TSN says Toews is Back

[jk]

I know there is a thread on Toews but this seems official enough to announce it in its own thread. Combined with reports that Toews himself said it in an interview, looks like we get another year. Now we can start arguing about whether JT and TJ should each anchor a line, or team up on a number ONE line.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=10460&hubname=

"The Blackhawks have confirmed that first-round draft pick Jonathan Toews will return to the University of North Dakota this season rather than sign with Chicago. - TSN"

[Sioux-cia]

I sooooo want to believe this. But I keep thinking about those Fighting Sioux 'Matts' who told me what I wanted to hear and ended up breaking my heart anyway.

(He will come back, he will come back, he will come back....... )

[AZSIOUX]

good enough for me!!

F YEAH...............................

THIS IS A GOOD THING............

[siouxguyinstpaul]

I know there is a thread on Toews but this seems official enough to announce it in its own thread. Combined with reports that Toews himself said it in an interview, looks like we get another year. Now we can start arguing about whether JT and TJ should each anchor a line, or team up on a number ONE line.

[url="http://tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=10460&hubname="]http://tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=10460&hubname=

"The Blackhawks have confirmed that first-round draft pick Jonathan Toews will return to the University of North Dakota this season rather than sign with Chicago. - TSN"

Team up on the number one line in the nation. Nicknames?

[sprig]

Each a center on the top two lines. Paired on the PK and PP.

[jk]

How's that Toews, Oshie, Duncan with Lee and Chorney PP sounding?

[southpaw]

How's that Toews, Oshie, Duncan with Lee and Chorney PP sounding?

who would have thought that 5 sophomores would be the scariest thing on our team?

[Sioux-cia]

who would have thought that 5 sophomores would be the scariest thing on our team?

.....playing in the WCHA!!!!

[Sioux-cia]

..and we have Robbie, and Ryan, and Eric, and Zach, and Andrew, and Philippe, and Chris, and Joe, and all the rest of our hard working, nose to the grindstone, play with heart, give it their all every game Fighting Sioux hockey players.

We are truly blessed!

[stafford_rules]

i say have them anchor 2 lines. no one would even have a chance of scoring a goal with them on the ice if they were on a line together

[Sioux-per Villain]

I vote for keeping Toews, Oshie and Duncan together and watch other teams scramble to try and match up.

[cavedurtis]

I'm glad to read that Toews is returning. With all the offensive talent that has left the WCHA, and with all the talent on D and in the nets returning, I'm guessing that scoring will be down. That said, I believe (for what it's worth) that it is better to have two very good lines as opposed to one great one. I'm not saying that the other lines can't score, but they are just somewhat unproven compared to Oshie and Toews. So I would break them up 5on5 but re-unite them on the first powerplay.

[Siouxman]

I think that they will have to be split up on different lines. Otherwise the other teams will simply load up defensively on a single Toews-Oshie line like they did with Parise-Bochenski. As great as that that pair was, I believe that in the long run the rest of the team was held back. There was too much reliance on those two and when they got shut down to some extent, the rest of the team didn't score.

While it may take a little longer for the lines to click, having Oshie and Toews on different lines will give other guys the chance to play on a line with top caliber personnel, helping them to develop faster. It is one thing to learn by watching a Toews or Oshie from the bench, and another thing to learn while playing on the same line with them. Guys like Porter and Fabian have earned a chance to play on a top or second line and see how it goes. Both of these guys (Toews and Oshie) make the players around them better.

I am a little queasy about putting both of them out on the power play together in that case, because it upsets two regular lines then. One of the great things about the Sioux the second half of the season, the power play lines were usually the 1 & 2 lines. No disruption of lines which helps maintain stamina and avoids goofing up your line rotations for a few shifts after the power play. However, they may need to be together to make a really effective power play.

Can't wait to watch and see how all of this turns out.

[Tommiejo]

That's great that Toews is comming back because lord knows we all the help that we can get.

SIOUX FAN SINCE 1973.

[siouxnami]

Why have the best line in the country when you can have the best 2...

Putting too much talent on one lines invites teams to shadow, clutch, and grab. An don't expect the officials to call it when it happens. I think back to Parise, Bochinski, and Murray, where other teams ran tackling drills.

[tnt]

If Toews does indeed come back, that would give the Sioux 3 of the top 10 returning WCHA scorers. Minnesota and CC would have 2 each if they can hold on to Kessel and Salcido. Minnesota's other player is defenseman Alex Goligoski, while CC's is Chad Rau at #10. Should give us enough offense, especially when you can expect Lee, Chorney, Jones, Finley and really Radke to continue to improve.

Would like to see Porter join Duncan and Toews on one line and spread the scoring with Oshie, Kozek and whoever stands out in camp to join them. Would like to see a line of Fabian, Kaip and Watkins that could shut the other teams top line down and add a little scoring punch if Kaip can pick up where he left off and if Watkins can take another step forward. Don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, but it sure looks better for the home team than it did about a month ago.

[cavedurtis]

Don't forget about Hirsch coming back to the Gophers. He had 44 pts. two years ago.

[Sioux_Hab-it]

Don't forget about Hirsch coming back to the Gophers. He had 44 pts. two years ago.

This thread is about Toews, a Sioux player; however, if you want to talk apples and oranges so be it let's do the comparison. A long time ago in a galaxy far far away and in terms of actually playing college hockey, Hirsch put up some impressive numbers riding the coat-tails of a North Dakota Boy named Potulny. It is very likely that some Sioux players will put up impressive numbers playing alongside Toews. Toews plays both sides of the puck equally well and is a born leader, Hirsch does not and we all know who has the skeletons in their closet. Besides, if I were you, I would be more worried that the second coming of Hirsch might take your team in a whole new direction.

[dagies]

Considering tnt was comparing the Sioux returnees with those of other WCHA teams it's fair for cavedurtis to suggest that Hirsch could at least be considered when discussing top returning scorers on a team.

Sioux-Habit, you make good points in that it's hard to know for sure whether Hirsch will be the same player as he was before. I venture to guess if a prominent Sioux player missed a year for whatever reason Sioux fans would be looking optimistically to that return as well.

I don't think cavedurtis was hijacking the thread with his suggestion.

[redwing77]

This thread is about Toews, a Sioux player; however, if you want to talk apples and oranges so be it let's do the comparison. A long time ago in a galaxy far far away and in terms of actually playing college hockey, Hirsch put up some impressive numbers riding the coat-tails of a North Dakota Boy named Potulny. It is very likely that some Sioux players will put up impressive numbers playing alongside Toews. Toews plays both sides of the puck equally well and is a born leader, Hirsch does not and we all know who has the skeletons in their closet. Besides, if I were you, I would be more worried that the second coming of Hirsch might take your team in a whole new direction.

Is that a little harsh? cavedurtis may be a Gopher fan and he was pointing out a missing Gopher in the comparison a few posts back, but that's all he was doing. I'm all for jumping a Gopher poster who is disrespecting our team, but simply suggesting that we may have overlooked an opposing player in a valid comparison is rather childish. We forgot to include Hirsch. Just shrug and let it go.

cave- Just for the record, I don't know how well Hirsch is going to do at all. I don't think anyone knows. He's taken a year off of school where he's only been on the ice a smattering of times here and there. If anything, I'd question his conditioning. And mental issues, in all seriousness, aren't very easy to overcome if they are serious enough. And if you miss a year because of it, then it has to be serious. Hirsch has the POTENTIAL to be a scoring threat for the Gophers, but we can't rely on numbers 2 years in the past.

As for my take on Toews, I agree with those that say they should be on seperate lines. I think Toews should be on the first line with Duncan and Kozek. Oshie should be on the second line with Porter and perhaps Forney. I do expect scoring to be down a little this year, but defensively, we should be VERY solid. I like our checking line and even our fourth line. I don't know where this will take us, but on paper, I think we'll be ok.

[Sioux-cia]

I know this is a Toews thread but I have to say this.

Not as a Gopher supporter (shudder) but as a healthcare provider, I have to remind all about a talented Grand Forks boy who was turned down by the Air Force Academy because of a history of depression.

Hirsch may not be able to make a comeback because he was off the ice for a year or more, that I can speculate may be factor on how well he does. If he did what he had to do to get healthy, his past health problems should not be a factor in how well he does on the ice.

I did my share of ragging on Hirsch and I was wrong. Let's make fun of our opponents because of their show boating, diving, 'riding on the shirt-tails of others', immaturity, arrogance, etc. but I think, like many others, that we should not make fun of anyone because of an health issue. Hirsch and his family did the right thing in prioritizing what is important and he took a year off. I hope he comes back healthy, skates well and gets smoked by our boys!!

[Slap Shot]

Thanks red and cia for two constructive, reasoned replies.

[siouxguyinstpaul]

I know this is a Toews thread but I have to say this.

Not as a Gopher supporter (shudder) but as a healthcare provider, I have to remind all about a talented Grand Forks boy who was turned down by the Air Force Academy because of a history of depression.

Hirsch may not be able to make a comeback because he was off the ice for a year or more, that I can speculate may be factor on how well he does. If he did what he had to do to get healthy, his past health problems should not be a factor in how well he does on the ice.

I did my share of ragging on Hirsch and I was wrong. Let's make fun of our opponents because of their show boating, diving, 'riding on the shirt-tails of others', immaturity, arrogance, etc. but I think, like many others, that we should not make fun of anyone because of an health issue. Hirsch and his family did the right thing in prioritizing what is important and he took a year off. I hope he comes back healthy, skates well and gets smoked by our boys!!

I believe he has been playing in Europe the past year, though

[Sioux-cia]

I believe he has been playing in Europe the past year, though

Cool! So when TJ and Jonathon out skate and out play him, there will be NO excuses!

Whoa, wait a minute.. NCAA rules pop to mind, was he playing as an amateur or a professional?

[siouxguyinstpaul]

Cool! So when TJ and Jonathon out skate and out play him, there will be NO excuses!

Whoa, wait a minute.. NCAA rules pop to mind, was he playing as an amateur or a professional?

Ya know - I'm not sure. I just remember reading something about it a few weeks ago and I don't believe there was a whole lot of detail. But it had to do with his being in shape and ability to come back to the UMTC ready to skate.