hrkac Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 The WCHA will be naming the individual awards on Thursday before the play-in game. Who will be named ROY this year? I think it comes down to 3 players. Vanek, Stuart, and Parise. I've seen most of UND's games this year and I'd say Parise deserves the award. Although Vanek is a great player and scorer, I still think Parise is a better all-around player. Vanek seems to be one-dimensional in the games I've seen. Stuart has had a very good year but not to the extent of the other two players and hasn't had to be the "man" on his team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 I think the race is between Parise and Vanek. I'm a homer, of course, but Parise is the best choice. He's proven to be a team leader and a good two-way player. For an 18-year-old freshman, that's remarkable. Parise's presence on the ice has meant more to the Sioux than Vanek's has to the Gophers, who were deep at forward even without him. Remember, it was Lucia who said that the Gophers didn't need a freshman "to carry the mail." It's time for the WCHA to reward UND's rookie postal worker for his outstanding effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertibm Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 are you saying Vanek is not a 2 way player? Alot of his goals are from Backchecking. I do think Vanek will win this award. Better overall player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmidtdoggydog Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 I do think Vanek will win this award. Better overall player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 are you saying Vanek is not a 2 way player? I didn't say that. I do, however, think Parise is a better two-way player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jk Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 I, for one, couldn't complain if either player won the award. I do think Vanek is more dangerous offensively because he can carry guys on his back, while Parise's not that strong. When Vanek basically decided to not let MN lose Friday in Duluth, he made some plays that I don't think anyone else in the league could make. I think most unbiased observers agree that Parise is a better two-way player. It doesn't mean that Vanek doesn't backcheck; it means that he isn't as good as Parise in that regard. The reason I would give the award to Parise is this: He's a better all-around player, and, despite not being as dangerous offensively as Vanek, they are basically even in scoring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrkac Posted March 19, 2003 Author Share Posted March 19, 2003 are you saying Vanek is not a 2 way player? Alot of his goals are from Backchecking. i don't claim to have seen every game but i've seen Vanek spend a lot of time behind the play waiting for it to come the other way. he IS a great player but not a great two-way player which gives Parise the edge. IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinnesotaNorthStar Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 Alot of his goals are from Backchecking. Backchecking is hauling ass back to the defensive zone when the other team breaks the puck out. The only way to score by this is to not backcheck and cherry pick, which is a lazy way to play hockey. I've seen a number of Gopher games and Sioux games...they are both deserving of the award, but the difference between the two is that Parise is a smarter player than Vanek is. Parise is also fourth in the nation in scoring as a Freshman, while Vanek is tied for 11th (still impressive), and he has also played two less games than Vanek. The choice for this award is pretty clear to me....Zach Parise. Howver, I will not be bitter if Vanek does get it like I was when Ryan Miller won the Hobey Baker over Jeff Panzer and Brian Gionta (Boston College). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammy Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 Parise is also fourth in the nation in scoring as a Freshman, while Vanek is tied for 11th (still impressive), and he has also played two less games than Vanek. As Sicatoka was always so fond of pointing out prior to this season (ironic that he was doing it to try to punch holes in the quality of the Gophers returning goaltending), using the overall season stats of two players to make a comparison is less valid because the toughness of each respective team's schedule is different. Minnesota's overall strength of schedule ranks in the top 2 or 3 in the nation. Last I checked, the Sioux schedule ranked out of the top 20. You could make an argument that Vanek's overall stats would be higher if he played the schedule NoDak has played. Similarly, you could make the argument that ZP's points wouldn't be as high if he played Minnesota schedule. Even limiting a comparison of stats to just league play is tough now that WCHA teams don't play a balanced schedule. Either player is certainly worthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3031 Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 There is no reason Parise should'nt win it. He is probably the best all around player in College Hockey today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 Mentioning league-only stats for a league award ... Freshman Scoring: Player Team GP PPG G- A- P Vanek UMn 28 1.18 15-18-33 Parise UND 26 1.23 16-16-32 One point back in two fewer games (with a better PPG)? Not bad. (Zach was at the WJC for two league games.) Like I posted over at POI: I just realized that North Dakota fans are claiming an 18-year-old, straight from his senior year of high school, American (better yet, Minnesotan), should win the WCHA ROY and Minnesota fans are claiming an older than 18-year-old freshman, who came from juniors, who isn't American (much less Minnesotan), should win the WCHA ROY. I think I've now seen it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3031 Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 The thing that is dissapointing in this whole fray is the way the WCHA protects it's marquee players. Oh yea, that's right it doesn't. The league should take a lesson from the eastern conferences on how to accomplish this. A player the caliber of Zach should not be allowed to be breathed on. Remember how Danny Heatly was protected? Parise deserves the same treatement. Historically Sioux stars have not received this treatement. Look at Jason Blake, Bryan Lundbolm, Ryan Bayda, and Jeff Panzer to name a few. None of these fine players were afforded this privelage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxrock Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 parise won it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrkac Posted March 19, 2003 Author Share Posted March 19, 2003 A player the caliber of Zach should not be allowed to be breathed on. Remember how Danny Heatly was protected? Parise deserves the same treatement. those big defensemen have bad breath too! in a perfect world Parise would be able to skate thru the zone untouched ala Gretzky but that's a little naive. Heatly was just a bigger player don't you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagies Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 Marquee players should not get special treatment in any phase of the game. I hate that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertibm Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 There is no reason Parise should'nt win it. He is probably the best all around player in College Hockey today. Can i get some of what u are smoking? Best in the NCAA, You gotta be nuts. Do you even watch college hockey? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
747Guy Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 There is no reason Parise should'nt win it. He is probably the best all around player in College Hockey today. Well stated...I could not agree more!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprig Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 Can i get some of what u are smoking? Best in the NCAA, You gotta be nuts. Do you even watch college hockey? Don't get excited bertimb. This is a Sioux board, expect that the Sioux players will get support here. Would guess Vanek is heavily favored on the poi board. Two good rookies. With all the talk of point comparisons and such, that kind of leaves out M. Stuart, who I think is as deserving as Parise and Vanek, but then I like good stay at home hard hitting defensemen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 I wouldn't go as far as 3031, but I do reserve the right to promote Zach as the WCHA rookie of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFarce Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 I will be the first to admit that I am a homer and would love nothing more than to see Parise win the award (of which he stands a great chance). I have to be the devils advocate hear and bring up a point that you are all failing to address, but will face come Thursday. Isaac Reichmuth the goalie for Duluth is one of the hottest freshmen goalies not only in the league, but in the NCAA. He has a solid GAA and which is impressive considering that only Michigan Tech's Goalie had more saves this year. I think when you look at a ROY you have to not only look at how they performed statistically, but how instrumentally they were in their teams accomplishments. The only good news for us Sioux fans is that this Duluth will live and die by this kid's performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpaw Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 Guys...strength of schedule means absolutely nothing in this argument...Don't even try and bring it up. UND and MN played the exact same teams in the WCHA this year...your "Parise would be worse if he played for MN" crap doesn't work. Take a look at this though...UMN finished above UND, showing that UMN had the better team during the regular season. Would it then be hard to believe that a player would do better if surrounded by better players...i.e Vanek with the Gophers? If Parise played for UMN, you could assume he would have more points, because he is playing with better teammates. Of course, I'm a Sioux fan and I say the Gophers and vanek suck and Parise should walk away with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBG Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 Whoever said that POI probably favors Vanek is correct. But we aren't on crack and don't think he is the best player in the country. Heck, he's not even the best player in the WCHA. Peter Sejna is. It's one thing to be a homer, but dang, put down the crackpipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrkac Posted March 20, 2003 Author Share Posted March 20, 2003 KGB- relax........again, this is the Sioux message board and you're going to get homer-like comments about the team rooted for in this forum. i see the same type of posts on Pee-on-ice about gopher players. not everyone in your fanclub is going to have the same intelligent answers to questions like yourself, of course. at least "don't eat the yellow snow" roots for the goofers and not the Sioux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAR Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 Give me a break, you guys on puke on ice are the biggest homers of all. If anyone says something you guys don't agree with they get jumped all over. This is a SIOUX board so go back to goofer land if you don't like what this forums posters have to say!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WPoS Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 hate be the bearer of bad news to your squad, Vanek won ROY... http://wcha.ocsn.com/sports/m-hockey/spec-.../032003aaa.html WPoS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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