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zach stayin?


Siouxrock

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Hopefully he sticks around one more year at least. I hate it when these kids sign early and then get sent to the minors for several years. No way Zach is ready for the NHL, he needs to get stronger. Might as well stay in school and enjoy it. You are only in school for a few years, so make the most out of it.

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I wouldnt be surprised if we get 2 more years out of Zach. If Parise leave now I think he'd be a damn fool, he's not ready for the pro's. Let him stick around till he wins a hobey and/or a national championship!

Besides there is a little thing called a lock out coming that will have an impact so he probably will be around for his junior year too. Before Zack playing in the NHL he has to get stronger and learn to play through the hooking and holding b.s.

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it would be better for your boy Parise to stay at least one meore year. It will only make him better, and as goon pointed out the lock out pending will keep more than a few "early leavers" to stay longer than they normally would. Just like you guys want Zach to stay, Gopher fans are thinking the same for Vanek. Both could easily leave after next year but will probably stay till after the lock out.

WPoS

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I think Vanek's a little different in that he's more ready to play in the NHL. Vanek has some size and is pretty accustomed to using it -- I honestly think he has a little less to get out of the college game. It's always tough to convince yourself to spend one more year in college (for ANY reason) when you're already able to go get the big fat paychecks.

Zach's definitely a familiar story to UND fans, smaller guys who evolve into great college players, but lack the size of NHL stars. Zach looked completely unaccustomed to being grabbed and held, as if this season were the first time in his life; however, he was great for a freshman and we wouldn't have even noticed if he hadn't been so talented as to generate so much hype as an entering freshman. If Zach takes some extra time in college to put on some pounds of muscle and learn to use it, he could dramatically improve his stature as an NHL candidate. As is, he'd probably still be an early pick, but would most likely spend a lot of time in the farm system.

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I think the big difference between Vanek and Parise is that Vanek played Juniors. (Sioux Falls). I am not sure how long he was there but even one season in the USHL would motivate you to bulk up and play a more physical game.

While I don't blame Zach for going right to college a year in the USHL might have done him some good.

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Vanek played three seasons in Sioux Falls. In fact, he had hat tricks in calendar 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002. Wow.

Since Zach stepped in to college and ended up sixth(?) in the nation in scoring, I don't think he should have gone to juniors. Maybe he would have been a little better this year if he had spent his senior year of HS in the USHL rather than at SSM, but even that is debatable. I think his development has been just about as good as it could possibly have been so far.

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As great of a scorer as Vanek is, I would take Parise any day. He is a much better skater, sees the ice better, and plays both ends of the rink. Vanek has incredible hands and is a scoring threat every time he is on the ice, but his overall game is not as good, particularly his defense. Keep in mind that he is also younger. Parise will be a better pro, but be patient--he is only 18.

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Yes, one big thing most forget is that he didn't turn 18 til right before the school year started and should/could still be in high school! If he had spent this year in juniors and come in next season as a freshmen, Sioux fans would really think he was the second coming! Which he is by the way!! :huh:

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Skateshattrick,

do your homework man, Thomas Vanek just turned 19 in January, he's a whole 6 months older than Parise. The rap agaisn't him that he doesn't play both ends of the ice is bull. He has the one thing you can't teach...size, among, great hands, a quick release, surprising speed when needed..... I can't even count the number of times he comes out of the corner dragging an extra 200 pounds and makes sometlhing happen. Believe me, we wouldn't trade Vanek for Parise either. :huh:

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skateshattrick:

Maybe Zach will be a better pro, in the mold of say Drury, but then again maybe not. A lot of the knocks on Vanek were also said about Danny Heatly, and he's a dominating force in the NHL. Good size with incredible hands...hmmm. Parise has a much higher hill to climb. He's young and he's loaded with talent, but too many guys fitting that description have found it tough sledding in the modern-day NHL. Other guys his size have jaw dropping skills (Sakic, Larionov) and some are just average but work their butts off (Jim Dowd). Parise will definitely fit in some how. He works hard, he's a good skater and he's got good hands. BUT, to say he will have a more productive NHL career than Vanek is just nonsense. Nobody knows that--including the NHL scouts. :huh:

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Skateshattrick,

do your homework man, Thomas Vanek just turned 19 in January, he's a whole 6 months older than Parise.

You just help make one of skateshattrick's points for him. He said Parise is younger and you agreed by saying Vanek is six months older. Last time I looked 19 was, in fact, older than 18. I guess thanks are in order for clearing that up for us!

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ND Gopher, I think YOU need to get your facts straight. Vanek's date of birth is 1/17/84, and Parise's is 7/28/94. Not only is 6 months significant at this age, that also means that Vanek always played 1 level up. For example, when Zach was a 1st year Bantam, Vanek would have been a 2nd year bantam. When Zach was a senior in high school at Shattuck, Vanek was playing juniors. Zach is a true freshman, Vanek is not. Only the USA Hockey Development teams and select teams play a calendar year, but Minnesota PeeWees, Bantams and High School play a school year. Thus, Vanek has an extra year even though he's only 6 months older. I realize that Vanek is European, so the rules may be different, but he's a calendar year older in any country. Please don't spout off unless you have some clue what you are talking about. :huh:

As for the criticism of not playing both ends, it is a common criticism of Vanek from former players and coaches. I have heard it frequently from former Sioux players and coaches who have coached in the USHL. Anybody who watches the games on the Gopher Sports Channel who does not see things through maroon and gold glasses would see the same thing. Vanek is more like Bochenski, who is also very strong, has excellent hands, and has a better shot than Vanek. However, Bochenski does not skate as well as Parise either, does not always play both ends of the rink, nor does he have as complete of a game. Yet, Bochenski scored more than Vanek on a team without nearly as much depth. By your analysis, that apparently makes Bochenski better than Vanek? :blush:

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schmidtdoggydog--

I'll type r e a l s l ow so that you can follow along. Ndgopher's point is that the age discussion is absurd because they are only 6 months apart. Get it? Probably not. :huh:

If that was ndgopher's point, he should have made it more concisely, but apparently, he has his little peons do that for him.

Are you and ndgopher, bert and KGB in disguise?

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ND Gopher, I think YOU need to get your facts straight. Vanek's date of birth is 1/17/84, and Parise's is 7/28/94.

Really? I didn't realize that Zach Parise is 8 years old while Vanek is 19 no wonder age is such an issue. These college hockey players are getting younger and younger!!! :(:huh::blush:

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ND Gopher, I think YOU need to get your facts straight. Vanek's date of birth is 1/17/84, and Parise's is 7/28/94. Not only is 6 months significant at this age, that also means that Vanek always played 1 level up. For example, when Zach was a 1st year Bantam, Vanek would have been a 2nd year bantam. When Zach was a senior in high school at Shattuck, Vanek was playing juniors. Zach is a true freshman, Vanek is not. Only the USA Hockey Development teams and select teams play a calendar year, but Minnesota PeeWees, Bantams and High School play a school year. Thus, Vanek has an extra year even though he's only 6 months older. I realize that Vanek is European, so the rules may be different, but he's a calendar year older in any country. Please don't spout off unless you have some clue what you are talking about. :huh:

As for the criticism of not playing both ends, it is a common criticism of Vanek from former players and coaches. I have heard it frequently from former Sioux players and coaches who have coached in the USHL. Anybody who watches the games on the Gopher Sports Channel who does not see things through maroon and gold glasses would see the same thing. Vanek is more like Bochenski, who is also very strong, has excellent hands, and has a better shot than Vanek. However, Bochenski does not skate as well as Parise either, does not always play both ends of the rink, nor does he have as complete of a game. Yet, Bochenski scored more than Vanek on a team without nearly as much depth. By your analysis, that apparently makes Bochenski better than Vanek? :blush:

Methinks you should take your own advice reguarding spouting off. Parise, Vanek, Guyer, Sertich and Hirsch all graduated high school in '02. They are all "true" freshmen in the sense that they did not postpone college for further hockey development. Parise and Vanek will obviously both be drafted this June.

Parise IS the youngest of the bunch I listed and is very young for his class, but it is not like he accelerated high school like Toby Peterson did at CC or Montoya of Michigan.

I like your comparison of Vanek and Bochenski and I would agree that Bochenski is a more polished scorer at this point. However as a "true" freshmen Vanek has scored considerably more than Bochenski did his first year.

As for leaving early, I'd guess we will see Vanek and Bochenski one more year and Parise two more. Despite what Vanek and Lucia have said, I would not be shocked in the least to see him move after this year.

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People, people,people...Yes Vanek was a true freshman, but he DID have a year of juniors. This makes a lot of difference. Vanek's extra year on Parise was spent playing in an environment more like Div. 1 College hockey. Shattuck plays teams from all over. They are NOT part of the Minnesota State High School League. But, these teams are no where near the quality players that play in juniors.

Let's just agree that neither team would trade their star freshman for the other's.

Plus, to come in the league at 8 years old and score 61 points...Amazing, I wish I was that good when I was 8!!! :huh::blush:

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