, Murray, and Zajac and probably won't get called.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You guys are paranoid. It's not like the Gophers had overwhelming success against the Sioux last year, despite the obvious biased officiating supporting them.

I'm hoping for a Sterling/Sertich type of emergence from Potulny and Irmen.

[redwing77]

[dagies]

If Parise WAS mugged, and Kessel gets even more hype why WON'T Kessel get mugged too?

[redwing77]

If Parise WAS mugged, and Kessel gets even more hype why WON'T Kessel get mugged too?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, he will get mugged, but the muggers will get called. They want to protect Kessel because of the attention he'll bring to the WCHA. Zach was good, but he didn't garner that much national attention, or at least the level of attention Kessel is getting.

There are, seriously, no other players in the WCHA that the league will deem more important to protect from mugging. So, like I said, Toews will get mugged as well Murray, Pavelski, Sertich, Gauthier, whomever is playing the Gophers, but if Paukovich (not to defend him too much) or Greene or Prpich or whomever touches Kessel, two minutes in the box.

[dagies]

Sorry. I just don't buy that other players would get protected when Parise wasn't.

Maybe the new rules regarding obstruction will make a difference between how things were called then and now. I just don't buy that Kessel will be given a different standard than Parise based on his rep.

[Goon]

Sorry.  I just don't buy that other players would get protected when Parise wasn't.

Maybe the new rules regarding obstruction will make a difference between how things were called then and now.  I just don't buy that Kessel will be given a different standard than Parise based on his rep.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dagies I think your right, last season, the opposition mugged, cluthed and grabbed Brady Murray up and down the ice. I don't see it changing for another skilled player such as Kessel.

[Five-HoleFrenzy]

"If Parise WAS mugged, and Kessel gets even more hype why WON'T Kessel get mugged too?"

This is just way too objective. Why did you have to go and ruin a perfectly biased thread full of cliche statements with logic like that?

[dagies]

I'll retract my statement if the board moderator thinks I'm out of line.

[Diggler]

Vanek was mugged and it often wasn't called, why would it be different for Kessel?

[Goon]

Vanek was mugged and it often wasn't called, why would it be different for Kessel?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It won't be, because WCHA refs think they need to let the skilled players get mugged, slashed, clutch and grabbed because they think they have to keep the close and even, and not ever team has players like a Parise so those team need to expect to get mugged. The refs don't want to call to many penalties to give any team except UND a disavantage, the refs hate us for some reason. Hence, the refs seem to have a woody for UND and will call them as many penalties as possible, maybe its because UND like to us tree trunk for defensemen and the only way to win against UND is to put us one and two men down.

However, teams like UofMN do seem to get the sweet heart deals as far as how the refs respond to them.

[DamStrait]

The difference will be that Kessel will dive, which Zach never did.

[Goon]

The difference will be that Kessel will dive, which Zach never did.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am sure he will make former olympic diver Greg Lugainus (sp) proud.

[The Sicatoka]

I am sure he will make former olympic diver Greg Lugainus (sp) proud.

Gentlemen, all hockey related diving comparisons must be related back to the founding father of the "Gionta Rule", Brian Gionta. :D

[sagard]

The difference will be that Kessel will dive, which Zach never did.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, it was BB who was the gold medalist those years.