Sioux Hockey Extra

Blog has been moved

2006-08-19T16:33:00.000-05:00

This blog has a new home.

The new address is: www.areavoices.com/undhockey.

The move is part of the transition to the Herald's new owner, Forum Communications Company. FCC owns the blog host areavoices.com, therefore, that's where the blog will be out of now.

Other FCC employees already have blogs on areavoices, such as the Forum's Jeff Kolpack and Mike McFeely and WDAZ's Terry Dullum.

Soon, you will likely see a change in the look of the Herald's Web site, too. Hopefully it is easier to navigate.

Analysis: Take a lesson from Toews

2006-08-17T01:57:00.000-05:00

The Phil Kessel saga has ended. As expected, he will leave Minnesota after one year and sign a three-year contract with the Boston Bruins.

Now, more WCHA players have left school early this offseason than the total number of college players a year ago. Whether or not this trend continues, top-end players who will have opportunities to sign should take a lesson from UND's Jonathan Toews.

This isn't because Toews decided to stick around. There are times players are ready to leave and should do so. Matt Greene proved that when he left UND after his junior year and ended up being a key component in Edmonton's Stanley Cup Finals team.

Top draft picks will continue to have chances to bolt to the NHL and many will do so.

It puts these players in a difficult position at the end of their college seasons. Questions will come from media members. Are you going to sign, or are you going to come back?

With all the pro signings this offseason, I've seen just about every possible way players deal with it. In my opinion, the youngest one -- the 18-year-old Toews -- handled it the best.

When hit with the often-asked question, Toews continually responded, "My dream is to play in the NHL, so if I think I can be an impact player, I'd like to sign. But if not, I have a great place to go back to in North Dakota, where I can continue to develop my game. I want to be in North Dakota if I can't be an impact player in the NHL."

Toews didn't hide the fact that he wants to play in the NHL. He was honest and upfront about it. And I think everyone appreciated that. Fans aren't stupid, especially WCHA fans. They know who will have an opportunity to sign, and denying it doesn't do any good if the chance will obviously be there.

At the same time, Toews didn't alienate his teammates by making comments like Kessel's draft day: "I didn't dream about playing college hockey, I dreamed of playing pro hockey." Kessel's comments left some Gopher fans wondering if they even wanted him to come back.

When Toews announced he was returning to UND, two things happened. First, fans believed him. In his only year at UND, Toews has made a reputation of being honest and everyone knew when he said "I'm coming back," it meant exactly that. Secondly, fans, teammates and coaches were excited to have him back.

I wonder if some Minnesota fans almost feel a relief that Kessel has signed. Especially after initially signaling he was ready to go.... then telling his coaches that he is returning.... then leaning toward signing again.

Kessel, among others, could have taken a lesson from Toews and Minnesota recruit Erik Johnson. They both were respectful and always had good things to say about their schools. But at the same time, they didn't try to hide the opportunity that was in front of them. When they made their decisions, they made it clear what they were.

I think fans respect both players for that.

Hopefully future first-round draft picks are taking notes.

Briefly: Walk-on defenseman Todd Alexander will be transferring to St. Thomas. I think earlier I may have said St. John's.

Two more join pool

2006-08-15T02:06:00.000-05:00

The names came up almost as soon as Brad Berry left UND for an assistant spot with the Manitoba Moose (AHL) -- Ian Kallay and Dane Litke. Now, it's official. They applied. They are likely the last two candidates... unless some come in Tuesday that were postmarked Friday. The human resource office began screening candidates Monday afternoon, I believe.

UND coach Dave Hakstol thought the timing of the opening might prevent a few people from applying, but it seems that a strong field of candidates has been formed. Nearly every name that was thrown out as a possible applicant, ended up responding to the open position.

Profiles of the latest applicants are:

IAN KALLAY
Age: 32.
Hometown: Calgary.
College: UND (1995-97).
Position: Forward.
Professional playing career: 1997 (cut short by injury).
Coaching career: 2000-01 -- Assistant at Green Bay Gamblers (USHL); 2001-02 -- Head coach at Drayton Valley (AJHL); 2003-06 -- Assistant at Michigan Tech.

-------------------------------------------------
DANE LITKE
Age: 34.
Hometown: Beausejour, Man.
College: UND (1993-97).
Position: Defenseman.
Professional playing career: 1997-2002.
Coaching career: 2000-01 -- Player/assistant with Baton Rouge Kingfish (ECHL); 2002-05 -- Assistant at Bismarck Bobcats (NAHL); 2006-present -- Head coach at Bismarck Bobcats.

Mark the calendar: August 22nd at 7 p.m.

2006-08-14T18:11:00.000-05:00

Mike Commodore will be hosting the Stanley Cup at Ralph Engelstad Arena at 7 p.m. on August 22nd.

There are still some final details being worked out, but the time has been set.

REA's director of media relations, Chris Semrau, said former UND hockey notables will be around for the event, which will highlight Commodore's UND and pro career.

There will be a photo opportunity with the Cup following the main presentation. Bring your own cameras.

A free Commie and the Cup poster will be given out to the first 500 children.

Seventh application hits UND

2006-08-12T16:46:00.000-05:00

As of about 3 p.m. Friday, there were seven applications in the UND human resource office. The deadline was Friday, however they will still accept applications postmarked by the deadline. On either Monday or Tuesday, we should know the entire field. The latest applicant:

GAVIN MORGAN
Age: 30.
Hometown: Scarborough, Ont.
College: University of Denver.
Position: Forward.
Professional playing career: 1999-2006.
Coaching career: 2005-06 -- Volunteer coach of Peoria Mustangs Junior B team.

For previous applicants, check earlier posts.

Quick hits:

USA World Junior evaluation camp update: UND defenseman Taylor Chorney scored a power-play goal to help lead USA Blue to a 4-1 win over Finland on Friday.

Article of note: A newspaper in Fayetteville, N.C., recently did a story on former UND All-American John Marks, who took a head coaching job with the Fayetteville FireAntz of the Southern Professional Hockey League. Marks became the all-time winningest coach in the ECHL last season, but the team he coached (Greenville Grrrowl) folded this summer. Check it out here.

Two new applicants join field

2006-08-11T03:05:00.000-05:00

Two-thirds of the Hrkac Circus have applied for the vacant assistant coaching position. Bob Joyce was one of two new applications received by the UND human resource office Thursday. The newest applicants' profiles:

BOB JOYCE
Age: 40.
Hometown: Saint John, New Brunswick.
College: UND (1984-87).
Position: Forward.
Professional playing career: 1987-2000.
Coaching career: None listed on application.

-------------------------------------------------
GARY SHUCHUK
Age: 39.
Hometown: Edmonton.
College: Wisconsin.
Position: Forward.
Professional playing career: 1990-2004.
Coaching career: 2003-04 -- Player/assistant coach of Springfield Falcons (AHL); 2006-present -- Coach of Wisconsin Elite U-16, U-18 teams.

Also in the field are: Jason Herter, Dane Jackson, Steve Johnson and Keith Morris (See previous post for their profiles). The UND Web site still lists today as the deadline.

Sioux nab top prospect

2006-08-10T00:18:00.000-05:00

UND received a commitment from one of the top 2009 prospects Tuesday when Eden Prairie's Danny Kristo verballed [read story here].

Many seemed to think that Kristo would pick Minnesota, but after talking with Danny and his father, Mark, I'm not sure why that was the prevailing wisdom.

Mark, a standout for Bemidji State during the 70s, has several ties to UND. The most notable being that he's very good friends with Tim O'Keefe, the executive vice president of the UND Alumni Association. Also, Mark's high school coach was Dudley Otto, a former Sioux goaltender.

Apparently Danny has been a Sioux fan all his life, too, and wears UND merchandise all the time. I asked the Kristos if they could track down a photo of Danny for the paper, and they found a family picture. In it, sure enough, Danny is wearing a Sioux hat.

Because Danny goes to school in the Cities area, I'm guessing, many assumed he grew up a Gopher fan as most Minnesota kids do. But Danny's experience was different. His family moved from Minnesota to Indiana shortly after he was born, and Danny grew up there until he was 13.

When he moved back to Minnesota in seventh grade, he said he found himself idolizing the Parises and Drew Stafford.

He took his first unofficial visit to UND during the Michigan Tech series and made a return visit in late July. He visited Minnesota on Monday.

Kristo said he wants to work on becoming more physical while he's playing with the U.S. National Team Development Program. The 5-foot-11 forward might be even bigger when he gets to UND. Kristo said he grew about three inches in the past year.

With three years left until he puts on a Sioux jersey, there is lots of time for him to grow.

Assistant coach application update: No new applicants Wednesday. Still four on file. Deadline is Friday.

World Junior evaluation camp update: Michael Forney scored a goal in USA Blue's 8-5 win over Finland on Wednesday.

WCHA update: Michigan Tech named former Wisconsin defenseman Chris Tok an assistant coach Wednesday. He replaces former UND player Ian Kallay, who left to pursue a business opportunity.

Day one applicants

2006-08-09T01:14:00.000-05:00

Applications began to hit the UND human resource office Tuesday for the vacant assistant coach position. Here are the first four candidates in alphabetical order:

JASON HERTER
Age: 35.
Hometown: Hafford, Sask.
College: UND (1988-91).
Position: Defenseman.
Professional playing career: 1991-2002.
Coaching career: 2004-06 -- Head coach of Russell Stover Stars Tier AAA team in Overland Park, Kan. (Don't quote me on those years, I'll have to double check Wednesday afternoon).

-------------------------------------------------
DANE JACKSON
Age: 36.
Hometown: Castlegar, B.C.
College: UND (1988-92).
Position: Forward.
Professional playing career: 1992-2003.
Coaching career: 2003-05 -- Assistant coach of Manchester Monarchs (AHL); 2005-06 -- Head coach of Adirondack Frostbite (UHL).

-------------------------------------------------
STEVE JOHNSON
Age: 40.
Hometown: Grand Forks.
College: UND (1984-1988).
Position: Forward.
Professional playing career: 1988-1990.
Coaching career: 1995-96 -- Head coach of Fargo-Moorhead Bears (USHL); 1996-2006 -- Head coach and general manager of Lincoln Stars (USHL).

-------------------------------------------------
KEITH MORRIS
Age: 35.
Hometown: Winnipeg.
College: Alaska Anchorage (1990-94).
Position: Forward.
Professional playing career: 1994-1998, 2001-02.
Coaching career: 2003-06 -- Assistant coach at Alaska Anchorage (WCHA). Resigned after last season.

I'm sure we'll see a bunch more before Friday's deadline. I'll continue to update them daily. Any frontrunners so far? Who do you all like?

Brian Lee sits as scrimmages begin

2006-08-08T01:45:00.000-05:00

UND defenseman Brian Lee spent the first two days at the World Junior evaluation camp on a stationary bike, Hockey's Future reported.

Lee is recovering from a minor injury, but still made the trip to Lake Placid, N.Y. His name was removed from the USA White roster over the weekend, so it makes you wonder if he is going to play at the camp at all.

Lee's fellow Sioux defensemen, Taylor Chorney and Zach Jones, (USA Blue) will take on Finland at 3 p.m. today. Incoming freshman Michael Forney will take on Sweden with USA White at 6 p.m.

Gopher Erik Johnson, the No. 1 pick of the 2006 NHL Draft, did not make the trip to Lake Placid. He is recovering from a minor injury, the HF article stated. Michigan defenseman Jack Johnson stayed home for personal reasons.

The two Johnsons and Lee are all-but-locks to make the team. Their absences should give other guys, like Jones, plenty of opportunity to showcase their skills. However, it seemed like USA Hockey put a large emphasis on how the players performed during the first half of the season a year ago.

In other news...

There are swirling reports about what Russian star forward Evgeni Malkin will do this season. His Russian club, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, announced Monday that Malkin has re-signed and will not play in the NHL for one more season. Malkin, the No. 2 pick in 2004, is widely considered the best player in the world not in the NHL.

His agent, however, said to ignore those reports and that Malkin still wants to play with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team that drafted him, this season.

If Malkin does ends up back in Russia, it has to make you wonder whether its effects will be felt in the WCHA. The Penguins obviously have saved cap room to sign Malkin. If they do not sign him, will they try to sign a different draft pick instead?

If, by chance, they do decide to pick up somebody else, two of their best prospects (ignore what Hockey's Future says this time) are Minnesota defenseman Alex Goligoski and St. Cloud State goaltender Bobby Goepfert. Both players had the type of season that could warrant a nice pay day.

I still expect both Goligoski and Goepfert to be in college this season, but it was just a thought that popped into my head when I read the Malkin reports. With the landscape of college hockey this summer, I think it's a natural reaction...

Eades to coach USA at Three Nations

2006-08-07T03:15:00.000-05:00

As coach Dave Hakstol searches for one new assistant coach, USA Hockey recognized his last hire as one of the top coaches in the country.

Sioux assistant Cary Eades was named head coach of USA's Team White at the Under-17 Three Nations Cup in Rochester, N.Y. Play begins Aug. 12 and runs through the 18th.

Eades said he had a family vacation planned during that time, but he decided this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. He definitely is fired up for this chance -- the first time he will have coached a Team USA in international competition.

Read a little more, including Eades' comments, here.

WJC evaluation camp begins

2006-08-06T03:59:00.000-05:00

The 2006 Team USA World Junior Championship evaluation camp began today in Lake Placid, N.Y.

UND's Zach Jones, Taylor Chorney, Brian Lee and incoming freshman Michael Forney are all at the camp. Jones, Chorney and Lee made last year's squad.

The first scrimmages against Finland and Sweden will be Tuesday. It appears that Forney and Lee will play on Team USA's white squad, while Chorney and Jones will be on the red team.

The camp ends August 12. The team usually is selected in early December.

Check out this site for updates.

Assistant job posted

2006-08-05T05:53:00.000-05:00

POSITION: ASSISTANT COACH, MEN’S HOCKEY, #07-044

DEADLINE: 8/11/2006

SALARY: Commensurate with experience

DESCRIPTION OF POSITION: Assist in all phases of coaching a Division I men’s hockey program to include but not limit to: assist with all competitions, practices, games and travel; teach game skills and strategies; oversee academic supervision of players and recruiting of student athletes. Teach minimum number of classes in Physical Education Exercise Science. Participate in public relations, alumni functions and fundraising. Other duties as assigned by the head coach.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION: Requires a bachelor’s degree. Prefer successful hockey coaching experience. Desire experience in player evaluation and recruitment. Knowledge of NCAA rules and regulations. Must have experience in the area of on-ice skill development. Must have successful playing experience, pro-experience preferred. Prefer experience in developing and implementing successful penalty killing systems.

....That's the ad UND posted on its Web site, and at least one big name will be thrown into the hat.

Steve Johnson said Friday that he will apply for the job, and based on the "criteria for selection," Johnson will be a strong candidate. He fits all of those requirements, especially the ones about evaluating, recruiting and coaching players.

He's built nine winning teams in 10 seasons in the USHL. As the GM in Lincoln, Johnson was largely responsible for bringing in the players and developing them. He is close with every coach in the USHL and he deals with the top midget programs in the country often.

He definitely wants to get back to Grand Forks. Yes, he would have to take a pay cut to get the UND assistant job. But Johnson said, "That part doesn't even matter. I've discussed that with my family and it's not even a factor."

Of course, there are many other coaches out there who could be strong candidates, too. I mentioned a few in the article. I've heard James Patrick's name tossed around, but he recently took a job with the Buffalo Sabres organization replacing Scott Arniel, who left to become the coach of the Manitoba Moose and promptly nabbed UND assistant Brad Berry (interesting cycle, huh?). Therefore, I don't think Patrick will apply.

It's been reported that Dane Jackson is a strong candidate to become an assistant at the AHL level in the Sabres organization.

There certainly will be many others interested. I'll do my best to keep everyone posted as the resumes come in.

WCHA departures hit 16

2006-08-04T02:38:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, I started to wonder how Colorado College has been able to avoid the early-departure bug the past few summers.

How CC got four years out of Brett Sterling, I'm not sure. Same with Marty Sertich. And Brian Swanson. And Tom Preissing. Getting three out of Peter Sejna was a steal, too.

Then, the Anaheim Ducks answered my question. In this summer of rampant early exits, the Tigers aren't getting let off. The Ducks signed CC defenseman Brian Salcido this week, leaving the Tigers without their top four scorers from last season. Salcido had one year of eligibility left.

CC is the sixth WCHA team to lose somebody early, and Salcido is the 16th WCHA player to bolt. That means the number of WCHA players that have left early this offseason now equals the total number from all of college hockey last summer.

UND has been hit harder than anyone in college hockey -- losing five underclassmen early. But this stat may surprise you. I took a look at every team in the WCHA and how many of their top five scorers are returning. These are the results (in order of last year's finish):

Minnesota -- 2 returning, 1 of them still pending.
Denver -- 2 returning.
Wisconsin -- 0 returning.
UND -- 3 returning.
Colo. College -- 1 returning.
St. Cloud -- 1 returning.
Mankato -- 1 returning, he still could leave.
Mich. Tech -- 2 returning.
Minn. Duluth -- 4 returning.
Anchorage -- 3 returning.

The only WCHA team returning more top-five scorers than UND is Duluth. And the only team that ties UND is Anchorage. When you consider those figures... and that Duluth and Anchorage were the two worst teams in the conference last season... and that the Sioux return almost their entire defensive corps... maybe this offseason wasn't so bad for UND?

Oshie to transfer

2006-08-02T13:15:00.000-05:00

It's a done deal.

He's already enrolled elsewhere and will be taking his hockey game halfway across the country, where he will be closer to his brother.

No, that's not T.J... Taylor Oshie, T.J.'s younger brother, will be attending and playing hockey at Warroad High School this year. Taylor, who will be a junior, is moving to Warroad from Stanwood, Wash.

T.J. made that same move before his sophomore year. Their father, Tim, lives in Warroad, while their mother, Tina, lives in Washington.

Taylor missed a few years of hockey growing up, so developmentally he is behind where T.J. was at that point in his career (who was on the same level as T.J.?). Taylor has been working out with T.J. this summer, both in Washington and in Minnesota/North Dakota.

By moving to Warroad, Taylor will be able to watch his brother play at UND this season. Because yes, Sioux fans, T.J. will be back.

The latest on...

2006-08-01T04:47:00.000-05:00

UND coach Dave Hakstol talked Monday about losing Brad Berry and getting Jonathan Toews back [read story here].

Hakstol said he would like to hire a new coach as soon as possible, but stressed that they will go through the hiring process carefully. Other than that, there weren't too many details. I asked Hakstol if UND would be seeking another defensive mentor (like Berry), and he responded that he will look for the best possible fit.

Tim Campbell of the Winnipeg Free Press wrote an interesting story on Manitoba's hiring of Berry. It seems the Moose are very, very high on Berry and they've had their eye on him for years.

"We've had the same short list for two or three years, both coaches and assistants, because we've gone through a few," Moose GM Craig Heisinger told Campbell. "He's been a guy who was identified, even when Scotty wasn't here, a guy that we had talked about."

The story also says that newly hired head coach Scott Arniel had Berry tabbed as a possible assistant two years ago when Arniel interviewed for the head job in Manitoba.

Read Campbell's entire story here.

**********On another note**********

Someone asked me today about Sioux defenseman Todd Alexander.

Here's what I know:

I talked to Todd in the early part of July and asked him about the possibility of him transferring. He said he was looking into going to St. John's but it was not final yet. He said he wanted to make a final decision by the last week in July.

I have tried to get a hold of him several times since, but he is working long and late hours this summer. I left messages three times but haven't heard back. So, unless I hear from him soon, I will probably give up trying to reach him for a while.

It sounds very unlikely that he will be returning to UND, though.

Alexander played in three games last season and would have been behind a stacked defensive group again this season. Without Alexander, I would expect Scott Foyt to skate at defense quite a bit.

**********Former Sioux in the news**********

There was an interesting story on the AP wire about the town of St. Albert, Alta., which is auctioning off the naming rights on Troy Murray Arena. Murray's mother, Betty, expressed her dismay toward the city's decision [read more here]. Murray played at UND from 1980-82.

Also, the Dallas Stars did a feature on one of Murray's former teammates, Craig Ludwig. Ludwig, who won a Stanley Cup with the Stars, was at the arena watching his twin sons, Trevor and Tyler, participate in the team's development camp. There is a short feature and also a more lengthy multimedia piece showing interviews with the Ludwigs. Check it out here.

Coming and going

2006-07-31T00:45:00.000-05:00

Big news item No. 1 -- Jonathan Toews is returning for his sophomore season. I know many of you live around the country and do not have a subscription to the Herald, so I apologize that the story in Sunday's paper did not get on our Web site. It was run as part of this story -- a look into the high rate of early departures in college hockey. Because of that, it lacked the coding needed for a story to appear on the Web site.

A quick rundown of the 'Toews is returning' story for those who didn't see it: Toews decided it was in his best interest to stay another year and develop. He turned down a three-year, $850,000 with an $85,000 signing bonus offer (the maximum rookie salary for a 2006 pick) to return to school. Obviously, that could not have been an easy decision.

I brought up the Phil Kessel situation, where there first were reports that he was staying, then more that he may be going, and back, and forth and so on. Toews said "There's no turning back now," about his decision to return. It's final.

Hopefully this situation never arises, but people always wonder what happens if a guy gets hurt after turning down pro dollars. Before last season, Toews took out an insurance policy. His policy is likely worth around $1 million. It's definitely no consolation for getting hurt and not being able to play in the NHL, but something to fall back on if the unthinkable happens.

Big news item No. 2 -- UND associate head coach Brad Berry is leaving to become an assistant coach with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL.

This will be a tough loss for the Sioux, but one that doesn't come real unexpectedly. Berry's value is no secret.

How many times have you heard a player talk about how important Berry was in his development? Berry works closely with the defenseman and has done a great job developing them.

Think of the defensemen that have come to UND while Berry has been around. There was the group of Matt Greene, Matt Jones, Andy Schneider, Nick Fuher and Matt Smaby -- the corps that drew compliment after compliment during UND's run to the Frozen Four two seasons ago.

Greene is already a regular in the NHL, something very rare for someone his age. Jones has played NHL games already and has drawn rave reviews from Phoenix. Smaby is on his way to the NHL. And both Schneider and Fuher played in the AHL.

And obviously last season's defensemen were very impressive, making people forget the fact that they were all underclassmen and four regulars were freshmen. Berry was an important part of it.

When both Chay Genoway and Derrick LaPoint committed to UND, one of the first things I heard from them was how excited they were to work with Berry.

Whoever replaces Berry will have big shoes to fill.

So who will that person be?

When an assistant job last became available (summer of 2004 when Cary Eades was hired), former Sioux players Steve Johnson and Ian Kallay were among names thrown around by many.

Kallay seems extremely unlikely now, as he just left his assistant spot at Michigan Tech to pursue business opportunities. He said in a release that his business offer was too good to pass on.

Johnson, meanwhile, is still coaching the Lincoln Stars of the USHL.

Volunteer assistant Scott Koberinski, another former Sioux player, applied last time it was available.

Stay tuned for the applicants.

Two Belfours find homes

2006-07-26T03:40:00.000-05:00

Our brothers from the Forum reported that Ed Belfour's son, Dayn, will play for the F-M Jets of the NAHL while attending Fargo North as a senior this year.

Dayn, a goaltender, was recently named to the U.S. Under-18 Select team, which will compete in Europe next month.

Ed, meanwhile, has found a home in South Florida, signing a one-year, incentive-laden contract with the Panthers.

Ed will compete with Alex Auld for the top spot. Florida acquired Auld in the Roberto Luongo/Todd Bertuzzi deal.

*****************************************************

Other recent signings of former Sioux players include:

--Travis Roche to the Phoenix Coyotes.

--Lee Goren to the Vancouver Canucks.

--Bryan Lundbohm to the Houston Aeros (AHL).

*****************************************************

And... the Calgary Herald wrote a story on Jonathan Toews as he is in Calgary for the Team Canada World Junior summer camp.

Skille staying with Badgers

2006-07-25T04:12:00.000-05:00

A few hours after Denver's Paul Stastny gave up his final two college seasons to sign with Colorado, another high-profile underclassman announced he's staying in school.

The Wisconsin State Journal reported that Jack Skille will return to Wisconsin for his sophomore season.

This is a big development for the defending national champion Badgers, who lost their top five scorers from last season's team. Skille, a first round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2005, will be looked at as the big offensive weapon for Wisconsin this season.

In the story, Skille says that if he wanted to sign, Chicago would have struck a deal with him.

It sounds like UND's Jonathan Toews is in a very similar situation. If Toews wants to sign, there is no doubt Chicago will do so. But Toews has said that he wants to make sure he will be on the NHL roster and he will be an impact player before he signs. Otherwise, he said he would be happy to return to UND for his sophomore season.

Stastny, Smith headed out

2006-07-24T21:17:00.000-05:00

Two more underclassmen are leaving the WCHA -- one is off to the CCHA, the other to the NHL.

Denver's Paul Stastny, last year's WCHA scoring champion, signed with the Colorado Avalanche today, foregoing his final two seasons of eligibility. This is a big hit for the Pioneers, who heavily depended on their top line for scoring last season.

Denver's top three forwards (Stastny, Gabe Gauthier and Ryan Dingle) and top two defensemen (Matt Carle and Chris Butler) combined for nearly 65 percent of the team's production last season. Only Dingle and Butler will return, and the losses of Stastny and Carle will certainly be felt big time on the power play, which was often dominating and largely quarterbacked by Carle and Stastny.

Also leaving the WCHA will be Alaska Anchorage forward Billy Smith, who said late Sunday night that he planned to verbally commit this afternoon to play at Northern Michigan. Coach Walt Kyle offered Smith a scholarship after he received his release from Alaska Anchorage.

Smith will be the third Seawolves player to transfer this offseason, joining Eric Walsky (Colorado College) and Shea Hamilton (UND).

Complete list of underclassmen signings in the WCHA:

UND (5)
Travis Zajac, sophomore
Matt Smaby, junior
Drew Stafford, junior
Rastislav Spirko, sophomore
Jordan Parise, junior

Minnesota (3)
Kris Chucko, sophomore
Danny Irmen, junior
Ryan Potulny, junior

Mankato (3)
David Backes, junior
Kyle Peto, junior
Ryan Carter, sophomore

Wisconsin (2)
Robbie Earl, junior
Joe Pavelski, sophomore

Denver (2)
Matt Carle, junior
Paul Stastny, sophomore

Canadian WJC camp begins

2006-07-23T16:26:00.000-05:00

The Team Canada World Junior summer camp began today in Calgary.

UND's Jonathan Toews, a member of last year's gold-medal winning team, is one of three college players at the camp, which runs through Friday. If you want to follow Toews' performance at the camp, visit this Web site.

Don't expect a pro decision from Toews until at least the start of August. I'd expect to hear before Aug. 11, though. School begins on the 22nd.

Stay tuned.

Red Line Report: Props to Hawks

2006-07-19T22:34:00.000-05:00

It may be a little late, but the Red Line Report finally completed a review of the NHL draft.

It ranked the Chicago Blackhawks, who picked UND's Jonathan Toews with the No. 3 overall selection, as the team that had the best draft.

It also had kind words about Atlanta's selection of UND's Michael Forney in the third round. The report states, "Having robust, sniping winger Mike Forney fall into your lap at No. 80 is nothing less than a godsend."

The article also gives compliments to other WCHA players such as Erik Johnson (Minnesota), Phil Kessel (Minnesota), Kyle Okposo (Minnesota), David Fischer (Minnesota), Michael Carman (Minnesota), Alex Kangas (Minnesota 2007 recruit), Rhett Rakhshani (Denver), Nigel Williams (Wisconsin) and Andy Sackrison (Mankato 2007 recruit).

Check it out here if you wish.

Tough times in Anchorage

2006-07-19T15:03:00.000-05:00

The second half of last season wasn't good to Alaska Anchorage (1-17-2).

The offseason is turning out to be difficult, too.

The Seawolves pulled into a second-place tie in the race to see which WCHA team will lose the most underclassmen. None of theirs have signed professional contracts, however.

Three Anchorage players now have got releases to transfer. Eric Walsky, the highest scoring forward on the team, will transfer Colorado College. Shea Hamilton will play for the Sioux.

Now, Billy Smith is looking for a new home. Smith currently is gauging interest from schools and among the possibilities is Northern Michigan.

Walsky, Hamilton and Smith aren't the only losses for the Seawolves, who fired two assistant coaches at the end of last season. Anchorage's top recruit, Erik Felde, is academically ineligible and will not play for the Seawolves this season. Felde was the sixth-leading scorer in the BCHL last season, scoring 32 goals and adding 49 assists in 61 games. Speculation is that Felde will end up choosing the major junior route.

The Seawolves are still scheduled to return seven of their top nine scorers, but the losses of Walsky, Hamilton, Smith and Felde surely will be felt in Anchorage.

UND women lose another assistant

2006-07-18T16:07:00.000-05:00

About a week after hiring one assistant coach, another announced she is leaving the UND women's hockey program.

Dawn Froats, who has been with the program for three seasons, said she has taken a position with her former high school, Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Sask. Froats said she is leaving to be closer to family and her best friend, who has battled cancer for a year.

The athletic department now will have to search for another coach.

With assistants Dennis Miller and Martin Short already on staff, rumor is that the Sioux are looking into the availability of Jerry Lewis.

Stanley Cup to hit F-M area Friday

2006-07-18T14:57:00.000-05:00

For those of you who want to get a glimpse at the Stanley Cup, it will be in Fargo on Friday.

There will be an opportunity for the public to view the Cup from 5 to 7 p.m. in the parking lot of Playmakers Sports Cafe. Kyle Richardson, a volunteer in charge of the public relations, said that he's not sure whether people will be allowed to take photos with the Cup or just to view it. If it is only going to be there for two hours, I wouldn't count on getting a photo with it.

For people who are not familiar with the location of Playmakers, it is on 25th Street South at the intersection of 7th Avenue. The easiest way to get there is to get on Interstate 94 and take the 25th Street exit. Turn north and it will be on your left side next to Big Top Bingo.

Earlier in the day, the Cup will make an appearance at the Moorhead hockey rink. That is closed to the public.

Of course, the reason for the Cup's appearance in Fargo-Moorhead is because former Moorhead High School player Matt Cullen helped the Carolina Hurricanes win it last month. Each player gets at least a day with it, and Cullen chose to bring it home.

Former Sioux defenseman Mike Commodore, one of Cullen's Carolina teammates, will be there, too.

Bruins rebuke Kessel reports

2006-07-16T13:02:00.000-05:00

According to both the Boston Herald and Boston Globe, Phil Kessel still could sign a deal with the Boston Bruins, who selected him with the No. 5 overall pick last month.

Last week, both Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Kessel informed Gophers coaches that he was returning for his sophomore season.

However, the Globe reported that Kessel's family advisors will talk with the Bruins this week and that a signing is still possible. Kessel and Boston assistant GM Jeff Gorton said they were confused by the reports out of Minneapolis.

Also...

Don't be surprised if Mankato loses a fourth underclassman early. Travis Morin, the Mavericks' leading scorer last season, played well at the Washington Capitals prospect camp last week and Washington's AHL affiliate, Hershey, is short on centers. Could Morin be more likely to choose the AHL over college hockey now that he is minus his main scoring support from last season -- David Backes (St. Louis Blues), Kyle Peto (Finland) and Ryan Carter (Anaheim)? We'll see. Besides Morin, Mankato's top returning scorer from last season is Joel Hanson, who scored just four goals.

Cities media reports Kessel is returning

2006-07-12T23:56:00.000-05:00

Both the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press are reporting that Phil Kessel will return to Minneapolis for his sophomore season.

Keeping Kessel would be a huge victory for Minnesota, which last week received word that defenseman Erik Johnson would become the first No. 1 pick to attend college after being drafted.

It also comes at a time when other WCHA teams are feeling the wrath of early departures.

Wisconsin lost its second underclassman Thursday when Joe Pavelski signed with San Jose.

Mankato lost its third underclassman this offseason when forward Ryan Carter signed with Anaheim. The Mavericks lost defenseman Kyle Peto to Europe earlier this month.

I have a feeling every WCHA coach, outside of Jamie Russell, is going to be holding his breath until school begins.

Porter has strong camp showing

2006-07-12T22:35:00.000-05:00

With UND's top two scorers from last season gone and the No. 4 scorer pondering leaving, the Sioux will undoubtedly need guys to step up and fill the voids this season.

So, news of Chris Porter's excellent performance at the Chicago Blackhawks' prospect camp is welcome for Sioux fans.

Porter, a soon-to-be senior who was drafted by Chicago in the ninth round in 2003, scored a couple of goals at the camp and made people take notice.

"I felt great," said Porter, who roomed with former UND All-American Brandon Bochenski at the camp. "This was my third time there. The first couple of times, I was going in there just to get by. This time, with my senior year coming up, I wanted to make an impression for my future -- when I'm done here. It was fun for me this year. It was a good benchmark to see where I was at compared to other guys in the organization that have been drafted."

UND forward Jonathan Toews, also at the camp, said he was impressed with Porter's performance.

"Chris did unbelievable, he was flying out there," said Toews, who was drafted No. 3 overall by the Blackhawks last month.

Porter said he is going to heavily concentrate on finishing this offseason. As a freshman, the Thunder Bay, Ont., native scored 10 goals and he added 12 as a sophomore. Last season, however, he played a different role -- on the third line -- and his production dropped (seven goals).

Porter said coaches told him they liked the way he used his speed and size, but he's looking to contribute more offensively this season.

"I'm really working hard on that this summer, so hopefully it pays off," Porter said. "Whatever my role is, I will do it the best I can. My role will probably be more offensive this season. I'd like to pump in a few more goals.

"I also have to be a leader. I'm a senior on the team and it's one last chance at a national championship. A lot of things need to fall into place this year, but I like the way our team is made up. Hopefully, the hard work during the offseason pays off."

Marto has minor operation

2006-07-12T14:48:00.000-05:00

UND recruit Jake Marto recently had a screw put in his wrist, but the defenseman said the injury will not force him to miss any ice time.

The former Grand Forks Central standout said he suffered the injury at a camp and wore a soft cast for a brief time. But he anticipates being fully recovered well before the USHL season begins.

Marto will play for the Omaha Lancers this season before coming to UND in the fall of 2007.

Words from the Windy City

2006-07-10T21:32:00.000-05:00

Jonathan Toews has completed his stint at the Chicago Blackhawks prospects camp and we'll probably find out somewhat soon whether he will sign a pro contract or return to Grand Forks for his sophomore year.

It seems that Chicago's GM has doubts about UND this season, saying that "it's going to be a struggle." That might make the Blackhawks more inclined to sign Toews, who was drafted No. 3 overall last month.

Another paper, however, took the angle that Toews' signing could wait another year.

I guess all this means is.... stay tuned.

Marvin says no to WHL

2006-07-07T14:48:00.000-05:00

Less than two weeks after being picked by the Calgary Flames in the third round of the NHL Entry Draft, Warroad High School's Aaron Marvin made a commitment to college hockey -- specifically St. Cloud State.

Recently, rumors had surfaced in Canada that Marvin could end up choosing the WHL over college hockey.

Five days after Calgary took Marvin in the draft, Red Deer traded for Marvin's WHL rights. Red Deer's coach/general manager/president is Brent Sutter, the brother of Calgary head coach/general manager Darryl Sutter.

Darryl made waves in college hockey this past year by trying to sign Gophers forward Kris Chucko during the middle of the season. Chucko ended up leaving the Gophers after the conclusion of his sophomore season, signing with the Flames.

Minnesota coach Don Lucia spoke out against Sutter's actions. "They're an organization that is not big on college hockey," Lucia told the Star Tribune. "They put Kris in a difficult situation by contacting him during the season and trying to get him to leave. That's not very professional on their part. I've never had that happen before."

Marvin, however, said there is no chance he will be taking the CHL route. He will play his senior year at Warroad, then most likely a year in the USHL before heading to St. Cloud in 2008.

Marvin said he had talks with a couple other schools, but St. Cloud State was the most aggressive and the only one to offer him a scholarship at this point.

"I'm really excited," said Marvin, who scored the game-winning, overtime goal for the Warriors in the 2005 state championship. "They're a program on the rise and I'm glad to be a part of it. They definitely wanted me and that's always nice to have."

Marvin has been a force for the Warriors the past two seasons, tallying 48 points in 31 games as a sophomore and leading the team with 30 points in 23 games as a junior.

The NHL Central Scouting Bureau report on Marvin states, "Aaron skates in an up-right manner with good balance and agility. He has a short, quick stride with power and good straight-away speed. In traffic, he is very quick, making sharp turns to elude opponents. He is a good stick-handler, who likes to carry the puck. He can beat an opponent one-on-one. He is very good at moving the puck and his passes are crisp. He has done a good job playing on the power play and killing penalties."

Marvin is the second Section 8 player that the Huskies have nabbed for the future. Moorhead's Jordy Christian picked St. Cloud State during the season. Christian is slated to join the Huskies in 2007.

Erik Johnson to play for Minnesota

2006-07-07T12:50:00.000-05:00

The No. 1 pick of the NHL Entry Draft, Erik Johnson, will not sign with the St. Louis Blues before the season begins. He will instead play for Minnesota.

Johnson will be the first player ever to play a season of college hockey after being selected No. 1.

In other NHL related news, UND forwards Jonathan Toews and Chris Porter currently are participating in the Chicago Blackhawks' prospect camp. On Thursday, both players scored goals to help Team White to a 4-2 win.

The camp ends next week, and at that point, the Blackhawks will determine whether they want to sign Toews.

Parise: RSP still alive

2006-07-06T02:15:00.000-05:00

UND goaltender Jordan Parise signed a two-year deal with the New Jersey Devils, giving up his final year of college eligibility and leaving a huge question to be answered....

What is the future of Red Seal Peach?

The band, which features Parise and forward Drew Stafford, hit it big this spring when it released an emotionally powerful ballad dedicated to teammate Erik Fabian. The duo now has taken its games -- and guitars -- to the professional level. But on Wednesday night, Parise said there is no reason for RSP fans to worry.

"We know our fans are concerned," Parise said. "But we've been through some ups and downs before. This is just a bump in the road. Drew and I are still planning on recording."

Aaron Marvin clarification

2006-07-01T14:08:00.000-05:00

Since I have gotten a couple of e-mails, I will try to clarify what happened with a story on our Web site last week.

The Associated Press did a draft preview on all the players with Minnesota ties who were expected to go high in the draft. Along with it, there was a short description of each player. The AP wrote in its description that Warroad's Aaron Marvin had signed with UND. That is incorrect.

Here's how it works: When a story moves on the AP wire, our Web site automatically picks it up. We do not place these stories on the Web site ourselves. Therefore, we have little control over the AP stories on the Herald site. Because the story was of interest to our local readers, we decided to run it in the paper, too. When I saw that the AP had wrongfully listed Marvin as a UND recruit, I changed the description of him to a "big and strong forward." However, I have no access to the AP stories that automatically move on our Web site.

That is why the story in the paper was different than that on the Web.

Marvin is still uncommitted and will probably make a verbal before his high school hockey season starts, much like Michael Forney did a year ago. I do not have much insight to share on where Marvin might go, but UND has done a fine job at nabbing top Section 8 players under Dave Hakstol (Forney, T.J. Oshie, Brian Lee, Chris VandeVelde).

Former Sioux Kallay leaves Tech

2006-06-30T13:25:00.000-05:00

Ian Kallay, a former UND player, resigned as a Michigan Tech assistant coach Friday to pursue private business interests.

Kallay had served at Michigan Tech for three seasons.

"It was a very hard decision for my wife and I to leave Michigan Tech," Kallay said. "A business opportunity has presented itself that we couldn't turn down. I have enjoyed my time here and value the relationships I have made along the way."

Head coach Jamie Russell said Kallay will be missed.

"The goal of every coach is to leave a program better than when they arrived," he said. "And Ian certainly accomplished that here. Not only was he a very good coach, but his work on the recruiting trail was crucial for the future success of this program.

"Although we are sad to lose an outstanding coach like Ian, we know that he is doing something outside of hockey that will provide the best future for him and his family."

Kallay, a Whitecourt, Alta., native, played at UND from 1995-97. He averaged more than a point per game, scoring 39 goals and adding 45 assists in 76 games.

A national search to fill the Michigan Tech coaching vacancy is underway.

Swimming with the Cup

2006-06-28T23:07:00.000-05:00

Since I haven't gotten a response from Carolina, I sent an e-mail to the NHL Hall of Fame to see if they have a schedule of the Stanley Cup's planned travels.

I've heard a few rumors about what Mike Commodore may do with the Cup. Hopefully I can get a good answer soon.

On Sunday, Commodore and Hurricanes captain Rod Brind'Amour apparently went swimming with the Cup in the Campbell River.

Interesting to say the least...

Three questions with the Panthers

2006-06-28T13:56:00.000-05:00

Just before leaving the NHL draft at General Motors Place on Saturday, I caught Florida Panthers scouting director Scott Luce for three quick questions. The Panthers traded up to select UND recruit Derrick LaPoint in the fourth round, 116th overall. LaPoint, a defenseman from Eau Claire, Wis., will play in the USHL this year and join the Sioux in 2007-08.

Talk about your decision to draft Derrick LaPoint in the fourth round.
Luce: Derrick LaPoint is a guy who came out of nowhere this season. A couple of our scouts saw him in early October and they liked him enough to call me out there right away -- just to make sure that he was what they thought. When I saw him, I said "Guys, this guy is a pretty special kid. Lets try to keep him under the wraps. Don't be talking about him." But he was such a dominant player at his level that eventually Minnesota scouts started going over to Wisconsin to watch him. By the end of the year, you knew he was going to be a draft pick. He was invited to the combine, which means he was a prospect of interest for more than one team.

What do you like about him?
Luce: He's big, athletic, and he skates very well. He's got a lot of natural hockey instincts that you can easily see when he's playing compared to the level he's playing against. He's got a lot of upside. He's a very athletic young man.

Are you surprised he dropped to you in the fourth?
Luce: We were definitely surprised. That's why we made the trade to move up and get him. We thought he'd be a third, maybe an early fourth. When he started to go a little bit longer in the fourth, we made the move.

Wisconsin's Likens arrested

2006-06-27T04:01:00.000-05:00

Wisconsin soon-to-be senior defenseman Jeff Likens was arrested over the weekend and cited for disorderly conduct and underage drinking.

According to news outlets in Wisconsin, the 20-year-old Likens crashed into a family's tent at a Country Fest campground and did not cooperate with authorities.

Badger coach Mike Eaves told the Wisconsin State Journal that Likens would face consequences, but those are undecided at this time. UND plays against the defending national champion Badgers on the second weekend of the season.

Likens was an assistant captain for Wisconsin last season. He scored one goal and added 15 assists in 41 games.

If you want to read more on the case, go here, here, and here.

THN gives draft grades

2006-06-26T22:47:00.000-05:00

The Hockey News dished out draft report cards for all 30 NHL teams today.

The magazine's analysts had good things to say about Chicago selecting UND's Jonathan Toews No. 3 overall and Atlanta grabbing recruit Michael Forney in the third.

"Toews is virtually a lock to make the NHL one day, and become a star," the report reads. "He has all the tools -- offense, defense, leadership, and there is even room to add some bulk to his 6-1 frame. In Toews, the Blackhawks know for certain that a great player is on the way, unlike most draft picks where there are some question marks."

On Atlanta taking Forney in the third, the analysts say, "Michael Forney at 80th is an absolute steal -- oodles of offensive potential, but he has yet to be truly tested. Watching him in the NCAA should be interesting."

Florida's report card does not mention Sioux recruit Derrick LaPoint and Calgary's doesn't say anything about Warroad's Aaron Marvin.

If you want to read the complete report, check it out here.

From Chicago GM Dale Tallon

2006-06-25T04:05:00.000-05:00

After the fifth round, Chicago GM Dale Tallon chatted with a couple of reporters about Jonathan Toews. Here's what he had to say:

What do you like about Toews?
Tallon: He's got everything it takes to play the game with the new rules. He competes like hell. And he's got excellent skills. He's got a wonderful personality and a great attitude.

Did you know that he was the player you were going to be taking?
Tallon: We knew we were going to get a good player. We were hopeful that we would get someone like him -- a complete player. At the end of the year, we saw him quite a bit -- at the Frozen Four, the Final Five, and the regional. He was really good and he got better, and better, and better. The World Junior was a tough tournament for him, because it's a 19-year-old tournament and he was only 17. But as the season went on, he got stronger and stronger. And I like the fact that he makes no mistakes. He plays error-free hockey. He's good in his own end, he's good in the other end, he competes and he's a winner.

Is the offensive part of his game underrated?
Tallon: Yes. He's got good moves and he's got good skill. He's a complete player, which is hard to find at that age.

Have you ever seen an 18-year-old as easy to talk to as he is?
Tallon: Our media will appreciate that, hopefully.

How hard are you going to try to sign him?
Well, we have our prospects camp on July 5th. We'll have him there for a week and we'll see how he does.

Do you think he's ready to play in the NHL?
He's smart enough, he's smart enough. It's a matter of -- he just turned 18 in April. We don't want to rush him too soon, but if he's ready, he'll play. When he's ready, he'll play.

Chicago nabs Toews at No. 3

2006-06-24T19:29:00.000-05:00

"It's pretty awesome. It's great to be here and at the top of the draft and to have a chance to be part of the Chicago Blackhawks is unbelivable."

--Jonathan Toews

Live draft updates

2006-06-24T15:03:00.000-05:00

Refresh this post throughout the day to get a quick summary of notable draft picks.

Last update: 11:33 p.m.

Top 10 picks:
1. St. Louis -- Erik Johnson, D, Minnesota recruit. Comment: No surprise here. A year ago, the Blues traded away all-star defenseman Chris Pronger. Now, they nab a player many scouts call a young Pronger.

2. Pittsburgh -- Jordan Staal, F, Petersborough. Comment: After watching his brother Eric play in the NHL this year, and his other brother Marc play in the World Juniors, how could you not want a Staal on your team?

3. Chicago -- Jonathan Toews, F, UND. Comment: So, Toews goes No. 3 to Chicago. This will obviously give some Sioux fans worries that the Blackhawks will try to sign him. If so, he will join former Sioux standout Brandon Bochenski.

4. Washington -- Nicklas Backstrom, F, Sweden. Comment: He should be able to give some help to Alexander the Great in Washington.

5. Boston -- Phil Kessel, F, Minnesota. Comment: Kessel ends up dropping to five, where the Bruins take him. Boston is another team that might be more anxious to quickly sign a draft pick.

6. Columbus -- Derick Brassard, F, Drummondville. Comment: The speedy center should help add offense to the Rick Nash-led Blue Jackets.

7. N.Y. Islanders -- Kyle Okposo, F, Minnesota recruit. Comment: Many people thought the Wild were going to have a shot at taking this Shattuck-St. Mary's product. Apparently not, though. Okposo is the second Shattuck alum taken in the top seven picks.

8. Phoenix -- Peter Mueller, F, Everett (WHL). Comment: The big forward didn't get half the applause as the guy who stepped up to the mic to announce his name (Great One).

9. Minnesota -- James Sheppard, F, Cape Breton. Comment: Minnesota takes a playmaker from the Q.

10. Florida -- Michael Frolik, F, Czech Republic. Comment: Originally projected much higher than this, but his stock fell during the season. The 2005 World Junior standout still goes in the top 10.

Players with local connections:
Jonathan Toews, UND -- Selected in the first round, No. 3 overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Carl Sneep, Brainerd -- Selected in the second round, No. 32 overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Michael Forney, UND -- Selected in the third round, No. 80 overall, by the Atlanta Thrashers.

Aaron Marvin, Warroad -- Selected in the third round, No. 89 overall, by the Calgary Flames.

Derrick LaPoint, UND recruit -- Selected in the fourth round, No. 116 overall, by the Florida Panthers.

Left undrafted...

Tysen Dowzak, Fergus Falls
Zach Jones, UND
Kai Kantola, F-M Jets
Jordan Willert, Minot
Jeremy Beller, Lake of the Woods

Draft-day deals

2006-06-24T12:37:00.000-05:00

As predicted by the writer I talked to last night, the deals for big-time players have started.

The Vancouver Canucks have sent forward Todd Bertuzzi to Florida for goaltender Roberto Luongo. The Panthers also get goaltender Alex Auld.

Also, Chris Pronger, arguably the best defenseman in the game, wants out of Edmonton. Could some team put together a deal for Pronger today? If so, maybe there will be one team that won't be looking to trade up to the No. 1 spot to take his young clone, Erik Johnson.

Words of wisdom

2006-06-23T23:19:00.000-05:00

After a four-turned-seven-hour flight from Minneapolis to Vancouver, I finally have arrived in beautiful western Canadian city. Before I could even check into my hotel, I ran into a reporter and a scout and -- of course -- started talking about the draft.

Rumors have started to spread about what teams might do. The reporter, who covers the Western Hockey League and closely follows New York Rangers prospects, said he believes there will be more draft-day trades than previous years because of the salary cap.

He said he's heard rumors about teams possibly dealing big-time stars. Obviously, it is all speculation until Saturday afternoon.

His only words of wisdom about Jonathan Toews?

"If you guys like him up in North Dakota, hope for anybody but Chicago and Boston," he said.

Draft tidbits

2006-06-23T18:54:00.000-05:00

Did you know...

UND has had a total of 123 players drafted.

UND's highest drafted forward ever is Drew Stafford (No. 13).

UND hasn't had a goaltender drafted since Toby Kvalevog was selected in the ninth round in 1993.

Since 1968, only five times has there been a draft without a UND player being selected.

The last time UND hasn't had a player selected at all was 1998.

The record for most picks in one draft is nine, which happened in 1984. Last season, seven Sioux players were picked.

From 1999 to 2004, UND has had a total of 16 draft picks. Eleven of those 16 ended up leaving school early.

From 1991 to 2004, UND has had 10 players taken in the top two rounds of the draft. All but one (Brad DeFauw) left for the pros early.

No first-round pick has ever stayed all four years at UND.

According to CBC, Jason Herter holds the distinction of being the player who took the longest to play an NHL game after being selected in the first round. Herter, a No. 8 overall pick in 1989, is UND's highest drafted player in history.

The three first-round picks UND had last year are a record.

Tomorrow's draft will likely be a historic one for UND (Jonathan Toews could be the school's highest draft pick), the state of Minnesota (Erik Johnson could be first Minnesotan to go No. 1 overall), the University of Minnesota (school could have three guys taken in the top 10) and all of college hockey (more first round picks and more top-10 picks than ever before).

Forney cleared to skate

2006-06-22T22:41:00.000-05:00

UND recruit Michael Forney, of Thief River Falls, has been cleared to resume skating.

Forney suffered an ankle fracture in April and was forced to miss the World Under-18 Championships in Sweden. He had an operation on the ankle and skated for the first time Wednesday night.

UND coach Dave Hakstol said he was pleased with Forney's progress and that he's ahead of schedule.

Forney will play at UND beginning this fall.

Although he is expected to be picked in the first or second round of Saturday's NHL draft, Forney will not be attending. He has other family commitments.

Jonathan Toews and Sioux recruit Derrick LaPoint will be in Vancouver for the draft, though, Hakstol said.

Chop the mop

2006-06-20T16:24:00.000-05:00

Mike Commodore is giving fans an opportunity to "chop the mop."

The former UND defenseman, who won the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night, is auctioning off on eBay a chance to cut his NHL-renowned afro. Proceeds will go to pediatric cancer research.

Ten people will win the chance to participate in the activity, which will be held at Generations Salon and Day Spa in Raleigh, N.C. Winners will be able to assist in the cutting, keep a lock of Commodores hair, collect autographs and hang out with the 6-foot-5 defenseman.

The Jimmy V Cancer Foundation will benefit from the auction, which closes at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Commodore, Cullen win Cup

2006-06-20T02:14:00.000-05:00

Mike Commodore became the eighth UND player to win the Stanley Cup tonight when Carolina beat Edmonton 3-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Commodore was one game away from winning it in 2004, but his Calgary Flames fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 7. This time, he and former Moorhead High star Matt Cullen helped the Hurricanes finish the job. Cullen had two assists in Game 7 and was a key player the entire series, as was Commodore.

Former UND defenseman Matt Greene came up one game short for the second straight season. Last year, he was a member of UND's runner-up team. It's safe to say that it looks like he has a very bright future in the NHL. He was a regular throughout the playoffs and didn't miss a game after the first series. The Oilers had enough confidence to put him on the ice during overtimes, too. Not bad for a 23-year-old rookie.

I will contact the Carolina media relations department and try to find out what Commodore's plans are for his day with the Cup. I will relay them as soon as I hear. I know there are many people hoping he brings it to Grand Forks. If he does not, everybody can make the trip 75 miles south to Moorhead, where Cullen surely will bring it.

Sioux players with their names on the Cup:

2006 -- Mike Commodore, Carolina Hurricanes
2000 -- Brad Bombardir, New Jersey Devils
1999 -- Rick Wilson, Dallas Stars*
1999 -- Ed Belfour, Dallas Stars
1999 -- Tony Hrkac, Dallas Stars
1999 -- Craig Ludwig, Dallas Stars
1996 -- Troy Murray, Colorado Avalanche
1992 -- Jay Caufield, Pittsburgh Penguins
1991 -- Jay Caufield, Pittsburgh Penguins
1986 -- Craig Ludwig, Montreal Canadiens
*Wilson was an assistant coach.

Goepfert likely staying at SCSU

2006-06-19T16:09:00.000-05:00

St. Cloud Times hockey writer Kevin Allenspach reported that Husky goaltender Bobby Goepfert recently met with coach Bob Motzko and told him that he was staying in school for his senior season.

The only way Goepfert would leave is if the Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick was offered the maximum rookie deal, Motzko told Allenspach. That is unlikely.

There is a unique twist in this story, though.

The NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement states that a player becomes a free agent during the summer, four years after enrolling in college. The rule is designed so that college players become a free agent a few months after completing their senior seasons.

Goepfert, who was named the first-team all-WCHA goaltender, is a transfer from Providence, though. And like all transfers, Goepfert had to sit out one season. Therefore, the four-year period is up this summer -- after his junior year.

The Penguins are contending that they still have Goepfert's rights. The NHLPA is contending that Goepfert is a free agent. Allenspach has continually tried to get clarification on this rule, but it seems that the NHL itself doesn't know exactly what the outcome will be.

If Goepfert remains property of the Penguins, I also would find it hard to believe that they will offer him the maximum rookie deal. The Penguins have one of hockey's biggest stars in Sidney Crosby, who will become a free agent in two years. At that point, Pittsburgh certainly will have to dish out a lot of money to keep Crosby.

Not to mention, Pittsburgh will look to sign 2004 No. 2 overall pick Evgeni Malkin this offseason. The Pens definitely will have to pay Malkin the maximum rookie deal. Malkin is widely considered the best player in the world not to be playing in the NHL. Pittsburgh also has 2003 No. 1 pick, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. He will become a free agent in the near future.

And don't forget that Pittsburgh has the No. 2 pick in this year's draft and will probably have to give that player the maximum deal in a year or two.

With the new salary cap in the NHL, I wouldn't expect the Pens to give Goepfert, a sixth-round pick, the max deal. But, if Goepfert becomes a free agent this summer, will there be a team out there willing to give him that deal? It is possible.

Right now, however, it looks like WCHA teams will have to contend with the star goaltender for another season.

Some more on Hunter Bishop...finally

2006-06-18T21:00:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I got a little sidetracked.

There's been a couple of Stanley Cup Finals games to watch; I'm in the process of getting my twice-a-decade dose of soccer (I don't have a fantasy European Champions League team yet, so World Cup is all I watch); and the Twins started playing watchable baseball last week.

But tonight, faced with having to watch the post-Jordan era NBA, I've been chased back to the blog.

So finally, here's more on Hunter Bishop, who committed to UND last week and will come to school this fall:

The 5-11, 180-pound forward said he planned to play a second season with Vernon (BCHL), but upon landing in Mexico for a class trip in June, Bishop noticed he had a couple of voicemails from North Dakota.

After his vacation, he got in touch with Sioux coaches, who offered him a scholarship. He made arrangements to visit UND on June 6.

Bishop, from Fairbanks, Alaska, said UND was his first and only college visit. He had offers from Northern Michigan and Alaska Fairbanks, and he was getting interest from Princeton, Mankato, Quinnipiac, Maine, Brown and Union. Mankato was looking to fly Bishop in for a visit.

Bishop said UND began talking to him in early November.

"North Dakota has been my dream school," Bishop said. "It's a beautiful college. They keep up with the grass and the parks. Everything is real close on campus, too. The business program also is something I've looked into. It's just a great program. Then when I saw the rink, that place is unbelievably nice. It's a dream to play in a rink like that. I loved every bit of my visit."

Bishop said he will work hockey schools and camps all summer, then he will arrive at UND in August.

He said he already knows a couple of UND players, including Taylor Chorney and Brian Lee. He competed with Chorney and Lee at the Select 17 tournament in the Czech Republic. Bishop also said he knows Sioux recruit Evan Trupp (Anchorage, Alaska) very well, too. "Evan is one of my best friends," he said. "I grew up playing with him. We've been really good friends for a while. He's a good guy."

Bishop said he's the type of player who likes to play with speed, something the Vernon general manager agreed with.

"I like to play with a lot of energy," Bishop said. "I played left wing and I like to come up the wall with speed and take the puck to the net. I like to be the hardest working guy on the ice, and I try to make scoring opportunities."

UND will be the fifth different place in five years for Bishop. He played high school hockey as a freshman in Fairbanks. As a sophomore, he played for the Fairbanks Ice Dogs (NAHL). The next year he went to Cedar Rapids (USHL), and last season he was with Vernon.

He said the step to UND is the most exciting.

"Believe me, this has been the most exciting week of my life," Bishop said. "It's definitely changed my life around. Now I have to get ready to play."

NHL draft news

2006-06-14T14:45:00.000-05:00

It's 10 days until the NHL draft, and coverage is starting to pick up around the country.

Jonathan Toews seems to have given conflicting quotes on whether or not he will return to UND next season. In an interview with Hockey News, Toews said: "Why not stay another year in school... even if I am ready (to play in the NHL)? It was an adjustment period for me in the first half (of the season in college). I would like to spend a whole season there, where everything is clicking and be a big part of the team and a leader."

However, he told a group of reporters in the NHL Combine: "I think for any kid, when you have that opportunity to step in, why wait? It’s been my dream to play in the National Hockey League one day regardless of who it’s with. If I am ready next year and they want me to step in and be a big part of their team, I’m all for it and I’d love to have that opportunity."

The director of NHL's Central Scouting bureau, E.J. McGuire, seems to think every player in this year's draft could use at least another year of development, including consensus first pick Erik Johnson (Gopher recruit). McGuire told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "The guys ready to step in? Not very many. Is Erik Johnson ready? Is Jordan Staal ready? I'd like to see them both play another year -- Johnson with the development team or in college, and in the case of Staal, another year of Junior. But I'm not selling tickets. I'm not the Blues' marketing director, who wants to see those players on the ice scoring goals."

..... Other items .....

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette hockey writer Dave Molinari did a Q&A, where he analyzed the top five prospects in the draft.

Sports Illustrated's Allan Muir speculated that Gopher recruit Kyle Okposo could be drafted higher than Phil Kessel. Red Line Report's Kyle Woodlief says Kessel is the top forward in the draft, however.

Lots of speculation. What will actually happen? It looks like we'll have to wait until June 24 to find out... and maybe longer than that to get a definitive answer about Toews' future in Grand Forks.

For those of you living in the Twin Cities and looking for a place to watch the draft, the Minnesota Wild are hosting a party at the Oakdale Buffalo Wild Wings on the 24th at 4:30 p.m. There will be live call-ins from Vancouver and guests Kevin Falness (Wild radio host), Mike Greenlay (Wild TV color man) and Doug Woog (former Gopher coach and current WCHA broadcaster). All fans will get "comprehensive" draft information when arriving at the party, and prizes will be given out throughout the night.

The Shea Hamilton situation

2006-06-14T02:50:00.000-05:00

Alaska Anchorage sophomore forward Shea Hamilton will transfer to UND this fall and be eligible for the 2007-08 season.

Hamilton said he was unhappy at Anchorage this season. The Winnipeg native committed to former Seawolves coach John Hill and he said his personality clashed with new coach Dave Shyiak.

Hamilton said he knew by Christmastime that this was going to be his last year in Anchorage. At the end of the season, one in which the Seawolves closed out the final three months 1-17-2, Hamilton asked for a release and it was granted to him. At that time, he faxed the release to a few schools, but UND was at the top of his list.

To his delight, UND coaches contacted him after viewing the release. He then made an official visit and committed.

"There's no doubt in my mind that North Dakota is the right place for me," Hamilton said. "I'm very excited. It's going to be a great experience for me."

Hamilton is anticipating that things will go much better in Grand Forks than they did in Anchorage. Hamilton said he sees himself as a fairly offensive player, despite his 3 goal, 4 assist total from last season.

"Those numbers aren't something I'm proud of," Hamilton said. "I don't think they show the whole story. The way our systems were, our team was in no way offensive. I think a lot of guys on that team are capable of getting 30 to 40 points in that league."

Rather, Anchorage's top overall scorers were Mark Smith and Eric Walsky (who also is looking to transfer), both of whom tallied just 15 points. The Seawolves didn't have a single 10-goal scorer last season.

By the time the second half of the season came along, Hamilton was used sparingly. He played in just two series in the final two months of the season. "Me and my coach didn't get along and he was sitting me out games," he said.

As a freshman, Hamilton played in just 19 games because of an injury, but he still led the Seawolves in power-play goals (4) and was fourth in overall goals (7).

Hamilton is ready for a new start at UND, a place only an hour and 15 minutes from his parents' home in Altona, Man. His sister also just completed school at UND.

Hamilton said he got a chance to meet a few players -- including Chris Porter, Erik Fabian and T.J. Oshie -- on his visit. He plans on living with a couple of them. He also said he is good friends with recruit Darcy Zajac and the two hang out nearly every day.

"I'm going to have to come in my first year (2007) and not make freshman mistakes," he said. "I've already gone through that. I have to come in and be an impact player."

Colontino leaving women's program

2006-06-13T22:16:00.000-05:00

Assistant women's hockey coach Paul Colontino, who has been with the program since the start, is leaving for an associate head coaching position at his alma mater, Mercyhurst.

When asked about his decision to leave, Colontino said the associate title was an important factor.

This is yet another blow to the women's program, which is coming off a 7-27-2 (2-23-2 WCHA) season and is losing its top two players, underclassmen Cami and Cara Wooster. Although only sophomores, the sisters are leaving to play with the Edmonton Chimos of the WWHL.

Their decision to leave was in part to pursue academic endeavors not available at UND, but they expressed discontent with the direction of the program.

"If the hockey part had gone better, we probably would have stayed," Cara said. "The reason we came here was hockey."

In all, UND is losing six of its top eight scorers. Melissa Dianoski, who was academically ineligible last season after finishing as the No. 3 scorer as a freshman, will not be back either. Considering the Sioux averaged just 1.67 goals per game last season, scoring figures to be a challenge come this fall. UND also lost all three of its goaltenders from last season.

With the number of players gone from last year's team in double digits, and a mainstay assistant leaving as well, Year 5 is starting to look like Year 1.

Chat with Hunter Bishop's GM

2006-06-13T18:37:00.000-05:00

UND grabbed a second commitment out of the BCHL's Vernon Vipers when left wing Hunter Bishop gave UND a verbal commitment Tuesday. The Sioux previously signed Vernon defenseman Chay Genoway.

Bishop scored 26 goals and had 33 assists in 66 games for Vernon last season. Bishop was on the USHL championship Cedar Rapids team in 2004-05, and he played for Fairbanks in the NAHL as a high school sophomore.

What kind of player is he? I asked his general manager at Vernon, Troy Mick.
Mick: He's one of the best skaters I've seen play in this league in a long time. His top-end speed is phenomenal. He is going to showcase his talents there. I think North Dakota got a great hockey player.

He put up good numbers last season, but they weren't as large as some guys like Erik Felde (Anchorage recruit).
Mick: He's going to take a bit to adjust. I was down there (Grand Forks) for the midget tournament last year and got a chance to see both games against Mankato. It took Matt Watkins, a guy who we had here, a little bit of time to adjust. There's usually an adjustment period for all players. One thing about Hunter, he will excel when he is comfortable. You have to remember that he is 18 years old and has already played three years of Junior A hockey. Our coach this year put him in every situation. He was able to kill penalties and play on the power play.

Can he be an impact player at UND?
Mick: No question. He's not going to score 50 points as a freshman, but he will excel every year he's at North Dakota. He has NHL speed. That's probably the toughest thing to do, is to get guys who can skate at that level. That's one area you won't have to worry about with Hunter Bishop. His forte is going to be speed. He may not be a huge point guy right away, but I can guarantee you he's going to be a huge asset to the team.

He sure is a well-spoken guy.
Mick: In his first year here, he was voted the fans' favorite player. He won over everybody. He does so many things in the community, his family is A-plus... he is everything you look for in a player when you are recruiting. He's a guy who works as hard off the ice as he does on the ice.

That's saying quite a bit, because Hunter says he takes pride in trying to always be the hardest-working guy on the ice.
Mick: If you had 21 guys who worked as hard as him, you'd be in the national championship every year. He's always working on his game. If he finds deficiencies in his game, he's a kid who will work on it. He wants to go to the next level. He wants to play pro hockey, and he's going to do what it takes to get there. I'll tell you a story. I went on a fishing trip to Fairbanks and I ended up staying in his room. All across the room, there aren't pictures of girls or anything like that. He has quotes from coaches and famous people saying how to make him better each day. You don't see that a whole lot with guys his age.

Being so young, does that mean he has potential to continue improving quite a bit?
Mick: He started the year all right and finished the year on fire. I think his development here last year is a big reason he's going to North Dakota. He made the all-star team last year, and he's just hitting the tip of the ice berg on what he can do. We thought he was coming back here next year, and we had him pinned as a 100-point guy. He is going to be sorely missed in this organization.

Sioux add forward

2006-06-13T13:42:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I discussed the lack of depth at forward. As expected, the Sioux have addressed that.

Vernon Vipers forward Hunter Bishop is in the process of signing a letter of intent to play hockey at UND beginning this fall. Bishop scored 26 goals and had 33 assists in 66 games for the Vipers last season.

The Fairbanks, Alaska, native is a 6 foot, 185 pound left wing who describes himself as a player who wants to be the hardest-working guy on the ice.

The 18-year-old is extremely well spoken. I'll post more from my chat with him later.

A little on Anthony Grieco

2006-06-12T01:58:00.000-05:00

While I was spending my weekend at a wedding in the major metro area that is Ortonville, Minn., news broke that UND received a commitment from goaltender Anthony Grieco of the OPJHL.

It's easy to see what this implies -- that Jordan Parise is going to sign a pro contract. It would be a curious move to bring in a 17-year-old goaltender to be a third-stringer. Grieco will provide the necessary depth at the goaltender position, assuming Parise signs.

Parise has maintained the same thing since the season ended -- that he plans on coming back, but that it's possible that things could change. Even if he knows he's going to sign, this is the smart thing for Parise to do. Just in case something falls through, he doesn't want to forfeit his NCAA eligibility. Look for him to sign sometime next month, though. If a team signs him before July 1, they will be fined as part of the new NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement, I'm told.

The situation may look like UND coaches scrambled in short order to find a goaltender to replace Parise should he leave. That's not really the case, though. The coaches had their eye on Grieco for a while. Grieco said UND coaches went to watch him play in the middle of the season (November or December), and they visited him a second time at a prospect tournament.

He made his visit to the UND campus in May and was offered a scholarship then. At that time, he told the coaches he would be coming to UND. Later, he said he signed a letter of intent, which has not been released by the university yet.

Grieco said he was considering the major junior route, but was getting interest from four NCAA schools -- UND, St. Cloud State, Union and UMass-Lowell. One of his teammates in Wellington will be going to Lowell this fall. Grieco said UND and Lowell wanted him this fall. St. Cloud State and Union wanted him for 2007. He said he wanted to play at college this season and it was a factor in his decision, as was UND's tradition and history of sending players to the pros.

Grieco describes himself as a patient goalie. "I play well in the butterfly and have sound movement," he said. "The season went really well. We made it into the second round of the playoffs and I was on the all-star team. I wasn't sure what to expect, it being my first year in the league."

He'll first come to Grand Forks in July for some training, and then he will return in August when school begins.

I'd have to double check this to make sure, but if Grieco plays in the first half of the season, I believe he will be the youngest goaltender to play for the Sioux since Aaron Schweitzer. Grieco doesn't turn 18 until November. At 6-foot-1, he will be the tallest goaltender to play at UND in some time, too.

I hope to post a chat with his coach at Wellington soon.

WJC Evaluation Camp roster

2006-06-09T10:10:00.000-05:00

USA Hockey released the 2006 World Junior National Evaluation Camp roster Thursday. Four Sioux players are among the invitees -- defensemen Taylor Chorney, Brian Lee and Zach Jones as well as incoming freshman Michael Forney, a forward from Thief River Falls.

I apologize for not posting it yesterday as promised. It seems I am unable to log in to the blog sometimes. I was getting a heavy dose of "Cannot display page" yesterday.

Anyway, the camp roster is loaded with WCHA players. The roster breakdown: 20 WCHA players, 11 CCHA, 7 Hockey East, 5 Canadian major junior, 1 ECAC and Patrick Kane, who is expected to play in the OHL next season.

Minnesota has an incredible eight players invited to camp. Along with UND's four, Wisconsin has three, Duluth two, Colorado College two and Denver one.

The large number of WCHA players goes to show how much young talent there is in the league. Expect rookies to make significant waves again this season.

Which players will make the team? UND's Chorney and Lee are pretty much locks. For Lee, he will become a rare three-year player for the national junior team. Chorney should be a repeat selection. Zach Jones didn't make the team last year, but he was considered. If he has another solid first half at UND this fall, I would expect him to also make the team.

A lot of this will depend on Minnesota recruit Erik Johnson and Michigan's Jack Johnson. Both are outstanding pro prospects and either/both could be playing in the NHL come December. Jack Johnson already turned down one offer by Carolina and said he will be staying. Of course, that could change during the summer. (Think he is regretting not signing now that he would be two games away from the Cup?) Erik Johnson is the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the draft. No college hockey player who was drafted No. 1 overall has played in college after being selected.

If the Johnsons go pro and don't play on the junior team, that will free spots up on defense and make Zach Jones an even more likely candidate to make the team.

As for Forney, he is bubble player. He was supposed to be on the gold medal U-18 team this summer, but missed the tournament in Sweden because of an injury. Maybe he'll get to play in Sweden six months later instead.

The UND players on the team will miss the Dartmouth tournament, scheduled for late December. Keep in mind you can add Jonathan Toews to the list of players missing for that tournament, as he is a virtual lock for Team Canada.

At this point, it is a bit difficult to project the roster. It seemed that USA Hockey put a lot of stock into players' performances in the first half of the season last year. Also, it remains to be seen who will be playing in the NHL come Christmastime.

But at this point, here is my projected roster:

Goaltenders (2)
Jeff Frazee, Minnesota
Jeff Zatkoff, Miami

Forwards (13)
Bill Sweatt, Colorado College
Chad Rau, Colorado College
Ryan Stoa, Minnesota
Phil Kessel, Minnesota
Kyle Okposo, Minnesota
Michael Forney, UND
Michael Gergen, Minnesota Duluth
Jack Skille, Wisconsin
Benn Ferriero, Boston College
Bobby Ryan, Owen Sound (OHL)
Nick Foligno, Sudbury (OHL)
Peter Mueller, Everett (WHL)
Patrick Kane, TBA

Defensemen (7)
Erik Johnson, Minnesota
Jack Johnson, Michigan
Mark Mitera, Michigan
Brian Lee, UND
Taylor Chorney, UND
Zach Jones, UND
Ben Strait, Boston Univ.

Business and hockey

2006-06-08T02:51:00.000-05:00

First of all, we have learned that Forum Communications Company is going to purchase the Herald. What does this mean? I don't think anybody is exactly sure at this point. Time will tell. It does set up an interesting dynamic. The Herald's two largest competitors, The Forum and WDAZ, now are under the same ownership. Kyle Johnson touched on this a bit in his story.

One thing the sale will probably mean is a new Web site for the Herald. Its current set up is part of a Knight Ridder theme, Real Cities. My speculation is that our Web site will end up looking more like the Forum's and the Bemidji Pioneer's. They are both well done.

As far as this blog is concerned, it is run out of blogspot and it is not part of Knight Ridder's site. Therefore, it should remain here.

OK, enough business talk. On to hockey.

Mankato: The sexual assault investigation against four Minnesota State University, Mankato players was dropped Wednesday. They may press charges against the woman who claimed they assaulted her.

Denver: Matt Carle was named USA Hockey's college player of the year Wednesday. Not much of a surprise there.

World Junior hockey: Within the next couple of days, USA Hockey is expected to announce the players it has selected for the 2006 World Junior evaluation camp. You can bet that the camp will be lined with Sioux players, especially on the blue line.

We should get a pretty good idea of who might be on the World Junior roster when USA Hockey releases the list of players invited to camp. I believe there were only two players on Team USA who were not present at the camp.

I'll post the list once it is released.

Recruiting: A pair of former Section 8 players made college commitments. Kyle Hardwick (Warroad) is headed to Bemidji State, and Brian McMillin (Roseau) is off to Colorado College. Also, the Gophers nabbed Grand Rapids forward Patrick White. White was the player who scored four goals against Roseau in the first round of the state tournament in March.

Stanley Cup Finals: Both Edmonton and Carolina have been down 2-0 so far this postseason. This time you get the feeling that it's over, and not just because Dwayne Roloson is out. The Hurricanes have been great all season, and once again look like the better team. The scary part is that Eric Staal hasn't even got going yet during this series.

Question for you all: If Carolina wins the Cup, who do you give the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) to?

I vote Chris Pronger. He has been incredible during the playoffs. Edmonton's penalty killing was crucial against San Jose and Anaheim. Neither of those teams could score on the power play, even with two-man advantages. Pronger was the best penalty killer on the team, playing a large amount of minutes. He's always in position. He always gets the puck out of the zone. He uses his long reach to perfection. And, oh yeah, he's the Oilers' leading scorer during the playoffs, too. Here's some more telling stats:

Edmonton plus/minus:
Chris Pronger +9
Mike Peca +4
Jason Smith +4
Shawn Horcoff +4

Edmonton time on ice:
Chris Pronger 594:23
Jaro Spacek 503:38
Jason Smith 437:13
Shawn Horcoff 424:51

Another scouting service, another view

2006-06-06T21:34:00.000-05:00

McKeen's Hockey released its final rankings for the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, ranking the top 165 players. The top 10 goes like this:
1. Erik Johnson, D, U.S. Under 18 (Minnesota recruit)
2. Nicklas Backstrom, F, Sweden
3. Jordan Staal, F, Peterborough
4. Phil Kessel, F, Univ. of Minnesota
5. Jonathan Toews, F, Univ. of North Dakota
6. Derick Brassard, F, Drummondville
7. Kyle Okposo, F, Des Moines (Minnesota recruit)
8. Peter Mueller, F, Everett
9. Bryan Little, F, Barrie
10. Jiri Tlusty, F, Kladno

Other nobles are:
30. Michael Forney, F, Thief River Falls (UND recruit)
59. Derrick LaPoint, D, Eau Claire (UND recruit)
117. Aaron Marvin, F, Warroad (uncommitted)
128. Kai Kantola, F, F-M Jets (Bowling Green recruit)
158. Zach Jones, D, Univ. of North Dakota

The NHL is hosting Toews, Kessel, Johnson, Brassard and Staal in Edmonton for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The draft will take place June 24 in Vancouver.

Matt Greene's college choice

2006-06-04T14:38:00.000-05:00

In addition to what was printed in the Herald story, Matt Greene's dad Jim had an interesting story about Matt's college choice.

Greene's hometown of Grand Ledge, Mich., is about 15 miles from the campus of Michigan State, where his mom Darcy teaches at the School of Journalism. Matt grew up a Spartans fan. He often attended games and he looked up to all the players, Jim said. It was his dream school.

Matt was set on going to school at Michigan State.

But in October of 2001 -- while Greene was playing for the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL -- Michigan State's plans for Matt had changed. After offering him a scholarship, they called him and told him they were going in another direction.

At the time, it was disappointing for the Greenes. Matt figured he was going to be able to play at his dream school. His parents figured they were going to be able to drive down the street to watch him play college hockey. Jim said that in the end, it worked out for the best.

After Michigan State told Greene they were going in a different direction, Green Bay assistant coach Ian Kallay (a former UND player and current Michigan Tech assistant) got on the phone and called UND.

Upon hearing this, UND assistant Brad Berry attended Greene's very next home game. Berry told Greene that Dave Hakstol (an assistant at the time) would be going to watch a game in Chicago on Halloween night. Hakstol attended that game and told Matt afterward that he was prepared to offer him a scholarship.

Jim said that UND ended up being the perfect place for Matt.

"Matthew loved his experience at UND," Jim said. "He loved the community, he loved the coaches... everything was perfect. It was the happiest three years of his life. We are convinced that Matt wouldn't be where he is today if it wasn't for Dean Blais, Dave Hakstol, Brad Berry and Cary Eades. Matt just thinks the world of those guys. It couldn't have worked out any better."

After his junior year, it was evident that it was time to move on for Greene. He was ready for the NHL. Jim said that everyone seemed to be sure of this except for Matt himself.

"It was hard for him. He still had some twinges about it. He just felt incredibly supported by the community and the university. The program is so important to him and will be for the rest of his life. He'll always be part of the Sioux family," Jim said.

He also said that Matt still thinks about 2005 national championship game, which UND lost to Denver 4-1. "That still haunts him," Jim said.

Even though Matt wasn't on the team this season, Jim still made trips to see UND play, too. He went to the WCHA Final Five in St. Paul and the NCAA Frozen Four in Milwaukee.

Despite not getting what he originally wanted -- a spot at Michigan State -- the Greenes were happy with how things worked out.

I'm sure it's safe to say UND is too.

NHL Combine news (updated)

2006-06-02T12:50:00.000-05:00

TSN reported that Sioux forward Jonathan Toews struggled with some physical tests at the NHL Combine this morning in Toronto, but added that it shouldn't hurt his draft status. The report said:

"Jonathan Toews struggled in the anaerobic portion of the physical testing. The North Dakota forward threw up after his stint on the stationary bike and his bench press was well below median. But as stressed earlier by Central Scouting, the physical test is only one component. Anyone who has seen Toews on the ice (with the Fighting Sioux and the 2006 Canadian World Junior team) knows his potential as a top three selection."

Earlier in the story, Central Scouting director E.J. McGuire is quoted as saying there is a push to add an on-ice component to the combine, which it currently lacks. "The physical testing doesn't affect a player's draft ranking. It gives teams a look at how he looks and how he may look in a couple of seasons," McGuire told TSN.

Update: TSN reported that stationary bike handed Minnesota forward Phil Kessel the same fate as Toews. Speculation is that the NCAA players have fared worse in the endurance testing because their season has been over for two months now. Some other prospects played into late May. As McGuire said, this shouldn't affect the draft status of either Toews or Kessel, who are likely top five picks.

TSN posted an interview with Toews at the NHL Combine here. Look on the right side of the page.

Greene vs. Commodore for the Cup

2006-06-02T03:51:00.000-05:00

As coach Dave Hakstol puts it, "They're both character guys and they're both characters."

Two of UND's most affable big men -- Mike Commodore and Matt Greene -- will be battling each other for the Stanley Cup beginning Monday.

Commodore scored the opening goal Thursday night and helped the Carolina Hurricanes win Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals 4-2 over Buffalo. It's the second consecutive season Commodore will play for the Cup. In 2004, his Calgary Flames lost in seven games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Before the Buffalo series, Commodore said he was particularly excited about the possibility of playing against the Oilers for the Stanley Cup. Commodore's hometown of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., is minutes away from Edmonton.

"I'll be blocking shots with my face," he said.

Commodore and Greene never played together at UND, but they do know each other. Commodore said they hung out during summers in Grand Forks.

One of them will become the eighth UND player to have his name engraved on the Cup. Here is the complete list of UND Stanley Cup winners:

2000 -- Brad Bombardir, New Jersey Devils
1999 -- Rick Wilson, Dallas Stars*
1999 -- Ed Belfour, Dallas Stars
1999 -- Tony Hrkac, Dallas Stars
1999 -- Craig Ludwig, Dallas Stars
1996 -- Troy Murray, Colorado Avalanche
1992 -- Jay Caufield, Pittsburgh Penguins
1991 -- Jay Caufield, Pittsburgh Penguins
1986 -- Craig Ludwig, Montreal Canadiens
*Wilson was an assistant coach. (Thanks to Virg Foss for pointing this out.)

Roster takes shape

2006-06-01T01:46:00.000-05:00

While the Sioux wait to see if goalie Jordan Parise will sign a pro deal, the rest of the 2006-07 roster is starting to take shape. Coach Dave Hakstol said Thief River Falls standout Michael Forney will come to UND this fall and recruit Evan Trupp probably won't. Trupp suffered a shoulder injury in the BCHL playoffs, a large factor in him likely going back to Penticton.

As it stands, three Sioux commitments are expected to play juniors this season -- Trupp (forward), Jake Marto (defenseman) and Derrick LaPoint (defenseman).

Coming this fall are forwards Forney, Chris VandeVelde and Darcy Zajac and defenseman Chay Genoway.

This gives UND 14 forwards and 8 defensemen. I'm tallying Scott Foyt as a forward, where I anticipate he will get most of his work this season because the Sioux have less depth there. Genoway also gives the Sioux flexibility, as he played forward when he was at Shattuck-St. Mary's. If they get short on forwards, moving Genoway up front seems logical.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Sioux signed another forward this summer. Having just two guys for depth might be a little bit of a concern, especially when three forwards (Erik Fabian, Brad Miller and Forney) have had pretty major operations in the past 16 months.

You have to figure they will lose Jonathan Toews for the World Junior tournament and Forney also is an outside possibility for Team USA. They won't be able to move Genoway up to forward during WJC either, because Brian Lee and Taylor Chorney are virtual locks to make the team. Defenseman Zach Jones nearly made it last year and is eligible again this season, as is Joe Finley.

Here's my take on the team of skaters/lines the Sioux could put on the ice this fall:

Ryan Duncan--Jonathan Toews--Michael Forney
Andrew Kozek--T.J. Oshie--Chris Porter
Erik Fabian--Rylan Kaip--Matt Watkins
Chris VandeVelde--Darcy Zajac--Brad Miller

Depth: Ryan Martens, Scott Foyt

Brian Lee--Taylor Chorney
Joe Finley--Kyle Radke
Zach Jones--Robbie Bina/Chay Genoway

Depth: Todd Alexander

I feel that Lee, Chorney, Finley, Radke and Jones all secured spots with their play on the blue line last season. It definitely will be a battle for that sixth spot in the lineup each night.

Obviously the forward lines will change throughout the season. They always do. Here's why I projected what I did.

Duncan--Toews--Forney: A big question is whether Forney can step into a scoring-line role. I have him playing Drew Stafford's role from a year ago -- a power forward to complement Toews and Duncan. Forney has good size and was easily able to push opponents off the puck in high school. He won't be able to do that as easily in college, but with his big frame he still is a prototypical power forward. I've heard some concern about his health holding up because of the injuries he suffered during his senior season. My response: In high school, he was the target of every opponent. Playing on a line with Duncan and Toews, he won't be.

Kozek--Oshie--Porter: Oshie is going to score points, and so will whoever plays with him. Kozek is ready to have a breakout year and could score 15 goals. Porter has proven he can play a physical game, and he's put together three solid seasons on the scoresheet, too. If Watkins proves he can be a consistent scorer, Porter may be moved to the third line again, where he excelled last season. If you put Porter there, you have a checking line with three players capable of putting up 15-20 points.

Fabian--Kaip--Watkins: Has anyone seen Fabian give 99 percent during a shift? He will set the tone and Kaip and Watkins will follow. All three of these guys work incredibly hard every shift. Kaip was very good at the end of last year, even before he started to get the goals to fall. Watkins quietly had a good season. This line can provide a physical presence and is extremely capable of chipping in offense consistently. They are everything you want out of your checking line.

VandeVelde--Zajac--Miller: After falling behind because of a shoulder injury, Miller was a regular by the time UND made the Frozen Four. Zajac is said to be a little bit grittier than Travis was, but he still put up marvelous numbers in the BCHL. VandeVelde came on strong at the end of the season in the USHL. That's a fourth line with definite offensive ability.

What sort of lines do you all envision? Do you like what you see?

Commie's take on early departures

2006-05-30T23:10:00.000-05:00

The number of players leaving college early look like they are spiking this offseason. UND has lost four already -- the most in more than a decade. Minnesota has lost three. Denver, Mankato and Wisconsin also have lost underclassmen, making it a hot topic around the WCHA.

When I talked to Mike Commodore a couple of weeks ago, I got his take on it. He still follows college hockey and UND closely, even though he's busy with his season. He easily rapped off every player that had signed and even knew Rastislav Spirko was engaged to a Slovakian girl.

Commodore left UND after his junior season (1999-2000) to sign with New Jersey. Looking back at his move, Commodore said he would have liked to stay.

"I'll be honest, I wanted to stay for my senior year. I loved being at UND and I wanted to stay there. But it basically came down to money for me. The way it was set up back then, if I stayed, I would have had no leverage in negotiating my contract the next year. I know it sounds greedy, but I left for purely financial reasons. Winning the national title (in 2000) helped, too. I really wanted to win a national title.

"It was one of the toughest decisions I've ever had to make. I wanted to stay, my heart said stay. But my head said I've got to go. New Jersey didn't put a lot of pressure on me and neither did (then-coach) Dean Blais. I just had to make my decision by a certain day.

"I know it's tough for the university to have guys leaving after their second and third years, and I don't know how you correct that. But when guys are getting signing bonuses close to a million dollars, it's tough to turn down. Mine wasn't half of that but...

"If you are offered a great deal, it's tough to turn down. If you could be guaranteed that same contract a year later, then I think guys would stay... but you aren't."

Combine, firings and a lost recruit

2006-05-24T01:18:00.000-05:00

I apologize for the delay in updating.

In the meantime, there have been a few WCHA notes to pass along.

**The NHL has invited 115 prospects to the 2006 NHL Draft Combine, to be held in Toronto from May 30 to June 3.

Sioux forward Jonathan Toews and recruits Michael Forney (Thief River Falls) and Derrick LaPoint (Eau Claire, Wis.) are among the invitees. Also invited is Warroad High School forward Aaron Marvin.

**Alaska Anchorage coach Dave Shyiak dismissed two of his assistants earlier this month. The assistant coaches, both former players, expressed their dismay in how the situation was handled to the Anchorage Daily News. According to the article, UAA has an odd policy that new coaches must maintain old assistants from the previous regime for at least a year. Shyiak took over for John Hill, who left to be an assistant at Minnesota.

**Wisconsin has been stockpiling top-end recruits for several seasons down the road. It appears the Badgers might lose their best one for 2007, though. Several news agencies have reported that Sam Gagner will sign with London of the Ontario Hockey League instead of going to Wisconsin. Gagner, the son of former Minnesota North Star Dave Gagner, is projected to be a first round pick in the 2007 NHL draft. It was considered a steal for the Badgers to nab Gagner from the OHL in the first place.

Robe update

2006-05-19T14:19:00.000-05:00

I just found out that Don Cherry will be wearing the robe and red wig tonight (Friday) on Coaches' Corner. The fashion was made popular by former UND defenseman Mike Commodore, who has a red afro and wears a robe around the Carolina Hurricanes locker room before games.

Check it out on CBC. It should be quite a sight.

The NHL's Frozen Four

2006-05-18T20:36:00.000-05:00

Former UND defensemen Matt Greene and Mike Commodore will compete in the NHL conference finals beginning this weekend. Greene, a rookie defenseman for the Edmonton Oilers, has been seeing more ice time as the playoffs have progressed.

Commodore, a Carolina Hurricanes fan favorite, was featured on an NHL.com chat today. One fan asked Commodore: "Do you have any interests outside hockey? If you weren't a hockey player, you'd be a ...?"

Commodore responded: "I like baseball and I enjoy golf. I read a lot of books. If I had to pick a school subject, I'd pick math. If I wasn't a hockey player, I'd like to be a lifelong college student at the University of North Dakota. I had a great time there."

For those of you living in Grand Forks, Canada or if you have access to CBC, you'll have to check out Coaches' Corner with Don Cherry on Saturday. The borderline out-of-control host made a bet before the Carolina-New Jersey series that if the Hurricanes won, he would wear a Mike Commodore robe on the set, instead of one of his brilliant suits.

Carolina's first game since winning that series is Saturday at 1 p.m. against Buffalo, so I would assume that is when he will don the robe. Commodore has popularized the robe in Carolina, as he wears it around the locker room before games.

Chat with Chay Genoway

2006-05-15T14:52:00.000-05:00

Chay Genoway, the former Shattuck-St. Mary's player and younger brother of former Sioux standout Colby Genoway, will be added into the defensive mix this fall. The 5-foot-9, 170 pounder from Swan River, Man., recently completed a season in the British Columbia Hockey League. The offensive-minded defenseman scored 17 goals and added 32 assists in 56 games for the Vernon Vipers. Sioux coach Dave Hakstol calls Genoway "a fiery competitor, who will add a lot to the team."

How did your first season in the BCHL go?
It went real good. I came back to defense, and as the year went along, I became more and more comfortable. By the end of the year, I was out there every other shift.

You have played both forward and defense in your career. How much and when did you play each position?
I played forward both years at Shattuck, and I played forward the year before I went there. I played defense my whole life before that.

Which position do you feel better suits you?
Definitely defense. I made the transition back there this season and I felt comfortable. I really understand the game from back there -- the play is in front of me. I also think I can create more back there. I'm fairly offensively minded, I guess, but come playoff time I matched up with other teams' top lines and sacrificed a lot of the offensive stuff.

Because of your experience at both forward and defense, it has led many people to think that you might play both positions at UND, like Lee Marvin has for the past four seasons.
I'm shooting to play defense, but whatever the coaches ask me to do, I will do it.

The stereotype of UND defensemen is that they are real big, real strong and real physical. You don't fit into that mold.
Every team needs different types of players. I think with the rules changes in the game, it makes more room for smaller defensemen like myself. But I don't want to be seen as just an offensive defenseman. I want to do it all. You have to do it all.

UND has sent a number of defensemen to the pros in recent seasons, and the coaches have done a good job developing blue liners. Did this factor into your decision in choosing UND?
Absolutely. Brad Berry works with the defensemen and he knows a lot about the defensive part of the game. I'm excited to learn from him.

What are your expectations for next season?
I know the jump is going to be a big challenge. I'm excited to play with a bunch of good players and I know that every week in practice it is going to be a battle just to play on the weekend.

You've played against two future teammates, Darcy Zajac and Evan Trupp, in the BCHL this season. What can you tell me about those players?
I hear a lot of people say that Darcy is a grinder. And yeah, he does play with a bit of an edge, but he'll put up some good numbers. He centered (Salmon Arm's) top line all year and he put up big numbers. He's not afraid to stick his nose in, either. Trupp is a heckuva hockey player. He's not gifted with great size, but you can never catch him and he sees the ice so well.

Grand Forks won't be a strange place for you, as you roomed with Jonathan Toews and Ryan Duncan at Shattuck, and you saw games at Engelstad Arena when your brother played.
I was around there a lot. I've watched enough games in that rink to where I understand the history and what it's all about. I'm excited to get there and hang around The Ralph.

Hall of Fame closed

2006-05-12T20:50:00.000-05:00

The board of directors announced today that the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minn., will be closed.

This comes as disappointing news to me, as my family comes from the area and I know what a great hockey community it is.

There are a number of places in America that make the claim as "Hockeytown." Eveleth is as worthy of that title as any town in the country. It's hockey history is incredible. The town of fewer than 4,000 has produced many greats, including:

John Mayasich, a guy many people consider to be the best American-born hockey player ever. Mayasich turned down many offers to play in the NHL, and he won an Olympic gold medal in 1960. If you look through the Minnesota state high school hockey program (which featured Eveleth on the cover this year by the way), you will find Mayasich's name plastered all over the record book.
John Mariucci, the man who the University of Minnesota's hockey arena is named after. He was an All-America selection at Minnesota, and an NHLer. He also coached the Gophers, starting the tradition of recruiting Minnesotans. He's credited with helping high school hockey grow in Minnesota, too.
John Matchefts, a Hall of Famer and Olympic silver medal winner in 1956.
Doug Palazzari, a player, coach and administrator. He served as the USA Hockey executive director and is a Hall of Famer.
Oscar Almquist, the longtime Roseau High School coach and Hall of Famer.
Serge Gambucci, a hockey legend in Grand Forks. Gambucci, also a Hall of Famer, actually is an Eveleth native.
Mark Pavelich, the man who assisted on the most famous goal in U.S. hockey history.

The people in the town love hockey and are proud of its history. The Hall of Fame was a source of pride for the area, which also boasts the world's largest hockey stick.

But the truth is that the area is too small to efficiently support such a venue. The nearest "city" is Hibbing, which isn't even half the size of Grand Forks. Besides Lake Vermillion, the area doesn't get many tourists, either. It hardly has traffic going through it. And everyone living in the area has been to the Hall of Fame many times, which leaves the shrine empty.

There was talk of moving the Hall of Fame a few years ago. It now is a reality.

The next question is where will they move it? Word around Eveleth a few years back was that they were looking at moving it out east. I hope this does not happen.

The names of most inductees mean nothing to people out there. How many Philadelphians can tell you who Henry Boucha is? Are the Christians and Brotens going to draw in crowds in Boston?

Minneapolis, Duluth or even Grand Forks seem like more sensible options. If the New Horizons Decade group makes way in building a National Collegiate Hockey Hall of Fame in Grand Forks, would it be feasible for them to make an attempt at Eveleth's Hall of Fame, too?

Chat with Jake Marto

2006-05-11T12:50:00.000-05:00

Former Grand Forks Central standout Jake Marto just completed his first season in the United States Hockey League. Marto, a former Mr. Hockey winner, is planning to go back to Omaha this fall for one more season. Then, he will play at UND. Marto, a 6-0, 170-pound defenseman, scored one goal and added 21 assists in 54 games for the Lancers this season.

How did you feel your season went?
It really went well. It was a good experience to play at that level. I knew it was a great league to play in.

What was the biggest adjustment you had to make?
Speed and strength. Everybody seemed to be strong on the puck. I couldn't just push people off like in high school.

You were kind of a free-roamer in high school, jumping into the play and carrying the puck deep in the offensive zone consistently. Did you have to cut back on that in the USHL?
A little bit. Omaha develops really good defensemen offensively. You can rush the play and stuff. We're always working on stuff like that in practice. I still jump into the play, but I cut down a little from high school.

Were you still able to use your speed and skating as a weapon?
Definitely. Down there, the speed of the game is a lot higher. Not being the biggest guy, I had to elevate my level.

The second-leading scorer on your team was a defenseman, Nick Schaus.
He's usually my D-partner. He's a good player. He's been there for four years and will play at UMass-Lowell next season. It was a good learning experience to play with him.

Have you gotten bigger?
Yeah, a little bit. I came to Omaha at 160. Now, I'm at about 170. This summer will be big for me. I'll be doing a lot of lifting. During the season, I lifted two or three times a week -- just stuff that keeps you strong -- not the heavy lifting I'll be doing this summer.

What things do you want to work on next season?
I'll be working on my D-zone coverage, getting stronger in the D-zone. In high school, it wasn't as hard to defend people. (In the USHL), you really have to stay with your guy.

Were you able to follow UND's season at all?
Not really. You don't get much down here. It's basically UNO (University of Nebraska-Omaha), and that's it.

Holy fanbase

2006-05-09T22:34:00.000-05:00

Do UND fans hate the Gophers more than they like the Sioux?

After upsetting Minnesota in the first round of the NCAA tournament, Holy Cross auctioned off 16 game-worn jerseys (the Holy Cross seniors kept theirs) from the West Regional for $200 a piece. Quickly, Sioux fans snatched up all 16 of them. The jerseys will be signed and the money will go to a Worcester, Mass., charity at the direction of Holy Cross coach Paul Pearl.

At the same time, the UND athletic department has posted an auction of game-worn Sioux road jerseys for the same price, $200 a piece. There are still 10 Sioux jerseys that haven't been bid on yet.

I know the logical explanation is that Sioux fans are taking the opportunity to own part of history, as the Holy Cross upset was the first time a No. 4 seed beat a No. 1 seed. But still, it is something to think about.

Also, more than 6,500 people have downloaded a 10-minute audio highlight clip of the Holy Cross-Minnesota game, put together by Holy Cross' student radio station, WCHC. The clip was featured on radio stations in at least six states, and the call of the overtime game winner was featured on ESPN Radio's Dan Patrick Show as the "Homer Call of the Week."

People at the radio station credited UND fans for helping to popularize the clip.

On another note...

In the NHL playoffs, former UND standouts Zach Parise and Mike Commodore hooked up for a go-ahead goal with 20 seconds left in regulation Monday night. Commodore, a Carolina defenseman, accidentally deflected the shot of New Jersey forward Parise into his own net. Incredibly, however, Commodore's Hurricanes tied the game with three seconds left and won it in overtime to take a 2-0 series lead.

Want to make a quick buck?

Try this trivia question on your friends:

Which NHLer, who played college hockey in North Dakota, has scored the most points during this season's NHL playoffs? (For the answer, click comments.)

Effects of the defects

2006-05-04T15:25:00.000-05:00

How will the Sioux survive the early departures of Drew Stafford, Travis Zajac and Matt Smaby?

All three players were outstanding, well-rounded talents, which is why they now are pros. They produced offense and were also very good in areas that didn't show up on the scoresheet. They will leave holes in the offense, defense, power play and penalty kill.

Can UND effectively fill those voids?

The talent will still be there. Everyone marveled at the fact that UND had five first-round draft picks and 11 total picks on its team last season.

Even with the losses, the Sioux still could have five first rounders come the fall. T.J. Oshie, Brian Lee and Joe Finley all will return and Jonathan Toews is a lock to go in the first. Recruit Michael Forney also could go in the top round this summer.

In all, there will probably be 12 draft picks on the UND roster, one more than the team that preceeded it.

Plus, forwards Rastislav Spirko and Ryan Duncan both tallied more than 30 points this season. Neither are on that list of draft picks because of their size.

Who will step up?

Without Stafford and Zajac manning the top lines, the Sioux will look for other players to step up and fill those important roles.

"Two players who come to mind right away are Andrew Kozek and Matt Watkins," UND coach Dave Hakstol said. "Those are two guys who are going to have great opportunities to play expanded roles. They are guys who are very capable of playing much larger roles."

Kozek and Watkins didn't play on UND's top two lines during their freshman seasons, as they were asked to play other roles. Now, it may be time for more of a scoring role.

Kozek, who scored seven goals and added six assists, was a dominant scorer in the British Columbia Hockey League. He finished second in the league in scoring prior to coming to UND.

One BCHL coach told me that in the league's playoffs, his team focused a gameplan around slowing down Kozek, but they were unable to control him. I would expect that he will be a strong candidate to fill one of the openings on the power play. Kozek did get some time on the unit this season, although not much.

Of course, there will still be loads of offensive talent to join him on the power play, including 30-point scorers Oshie, Toews, Duncan and Spirko (if he returns). Lee, Taylor Chorney and Kyle Radke also give the Sioux threats from the blue line.

On the penalty kill, the Sioux will be without mainstays Stafford, Zajac, Smaby and outgoing senior Mike Prpich.

I would expect to see Spirko, Chris Porter and Erik Fabian to be key forwards on the penalty kill, and Zach Jones and Chorney on the blue line. All five of those players had expanded penalty killing roles last season. Watkins seems like a strong possibility to kill penalties, too, with his speed and tenacity.

So, how are the players taking the early losses? Hakstol said they have begun to prepare for next season and he senses a lot of excitement for it.

"We fully turned our focus toward next year," Hakstol said. "We're looking forward to having a great summer. And I know, to a man, everyone is excited to get back here in the fall."

Stafford becomes a Sabre

2006-05-04T02:04:00.000-05:00

I don’t think anybody was too surprised to see Drew Stafford sign a pro deal Wednesday. Stafford put together good season and developed a strong all-around game.

He led one of the most explosive teams in the country in scoring. He showed a quick, accurate wrist shot. He developed a great one-timer. He was a key component of the power play. He was one of the team’s best penalty killers.

He could score, pass, work in the corners and throw his body around.

There’s no way Buffalo could let him go unsigned and risk losing him next summer, when he would have become a free agent. Stafford is a versatile player who the Sabres can use however they want -- as a scorer or as a checker. He’s proven he can play both roles effectively.

When I talked to Stafford on Wednesday morning, he sounded beat. That’s to be expected, though, when a 20-year-old is named to Team USA’s World Championship squad, rearranges finals and finishes classes, flys to Buffalo to work on a contract, flys to Latvia to participate in the tournament, plays an exhibition game (in which he scored a goal) and signs a pro deal -- all in a week.

The knock Stafford heard throughout his career was that he wasn’t consistent. This season, he did a good job quieting his critics. Stafford finished in the top 10 nationally in goals. He played a key role in getting the Sioux to the Frozen Four by scoring 15 points in his last 10 games of the season.

Stafford played through a knee injury in the West Regional and even scored a shorthanded goal to break Michigan’s back in the first round game.

His play late in the season earned praise from coach Dave Hakstol, who called Stafford a leader in a lot of ways.

Teammate Ryan Duncan echoed that sentiment. Upon winning the WCHA Final Five, Duncan explained to the media how Stafford and Erik Fabian spent time in the locker room before each game to help the team get ready -- even though both players were out with injuries. “Drew and Erik have been great leaders for us,” Duncan said.

I always was amazed at how little attention Stafford received for the rare talent he possesses. He became UND’s fourth-highest drafted player ever in 2004, but he wasn’t talked about nearly as much as Zach Parise or Brady Murray. Maybe Sioux fans were starting to get accustomed to all the high-end players UND was bringing in.

But if everyone knew in 2003 that the 17-year-old youngster from Shattuck-St. Mary’s would leave UND after three years just five career points behind Lee Goren and Bryan Lundbohm, would Stafford have generated a few more conversations?

Trupp to have surgery

2006-05-02T01:30:00.000-05:00

UND recruit Evan Trupp will have surgery on his shoulder, which he dislocated during the British Columbia Hockey League championship series. The date of the surgery will be determined later this week.

"We're trying to get it done quickly," Trupp said. "The doctors said the rehab will take two to three months."

The 5-foot-9, 151 pound forward suffered the injury after getting tripped by a defenseman's stick in Game 2 against Burnaby. In his words: "I came into the zone and I was cutting across, and the D-man stuck his stick out. I tripped over it and my shoulder popped out."

He came back and played with the dislocated shoulder in Game 6 of the series, even though his coach said he probably shouldn't have. Trupp's Penticton team lost the series 4-2.

Trupp said he hasn't decided if he will play one more season with Penticton, or if he will come to UND in the fall. The injury will not affect his decision, though.

About Trupp

When I talk to BCHL people, they all are quick to bring up Trupp's outstanding vision.

"He can think two plays ahead of anyone else on the ice," Penticton coach Bruno Campese said. "He's very skilled."

He was named Interior Conference rookie of the year and he led the BCHL in rookie scoring (29G, 50A -- 79P).

Dave Hakstol and the coaching staff seems to have, once again, recruited a proven winner in Trupp. He won state titles at Service High School in Anchorage, Alaska, as a freshman and a sophomore. As a junior, he won a state title with South High School. So, losing in the BCHL championship series was something new for Trupp. Still, he said he's happy he decided to play Junior A hockey instead of a fourth year in high school.

"There was a change, for sure," he said. "It was more physical and the pace was faster. I thought I played well, though, just making that step from high school to Junior A."

Team USA part 1

2006-04-27T00:50:00.000-05:00

USA Hockey just released part of the American roster for the 2006 World Championships in Riga, Latvia. The rest of the roster will be released after the first round of the NHL playoffs. Then, the Americans will add players from teams that have been eliminated.

UND's Drew Stafford is the only collegiate player on the roster, so far. He also is the youngest. Another notable is Moorhead, Minn., native Mark Cullen, who played at Colorado College.

Here is the portion of the roster USA Hockey released:

Goalies
31 Craig Anderson, Chicago Blackhawks
33 Jason Bacashihua, St. Louis Blues

Defensemen
41 Andrew Alberts, Boston Bruins
6 Joe Corvo, Los Angeles Kings
25 Hal Gill, Boston Bruins
44 Brooks Orpik, Pittsburgh Penguins

Forwards
23 Dustin Brown, Los Angeles Kings
8 Mark Cullen, Chicago Blackhawks
9 Andy Hilbert, Pittsburgh Penguins
17 Ryan Kesler, Vancouver Canucks
12 Ryan Malone, Pittsburgh Penguins
18 Richard Park, Vancouver Canucks
11 Marty Reasoner, Boston Bruins
16 Jim Slater, Atlanta Thrashers
19 Drew Stafford, UND Fighting Sioux

*************************

Former Sioux players made big impacts in the NHL playoffs last night. In case you missed it, Mike Commodore (97-00) assisted on Carolina's game-tying goal in the third period against Montreal. Carolina went on to win 2-1 in overtime, cutting Montreal's series lead to 2-1.

In Madison Square Garden, the New Jersey Devils won their 14th straight game and took a 3-0 series lead over the New York Rangers. Zach Parise (02-04) scored his first-career playoff goal by tipping a Brian Gionta shot past Ranger goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. Parise's line completed a hard-working shift to keep the puck in the zone, and Parise was rewarded for going to the net. Earlier in the game, David Hale (00-03) put together a series of good plays and was rewarded with an assist. Hale took a Ranger forward to the ice behind the net, then broke up a centering pass and sent Jamie Langenbrunner and Patrik Elias down the ice. Elias finished it off. Hale has played in the last two games for New Jersey, as tough-guy Colin White has a groin injury. Hale will have to continue his strong play in order to keep a spot when White is available.

In the AHL playoffs, Colby Genoway (02-05) is tearing it up. He has nine points in Hartford's last three games, including a five-point night. His team is one game away from elimination, though.

Welcome to Sioux Hockey Extra

2006-04-26T16:34:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Grand Forks Herald's new Sioux hockey blog.

The blog is a more interactive and less formal way for fans to get extra news and commentary on the Sioux, WCHA, college hockey and even some area high school hockey.

I began covering Sioux hockey in the fall of 2005, and I quickly learned that I always have more information than allotted space for my stories. The blog is a perfect way to remedy that.

I plan to use it as a better way to cover things that don't get in the paper, including notes on current players, former players and incoming players. Check back often and I hope you enjoy.