Prospective Recruits

[#1Hakfan]

Wisconsin was a vetran team last year. If you took away the first half when they blew everyone out of the water including UND and Minnesota they probably wouldn't have a very good average. you have to admit they had trouble scoring.

We will see who scores more this year. I know who I will put my money on.

[tnt]

Maybe a better way to put it is that Wisconsin is a little more structured and maybe not quite as aggressive on the offensive end. You play to your strengths. That being said, I think the Sioux have become a little more structured in terms of their forecheck since Hakstol took over, while keeping the aggressive attitude.

[brianvf]

Now that he's back at SSM, we'll be able to watch his progress. While it would be hard to be as good as Jonathan Toews, most observers say that David Toews is as good, or better, than his older brother. Only time will tell.

I hadn't heard that David Toews was back at SSM. That's good news for Sioux fans, as hopefully he will play for the Sioux now!

Too bad Tessier didn't go back as well.

[Chuck Schwartz]

Hak fan, no offense but those are some lame excuses. You said that Nodak was an offensive powerhouse and that Wisconsin doesnt score. Now it's that Wisconsin had older players, blah blah blah.

Wisconsin isn't the team people think they are no matter how many lame excuses people give.

You have to remember that those early Eaves years were with the crappy players that Sauer recruited. Now that Eaves has his players it's a lot different.

[Shawn-O]

Wisconsin bringing home the goods last spring will make them formidable in any recruiting battle. That said, I really hope the Sioux can close the deal with this Malone kid.

[LeftyZL]

Hak fan, no offense but those are some lame excuses. You said that Nodak was an offensive powerhouse and that Wisconsin doesnt score. Now it's that Wisconsin had older players, blah blah blah.

Wisconsin isn't the team people think they are no matter how many lame excuses people give.

You have to remember that those early Eaves years were with the crappy players that Sauer recruited. Now that Eaves has his players it's a lot different.

Not trying to be "that guy" or anything like that, Chuck Schwartz, but maybe the wording that people are using is incorrect in comparing teams. Wisconsin scored 4 goals or more 10 times out of 20 games(50%) in the 1st half of year, while UND scored 4 goals or more 7 times out of 22 games(32%). Just looking at the 2nd half of the year only(2006), Wisconsin scored 4 goals or more 9 times out of 23 games(40%). UND scored 4 goals or more 16 times out of 24 games(67%). Wisconsin was just flat-out more consistent last year. Now, I'm not saying that UND is an offensive powerhouse, but you can't argue that Wisconsin was extremely experienced last year and didn't have to play half of the year to figure out who or where their scoring would come from, while as UND had to learn a lot about how to play in the WCHA and who would score for them. I think these statistics show somewhat what I believe most people are trying to say on here: Once UND figured some things out on their team, they became a more explosive team than Wisconsin. The stats don't lie. Wisconsin was extremely experienced last year and didn't have to play the first half of the year to figure out who or where their scoring would come from.

Maybe I'm off base too Chuck. Feel free to correct, contradict, and bash any and all of my comments above.

Back to the topic at hand: Potential Sioux Recruits

[Chuck Schwartz]

Not trying to be "that guy" or anything like that, Chuck Schwartz, but maybe the wording that people are using is incorrect in comparing teams. Wisconsin scored 4 goals or more 10 times out of 20 games(50%) in the 1st half of year, while UND scored 4 goals or more 7 times out of 22 games(32%). Just looking at the 2nd half of the year only(2006), Wisconsin scored 4 goals or more 9 times out of 23 games(40%). UND scored 4 goals or more 16 times out of 24 games(67%). Wisconsin was just flat-out more consistent last year. Now, I'm not saying that UND is an offensive powerhouse, but you can't argue that Wisconsin was extremely experienced last year and didn't have to play half of the year to figure out who or where their scoring would come from, while as UND had to learn a lot about how to play in the WCHA and who would score for them. I think these statistics show somewhat what I believe most people are trying to say on here: Once UND figured some things out on their team, they became a more explosive team than Wisconsin. The stats don't lie. Wisconsin was extremely experienced last year and didn't have to play the first half of the year to figure out who or where their scoring would come from.

Maybe I'm off base too Chuck. Feel free to correct, contradict, and bash any and all of my comments above.

Back to the topic at hand: Potential Sioux Recruits

The point i'm trying to make is that he, along with many others claim how offensively challenged Wisconsin is. He even went out of his way to claim that UND is an offensive jauggernaut compared to Wisconsin and how this should win in a recruiting battle for a forward. I'm simply stating that it is COMPLETELY false. Now he and others are retracting their statements, which should be the case after you look at the numbers. It's just funny the age thing that gets braught up. It's like claiming by brothers pee-wee team is an offensive jauggernaut but it doesnt look good because they were playing with older kids. Honestly who cares how old they are and when they scored the goals. Facts are facts, North Dakota and Minnesota arent that much above Wisconsin in the scoring department anymore.

p.s. like you said, lets move on and talk about potential future recruits

[sprig]

Wisco should never have to defend good defense. Good D has been a Sioux strength since the beginning Gino years and has won them national championships. We've become too locked into the goph contingent yapping about dmen and points. They've had a few, very few, good 2 way dmen but they have never played D the way the Sioux and Wisco can.

The Sioux coaching staff since the Gino years (and probably before), have never allowed a forward to play one way hockey, if you don't work both ends, you sit. I believe Wisco has played that same game, even during the Sauer years, and certainly during the B. Johnson years.

[cavedurtis]

Chuck, there is no question that last year Wisco had an uptick in offensive production. IMO that will prove to be an abberation, as they have lost their top 5 scorers from last year. This year Eaves is playing with all his recruits so we will see if increased scoring is a trend or mirage.

[mikejm]

One kid I'd like to see in a Sioux uniform is Cam Lamoureux. His dad played for the Sioux in the mid '70s and was a very good player and is a very good friend. Unfortunately, we didn't have very good teams then so Roger didn't win a championship. I believe he lead the Sioux in scoring though. Cam is a first year player in the AJHL and is expected to be a leader on his team. He also has a younger brother who will probably be even better than Cam. He'll be one of the top players taken in the MJ draft next year.

If either Cam or his brother have the talent — and character — that Roger did while playing for the Sioux, they should be prominent recruiting targets for UND. Roger was part of a huge freshman class that came in '73 replacing a big bunch of upperclassmen Coach Rube Bjorkman cut loose. Two other names in the class that should be well-known to all Fighting Sioux fans are Brad Becker and Tom Goddard. I watched (through somewhat hazy eyes ) this class for three years as they generally got their hats handed to them. It was a difficult time to be a UND hockey fan in that they lost so many games. Lamoureux's character however — and that of several teammates — was clearly evident even as the losses piled up.

Talent without character is a curse. Character without talent is desirable, but it wins few sporting contests. Talent and character is the ultimate goal.

[NDFAN]

Are there any FM Jets on the prospect list right now? Their games are on 103.9 THE TRUCK!

Game on right now if you need a hockey fix.

[Five-HoleFrenzy]

If either Cam or his brother have the talent

[mikejm]

Kind of an old school take on things Mikejm and I like it.

Ummmmmm, I think it's "old skool".

[Chris]

Are there any FM Jets on the prospect list right now? Their games are on 103.9 THE TRUCK!

Game on right now if you need a hockey fix.

Robby Phillipp had a goal today. If the circumstances were right, I could see North Dakota taking a chance on him in a couple years. Beau Christian played pretty well in goal too.

[Chris]

also where is david toews playing this season??

This should answer both questions. http://westerncollegehockey.blogspot.com/2...nd-tessier.html

[Sioux]

This should answer both questions. http://westerncollegehockey.blogspot.com/2...nd-tessier.html

you beat me to it...its nice to see that david toews is looking to the college route and quite possibly coming here...to bad that tessier wont though....

[#1Hakfan]

I was just curious, but the people here that are not happy with our incoming freshmen class, which ones would you cut and which recruits would you replace them with. I want a logical answer, don't say Eric Johnson or Okoposo because those kids were going no where else but minnesota.

My point is you can't get every single player out there. I have said this before and I will say it again, people are going to be really surprised by our freshmen(one of them is going to shock people). I have heard a lot of very positive things and they are looking really good at the captain practices.

We have Oshie and Toews, what more do we need.............

[AZSIOUX]

I was just curious, but the people here that are not happy with our incoming freshmen class, which ones would you cut and which recruits would you replace them with. I want a logical answer, don't say Eric Johnson or Okoposo because those kids were going no where else but minnesota.

My point is you can't get every single player out there. I have said this before and I will say it again, people are going to be really surprised by our freshmen(one of them is going to shock people). I have heard a lot of very positive things and they are looking really good at the captain practices.

We have Oshie and Toews, what more do we need.............

im fine with our recruiting class. i would say that many more on this board are fine with them as well....we had such a HUGE class numbers wise and talent wise last season that this would class seems to be about right to me. im very excited to see what forney has plus vandevelde and very curious about darcy zajac as he may bring a big time toughness with a lot of skill

[Sioux_Hab-it]

im fine with our recruiting class. i would say that many more on this board are fine with them as well....we had such a HUGE class numbers wise and talent wise last season that this would class seems to be about right to me. im very excited to see what forney has plus vandevelde and very curious about darcy zajac as he may bring a big time toughness with a lot of skill

I believe that Zajac will be this seasons pleasant surprise.

[Sterling]

I'm OK with our recruiting class this year but I feel they will likely need more time to develop before we see great things from them. My slight concern is our next round of early expected departures. We will probably lose Toews/Oshie/Lee shortly after we win #8 and others may follow (Chorney, Finley). I could be wrong but I don't see immediate "big splash" players in this year's freshmen class like Oshie/Toews/Duncan. Forney could be if he can handle the pounding from a WCHA schedule. We definitely have a nucleus of talent to build with for the future but its always nice to have a couple blue chippers to bring it together (like this year). Next year could end up being a rebuilding year to a degree (still top 5 in the league though).

My darkhorse surprise is Vandy.

[Sodbuster]

#1Hakfan, Which one do you think will shock people? Or do you just mean that given the number of recruits, odds are that one will shock people?

[The Sicatoka]

Someone's guessed Darcy Zajac.

Someone's guessed Chris VandeVelde.

I'll say Chay Genoway.

[Goon]

I believe that Zajac will be this seasons pleasant surprise.

I am going to agree with that one. I think when it is all said and done this season

Darcy is going to be a nice addition to the team.

[mikejm]

We will probably lose Toews/Oshie/Lee shortly after we win #8 and others may follow (Chorney, Finley).

I'm not so sure we about Oshie, Lee, Chorney and Finley. I'd say Oshie is the closest of these four to leave, but even that is IMO not a forgone conclusion. I do agree that this will be Toews farewell tour.

[Sterling]

I'm not so sure we about Oshie, Lee, Chorney and Finley. I'd say Oshie is the closest of these four to leave, but even that is IMO not a forgone conclusion. I do agree that this will be Toews farewell tour.

Hope you're right. If so, next year will be just as promising as this year if not more so.