Best college hockey team.

[cbrooks]

Whats the best college hockey team ever. I would say the best UND team is the 86-87 team. Here's an article by Virg Foss on how this years team measure up with some of UND's other teams.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/198843/

[Steve Foss]

Quote:

By: Virg Foss, Grand Forks Herald

Mirror, mirror on the wall,

Which is the greatest Sioux team of all?

It’s a debate without a winner, a question without an answer.

It’s a topic of discussion I’m hearing around Grand Forks these days. As this edition of the UND Fighting Sioux hockey team enters Frozen Four week in search of the school’s eighth national title, where does it stand among the school’s greatest?

In my book, a team has to win a national championship to even be considered. As amazing, focused, talented and deep as this team is, it’s two wins away from doing that. Let them get there, then we can rank them.

Personally, I consider the 1981-82 and the 1986-87 Sioux, both coached by Gino Gasparini, as UND’s two greatest teams.

The 1982 Sioux, with 12 players who went on to play in the NHL, took an unlikely path to the championship.

Already assured of a berth in the national tournament, UND lost a two-game, total goals series by a shocking 12-1 total in Grand Forks to Wisconsin.

Two weeks later, the Sioux beat Wisconsin 5-2 in Providence, R.I., in the NCAA title game, behind a hat trick from tournament Most Outstanding Player Phil Sykes.

That team finished with a 35-12 record. Off that team, Jim Archibald, Dan Brennan, Jon Casey, Dave Donnelly, Darren Jensen, Craig Ludwig, Troy Murray, James Patrick, Gord Sherven, Phil Sykes, Dave Tippett and Rick Zombo went on to play in the NHL.

Of UND’s seven national championship team, none have put more players into the NHL. No other team came close to the durability of this crew, either. In Patrick, Ludwig and Murray, between them they stacked up 3,450 games in the NHL, a mind-boggling number.

That team featured two goalies in Casey and Jensen, who both played in the NHL, quite a distinction. Since those two, only one other Sioux goalie (Ed Belfour, 1987) has played in the NHL.

That’s a nice lead-in to the team I consider UND’s greatest, the 1986-87 Sioux. I rank them No. 1 for one major reason — they accomplished the most. I won’t argue that the 1981-82 team had more overall talent.

The 1986-87 team was called the Hrkac Circus. Even today, nearly a quarter of a century later, hockey people across the country talk in hushed tones about the Hrkac Circus.

Tony Hrkac was the ringleader of the team that won an NCAA record 40 games, losing eight. Hrkac set an NCAA scoring record of 116 points in 48 games, an average of 2.4 points per game. It’s a record that will never be broken.

Even though Hrkac scored 40 goals, he was a distant second to linemate Bob Joyce. He poured in 52 as the chief beneficiary of the amazing playmaking skills of Hrkac.

So in summary, this team won the most games (40) in school history, scored more goals (264) than any other Sioux team and had a national record-setting scoring leader in Hrkac, to name a few highlights. It set the country hockey fans buzzing, like few teams before or since.

It also won the league playoffs, won an NCAA quarterfinal series over St. Lawrence and then dispatched of Harvard and Michigan State in what would now be the Frozen Four in Detroit to win it all.

There are three other achievements that help stamp this team above all others.

It had the WCHA coach of the year and the Spencer Penrose winner as national coach of the year in Gasparini . And it featured UND’s first Hobey Baker winner in Hrkac.

But this coming week, I’d say the present Sioux have a chance to carve a place among the school’s greatest teams.

Foss is a Hall of Fame journalist who reported on sports for 36 years for the Herald until his retirement. He writes a weekly column from October through April. Contact him at [email protected] or at (701) 772-9272.

[cbrooks]

That was quick. Thanks Steve

[Steve Foss]

Brooksy, you might wanna edit the title of the thread to best Sioux hockey team of all time. I think a few Sioux haters on these boards might take offense at how it's currently worded.

[cbrooks]

I dedicate this thread to the hatters, I mean Scott

[cbrooks]

I was too young for the 81-82 team. I've seen some nice vintage games of Cary Eades water bottle incident. Thats fighting Sioux hockey.

[Steve Foss]

I was actually attending UND in 81-82, and after a few year hiatus went back to UND in 86-87. Those were wild rides for sure.

[cbrooks]

Steve your like the good luck charm. You should go back and get your doctorite

[Steve Foss]

Hah! Never thought of it that way. But if I go for a grad degree, I'd need financial help. Maybe a Fighting Sioux Good Luck Charm Scholarship.

[cbrooks]

I'm sure steve if your attendance record with UND championship season was brought to the Engelstad estate attention they could atleast pay for your books.

[scsavre]

Am I considered a sioux hater now.,.....good.

The best team ever....Miane 1993. AS far as modern day hockey that is tough to beat.

Minnesota and ND played to mean of hockey back in the day to be the best ever.

The best Nodak team ever......1974....

[cbrooks]

Maine had a good team. Minnesota's 2002 or 2003 team. Denver's 05 team is another good one.

[Bear55]

Even if this thread is about Sioux teams it's nearly impossible to have any "best ever team" mentioned without that Maine team, if fact I don't think any other team is even a close 2nd, 42-1-2 says it all.

Edit: I should mention this is for modern era college hockey, there were a few teams that went undefeated back in the day.

[scsavre]

Foss I would have thought you would have noticed that my favorite Sioux team was their worst ever. Man, I guess you guys just expect that out of me now with no need to reply.

[solbes]

Man could that Paul Kariya play some college hockey. No one else should be mentioned besides that Maine team as the best modern day hockey squad.

Lots of great teams for many of the WCHA teams. Certainly some of the Sioux, Gopher, Badger, and Denver teams come to mind. I'm still bewildered that Duluth didn't win a title in the mid 80's. They had the Hobey winner in 84 with Tom Kurvers, the Hobey winner in 85 with Bill Watson, and should have had the Hobey winner in 86 with Brett Hull as a Sophomore (90 points, 52 goals!). Maybe the Hobey committee got tired of UMD. It took a combined 7 Overtimes to knock them out of the semis and title game in 84 and 85.

Time to change Duluth's program forever, gotta get that Thursday win to have a chance.

[solbes]

Taking another look at past Hobey winners. What's the dealio with goaltending and defense in the 1980's? Have you looked at some of these guys? Broten had 17G/54A in 81, Watson had 49G/60A in 85, Hull had 52G/38A in 86, and HrKac (UND) had 46G/70A in 87. Now a days guys can win a Hobey for 50-60 points total!

Did goalies just start to cry as these guys skated down the ice to them? Were the smaller pads that much of a disadvantage? Maybe the butterfly is THAT much better than stand up style?

[Steve Foss]

"]Foss I would have thought you would have noticed that my favorite Sioux team was their worst ever. Man, I guess you guys just expect that out of me now with no need to reply.

It was typical of a Sioux hater, and therefore beneath comment.

I was in GF in 1974. Ugh. Dad had some of the players over for dinner a couple times. Cool guys, BAD coach!

[Bear55]

Taking another look at past Hobey winners. What's the dealio with goaltending and defense in the 1980's? Have you looked at some of these guys? Broten had 17G/54A in 81, Watson had 49G/60A in 85, Hull had 52G/38A in 86, and HrKac (UND) had 46G/70A in 87. Now a days guys can win a Hobey for 50-60 points total!

Did goalies just start to cry as these guys skated down the ice to them? Were the smaller pads that much of a disadvantage? Maybe the butterfly is THAT much better than stand up style?

That drop in scoring has pretty much been across all levels of hockey. A lot of people blame those 90's devils teams for playing defense first and winning a couple of cups. It kind of spread from there and I even remember high school teams playing the trap a few years after it was popular in the nhl.

Also with more training and ice time the bottom level players have raised their level of play and made everything a lot more competitive. Years ago I think the talent gap was a little wider and the game was just more wide open so you saw some big numbers being put up.

[solbes]

Ahh the trap, that's probably a more accurate reason for the shift in scoring.

I gotta believe goaltenders have improved their play over the years as well. And I'm going to keep believing those old goalies started weeping whenever the opposing team had a breakaway.

[scsavre]

Goaltending is the diference. Smaller pads back then. Little training and coaching. Its hard to even find goalie coaches on teams in the 70's and 80's. Back then goalies were a 3rd dman with bigger pads on. Now they are the most important part of the team.

Honestly, look at what they used to wear, id get out of he way too.

[scsavre]

Obviously defensive players have gotten better too. Better equipment has allowed for them to block shots better too. I don't think there were too many guys diving to block shots without the birdcages and actual shinpads on.

[solbes]

I wouldn't want to lay down and block shots even with today's pads, ouch! I can only imagine taking a slapper in the ol' undercarriage

[Bear55]

How could I forget about the goalies! They, and their equipment have stepped up their game as well.

Speaking as someone who has taken a few slappers in the pills before I can say the equipment probably saved my life, it just didn't feel like it at the time.

[cbrooks]

I change my mind. Maine would probably be the best college hockey team of all time. Maybe they had the best WCHA team but like you guys mention the game has change way too much in the last 20 and 30 years.

Bear were you a goaltender back in the day?

[Bear55]

Nope, played a little D. Our goalie sucked so we blocked as many shots as possible.

[archerystud]

That Maine team is the best that I can remember.

Goaltender pads are the biggest reason. I was just given an old set of pad for the kids to wear when playing street hockey in the neighborhood. They are minuscule compared to what the goalies are wearing now a days. The gloves have a cheater bar, chest protectors go way over the shoulders and the breezers are huge compared to those of a normal player. Heck I might even look "big" in goal.

I play with one goalie who is probably about 6'4" and about 320. When he comes out to challenge you can't even see a goal behind him.