Mario

[Bubz]

Looks like he was pretty busy today in Des Moines.

Tri City defeated Finland IFK 5-4.

Lamoureux had 2 goals (1 shorty and the PPGW) and one assist.

[Jackson]

Anyone know which way Mario might be leaning? I have heard Major Juniors is a definate possibility. If he chooses the college route I assume NoDak has the inside track but is he considering any other schools?

[dagies]

I believe someone has posted a link to newspaper stories saying Mario left a WHL training camp and is trying to make a decision on playing MJ or D1 hockey. I believe those same articles referenced that Mario has a scholarship offer from UND for 2007.

If he's playing for Des Moines maybe he's made a decision.

Ah...here it is.

Sutter hasn't closed the book on Mario Lamoureux, but he's ready to turn the page.

The 17-year-old American forward talked to Sutter on Sunday from his home in Grand Forks, N.D., and admitted he still hasn't decided whether he'll play a second season with Tri-Cities of the United States Hockey League or join the Rebels.

"He says he can't make up his mind, so how long do we go on like this as an organization?" said Sutter, who feels Lamoureux could play a regular shift with his team this season.

Lamoureux, who has dual American/Canadian citizenship, is hedging on committing to the Rebels because he has already been offered a hockey scholarship for the start of the 2007-08 season at the University of North Dakota.

"If he can't make up his mind we have to move in a different direction and he might over time find the one option is taking away from him," said Sutter.

"Here's a kid who as a 17-year-old would be one of our four centres, and yet he's chosen to stay and play at a lower level, which is junior A hockey. He does have a scholarship in place, but it won't take affect until he's 19 so for the next two years he'll play at a lower level. Is that what's good for him?

"He has to decide how badly he wants to be a pro. If he wants to go to school then he should stay there and do that, but I'll still match our education policy with any NCAA scholarship. He could come here for four years and go to school if he doesn't play pro and continue to play hockey. The way things are shaping up now, he could be done playing at the age of 22.

"That being said, I really like Mario. He's a good player and a good kid. But we have to move forward with the players we have here."

[Kermit]

Lamoureux had 2 goals (1 shorty and the PPGW) and one assist. 

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Chris VandeVelde also had 2 goals and an assist today for Lincoln in a 7-4 loss to Indiana.

[Jackson]

Thanks Dagies. So is there a buzz about this kid? if he goes the college route would he be a big "get"?

[redwing77]

Thanks Dagies. So is there a buzz about this kid? if he goes the college route would he be a big "get"?

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I read somewhere (Heisenberg's blog site?) that Mario is still weighing his options, but he is leaning towards UND because, reportedly, Pierre-Paul (I think that's his name) has not been treated as well as they'd have liked. Rumor, sure.

I really don't know what will happen, but the jerking around of Red Deer certainly does seem to send a message.

[sprig]

Thanks Dagies. So is there a buzz about this kid? if he goes the college route would he be a big "get"?

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If Sutter wants him to play at Red Deer that badly, I'd say he would be a good addition to the Sioux (in 07-08).

From Heisenberg's blog:

Red Deer Awaits: Red Deer Coach Brian Sutter continues to be vexed by Mario Lamoureux's indecision. As noted in the Red Deer Advocate Sutter still hopes the youngest Lamoureux will chose the WHL route, where his brother plays.

The 17-year-old American forward talked to Sutter on Sunday from his home in Grand Forks, N.D., and admitted he still hasn't decided whether he'll play a second season with Tri-Cities of the United States Hockey League or join the Rebels.

"He says he can't make up his mind, so how long do we go on like this as an organization?" said Sutter, who feels Lamoureux could play a regular shift with his team this season.

Lamoureux, who has dual American/Canadian citizenship, is hedging on committing to the Rebels because he has already been offered a hockey scholarship for the start of the 2007-08 season at the University of North Dakota.

"If he can't make up his mind we have to move in a different direction and he might over time find the one option is taking away from him," said Sutter.

"Here's a kid who as a 17-year-old would be one of our four centres, and yet he's chosen to stay and play at a lower level, which is junior A hockey. He does have a scholarship in place, but it won't take affect until he's 19 so for the next two years he'll play at a lower level. Is that what's good for him?

[StarzUND]

That would have to be a tough decision for Mario, which brother do you play with Phil or PJ? Personally I hope he stays in TC and goes on to UND. Although my dream would be that he ended up in Lincoln before he goes to UND

[Goon]

Thanks Dagies. So is there a buzz about this kid? if he goes the college route would he be a big "get"?

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Sounds like he is leaning toward UND in 2007... If he wasn't he would be gone already...

[BinaIsGod]

I found this on Red Deer's site posted almost 2 weeks after the previous article. It had this line in it:

Meanwhile, the Mario Lamoureux saga seems to have come to an end as Brent Sutter doesn

[Kermit]

I don't know if this makes it 100% official that he has decided not to go the WHL route, but it's a good indicator of his current standpoint.

Here is the full article.

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It looks like Mario will be in Tri Cities this season. I don't think we'll know for sure about Mario for another year. He could verbally commit to UND tomorrow, but he can't come until the fall of '07, so he'll still have to decide where to play next year. Potentially, this could be similar to the Peter Mueller saga.

[jk]

Just because Mario apparently decided to play for Tri-City this year doesn't mean anything for 2006 or 2007 (on this I think I agree with Kermit).

The Mueller comparison is a good one, and we'll have to wait a season to see how similar their situations ultimately are. Mueller is an ultra-elite talent, and he had basically run out of places to play, as an amatuer. He had pretty well dominated at the USNDT, and he probably would not have been sufficiently challenged in the USHL. He hadn't finished high school, so college wasn't an option. That left only the WHL.

Mario was 7-15-22 and -7 last year in 59 games, so obviously he hasn't outgrown the USHL. He'll still be well challenged there this year, so he made a good choice this Fall, IMO. He was also the youngest player on his team by a fair stretch last year, so he has a good chance of having a better year this year. If he in fact has a great year this year, then he'll have a pretty tough choice next year: play another year in the USHL, where he was already great, or step up a level in competition by heading to the WHL. If he's "just" solid this year, then the path to college would seem clear, after dominating the USHL in 06'07 (hopefully).

As an aside, both Kessel and Toews would have been in Mueller's predicament this year had they not successfully accelerated their schooling. Also, just because I'm mentioning Mueller, Kessel and Toews in this thread doesn't mean I think Mario is that kind of a prospect. I've never seen most of the guys play, so I really have no idea.

[redwing77]

Just because Mario apparently decided to play for Tri-City this year doesn't mean anything for 2006 or 2007 (on this I think I agree with Kermit).

The Mueller comparison is a good one, and we'll have to wait a season to see how similar their situations ultimately are.  Mueller is an ultra-elite talent, and he had basically run out of places to play, as an amatuer.  He had pretty well dominated at the USNDT, and he probably would not have been sufficiently challenged in the USHL.  He hadn't finished high school, so college wasn't an option.  That left only the WHL.

Mario was 7-15-22 and -7 last year in 59 games, so obviously he hasn't outgrown the USHL.  He'll still be well challenged there this year, so he made a good choice this Fall, IMO.  He was also the youngest player on his team by a fair stretch last year, so he has a good chance of having a better year this year.  If he in fact has a great year this year, then he'll have a pretty tough choice next year: play another year in the USHL, where he was already great, or step up a level in competition by heading to the WHL.  If he's "just" solid this year, then the path to college would seem clear, after dominating the USHL in 06'07 (hopefully).

As an aside, both Kessel and Toews would have been in Mueller's predicament this year had they not successfully accelerated their schooling.  Also, just because I'm mentioning Mueller, Kessel and Toews in this thread doesn't mean I think Mario is that kind of a prospect.  I've never seen most of the guys play, so I really have no idea.

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I agree