Next Season

[rochsioux]

Tis true; just two games at the john, jan. 26-27. The gopher schedule can be found in this blog.

Here are the past three seasons of conference play and the number of games played each year.

From this you can tell what the conference sched will look like for next season:

team			2003-2004		  2004-2005		  2005-2006		  2006-2007

UMD				4				  2 Away			 4				  2 Home

MN				 4				  2 Home			 4				  2 Away

St.Cloud		   4				  4				  4				  4

Denver			 4				  2 Home			 4				  2 Away

AA				 2 Home			 4				  2 Away			 4

Tech			   4				  2 Away			 4				  2 Home

Wisc			   2 Away			 4				  2 Home			 4

CC				 2 Home			 4				  2 Away			 4

Mankato			2 Away			 4				  2 Home			 4

[Chuck Schwartz]

i hope to high heaven they dont bring marto and lapointe in this year. we need every single one of those juniors.(well,seniors for 06-07) i'm going to be ticked if we have to sit out another senior. Marvin was enough sitting, for 4 years at that!

I have a good feeling LaPoint will be brought in since he is in-directly taking Smabys scholarship.

[jojordan23]

Ok, so I have been reading speculation about Parise leaving UND for over a week now? Could somebody explain it to me?!? Where in the heck is he gonna go? The AHL? I love the fact that all the guy does is win and setting records for UND, but does anybody really see him going pro? With 2 FF visits, no title, and as much gratitude as he has towards UND for giving him a shot? I really don't see the guy walking, not that he can't make it as a pro, but BECAUSE HE DOESN"T STRIKE ME AS SOMEONE WHO LIKES TO GO OUT WITH A LOSS!

[Goon]

Ok, so I have been reading speculation about Parise leaving UND for over a week now? Could somebody explain it to me?!? Where in the heck is he gonna go? The AHL? I love the fact that all the guy does is win and setting records for UND, but does anybody really see him going pro? With 2 FF visits, no title, and as much gratitude as he has towards UND for giving him a shot? I really don't see the guy walking, not that he can't make it as a pro, but BECAUSE HE DOESN"T STRIKE ME AS SOMEONE WHO LIKES TO GO OUT WITH A LOSS!

Jordan isn't going anywhere, Tim Hennesey had mentioned that during the hockey season that Jordan might not be here next season because he had played so well this season. I would bet the farm he is back next year and leading UND to a title of some kind. I am hoping NCAA.

[The Sicatoka]

Where will Parise, Stafford, and Spirko play next year then if its not for UND?

Parise - AHL, maybe Albany because I guess they're familiar with another family member

Stafford - Buffalo's organization

Spirko - somewhere in Europe is the common whisper

[The Sicatoka]

Why wouldn't Walski stay? If Parise is gone, wouldn't Lamoureux and him split time? Maybe not split, but don't you think he'd get some playing time? I'm only asking, because I have no idea why he would be here if there wasn't a chance of him playing.

I show Walski as a "scratch" on a game day, meaning someone else dressed ahead of him, not that he left the team. And remember, that's my (admittedly wild) guess and speculation.

[sprig]

Parise - AHL, maybe Albany because I guess they're familiar with another family member

Stafford - Buffalo's organization

Spirko - somewhere in Europe is the common whisper

Except, NJ has bought the Lowell AHL affiliate, and that will be their farm club next year, I believe. Albany was not owned by NJ.

[Trunk Monkey]

Is the incoming Zajac as talented as Travis and how does next years freshman class compare to other years? I would guess it isn't even close to last year as that class was perhaps the best if not one of the best in the history of the program.

[siouxguyinstpaul]

I'm not sure how talented he is - but I hear he plays with more of an "edge" than his big brother.

[dagies]

Just from reading things on the internet I think Darcy plays a different game than Travis, and shouldn't be counted on to contribute in the scoring column the same way. My own impression is more like a Mike Prpich.

[Siouxmama]

I show Walski as a "scratch" on a game day, meaning someone else dressed ahead of him, not that he left the team. And remember, that's my (admittedly wild) guess and speculation.

OK. Thanks for the explanation.

[riders06]

Jake Marto is staying in Omaha next season and will play for the Lancers. He has been told from many different sources that he should stay and play another year. I'm sure that Michael Forney will play in the USHL and come to UND for the 2007-08 season.

Line predictions: Spirko, Oshie, Porter

Duncan, Toews, Vandy

Watkins, Kaip, Kozek

TBA, Zajak, Miller

Lee, Chorney

Jones, Bina

Radke, Finley

Lamourex

Walski

[brianvf]

Jake Marto is staying in Omaha next season and will play for the Lancers. He has been told from many different sources that he should stay and play another year. I'm sure that Michael Forney will play in the USHL and come to UND for the 2007-08 season.

If Marto stays in the USHL for another season, does that mean that LaPoint is coming to UND this fall, or playing in the USHL as well?

Is that for sure about Forney, or just speculation on your part?

[Stack]

In a couple posts I'll throw my two cents in:

My take on the players who will be contributing next year for the Sioux starting in goal and defence:

I expect Stafford to sign with Buffalo. The only thing that may stand in the way is Buffalo is so cheap that they may try to get him after the Aug 15 deadline so they can sign him for a lower bonus and only for 2 years. At that point Stafford could elect to become a free agent and test the waters there. In either case I don

[Stack]

Forwards:

Seniors:

Chris Porter 7 goals, 16 assists in 46 games

Eric Fabian 6 goals, 11 assists in 37 games

Juniors:

Rylan Kaip 3 goals, 5 assists in 42 games

Rastislav Spirko 11 goals, 20 assists in 39 games

Sophomores:

Ryan Duncan 16 goals, 20 assists in 46 games

Andrew Kozek 7 goals, 6 assists in 46 games

Ryan Martens 0 goals, 0 assists in 2 games

Brad Miller 0 goals, 0 assists in 15 games

TJ Oshie 24 goals, 21 assists in 44 games

Jonathan Toews 22 goals, 17 assists in 42 games

Matt Watkins 5 goals, 4 assists in 46 games

Freshmen:

Chris Vandevelde: He played for the Lincoln Stars in the USHL. Chris is 19 years old and is 6

[Stack]

Line combos:

Defense:

Lee and Jones

Chorney and Finley

Radke and Bina

Genoway pushing everyone.

Forwards:

Toews centering Duncan and Porter

Oshie centering Spirko and Kozek

Checking line is Kaip centering Fabian and Zajac

Watkins centering Vandevelde and Miller

There are so many combos that we could do especially if Zajac scores like he did in the BCHL and Martens and Miller improve and if Watkins and Kozek increase their scoring. Porter could get pushed down to the checking line if that happens.

[brianvf]

Good posts, Stack.

With how you have it laid out there, I could see both Marto and LaPoint in the USHL next season. With our returning dmen, and the addition of Bina, that would be our 6 dmen there with Genoway and Alexander backing them up and pushing them.

For the forwards, I assume that Trupp will play another year in the BCHL, and possibly Forney going to the USHL for a season.

[crosby_87]

I expect this team to be awesome next year. So many talented freshman, now with experience . I would say that can only mean good things.

[siouxnami]

Until I see otherwise, we still have Stafford. The 2007 Hobey Baker winner...

[DAR]

I expect this team to be awesome next year. So many talented freshman, now with experience . I would say that can only mean good things.

Yeah should be another fun year. I was however REALLY hoping we could have kept Zajac. He would have been primed for a big year next year. Damn New Jersey@!@!!

[dagies]

I thought Zajac had a fairly quiet first part of the year from what I was expecting of him, but there was something about his presence on the ice that was always comforting. He was huge at the end of the year, and was huge again in the playoffs. We really would have benefitted from him staying, IMO. He was such a smart player in all facets of the game.

[DAR]

I thought Zajac had a fairly quiet first part of the year from what I was expecting of him, but there was something about his presence on the ice that was always comforting. He was huge at the end of the year, and was huge again in the playoffs. We really would have benefitted from him staying, IMO. He was such a smart player in all facets of the game.

Exactly. He did a lot of the intangibles that a lot of casual fans don't see. Plus he was an excellent face-off guy and penalty killer. I thought we would get one more year but that is the way it goes. Hopefully Darcy can be a decent player but he will not fill the shoes of Travis. They are different type of players from what I hear. Does anyone know if Darcy has any potential to be drafted? I have not heard his name mentioned in regards to the draft.

[Vegas]

Line combos:

Defense:

Lee and Jones

Chorney and Finley

Radke and Bina

Genoway pushing everyone.

Forwards:

Toews centering Duncan and Porter

Oshie centering Spirko and Kozek

Checking line is Kaip centering Fabian and Zajac

Watkins centering Vandevelde and Miller

There are so many combos that we could do especially if Zajac scores like he did in the BCHL and Martens and Miller improve and if Watkins and Kozek increase their scoring. Porter could get pushed down to the checking line if that happens.

I suggest that Zajac gets put on the Toews/Duncan line early based on the fact that Toews and Zajac will probably have had a few skates together this summer. They may even be workout partners now that they are playing on the same team and therefore will have the same workout plan (at least you would hope that that is the case). Based on what I've heard and understand, Zajac has a mean streak which will compliment Duncan and Toews.

Don't get me wrong, I like Porter a lot but I just think Hak will notice in tryouts that Zajac and Toews seem to have an understanding. I also know that Toews and the Zajac family have had a long hockey history, i.e., Toews played for Zajac's dad when he was coaching the Junior Jets in peewees. Zajac is two years older than Toews so they've never really played on the same team together but I'm sure they would have had plenty of skates together over the past few summers.

[siouxtatoo42]

Exactly. He did a lot of the intangibles that a lot of casual fans don't see. Plus he was an excellent face-off guy and penalty killer. I thought we would get one more year but that is the way it goes. Hopefully Darcy can be a decent player but he will not fill the shoes of Travis. They are different type of players from what I hear. Does anyone know if Darcy has any potential to be drafted? I have not heard his name mentioned in regards to the draft.

i don't believe he is draft eligible, he might be too old

[jk]

I also know that Toews and the Zajac family have had a long hockey history, i.e., Toews played for Zajac's dad when he was coaching the Junior Jets in peewees. Zajac is two years older than Toews so they've never really played on the same team together but I'm sure they would have had plenty of skates together over the past few summers.

Little story about being an obsessed Sioux fan. A couple years ago, a friend and I were scanning the SSM roster for future Sioux. We knew Duncan and Chorney were legacies, and I think maybe we knew that Genoway's brother was there too. So we came across Toews, who would be starting his first season there. Saw he was from Winnipeg, which was a big plus (old Sioux recruiting ground), so we did some research. Very early we discovered he was the first pick in the WHL draft, to which we said: "oh, no way is he coming here; he is a big-time player." Then we saw some scoring summaries from his youth hockey teams, and saw that a Zajac was a coach of his, and figured maybe that would be a significant connection. Those are good memories that bloom a little more with every point Toews puts up.