West's Future

[andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!!]

This is a thread to discuss the future of West Region hockey. Lets explore the upcoming classes for the schools in the West. Look into what it takes for a West team to knock off an East team. Post updates on any recruits that might be looking at a West school... You get the idea.

[siouxfan4life99]

This is a thread to discuss the future of West Region hockey. Lets explore the upcoming classes for the schools in the West. Look into what it takes for a West team to knock off an East team. Post updates on any recruits that might be looking at a West school... You get the idea.

Well Williston will have a lot of young offensive talent coming up. They do not lose any D men I believe. The biggest question will be who replaces Boldt and Haugenoe in net next year. If they are able to get some solid net play I look for them to be quite competitive in the West next year. They will have a very legitimate Mr. Hockey candidate in Colby Rehak along with several forwards who will be sophomores next year that would put some pucks in the net. As far as what it will take to knock off an East team in the tournament, I would say the West just needs to get more kids invovled early on and get more depth where they can roll at least three lines consistenly. You will not win against the East rolling two lines. I also think another big thing is getting facilities with year round ice out West. I know Williston for example only has ice from about early November to probably late March. If teams want to be competitive out east they are gonna have to put in the work over the summer in the weight room and on the ice.

[#1siouxfan22]

Williston's best forward, Erickson a senior. That will be a big loss next season.

[junior24]

This has to be a joke? Recruits? are you kiddin me? You try to find me a person who doesnt have aids that would actually go to a west school. O well at least williston almost won, and the shots were close. The west is bad, Wilbur, prove me wrong.h

[brucespook]

This has to be a joke? Recruits? are you kiddin me? You try to find me a person who doesnt have aids that would actually go to a west school. O well at least williston almost won, and the shots were close. The west is bad, Wilbur, prove me wrong.h

Its HS dipchit, Recruits? I know GF and Grafton have recruited in the past so they could win but in all reality how often does it happen.

Someone wants to start a legitimate thread and you have to go and blast it right away. GO AWAY.

[Trunk Monkey]

I for one look foward to the advancement of hockey in the West as that will only make North Dakota hockey more competitive at all levels of the game throughout the state. All teams regardless of East or West will benefit as it will raise all programs to a new level. Last nights game between RR and Williston can only help build excitement for continued improvement out West.

[jloos]

The West had a pretty decent showing this year. They showed some depth, playing in 3 close games. Ironically the only blowout was by an Eastern team who had been in the West up until this year (or was it last year). Bismark has some very good youth teams that should translate into some decent HS teams in the next few years. Also the population of Bismarck and Williston has been growing at a steady pace. More numbers typically equal better quality. Minot continues to have talented teams that cannot win when it matters. Minot probably has more alum playing college/junior hockey than any other school (currently).

Based simply on population growth the schools I would expect to field the best teams over the next several years are RR, South and Bismarck High. The only other school that should have increased enrollment is Williston.

Despite the juvenile posts by junior24 and other HS kids that post on this site, the West had an ok showing this year. In past years I would say that 6 or 7 East teams would be in the state tourny if they still did the East-West play in, but this year I think it worked out right. Fargo North, Central and WF were not much better than any of the four Western teams in the tourny.

[Ray77]

I for one look foward to the advancement of hockey in the West as that will only make North Dakota hockey more competitive at all levels of the game throughout the state. All teams regardless of East or West will benefit as it will raise all programs to a new level. Last nights game between RR and Williston can only help build excitement for continued improvement out West.

Well said. Williston put up a great fight last night and I think surprised many. The better the West gets the better it will be for ND hockey.

[extremerouge]

The West had a pretty decent showing this year. They showed some depth, playing in 3 close games. Ironically the only blowout was by an Eastern team who had been in the West up until this year (or was it last year). Bismark has some very good youth teams that should translate into some decent HS teams in the next few years. Also the population of Bismarck and Williston has been growing at a steady pace. More numbers typically equal better quality. Minot continues to have talented teams that cannot win when it matters. Minot probably has more alum playing college/junior hockey than any other school (currently).

Based simply on population growth the schools I would expect to field the best teams over the next several years are RR, South and Bismarck High. The only other school that should have increased enrollment is Williston.

Despite the juvenile posts by junior24 and other HS kids that post on this site, the West had an ok showing this year. In past years I would say that 6 or 7 East teams would be in the state tourny if they still did the East-West play in, but this year I think it worked out right. Fargo North, Central and WF were not much better than any of the four Western teams in the tourny.

i think that what makes an eastern team better than a western team is the conference schedule they play. I think Devil's Lake really benefited from the move to the east and became a better team playing a more challenging schedule against excellent (for the most part) opponents.

[cold]

The West had a pretty decent showing this year. They showed some depth, playing in 3 close games. Ironically the only blowout was by an Eastern team who had been in the West up until this year (or was it last year). Bismark has some very good youth teams that should translate into some decent HS teams in the next few years. Also the population of Bismarck and Williston has been growing at a steady pace. More numbers typically equal better quality. Minot continues to have talented teams that cannot win when it matters. Minot probably has more alum playing college/junior hockey than any other school (currently).

Based simply on population growth the schools I would expect to field the best teams over the next several years are RR, South and Bismarck High. The only other school that should have increased enrollment is Williston.

Despite the juvenile posts by junior24 and other HS kids that post on this site, the West had an ok showing this year. In past years I would say that 6 or 7 East teams would be in the state tourny if they still did the East-West play in, but this year I think it worked out right. Fargo North, Central and WF were not much better than any of the four Western teams in the tourny.

That may be true, but South is about to get a good deal smaller as a new high school is being built in South Fargo.

[andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!!]

Its HS dipchit, Recruits? I know GF and Grafton have recruited in the past so they could win but in all reality how often does it happen.

Someone wants to start a legitimate thread and you have to go and blast it right away. GO AWAY.

Hey you to guys! I started this thread so fans could keep track of what the future will hold for the West. I was mostly kidding about the recruit part. Hence the "..." at the end of the sentence. But there have been transfer(s) in the West that have helped Western school(s) improve.

[skateshattrick]

The West had a pretty decent showing this year. They showed some depth, playing in 3 close games. Ironically the only blowout was by an Eastern team who had been in the West up until this year (or was it last year). Bismark has some very good youth teams that should translate into some decent HS teams in the next few years. Also the population of Bismarck and Williston has been growing at a steady pace. More numbers typically equal better quality. Minot continues to have talented teams that cannot win when it matters. Minot probably has more alum playing college/junior hockey than any other school (currently).

Based simply on population growth the schools I would expect to field the best teams over the next several years are RR, South and Bismarck High. The only other school that should have increased enrollment is Williston.

Despite the juvenile posts by junior24 and other HS kids that post on this site, the West had an ok showing this year. In past years I would say that 6 or 7 East teams would be in the state tourny if they still did the East-West play in, but this year I think it worked out right. Fargo North, Central and WF were not much better than any of the four Western teams in the tourny.

I'm not sure that I agree that Minot has the most alums playing college or junior hockey. I'm not sure of all of the players, but these are the ND players that I am currently aware of playing either Junior A hockey or D1 college:

COLLEGE

Robbie Bina, Grand Forks (UND)

Phillipe Lamoureux, Grand Forks (UND)

Jacque Lamoureux, Grand Forks (NMU)

Aaron Walski, Fargo (UND)

Tyler Magura, Fargo (Harvard)

Nate Ziegelmann, Grand Forks (UMD)

Mike Eickmann, Grand Forks (UNO)

JUNIOR A

Paul Weisgarber, Fargo (Waterloo--USHL)

Rody Selke, Minot (Sioux City---USHL)

Jordan Willert, Minot (Tri-City---USHL) (UNO next year)

Andy Dittus, Minot (Green Bay---USHL)

Jundt, Williston (Green Bay---USHL)

Mario Lamoureux, Grand Forks (Tri-City----USHL) (NMU next year)

Jake Marto, Grand Forks (Omaha---USHL) (UND next year)

Erick Galt, Fargo (North Iowa, NAHL)

Jon Halstenson, Fargo (FM Jets, NAHL)

Marc Harrie, Fargo (FM Jets, NAHL)

Elliot Oklund, Fargo (FM Jets, NAHL)

Will Aide, Bismarck (Bismarck, NAHL)

Alex Olson, Devils Lake (Bismarck, NAHL)

I may be missing a few, but it appears that Grand Forks still has the most players in college and overall. Also, if you look over the past few years, these are some of the other ND players:

Grant Potulny, Grand Forks (U of M)

Ryan Potulny, Grand Forks (U of M)

Dan Irmen, Fargo (U of M)

Nick Fuher, Grand Forks (UND)

Andy Schneider, Grand Forks (UND)

Quinn Fylling, Minot (UND)

James Massen, Bismarck (UND)

I frankly don't see that changing. Minot does well, but not as well as Grand Forks. Arguably, Fargo has as many or more impact players.

[Siouxmama]

This has to be a joke? Recruits? are you kiddin me? You try to find me a person who doesnt have aids that would actually go to a west school. O well at least williston almost won, and the shots were close. The west is bad, Wilbur, prove me wrong.h

Why do you have to come on every thread and blast someone who is trying to have a discussion?

[UNDhockey22]

Why do you have to come on every thread and blast someone who is trying to have a discussion?

Because he fears change. I am from the East and love to see teams from the East succeed. But, I want whats best for the game. I hope the teams in the West continue to improve and are able to provide more teams that can compete on a consistent basis with the likes of GFRR, FSH, Grafton, North, Central, etc.

[brucespook]

Because he fears change. I am from the East and love to see teams from the East succeed. But, I want whats best for the game. I hope the teams in the West continue to improve and are able to provide more teams that can compete on a consistent basis with the likes of GFRR, FSH, Grafton, North, Central, etc.

The truth is the west is down this year. Not many impact players and overall talent is lacking. Bismarck has a few good players but no one really stands out except Hillman maybe Labere. Century, though gritty has no standouts. Minot had a team filled with inexperienced players. Williston had a real lack of Depth. Hazen has disappeared, Mandan is a joke, Dickinson is the same. Bottineau looks to be improving but maybe that is just because the others have declined so much. Jamestown blew the best opportunity to go to state in forever by being goons. Without an increase in the numbers of youth players there will not be much increase in the prospects for the west region.

[jloos]

I'm not sure that I agree that Minot has the most alums playing college or junior hockey. I'm not sure of all of the players, but these are the ND players that I am currently aware of playing either Junior A hockey or D1 college:

COLLEGE

Robbie Bina, Grand Forks (UND)

Phillipe Lamoureux, Grand Forks (UND)

Jacque Lamoureux, Grand Forks (NMU)

Aaron Walski, Fargo (UND)

Tyler Magura, Fargo (Harvard)

Nate Ziegelmann, Grand Forks (UMD)

Mike Eickmann, Grand Forks (UNO)

JUNIOR A

Paul Weisgarber, Fargo (Waterloo--USHL)

Rody Selke, Minot (Sioux City---USHL)

Jordan Willert, Minot (Tri-City---USHL) (UNO next year)

Andy Dittus, Minot (Green Bay---USHL)

Jundt, Williston (Green Bay---USHL)

Mario Lamoureux, Grand Forks (Tri-City----USHL) (NMU next year)

Jake Marto, Grand Forks (Omaha---USHL) (UND next year)

Erick Galt, Fargo (North Iowa, NAHL)

Jon Halstenson, Fargo (FM Jets, NAHL)

Marc Harrie, Fargo (FM Jets, NAHL)

Elliot Oklund, Fargo (FM Jets, NAHL)

Will Aide, Bismarck (Bismarck, NAHL)

Alex Olson, Devils Lake (Bismarck, NAHL)

I may be missing a few, but it appears that Grand Forks still has the most players in college and overall. Also, if you look over the past few years, these are some of the other ND players:

Grant Potulny, Grand Forks (U of M)

Ryan Potulny, Grand Forks (U of M)

Dan Irmen, Fargo (U of M)

Nick Fuher, Grand Forks (UND)

Andy Schneider, Grand Forks (UND)

Quinn Fylling, Minot (UND)

James Massen, Bismarck (UND)

I frankly don't see that changing. Minot does well, but not as well as Grand Forks. Arguably, Fargo has as many or more impact players.

I was going by school, not city. I guess the three you mentioned are the only three I can think of currently playing. Grubb and Krebsbach both played D-1 hockey recently.

[cold]

I was going by school, not city. I guess the three you mentioned are the only three I can think of currently playing. Grubb and Krebsbach both played D-1 hockey recently.

Cory McLean of Fargo North also played for Notre Dame, graduating in 2005.

[Chewey]

There really should be a North/South division rather than an East/West division, if anyone with authority were serious about improving the state of ND hockey. The fact is that there are a lot of nascent programs in the west, with Hazen/Beulah, Dickinson, Mandan, Williston. They used to do North/South for the shrine games in football, hockey, etc. There are really only a couple of good teams in the west: Minot, Bismarck, Jamestown, Williston (at least this year), Century (sometimes). I've always said that the east is never going to want to do this, even though it should. I know Samson always wanted something like that. I think the west should be able to play more games against Canadian schools. I have not lived in Minot for 21 years but, from what I've heard, it seems as though a lot of the old hockey player types are involved in the youth programs. Hockey used to be a popular sport in Minot among young kids and maybe it is not so popular anymore among young kids. I don't think the antics of Kraft help at all. Minot really should open up the hockey to other nearby towns like Surrey, Des Lacs, Sawyer. Even when I was in school some of those towns actually had pretty good athletes who played basketcase ball because they could not play hockey. I'm surprised that more base kids do not play. Minot and the west generally need an intesity shot. It seems as if they're satisfied or used to being losers.

The Minot program came out of obscurity when Blais came and even before that it was popular even though it was new. There were a lot of positives like the Minot Raiders, a new arena, a lot of high school players involved, Dave Stanley, Jeff Bredahl, Andrews, Mike Schmidt with the youth hockey guys when the young players were out there. There was a huge core group of parents from different neighborhoods who attended the practices and carpooled. I am not sure if that is how it is now up there but I suspect not. It's too bad. The East gets to play the Section 8A teams and the west does not have anything like that anymore. Why doesn't Minot schedule Notre Dame, Estevan, Moose Jaw, etc. teams both in H.S. and in youth? It was kind of fun exchanging those stupid pins with the Canadians before every game and before we usually got our a$$es kicked by them in 4th, 5th, and 6th, 7th, 8th grades.

[Lives-to-play-hockey-06]

There really should be a North/South division rather than an East/West division, if anyone with authority were serious about improving the state of ND hockey. The fact is that there are a lot of nascent programs in the west, with Hazen/Beulah, Dickinson, Mandan, Williston. They used to do North/South for the shrine games in football, hockey, etc. There are really only a couple of good teams in the west: Minot, Bismarck, Jamestown, Williston (at least this year), Century (sometimes). I've always said that the east is never going to want to do this, even though it should. I know Samson always wanted something like that. I think the west should be able to play more games against Canadian schools. I have not lived in Minot for 21 years but, from what I've heard, it seems as though a lot of the old hockey player types are involved in the youth programs. Hockey used to be a popular sport in Minot among young kids and maybe it is not so popular anymore among young kids. I don't think the antics of Kraft help at all. Minot really should open up the hockey to other nearby towns like Surrey, Des Lacs, Sawyer. Even when I was in school some of those towns actually had pretty good athletes who played basketcase ball because they could not play hockey. I'm surprised that more base kids do not play. Minot and the west generally need an intesity shot. It seems as if they're satisfied or used to being losers.

The Minot program came out of obscurity when Blais came and even before that it was popular even though it was new. There were a lot of positives like the Minot Raiders, a new arena, a lot of high school players involved, Dave Stanley, Jeff Bredahl, Andrews, Mike Schmidt with the youth hockey guys when the young players were out there. There was a huge core group of parents from different neighborhoods who attended the practices and carpooled. I am not sure if that is how it is now up there but I suspect not. It's too bad. The East gets to play the Section 8A teams and the west does not have anything like that anymore. Why doesn't Minot schedule Notre Dame, Estevan, Moose Jaw, etc. teams both in H.S. and in youth? It was kind of fun exchanging those stupid pins with the Canadians before every game and before we usually got our a$$es kicked by them in 4th, 5th, and 6th, 7th, 8th grades.

Let's see the longest red river traveled when I play an EDC game was to Jamestown, that was about 2.5 hours once. Let's change that so now GFRR has to go to willeston and bottineua. And then have the fargo schools take 5 4+ hours trips out to BHS,BCS,Dick, HB, and Hollywood mandan. Good Plan!

[Goon]

Well said. Williston put up a great fight last night and I think surprised many. The better the West gets the better it will be for ND hockey.

Trust me the people were were sitting with wanted and hoped Wiliston was going to win the game last night. Red River didn't respect the Williston team. You could see it in their body language. What a story it would have been the. It was a good game and fun to watch.

[UNDhockey22]

There really should be a North/South division rather than an East/West division, if anyone with authority were serious about improving the state of ND hockey. The fact is that there are a lot of nascent programs in the west, with Hazen/Beulah, Dickinson, Mandan, Williston. They used to do North/South for the shrine games in football, hockey, etc. There are really only a couple of good teams in the west: Minot, Bismarck, Jamestown, Williston (at least this year), Century (sometimes). I've always said that the east is never going to want to do this, even though it should. I know Samson always wanted something like that. I think the west should be able to play more games against Canadian schools. I have not lived in Minot for 21 years but, from what I've heard, it seems as though a lot of the old hockey player types are involved in the youth programs. Hockey used to be a popular sport in Minot among young kids and maybe it is not so popular anymore among young kids. I don't think the antics of Kraft help at all. Minot really should open up the hockey to other nearby towns like Surrey, Des Lacs, Sawyer. Even when I was in school some of those towns actually had pretty good athletes who played basketcase ball because they could not play hockey. I'm surprised that more base kids do not play. Minot and the west generally need an intesity shot. It seems as if they're satisfied or used to being losers.

The Minot program came out of obscurity when Blais came and even before that it was popular even though it was new. There were a lot of positives like the Minot Raiders, a new arena, a lot of high school players involved, Dave Stanley, Jeff Bredahl, Andrews, Mike Schmidt with the youth hockey guys when the young players were out there. There was a huge core group of parents from different neighborhoods who attended the practices and carpooled. I am not sure if that is how it is now up there but I suspect not. It's too bad. The East gets to play the Section 8A teams and the west does not have anything like that anymore. Why doesn't Minot schedule Notre Dame, Estevan, Moose Jaw, etc. teams both in H.S. and in youth? It was kind of fun exchanging those stupid pins with the Canadians before every game and before we usually got our a$$es kicked by them in 4th, 5th, and 6th, 7th, 8th grades.

Teams in the West are not going to significantly improve because they play better teams. If more people in the West knew how to develop players or put more effort into doing so at young ages and continued that intensity throughout high school, I see no reason why the would not be as good or better as the teams in the East. Do you think Red River and Central are traditionally so good because they get to play Warroad or Roseau once a year? No way. If you put the right personal in Wahpeton, and had them start with mites and work with them up into high school, they could beat Red River, South, Central despite not playing in tournements in youth tournements in MN or things of that nature. In my opinion, the reason why teams in the East are traditionally better is because for the most part the players are developed better. Not because they play better teams.

[Chewey]

Let's see the longest red river traveled when I play an EDC game was to Jamestown, that was about 2.5 hours once. Let's change that so now GFRR has to go to willeston and bottineua. And then have the fargo schools take 5 4+ hours trips out to BHS,BCS,Dick, HB, and Hollywood mandan. Good Plan!

It is a good and equitable plan, indeed. The east has been too used to its primarily I-29 corridor schedule yet those teams have no problem traveling 3 hours to Warroad and 6 hours to Rochester do they? The west has been travelling 3 to 4 hours for games for 40 years at least. Wahpeton to DL is what the east is doing right now which is not any different than doing Fargo to Dickinson. If travel is such a concern for the east when it comes to Williston, make it a 4 point game or do like the west has done when its teams have played West Fargo and then Fargo South or GRand Forks and GRafton......schedule the games one day after another and stay in a motel. It's all 4-lane highway (or at least will be soon to Williston) so the east will not be able to bitch about that. God forbid the east teams traveling more than 2.5 hours to a game. God forbid! I guess they don't teach state geography in the east or wherever you're from or how to calculate mileage and read mileage signs. Just more fodder for the reality that much of the east is composed of a bunch of self-absorbed, self-righteous, self-indulgent knobs.

[andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!!]

Minot High no longer travels to Canada because a few years ago, a bunch of kids got caught with weed along with them. They were lucky because they did not get caught by the Canadians. Had they, there would have been big trouble. Now Minot High just elects not to go.

Minot's youth program has really suffered. Remember a few years ago when we almost went undefeated? Well, that was one of the last group of kids that had been coached while young by Ray Meluda (I am not sure if that is spelled correctly). None of the youth program leaders senses have been as good. (By the way, we lost State that year because of a bad High School coach.)

Also, back maybe 15 or 20 years ago, Minot drastically changed their youth program. They changed from in-house type teams to travel teams. This eliminated a ton of kids who could have played hockey. With traveling teams, hockey became, and still is, too expensive and time consuming to play. I know there are kids in Minot who have had to quit hockey for that very reason, despite loving to play and loving the sport. Back when my cousin played, Minot had 8 squirt teams. Now we have 4. And we have lost our Junior Gold team.

Having said that, I do not think Minot High playing an uncompetitive schedule is a very big part of the problem. Minot played G-PR, GFRR, GFC, Devil's Lake 2 times, and East Grand Forks from the East and Minnesota this year.

Minot's problem is their youth program.

[UNDhockey22]

Minot High no longer travels to Canada because a few years ago, a bunch of kids got caught with weed along with them. They were lucky because they did not get caught by the Canadians. Had they, there would have been big trouble. Now Minot High just elects not to go.

Minot's youth program has really suffered. Remember a few years ago when we almost went undefeated? Well, that was one of the last group of kids that had been coached while young by Ray Meluda (I am not sure if that is spelled correctly). None of the youth program leaders senses have been as good. (By the way, we lost State that year because of a bad High School coach.)

Also, back maybe 15 or 20 years ago, Minot drastically changed their youth program. They changed from in-house type teams to travel teams. This eliminated a ton of kids who could have played hockey. With traveling teams, hockey became, and still is, too expensive and time consuming to play. I know there are kids in Minot who have had to quit hockey for that very reason, despite loving to play and loving the sport. Back when my cousin played, Minot had 8 squirt teams. Now we have 4. And we have lost our Junior Gold team.

Having said that, I do not think Minot High playing an uncompetitive schedule is a very big part of the problem. Minot played G-PR, GFRR, GFC, Devil's Lake 2 times, and East Grand Forks from the East and Minnesota this year.

Minot's problem is their youth program.

I would say the majority of problems with any program is the youth program. You have 2 years before squirts, 2 years of squirts, 2 years of peewee, and 2 years of bantam. That's 8 years of development in youth hockey versus 3 years in the high school program.

[ni9ls-sioux]