I Ranger Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 I know there has been quite a bit of talk around here about how our D-core is going to be extremely young with the loss of Matt Greene but how much do you think it will hurt us to have even younger centers helping them. The way I see it our four centers will be Zajac, Toews, Kaip and Kozek with Zajac being the only one who has any experience. Yes Kaip played about half the season last year but he doesn't have very much experience and throw in two other guys with zero experience and that could be trouble getting the puck out of our zone. Just thought I would throw this topic out there and see what everyone thinks. Kozek is a guess because Oshie and Watkins I believe are centers as well and any one of them could center a line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 I know there has been quite a bit of talk around here about how our D-core is going to be extremely young with the loss of Matt Greene but how much do you think it will hurt us to have even younger centers helping them. The way I see it our four centers will be Zajac, Toews, Kaip and Kozek with Zajac being the only one who has any experience. Yes Kaip played about half the season last year but he doesn't have very much experience and throw in two other guys with zero experience and that could be trouble getting the puck out of our zone. Just thought I would throw this topic out there and see what everyone thinks. Kozek is a guess because Oshie and Watkins I believe are centers as well and any one of them could center a line. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think we may actually get to see some shoot outs now. I think our defense will be a lot like Minnesotas from last season only more talented. Just opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAR Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 I know there has been quite a bit of talk around here about how our D-core is going to be extremely young with the loss of Matt Greene but how much do you think it will hurt us to have even younger centers helping them. The way I see it our four centers will be Zajac, Toews, Kaip and Kozek with Zajac being the only one who has any experience. Yes Kaip played about half the season last year but he doesn't have very much experience and throw in two other guys with zero experience and that could be trouble getting the puck out of our zone. Just thought I would throw this topic out there and see what everyone thinks. Kozek is a guess because Oshie and Watkins I believe are centers as well and any one of them could center a line. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> There will no doubt be some growing pains. This is going to be an extremely young and inexperienced team. However, the saving grace is that there are some VERY talented freshman coming in. The big question will be how well/fast they can adjust to the college game. Does the adjustment take a month, half a season or the whole season? That will determine whether the Sioux are playing in the West regional with a chance to get to Milwaukee. This year's team would be in great position to make a big run at it next year BUT...........oh yeah the early defection part of the game. Smaby and Stafford I would say are highly likely to sign after the season with Zajac not far behind depending on how well he does this year. Then who knows about surprise defections like with Murray this year. All of a sudden what looks like a very promising year is back to square one. Damn NHL!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagies Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 I know there has been quite a bit of talk around here about how our D-core is going to be extremely young with the loss of Matt Greene but how much do you think it will hurt us to have even younger centers helping them. The way I see it our four centers will be Zajac, Toews, Kaip and Kozek with Zajac being the only one who has any experience. Yes Kaip played about half the season last year but he doesn't have very much experience and throw in two other guys with zero experience and that could be trouble getting the puck out of our zone. Just thought I would throw this topic out there and see what everyone thinks. Kozek is a guess because Oshie and Watkins I believe are centers as well and any one of them could center a line. Ok, I'll open a vein a little here. I know from reading other posts you know something of hockey. Never having played I'm always looking to learn a little more. Would you mind expounding on the role of the centers in the scenarios you posed in your question above? I.e. how, specifically, do the centers factor in to breaking the puck out of the zone, etc? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Ranger Posted August 30, 2005 Author Share Posted August 30, 2005 Ok, I'll open a vein a little here. I know from reading other posts you know something of hockey. Never having played I'm always looking to learn a little more. Would you mind expounding on the role of the centers in the scenarios you posed in your question above? I.e. how, specifically, do the centers factor in to breaking the puck out of the zone, etc? Thanks in advance. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redwing77 Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Ok, I'll open a vein a little here. I know from reading other posts you know something of hockey. Never having played I'm always looking to learn a little more. Would you mind expounding on the role of the centers in the scenarios you posed in your question above? I.e. how, specifically, do the centers factor in to breaking the puck out of the zone, etc? Thanks in advance. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The center is basically the third defenseman in our defensive zone. The two wings cover the slot area and the two opposing defenseman which leaves the three opposing forwards against two opposing D and the center down low. This is why players like Rory McMahon are so valuable even know they are not that great offensively they are very valuable defensively. For this reason there have been many arguments on this board why Zach Parise is a better player than Vanek because Zach excels at both ends of the rink and good two-way centers are tough to find even though New Jersey found another one in Zajac as well. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Ranger Posted August 30, 2005 Author Share Posted August 30, 2005 I think Kaip will be a perfect replacement for McMahon. They are identical players with Kaip I believe being a little more talented as he was more highly regarded coming in as a freshman than Rory was. Either way I think he will be able to step right in and replace Rory and be a great two-way center that will more than likely be centering are so-called Red Pepper Grinder line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAR Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 I think Kaip will be a perfect replacement for McMahon. They are identical players with Kaip I believe being a little more talented as he was more highly regarded coming in as a freshman than Rory was. Either way I think he will be able to step right in and replace Rory and be a great two-way center that will more than likely be centering are so-called Red Pepper Grinder line. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The big question is will Kaip be recovered fully from the post concussion syndrome. That can be a really tricky thing to recover from. Based on what I saw from him before the concussion I did not see much of an offensive side to his game so it remains to be seen whether he can progress as a offensive threat as well as McMahon did. He is however a feisty player who will do the dirty work which this team needs with all the offensive minded players coming in this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Stafford I would say are highly likely to sign after the season with Zajac not far behind depending on how well he does this year. Then who knows about surprise defections like with Murray this year. All of a sudden what looks like a very promising year is back to square one. Damn NHL!!! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I predict that Stafford will play all four years at UND!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#1Hakfan Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 UND will have the most talented centers in the league. There is another team that might be able to match our first 2 centers, but we will be deeper than any other team in college hockey. Zajac, Toews and Kozek are all BIG time players. Oshie has the potential to be big time. Kaip can play his role by chipping in a few goals and crash and bang top players on the other team. All these guys are high draft picks (Toews will be 1st round) and will play in the NHL. One of them will probably have to play wing because we are so deep. Stafford played some center at SSM. Remember Zajac scored like 6 goals in the 4 Ncaa playoff games. He is ready to carry the team. Toews will be second line center. Thats amazing because this kid would be #1 center probably any other year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagies Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Ok, I'll open a vein a little here. I know from reading other posts you know something of hockey. Never having played I'm always looking to learn a little more. Would you mind expounding on the role of the centers in the scenarios you posed in your question above? I.e. how, specifically, do the centers factor in to breaking the puck out of the zone, etc? Thanks in advance. The center is basically the third defenseman in our defensive zone. The two wings cover the slot area and the two opposing defenseman which leaves the three opposing forwards against two opposing D and the center down low. This is why players like Rory McMahon are so valuable even know they are not that great offensively they are very valuable defensively. For this reason there have been many arguments on this board why Zach Parise is a better player than Vanek because Zach excels at both ends of the rink and good two-way centers are tough to find even though New Jersey found another one in Zajac as well. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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