We're ten days out from UMD's exhibition game against Lakehead, and 15 days from the regular season opener against Bemidji State. Time for some updates on media coverage.
--> First, UMD had a few games selected for television in announcements over the last week or so. CBS Sports Network and its wonderful crew won't be in Duluth this year, but the Bulldogs will be on twice. Games Feb. 19 at North Dakota and Feb. 26 at St. Cloud State will be televised on the network. CBSSN will continue with its NCHC Frozen Faceoff coverage from Target Center as well.
Fox Sports North has added four UMD games to its schedule. FSN will have the Bulldogs' series against Minnesota Oct. 16 (at Minnesota) and Oct. 17 (in Duluth). They will also televise UMD's home game against Colorado College Feb. 5 as a sort of lead-in to the network's massive Hockey Day Minnesota coverage from Bayfront Park the next day. Also, the game Feb. 27 at St. Cloud State will be on FSN.
I'm not sure what NBC's plans are for Notre Dame hockey coverage, but I suppose a broadcast or stream of UMD's games there could still be added. Haven't heard anything on that.
--> I've seen it brought up on Twitter, and a couple have asked me my thoughts on this. For the record, I've been first in line to criticize FSN and its unwillingness to even recognize the existence of the state's non-Gopher college hockey teams on Hockey Day Minnesota. It's about the only negative to what is a great day for the sport and the network.
So some of you, knowing that I've been pretty upfront about this over the years, might think it's strange that I'm not first in line to rip FSN for picking up the Gophers-Penn State game on Feb. 6 and not UMD's home game, which is a few hundred yards from Bayfront Park.
This time around, I'll back them on the decision.
I doubt this is FSN's reasoning, but here is why.
The high school games at Bayfront are scheduled for 10am (Denfeld-Eveleth) and 1pm (East-Lakeville North). Anyone who's ever watched these games knows that the 1pm game rarely ends before 3:30. The college game -- now scheduled to be Gophers-Penn State -- starts at 4, because the Wild aren't at home and have no control over start times. They play at 7.
For anyone who wants to attend the high school games and UMD's game against Colorado College, a 4pm start would make the goal practically hopeless, unless they leave the East game early or resolve to miss the start of the UMD game.
Hockey Day Minnesota being in Duluth, and at such a great venue as Bayfront Park, is a big deal. It should be treated that way. It's going to be a wonderful day in a great hockey city, so I'm fine with anything that allows people to experience as much of the day as possible, even if FSN didn't make this decision with that idea in mind.
Selfishly, I love it. If my son doesn't have games of his own that day, it's an opportunity for me to take him to Bayfront without having to worry about leaving early to get to Amsoil for a 4pm UMD game. I can deal with that.
I get that Duluth territorials want Duluth splattered all over Hockey Day Minnesota. But Duluth will be featured on FSN more between 7pm Feb. 5 and 4pm Feb. 6 than it probably has ever been in any 21-hour period prior to that. Spin it however you want, but Hockey Day Minnesota will be a win for Duluth ... especially if the weather cooperates.
--> Besides UMD's TV coverage (all non-FSN home games locally on My9 and streamed via the NCHC.tv package), we of course have you covered on the radio. 92.1 The Fan is your home for Bulldog hockey in Duluth, and we have a growing Red Rock Radio Bulldog Sports Network to carry games throughout northern Minnesota and even into western Wisconsin. You can also stream every game via the FREE iHeartRadio app. Download it today, search out 92.1 The Fan, and make us one of your favorites. It's a fantastic app that allows you to take the Bulldogs wherever you go.
LISTEN TO THE RADIO (Sorry, it's a Twitter bit of mine).
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Preseason NCHC Predictions
Another season is upon us, and now it's time to fruitlessly predict how the NCHC will finish pull out the crystal ball and make some picks.
Before we do that, here's how they finished in 2014-15:
1. North Dakota
2. Miami
3. Omaha
4. Denver
5. UMD
6. St. Cloud State
7. Western Michigan
8. Colorado College
For fun, here's how I picked them:
1. Miami
2. St. Cloud State
3. North Dakota
4. UMD
5. Omaha
6. Denver
7. Western Michigan
8. Colorado College
Not as bad as the year before, but still not very good. Of course, that won't stop me from trying again. I wish I wasn't so stubborn.
8. Colorado College
I was prepared to move the Tigers out of the cellar, even with questions up front and in goal, largely because of defenseman Jaccob Slavin. Then I turned on the NHL Network and saw him playing for the Carolina Hurricanes. Guess that means he's not coming back.
(Kidding. I knew he was gone. But seeing that was a stark reminder of how young CC is going to be this season.)
It seemed the Tigers had some moments of positivity in Mike Haviland's first season. There were plenty of nights where CC was competitive and just lost out on some bad bounces, or the stunning lack of scoring really reared its ugly head. I just don't see how they get out from that with 14 freshmen on the roster this year. Haviland will have a much better team, though. If the Tigers get goaltending they could really surprise.
7. Western Michigan
How stupid competitive is the NCHC? Western Michigan is good enough to make the NCAA Tournament. I have them seventh in an eight-team league.
Highly-respected veteran coach Andy Murray lost big forward Colton Hargrove to the Boston Bruins, but he returns speedy forward Sheldon Dries and highly-skilled Nolan Laporte, who can score goals while also getting under the skin of opponents. The hard-nosed Broncos did lose talented defenseman Kenney Morrison and four-year goalie Frank Slubowski, but Lukas Hafner is back in net, and Murray has some promising young defensemen to deploy.
(The team overall is young. Laporte and Hafner are the best -- in my view -- of a five-man senior class at WMU.)
Western might not wow anyone with its speed or pace of play, but the Broncos are a formidable foe because of how consistently hard they play. They're as good as anyone in the league at making life hell for opponents in all zones.
6. St. Cloud State
Last year, the Huskies finished sixth in the NCHC. How did they end their season? By blitzing Omaha in a two-game road playoff sweep, then taking down No. 1 North Dakota in the NCHC semifinals before bowing to Miami in the title game. Oh, and then SCSU went to the NCAA West Regional, beat Michigan Tech, and ended its season a win away from a second trip to the Frozen Four in three years.
Not too shabby, eh?
Bob Motzko has built a power here, a team capable of annual NCAA trips, and this year is no different. With that being said, the Huskies do have to fill some holes. Goal-scorer Jonny Brodzinski left early, and SCSU also lost steady leaders like Joe Rehkamp and Nick Oliver up front, along with Andrew Prochno and Tim Daly in the back.
Talent? They've got it. Joey Benik already made the leap, and he could be a darkhorse Hobey candidate. David Morley and Kalle Kossila lead a strong senior class, and Charlie Lindgren is rock-solid in goal.
5. Omaha
Some teams lost talented players. Omaha lost its backbone. If not for Ryan Massa, UNO doesn't make the Frozen Four. He might not have been at his best in the semifinal loss to Providence, but Massa was as good as any goalie in the country last year, and he was that way basically from start to finish.
He's gone now, but Dean Blais isn't shedding tears and wondering how his team will compete. While Massa was backstopping UNO to Boston, young players were learning the ropes and showing a ridiculous amount of promise. Now, the Mavs have Avery Peterson and Jake Randolph back as sophomores, joined by junior forwards Austin Ortega and Jake Guentzel, as dangerous as anyone in the league.
Blais will need Luc Snuggerud and Joel Messner to keep stepping forward on the blue line, as depth there is a bit questionable.
4. North Dakota
"Bruce, you're doing it again. You're underrating UND."
North Dakota fans should be happy. It seems I do this every year, and every year UND outperforms my expectations.
I respected Dave Hakstol as much as any opposing coach I've ever dealt with. I've heard nothing but good things about Brad Berry, who takes over after Hakstol left for the NHL. This prediction isn't about coaching. Not in the least.
Instead, I'm curious about UND's forward depth and goaltending. Even if Drake Caggiula puts up All-NCHC numbers as I believe he will, and even if Nick Schmaltz has the big year I think he will, I don't know that North Dakota has the scoring depth to win the league again.
What do I know? That North Dakota's blue line -- featuring Paul LaDue, Troy Stecher, captain Gage Ausmus, and soon-to-emerge Tucker Poolman -- is as good as any in college hockey. And just think: Jordan Schmaltz left early for pro hockey.
3. Miami
A disappointing end to last season, for sure, losing to Providence in the first round of the NCAAs, and when you look on paper, it's easy to say Miami was gutted up front. Austin Czarnik, Riley Barber, and Blake Coleman are all gone.
But the underrated Sean Kuraly and Anthony Louis are both back up front, and the RedHawks were able to supplement a large senior class (ten guys, including both primary goalies) with another strong recruiting class, led by NTDP star Jack Roslovic.
Defenseman Matthew Caito is one of the seniors, and sophomore Louie Belpedio will be one of the nation's best blue-liners this year (you'll notice I voted Belpedio to my preseason all-league team).
Despite the heavy losses, I expect Miami will content. Rico Blasi's team might not score as much this year, but they'll be stronger from the net out to make up the difference.
2. Denver
Similar to North Dakota, I do question Denver's forward depth. Trevor Moore and Danton Heinen are the most explosive forwards in the conference, but Jim Montgomery does need to find them a new center (assuming he keeps them on the same line). The good news? With all due respect to Daniel Doremus, Montgomery could put a broomstick in between those two and get 20 points out of it (it's an old wrestling analogy, just go with me on it). If Montgomery needs volunteers to play center on that line, I'll look into my college eligibility.
In all seriousness, you're not going to find a better one-two scoring punch, possibly in the country. Whoever plays center will be a better player for it, just having these two to feed. We talk about great centers making the linemates better. In DU's case, the unbelievably-talented Moore and Heinen can make the center better.
(Again, assuming they stay on the same line. I'd have to think DU at least starts out that way.)
Joey LaLeggia is the biggest loss in the NCHC, but Denver's blue line isn't a barren wasteland without him. Nolan Zajac and Will Butcher are ready, and Montgomery has some nice complimentary pieces in Matt VanVoorhis and Adam Plant. Freshmen Blake Hillman and Sean Mostrom will compete for a piece of the pie as well.
Oh, and the goalies. Tanner Jaillet and Evan Cowley both return, and while both had their share of struggles at times, Montgomery has a potent tandem in net.
1. UMD
Before you cry "HOMER!," know this:
2015-16 is my 11th year calling UMD hockey. I'm such a terrible homer that this is the first time I've ever picked UMD to win its conference.
And I have my reasons.
It starts with preseason All-NCHC goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo. Here's what I wrote about him in March:
Preseason all-league defenseman and cap'n Andy Welinski leads a stout blue line that returns big-minute guys Willie Raskob and Carson Soucy (emerging as a top prospect on the Wild blue line, by the way), along with improved senior Willie Corrin. Oh, and Hermantown's Neal Pionk debuts this year after two strong years in the USHL.
Up front, the top line of Tony Cameranesi, Austin Farley, and Karson Kuhlman return intact, along with juniors Dominic Toninato and Alex Iafallo. UMD adds former Hibbing star Adam Johnson after he had a very good year in the USHL last year.
Not that it should matter, but given the difficulty UMD had extracting points from games against Western Michigan last year, it probably helps the Bulldogs that they only see Western Michigan once this year. It's the kind of scheduling break that could make a difference in such a competitive league.
UMD has skill, size, depth, and goaltending. I believe the Bulldogs have the fewest holes in the NCHC, and they are my pick to claim the Penrose Cup.
Before we do that, here's how they finished in 2014-15:
1. North Dakota
2. Miami
3. Omaha
4. Denver
5. UMD
6. St. Cloud State
7. Western Michigan
8. Colorado College
For fun, here's how I picked them:
1. Miami
2. St. Cloud State
3. North Dakota
4. UMD
5. Omaha
6. Denver
7. Western Michigan
8. Colorado College
Not as bad as the year before, but still not very good. Of course, that won't stop me from trying again. I wish I wasn't so stubborn.
8. Colorado College
I was prepared to move the Tigers out of the cellar, even with questions up front and in goal, largely because of defenseman Jaccob Slavin. Then I turned on the NHL Network and saw him playing for the Carolina Hurricanes. Guess that means he's not coming back.
(Kidding. I knew he was gone. But seeing that was a stark reminder of how young CC is going to be this season.)
It seemed the Tigers had some moments of positivity in Mike Haviland's first season. There were plenty of nights where CC was competitive and just lost out on some bad bounces, or the stunning lack of scoring really reared its ugly head. I just don't see how they get out from that with 14 freshmen on the roster this year. Haviland will have a much better team, though. If the Tigers get goaltending they could really surprise.
7. Western Michigan
How stupid competitive is the NCHC? Western Michigan is good enough to make the NCAA Tournament. I have them seventh in an eight-team league.
Highly-respected veteran coach Andy Murray lost big forward Colton Hargrove to the Boston Bruins, but he returns speedy forward Sheldon Dries and highly-skilled Nolan Laporte, who can score goals while also getting under the skin of opponents. The hard-nosed Broncos did lose talented defenseman Kenney Morrison and four-year goalie Frank Slubowski, but Lukas Hafner is back in net, and Murray has some promising young defensemen to deploy.
(The team overall is young. Laporte and Hafner are the best -- in my view -- of a five-man senior class at WMU.)
Western might not wow anyone with its speed or pace of play, but the Broncos are a formidable foe because of how consistently hard they play. They're as good as anyone in the league at making life hell for opponents in all zones.
6. St. Cloud State
Last year, the Huskies finished sixth in the NCHC. How did they end their season? By blitzing Omaha in a two-game road playoff sweep, then taking down No. 1 North Dakota in the NCHC semifinals before bowing to Miami in the title game. Oh, and then SCSU went to the NCAA West Regional, beat Michigan Tech, and ended its season a win away from a second trip to the Frozen Four in three years.
Not too shabby, eh?
Bob Motzko has built a power here, a team capable of annual NCAA trips, and this year is no different. With that being said, the Huskies do have to fill some holes. Goal-scorer Jonny Brodzinski left early, and SCSU also lost steady leaders like Joe Rehkamp and Nick Oliver up front, along with Andrew Prochno and Tim Daly in the back.
Talent? They've got it. Joey Benik already made the leap, and he could be a darkhorse Hobey candidate. David Morley and Kalle Kossila lead a strong senior class, and Charlie Lindgren is rock-solid in goal.
5. Omaha
Some teams lost talented players. Omaha lost its backbone. If not for Ryan Massa, UNO doesn't make the Frozen Four. He might not have been at his best in the semifinal loss to Providence, but Massa was as good as any goalie in the country last year, and he was that way basically from start to finish.
He's gone now, but Dean Blais isn't shedding tears and wondering how his team will compete. While Massa was backstopping UNO to Boston, young players were learning the ropes and showing a ridiculous amount of promise. Now, the Mavs have Avery Peterson and Jake Randolph back as sophomores, joined by junior forwards Austin Ortega and Jake Guentzel, as dangerous as anyone in the league.
Blais will need Luc Snuggerud and Joel Messner to keep stepping forward on the blue line, as depth there is a bit questionable.
4. North Dakota
"Bruce, you're doing it again. You're underrating UND."
North Dakota fans should be happy. It seems I do this every year, and every year UND outperforms my expectations.
I respected Dave Hakstol as much as any opposing coach I've ever dealt with. I've heard nothing but good things about Brad Berry, who takes over after Hakstol left for the NHL. This prediction isn't about coaching. Not in the least.
Instead, I'm curious about UND's forward depth and goaltending. Even if Drake Caggiula puts up All-NCHC numbers as I believe he will, and even if Nick Schmaltz has the big year I think he will, I don't know that North Dakota has the scoring depth to win the league again.
What do I know? That North Dakota's blue line -- featuring Paul LaDue, Troy Stecher, captain Gage Ausmus, and soon-to-emerge Tucker Poolman -- is as good as any in college hockey. And just think: Jordan Schmaltz left early for pro hockey.
3. Miami
A disappointing end to last season, for sure, losing to Providence in the first round of the NCAAs, and when you look on paper, it's easy to say Miami was gutted up front. Austin Czarnik, Riley Barber, and Blake Coleman are all gone.
But the underrated Sean Kuraly and Anthony Louis are both back up front, and the RedHawks were able to supplement a large senior class (ten guys, including both primary goalies) with another strong recruiting class, led by NTDP star Jack Roslovic.
Defenseman Matthew Caito is one of the seniors, and sophomore Louie Belpedio will be one of the nation's best blue-liners this year (you'll notice I voted Belpedio to my preseason all-league team).
Despite the heavy losses, I expect Miami will content. Rico Blasi's team might not score as much this year, but they'll be stronger from the net out to make up the difference.
2. Denver
Similar to North Dakota, I do question Denver's forward depth. Trevor Moore and Danton Heinen are the most explosive forwards in the conference, but Jim Montgomery does need to find them a new center (assuming he keeps them on the same line). The good news? With all due respect to Daniel Doremus, Montgomery could put a broomstick in between those two and get 20 points out of it (it's an old wrestling analogy, just go with me on it). If Montgomery needs volunteers to play center on that line, I'll look into my college eligibility.
In all seriousness, you're not going to find a better one-two scoring punch, possibly in the country. Whoever plays center will be a better player for it, just having these two to feed. We talk about great centers making the linemates better. In DU's case, the unbelievably-talented Moore and Heinen can make the center better.
(Again, assuming they stay on the same line. I'd have to think DU at least starts out that way.)
Joey LaLeggia is the biggest loss in the NCHC, but Denver's blue line isn't a barren wasteland without him. Nolan Zajac and Will Butcher are ready, and Montgomery has some nice complimentary pieces in Matt VanVoorhis and Adam Plant. Freshmen Blake Hillman and Sean Mostrom will compete for a piece of the pie as well.
Oh, and the goalies. Tanner Jaillet and Evan Cowley both return, and while both had their share of struggles at times, Montgomery has a potent tandem in net.
1. UMD
Before you cry "HOMER!," know this:
2015-16 is my 11th year calling UMD hockey. I'm such a terrible homer that this is the first time I've ever picked UMD to win its conference.
And I have my reasons.
It starts with preseason All-NCHC goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo. Here's what I wrote about him in March:
Kaskisuo was fantastic in the NCAA Tournament, to the point I voted him Most Outstanding Player for the Northeast Regional (votes were due before BU got the late power play). He played well in both games, and this summer will be a key to his success going forward. I think he has a chance to be one of the best goalies in the NCHC, if not Division I, next season if he has a good offseason.Now, we see it all come together for Kaskisuo. He unquestionably had a rough patch last season, and there were times his fundamentals were just a little off what they should be. If he can improve that .917 he put up as a freshman by even a couple percentage points, UMD is off and running. If something happens to Kaskisuo, senior Matt McNeely is waiting in the wings. "Matty Ice" only got in five games last year, but one of those was a crucial 2-1 win over Minnesota. In that game at the North Star College Cup, McNeely played possibly his best game as a Bulldog and helped UMD snap a four-game losing streak that threatened to spoil a promising season.
Preseason all-league defenseman and cap'n Andy Welinski leads a stout blue line that returns big-minute guys Willie Raskob and Carson Soucy (emerging as a top prospect on the Wild blue line, by the way), along with improved senior Willie Corrin. Oh, and Hermantown's Neal Pionk debuts this year after two strong years in the USHL.
Up front, the top line of Tony Cameranesi, Austin Farley, and Karson Kuhlman return intact, along with juniors Dominic Toninato and Alex Iafallo. UMD adds former Hibbing star Adam Johnson after he had a very good year in the USHL last year.
Not that it should matter, but given the difficulty UMD had extracting points from games against Western Michigan last year, it probably helps the Bulldogs that they only see Western Michigan once this year. It's the kind of scheduling break that could make a difference in such a competitive league.
UMD has skill, size, depth, and goaltending. I believe the Bulldogs have the fewest holes in the NCHC, and they are my pick to claim the Penrose Cup.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Preseason All-NCHC Team Announced
The NCHC announced its preseason all-league team yesterday. Here is the pertinent information.
Forwards
Moore
Heinen
Tony Cameranesi, UMD
Defensemen
Welinski
Louie Belpedio, Miami
Goalie
Kaskisuo
Most difficult choices I had were Cameranesi over Austin Ortega and Drake Caggiula at forward, and Belpedio over Caito, Paul LaDue, and Carson Soucy on defense.
For UMD's sake, I hope the voters are as sharp with these picks as they were last year. If Kaskisuo especially is good enough to be all-conference in March, UMD will be in great position going into the postseason.
Four teams are represented on the 2015 NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team led by two selections each from Denver and Minnesota Duluth. The Pioneers placed two forwards on the team in junior Trevor Moore and sophomore Danton Heinen, who earned 21 and 20 votes respectively. The third forward is North Dakota senior Drake Caggiula, who garnered 17 votes. UMD senior defenseman Andy Welinski anchors the Preseason All-NCHC defensive pairing with 22 votes while Miami senior Matthew Caito is the other defenseman, receiving 10 votes. Minnesota Duluth sophomore goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo completed the Preseason All-NCHC Team with 14 votes.For those interested, here's how I voted:
Moore (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) was a First-Team All-NCHC selection and the NCHC Forward of the Year as a sophomore in 2014-15, when he led the NCHC with 22 goals and was third in the conference with 44 points in 39 games. His 30 points in conference play also led the NCHC while his 13 goals tied for the league lead. Heinen (Langley, B.C.) was the NCHC Rookie of the Year and a Second-Team All-NCHC recipient a season ago when he tied for the NCHC scoring lead with 45 points, third among freshmen nationally, including 16 goals in 40 games. The Boston Bruins prospect also chipped in 26 points in conference play, tops along all freshmen. Caggiula (Whitby, Ont.), also a Second-Team All-NCHC honoree in 2014-15, compiled 36 points in 42 games on 18 goals and assists each. In conference play, he tied for the NCHC lead with 13 goals and totaled 22 points.
On the blue line, Welinski (Duluth, Minn.) was another Second-Team All-NCHC member from last season, tallying 21 points in 40 games with 51 blocked shots. The Anaheim Ducks prospect recorded 12 points, including seven goals, and blocked 25 shots in conference play as a junior. Caito (Coto de Caza, Calif.) was an NCHC Honorable Mention pick last year when he compiled 24 points in 39 games and posted a plus-19 rating, tops among NCHC defensemen a season ago. In conference play, he tallied 16 points, including three goals, blocked 45 shots and accrued a plus-10 rating as a junior.
Rounding out the NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team is Kaskisuo (Vantaa, Finland), who earned NCHC All-Rookie Team honors in goal last season after posting an 18-14-3 record while making 36 starts, recording a 2.30 goals-against average and posting a .917 save percentage. He was one of just two NCHC netminders last year to start all 24 conference games as he went 12-9-3 with a 2.27 GAA and a .918 save percentage.
Last season, four of the six student-athletes chosen for the NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team were also named to the 2014-15 NCHC All-Conference First Team at the end of the season.
2015 NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team
F – Trevor Moore, Denver, Jr. – 21 votes
F – Danton Heinen, Denver, So. – 20 votes
F – Drake Caggiula, North Dakota, Sr. – 17 votes
D – Andy Welinski, Minnesota Duluth, Sr. – 22 votes
D – Matthew Caito, Miami, Sr. – 10 votes
G – Kasimir Kaskisuo, Minnesota Duluth, So. – 14 votes
Forwards
Moore
Heinen
Tony Cameranesi, UMD
Defensemen
Welinski
Louie Belpedio, Miami
Goalie
Kaskisuo
Most difficult choices I had were Cameranesi over Austin Ortega and Drake Caggiula at forward, and Belpedio over Caito, Paul LaDue, and Carson Soucy on defense.
For UMD's sake, I hope the voters are as sharp with these picks as they were last year. If Kaskisuo especially is good enough to be all-conference in March, UMD will be in great position going into the postseason.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
UMD News and Notes
Couple UMD headlines from the last couple weeks:
--> For those unaware, Duluth native Brett Larson was chosen to replace Derek Plante as an assistant coach. Larson was a no-brainer choice if he was interested, given his experience with this program from 2008-2011, one of the more successful three-year runs in UMD history. He knows a lot of these kids already, and he obviously knows the system and the culture of the program. Larson is a high-character guy who will relate well to kids and parents out on the recruiting trail.
--> UMD picked up another St. Scholastica transfer, adding forward Luke Simpson. As a freshman at CSS, Simpson talled 12 goals and 26 points in 28 games. He's from Canmore, Alberta, and will have to sit out this season as a transfer. He will wear No. 26 and can practice with the team even though he can't play. He will have three years of eligibility starting next fall (technically, this is considered a redshirt year for Simpson, so he doesn't lose a year of eligibility on the transfer). He's listed at 6-1 and 195 pounds, so he's not at all undersized. It'll be interesting to watch him compete in practice.
Defenseman Brenden Kotyk transferred from CSS to UMD in 2013, and it was obvious early in the 2013-14 season he was a guy who could play at this level. He proved that when he actually played at this level last year.
--> A couple former UMD players have signed pro contracts recently. 2013-14 co-captain Joe Basaraba signed with Orlando (ECHL) after a year in Cincinnati last year. 2013 graduate Drew Olson is heading to Hungary to play for MAC Budapest. Also, 2012 Hobey Baker winner Jack Connolly, for those wondering, will play for Rogle BK of the Swedish Hockey League (their top league, used to be called Elitserien). It will be Connolly's fourth season in Europe and third in the top flight (Rogle was in the second division last year, but earned promotion through a playoff). Connolly had four goals and 30 points for Rogle last year.
--> UMD rotates out of the North Star College Cup this year, but for those interesting in going anyway (we're playing in Marquette, Mich., that weekend), the event has been shifted a day. The NSCC will be a Saturday-Sunday event January 30 and 31 at XCel Energy Center in St. Paul. The semifinal matchups are St. Cloud State vs Minnesota State, followed by Bemidji State vs Minnesota. Bemidji is the defending champion. I asked around, and it appears to be a move aimed at improving attendance. One of the big fan complaints I've heard was it was impossible to get to the early game Friday for anyone who worked all day. Hopefully this helps drive some more attendance for the event, which despite my admitted skepticism is pretty cool.
One thing it likely isn't tied to much is television. The Wild are off that weekend for the All-Star break, so FSN's only potential conflict is the Timberwolves.
--> For those unaware, Duluth native Brett Larson was chosen to replace Derek Plante as an assistant coach. Larson was a no-brainer choice if he was interested, given his experience with this program from 2008-2011, one of the more successful three-year runs in UMD history. He knows a lot of these kids already, and he obviously knows the system and the culture of the program. Larson is a high-character guy who will relate well to kids and parents out on the recruiting trail.
--> UMD picked up another St. Scholastica transfer, adding forward Luke Simpson. As a freshman at CSS, Simpson talled 12 goals and 26 points in 28 games. He's from Canmore, Alberta, and will have to sit out this season as a transfer. He will wear No. 26 and can practice with the team even though he can't play. He will have three years of eligibility starting next fall (technically, this is considered a redshirt year for Simpson, so he doesn't lose a year of eligibility on the transfer). He's listed at 6-1 and 195 pounds, so he's not at all undersized. It'll be interesting to watch him compete in practice.
Defenseman Brenden Kotyk transferred from CSS to UMD in 2013, and it was obvious early in the 2013-14 season he was a guy who could play at this level. He proved that when he actually played at this level last year.
--> A couple former UMD players have signed pro contracts recently. 2013-14 co-captain Joe Basaraba signed with Orlando (ECHL) after a year in Cincinnati last year. 2013 graduate Drew Olson is heading to Hungary to play for MAC Budapest. Also, 2012 Hobey Baker winner Jack Connolly, for those wondering, will play for Rogle BK of the Swedish Hockey League (their top league, used to be called Elitserien). It will be Connolly's fourth season in Europe and third in the top flight (Rogle was in the second division last year, but earned promotion through a playoff). Connolly had four goals and 30 points for Rogle last year.
--> UMD rotates out of the North Star College Cup this year, but for those interesting in going anyway (we're playing in Marquette, Mich., that weekend), the event has been shifted a day. The NSCC will be a Saturday-Sunday event January 30 and 31 at XCel Energy Center in St. Paul. The semifinal matchups are St. Cloud State vs Minnesota State, followed by Bemidji State vs Minnesota. Bemidji is the defending champion. I asked around, and it appears to be a move aimed at improving attendance. One of the big fan complaints I've heard was it was impossible to get to the early game Friday for anyone who worked all day. Hopefully this helps drive some more attendance for the event, which despite my admitted skepticism is pretty cool.
One thing it likely isn't tied to much is television. The Wild are off that weekend for the All-Star break, so FSN's only potential conflict is the Timberwolves.
UMD Depth Chart 2015-16
Greetings, and hope you've enjoyed the summer.
I'll post separately with a couple headlines from the last week or more, but here is the annual UMD men's hockey depth chart.
The normal reminders: The lines are simply an opinion/guess meant for entertainment purposes only. Then again, if you're betting on college hockey line combinations, you should probably seek some sort of help. I'll throw a few comments after each position group.
Forwards
Austin Farley - Tony Cameranesi - Karson Kuhlman
Alex Iafallo - Dominic Toninato - Adam Johnson
Kyle Osterberg - Jared Thomas - Sammy Spurrell
Charlie Sampair - Cal Decowski - Austyn Young
Blake Young - Billy Exell - Parker Mackay
I believe we start the season with what became last year's top line intact. There is little doubt that Farley, Cameranesi, and Kuhlman were the go-to guys down the stretch, with the shift made possible by their consistent play, combined with Iafallo's illness, Toninato's injury, and Krause getting suspended for the playoff opener in Denver. The door was ajar and those three blew it open. Farley and Kuhlman may not have scored at Cameranesi's clip, but they played off their center very well and helped him have what I thought was his best season at UMD.
Johnson is a lefty, but certainly capable of playing at the right hand of Toninato, who really needs to show improvement (well, more consistency) in the faceoff circle this season. No reason to break Toninato and Iafallo up now, and Johnson could really benefit from their chemistry as the third member of this line. Based on last year's lines, this is the only spot in the "top six" that appears to be open as the season approaches.
Thomas emerged late last season, and at a great time as Toninato was injured, and I think Spurrell was ticketed for more than fourth-line minutes before his season was wrecked by back surgery. Osterberg is a great fit on this line.
Decowski has the versatility to play just about anywhere on any line, and his attitude is such that he'll do that is asked of him. Sampair struggled, I thought, last year, but started to emerge in the second half, even if the numbers didn't necessarily show it. However, a couple experiments with more five-on-five minutes didn't go that well. The Youngs were both a bit of a surprise. I thought Austyn did a great job becoming a solid third- and fourth-line guy, and Blake worked his tail off to get better. As he learns more and more how to use his big body, he will be a threat to crack the lineup every night. Exell has speed to burn, and Mackay played a ton in juniors in different roles. He could be an interesting guy to watch develop.
Defensemen
Carson Soucy - Andy Welinski
Neal Pionk - Willie Raskob
Willie Corrin - Brenden Kotyk
Nick McCormack - Dan Molenaar
Struggled with where to put Pionk, but I tend to think he'll settle into the top four given how well he played in Sioux City. Soucy and Welinski are easily UMD's big-minute guys, with Soucy's pro future really starting to brighten (Hockey News ranks him eighth among Wild prospects).
We tried to tell Raskob's story a lot late in the season. Outside of a game here or there, he showed a ton of improvement as the year wore on. Raskob was a healthy scratch a couple times in the first half, but he kept battling and eventually settled comfortably in the top four.
Corrin also emerged as a playmaking threat last year, scoring his first three collegiate goals and showing a knack for jumping in the play offensively. His chemistry with Kotyk was a factor, as the big man jumped in to a regular spot in the UMD lineup after sitting out a transfer season.
McCormack and Molenaar are both good players, but both struggled with health last year. They will keep everyone else on their toes as they challenge for playing time.
Goalies
Kasimir Kaskisuo - Matt McNeely - Nick Deery
Clearly, Kaskisuo is the top dog entering the season, but give McNeely credit. After a shutout of Notre Dame at the Ice Breaker, McNeely struggled mightily the following Friday against Minnesota State, and he ended up ceding the job to Kaskisuo the next night in Mankato. "Kas" started every game after that until the third-place game at the North Star Cup, and Kaskisuo played every minute of UMD's NCHC schedule.
But when UMD needed McNeely, he was ready. It didn't translate to many minutes, but the work-ethic was there and it's a great sign heading into his senior season. Deery replaces Alex Fons as the third goalie. He's the "In case of emergency: Break glass" option, and he had Division I interest. He won't play much, if at all, but he'll have plenty of opportunity to get better in practice.
UMD's team save percentage of .912 was the team's best since the Alex Stalock-led .920 put up in 2008-2009.
I'll post separately with a couple headlines from the last week or more, but here is the annual UMD men's hockey depth chart.
The normal reminders: The lines are simply an opinion/guess meant for entertainment purposes only. Then again, if you're betting on college hockey line combinations, you should probably seek some sort of help. I'll throw a few comments after each position group.
Forwards
Austin Farley - Tony Cameranesi - Karson Kuhlman
Alex Iafallo - Dominic Toninato - Adam Johnson
Kyle Osterberg - Jared Thomas - Sammy Spurrell
Charlie Sampair - Cal Decowski - Austyn Young
Blake Young - Billy Exell - Parker Mackay
I believe we start the season with what became last year's top line intact. There is little doubt that Farley, Cameranesi, and Kuhlman were the go-to guys down the stretch, with the shift made possible by their consistent play, combined with Iafallo's illness, Toninato's injury, and Krause getting suspended for the playoff opener in Denver. The door was ajar and those three blew it open. Farley and Kuhlman may not have scored at Cameranesi's clip, but they played off their center very well and helped him have what I thought was his best season at UMD.
Johnson is a lefty, but certainly capable of playing at the right hand of Toninato, who really needs to show improvement (well, more consistency) in the faceoff circle this season. No reason to break Toninato and Iafallo up now, and Johnson could really benefit from their chemistry as the third member of this line. Based on last year's lines, this is the only spot in the "top six" that appears to be open as the season approaches.
Thomas emerged late last season, and at a great time as Toninato was injured, and I think Spurrell was ticketed for more than fourth-line minutes before his season was wrecked by back surgery. Osterberg is a great fit on this line.
Decowski has the versatility to play just about anywhere on any line, and his attitude is such that he'll do that is asked of him. Sampair struggled, I thought, last year, but started to emerge in the second half, even if the numbers didn't necessarily show it. However, a couple experiments with more five-on-five minutes didn't go that well. The Youngs were both a bit of a surprise. I thought Austyn did a great job becoming a solid third- and fourth-line guy, and Blake worked his tail off to get better. As he learns more and more how to use his big body, he will be a threat to crack the lineup every night. Exell has speed to burn, and Mackay played a ton in juniors in different roles. He could be an interesting guy to watch develop.
Defensemen
Carson Soucy - Andy Welinski
Neal Pionk - Willie Raskob
Willie Corrin - Brenden Kotyk
Nick McCormack - Dan Molenaar
Struggled with where to put Pionk, but I tend to think he'll settle into the top four given how well he played in Sioux City. Soucy and Welinski are easily UMD's big-minute guys, with Soucy's pro future really starting to brighten (Hockey News ranks him eighth among Wild prospects).
We tried to tell Raskob's story a lot late in the season. Outside of a game here or there, he showed a ton of improvement as the year wore on. Raskob was a healthy scratch a couple times in the first half, but he kept battling and eventually settled comfortably in the top four.
Corrin also emerged as a playmaking threat last year, scoring his first three collegiate goals and showing a knack for jumping in the play offensively. His chemistry with Kotyk was a factor, as the big man jumped in to a regular spot in the UMD lineup after sitting out a transfer season.
McCormack and Molenaar are both good players, but both struggled with health last year. They will keep everyone else on their toes as they challenge for playing time.
Goalies
Kasimir Kaskisuo - Matt McNeely - Nick Deery
Clearly, Kaskisuo is the top dog entering the season, but give McNeely credit. After a shutout of Notre Dame at the Ice Breaker, McNeely struggled mightily the following Friday against Minnesota State, and he ended up ceding the job to Kaskisuo the next night in Mankato. "Kas" started every game after that until the third-place game at the North Star Cup, and Kaskisuo played every minute of UMD's NCHC schedule.
But when UMD needed McNeely, he was ready. It didn't translate to many minutes, but the work-ethic was there and it's a great sign heading into his senior season. Deery replaces Alex Fons as the third goalie. He's the "In case of emergency: Break glass" option, and he had Division I interest. He won't play much, if at all, but he'll have plenty of opportunity to get better in practice.
UMD's team save percentage of .912 was the team's best since the Alex Stalock-led .920 put up in 2008-2009.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Why the NBA is Still Killing the NHL
Let there be no doubt: The NHL is growing.
Boosted significantly by local Chicago numbers, the Stanley Cup Final did very well, relatively speaking. The numbers, including eight million-plus viewers for the clinching game on Monday, are even better when you consider the NHL has never done wonderfully in the ratings when "non-traditional" markets are involved. When it's an Original Six or a blue-blood (i.e. Pittsburgh), the league can pull some good numbers. But when Tampa Bay, San Jose, or that ilk play, the numbers tend to go down.
(Tampa pulled some really good local ratings this time around, which has to make the league happy. The buzz there was palpable, especially compared to past championship series involving teams like Los Angeles or Carolina.)
However, the NBA Finals -- featuring mid-size market teams with big-market superstars -- more than doubled the NHL's strong -- by its standards -- numbers. Game 6 Tuesday pulled over 23 million viewers, and Game 5 Sunday topped 20 million, too. Imagine if you replaced "Golden State vs Cleveland" with "L.A. Lakers vs Anyone."
So the NHL is growing. Any hockey fan will tell you they prefer many things about hockey to basketball, and even casual hockey fans will agree that the Stanley Cup Final is riveting television. The secondary ticket market was abuzz, and fans who attend are ridiculously into the games.
Why doesn't it translate to TV numbers that at least draw the gap closer?
(Keep in mind, too, that this is not a head-to-head comparison. The NHL and NBA do not contest their championship series games on the same night and haven't since 2009, when it happened once.)
Greg Wyshynski chimed in with an excellent piece on this before the Final started. It largely cites the lack of true superstars in the NHL, the guys fans care about no matter what team they're on. Yeah, there's Sidney Crosby, the most polarizing player in the game (think the John Cena of the NHL, or the LeBron of the NHL, because anyone who says they like hockey has an opinion on Crosby, good or bad). But no one else really moves the needle that way, no matter how hard we might try.
Greg also notes that the thought of watching hockey on a beautiful evening in June probably isn't something fans are big on unless they have a compelling reason to (or if they have a dog in the proverbial fight).
And he's right.
But the star power issue is worth revisiting, because I think I have an answer.
Turn on an NBA game, and the biggest names in the game are always accounted for. LeBron is always doing something, as are guys like Steph Curry, Anthony Davis, Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin, and so many others. Rare is the night where a big NBA name is rendered invisible by the opponent, or by their own ineffectiveness. Even when they're off, you know where they are.
In the NHL, star players are constantly checked tightly and largely rendered invisible in the playoffs. Jonathan Toews is a factor all the time, even when he isn't scoring. But the stories of the Cup Final were Patrick Kane and Steven Stamkos because of what they weren't doing. There were long stretches of games where you would have struggled to find either of them with a searchlight.
It seems petty, because many of us who watch hockey do it because it's such a great team game. But we're not talking about hardcore fans. We're talking about those who only check in late in the playoffs, or only care about star power.
It's not that Chicago and Tampa don't have star players. And it's not even that the NHL does a poor job marketing individual stars, though it could be better in this area. So what's the problem? Guessing, but perhaps these casual fans turn on a game, hear about Antoine Vermette and Jason Garrison, then decide they don't know who those guys are and watch "Flip or Flop" instead.
And even if I'm right on this, I don't have the solution. I'd complain about all the obstruction and stick infractions that happen during playoff games, but it's clear by now the league (or the players, or a combination of the two) wants games called this way. Light on penalty stoppages and heavy on "turning the other cheek." Like it or not, and I don't, but the ship has sailed. The idea that star players should have to fight through this garbage is archaic. Things are happening that are against the rules. Call some damn penalties.
With that, we might have stumbled on something. Rarely do NBA officials hesitate to call fouls. Sometimes -- see "Shaq, Hack A" -- this leads to games dragging on and on. OK, not sometimes. Often.
Yet it doesn't drain the ratings. Why? Maybe fans like the idea that the rules are being enforced, even when the stakes get high.
So maybe that ship hasn't sailed, NHL. Your commissioner used to work for the NBA. He has to have a few connections still, right?
Boosted significantly by local Chicago numbers, the Stanley Cup Final did very well, relatively speaking. The numbers, including eight million-plus viewers for the clinching game on Monday, are even better when you consider the NHL has never done wonderfully in the ratings when "non-traditional" markets are involved. When it's an Original Six or a blue-blood (i.e. Pittsburgh), the league can pull some good numbers. But when Tampa Bay, San Jose, or that ilk play, the numbers tend to go down.
(Tampa pulled some really good local ratings this time around, which has to make the league happy. The buzz there was palpable, especially compared to past championship series involving teams like Los Angeles or Carolina.)
However, the NBA Finals -- featuring mid-size market teams with big-market superstars -- more than doubled the NHL's strong -- by its standards -- numbers. Game 6 Tuesday pulled over 23 million viewers, and Game 5 Sunday topped 20 million, too. Imagine if you replaced "Golden State vs Cleveland" with "L.A. Lakers vs Anyone."
So the NHL is growing. Any hockey fan will tell you they prefer many things about hockey to basketball, and even casual hockey fans will agree that the Stanley Cup Final is riveting television. The secondary ticket market was abuzz, and fans who attend are ridiculously into the games.
Why doesn't it translate to TV numbers that at least draw the gap closer?
(Keep in mind, too, that this is not a head-to-head comparison. The NHL and NBA do not contest their championship series games on the same night and haven't since 2009, when it happened once.)
Greg Wyshynski chimed in with an excellent piece on this before the Final started. It largely cites the lack of true superstars in the NHL, the guys fans care about no matter what team they're on. Yeah, there's Sidney Crosby, the most polarizing player in the game (think the John Cena of the NHL, or the LeBron of the NHL, because anyone who says they like hockey has an opinion on Crosby, good or bad). But no one else really moves the needle that way, no matter how hard we might try.
Greg also notes that the thought of watching hockey on a beautiful evening in June probably isn't something fans are big on unless they have a compelling reason to (or if they have a dog in the proverbial fight).
And he's right.
But the star power issue is worth revisiting, because I think I have an answer.
Turn on an NBA game, and the biggest names in the game are always accounted for. LeBron is always doing something, as are guys like Steph Curry, Anthony Davis, Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin, and so many others. Rare is the night where a big NBA name is rendered invisible by the opponent, or by their own ineffectiveness. Even when they're off, you know where they are.
In the NHL, star players are constantly checked tightly and largely rendered invisible in the playoffs. Jonathan Toews is a factor all the time, even when he isn't scoring. But the stories of the Cup Final were Patrick Kane and Steven Stamkos because of what they weren't doing. There were long stretches of games where you would have struggled to find either of them with a searchlight.
It seems petty, because many of us who watch hockey do it because it's such a great team game. But we're not talking about hardcore fans. We're talking about those who only check in late in the playoffs, or only care about star power.
It's not that Chicago and Tampa don't have star players. And it's not even that the NHL does a poor job marketing individual stars, though it could be better in this area. So what's the problem? Guessing, but perhaps these casual fans turn on a game, hear about Antoine Vermette and Jason Garrison, then decide they don't know who those guys are and watch "Flip or Flop" instead.
And even if I'm right on this, I don't have the solution. I'd complain about all the obstruction and stick infractions that happen during playoff games, but it's clear by now the league (or the players, or a combination of the two) wants games called this way. Light on penalty stoppages and heavy on "turning the other cheek." Like it or not, and I don't, but the ship has sailed. The idea that star players should have to fight through this garbage is archaic. Things are happening that are against the rules. Call some damn penalties.
With that, we might have stumbled on something. Rarely do NBA officials hesitate to call fouls. Sometimes -- see "Shaq, Hack A" -- this leads to games dragging on and on. OK, not sometimes. Often.
Yet it doesn't drain the ratings. Why? Maybe fans like the idea that the rules are being enforced, even when the stakes get high.
So maybe that ship hasn't sailed, NHL. Your commissioner used to work for the NBA. He has to have a few connections still, right?
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
North Dakota Can't Get This Right
Hope everyone's had a great spring. Summer is almost here, believe it or don't.
If you're a Twitter follower (@BruceCiskie if you're not), you'll be excited -- or dismayed -- to know that our third annual 100 Day Countdown to the UMD season opener starts July 1.
(Yes, the exhibition is Oct. 4, but we count down to the first game that counts, which is Oct. 9 against Bemidji State.)
Later in the offseason, I'll draw up a projected line chart for the upcoming campaign, an exercise that serves to get me really excited for the season. But today, we talk about one of our adversaries.
Out at North Dakota, they've been Nickname-Free since 2012, when the NCAA finally twisted their arm enough to get them to drop Fighting Sioux. Well, officially at least.
Go to any sporting event involving a North Dakota team, and you're bound to see a few "Sioux" jerseys floating around. Hell, there was a guy in a Sioux jersey at UMD's regional in Manchester this past March. UND was playing in Fargo, mind you.
There's a large group of UND fans who simply haven't moved on from the Sioux name. And since the school has been sans nickname this whole time, they haven't had any real reason to move on.
It's something that could change this summer. The university has a committee put in charge of finding the school's next athletic nickname. The process has made headlines throughout the spring, and now UND is down to seven options for a new name.
"No nickname" remains one of the available choices, along with "Fighting Hawks," "Green Hawks," "Nodaks," "North Stars," "Roughriders" and "Sundogs."
I'm not here to break down the choices. Honestly, I don't care what North Dakota calls itself.
But it has to call itself something, at least in my view.
The process of a new nickname, at least to me, is partially about moving on. UND's rabid -- that's a compliment, guys, so don't flood the inbox -- fanbase has been given no reason to move on from a name it loved so much.
Yes, the argument exists that a large number of fans wouldn't move on anyway. Maybe that argument is correct. But what is undeniable is this: No nickname means the vast majority of the fanbase will not move on.
They might not want to, but this process should be about moving on, not endorsing the status quo, where "Sioux" is only not UND's nickname officially. Fans yell "Sioux" at the end of the national anthem, still chant "Let's Go Sioux" during the game, and still wear Sioux jerseys and other clothing bearing the logo all the time. The university might not be making bank on the nickname, but it still exists.
While a new name doesn't guarantee the Sioux legacy will fade away, no name guarantees it won't.
So for what it's worth, as much as I appreciated the old name and the old logo, and as much as I respect what UND has, I strongly feel UND has to implement a new name and not go with no name at all.
I also recognize UND can't win here. No name, and exactly what I've laid out happens. But those loyal to the Sioux name will struggle to accept any name that is put in front of them. They'll reject it at first, and it might take years to reach full acceptance. It'll be a process, just like the last few years have been.
It's been three years, and it's time to start new traditions.
Ok, there's my $.02. It's time for me to move on.
If you're a Twitter follower (@BruceCiskie if you're not), you'll be excited -- or dismayed -- to know that our third annual 100 Day Countdown to the UMD season opener starts July 1.
(Yes, the exhibition is Oct. 4, but we count down to the first game that counts, which is Oct. 9 against Bemidji State.)
Later in the offseason, I'll draw up a projected line chart for the upcoming campaign, an exercise that serves to get me really excited for the season. But today, we talk about one of our adversaries.
Out at North Dakota, they've been Nickname-Free since 2012, when the NCAA finally twisted their arm enough to get them to drop Fighting Sioux. Well, officially at least.
Go to any sporting event involving a North Dakota team, and you're bound to see a few "Sioux" jerseys floating around. Hell, there was a guy in a Sioux jersey at UMD's regional in Manchester this past March. UND was playing in Fargo, mind you.
There's a large group of UND fans who simply haven't moved on from the Sioux name. And since the school has been sans nickname this whole time, they haven't had any real reason to move on.
It's something that could change this summer. The university has a committee put in charge of finding the school's next athletic nickname. The process has made headlines throughout the spring, and now UND is down to seven options for a new name.
"No nickname" remains one of the available choices, along with "Fighting Hawks," "Green Hawks," "Nodaks," "North Stars," "Roughriders" and "Sundogs."
I'm not here to break down the choices. Honestly, I don't care what North Dakota calls itself.
But it has to call itself something, at least in my view.
The process of a new nickname, at least to me, is partially about moving on. UND's rabid -- that's a compliment, guys, so don't flood the inbox -- fanbase has been given no reason to move on from a name it loved so much.
Yes, the argument exists that a large number of fans wouldn't move on anyway. Maybe that argument is correct. But what is undeniable is this: No nickname means the vast majority of the fanbase will not move on.
They might not want to, but this process should be about moving on, not endorsing the status quo, where "Sioux" is only not UND's nickname officially. Fans yell "Sioux" at the end of the national anthem, still chant "Let's Go Sioux" during the game, and still wear Sioux jerseys and other clothing bearing the logo all the time. The university might not be making bank on the nickname, but it still exists.
While a new name doesn't guarantee the Sioux legacy will fade away, no name guarantees it won't.
So for what it's worth, as much as I appreciated the old name and the old logo, and as much as I respect what UND has, I strongly feel UND has to implement a new name and not go with no name at all.
I also recognize UND can't win here. No name, and exactly what I've laid out happens. But those loyal to the Sioux name will struggle to accept any name that is put in front of them. They'll reject it at first, and it might take years to reach full acceptance. It'll be a process, just like the last few years have been.
It's been three years, and it's time to start new traditions.
Ok, there's my $.02. It's time for me to move on.
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Andy Welinski to Captain 2015-16 Bulldogs
To the surprise of -- probably -- no one, Duluth native Andy Welinski has been named captain of the 2015-16 UMD men's hockey team.
Official word:
In the end, the draw of captaining his hometown team, and the sting of last year's bitter ending in Manchester, won out for Welinski. It wasn't surprising. He told me he decided after the BU game that he wanted to return, but he knew he was emotional at the time and needed to think about it and weigh everything before deciding.
After so narrowly missing out on a trip to Boston (and I firmly believe UMD would have been a factor and not just window dressing at the Frozen Four), Welinski and assistant captains Cameranesi, Decowski, and Farley hope to lead the Bulldogs to the 2016 Frozen Four in Tampa.
Can't think of a better way to go out than that.
Official word:
Defenseman Andy Welinski has been promoted to the University of Minnesota Duluth's team captain position for the 2015-16 season while a trio of fellow seniors -- forwards Tony Cameranesi, Cal Decowski and Austin Farley -- will serve assistant captaincy roles with the Bulldogs.I talked to Welinski after UMD's heart-breaking loss to Boston University in the NCAA Northeast Regional (I'm still not in a frame of mind to further discuss the events of that game). At the time, he was deciding between returning for his senior season or joining the Anaheim Ducks organization (they drafted him in 2011). He played both sides well, noting that he's always wanted to play pro hockey, but his time at UMD was a dream come true, and it would be an unbelievable honor to wear the "C."
As a minutes-munching assistant team captain last winter, Welinski set career highs for goals (nine -- a number bettered by only one other National Collegiate Hockey Conference blueliner), points (21) and plus-minus (+2) en route to securing a spot on the All-NCHC second team. In addition, the Anaheim Ducks draft pick generated the second most shots (100) of any league defensman and was one of just five rear guards to score shorthanded. Welinski, a Duluth native and 2012-13 Western Collegiate Hockey Association All-Rookie Team selection, has finished as UMD's top scoring point man in each of the three previous seasons and will head into his senior year with 58 lifetime points (18 goals and 40 assists) to his credit.
Cameranesi, who like Welinski has skated in all 114 games since joining the UMD program two years ago and is also a National Hockey League draftee (Toronto Maple Leafs), paced the Bulldogs in scoring for the second time in three years this past season, racking up nine goals and 21 assists for 30 points. Farley was three slots back on the team's scoring charts with 24 points (eight goals and 16 assists) and tied for the team lead in both power play goals (4) and game-winners (3) while Decowski, UMD's 2014-15 nominee for the NCHC Sportsmanship Award, chipped in a personal-best 16 points as a junior. That trio took shifts in each of UMD's 40 outings this past season.
In the end, the draw of captaining his hometown team, and the sting of last year's bitter ending in Manchester, won out for Welinski. It wasn't surprising. He told me he decided after the BU game that he wanted to return, but he knew he was emotional at the time and needed to think about it and weigh everything before deciding.
After so narrowly missing out on a trip to Boston (and I firmly believe UMD would have been a factor and not just window dressing at the Frozen Four), Welinski and assistant captains Cameranesi, Decowski, and Farley hope to lead the Bulldogs to the 2016 Frozen Four in Tampa.
Can't think of a better way to go out than that.
Monday, May 11, 2015
About the Wild and Baby Steps
So the Wild lost in four straight to Chicago and are done. It's probably my fault, since I had them winning it all.
(I was most pleased about my "Wild in six" prediction in the first round, because I know a lot of really smart people who didn't agree. But alas, I blew it big-time when I misunderestimated Chicago.)
Anyway, the Wild lost in six to the Blackhawks last year. Four this year. So it's a step backward, right?
Well, it isn't that simple.
The team's step backward actually took place from Nov. 4 through Jan. 13, a stretch where the Wild went 11-16-5 and blew some great opportunities to make headway in the Western Conference.
See, it was that stretch of average/really bad hockey that led the Wild to trade for Devan Dubnyk on Jan. 14 and start its season-ending tear the next night in Buffalo.
For nearly three months straight, the Wild battled night in and night out to just get a seat at the playoff table. Not many teams can be 13th in the conference after Jan. 1 and still make the eight-team tournament. Especially in a very difficult Western Conference. Just being able to do that -- especially given 1) the very difficult schedule, 2) the fact so many teams in the West were fighting for those seats at the table, and 3) the Wild had to do it almost exclusively by scoring goals five on five because the power play was completely useless -- was a hell of an accomplishment.
It also probably should have foretold the premature end to the season.
Go back and watch Games 2 through 4 against Chicago. And the third period of Game 1.
Then go watch the Wild win race after race and -- more importantly -- battle after battle against St. Louis the series before.
Chicago was dialed in against Minnesota, but the Wild were clearly slowing as the series wore on. Advantages I thought existed going into the series did not. We know the Blackhawks have a ton of scoring punch. Patrick Kane is incredible. Jonathan Toews is Mr. Everything. Their blue line sells out and blocks shots like no other, and Joel Quenneville is great at what he does.
But I thought Minnesota had the edge down the middle, with improved center depth (even if they're not great on draws). Then Brad Richards undressed Marco Scandella in Game 1. And Charlie Coyle didn't score in the series (also didn't finish the series playing center, a real indictment considering how much time the coaching staff invested in Coyle in the middle during the regular season). I was wrong.
I also was surprised at how slow Minnesota's defensemen looked. I knew Chicago had speed to burn up front, but the Blackhawks really made the Wild look silly in their own zone at times.
Offensively, Corey Crawford played well for the 'Hawks. He did. You don't post a near-.950 save percentage, even in a small four-game sample, by accident. But the Wild made it too easy on him. There wasn't enough net drive, and the blue line didn't do a good job creating lanes and getting pucks through traffic, something Chicago was much better at (and Dubnyk's elite puck-tracking ability was sneakily on display throughout).
Chicago also won an inordinate number of races and battles for pucks. Why is that? Did the Wild see a dialed-in adversary and struggle to meet the intensity level? Did the Wild finally succumb to the three-month grind they put themselves through just to get in?
I think it's a little bit of a few things, but the fatigue factor certainly weighs heavily. You're never going to get a team to admit it ran out of gas (though UMD was close in March when Denver won those two games in the NCHC playoffs). But the Wild clearly didn't have as much energy against Chicago as was present against the Blues in the previous round.
Watch Jason Zucker nearly get beat to a loose puck by Marian Hossa. Watch Scandella lose a board battle to Richards. Watch Coyle's effectiveness slip.
Too many guys weren't at their best against Chicago, while the Blackhawks played four very strong games.
So is it a step back.
Decisively, no.
The Wild needed to rip off a hell of a run in the second half of the season. When Dubnyk came on board, Minnesota was 18-19-5, good for 41 points, 13th in the West. As it turns out, making the playoffs required a minimum of 55 points in 40 games, a 70 percent rate that is almost unfathomable against a tough slate of Western foes.
The Wild got 59 points, nearly 74 percent of the available points.
The end result -- loss to Chicago in the second round -- was the same. The end result -- getting swept -- looks worse than a year ago.
But the fact this team was still alive to get swept in the second round is something worth noting, not forgetting.
(I was most pleased about my "Wild in six" prediction in the first round, because I know a lot of really smart people who didn't agree. But alas, I blew it big-time when I misunderestimated Chicago.)
Anyway, the Wild lost in six to the Blackhawks last year. Four this year. So it's a step backward, right?
Well, it isn't that simple.
The team's step backward actually took place from Nov. 4 through Jan. 13, a stretch where the Wild went 11-16-5 and blew some great opportunities to make headway in the Western Conference.
See, it was that stretch of average/really bad hockey that led the Wild to trade for Devan Dubnyk on Jan. 14 and start its season-ending tear the next night in Buffalo.
For nearly three months straight, the Wild battled night in and night out to just get a seat at the playoff table. Not many teams can be 13th in the conference after Jan. 1 and still make the eight-team tournament. Especially in a very difficult Western Conference. Just being able to do that -- especially given 1) the very difficult schedule, 2) the fact so many teams in the West were fighting for those seats at the table, and 3) the Wild had to do it almost exclusively by scoring goals five on five because the power play was completely useless -- was a hell of an accomplishment.
It also probably should have foretold the premature end to the season.
Go back and watch Games 2 through 4 against Chicago. And the third period of Game 1.
Then go watch the Wild win race after race and -- more importantly -- battle after battle against St. Louis the series before.
Chicago was dialed in against Minnesota, but the Wild were clearly slowing as the series wore on. Advantages I thought existed going into the series did not. We know the Blackhawks have a ton of scoring punch. Patrick Kane is incredible. Jonathan Toews is Mr. Everything. Their blue line sells out and blocks shots like no other, and Joel Quenneville is great at what he does.
But I thought Minnesota had the edge down the middle, with improved center depth (even if they're not great on draws). Then Brad Richards undressed Marco Scandella in Game 1. And Charlie Coyle didn't score in the series (also didn't finish the series playing center, a real indictment considering how much time the coaching staff invested in Coyle in the middle during the regular season). I was wrong.
I also was surprised at how slow Minnesota's defensemen looked. I knew Chicago had speed to burn up front, but the Blackhawks really made the Wild look silly in their own zone at times.
Offensively, Corey Crawford played well for the 'Hawks. He did. You don't post a near-.950 save percentage, even in a small four-game sample, by accident. But the Wild made it too easy on him. There wasn't enough net drive, and the blue line didn't do a good job creating lanes and getting pucks through traffic, something Chicago was much better at (and Dubnyk's elite puck-tracking ability was sneakily on display throughout).
Chicago also won an inordinate number of races and battles for pucks. Why is that? Did the Wild see a dialed-in adversary and struggle to meet the intensity level? Did the Wild finally succumb to the three-month grind they put themselves through just to get in?
I think it's a little bit of a few things, but the fatigue factor certainly weighs heavily. You're never going to get a team to admit it ran out of gas (though UMD was close in March when Denver won those two games in the NCHC playoffs). But the Wild clearly didn't have as much energy against Chicago as was present against the Blues in the previous round.
Watch Jason Zucker nearly get beat to a loose puck by Marian Hossa. Watch Scandella lose a board battle to Richards. Watch Coyle's effectiveness slip.
Too many guys weren't at their best against Chicago, while the Blackhawks played four very strong games.
So is it a step back.
Decisively, no.
The Wild needed to rip off a hell of a run in the second half of the season. When Dubnyk came on board, Minnesota was 18-19-5, good for 41 points, 13th in the West. As it turns out, making the playoffs required a minimum of 55 points in 40 games, a 70 percent rate that is almost unfathomable against a tough slate of Western foes.
The Wild got 59 points, nearly 74 percent of the available points.
The end result -- loss to Chicago in the second round -- was the same. The end result -- getting swept -- looks worse than a year ago.
But the fact this team was still alive to get swept in the second round is something worth noting, not forgetting.
Thursday, April 02, 2015
Adam Krause Gets AHL Deal
While former UMD forward Justin Crandall made his pro debut Wednesday (two assists for ECHL Reading against Florida) and defenseman Derik Johnson should debut this weekend, we were waiting for word on UMD captain Adam Krause.
Wait no more.
I've learned that Krause -- from Hermantown -- is moving on to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on an AHL deal starting next season. The two-year Bulldog captain will report to the team's ECHL affiliate, the Wheeling Nailers (great name and logo).
Krause completed his four-year run at UMD in Saturday's Northeast Regional final loss to Boston University. In 133 games, Krause compiled 16 goals and 37 points, including seven goals and 17 points in 31 games this season. Krause also was a plus-15 on the 2014-15 campaign, as UMD went 21-16-3.
A strong leader in the locker room, Krause was also a fantastic student (NCHC Scholar-Athlete Team this year) and one of the most active UMD players you'll ever find when it comes to community service. He was a nominee for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, as well as the Hockey Humanitarian Award.
By the way, Krause's Wheeling Nailers face the Reading Royals on Wednesday. Just saying.
Wait no more.
I've learned that Krause -- from Hermantown -- is moving on to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on an AHL deal starting next season. The two-year Bulldog captain will report to the team's ECHL affiliate, the Wheeling Nailers (great name and logo).
Krause completed his four-year run at UMD in Saturday's Northeast Regional final loss to Boston University. In 133 games, Krause compiled 16 goals and 37 points, including seven goals and 17 points in 31 games this season. Krause also was a plus-15 on the 2014-15 campaign, as UMD went 21-16-3.
A strong leader in the locker room, Krause was also a fantastic student (NCHC Scholar-Athlete Team this year) and one of the most active UMD players you'll ever find when it comes to community service. He was a nominee for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, as well as the Hockey Humanitarian Award.
By the way, Krause's Wheeling Nailers face the Reading Royals on Wednesday. Just saying.
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