Hunter Miska, Neal Pionk Leave UMD Early

Disappointing, exciting, but not terribly surprised.

I think those terms all apply in their own way, amid news in the last 48 hours that two cornerstone players for UMD are leaving the program early for pro hockey.

It's disappointing in a sense when players leave early, from multiple selfish standpoints. Obviously, it stands to hurt the team going forward, and frankly I'm going to miss being around all the players who depart the program.

Of course, it's also exciting. These guys have a chance to make it in the pros, and that's always fun to see happen. 

And in the case of freshman goalie Hunter Miska and sophomore defenseman Neal Pionk, both of whom have announced their intention to turn pro, it isn't surprising UMD lost both. I wrote about it last week, strongly intimating they might go.

Miska signed Saturday with the Arizona Coyotes, where he joins an organization struggling in terms of goalies at all levels. With just four under contract beyond this season, Miska (he turns 22 in July) will have a chance to make an immediate impact.

An older freshman when he arrived, I was never convinced he'd be a four-year guy. But as the season wore on, and Miska practically carried this team at times, it was clear he had a chance to go pro. When Michigan Tech freshman goalie Angus Redmond signed with the Anaheim Ducks last month, it only increased my fears Miska would be the program's first one-and-done player since Justin Faulk in 2010-11.

(Keep in mind, older freshmen especially are risking a lot by staying in school when there are viable offers to go pro. Their window to make it in the pros is much shorter than younger guys in the same situation.)

Sophomores Nick Deery and Hunter Shepard combined to play five games in 2016-17, with Deery starting twice and Shepard once. Their numbers were pretty solid (Deery was  .934 and Shepard a .922), and head coach Scott Sandelin -- who was clearly prepared for these players to leave -- spoke last week about his confidence in both. UMD will bring in another goalie to compete for a job. There are some accomplished junior goalies who are uncommitted, so I'm interested to see who they're able to get. Even on short notice, the Bulldogs have a chance to add a pretty solid goalie for the 2017-18 season and hopefully beyond.

With three freshmen goalies on the roster, UMD had none committed for future years. While it might look like a scramble drill at this point, they know where to look and it shouldn't be a drawn-out process.

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Pionk, meanwhile, confirmed Monday his decision to leave UMD and head to pro hockey. A free agent, Pionk's destination isn't yet known, but making his decision now opens the door for him to visit NHL franchises on their dime, instead of having to pay his own way for such trips if he didn't make the decision beforehand.

(It's a path J.T. Brown followed when he left after the 2011-12 season and eventually signed with Tampa Bay.)

The Hermantown native is a good-skating, right-shot defenseman with tremendous poise and the ability to take over games. He should attract plenty of interest from NHL teams. Money-wise, there won't be a lot of difference in the offers he gets (there are maximums on these deals and bonuses), so Pionk will be allowed to make a decision based on the fit, system, and perhaps most importantly, his path to the NHL.

Matt Wellens indicated the possibility that defenseman commits Dylan Samberg or Hunter Lellig could come in early. Both are draft eligible this summer for the first time. If the UMD coaches don't want to bring one of them in a year earlier than planned, look for them to recruit a player to fill Pionk's spot on the roster. But with him gone, Nick Wolff (37 games, 2-10-12) and Jarod Hilderman (11 games, 0-1-1) are the only players back with any real notable experience from the 2016-17 season. Nick McCormack only played four games, has 24 games played in three years, and has yet to show he's a viable option for significant minutes. Will Campion got in just one game, and it was in October.

Who's coming in? Two Andersons -- Mikey and Matt -- and a Perunovich (Scott). Mikey Anderson is Joey's brother, while Matt is not related. Expect both Andersons to eat a lot of the missing minutes. Perunovich might be a bit more of a developmental prospect early, but once he settles in, his vision and puck-moving ability will be highly-valued, especially on the power play.

With Pionk's departure, UMD is probably short at least one player. Would assume they want eight defensemen to start the season. If Samberg or Lellig don't come in early, I would expect UMD to recruit another player to fill the void. Time will tell what direction UMD decides to go.

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Will there be other departures? It doesn't appear so. Joey Anderson, Adam Johnson, and Riley Tufte, likely the biggest "flight risks" among the remaining returnees, have all confirmed their intention to return to school.

It leaves UMD with what appears to be a formidable offensive group that might be a bit leaky in the back end while the young guys get acclimated. It also prioritizes the already-important work that these players do on their own over the summer. Everyone will need to report in great shape and prepared to learn the Bulldog way when the leaves (which will come in soon, I promise) start to change colors.

Check out @BruceCiskie on Twitter for more discussion. Enjoy the NHL playoffs.

2016-17 Unquestioned Success for UMD

For UMD players, it's certainly fine to be sad over not being able to bring a national championship back from Chicago. Seven seniors saw their careers come to an end Saturday night, and they may have had the sads even if UMD had won the game. It's the end of a great era for all of them, a time of their lives they won't soon forget.

But with time comes perspective. Looking back, there can be no doubt that UMD had a great season, one of the best in program history. The Bulldogs played 42 games and lost all of seven, five of the seven coming by one goal. The young players grew up in a hurry, hardened by playing in a mind-blowing 19 one-goal games (14-5) to go along with seven ties. And four of the games UMD won by two saw gaps widened by empty-net goals at the end. That would be 30 of 42 games decided by zero or one goals, or that were one-goal games in the final minute and change before UMD tacked on an empty-netter.

That's a lot of meat-grinder games. It was great to have such a focused group of seniors, but how valuable was this experience for UMD's younger players, the guys who will have to carry the water going forward?

Asked if his program will miss the pure talent, the little things (penalty killers, shot blockers, etc.), or leadership of this senior class, head coach Scott Sandelin hedged a bit.

"All of them," he quipped. "Certainly, the leadership, the mindset those guys had really carried over to our team. They were really driven to come back and be successful. I think they were really instrumental in that. Their play spoke for itself."

Think about it. Seven losses in 42 games, with 30 of the 42 games being in the neighborhood of "spine-tingling". It was a special season with a special group, one that will be unquestionably missed. Now, the hope is the seeds are sown for future senior classes to carry on the success brought by the last few groups.

UMD has seen some good captains over the years, and clearly these seven learned from guys like Adam Krause and Andy Welinski before them. Dominic Toninato did a great job setting the tone for the group and being one of the team's most consistent players on the ice. That's what captains do. Lead by example in all areas, be vocal when necessary. It's probably too easy, but I expect another local product -- Karson Kuhlman -- to captain next season. He was already captain material before he started at UMD, but the value of playing for great captains over his three years will be realized next season.

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We don't know yet what will happen with a number of UMD seniors, or if the program will lose any underclassmen early to the pros.

Defenseman Carson Soucy signed with the Minnesota Wild and could make his pro debut for AHL Iowa as soon as Thursday. Toninato was drafted by Toronto, but is not in a hurry to sign, so that one will probably wait until after the season ends. Free agent forward Alex Iafallo should pick his organization sometime soon. Defenseman Dan Molenaar is retiring from hockey, and other senior players are going to wait until later in the spring or this summer before deciding on their futures.

As for any early departures, Sandelin's message to the media Wednesday was basically "wait and see". It's believed the two major risks are defenseman Neal Pionk and goalie Hunter Miska. Pionk reportedly has garnered a lot of interest from NHL organizations. There's no doubt that teams will look at Miska, who came in as a 21-year-old freshman and earned a spot among the finalists for the Mike Richter Award, won by Denver's Tanner Jaillet. We've already seen Michigan Tech freshman Angus Redmond turn pro after one year, and it isn't crazy to suggest Miska could be gone.

Sandelin noted his belief in backups Nick Deery and Hunter Shepard, both of whom have three years of eligibility remaining. However, it stands to reason the coaches would scour the junior ranks for another goalie who could come in and compete for a job if Miska leaves.

UMD has signed defensemen Mikey Anderson (Joey's brother), Matt Anderson (no relation), and Scott Perunovich (Hibbing kid), along with forward Nick Swaney, who played a second year for USHL Waterloo this season and has been outstanding. He should be ready for a top-six role early in the season, if not at the outset.

Sandelin didn't want to speculate on even the number of recruits he wants to bring in for 2017-18, but that doesn't stop us from trying. 😃

On the blue line, they lose four unless Pionk goes early. If they lose Pionk, they have four back and signed three, so worst case it stands to reason UMD would want to find one more defenseman. I don't know the odds of commit Hunter Lellig coming in 2017, I think he's more likely to play next season in the USHL.

Up front, the Bulldogs lose three players and don't expect to lose anyone early. Swaney is signed, and Peter Krieger will be eligible next season after transferring from Alaska-Fairbanks and sitting out a season. If the ideal number is 15 forwards, UMD will need two more to fill the roster.

Des Moines (USHL) forward Kobe Roth of Warroad and Cloquet native Koby Bender, another USHL forward, could also sign for 2017-18. Roth had a solid season for Des Moines, while Bender has been so-so in Muskegon (production hasn't been great, but he's also not a front-line guy for a playoff team). Both are 1997 birth years. I would presume we'd see at least one and maybe both in for 2017-18 to fill out the class.

As far as filling the lines, a first look could lead you to something like this for a depth chart:

Tufte - Johnson - Anderson (Joey)
Krieger - Swaney - Kuhlman
Young - Peterson - Mackay
Recruit - Thomas - Exell
Miller - Spurrell - Recruit

Wolff - Pionk
Anderson (Mikey) - Perunovich
Anderson (Matt) - Hilderman
McCormack - Campion

If Pionk leaves, UMD is left with just Hilderman and Campion as right-handed defensemen, assuming no one else is brought in. That could be a concern coupled with the youth back there.

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The full schedule will be released eventually, but this is what we know:

Oct. 1 Alberta (exhibition)
Oct. 6 Minnesota (IceBreaker at Amsoil Arena)
Oct. 7 Union/ Michigan Tech (IceBreaker at Amsoil Arena)
Oct. 13-14 Bemidji State home/home (not sure the order)
Oct. 20-21 Merrimack
Oct. 27-28 at Maine
Nov. 3-4 at St. Cloud State
Nov. 10-11 Western Michigan
Nov. 17-18 at Miami
Dec. 1-2 Denver
Dec. 8-9 at Omaha
Dec. 29-30 (guessing on dates) at Ledyard Classic (hosted by Dartmouth, with Yale and New Hampshire)
Jan. 12-13 at Colorado College
Jan. 19-20 North Dakota
Jan. 26-27 St. Cloud State
Feb. 2-3 at Denver
Feb. 16-17 Miami
Feb. 23-24 at Western Michigan
Mar. 2-3 Omaha

UMD will also play a home and home with Minnesota State, a Saturday night in Duluth in one half of the season, and a Tuesday in Mankato during the other half.

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Thanks to all the UMD players and staff and administration for another great sports season. Your help is never unnoticed and always appreciated.

I'll be around here and there with news and updates. Around that, enjoy the spring and summer. Don't forget to join us next season back on KDAL (610AM and 103.9FM) for UMD hockey. Download the KDAL app to get a head start and be ready for the launch of UMD football Aug. 31.

UMD Notes: Scott Sandelin Laments Loss to BU

Scott Sandelin apologized for going off on a tangent a little bit, but who could blame him?

Asked what he would remember about his 15th UMD team, the fifth to make an NCAA Tournament and the eighth to win 20 or more games, Sandelin started by talking about how this was really "a team," one that didn't have a superstar but had a lot of unselfish players.

Then came the tangent.

"I've had a lot of great teams," Sandelin said. "It's not even about winning. We've had some great kids. This group was pretty special. Unfortunately, they almost got to where they wanted to go. That's the part that's hard for a coach, when you see that. It was a fun group to work with. They worked hard. They cared about each other.

"Like I've said, some things you can't control. I kind of feel like that last game kind of got taken out of our hands. I don't like that, because I think it cheats the kids a little bit. They're the ones that people come to watch. You just want them to play and decide a game. That's the unfortunate thing, that's the thing that probably stings the most. Whether that sounds like whining, I really don't care. Because the bottom line is that for four of those guys, they can't play again.

"Sorry, I went off the deep end a little."

The topic, not surprisingly, came up a couple times at Sandelin's season-ending press conference Wednesday. In this case, he sort of brought it up on his own, but he was asked about it earlier.

"Obviously disappointed, but proud of our team and how we played," he said. "Some things you can't control as we saw. Came up a little short."

Asked about memories of the Minnesota win, Sandelin acknowledged it's a highlight for a lot of people, but also said "I'll remember more the disappointment of losing a game that some other factors came into play, and our kids not advancing to play in Boston."

I haven't brought this up much, largely because I know most of you are UMD fans, you're probably bitter about what happened, and I doubt you need any reminders. Also, the more I think about the way that game ended, the more bitter I get about it. Can only imagine at least a few of you are the same way.

It might be a topic we can discuss more in-depth at some point, but now is not the time. I'm glad the coach said what he said, because frankly the easy way out would be to repeat the "Some things you can't control" line until everyone goes away. Sandelin did a good job elaborating on his frustration without really stepping in something.

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For those who haven't heard, UMD's non-conference schedule is as follows for 2015-16:

Sunday night exhibition vs. Lakehead
Opening weekend home and home vs. Bemidji State (Fitzgerald triplets!)
Then a home and home vs. Minnesota
The following weekend, at Notre Dame
Then home vs UMass-Lowell to finish October

The other non-conference series is a two-game set at Northern Michigan in early February. UMD will also host the U.S. Under-18 Team for an exhibition after Christmas.

I have not seen the full schedule, but clearly it will become NCHC-heavy beginning in the first week of November.

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According to sources, UMD picked up a verbal commitment from Hibbing/Chisholm defenseman Scott Perunovich this week. Since I reported the commitment on Twitter, Perunovich has made it official. One of the first people to congratulate him on Twitter? Hermantown sophomore Ryan Sandelin. I think you've heard of his dad.

Anyway, Perunovich was one of the top 1998-born players in the Northland last year. As a sophomore for Hibbing, he racked up 56 points on 11 goals and 45 assists in 27 games. Perunovich is likely three to four years away from pulling on a Bulldog jersey, but I've heard nothing but good things about his puck skills and vision.

Former Bluejacket Adam Johnson is the top forward in UMD's 2015 recruiting class. Oh, and Scott Sandelin hails from Hibbing. There's that, too.

Saturday (or Friday, I Guess) Hockey Notes and Thoughts: Poor Start Leads to Encouraging Signs for UMD

If you're new to the blog, this is a piece that will appear virtually every Saturday during the UMD season. Exceptions are only made when your humble correspondent is unable to write due to other commitments. "I don't feel like writing because UMD lost" is not an excuse.

UPDATED AT BOTTOM

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Now, about starting the game.

Before Friday's game, I talked about the importance of everyone being on board and helping create a good atmosphere on the bench and on the ice. Sometimes, a boisterous crowd can help a team get into a game.

Friday's crowd in South Bend? Not boisterous. Or large. Or small. It was smaller than that.

One of the curses of playing an afternoon game at a neutral site that sits 568 miles from Amsoil Arena and 506 miles from Mariucci Arena: Not a lot of locals are interested. Especially when you throw in a crowded campus that's getting riled up for Notre Dame football Saturday.

(And "crowded" is an understatement. You should have seen the traffic coming into campus as we were escaping after the game.)

A sluggish start for UMD proved costly on this day, as the Bulldogs were unable to complete a comeback and fell 4-3 to No. 1 Minnesota at Compton Family Ice Arena.

UMD fell behind just 30 seconds into the game when Sam Warning blocked an Andy Welinski shot, then sneaked past the Bulldogs and was sprung for a breakaway by Gophers captain Kyle Rau. It was a smart play by Warning, who recognized Rau was going to get the puck and took off. It wasn't a smart play by UMD, as no one picked up Warning's break before it was too late. In defense, it's not like Welinski or Carson Soucy have the wheels to chase down a guy like that in open ice.

Five minutes later, another UMD breakdown led to a Minnesota short-handed marker, this time from Rau on a partial breakaway. Both goals beat UMD freshman goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo five-hole. The kid they call "Kaz" would give up one more five-hole goal on a Hudson Fasching deflection in the second period, and he allowed four goals on 22 shots overall in his college debut.

While the five-hole goals looked bad, there is no reason to panic about Kaskisuo's play. He looked stronger and more confident as the game wore on, and while UMD showed a lot of faith in his abilities by starting him Friday, the reality is Kaskisuo is a 20-year-old freshman who had never played a game in this environment before. Surely, there were nerves. Like I said before the game, I was nervous for him, and I don't know him yet!

"Here, kid, stop Sam Warning and Kyle Rau on breakaways and face no other shots for the first six-plus minutes of the game. Have fun with that."

Reality is UMD has to play better than that in front of Kaskisuo. Or Matt McNeely. Or Alex Fons. Or anyone who slaps on the pads. The Bulldogs did play better as Friday wore on, and in that regard the game was quite similar to Monday's exhibition. But the caliber of opponent was much greater this time, and UMD just didn't have enough to finish off the rally.

After Hudson Fasching scored on a tipped shot and Minnesota took a 4-1 lead late in the second period, it would have been easy to call it a day. UMD did not do that. Andy Welinski scored 25 seconds into the third, and Dominic Toninato added his second of the game less than four minutes later. UMD couldn't get the equalizer, but there were opportunities in there. Kyle Osterberg missed the net on a breakaway, and Austin Farley had a couple good chances in the game.

Minnesota held on for the win, but UMD again showed it can skate with one of the best teams in the country. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs didn't start the game well enough to make a strong finish matter.

Luckily, it's just the first game of what we hope is a long journey for this group. Sure, there was a lot to learn, but clearly the players and coaches made adjustments and played a much stronger game in the final 30 minutes than they did in the first 30.

Now, about starting the game. Hopefully in Sunday's third place game (vs. tournament host Notre Dame at 2:30pm), UMD can start stronger and avoid getting gashed defensively in the early going. With any luck, whoever UMD starts in goal gets a chance to get in a rhythm without having to deal with a breakaway 30 seconds into the game.

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UMD's Osterberg and Adam Krause each got calls when the referees decided they were guilty of embellishment. In Osterberg's case, it was a standalone "diving" call that wiped out two minutes of a Brady Skjei double-minor. Krause's call came as part of coincidentals with Travis Boyd of Minnesota, who got a tripping minor.

Longtime listeners/followers know this is a pet peeve of mine. And it's an establishment thing, not confined to select officials. Everyone calls it like this.

A high percentage of the time, what is now a coincidental call for something (most often tripping, hooking, or holding) and diving should be one or the other. In a less common instance, a player tries so hard to "sell" a call that he should probably get a minor along with the original infraction, which was also egregious enough to warrant a call.

While I disagreed with the call on Osterberg, I will say this:

The only way college hockey -- or any level of the sport, honestly -- is going to curtail diving is to encourage officials to call it as a standalone penalty. Once you see teams giving up power play goals because someone decided to take a dive to try to draw a call, coaches will be forced to work on eliminating the practice.

(This also needs to be said: It's a really hard line for officials to draw. That's a big part of the reason it hasn't been drawn well, in my opinion. Seeing the difference between a legitimate stick foul and embellishment in a split-second sequence with no benefit of replay has to be one of the hardest jobs for a hockey official.)

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The bad news didn't stop for UMD on the ice.

(Likely) 2015 commit Jared Bethune, a forward playing high school hockey at Warroad, signed a deal with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League. That's major junior, so Bethune relinquished college eligibility by joining the team.

Bethune scored 31 goals for Warroad as a junior, but the Warriors couldn't get by eventual state champion East Grand Forks in the Section 8A final. Bethune had announced he would play for USHL Lincoln before and after the high school season, but he was committed to his senior year at Warroad before the Cougars came calling.

(That's a bad mental image if you have a dirty mind, but I'm sticking with the verbiage.)

SBN College Hockey notes Bethune had a "falling out" in Lincoln. I'm not quite sure what that means, but he showed plenty of excitement over getting to Lincoln on his feed, and he played for the Stars as recently as Sunday.

This stinks, but there is a silver lining. Unlike some instances where signed recruits bail in the summer/early fall before joining a college (Sonny Milano, John Moore, and JT Miller come to mind as examples), Bethune wasn't signed to UMD, and he wasn't going to join the program until next year. His departure now gives the Bulldogs coaching staff, which has done a very good job recruiting in recent years, an opportunity to find someone to take that spot in 2015. It'll involve either bumping a 2016 recruit up one year, or finding an uncommitted late bloomer who could make an impact in college hockey.

It's a loss, because Bethune projected to be a very good college hockey player, but the timing of this move is hardly disastrous.

For those questioning Bethune's character, I'd ask that you stop. I don't know him at all, so maybe he deserves it. But one of the primary flaws in the college/major junior "war" is that we're expecting 16- and 17-year-old kids to make adult decisions while getting all sorts of pressure from all sorts of adults around them.

(Oh, and the "major junior" side of this adult decision can't be taken back once it's made. Don't forget that.)

I'm not saying Bethune didn't handle this wrong because I don't know that. I'm saying it's highly unlikely he changed his mind on his destination with no influence or pressure whatsoever from the side he eventually chose.

Bethune is the second player UMD has lost to major junior in the last six months or so, as defenseman Blake Heinrich bailed on his commitment to join the WHL's Portland Winterhawks.

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In other non-conference games involving the NCHC, well, the league didn't get off to a good start.

Nothing was more shocking than Bemidji State going into The Ralph and throttling North Dakota, 5-1. It was 5-0 after two, with BSU leading in shots 29-16.

Seriously.

Colgate beat St. Cloud State 3-1 in a battle of preseason top ten teams. Bowling Green held off Miami 3-2. Canisius beat Western Michigan 4-2.

Ugh.

Omaha did topple Minnesota State 5-3 at CenturyLink Center, and Colorado College beat Alabama-Huntsville 3-2.

It's only one night, but the NCHC didn't do itself any favors. The detractors were out in full force on Twitter, having a great time. Hopefully Saturday and Sunday bring better results.

UMD Completes 2014-15 Recruiting Class, Announces Awards and 2014-15 Captains

In case you missed it earlier this week, UMD (presumably) finished up its 2014-15 recruiting class this week. The Bulldogs secured a commitment from defenseman Nick McCormack. The Elk River product played last season for the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He scored 12 goals and totaled 39 points in 59 games. Before that, he played for the SIJHL's Minnesota Wildnerness (based in Cloquet), where he scored 14 goals and picked up 40 points in 47 games.

McCormack is the final player who will jump into the UMD program this fall. He gives UMD eight defensemen to go along with 15 forwards and three goalies. He is the only defenseman who will be a freshman next season.

That 2014-15 team will be captained by Hermantown's Adam Krause, who will enter his senior season and serve as a back-to-back captain for the Bulldog program. Krause's assistant captains will be senior forward Justin Crandall and junior defenseman Andy Welinski of Duluth.

UMD also announced its 2013-14 postseason awards this week. Led by team MVP Aaron Crandall, here is the lowdown.

The fifth-year senior from Lakeville, Minn., eclipsed previous bests for victories (he was 14-12-3 overall), goals against average (2.76), saves percentage (.900), starts (29), appearances (31) and minutes (1,738:55). One of only three individuals to be selected the National Collegiate Hockey Association's Rookie of the Week three or more times in 2013-14 (he earned that honor on three occasions), Crandall closed out his career ranking third among all-time Bulldogs in  UMD's all-time in winning percentage (.559 off a 30-23-6 record), fourth in goals against average (2.83), and fifth in both career saves percentage (.895) and shutouts (five).

The Jerry Chumola Rookie of the Year Award went to left winger Alex Iafallo, a member of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference All-Rookie Team who racked up 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points while skating in all 36 games. Freshman defenseman Dan Molenaar landed the Mike Sertich Award (Most Improved Player) while junior right winger Adam Krause was the recipient of both the Goldie Wolf Award (Most Inspirational Player) and the Bulldog Community Service Award.

UMD opens Oct. 10 at the IceBreaker in South Bend, where it matches up against Minnesota while host Notre Dame takes on RPI.

Monday Musings: Red-Hot Bulldogs Not Sharpest, Get Five Points Anyway

At no point over the weekend did it appear UMD was as sharp as it had been the previous week against Western Michigan.

Despite that, UMD got five points from Colorado College, a huge get for a team that is now knock-knock-knockin' on first place in the NCHC.

Yeah, six would have been nice, but that ship sailed Friday, when overtime produced no winner and the teams went to a shootout. From that point on, five was the maximum for UMD, and five is what UMD got.

This was not a great weekend for the Bulldogs. Yes, they outshot CC 52-22 Friday, but they settled for perimeter shots, didn't get enough traffic to the net, didn't work hard enough to get to rebounds, and were guilty of some questionable penalties in the offensive zone. Honestly, it was an achievement for UMD to get two points out of the game, because it was not a winning performance.

Saturday didn't start well. Colorado College led 8-1 in shots at one point in the first period. The Tigers were taking it to UMD in some respects, and the Bulldogs needed to get going. A five-on-three power play came up empty, but it did generate some momentum for the home team. A later major penalty on CC defenseman Aaron Harstad led to the game's first goal, as Kyle Osterberg -- in the slot -- deftly tipped in a shot-pass from Willie Raskob from the left side.

Cal Decowski gave UMD a 2-0 lead in the third before a Carson Soucy major for contact to the head gave the Tigers a power play and their only goal of the game.

CC outshot UMD, but Aaron Crandall was strong as an ox in net, and the Bulldogs moved up the NCHC ladder.

The top six teams are separated by just four points, so there is virtually zero margin for error. St. Cloud State leads the pack with 30 points. UMD has 28, then North Dakota and Nebraska Omaha are tied with 27, and Denver and Western Michigan each have 26.

Nuts.

UMD heads to St. Cloud Friday and Saturday. You probably know that it's been a struggle for the Bulldogs at the National Hockey Center, but the building has been renovated and now features Herb Brooks' name (it's the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center). Maybe the renovation exorcised some demons for the Bulldogs, who haven't played there since March 2012. Since the start of the 2005-2006 season, UMD is 1-10-2 in St. Cloud, and that win came during a playoff series in 2007.

Last regular season win in St. Cloud? Nov. 27, 2004. Almost a decade.

Of course, you might remember St. Cloud State sweeping UMD in Duluth in December. Since those impressive 4-2 and 5-1 wins, the Huskies have come back to Earth a bit, going 4-5-3. UMD has caught fire. The Bulldogs lost their opener the following weekend to Western Michigan, but have gone 7-1-3 since.

It should be a fantastic weekend of hockey.

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One more note from the weekend: UMD has added another future goalie.

Hunter Miska of Stacy, Minn., has committed to UMD, likely to start in the 2015-16 season. Miska played two years for the U.S. National Team Development Program, and is currently with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL.

Miska is the second goalie to commit to UMD in the last month. Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL - Cloquet) goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo committed to UMD in January, and is expected to be a factor in the race for the starting job in the 2014-15 season.

Both goalies made NHL Central Scouting's mid-term rankings for North American goalies. Kaskisuo is 16th, while Miska is 32nd. Boston College's Thatcher Demko is No. 1.

Kasimir Kaskisuo Commits to UMD; Blake Heinrich Decommits

A couple of rather noteworthy headlines regarding UMD recruiting came across the ol' desk this week.

For those new to the blog, I don't delve too heavily into UMD recruiting, for a variety of reasons. I'll report on kids with local ties, but tend to avoid posting long blogs about the kids no matter what.

That said, I don't think it's a state secret that UMD is in search of at least one goaltender for the 2014-15 recruiting class. Reigning NCHC Goaltender of the Week Aaron Crandall is gone after this season. While Matt McNeely has certainly showed promise and plenty of physical talent, his numbers haven't been consistent, and he might not be ready to be a No. 1 goalie at this level yet.

Tuesday, UMD secured a commitment from goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo, who plays for the Cloquet-based Minnesota Wilderness of the North American Hockey League. Kaskisuo is a bigger goalie who has incredible numbers at the junior level, with a .948 save percentage and eight shutouts. He's missed time with a lower-body malady but should be back soon. The Wilderness are coached by Cloquet hockey legend Corey Millen.

Kaskisuo will finish the season with Minnesota, then join UMD next fall. Ranked 16th among North American goalies eligible for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Kaskisuo should be able to contend for the No. 1 position at UMD.

I'm told that this is likely not the end of UMD's goalie shopping, but I don't have names or specifics or anything like that for you. Just don't be surprised if they go get another one before the 2014-15 roster is finalized. With two viable No. 1 candidates in the fold for next season, it seems more likely that any other goalie added would be a young developmental prospect.

Meanwhile, the future of the UMD blue line took a hit this week when it was announced that Blake Heinrich will forgo his college eligibility to sign with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League. Heinrich was drafted by Washington last summer, and is in his second season with Sioux City of the USHL after starring in high school at Hill-Murray.

Heinrich is the latest in a long line of college recruits and even signees to eschew the NCAA path in favor of heading to a Canadian major junior team. College isn't for everyone, and while there will be some who yell at Heinrich for this move, reality is that he probably left UMD in the best position possible to deal with his change of heart/mind. Decommitting nine months before fall semester starts is a lot easier on the college than doing so in the summer.

Also, there's a good chance UMD's coaching staff was prepared for this, and adjustments have already been made.

Heinrich is the first UMD recruit to take the major junior path since Mac Carruth, a goalie who left the NAHL for Portland in 2009 and spent three full seasons there before joining the Chicago Blackhawks. Before that, there was Jared Boll, who committed to UMD before winding up with the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL in 2005. He's still in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets (collected career penalty minute No. 1,000 this season).

(EDIT: Twitter follower UMD26MN notes that Elliott Peterson committed to UMD around the time Boehm did, but bolted for the WHL. So he's the most recent, not Carruth.)

2014-15 UMD Recruiting Taking Shape

The UMD men's hockey team signed four players during the fall signing period. The four will, barring setbacks, play for the Bulldogs starting next season.

Via UMD, here is some background info on the group, which includes one local player. With only four players in this year's senior class, you can expect UMD will be light on spring-time recruits unless there are early departures. UMD does appear in need of one more goaltender for next season.

Brett Boehm • F • 6-3 • 170 • 9/19/94 • Martensville, Saskatchewan (Flin Flon/SJHL)
Currently holds a share of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League scoring lead with 20 points on nine goals and 11 assists in 16 outings ... took part in the Canadian Junior Hockey League's Prospect Games last month in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia ... is in his second full season of duty with the Flin Flon Bombers  ... was chosen the SJHL Rookie of the Year in 2012-13 after racking up 25 goals and 29 assists during the regular season (49 games) ... paced all SJHL first-year skaters in goals, assist and total points  .. added six more points during the Bombers' 10-game playoff run last winter ... enjoyed a rewarding two-year career with the Beardy's Blackhawks of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League prior to his arrival in Flin Flon ... ranked first in the SMHL in goals, (40) assists (46) and points (86) en route to being named that circuit's Top Forward and a first team All-Star for 2011-12.

Blake Heinrich • D • 5-11 • 200 • 2/17/95 • Cambridge, Minn. (Sioux City/USHL)
Has been stationed in Sioux City, Iowa, the past two seasons, skillfully manning the point for the United States Hockey League's Musketeers ... his stat line thus far in 2013-14 includes three goals and two assists  in 14 games ... closed out the 2012-13 season with the third highest scoring total of any Sioux City blueliner (20 points on three goals and 17 assists) and was a +12 on the year ... skated for the gold medal-winning U.S.entry at the 2012 World Junior A Challenge .... is a teammate of fellow 2014-15 UMD recruit Jared Thomas ... was coached in 2013-14 by former UMD assistant coach and hockey alumnus Brett Larson ... was part of a defenseman crew one year ago that included current UMD rookie Dan Molenaar ... passed up his final year of eligibility at St. Paul's Hill-Murray High School to join the USHL ranks in 2012-13 ... was taken in the fifth round (144th selection overall) by the Washington Capitals in the 2013 National Hockey League Draft.

Jared Thomas  • F • 6-1 • 190 • 2/21/94 • Hermantown, Minn. (Sioux City/USHL)
Enlisted his services with the Sioux City Musketeers in 2012-13 ...  has four goals and assists to his credit through 16 games this season while sharing the locker room with fellow UMD recruit Blake Heinrich ... those 20 points are bettered by only three other USHL combatants at the moment ... made quite a splash as a USHL rookie, producing 18 goals and 23 assists for 41 points (second among all full-time Musketeers) ... a team-high 11 of his 18 goals came on the power play ... starred at nearby Hermantown High School for three seasons before moving on to the USHL ... his UMD athletic bloodlines run deep -- his father, Mike, was an All-American offensive lineman for the Bulldogs while his mother Kelli (Ritzer), received All-Northern Sun Conference recognition in both basketball (four times) and softball (three) and is a member of the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame ... his uncle, Corey Thomas, also lettered in both baseball and football for the Bulldogs.

Blake Young  • F • 6-3 • 185 • 11/21/94 • Battleford, Saskatchewan (Battlefords/SJHL)
Will come to UMD with at least two years of Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League seasoning tucked under his belt ...  ranks fifth on the 2013-14 Battlefords North Star scoring charts with with 10 points (six goals and four assists) ... took part in the SJHL Showcase event earlier this fall ...  put up eight goals and 12 assists in 52 games during his first SJHL go-around in 2012-13 ... was the recipient of the North Stars Fan Favorite Award that year ... captained the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League's Battlefords Stars in 2011-12 and topped the team in scoring.

2013 NHL Draft: UMD, Area Represented

The 2013 NHL Draft brought plenty of interesting moves and decisions.

While we didn't get the blockbuster trades that were rumored (does that ever really happen in any sport?), it's always fun to see the best player in a draft (Seth Jones in this case) go fourth overall.

And you wonder why the teams in the top three were in those positions, and why two of them seem to have been there quite often, at least lately.

(I'll get off my soapbox now. Nathan MacKinnon is a good hockey player, but Jones is a special talent, and this reeks of the years where NFL teams felt they had to take a quarterback with the first pick, even if the quarterback wasn't the "best player" on the ol' board.)

Anyway, the Wild didn't have a first round pick. It was sent to Buffalo in the deal to acquire Jason Pominville. Efforts to move into the first round failed, so the Wild moved to acquire a recent first-round pick via trade.

Minnesota sent forward Cal Clutterbuck to the New York Islanders -- along with a third round pick -- for forward Nino Niederreiter. "El Nino" was a first-rounder in 2010, fifth overall. He was rushed to the NHL, with some speculating he was only on the Islanders' roster so they would hit the payroll floor mandated by the CBA. Niederreiter struggled in a fourth-line role, was banished to AHL Bridgeport, and demanded a trade when he wasn't invited to training camp after the lockout.

The Wild also dealt defenseman Justin Falk to the Rangers, hopefully ending the endless stream of "Didn't he play for UMD?" tweets. No, that's Justin FAULK. This is Justin FALK.

Anyway, the draft was also successful for college hockey. 63 current or future NCAA players were picked Sunday, marking the 12th straight year that number was at least 60.

The Wild picked up a future UMD defenseman, Carson Soucy, in the fifth round. Soucy will start at UMD this fall. He's a big body at 6-4 and the Wild like his ability with the puck. He will be the first Wild draft pick to suit up for UMD.

Grand Rapids star and (most likely) future college player Avery Peterson went to the Wild in the sixth round. Peterson is undecided on a college, and also undecided on high school or junior hockey this winter.

(Unsolicited advice: Stay in school. Peterson can still get better with Rapids, and he'll have memories he can't duplicate anywhere else in life. Play in juniors next season, then go to college.)

2014 UMD recruit Blake Heinrich -- a defenseman -- went in the fifth round to Washington. Future Bulldogs Adam Johnson and Neal Pionk were among those passed over. Both will join UMD after plying their craft in the USHL.

UMD Announces 2013-14 Recruiting Class

The UMD men's hockey program has announced a seven-member recruiting class for this fall. Here is the release from the school about the three players to ink letters of intent during the spring signing period.

Two talented prospects from the Alberta Junior Hockey League's Spruce Grove Saints -- defenseman Carson Soucy and forward Sammy Spurrell --- and Shattuck-St. Mary standout blueliner Willie Raskob have all signed National Letters of Intent to attend and play hockey for the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2013-14.

That trio joins four early signees -- forward Alex Iafallo (Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League), defenseman Dan Molenaar (Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL), forward Kyle Osterberg (Omaha Lancers of the USHL) and forward Dominic Toninato (Fargo Force) -- as the 2013-14 Bulldog signees.

Willie Raskob (Defenseman • 5-9 • 190 • Hastings, Minn.) - Becomes the third Shattuck-St. Mary’s product to enlist his services with the Bulldogs (senior-to-be right winger Joe Basaraba and Michael Gergen are the other two) … took a back seat to no Shattuck-St. Mary’s defenseman in scoring (47 points) and assists (38) while skating in 57 games this past winter ... helped lead SSM to a berth in the 2013 USA Hockey Tier I national tournament … participated in the 2012 USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp … struck for 15 goals – tops among all of his blueline colleagues -- for a 2011-12 SSM club captured the USA Hockey Tier I national championship … also finished second among that group in both assists (24) and points (39) … left his scoring mark on the Shattuck U16 team one year, amassing 15 goals, 57 assists and 72 points – the best stats by any other defenseman on the team in each category … has never missed a game with Shattuck-St. Mary’s – at any level.

Carson Soucy (Defenseman • 6-4 • 195 • Irma, Alberta) - Certainly made his presence felt during one-plus seasons of blueline work in the Alberta Junior Hockey League  … accumulated 15 points (five goals and 10 assists) in 35 regular season games with the Spruce Grove Saints this season ... missed a healthy portion of the team's schedule while nursing a knee injury and also representing Canada at the 2012 International Softball Federation World Junior Championship (outfielder) ... still played an instrumental role in the Saints' conquest of both the 2013 AJHL North Division regular season and playoff titles … went pointless over the course of a seven-game spell in Spruce Grove in 2011-12 ... maintained a near point-per-game scoring average as a Lloydminster Bobcat Midget AAA combatant that same season.

Sammy Spurrell (Forward • 5-11 • 180 • Sheerwood, Alberta) - Set up shot the past three winters in Spruce Grove, Alberta, and flexed plenty of offensive muscle in the process ... his 1.12 points per game average (28 points in 25 outings) during an injury-plagued (shoulder) 2012-13 regular season topped all Spruce Grove Saints and was the eighth best figure in the Alberta Junior Hockey League ... has pumped in the second-most goals (21) of any Saint thus far despite only suiting up in 40 of the team's 75 games … currently shares the Saint lead in playoff scoring with 13 points ...  also paces Spruce Grove in overall game-winning goals (four) and is third in power-play tallies (eight) … took part in all 60 Saint regular season games and 10 playoff assignments one ago and had 47 points to show for it ... resided atop the AJHL rookie scoring charts in 2010-11 ... finished with 15 goals and 50 points in 70 overall games that year en route to being selected as a  finalist for the Dick White Trophy, which is given to the AJHL’s top newcomer.

The complete list of the 2013-14 UMD signees is as follows:

Player               Pos     Hgt    Wgt   Birthdate   Hometown                 Current Team (League)
Alex Iafallo           F        5-11   165    12/21/93    Eden, N.Y.                   Fargo (USHL)
Dan Molenaar      D       5-11   185      7/5/93       Eden Prairie, Minn.     Sioux City (USHL)
Kyle Osterberg     F       5-8     170     9/5/94        Lakeville, Minn.           Omaha (USHL)
Willie Raskob       D       5-9     190     3/14/95      Hastings, Minn.           Shattuck-St. Mary's
Carson Soucy      D       6-4     195     7/74/94      Irma, Alberta               Spruce Grove (AJHL)  
Sammy Spurrell    F      5-11    180     10/5/92      Sheerwood, Alberta    Spruce Grove (AJHL)
Dominic Toninato  F       6-1     170     3/9/94        Duluth, Minn.              Fargo (USHL)

It seems Raskob is a late add to this year's group. He was scheduled as a 2014 arrival, but the early departure of Chris Casto to the pro ranks might have necessitated his signing for this fall.

Casto has played in four games for the AHL's Providence Bruins, registering no points. Defenseman Drew Olson, on an amateur tryout with the AHL's Peoria Rivermen, has one assist in five games.

UMD Signs Three Recruits

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- Missed the chance to post this Friday, because I was already at the rink when it was announced.

But if you didn't hear, UMD officially signed three 2013-14 recruits to letters of intent during the fall signing period.

Of course, this is all pending the whole NCAA Clearinghouse bit, but here is the lowdown:

Alexander Iafallo • F • 5-11 • 165 • 12/21/93 • Eden, N.Y. (Fargo/USHL)
Is in his second tour of duty with the Fargo Force, the club formerly coached by UMD assistant Jason Herter ... has two points (one goal, one assist) to his credit through three games this year ... racked up 32 points in 58 appearances in his first season with the club last winter, racking up 32 points on 17 goals and 15 assists ... tallied three power play markers and finished the season with a +11 rating ... current teammates with fellow Bulldog recruit Dominic Toninato.

Dan Molenaar • D • 5-11 • 186 • 7/5/93 • Eden Prairie, Minn. (Sioux City/USHL)
Spent last season with two different USHL clubs (Green Bay and Sioux City) after wrapping up a stellar prep career as a point-producing defender at perennial powerhouse Eden Prairie High School ... finished his first season on the USHL circuit with 18 points on two goals and 16 assists (including nine on the power play) ... has two goals and one assist to his credit through nine games in 2012-13 while sharing the locker room with UMD recruits Jared Thomas and Blake Heinrich.

Kyle Osterberg • F • 5-8 • 171 • 9/5/94 • Lakeville, Minn. (Omaha/USHL)
Caught the attention of the college hockey world when he made a verbal commitment to UMD prior to his 16th birthday ... bolted from the prep scene after just one season with Lakeville South, a year in which he led the club with 63 points (19 goals, 44 assists) ... joined the United State National Team Development Program (NTDP) after leading all Minnesota freshmen in points in 2009-10 ... totaled a combined four goals and 19 assists while playing with both the U-18 and U-17 teams the past two seasons ... has seven points (two goals, five assists) through his first 10 USHL games with the Omaha Lancers. 

More should be coming in the spring, but this is the list for now.

UMD Hockey Loading for Future

The 2011-12 UMD men's hockey season saw perhaps the most decorated senior class in school history depart.

A group that included goalie Kenny Reiter, defensemen Brady Lamb and Scott Kishel, and forwards Jack Connolly, Travis Oleksuk, and David Grun ushered in a beautiful new arena (the still-a-gem Amsoil Arena), won a national championship, were a part of four straight 20-plus win seasons, and saw one of its members -- Connolly -- win the 2012 Hobey Baker Award.

The Bulldogs have to move on this season, with one of the younger teams UMD has fielded in some time going through captains practices for one more week. Coaches are allowed a couple hours on the ice per week during these sessions, and get more ice time with players once official practice starts on Saturday at Amsoil Arena.

I previewed the potential lineup back in July. I'm not ready to move off any of that, even though it's probably almost completely wrong. I think there will be a lot of mixing and matching of parts early in the season, as the coaching staff tries to figure out what works best.

The changes don't lessen expectations much. UMD is picked fifth in the WCHA Preseason Media Poll, and is ranked 12th in both national preseason polls. The Bulldogs have been young before, but this is a rare time where UMD is young and also expected to continue what has become a track record of success. Four straight 20-win seasons -- with a national championship mixed in there -- will do that.

No one will run from the expectations, and the thoughts of outsiders are likely shared by many at the facility. This team can't experience a significant dropoff. Not now. Continued success is one of the requirements for this group, especially given the increasingly-competitive recruiting world UMD is working in.

While college hockey fights Canadian major junior leagues to retain players who can jump from the NCAA ranks as long as they have major junior eligibility, but can't jump back to college once they've played for a major junior team, college hockey is also fighting itself.

Orally-committed players are not bound to anything. There have been a lot of cases lately where kids have backed out of commitments to look at different schools. It's one thing to lose a kid to major junior, a fight many in college hockey doesn't feel is fair at this point. It's another to lose a kid to a different school once he has given his word that he will play for your school.

Recruiting lists are getting flimsier and flimsier every year, but when you look at what the Bulldog coaching staff is doing, it's hard not to be happy with not just the 2012-13 class of newcomers, but also what is on the way in future years.

Chris Heisenberg's recruiting spreadsheets are the gold standard for figuring out where players are going. Here is his 2013 board.

UMD has some potential stars on the horizon, like Shattuck defenseman Willie Raskob, Hill-Murray blue-liner Blake Heinrich, and Sioux City's Dan Molenaar, a former Eden Prairie standout.

Forwards like Dom Toninato and Jared Thomas are local stars from Duluth East and Hermantown, respectively, who will play in the USHL this season. Canadian forward Brett Boehm can fill the net, as can Cloquet/Esko/Carlton star Karson Kuhlman. Center Adam Johnson of Hibbing has a ton of potential, and Alex Iafallo of the Fargo Force (USHL) could be poised for a big season.

There are a lot of players still available for the next few years, and it's only a matter of time before the UMD staff is able to secure more commitments.

Just think. Colleges are starting to recruit 1997 birthdates.

Seriously.

Damn, we're getting old.

Central Scouting Rankings Include Numerous UMD Recruits, Local Faces

The NHL is locked out, but the process of scouting players for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft is underway.

(Of course, if the NHL season is cancelled, we don't know when that draft will happen. Or who will pick first.)

(Then again, if they use the same lottery system they rigged so Pittsburgh could win used in 2005, Toronto will be practically a shoo-in to win. Which means someone else will. Maybe Pittsburgh.)

Anyway, NHL Central Scouting has released a preliminary list of top prospects for the 2013 draft. The players are grouped by league, and then assigned a letter grade, A, B, or C.

"A" prospects are considered potential first-round picks, while "B" players are said to be second- or third-round picks. "C" level players are believed to be candidates for selection in later rounds.

As usual, UMD and local high school teams are represented on the list. Here is a rundown.

Freshman forward Austin Farley is the only current UMD player listed. The former Fargo Force (USHL) star is a "C" skater, along with four other WCHA freshmen (two of them are from Denver).

As far as recruits go, defenseman Blake Heinrich (Hill-Murray) is a "B" skater, and fellow blue-liner Willie Raskob (Shattuck-St. Mary's) is a "C" skater, as is Hibbing forward Adam Johnson.

Waterloo defenseman Ian McCoshen is listed at the "A" level. McCoshen is uncommitted, but has listed UMD among those still in the running.

Hermantown defensemen Neal Pionk and Jake Zeleznikar are both listed as "C" level skaters.

The rankings will be updated next in November, with a final listing due out before the draft.

Karson Kuhlman Latest Local Hockey Star Headed to UMD

UMD has done quite well as of late when it comes to bringing in top local players. This year's crop of freshmen includes former Duluth East defenseman Andy Welinski, who could be the best rookie blue-liner in the WCHA. He joined UMD after two seasons with the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers, where he helped the team to a Clark Cup title.

Hibbing forward Adam Johnson committed to UMD during the 2010 state tournament, at which he helped Hibbing on a surprising run to the semifinals. Hermantown's Jared Thomas and Duluth East's Dom Toninato committed last season, and all three should be a part of the Bulldogs by 2014.

Now, you can add another local player to the stable of future Bulldogs.

Cloquet/Esko/Carlton forward Karson Kuhlman committed to UMD Tuesday afternoon, one day after receiving a scholarship offer. Kuhlman is a junior this year, and will be a big part of what should be an improved Lumberjacks team.

Kuhlman confirmed his commitment via Twitter. A source indicated he is likely a 2015 Bulldog, meaning he'll be able to finish his high school career and play a year of juniors. Kuhlman has played in the USHL already, getting five games in with the Dubuque Fighting Saints last spring (four assists).

It's another local win for Scott Sandelin and his staff. Looking at the list of recruits coming in -- a group that includes Hill-Murray defenseman Blake Heinrich, Shattuck defenseman Willie Raskob, Canadian forward Brett Boehm, and U.S. Under 18 forward Kyle Osterberg -- it seems that the future for UMD is bright.

National championships help in recruiting, no doubt. But we have to also give a nod to all those who helped make Amsoil Arena possible. It's as wonderful a venue as you're going to find in college hockey, and the opportunity to walk a kid through that place -- even if it's not a game night -- is a huge advantage.

It's also nice to see comments like the one from Kuhlman in Wednesday's Duluth News Tribune.

“When you grow up 12 minutes away, it’s always been something that I wanted to do,” Kuhlman said. “I slept on it for one night and I felt I was ready. This fit everything we were looking for.”

A kid who wants to be a Bulldog, pretty much from birth. Now Karson Kuhlman fulfills a dream. We're all looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Hockey Rabble: June 5

I want to send sympathies to the family and friends of Dick Stewart. The longtime Duluth hockey supporter died Monday night at the age of 92, just nine days after he lost his wife of 63 years, Maxine. Stewart was a fixture at UMD hockey games, listening on the radio after his eyes failed him, but rarely missing a game. It became a tradition for the UMD students to chant his name as he waved his trademark winsock during a break in game action. UMD players, boosters, and fans will all miss Stewart's presence, and his loss is a huge one for the Duluth hockey community. Services are pending.

Buddy Chris Dilks of Western College Hockey scoops that Hill-Murray forward Charlie Sampair has committed to play college hockey at UMD. Sampair had 30 goals as a senior for the Pioneers as they finished second at the state tournament. Sampair was drafted into the USHL by the Indiana Ice, but it's expected he will play for UMD in the 2012-13 season.

The Stanley Cup Final is going to end on cable Wednesday, when the Los Angeles Kings finish off a sweep of the New Jersey Devils. I'm not complaining about the sweep, because it's the first Cup Final sweep since Detroit beat Washington with relative ease in 1998. It's the first time since 2007 the series has failed to go at least six games. However, the fact that the NHL cut a television deal with NBC that allows its signature event to end on a cable network that doesn't have great reach is a loss for hockey fans. You don't see World Series games on TBS. The NBA Finals don't air on ESPN or TNT. What American pro sports championships are decided on cable? MLS, the WNBA, Major League Lacrosse, etc. Nice company, NHL.

(I get the NBC Sports Network idea here. Obviously, it's a huge get for a growing network. I don't doubt that, and in most years, this won't be an issue at all. However, this is one of those years where it looks like a potential problem. I want NBCSN to grow as much as anyone -- ESPN badly needs someone who can compete for eyeballs and rights packages to slow their monopoly on things -- but I don't believe putting Stanley Cup Final games there is the right way to get that growth.)

That said, there aren't enough words to describe what the Kings did to the Devils on Monday. Holy smokes. Liam McHugh called it a "soul-crushing" defeat on the postgame show, and that's about as good as I can do. I don't Jersey is at all a threat to win four straight, but it will be interesting to see if the Devils can put together a good performance Wednesday.

Random Rabble: April 10

The idea of crooked coaches with screwed-up ideas of what constitutes discipline and leadership isn't really new to college sports, but the last few days have been another hit to the overall reputation of the profession.

It started early last week, when Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino was in a motorcycle accident that landed him in the hospital with (thankfully) non-life threatening injuries. Of course, the story didn't end there.

The Razorbacks coach was put on paid administrative leave on Thursday night less than seven hours after his boss, athletic director Jeff Long, learned Petrino had failed to disclose he had been riding with a female employee half his age when his motorcycle skidded off the road over the weekend.

Petrino said he had been concerned about protecting his family and keeping an "inappropriate relationship from becoming public."

It was a stunning revelation for a highly successful coach who prides himself on complete control and intense privacy in his personal life. Petrino will now wait out his fate while Long conducts a review.

Whoops.

Petrino could be fired, and probably for cause, not because he's a married man with four kids who carried on an affair with a woman half his age. Instead, his employment could be in jeopardy because he lied to his boss and tried to cover up the fact she was riding with him when he crashed.

Of course, since it's the SEC, it's not as easy as logic dictates it should be. You see, Arkansas was 11-2 last season, and the Razorbacks are favored to be in the preseason top ten this summer. Why the hell would we care about Petrino lying to his bosses, or generally not being a trustworthy cat? He can win football games, and that's all that matters in that particular part of the country.

Well, until it comes to Election Day. Then, suddenly, morals matter when they fit the talking points.

Elsewhere in college football, Matt Hayes of Sporting News has a pretty impressive story on Urban Meyer's undoing at Florida. The new Ohio State coach has been the subject of much controversy already, which we'll get to in a second.

Hayes writes extensively about Meyer's inability and general unwillingness to institute any sort of discipline for his star players with the Gators. It's a culture that caused many a problem for the program after Meyer left and Will Muschamp took over.

Ironically, Florida’s downfall began at the height of Meyer’s success—the 2008 national championship season. Three seasons of enabling and pandering to elite players—what Meyer’s players called his “Circle of Trust”—began to tear away at what he’d put together.

“I’ve never heard of Circle of Trust before in my life,” Meyer said.

Former players, though, contend it was the foundation of Florida’s culture under Meyer. In the season opener against Hawaii, Meyer said a few elite players (including wideout Percy Harvin, linebacker Brandon Spikes and tight end Aaron Hernandez) would miss the game with injuries. According to multiple sources, the three players—all critical factors in Florida’s rise under Meyer—failed drug tests for marijuana and were sitting out as part of standard university punishment.

By publicly stating the three were injured and not being disciplined, former players say, Meyer was creating a divide between the haves and have-nots on the team.

“They were running with us on the first team all week in practice,” one former player said. “The next thing you know, they’re on the sidelines with a (walking) boot for the season opener like they were injured. Of course players see that and respond to it.”

It was Harvin, more than anyone, who epitomized the climate Meyer created. While former players say Harvin always was treated differently as a member of Meyer’s Circle of Trust, it was the beginning of his sophomore season—after he helped lead the Gators to the 2006 national title—that it became blatant. That's also when it began to contribute negatively toward team chemistry.

During offseason conditioning before the 2007 season, the team was running stadium steps and at one point, Harvin, according to sources, sat down and refused to run. When confronted by strength and conditioning coaches, Harvin—who failed to return calls and texts to his cell phone to comment on this story—said, “This (expletive) ends now.”

“The next day,” a former player said, “we were playing basketball as conditioning.”

It only got worse as Harvin’s career progressed. At one point during the 2008 season, multiple sources confirmed that Harvin, now a prominent member of the Minnesota Vikings, physically attacked wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales, grabbing him by the neck and throwing him to the ground. Harvin had to be pulled off Gonzales by two assistant coaches—but was never disciplined.

When asked about the Harvin incident, Gonzales—now offensive coordinator at Illinois—said, “I think it’s a little overblown. I mean, every great player wants his voice to be heard.”

Said Meyer: “Something did happen and something was handled. I don’t think it’s fair to Percy Harvin or Billy Gonzales to talk about it.”

I'm not one to judge, but it seems like Meyer had a tendency to play favorites at Florida. I'm not saying this doesn't happen elsewhere, but I'm going to guess Nick Saban doesn't pull this stuff at Alabama, and it's a big reason why he is able to win year after year.

I'm also not going to judge Harvin, but it's not like his NFL career has come without any problems.

Speaking of Meyer, do you remember the kerfluffle that Wisconsin created regarding his recruiting practices at Ohio State? Hayes' story, which I told you is extensive (and very long and very, very good, too), goes on to detail some of the things Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema was upset about.

Bielema, whose team hosts Ohio State on Nov. 17, has declined to offer specifics.

However, according to The Sporting News, UW officials accused Meyer of having former Ohio State players currently in the NFL call recruits. Such calls would be an NCAA violation.

In addition, UW officials accused Meyer and other Ohio State coaches of "bumping into" offensive line recruit Kyle Dodson during mandated dead periods. That would also be an NCAA violation. Dodson, from Cleveland, backed out of a commitment to UW and signed with the Buckeyes.

A college football source confirmed Monday those were the alleged violations that raised Bielema's ire long before signing day. Bielema's issues with Meyer were part of a larger look at how Meyer ran the Florida program.

"There's a few things that happened early on that I made people be aware of," Bielema said in February, "that I didn't want to see in this league that I had seen take place at other leagues . . . recruiting practices that are illegal.

"And I was very up front and was very pointed to the fact. I actually reached out to coach Meyer and shared my thoughts and concerns with him, and the situation got rectified."

I'm guessing Nov. 17 will be a very interesting day in Madison. Odds are that it'll be a prime-time game, and there's nothing like giving fans in Madison the whole day to lube up before a big game. I'm sure they'll treat Meyer wonderfully.

Dom Toninato Commits as UMD Makes Recruiting Noise

Within a couple days of UMD winning the NCAA title last April, I had already grown tired of people -- both in and out of the Twin Ports area -- asking if the championship would make a difference in UMD's recruiting.

After all, the Bulldogs had already secured the services of players like forwards Tony Camaranesi and Kyle Osterberg, defenseman Andy Welinski, and goalie Matt McNeely, and while I don't spend oodles of time covering recruiting, I hadn't heard a bad word about any of those guys.

The reality was that UMD was already doing quite well in recruiting, and any help the program was going to get would only make things better than they already were going to be.

Well, since winning the title, the Bulldogs have added more potential stars to the stable. I guess there's some pull in a national championship and a beautiful new arena.

Per Chris Heisenberg's very fine recruiting site, UMD has added five prospects since hoisting the trophy, including three in the last couple weeks.

Fargo Force forward Austin Farley is going to follow former coach Jason Herter to UMD in -- from the sounds of it -- 2013 (the dates on most recruits are flexible, depending on early departures and other factors). If you don't know anything about Farley, just enjoy this bit.

“He says a lot of things, a lot of things I can’t say right now,” said (defenseman Willie) Corrin, who along with Farley, is committed to play college hockey at Minnesota-Duluth.

“A player from another team will call him cocky, and he’ll tell them to suck on his 44 points or point at the scoreboard.”

The linked piece from Ryan Clark makes Farley out to be the perfect example of a player who irritates the hell out of you until he's on your team.

A couple weeks ago, Saskatchewan forward Brett Boehm committed to UMD. He's being courted by the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League, but would make a very nice addition to UMD in, most likely, 2014. I don't know a lot about Boehm, but what I've heard sounds quite impressive. He may be a flight risk because of the WHL interest, and kids are allowed to change their minds, but when he arrives at UMD, he'll make an impact.

In the last few days, UMD has added a couple more local players. On Friday, Hermantown senior forward Jared Thomas committed to UMD. Thomas leads the unbeaten Hawks in scoring. At last check, he was averaging close to three points per game. He's expected to play at least one year of juniors and join UMD in 2013 or 2014.

Earlier Tuesday, I reported that Duluth East senior Dom Toninato will also join the Bulldogs, likely after a year with the USHL's Fargo Force. Toninato's father, Jim, played four years at UMD from 1982-1986, logging 155 games. Dom Toninato is the second-leading scorer on the top-ranked Greyhounds, who started the season 17-0 before losing Saturday to Minnetonka. The younger Toninato has 47 points in 18 games this season.

East's leading scorer, Jake Randolph, committed to Nebraska Omaha Monday. He will play a year for the USHL's Omaha Lancers before joining the red Mavericks. Randolph has 49 points this season. His father, Mike, is the longtime coach at East.

That UMD is doing well in getting local players is huge. It doesn't hurt that guys like Kyle Schmidt and Chad Huttel have moved through the program and made an impact. This year's roster features Hobey Baker candidate (favorite?) Jack Connolly, Keegan Flaherty, Tim Smith, Scott Kishel, Max Tardy, Adam Krause, and Aaron Jamnick, a transfer eligible next season.

Add in Thomas and Toninato, and the potential for more, and you have a situation where UMD is getting as close as it ever will to building the proverbial fence around the Northland.

You're not going to ever get them all, for a variety of reasons, but as long as UMD is getting the majority of local players who have serious Division I potential, it's a good start. You don't want a ton of kids who live within an hour or so drive going to rival schools, because it makes your job even more difficult as a recruiter. There are enough challenges and there is enough competition without a bunch of local kids bolting the area.

Central Scouting Releases Mid-Term Rankings, Including UMD Recruits

NHL Central Scouting released its mid-term rankings Wednesday morning. A number of players with local ties -- including some UMD recruits -- are included.

North American skaters are here. Follow the links to check out the other lists.

UMD recruits on the list are as follows:

100. Austyn Young, F, Sioux Falls (USHL)
139. Adam Johnson, F, Hibbing
187. Austin Farley, F, Fargo (USHL)
34 (goalies). Matt McNeely, Cedar Rapids (USHL)

Local players on the list:

132. Jake Bischoff, D, Grand Rapids
178. Trevor Olson, F, Duluth East
198. Dom Toninato, F, Duluth East

Not all these players will be drafted. For many of them, they're probably better off if they don't.

But it's nice recognition for some young players who have bright futures.

Adam Johnson Commits to UMD

I don't do many posts on recruiting for a couple different reasons.

For starters, it involves a lot of out-of-town players, guys who just don't resonate with the Northland until they get to UMD and make noise.

Also, we're talking -- generally -- about players who won't make an impact at UMD for some time. By the time they actually arrive, the day they committed is generally forgotten.

Of course, when we're talking about a local talent who has already made a name for himself, it's a worthy story.

UMD has gained a commitment from Hibbing/Chisholm sophomore Adam Johnson, likely for the 2013-14 season. Johnson had a great season at Hibbing, leading the Blue Jackets with 42 goals and 85 points in 31 games. He did it after converting to forward from defense to start the season, and he really blossomed at the state tournament.

In St. Paul, Johnson had an incredible game in the semifinals against Hermantown, scoring a natural hat trick to bring Hibbing back from 4-1 down to a 4-4 tie. Hermantown won the game, but Johnson's goal-scoring and playmaking ability were center stage at Minnesota's biggest hockey event, and he didn't disappoint.

Being able to retain top local talent is a huge plus for any Division I program. UMD is no exception, and fans will be thrilled to see Johnson don the UMD uniform in a bit more than two years.

Report: Jake Youso Decommits From Gopher Hockey Program

This hasn't been a particularly good couple years for Minnesota Gopher hockey.

They've had two straight NCAA misses -- in years Minnesota was scheduled to host regionals -- to go along with the fact that they've played one game in the Final Five over the last two years (a 2-1 play-in game loss to UMD in 2009).

It was a birthright for the Gophers and their dedicated fans before. This program doesn't miss the NCAAs, they always host first-round series in the WCHA playoffs, and they don't miss the Final Five. Now, they've missed two straight NCAAs, missed most of the last two Final Fives, and the Gophers have played on the road for the WCHA playoffs two of the last three years.

This is hardly what we have come to know from the Minnesota program. The fall has been more stunning than what Rich Rodriguez has pulled off with Michigan football. At least there are excuses -- full coaching change, different style of play -- for Michigan. The Gophers have gone from 60 to zero in about three years after dominating college hockey for a long time.

Lately, we've seen cracks developing in the armor ... the kinds of things that point to this being more than just a minor blip in the program's long and storied history. Players have left early at an amazing rate, some of whom weren't exactly ready to leave. A defenseman -- Sam Lofquist -- bolted during the season for major juniors last year. The year before, then-freshman forward Michael Dorr -- who had already bailed on his UMD commitment a few years prior -- decided he wasn't playing enough, so he transferred to Minnesota State.

This summer, the Gophers have lost recruits, and they may have pissed another off.

Ryan Walters was told to get back in the USHL, so he decommitted and went to Nebraska-Omaha. Highly-touted Seth Ambrosz doesn't seem terribly pleased about being sent back to juniors, something we reported on a few weeks back.

(At the time, we were led to believe this was a mutual decision. More recent reporting makes it sound like a Don Lucia-driven decision, and one Ambroz and his family are not happy about.)

Now, word comes from Roman Augustoviz that former International Falls Bronco Jake Youso has decommitted.

Roman tweeted that Youso is eligible for a third year of juniors, but it doesn't seem he wants to go that route. At 20, Youso wants to play college hockey.

He apparently wasn't going to do that at Minnesota, where the Gophers have too many forwards and not enough ice time. It's the same reason Ambroz is going to play in the USHL one more year (assuming the CHL leeches don't latch on), and it's why Walters is headed to Omaha to play for Dean Blais.

Augustoviz tweeted Monday about the Ambroz decision, and he noted that Lucia has just two years left on his contract. Athletic director Joel Maturi has expressed support publicly, but there has been nothing leaked to the public about contract talks.

That would indicate perhaps a bit less support and more pressure than anyone will talk about in the open. Lucia needs to win. He knows he needs to win, and he figures he's better off trying to win with a more experienced group of forwards and a limited number of newcomers.

Of course, we might not be done. There are rumblings that another departure could be on the way soon. Speculation centered around sophomore defenseman Nick Leddy, who was so-so as a freshman for the Gophers but had an impressive prospect camp with the Chicago Blackhawks. Minneapolis Star Tribune Wild writer Michael Russo shot that speculation down -- at least for now.

If the exodus isn't complete, the Gophers' fall down the WCHA ladder might not be, either.