early departures

[cbrooks]

Maybe a strike will keep Kristo at UND. Even if thats the case I wouldn't trade it for NHL playoffs. Best NHL hockey games of the year are the first round playoffs IMO.

[cbrooks]

Relax its not on Bjustad.

Soph Beau Bennet forawrd for Denver signed with Pittsburgh. He was a first round pick who was injured almost the entire year.

[Bear55]

Denver is getting cleaned out, I like it.

[fishing tech]

My conversation with a U of M hockey guy today leads me to tell you guys that Bjugstad will return next year. The worry is goaltending and the disappointment of Ambroz's play.

I have met this gentleman before and to be able to have a 15 minute hockey talk with him was great. He thought my views of the players we talked about were spot on( which makes me feel good) however he would not comment on if Bjugstad was playing hurt the last half of the season or not.

I am very excited for Gopher hockey if this is true and that line of BBR stays healthy.

[Bear55]

No doubt our goaltending is a big ? next year but I'm not to freaked out about it, Wilcox has been very good in the USHL. I don't know much about our other goalie but I'm sure he brings a good resume.

Ambroz eh, to be honest I wasn't that impressed with him this year, yes he is a big serviceable body and he might be able to pot some goals next year but if he happens to bolt its no big loss.

[scsavre]

In the back of mind I've thinking ambroz could leave. He might be better off. The wcha has become soft. I think the potential is still there with him. He was great in the ushl. Confidence an the right line and he's coring goals again. I think he's one of those kids that benefits from good coach, obviously not something he's gonna get here.

[PierBridge]

Are you whats his name from the NY Islanders or something? Garth Snow?

[scsavre]

He can sit here and get 3 penaltys a game, or he can go play in a league that let's you play a little. The wcha has gone soft.

[cbrooks]

Kristo announce he will play his final season with the Sioux along with Corban Knight.

[Bear55]

Darn! Just enough to keep the Sioux dangerous next year.

[scsavre]

1 more year of dealing with that diving crybaby, I hope someone puts him through the boards at Marriucci

[yakfisher]

Whatever, we still have to endure THREE more years of Rau.

[cbrooks]

]1 more year of dealing with that diving crybaby, I hope someone puts him through the boards at Marriucci

The way the WCHA reffing is nowadays that will give a player a game missconduct.

[Bear55]

Whatever, we still have to endure THREE more years of Rau.

Rau doesn't dive, he's just very little so he flys a little further when you hit him. It's hard to imagine him surviving a season in the WCHA at 5'8" and mayb 160 let alone watching him level guys much larger then himself. You guys are just lucky his brother played D and did quite have the skills Kyle has or we could have two of them out there. It would only seem fair after having to deal with those Panzer brothers all those years.

[PierBridge]

Yeah I'm sure Kristo decided on his own it was much better to play for FREE thus risking career ending injury versus turning pro ...

[scsavre]

Rau talks trash, kristos crys like a baby. Of all the fans in the world you would think sioux fans would dislike a crybaby.ohhhh and rau led the team in checks

[cbrooks]

UND has another departure before he arrived on campus from the United states developmental team, Miles Koules is going Canadian Jrs now.

[Bear55]

Koules doesn't look like a huge loss but the Sioux have had their fair share of this lately. 1 or 2 guys defecting or leaving early usually won't kill a program but it is happens over a long enough time you might start to feel it. The Gophers are a perfect example, pretty much all of their recruits make it to campus but we had a heck of stretch where guys were jumping to the CHL, signing with the NHL when they weren't ready, then you mix in some guys just not panning out and you end up with 3-4 crappy seasons in a row.

This probably won't happen to the Sioux but anything is possible. The Gophers had some unique coaching situations during that stretch too where Lucia went ill, Guentzel left and Hill clearly wasn't the guy. When guys defect you just end up losing some of that depth or have to bring in guys early who aren't alwasy ready to play at this level. Mix in a few injuries and a good team can go down hill fast.

[Shorelunch]

Miami lost a NDTP recruit to the CHL yesterday too. What is going on in Ann Arbor?

[cbrooks]

Miami lost a NDTP recruit to the CHL yesterday too. What is going on in Ann Arbor?

Definately a risk of a early flight risk when you get a recruit from the USDT. UND has one recruit, Chris Wilkie, a high prospect. I think he's 16 or 17 years old now. See if he jumps to the WHL in the future. It the sign of the times. What can you do.

Interesting post Bear. We will see if this catches up with UND. The thing here with the USDT recruits backing out on colleges is it effects several teams, Maybe even every team in college hockey with recruits going the major canadain route.

[Bear55]

I kind of blame this on the "advisors" and the kids themselves along with the CHL being pretty good at selling the dream. A lot of these USA kids are considered the best of the best and often get drafted high and have hopes of fast tracking to the NHL.

The probelm is 99% of them will never fast track to the NHL or be good enough to even be a regular in the NHL but they keep getting pulled in that direction by the CHL recruiters.

[Bear55]

Interesting post Bear. We will see if this catches up with UND. The thing here with the USDT recruits backing out on colleges is it effects several teams, Maybe even every team in college hockey with recruits going the major canadain route.

I don't think it catches up to UND the way it did MN but you guys have had your fair share of guys jumping to the CHL or going pro early. It just kills your depth and a few key guys can be the difference between winning and losing.

[cbrooks]

UND's associate coach Eades out

http://undhockey.areavoices.com/?p=91086

[Bear55]

Didn't see that one coming. So what is the story up in GF? You know, not the story in the link but the real story.

[cbrooks]

I got nothing... Maybe Brad Berry is available. He was a former coach under the Dean Blais era.

[scsavre]

Hakstol being a grudge holder fires eades for applying for mankato job.

[cbrooks]

Cary Eades was in charge of recruiting from what I read online. So maybe with all the decommitments is what got him fired. Lets face it...Eades pretty much fired. i know they sugar coated it saying they want to restucture that position but something happen. It will come eventually.

[Bear55]

Aside from one good period, they were owned by the gophers this year. Someone had to go, Hak didn't want to fire himself.

[cbrooks]

I should of just started a new topic with Eades being fired instead of putting it in the early departure thread. Should have known it will turn in to a Sioux bashing.

I see UND sweeping the Gophs next year so enjoy what you accomplish this year.

[scsavre]

Why wouldnt hak have fired him earlier? Why wait to right after Hak gets a new contract.

Brooks, is there any truth the talk about Eides personal life coming into play?