2005-06 ND Highschool Hockey

[ND Pride]

To say the loaded MN team never was matched by an in-state team anywhere in the US is false. Maybe a ND team, but I played for the Minnesota Blades (the Minnesota 88's our biggest rival) we tied them 2-2. The team with all the superstars was called the Minnesota 88's (who defected from the Blades to form their own team).

What I meant when I said that "the loaded Minnesota team that I would venture to say has never been matched ever by an in-state team anywhere in the US" was that, to my knowledge there has never been a single birth year team with players all from one state that had 6 eventual NHL draft picks on it - including 3 first rounders." My apology, I should have been more specific. By my criteria the Blades, as good as they were, would not fit because for example, Phil Kessel - from Madison - played for the Minnesota Blades 1987 birthyear team. In addition, the 1988 birthyear Minnesota Blades had three outstate kids on their team - (Wisconsin, Illinois and North Dakota).

[NKTK1826]

What I meant when I said that "the loaded Minnesota team that I would venture to say has never been matched ever by an in-state team anywhere in the US" was that, to my knowledge there has never been a single birth year team with players all from one state that had 6 eventual NHL draft picks on it - including 3 first rounders." My apology, I should have been more specific. By my criteria the Blades, as good as they were, would not fit because for example, Phil Kessel - from Madison - played for the Minnesota Blades 1987 birthyear team. In addition, the 1988 birthyear Minnesota Blades had three outstate kids on their team - (Wisconsin, Illinois and North Dakota).

I see what you're saying. The Minnesota team ran two lines in the 3rd also because of frustration. That's when the flood gates opened. Imagine, running two lines and some of the guys sitting on the bench will be playing in the USHL and Division 1 hockey. Pretty good team if you can sit those kind of guys down. They just let their 6 NHL draft picks do the work.

[Chewey]

What ND players are the Sioux potentially looking at? It would seem that the ND coaches would have had a good chance to see Mikula and the Fargo/Grafton players. Any west players that are being looked at by ND?

[ND Pride]

What ND players are the Sioux potentially looking at? It would seem that the ND coaches would have had a good chance to see Mikula and the Fargo/Grafton players. Any west players that are being looked at by ND?

That is a hard question to answer. Hakstol has been to a few high school games this year. He was at the Red River/North game in Grand Forks but no indication of who he was looking at - probably Marc Mihulka. Hakstol and Brad Berry were also at the Minnesota Model camp last June but there was only one ND kid there and Phil Kessel's brother from Madison, and a couple of other non-Minnesota kids. I am sure they have checked Marc Mihulka out. I really don't know about the West kids. I think it is a little early for the North Dakota players as typically they need two years of junior A hockey to develop before they are ready to go D-1. The quality of Sioux recruits is so high with guys like Oshie, Towes, etc that you really have to be visible at a national level to typically attract the attention of the Sioux coaching staff. Take Michael Forney of Thief River Falls for example, he was a top scorer at the USA Hockey National Festival one year, and high up other years. I assume some of the Sioux staff will be at the Select 17 Festival in St. Cloud and will have a good look at kids from all over the country including the North Dakota kids who made the Festival. These are kids, however, that will be high school seniors this fall.

I think the biggest question right now is how many North Dakota High School graduating seniors will make it into the USHL or NAHL. Mario L is already there as is Jordan Willert and Erik Galt. Paul Weisgarber is in the NAHL and may jump to the USHL. Jundt, Dittus and Hillman have been tendered/drafted in one or more leagues. Several other kids are still in the mix for both leagues. By August 1 we should know a lot about who is making it to the Junior A level. It may be a couple of years after that before this group of high school seniors will have a read on a possible D-1 career.

[ND Hockey Guy]

It's official. Congrats to Rody Selk of Minot on making the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL. Their 25 man roster was announced July 1st. Rody is the 3rd former Magician now in the USHL for this fall, (Jordan Willert with Tri-City and Andy Dittus with Green Bay.)

http://www.bucshockey.com/roster.shtml

They've also announced the "Buc Bowl" schedule for September 28th - 30th :

http://www.bucshockey.com/

[Lives-to-play-hockey-06]

It's official. Congrats to Rody Selk of Minot on making the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL. Their 25 man roster was announced July 1st. Rody is the 3rd former Magician now in the USHL for this fall, (Jordan Willert with Tri-City and Andy Dittus with Green Bay.)

http://www.bucshockey.com/roster.shtml

They've also announced the "Buc Bowl" schedule for September 28th - 30th :

http://www.bucshockey.com/

wow 3 players in the ushl, you would think they would have gotten out of the first round of state!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHA What a JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!

[MinotBison]

wow 3 players in the ushl, you would think they would have gotten out of the first round of state!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHA What a JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!

Why is it that Minot seems to have good talent many years, but is unable to get out of the first round of the state hockey tournament??? It is a question that people in Minot have been trying to answer for the last 15+ years. So far, with no answer.

[Chewey]

It has been said on this board that the WEst teams are not as deep as the East teams and that is why the West does not do as well at State. I think this is true for the most part except for Minot. Minot has been the hockey town of the West since hockey officially was introduced in the West in the late 60's and early 70's. When I played in the early and mid-80's, Minot was very competitive. In the late 80's and early 90's, Minot was even better. Minot has had some good coaches in Bruce Olson and Dean Blais. Samson was a good coach too but could not win state except for his first year with a bunch of kids that he and olson had coached before.

Minot has had a lot of talent. Two years ago, they beat EGF, the GF schools and all the teams that they faced and choked at state. Over the years, they have beaten Warroad, Thief River Falls, Moorhead (I believe), Roseau (I believe), Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, etc. They have had the talent in that many of their guys like Tom Philion, Danny Hanson, Mike Hanson, Jarrod Olson, Matt Morelli, Ben Keup, Brian Haaland, Quinn Fylling, John Grubb, Jeff BRedahl, and a few others have played at the d-1 level. Pure and simple (especially during the Samson era post 1992), they do well in the regular season and have a lot of talent but choke at state. It is simply something mental and the kids in Minot have had the mental state for so long now that they do not know any different. It's too bad and I do not know what is going to cause the kids to overcome it but I hope that it happens sometime soon. I am from Minot and hate to see them choke every year. During the 80's and early 90's, Minot would most times get past the first round and take at least 3rd or 4th. A couple of times, 1989, 1985 and 1992 they were in the finals and won it in 1992. A minot team should have won it since 1992. I can think of 1993, 1994-95, 1997-98 and 2004-05 to name just a few teams that were really, really good and choked very seriously.

[UNDhockey22]

It has been said on this board that the WEst teams are not as deep as the East teams and that is why the West does not do as well at State. I think this is true for the most part except for Minot. Minot has been the hockey town of the West since hockey officially was introduced in the West in the late 60's and early 70's. When I played in the early and mid-80's, Minot was very competitive. In the late 80's and early 90's, Minot was even better. Minot has had some good coaches in Bruce Olson and Dean Blais. Samson was a good coach too but could not win state except for his first year with a bunch of kids that he and olson had coached before.

Minot has had a lot of talent. Two years ago, they beat EGF, the GF schools and all the teams that they faced and choked at state. Over the years, they have beaten Warroad, Thief River Falls, Moorhead (I believe), Roseau (I believe), Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, etc. They have had the talent in that many of their guys like Tom Philion, Danny Hanson, Mike Hanson, Jarrod Olson, Matt Morelli, Ben Keup, Brian Haaland, Quinn Fylling, John Grubb, Jeff BRedahl, and a few others have played at the d-1 level. Pure and simple (especially during the Samson era post 1992), they do well in the regular season and have a lot of talent but choke at state. It is simply something mental and the kids in Minot have had the mental state for so long now that they do not know any different. It's too bad and I do not know what is going to cause the kids to overcome it but I hope that it happens sometime soon. I am from Minot and hate to see them choke every year. During the 80's and early 90's, Minot would most times get past the first round and take at least 3rd or 4th. A couple of times, 1989, 1985 and 1992 they were in the finals and won it in 1992. A minot team should have won it since 1992. I can think of 1993, 1994-95, 1997-98 and 2004-05 to name just a few teams that were really, really good and choked very seriously.

A factor could be that Minot is not used to consistently playing good hockey teams out West. Then they get to the state tournement and they play a maybe weaker east team (if Minot was a high seed coming into the tournament) that is used to playing quality competition on a more regular basis. If your not used to having to play your best hockey everyday, it's difficult to just flip that switch. It may work for one game, but in game two there is a good chance you won't show up.

[MinotBison]

A factor could be that Minot is not used to consistently playing good hockey teams out West. Then they get to the state tournement and they play a maybe weaker east team (if Minot was a high seed coming into the tournament) that is used to playing quality competition on a more regular basis. If your not used to having to play your best hockey everyday, it's difficult to just flip that switch. It may work for one game, but in game two there is a good chance you won't show up.

Bingo. The only way for Minot (or any western team for that matter) to get better is by playing the eastern teams. The eastern teams however, are reluctant to play the western teams and why should they, when good quality Section 8 teams are right next door?

That is why I would propose that the NDHSAA expand the hockey season by 3-4 games, with the provison that those games be played against teams from the other half of the state. Also, for a long time the eastern teams have wanted to have a cross bracket system (#1E vs. #8W, etc.) to determine who gets into the state tournament. I say, give them that in return for playing more games against the west as I just outlined.

Yes, I know that men will walk on Mars before the NDHSAA would ever consider this, but something has to change. I would be more than happy to listen to anyone else's proposal.

[Lives-to-play-hockey-06]

Bingo. The only way for Minot (or any western team for that matter) to get better is by playing the eastern teams. The eastern teams however, are reluctant to play the western teams and why should they, when good quality Section 8 teams are right next door?

That is why I would propose that the NDHSAA expand the hockey season by 3-4 games, with the provison that those games be played against teams from the other half of the state. Also, for a long time the eastern teams have wanted to have a cross bracket system (#1E vs. #8W, etc.) to determine who gets into the state tournament. I say, give them that in return for playing more games against the west as I just outlined.

Yes, I know that men will walk on Mars before the NDHSAA would ever consider this, but something has to change. I would be more than happy to listen to anyone else's proposal.

Do you really want teams like south or red river playing bottaneu or dickinson, that would get ugly fast?

[MinotBison]

Do you really want teams like south or red river playing bottaneu or dickinson, that would get ugly fast?

Yes it would get ugly, but it's how they used to do it, and it would only be one game at playoff time. I've often thought of having a division of hockey for larger schools, and one for smaller, but there aren't enough teams for that. I also thought about setting hockey up like the Europeans do for soccer, with the better teams staying in the top division, and the not so good teams dropping down to the lower division, but again, not enough teams for that.

[Lives-to-play-hockey-06]

Yes it would get ugly, but it's how they used to do it, and it would only be one game at playoff time. I've often thought of having a division of hockey for larger schools, and one for smaller, but there aren't enough teams for that. I also thought about setting hockey up like the Europeans do for soccer, with the better teams staying in the top division, and the not so good teams dropping down to the lower division, but again, not enough teams for that.

Lets take your system of #1E vs. #8W and so on... there could have easily been no teams from the west in the state tournament this year. with the wests best horse minot haveing to play jamestown who registered a upset over grafton/pr and a thriller against us (red river) in edc. In my opinion this would have been a pick-em at best for minot! In closing this is the best way to go but the west will never go for it for this very reason.

[Warthog]

It's not up to the west to decide. The NDHAA would not allow that, back in the 80's it was done 1E vs 8W( ? ). If we do that in hockey lets do in every other sport. I think the format should be like USA Hockey

North and South. If eveything played out the east would get there 6 teams( Minot and Bismarck) every year. That would bring the level of play up to speed out west. We all know this thread is based on Grand Fork and Fargo hockey, just look at the picture with an opened mind. I will take all bet, Minot would finish in the top 3 in the east every year if they played big games every week.

[Lives-to-play-hockey-06]

It's not up to the west to decide. The NDHAA would not allow that, back in the 80's it was done 1E vs 8W( ? ). If we do that in hockey lets do in every other sport. I think the format should be like USA Hockey

North and South. If eveything played out the east would get there 6 teams( Minot and Bismarck) every year. That would bring the level of play up to speed out west. We all know this thread is based on Grand Fork and Fargo hockey, just look at the picture with an opened mind. I will take all bet, Minot would finish in the top 3 in the east every year if they played big games every week.

Past four years... Not better the Central any years, not better then Red river any years, not better the South any years, Not better then GPR any years... probably a pick-em with WF and North depending on years (they certainly wouldn't have been guerranteed a victory over jamestown this last year or 4 years ago). With that said they wouldnt finish in the top 3 probably not in the top 4 ANY year. This is based on talent coaching etc... not based on state tournement showings.

North-South districts don't work unless you want to axe dickenson from the state hockey program... 4 trips to fargo area 6 hours on bus! 1 to whapeton 71/2 hours on bus? hazen same problem! willeston 2 trips to GF 7 hours each? 1 to GPR 8 hours?!!! Bis. teams/ Mandan five trips of 4+ hours. Whapeton five 6+hour trips. See the problem??

[Lives-to-play-hockey-06]

Past four years... Not better the Central any years, not better then Red river any years, not better the South any years, Not better then GPR any years... probably a pick-em with WF and North depending on years (they certainly wouldn't have been guerranteed a victory over jamestown this last year or 4 years ago). With that said they wouldnt finish in the top 3 probably not in the top 4 ANY year. This is based on talent coaching etc... not based on state tournement showings.

North-South districts don't work unless you want to axe dickenson from the state hockey program... 4 trips to fargo area 6 hours on bus! 1 to whapeton 71/2 hours on bus? hazen same problem! willeston 2 trips to GF 7 hours each? 1 to GPR 8 hours?!!! Bis. teams/ Mandan five trips of 4+ hours. Whapeton five 6+hour trips. See the problem??

to contridict my own arguement. i dont remember a team from either region that didnt make it to state that even would have had a chance at winning it if they would have made it. so its not as if your depriving a team of winning state even if they might be better then some of the teams from the other region.

[Chewey]

It's not necessary that the west play the east to get better. The top west teams choke; it's that simple. The west (at least Minot) did just fine against the east in the mid to late 80's and in the 90's and there was no north/south division play then. I agree that the number of games should be expanded. I think the west should be allowed to play the Canadian teams from Sask and Manitoba like we used to do back in the 80's. Even the bantams, pee wee's etc would play teams from Canada. The Canadian teams are better competition that either the east or SEction 8 teams.

The state tournament should be moved to Minot or Bismarck every third year. Of course, the new arena probably makes that even less likely than before when eastern arrogance dictated that it always be held in G.F. Hockey is the only sport where the state tournament is not rotated and that is b.s. The provincial nature of the east is obvious still. The simple truth is that Minot especially should stop choking at state. They beat the best of the east and SEction 8 consistently during the regular season and choke at state. That is a mindset and it is, in part, coaching.

[Lives-to-play-hockey-06]

It's not necessary that the west play the east to get better. The top west teams choke; it's that simple. The west (at least Minot) did just fine against the east in the mid to late 80's and in the 90's and there was no north/south division play then. I agree that the number of games should be expanded. I think the west should be allowed to play the Canadian teams from Sask and Manitoba like we used to do back in the 80's. Even the bantams, pee wee's etc would play teams from Canada. The Canadian teams are better competition that either the east or SEction 8 teams.

The state tournament should be moved to Minot or Bismarck every third year. Of course, the new arena probably makes that even less likely than before when eastern arrogance dictated that it always be held in G.F. Hockey is the only sport where the state tournament is not rotated and that is b.s. The provincial nature of the east is obvious still. The simple truth is that Minot especially should stop choking at state. They beat the best of the east and SEction 8 consistently during the regular season and choke at state. That is a mindset and it is, in part, coaching.

best of section 8? best of the east? consistently? they didnt beat a single east team or section 8 team, and they lost to a very very average egf team. minot gets plenty of games home and away against the top east teams and loses, because they are not good enough, im going to go out on a limb and say no west teams will win a first round game at state for the next 10 years!

[shep]

It's not necessary that the west play the east to get better. The top west teams choke; it's that simple. The west (at least Minot) did just fine against the east in the mid to late 80's and in the 90's and there was no north/south division play then. I agree that the number of games should be expanded. I think the west should be allowed to play the Canadian teams from Sask and Manitoba like we used to do back in the 80's. Even the bantams, pee wee's etc would play teams from Canada. The Canadian teams are better competition that either the east or SEction 8 teams.

The state tournament should be moved to Minot or Bismarck every third year. Of course, the new arena probably makes that even less likely than before when eastern arrogance dictated that it always be held in G.F. Hockey is the only sport where the state tournament is not rotated and that is b.s. The provincial nature of the east is obvious still. The simple truth is that Minot especially should stop choking at state. They beat the best of the east and SEction 8 consistently during the regular season and choke at state. That is a mindset and it is, in part, coaching.

I understand your desire to see the State tourny rotated out of GF, but if it went to a cross regional bracket system as proposed, there may be years that the west has only one, maybe two teams in the tourny and that would kill the attendance.

My beef is that the state hockey tourny is the only one in the state that is virtually guaranteed not to have the top 8 teams in the state year after year as at least two west teams get in that keep a North or South or even WFargo out.

That doesn't make sense.

[Wilbur]

best of section 8? best of the east? consistently? they didnt beat a single east team or section 8 team, and they lost to a very very average egf team. minot gets plenty of games home and away against the top east teams and loses, because they are not good enough, im going to go out on a limb and say no west teams will win a first round game at state for the next 10 years!

Plenty of home games against the top east teams? The only east team that came to Minot this year was Central. The year before that they beat Central, Grafton, EGF, and tied the eventual state champion Red River at home.

So what good do you think you're doing by constantly berating western hockey? With your posts I'm under the belief that you think western towns should just drop their hockey programs and have the eastern teams play the same 8 teams all year long.

I guess you're right...the growth of the game is a bad thing....

[UNDhockey22]

Plenty of home games against the top east teams? The only east team that came to Minot this year was Central. The year before that they beat Central, Grafton, EGF, and tied the eventual state champion Red River at home.

So what good do you think you're doing by constantly berating western hockey? With your posts I'm under the belief that you think western towns should just drop their hockey programs and have the eastern teams play the same 8 teams all year long.

I guess you're right...the growth of the game is a bad thing....

Agreed. It's bad enough having people from Minnesota belittling our high school hockey. We don't need North Dakotans from the East telling North Dakotans from the West they are terrible. None of us are that good where we can make statements like that.

[Lives-to-play-hockey-06]

Agreed. It's bad enough having people from Minnesota belittling our high school hockey. We don't need North Dakotans from the East telling North Dakotans from the West they are terrible. None of us are that good where we can make statements like that.

they play central egf gfrr and gpr everyyear, thats what i meant, never said minot or the west was terrible just said that i don't see them winning a state game in the near future because parity between the two regions is just not a reality.

[Wilbur]

Never said Minot or the west was terrible...

"there could have easily been no teams from the west in the state tournament this year"

"wow 3 players in the ushl, you would think they would have gotten out of the first round of state!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHA What a JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Do you really want teams like south or red river playing bottaneu or dickinson, that would get ugly fast?"

What exactly were you trying to imply?

[hockeyfan11]

As far as rotating the state tournament is concerned that should be a dead issue. Having it in Grand Forks increases both the attendance and the enjoyment of the players. The Engelstad gives the state tournament a sort of majestic feel. I dont see this rule changing anytime soon.

[junior24]

As far as rotating the state tournament is concerned that should be a dead issue. Having it in Grand Forks increases both the attendance and the enjoyment of the players. The Engelstad gives the state tournament a sort of majestic feel. I dont see this rule changing anytime soon.

Where would they play other than Grand Forks?