Prospective Recruits

[siouxtatoo42]

Yes, according to Heisenbergs recruiting site

i've seen his stats, and he doesn't appear to be the gifted offensive threat tzajac was in the BCHL, but they are similar in size......is dzajac the corner guy who mucks it up making life better for the goal scorers or is he just on a bad team this year..

thank you for the info and again, if this has been stated before, i apologize for the questions and lack of digging on my own

edit: just looked at his stats again, and damn was i looking at old stats, he is an offensive stud, ignore the above

[Sioux_Hab-it]

i've seen his stats, and he doesn't appear to be the gifted offensive threat tzajac was in the BCHL, but they are similar in size......is dzajac the corner guy who mucks it up making life better for the goal scorers or is he just on a bad team this year..

thank you for the info and again, if this has been stated before, i apologize for the questions and lack of digging on my own

edit: just looked at his stats again, and damn was i looking at old stats, he is an offensive stud, ignore the above

Zajac from Zajac will keep it nice and simple for Woog.

[brianvf]

Zajac from Zajac will keep it nice and simple for Woog.

Let's hope that Travis sticks around for another year so that Woog can have the opportunity to say it.

[The Sicatoka]

Let's hope that Travis sticks around for another year so that Woog can have the opportunity to say it.

Let's put those two out (Travis and Darcy Zajac) out with Andrew Kozek. Imagine Woog ....

"Tajac scores on great passes from Dajac and Kojak."

[SIOUXELEVENS]

That's funny stuff but he is still better than listening to musucko.On another note has anyone noticed how many commitments Wisconsin has for next year and beyond. I wonder if they all no about the second 1/2 troubles they will be facing

[siouxnami]

That's funny stuff but he is still better than listening to musucko.On another note has anyone noticed how many commitments Wisconsin has for next year and beyond. I wonder if they all no about the second 1/2 troubles they will be facing

Interesting comment. I have noticed that some schools (Big 10 and Boston) tend to fill up on recreuits earlier than the Sioux. This can be good or bad. The good is that most of the best players are these early recreuits. The bad is that some players are 3-4 years from college and may fall off in performance or decide the WHL is for them. Anyway there is no such thing as a signed recruit until there is a LOI.

[dagies]

i've seen his stats, and he doesn't appear to be the gifted offensive threat tzajac was in the BCHL, but they are similar in size......is dzajac the corner guy who mucks it up making life better for the goal scorers or is he just on a bad team this year..

thank you for the info and again, if this has been stated before, i apologize for the questions and lack of digging on my own

edit: just looked at his stats again, and damn was i looking at old stats, he is an offensive stud, ignore the above

Someone posted on this board some time ago comments that Travis made about his brother. He's not got the same sort of offensive gifts that Travis has, but Travis said Darcy plays a different game, more physical and gritty (I think Travis said "dirty") than Travis. I wouldn't expect to see a signficant offensive contribution from Darcy next year based on what I've read on the internet, but hopefully strong character and physical play with a touch of offensive ability on the side which is valuable to have on a team as well.

I'm no expert (come as a surprise to anyone?), but my minds eye sees something similar to what MN is getting from Chucko this year. I think that would be satisfactory for a freshman.

[SIOUXELEVENS]

On the BCHL message board someone wrote that D.Zajac is on of the hardest hitting fowards in the league,sounds like he was born to be a Sioux

[brianvf]

On the BCHL message board someone wrote that D.Zajac is on of the hardest hitting fowards in the league,sounds like he was born to be a Sioux

I like him already.

[siouxtatoo42]

I like him already.

see i had heard that before and heard the comments travis had made, but i just looked at his stats and he has 70 some points in 40 games this year. I also saw that travis holds plenty of scoring records for the Salmon Arm, so i am thinking he won't be AS good as travis, but can hold his own with the puck.... unless he ends up like a prpich or how a kozek is looking to be (hitter, grind line, score a few goals)

[spfreak]

I think that Kozek will be a good if not very good to excellent offensive threat as he adjusts to the speed of the game around him. It will also help when he is not playing on the 3rd or 4th line. Hopefully that will be next year or the year after.

[DAR]

I think that Kozek will be a good if not very good to excellent offensive threat as he adjusts to the speed of the game around him. It will also help when he is not playing on the 3rd or 4th line. Hopefully that will be next year or the year after.

Yeah, I sure hope so. I have been kind of disappointed in Kozek. I thought he would be ready to make more of an impact than he has. Watkins seems to play OK defensively but has not done much offensively either. I realize these guys are kinda playing checking/4th line roles this year but they are on those lines for a reason and I would have liked to have seen more of an impact from them this year. Hopefully next year they will be more ready to make a bigger splash. I really hope we can land another punishing defensman because after Smaby leaves this year and we replace him with Marto our d corps is not going to have much of a physical element.

[redwing77]

I agree with spfreak on Kozek.

The problem with Kozek is that he's not getting much ice time. Not only that, he and Watkins have had their share of horrible luck when it comes to shots on goal. I believe Watkins actually should have potted 3 before his first actual goal if it weren't for some flat out bad luck.

Kozek will adjust. Many do not fare well their first year in a new system. Also, Kozek isn't getting nearly the ice time that he got with his BCHL team.

[dagies]

Yeah, I sure hope so. I have been kind of disappointed in Kozek. I thought he would be ready to make more of an impact than he has. Watkins seems to play OK defensively but has not done much offensively either. I realize these guys are kinda playing checking/4th line roles this year but they are on those lines for a reason and I would have liked to have seen more of an impact from them this year. Hopefully next year they will be more ready to make a bigger splash. I really hope we can land another punishing defensman because after Smaby leaves this year and we replace him with Marto our d corps is not going to have much of a physical element.

Don't forget how spoiled we are with some of the excellent recruits to come through our program recently. Most of the time, even very good recruits haven't historically produced the way Vanek, Parise, Kessel, Oshie, (insert name of your favorite here). While I am hoping to see a little more from Kozek and Watkins they are unfortunately compared to some players who have ruined the historical curve.

At least that's my impression.

[siouxtatoo42]

Don't forget how spoiled we are with some of the excellent recruits to come through our program recently. Most of the time, even very good recruits haven't historically produced the way Vanek, Parise, Kessel, Oshie, (insert name of your favorite here). While I am hoping to see a little more from Kozek and Watkins they are unfortunately compared to some players who have ruined the historical curve.

At least that's my impression.

I hope you are all correct about kozek, I really like the way he plays. I can see that there is a touch of offensive spark in there somewhere, he is a very quick skater, and he's not afraid to take the body, in fact, i've commented every game this year that at least one or two shifts a game that he's trying to get the "Collision of the Game" on the scoreboard. That being said, I likened him to Prpich as he was once the leading scorer (or one of the) on his canadian junior team and even though you see bits and pieces of his scoring ability, he's been relegated to a role player on the checking/stupid penalty line. Even though he's still a freshman and things can definately turn around for him, as for now, i see that being the case with kozek also, simply because of his willingness to run at the biggest guy on the ice and try knock him on his ass. Again, i hope you are all right about him, because with the talent and high draft of most of the freshman, hell forwards for that matter, he seems to be a four year guy and it would be nice to keep one of these scorers through their senior year.

[Chuck Schwartz]

from maize's WCHA/CCHA blog from USCHO.com

Derrick LaPoint and other Recruit Stuff

One prospect whose stock has risen dramatically over the course of this season is Wisconsin High School defenseman Derrick Lapoint. At the start of the seaosn, Lapoint was receiving interest from some smaller eastern schools. But interest in Lapoint has grown tremendously over the past couple months and Lapoint is now being recruit by most of the teams in the WCHA including North Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Duluth, St. Cloud, and Mankato. Lapoint, who is a senior at Eau Claire North High School, will be visiting St. Cloud this weekend, with trips to other WCHA schools coming in the next month or so. He will probably spend a year in the USHL after graduating and join a college team in 2007.

Lapoint's Eau Claire North team was ranked first in the state of Wisconsin, but they are being forced to forfeit all their victories due to an ineligible player. It seems the issue stemmed from the player in question having a permanent address outside the city of Eau Claire with one parent, while the player was living with another parent inside the city. Eau Claire North should be fine since they'll still have the chance to make the state playoffs, but it does their impressive record this season.

[Kermit]

from maize's WCHA/CCHA blog..

The Western College Hockey blog is a very good site. Highly recommended.

[siouxnami]

Lapoint's Eau Claire North team was ranked first in the state of Wisconsin, but they are being forced to forfeit all their victories due to an ineligible player. It seems the issue stemmed from the player in question having a permanent address outside the city of Eau Claire with one parent, while the player was living with another parent inside the city. Eau Claire North should be fine since they'll still have the chance to make the state playoffs, but it does their impressive record this season.

Wow, this is complete BS. Compare that to the crap that Duluth East or St. (fill in the blank) pull in Minnesota. I would be pi$$ed if this were my team. I hope the really kill some folks in the playoffs.

[redwing77]

Wow, this is complete BS. Compare that to the crap that Duluth East or St. (fill in the blank) pull in Minnesota. I would be pi$$ed if this were my team. I hope the really kill some folks in the playoffs.

I think it is really sad that these kids all worked their butts off to get where they are only to have a player who may have been dishonest (more like his parents were the culprits) and have it all ruined. The good news, if you will, is that, though they lose their #1 status for the regular season, their overall record (including the games forfeited) count towards their playoff seed. So, yeah, they go from first to last place regular season, but if they keep winning, they'll realistically end up with a last place regular season record and a #1 overall playoff seed.

At least, that's how I understand it.

[siouxnami]

I think it is really sad that these kids all worked their butts off to get where they are only to have a player who may have been dishonest (more like his parents were the culprits) and have it all ruined. The good news, if you will, is that, though they lose their #1 status for the regular season, their overall record (including the games forfeited) count towards their playoff seed. So, yeah, they go from first to last place regular season, but if they keep winning, they'll realistically end up with a last place regular season record and a #1 overall playoff seed.

At least, that's how I understand it.

I tend to think that this isn't even really being dishonest, the kid was living with a parent.

[southpaw]

moorhead playing centennial on fox sports net right now... mhs up 2-0 with a goal 8 seconds in and a shorty a couple seconds ago.

[Jack Mickleson]

I've noticed that Jake Marto hasn't dressed the last couple games with Omaha. Does anyone have any info on this?

[WW23]

It's easy i'd pick mario out of those canidates...he's the local boy that i'd like to see put on the sioux uniform.

[redwing77]

Well, Brad Thiessen hasn't committed anywhere yet, but all the speculating is that he wants to go somewhere next year.

So, how about keeping an eye on Chris Rawlings of the Silver Arm Silverbacks (BCHL)? He's doing very well in his rookie year, he's 17 at the moment which would mean that he's a 2007 recruit anyways... Oh wait. There's a problem. He's 6'5" 200lbs.

That's 6 full inches taller than what is apparently the height line on Sioux goaltenders.

Anyways, he's doing alright despite sharing goaltending duties with some older goaltenders. (19GP 11-4 with 3 shut outs, 2.55 GAA, .9156 Save%).

The only thing with big goaltenders like Chris would be lateral movement. Bigger guys have trouble going side to side.

Wilbur would probably be a better source of info on the effects of size on goaltending (since he's so darn knowledgeable about goaltenders as it is).

There are others like Jordan White of Penticton who is worthy of watching even though he's played less games than Rawlings, had a shakier first 7 outings (which hurts his career BCHL stats) and is still 3 inches above the Sioux goaltender height line. Keyvan Hunt of the Victoria Salsa has done well despite playing for a bad team this year. Again, he had a notverygood first half of the season in the BCHL and is 5 inches above the height line. Lastly, for now, Brad McInnis of Merritt. Despite being Thiessen's teammate, this 6'3" 200# goaltender has respectiable numbers in 20 appearances this season.

In the USHL, Alex Kangas (Sioux Falls -- 1987), John Murray (Sioux Falls also -- 1987), Aaron Rock (Tri City -- 1987), and Bryan Hogan (Lincoln - 1988) are worth keeping an eye on. You can find all of their stats here. If that link doesn't work, go to USHL's website, click "stats" on the toolbar on the top of the page, and then choose "Goalie Leaders" under the pull down box.

[Goon]

So, how about keeping an eye on Chris Rawlings of the Silver Arm Silverbacks (BCHL)? He's doing very well in his rookie year, he's 17 at the moment which would mean that he's a 2007 recruit anyways... Oh wait. There's a problem. He's 6'5" 200lbs.

I would actually like to see us get a bigger goalie like elliot of Wisconsin. I just think being bigger they cover more of the net. I Think our goalies have been a little small and they tend to get run over with no reguard from the opposing teams.