Portal 2026

[cberkas]

6 minutes ago, AJS said:

Might be going with Top 3 / Bottom 9 strategy.

That's an Omaha strategy. 

[brianvf]

6 minutes ago, AJS said:

Might be going with Top 3 / Bottom 9 strategy.

I'd feel like they would need an absolute CHL stud to fill out that 1st line wing spot alongside Zellers & Reschny.
Simpson is awesome offensively, but not sure you can just throw him right into 1st line minutes until he is up to speed on his 200ft NCAA game.

If you pick up one CHL stud forward for 1st line, you'd have an awesome 2nd line started with Swanson & Simpson.
And then two stacked lower lines that have a weekly practice grind to see who gets to play each weekend.

[siouxforce19]

I don’t have a problem with any of the transfers we have gotten. We needed to add some veterans when we only had one senior up front (Menghini). I would have liked to add a senior defenseman also since we once again have no seniors back there, but it’s slim pickings in the portal. 

[brianvf]

11 minutes ago, cberkas said:

Not to be @gfhockey and asking simple minded questions, but what is Bryn doing last year if the plan is to bring in portal players? Why not just bring in the guys they decommitted instead of getting portal guys. 

Maybe he's really pumping everything into these last two D spots.
I figure Boser is the replacement for Zmolek...defensive shot-blocking specialist.
MacKenzie can take Strathmann's minutes (and then some).
Verhoeff, Emery, and Laurila retain their current roles.
And then to dream...
Carels is a higher skilled all-around dman to take Wiebe's spot.
DuPont is a higher skilled, smooth skating dman to take Liv's spot.

In that situation, you could rotate Boser and Lindberg as the extra D each night.

10 minutes ago, AJS said:

Might be going with Top 3 / Bottom 9 strategy.

It'd be one loaded Bottom 9, which is good.
If they can really load up that top 3, then we'd be sitting well.

[tnt]

6 minutes ago, siouxforce19 said:

I don’t have a problem with any of the transfers we have gotten. We needed to add some veterans when we only had one senior up front (Menghini). I would have liked to add a senior defenseman also since we once again have no seniors back there, but it’s slim pickings in the portal. 

Yeah, there is no guarantee any guy in the CHL is going to put up 11 goals like this guy did, much less be responsible on both ends, if indeed this is the guy. Just curious why Sioux Daddy upvoted my “At defense” question.

[cberkas]

Just now, tnt said:

Yeah, there is no guarantee any guy I the CHL is going to put up 11 goals like this guy did, much less be responsible on both ends. Just curious why Sioux Daddy upvoted my “At defense” question.

Sydney's list has a couple position listed wrong

[AJS]

11 minutes ago, siouxforce19 said:

I don’t have a problem with any of the transfers we have gotten. We needed to add some veterans when we only had one senior up front (Menghini). I would have liked to add a senior defenseman also since we once again have no seniors back there, but it’s slim pickings in the portal. 

I don’t either, but like @brianvf said, really need that last F spot to be elite. Someone they hope can play on the top line. Get that and next year’s F group should be excellent. 

[tnt]

So if we had a first line of Reschny, Swanson and Zellers, and a second line with Kernan, Simpson and a CHL guy, the potential could be very good.  After the CBS line, was our second line super elite for our 2016 Championship team?
Like I said before, I would rather have someone who they know will be a team guy than someone who is only coming because they were told it would be better for their career, and might cause team issues if they aren’t pegged a certain place in the lineup.  Not saying you can’t have both, but you better be right, because we see how talent without grit played out with McLaughlin, and how our problem became Boston Universities problem.

[brianvf]

4 minutes ago, tnt said:

So if we had a first line of Reschny, Swanson and Zellers, and a second line with Kernan, Simpson and a CHL guy, the potential could be very good.  After the CBS line, was our second line super elite for our 2016 Championship team?
Like I said before, I would rather have someone who they know will be a team guy than someone who is only coming because they were told it would be better for their career, and might cause team issues if they aren’t pegged a certain place in the lineup.  Not saying you can’t have both, but you better be right, because we see how talent without grit played out with McLaughlin, and how our problem became Boston Universities problem.

2016 team had CBS and then a ton of hard to play against forwards.  Gersich was probably the highest skill guy outside the big 3.  Guys like Poganski, Janatuinen, Gardner, Johnson, Chyzyk...none of them were stars but they all played their role well and chipped in goals when needed.

I'd like to see Swanson and Reschny split up on the top 2 lines...seems like they are both more "pass first" setup guys.  I'd love to see a more gritty scorer to fit on that 1st line with Cole and Will.  A guy like Belchetz could excel in that spot and also be awesome net front on the PP since he's so big.

[Sioux90]

13 minutes ago, tnt said:

So if we had a first line of Reschny, Swanson and Zellers, and a second line with Kernan, Simpson and a CHL guy, the potential could be very good.  After the CBS line, was our second line super elite for our 2016 Championship team?
Like I said before, I would rather have someone who they know will be a team guy than someone who is only coming because they were told it would be better for their career, and might cause team issues if they aren’t pegged a certain place in the lineup.  Not saying you can’t have both, but you better be right, because we see how talent without grit played out with McLaughlin, and how our problem became Boston Universities problem.

The teams and style of hockey are very different.

[burd]

7 minutes ago, brianvf said:

2016 team had CBS and then a ton of hard to play against forwards.  Gersich was probably the highest skill guy outside the big 3.  Guys like Poganski, Janatuinen, Gardner, Johnson, Chyzyk...none of them were stars but they all played their role well and chipped in goals when needed.

I'd like to see Swanson and Reschny split up on the top 2 lines...seems like they are both more "pass first" setup guys.  I'd love to see a more gritty scorer to fit on that 1st line with Cole and Will.  A guy like Belchetz could excel in that spot and also be awesome net front on the PP since he's so big.

James leaves a hole.   

[tnt]

1 minute ago, Sioux90 said:

The teams and style of hockey are very different.

Bottom line is you need guys to buy in, and Chyzyk knows the guys that will bring the right attitude, and also has a plan for future rosters.  Maybe he knows CHL guys that are ready for the 2027 season and by adding a senior this year, along with Reschny probably leaving, they will have room.  

[tnt]

13 minutes ago, brianvf said:

2016 team had CBS and then a ton of hard to play against forwards.  Gersich was probably the highest skill guy outside the big 3.  Guys like Poganski, Janatuinen, Gardner, Johnson, Chyzyk...none of them were stars but they all played their role well and chipped in goals when needed.

I'd like to see Swanson and Reschny split up on the top 2 lines...seems like they are both more "pass first" setup guys.  I'd love to see a more gritty scorer to fit on that 1st line with Cole and Will.  A guy like Belchetz could excel in that spot and also be awesome net front on the PP since he's so big.

Reschny did say he plans on working on shooting more, and towards the end, Swanson was even putting the puck in the net more, just like Schmaltz did from his freshmen to sophomore year.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

My biggest concern is replacing the 45 goals and 104 points put up by Strinden, James and Rickwood last season. Would need some guys to make some jumps next year if we aren’t getting a 15+ goal scorer in the portal