Prospective Recruits

[Sodbuster]

I would like one of those t-shirts. Make mine blue with yellow letterlng, however.

[brianvf]

Good article from Brad about how the majority of top US recruits are picking NCAA over Canadian Jr league the last few years:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/americans-playing-hockey-in-canadian-major-junior-leagues-is-at-a-20-year-low

Quote

The summer of 2011 wasn't great for college hockey.

Several top prospects, who came through USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, bailed on college commitments to go play in the Canadian Hockey League.

Once players go to one of the CHL's three leagues — the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League or Quebec Major Junior Hockey League — they are ineligible for NCAA hockey.

First-round NHL draft pick J.T. Miller gave up his UND commitment and signed in the OHL. First-round pick Connor Murphy (Miami), second-round pick John Gibson (Michigan) and fourth-round pick Reid Boucher (Michigan State) followed.

In the next 12 months, two more NTDP recruits bailed on UND. Miles Koules went to the WHL and Stefan Matteau went to the QMJHL. UND wasn't alone. Miami, for example, lost first-round pick Ryan Hartman, first-round pick Tyler Biggs and second-round pick Patrick Sieloff to the CHL.

Quote

This year, there were 69 Americans on opening-day CHL rosters — the lowest mark in 21 years.

It is a 55 percent drop from the 2015-16 season, when a record 154 Americans were on opening-day CHL rosters.

The drop is even greater in Minnesota and Massachusetts — two of college hockey's highest-recruited states. In 2015-16, there were 20 players from those states on opening-day CHL rosters. This year, there's one.

Quote

UND recruits lost to the CHL since 2011

2011 — J.T. Miller (American)
2012 — Brendan Lemieux (American), Stefan Matteau (American), Miles Koules (American)
2013 — Ryan Gropp (Canadian)
2014 — Ryan Mantha (American), Adam Tambellini (Canadian, after one semester at UND)
2015 — Max Gerlach (American)
2016 — none
2017 — none
2018 — none
2019 — none
2020 — none
2021 — none
2022 — none

 

[brianvf]

Those Boston schools just offer better NIL money.

 

[siouxforce19]

7 minutes ago, brianvf said:

Those Boston schools just offer better NIL money.

 

I looked at Wisconsin’s committed defensemen recently and the fact that their current roster is light on seniors, so this did not shock me at all. In fact, I wouldn’t exactly be surprised if more follow. 

[brianvf]

1 minute ago, siouxforce19 said:

I looked at Wisconsin’s committed defensemen recently and the fact that their current roster is light on seniors, so this did not shock me at all. In fact, I wouldn’t exactly be surprised if more follow. 

I'd take Hensler in a heartbeat. 

[Blackheart]

4 hours ago, brianvf said:

Those Boston schools just offer better NIL money.

 

How you liking that, Hastings?

[tnt]

https://twitter.com/i/redirect?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fmnhshockeytalk%2Fstatus%2F1722377615112065247%3Fcn%3DZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%253D%253D%26refsrc%3Demail&t=1+1699494171861&cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&sig=b16a7f2aff44f8449ed746c13dff2d60fcf9c7ac&iid=29bee4f60dee4ea8892615615893504b&uid=1469074509340811264&nid=244+272699393

Wonder if he is related to Jon Casey.  Assuming so.

[brianvf]

Skahan flips from UW to BC, as was earlier speculated:

 

[Esoteric]

On 11/8/2023 at 6:59 PM, tnt said:

https://twitter.com/i/redirect?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fmnhshockeytalk%2Fstatus%2F1722377615112065247%3Fcn%3DZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%253D%253D%26refsrc%3Demail&t=1+1699494171861&cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&sig=b16a7f2aff44f8449ed746c13dff2d60fcf9c7ac&iid=29bee4f60dee4ea8892615615893504b&uid=1469074509340811264&nid=244+272699393

Wonder if he is related to Jon Casey.  Assuming so.

Interesting Question

 

[cberkas]

How did UND let Northern Michigan get Hampton Slukynsky in UNDs back yard? 9-0-0 GAA 1.53 SV% .927 with Fargo

Just irritating that Brad lets these high-end players get away. 

[iramurphy]

9 hours ago, cberkas said:

How did UND let Northern Michigan get Hampton Slukynsky in UNDs back yard? 9-0-0 GAA 1.53 SV% .927 with Fargo

Just irritating that Brad lets these high-end players get away. 

Brad didn’t “let him get away”.  He likely wanted to play with brother Grant at NMU. The question might be did we miss on older brother Grant?  

Recruits don’t approach evaluation of their college decisions like some expect them to. When kids have an older brother at a school that will be a major deciding factor. If they have former teammates/friends committed to a given school that is a major factor. If someone’s Dad/Uncle attended a school and had a positive experience it is a factor. For some kids, if they have a girlfriend going to a hockey school it can be a factor. If a college coach had played with or coached family members it’s a factor. ( how many guys whose parents played at UND ended up playing for Blais in Omaha). When will we bring in a recruit? Some kids are demanding guarantees as to when they will be added to the team or even guaranteed playing time.  Lastly, the new elephant in the room is NIL.  

We can have the best facilities, the best coaches, a top ranked team, and do a superb job of recruiting and some kids are going elsewhere. I thought Grant Slukynsky was the best HS player I saw his Sr yr but only now is he on NMU roster as a freshman. Do coaches need to offer older brothers to improve chances of getting the blue chip younger brother?  I don’t know anything about how this played out with these two guys but it’s complicated.
 

I’m  like you in that I always wonder how we missed on a GF/EGF/ND/area kid/ legacy who ends up elsewhere. Did we offer? Did we come in too late?  Did the kid develop later?  We also wonder about kids we sign that don’t work out. Having said all of that, I am not the guy to be able figure out all of the variables to answer the questions on these guys and how or why they end up where they do. It’s the same challenge in other sports at all levels. 

[stoneySIOUX]

10 hours ago, cberkas said:

How did UND let Northern Michigan get Hampton Slukynsky in UNDs back yard? 9-0-0 GAA 1.53 SV% .927 with Fargo

Just irritating that Brad lets these high-end players get away. 

 

6 minutes ago, iramurphy said:

Brad didn’t “let him get away”.  He likely wanted to play with brother Grant at NMU. The question might be did we miss on older brother Grant?  

Recruits don’t approach evaluation of their college decisions like some expect them to. When kids have an older brother at a school that will be a major deciding factor. If they have former teammates/friends committed to a given school that is a major factor. If someone’s Dad/Uncle attended a school and had a positive experience it is a factor. For some kids, if they have a girlfriend going to a hockey school it can be a factor. If a college coach had played with or coached family members it’s a factor. ( how many guys whose parents played at UND ended up playing for Blais in Omaha). When will we bring in a recruit? Some kids are demanding guarantees as to when they will be added to the team or even guaranteed playing time.  Lastly, the new elephant in the room is NIL.  

We can have the best facilities, the best coaches, a top ranked team, and do a superb job of recruiting and some kids are going elsewhere. I thought Grant Slukynsky was the best HS player I saw his Sr yr but only now is he on NMU roster as a freshman. Do coaches need to offer older brothers to improve chances of getting the blue chip younger brother?  I don’t know anything about how this played out with these two guys but it’s complicated.
 

I’m  like you in that I always wonder how we missed on a GF/EGF/ND/area kid/ legacy who ends up elsewhere. Did we offer? Did we come in too late?  Did the kid develop later?  We also wonder about kids we sign that don’t work out. Having said all of that, I am not the guy to be able figure out all of the variables to answer the questions on these guys and how or why they end up where they do. It’s the same challenge in other sports at all levels. 

This, and we just got a commitment from the No. 1 rated NA goalie in Caleb Heil. So.... I get what you're saying, but is it really that a big deal?

[gfhockey]

47 minutes ago, stoneySIOUX said:

 

This, and we just got a commitment from the No. 1 rated NA goalie in Caleb Heil. So.... I get what you're saying, but is it really that a big deal?

I think we can agree we didn’t want Hampton 

[dustnyou]

And especially for goalies there’s the “who’s the other guy”, “do I want to compete against him”….  Goalies more than any other position evaluate this when picking a college as well. 

[tnt]

On 7/22/2023 at 1:05 PM, AlphaMikeFoxtrot said:

Looks like an 08 visited on June 1st.

 

 

 

Cole Bumgarner with 4 goals tonight against Moorhead.  Rogers won 6-2.

[stoneySIOUX]

On 11/28/2023 at 10:05 AM, gfhockey said:

I think we can agree we didn’t want Hampton 

I have no inside info on this one. My guess... probably correct. 

Remember... "didn't want" and "didn't press for" are very different. 

[tnt]

1 hour ago, stoneySIOUX said:

I have no inside info on this one. My guess... probably correct. 

Remember... "didn't want" and "didn't press for" are very different. 

More likely, like with Shaugabay and others, waiting to see some work at another level of hockey first.   If you look at all the huge stats put up by a lot of players in Minnesota High School hockey and just high school period, I don't blame them.  There were some guys that I thought for sure would be producing great guns in the USHL that haven't done much.  Guys like Carter Batchelder, Jack Jensen and Cade Ahrenholz were guys that I thought would make a good transition but didn't. 

[scpa0305]

On 12/1/2023 at 11:01 AM, stoneySIOUX said:

I have no inside info on this one. My guess... probably correct. 

Remember... "didn't want" and "didn't press for" are very different. 

He’s also taken off a bit since his commitment. Presently….sure I’d like him 100%. But he committed last year.

[scpa0305]

On 12/1/2023 at 12:08 PM, tnt said:

More likely, like with Shaugabay and others, waiting to see some work at another level of hockey first.   If you look at all the huge stats put up by a lot of players in Minnesota High School hockey and just high school period, I don't blame them.  There were some guys that I thought for sure would be producing great guns in the USHL that haven't done much.  Guys like Carter Batchelder, Jack Jensen and Cade Ahrenholz were guys that I thought would make a good transition but didn't. 

HS hockey can be smoke and mirrors. It’s a solid baseline…and fun. The communities all get into it. But some of these players have the easiest schedules…they also play the entire game. Numbers can be significantly misleading. 

[brianvf]

Geez, BU is just crushing it.  Also...not sure why he's only rated a 4-star.

 

[Frozen4sioux]

On 11/28/2023 at 9:17 AM, stoneySIOUX said:

 

This, and we just got a commitment from the No. 1 rated NA goalie in Caleb Heil. So.... I get what you're saying, but is it really that a big deal?

All things being equal and not throwing shade at anyone for not getting or pursuing but IMHO...

In the end I think Hampton > Heil

 

[gfhockey]

Nil 

[stoneySIOUX]

5 hours ago, Frozen4sioux said:

All things being equal and not throwing shade at anyone for not getting or pursuing but IMHO...

In the end I think Hampton > Heil

 

I guess we'll find out. Heil has been good, too. Hampton is also a year older.

[scpa0305]

20 hours ago, Frozen4sioux said:

All things being equal and not throwing shade at anyone for not getting or pursuing but IMHO...

In the end I think Hampton > Heil

 

Time will tell…Hampton looks great. It’ll be tough sledding at NMU…not worst thing for a tendy however. We’ll see if he ends up there given his recent trajectory.

[scpa0305]

15 hours ago, stoneySIOUX said:

I guess we'll find out. Heil has been good, too. Hampton is also a year older.

The goalie position is weird. Hampton also plays for a stacked Fargo team. But…he looks good.