Steve Johnson resigns in Lincoln
Former Sioux hockey player Steve Johnson resigned as head coach of the Lincoln Stars today after holding the position for all 11 years of the franchise.
Johnson will be pursuing a business opportunity, according to a release by the Stars.
He led Lincoln to three Anderson Cups (regular season) and two Clark Cups (postseason), while posting an overall record of 406-188-47. He had 10 winning seasons in Lincoln.
Johnson, a 1988 Hobey Baker finalist, made it no secret that he would like to get back to Grand Forks. He says he now has a good opportunity to do that.
"I felt that the timing was right was right to accept an opportunity in our hometown that will allow me to spend more time with my family and still stay in hockey to a lesser extent," Johnson said.
Posted by: Schlossman on Wednesday, May 30 at 5:34 PM | Comments (6) | Permalink
Decision day approaching
Within the next three days we could know the futures of a pair of top-10 NHL picks and the WCHA's defensive player of the year.
Sioux sophomore defenseman Brian Lee said he plans on making a decision by the end of the week. Lee is the No. 9 overall pick of Ottawa in the 2005 draft. If he decides to come back, UND is scheduled to return everyone from the blue line back.
Also, WCHA fans will be keeping an eye on Minnesota's Kyle Okposo and Alex Goligoski. Gopher coach Don Lucia told his players he wants to know whether they are returning or turning pro by June 1. Of course, there's really no way of punishing a player for breaking his coach's wishes in this circumstance. But we haven't heard anyone say that more time is needed yet.
Check here and grandforksherald.com for news.
Posted by: Schlossman on Wednesday, May 30 at 12:27 AM | Comments (32) | Permalink
Toews introduced in Chicago
Jonathan Toews was introduced in front of Chicago media on Tuesday.
He will be wearing number 19 for the Blackhawks. His usual number 9 is retired for Bobby Hull.
Here's a story about Toews' introduction in the Chicago Tribune.
To watch the press conference, it is spread into four clips at this site.
Posted by: Schlossman on Wednesday, May 30 at 12:10 AM | Comments (1) | Permalink
Sioux hockey season officially over
UND's season ended a month and a half ago. Now, all of the recruits and former players are done, too. Jason Notermann was the last one left. So, Sioux hockey season is officially over. In about four months, it will be going again. Here's looking back at notable accomplishments from the season by future, current and past players:
Championships
Brad Malone (USHL), Ben Blood (national midget), Brad Williamson (CHL), Aaron Schneekloth (CHL), Jason Notermann (UHL)
Major awards
Ryan Duncan (Hobey Baker; WCHA player of the year), Chris Porter (West Regional MOP), Zach Parise (NHL YoungStars MVP), Matt Frattin (AJHL rookie of the year)
All-Americans/All-Conference/All-Stars
Ryan Duncan (AHCA first team; WCHA first team), Jonathan Toews (AHCA first team; WCHA second team), Taylor Chorney (AHCA second team; WCHA second team), T.J. Oshie (WCHA third team), Jason Blake (NHL), Brandon Bochenski (AHL), Drew Stafford (AHL), Curtis Murphy (AHL), Brad Williamson (CHL), Derrick LaPoint (USHL), Matt Frattin (AJHL), Brad Eidsness (CJAHL)
NHL debuts
Travis Zajac (New Jersey Devils), Drew Stafford (Buffalo Sabres)
Played in the NHL
Travis Zajac (New Jersey Devils), Zach Parise (New Jersey Devils), David Hale (New Jersey Devils/Calgary Flames), Drew Stafford (Buffalo Sabres), Jason Blake (New York Islanders), Brandon Bochenski (Chicago Blackhawks/Boston Bruins), Mike Commodore (Carolina Hurricanes), Ryan Bayda (Carolina Hurricanes), Matt Greene (Edmonton Oilers), Matt Jones (Phoenix Coyotes), Travis Roche (Phoenix Coyotes), Ed Belfour (Florida Panthers), Lee Goren (Vancouver Canucks), Ryan Johnson (St. Louis Blues)
Posted by: Schlossman on Monday, May 28 at 2:36 AM | Comments (3) | Permalink
Notermann goes out on top
Jason Notermann is leaving professional hockey in style.
The former Sioux forward led the Rockford Ice Hogs to the United Hockey League championship Thursday night by scoring the game-winning goal in Game 7 of the series against Kalamazoo.
Earlier this season, Notermann said he planned to retire after 2005-06, but Rockford coach Steve Martinson convinced him to come back for one more season. Notermann said no matter what happened, it would be his last.
Notermann had big numbers last season, racking up 81 points in 71 games. He even played seven games in the American Hockey League for the Milwaukee Admirals. His numbers were down this season, scoring 32 points in 60 games, but he scored goals at big times -- much like Thursday night.
Not only was the season finale a send-off for Notermann, it also was the last game Rockford played as a UHL team. Next season, the Ice Hogs will be the Chicago Blackhawks' AHL affiliate.
Here is the local newspaper's story on Game 7. You'll notice several other former WCHA players' names among the Ice Hogs.
Also a member of the Rockford squad is former Grand Forks Central goaltender Jake Moreland, who played 11 games during the regular season and saw 32 minutes during the playoffs.
Posted by: Schlossman on Friday, May 25 at 3:03 AM | Comments (2) | Permalink
Williamson, Schneekloth win CHL title
A pair of former UND defensemen helped the Colorado Eagles win the Central Hockey League championship on Wednesday night.
Brad Williamson and Aaron Schneekloth both were key players for Colorado, which defeated Laredo in six games to win the Ray Miron President's Cup. Williamson had two assists in the final game to lead the Eagles.
The pair finished as the top two scoring defenseman in the CHL playoffs and they also racked up the two best plus-minus ratings for defensemen in the postseason.
In 25 playoff games, Williamson finished with three goals and 19 assists for 22 points. He was a plus-18. Schneekloth, meanwhile, had eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points, while racking up a plus-19 rating. No other defenseman had more than six postseason goals.
Williamson also was the top scoring defenseman in the league during the regular season, racking up 69 points (10 goals, 59 assists) in 62 games. He also had the best plus-minus of the defensemen during the regular season. Schneekloth was third in that category.
Of note, the No. 3 goal scorer in the CHL playoffs (and the top goal scorer out of teams that didn't make the finals) was former UND forward Mike Prpich. Prpich had 14 goals in 16 games for New Mexico.
Posted by: Schlossman on Thursday, May 24 at 1:59 AM | Comments (2) | Permalink
Gregoire commits to UND
Another week, another highly touted recruit for UND.
Jason Gregoire, of Winnipeg, is the latest to give a verbal commitment to the Sioux.
Gregoire wasn't highly recruited a year ago. He emerged onto the scene as a rookie in the USHL. He missed a few months with an ankle injury and was outstanding when he returned. He admits he's not great an any aspect of the game. It's his all-around game that makes him so good.
To learn more about Gregoire, the Lincoln Journal-Star wrote an extensive piece on him three months ago. Check it out here.
For those looking for a list of all the future recruits and their anticipated arrival dates, here they are:
Forwards
Evan Trupp, Penticton (BCHL), 2007
Brad Malone, Sioux Falls (USHL), 2007
Brett Hextall, Penticton (BCHL), 2007
Matt Frattin, Fort Sask. (AJHL), 2007 or 2008
Brett Bruneteau, Omaha (USHL), 2008
Mike Cichy, Boston Jr. (EJHL), 2008
Jason Gregoire, Lincoln (USHL), 2008
Danny Kristo, U.S. Under-17, 2009
Mike Fink, Hopkins (Minn.), 2009
Defensemen
Derrick LaPoint, Green Bay (USHL), 2007
Jake Marto, Omaha (USHL), 2007
Ben Blood, Shattuck-St. Mary's, 2008
Joe Gleason, Edina (Minn.), 2008 or 2009
Goaltender
Brad Eidsness, Okotoks (AJHL), 2008
Posted by: Schlossman on Wednesday, May 23 at 3:33 AM | Comments (7) | Permalink
Toews featured on chat
Jonathan Toews was featured on a chat at chicagoblackhawks.com today.
He addresses several UND-angle questions:
*How close was he to coming back to UND and how hard was the decision?
*What did he think about choosing college over the WHL?
*What are his favorite memories from UND?
*Who has been his most influential coach?
*And most important... what is he going to do in Chicago with no more Red Pepper?
Posted by: Schlossman on Tuesday, May 22 at 4:36 PM | Comments (2) | Permalink
New Duluth arena on hold
It appears that renovations and expansion at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center is on hold again.
The state legislature failed to pass funding for expansion before lawmakers adjourned early today. The funding would give the Bulldogs a new arena. This is the second year in a row the DECC failed to make it through the legislature.
Posted by: Schlossman on Tuesday, May 22 at 3:57 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
A different outlook
In looking at the list of early departures in the WCHA so far this offseason, there is a distinct difference from the last. Almost every team is getting hit this summer. And the hits are evenly spread out.
Last summer, that wasn't the case. UND and Minnesota got hammered, losing nine guys between the teams. Mankato, Wisconsin and Denver also lost multiple guys. But four of the 10 WCHA teams (Tech, Anchorage, Duluth and St. Cloud State) came out of the summer without losing any underclassmen.
That won't be the case this summer.
Eight of the 10 teams have lost someone already. And the early departures haven't been limited to the top teams in the league. Here's a look at how the summers compare:
Summer of 2006: 17 departures
Teams that finished 1st through 5th: All five teams were hit for a total of 14 early exits.
Teams that finished 6th through 10th: One team was hit for a total of 3 early exits.
Summer of 2007: 10 departures (so far)
Teams that finished 1st through 5th: Four teams were hit for a total of 4 early exits.
Teams that finished 6th through 10th: Four teams were hit for a total of 6 early exits.
So if you look at percentages, last summer, 82 percent of departures came from the top five teams, whereas this summer, 40 percent have come from top five teams.
List of the early departures (teams in order of 2006-07 finish):
Minnesota (1): Erik Johnson, freshman
St. Cloud State (1): Andrew Gordon, junior
UND (1): Jonathan Toews, sophomore
Denver (1): Ryan Dingle, junior
Colorado College (0)
Michigan Tech (0)
Wisconsin (2): Jack Skille, sophomore; Joe Piskula, junior
Mankato (1): Steve Wagner, junior
Duluth (2): Mason Raymond, sophomore; Matt Niskanen, sophomore
Anchorage (1): Jay Beagle, sophomore
...on a side note, an early departure from last year -- Mankato's Ryan Carter -- made his NHL debut tonight with Anaheim in the Western Conference finals.
Posted by: Schlossman on Thursday, May 17 at 9:41 PM | Comments (12) | Permalink
Could signing season end early?
The college hockey world -- coaches, players, fans and reporters -- may be able to rejoice in a couple of weeks. It appears that the signing season may be over early this year.
UND's Brian Lee said he thinks he will have a decision before June 1. That date also is the deadline that Minnesota coach Don Lucia asked his players to make their decisions. In looking at WCHA rosters, it appears that Lee and Gopher players Kyle Okposo and Alex Goligoski are the biggest flight risks left.
Of course, things could change after free agency if NHL teams don't get what they are looking for, and we may see some pressure put on other players in the league. But it is entirely possible that we will know next season's rosters for WCHA teams in just a matter of weeks.
With early signings becoming more frequent and commonplace, you have to wonder if everyone is getting more experienced at how to handle it. Or is this just an unusual summer where circumstances are allowing players to make early decisions? We'll find out in the years to come, I guess.
Players cannot rush to big decisions like this. But in my opinion, the sooner decisions are made, the better.
The pressure is on everyone during this time: There's pressure on the NHL teams to sign their players if they deem them ready. There's pressure on the college students to make the correct decision, and if they decide to go, to make sure the contract gets finished. And there is pressure on reporters to break the stories. It winds up being an interesting dynamic.
If the process drags on throughout the summer, so does the tension. Not everyone is able to make the early decision because of circumstances out of their hands (ex: Matt Greene). But if a player is able to get the decision out of the way, I think it can save a lot of stress -- for coaches waiting to find out who is going to be back, for recruits wondering if they are going to college or juniors and for the players themselves, who are constantly asked what they are going to do by fans, media and NHL teams. They can focus on lifting weights and either preparing to make a run at a national title or preparing for their rookie NHL season.
If everything is decided early this summer -- within the next few weeks -- I don't think you'll hear any complaining.
Posted by: Schlossman on Thursday, May 17 at 1:13 AM | Comments (4) | Permalink
Playoff update
The number of former UND players still playing is dwindling.
NHL: The Buffalo Sabres extended their season Wednesday night by beating the Ottawa Senators. Buffalo is still down 3-1 in the series. Buffalo's Drew Stafford is the only former Sioux player left in the NHL playoffs, although he has not played in this series. Many have questioned why the Sabres changed something that was working. Who knows if it would have made any difference, however, with the way the Sens are playing.
AHL: The Manitoba Moose lost to Hamilton in six games, meaning there are no former Sioux left in the Calder Cup playoffs. The final remaining Sioux were Manitoba's assistant coach Brad Berry and forwards Lee Goren and Colby Genoway.
ECHL: There are three teams left -- the Dayton Bombers, Florida Everblades and Idaho Steelheads. No Sioux players on any of those teams.
And now for the former UND players who have the best shot at a championship:
CHL: Colorado leads Laredo 2-0 in the finals. Aaron Schneekloth has had a big two games for Colorado. He had a goal and an assist in a Game 1 win and two goals in Game 2. Colorado also has former Sioux defenseman Brad Williamson. Game 3 is Thursday.
UHL: The Rockford Ice Hogs are up on Kalamazoo 2-1 in the finals. Rockford is led by former Sioux Jason Notermann, who said these will be his final professional hockey games.
Posted by: Schlossman on Thursday, May 17 at 12:58 AM | Comments (4) | Permalink
It's official, Toews to the Hawks
After all the speculation and attempts to track down the story, it became official this afternoon: Jonathan Toews is a Blackhawk.
The Chicago Blackhawks announced the decision Wednesday afternoon on their Web site.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Toews got the maximum rookie contract, which is $850,000 with an $85,000 signing bonus. This isn't any surprise -- it's the same deal that former UND players and first-round picks Travis Zajac and Drew Stafford got last spring. And it is what Toews would have been paid if he decided to come out last summer.
The Tribune article also states that if Toews hits incentives, he could make $2.8 million. Some of those incentives will be challenging to obtain (MVP type stuff). It is realistic that his annual base salary could double, however.
Update: After speaking with Hockeybuzz reporter Eklund, who initially reported that Toews had signed Tuesday, here is the conclusion: He got info from a good source that it was going to happen soon. The headline was misworded to read that Toews already had signed. When Toews read that, he confirmed that it was not true, because he hadn't signed. Eklund's sources were correct, however, in stating that it was going to happen.
Hockeybuzz reports on a lot of rumors. It's almost their niche. But they have a rating system for how sure they are about the rumors. Eklund gave the Toews story an e5, his highest credibility rating. So for those of you who visit the site in the future, the rating system is something that should be taken into account.
Posted by: Schlossman on Wednesday, May 16 at 4:21 PM | Comments (11) | Permalink
Toews update in a nutshell
Before I head to bed for the night, here is a quick update on Jonathan Toews:
1. The Chicago papers are running stories [here and here] quoting GM Dale Tallon as to saying that Toews is very close to signing.
2. Hockeybuzz.com is citing sources that the deal is done.
3. I talked to Jonathan tonight and said he has not signed and he plans to really talk it over with his parents now that he's back from Russia. He said he hasn't had a chance to sit down and talk it over since the college season has ended. He wants to decide "fairly soon," and it will probably be "within the next couple of weeks."
Posted by: Schlossman on Wednesday, May 16 at 2:56 AM | Comments (11) | Permalink
Toews to mull decision
Jonathan Toews is home in Winnipeg. He's still thrilled about his experience at the World Championship. He's trying to get some rest, get over a cold and then get to work on a decision he's said is going to be one of the toughest he's had to make.
He has not, however, made that decision. Hockeybuzz.com reported today that he has signed, citing sources in Canada saying that it was a "done deal." But I talked to Toews a little bit ago and he was surprised to hear about the report. After seeing it for himself he said he could confirm that it's not true.
Toews just returned home yesterday and will finally get his first real chance to go over the decision with his parents in the coming days. It has been a whirlwind for him since the final couple weeks of the season.
Update: The Hockeybuzz reporter said he felt his sources were strong. And now, the Chicago Tribune has quoted general manager Dale Tallon as to saying the Hawks are getting close to signing Toews. But at this point, I'm not sure if a lot has changed.
Jonathan may very well wind up signing, because as we all know, he's a great player and the Blackhawks are going to make a strong push for him in the coming couple of weeks. But there also are reasons he would like to be back at UND.
He said he'd like to decide "fairly soon." So hold on, we'll know soon enough... probably within the next two weeks.
*****
Also, many have wondered about the lengthy period of class he missed to go to Moscow. Toews said that his teachers have been very helpful and are giving him extensions, allowing him to take incompletes for now while he makes up the work.
Posted by: Schlossman on Tuesday, May 15 at 7:06 PM | Comments (12) | Permalink
Fink joins some friends
UND has started to go to work on the 2009 class, which inevitably will be large. That is when this year's sophomore class -- featuring 12 players -- is scheduled to graduate.
Presumably, UND will lose a couple of those guys to the pros early, but they will have to replace the bulk of them in one season.
The Sioux have grabbed the first pieces to the puzzle in the metro Cities area. Forward Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie) committed last summer. Defenseman Joe Gleason (Edina) followed this spring. And late last night, forward Mike Fink (Hopkins) joined the 1990-born recruits by committing to UND.
Gleason could come in next fall (2008) or wait until 2009, depending on his development and possible early departures. Kristo and Fink are both finishing their sophomore years so they won't be at UND until 2009 for sure.
When they get here, it will be three friends uniting. Fink said he regularly talks with Kristo and Gleason. When he committed, he said he was sure to text message them and let them know.
There still appears to be a couple of spots open for 2008 and more for 2009. But the class of committed 1990s -- Kristo, Fink, Gleason and Mike Cichy -- seems to be a strong start.
Posted by: Schlossman on Tuesday, May 15 at 4:00 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Mike Cichy goes in the first
UND recruit Mike Cichy was selected in the first round (ninth overall) of the USHL draft this morning by the Tri-City Storm.
This would appear to be good news for Sioux fans, who are curious to whether Cichy will stand by his verbal commitment to UND or go play in the QMJHL, where he was a high draft pick. A USHL team would not draft a player in the first round if it felt he wouldn't end up there. This is especially true for Cichy, who is likely a one-year player in the USHL.
Cichy has remained steadfast that he will end up in Grand Forks, despite constant speculation that he would go to Halifax. Because of Canadian pressure and false Canadian news reports, the Cichys have decided to let their family advisor talk to the media for them.
I'll pass along any reaction from the draft later.
Also of note, former Sioux player Hunter Bishop was taken in the third round by the Lincoln Stars.
Posted by: Schlossman on Tuesday, May 15 at 11:05 AM | Comments (2) | Permalink
Who will get the 2011 WJC?
USA Hockey was awarded the 2011 World Junior Championship. Ralph Engelstad Arena confirmed that it will make a bid on it. Will the tournament return to Grand Forks?
The 2011 tournament will mark the first time the World Juniors will be in America since 2005, when REA hosted it. The first question USA Hockey has to answer is whether it wants to award the World Juniors to Grand Forks two straight times. The answer to that is likely no. USA Hockey will want to spread the tournament around and keep it fresh. Almost every other country (except Finland) likes to spread it around when obtaining bids.
The second question is: What are USA Hockey's other options? The tournament has been in the United States three other times -- Anchorage, Boston and Minneapolis. None of those tournaments were even close to as successful as Grand Forks/Thief River Falls.
I believe that the tournament is much larger now than it was when the other three cities hosted it. It's been on television, albeit not readily available for the whole country. Attendance has been up, even in Canada. Younger players are in the public eye now more than ever. (This is true of all sports.)
Team USA also has had increased success in the past few years, helping to generate interest. After grabbing three medals in the first 30 years, the Americans have been extremely competitive in the last four. They won gold in 2004 and bronze last year. That should help attendance.
So, yes, I believe the tournament has more of a chance to succeed in other towns than it did in the past. But will a "pro town" actually go for it? I really doubt it.
I can't see people in Boston or New York lining up for this tournament nor can I see a ton of Canadians flocking across the border to these towns. I can't see people in Detroit and nearby Ann Arbor lining up for it either. After all, they can see the U.S. Under-18 team any time they want, but still, nobody goes. I don't seen Denver being a hit, either. Denver was happy to pull 10,000 for the West Regional games and that was mainly thanks to Minnesota and UND fans.
That brings me to my conclusion: No American sites can draw like Grand Forks and Minneapolis.
Minneapolis should have appeal to Gopher fans (there are bound to be Gophers in the tournament) as well as high school hockey fans (there are bound to be many native Minnesotans). Some Canadian fans may trickle down to the Cities, too. Although, Star Tribune writer Dean Spiros said when Erik Johnson, Mike Carman, Jeff Frazee, Ryan Stoa and Kyle Okposo came back from the World Juniors last year, television reporters showed up at practice and had no idea what the tournament was or how the U.S. did.
Grand Forks has gaining support from the town. Everyone I talked to who attended it enjoyed it very much. People remember seeing Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin going against Sidney Crosby and Dion Phaneuf. I believe the town would have a lot of excitement, buzz and support for a return. I can just about guarantee you that WDAZ is the only news station in the country that led its sportscasts this winter with highlights of the World Juniors from Sweden. And I can just about guarantee you that the Herald is the only newspaper in America that had the WJC on the front page of the sports every day. And as everyone in Grand Forks is well aware, rabid Canadian fans won't hesitate to invade the town and pack the arena.
So, should USA Hockey choose another city for the World Juniors? Yeah, that would make sense. But does it have any other choice? Other than Minneapolis, probably not.
Posted by: Schlossman on Tuesday, May 15 at 2:13 AM | Comments (9) | Permalink
UND grabs recruit
After a quiet couple of months, UND got a verbal commitment Monday night. Check back this afternoon for updates.
In the meantime, who can guess which player is the next future Sioux? Your hint: He has something in common with former UND player Mark Jeffries.
Winner gets to help me come up with a new "favorite quote." (Or anyone else for that matter...)
Posted by: Schlossman on Tuesday, May 15 at 12:27 AM | Comments (5) | Permalink
NHL sends out draft guide
The NHL e-mailed a .pdf of its media guide for the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, which will be held in Columbus, Ohio, on June 22 and 23. Four Sioux recruits have bios in the media guide. The information is pretty random, but here is what they have to say about each:
Ben Blood
Shattuck-St. Marys -- High-MN
6-3, 212 lbs. Defense, shoots left
Born: March 15, 1989 in Plymouth, Minnesota
Final ranking: 116. Mid-term ranking: 78 -- North American skater
Personal profile: Admires his parents for their support and credits his Shattuck St. Mary's coach, Tom Ward, for having the most influence on his career "because I have learned so much about hockey and life from him" ... patterns his game after Tampa Bay Lightning prospect and Shattuck-St. Mary's graduate Matt Smaby "because he plays very physical and is also smart with the puck" ... his favorite shootout move is "to skate straight at the goalie without stick-handling and shoot lower left at the hash marks" ... his pre-game ritual includes always tying his right skate first ... most memorable hockey game played: 2005-06 quarterfinal game of the national championships "because we lost and it reminds me of what it feels like not to make it" ... most memorable hockey game watched: 2004-05 national championship game between Shattuck-St. Mary's and the LA Selects "because it makes me want to win a national championship" ... if he could have dinner with any three people he would invite: Bobby Orr -- "he was the greatest defenseman of his time," ... Vince Vaughn -- "I think he is hilarious" and Herb Brooks -- "he was one of the greatest hockey coaches of all time" ... favorites include: New York Rangers (NHL team), Nicklas Lidstrom (NHL player), Lost (TV show), Guitar Hero (video game), Vince Vaughn (actor), Eliza Dushku (actress), Happy Gilmore (movie) and Red Hot Chili Peppers (group) ... will attend University of North Dakota.
Statistics:
2006-07 Shattuck-St. Mary's High-MN -- 63GP, 11G, 25A, 36P, 144PIM
Bradley Eidsness
Okotoks -- AJHL
6-0, 190 lbs. Goaltender, catches left
Born: June 2, 1989 in Chestermere, Alberta
Final ranking: 5. Mid-term ranking: 7 -- North American goaltender
Central Scouting report: A butterfly goalie with good flexibility ... keeps his body upright in the butterfly position and covers the top of the net well ... is very focused and tracks the puck well through traffic ... has good rebound control ... needs to improve his puck handling.
Hockey profile: Finished his rookie season in the Alberta Junior Hockey League in 2006-07 with a .907 save percentage ... was named to the 2007 CJAHL West Prospect team ... named as the Okotoks Oilers rookie of the year for 2007 ... before Okotoks, played in the Alberta Midget Hockey League, where he was the top goaltender in 2005-06 and was selected as the 2006 playoff MVP ... will attend the University of North Dakota.
Statistics:
2006-07 Okotoks AJHL -- 48GP, 2,658Mins, 2.87GAA, 4SO, .907SP
Matt Frattin
Fort Saskatchwan -- AJHL
5-11, 187 lbs. Right wing, shoots right
Born: January 3, 1988 in Edmonton, Alberta
Final ranking: 115. Mid-term ranking: NA -- North American skater
Hockey profile: Finished his first season in the Alberta Junior Hockey League ranking second in points and first among rookies with 54-39--93 in 2006-07 ... was named rookie of the year for his efforts ... helped lead the Traders to a regular season title in 2006-07 ... will attend the University of North Dakota.
Statistics:
2006-07 Fort Saskatchewan AJHL -- 58GP, 54G, 39A, 93P, 75PIM
Brad Malone
Sioux Falls -- USHL
6-2, 207 lbs. Center/left wing, shoots left
Born: May 20, 1989 in Miramichi, New Brunswick
Final ranking: 57. Mid-term ranking: 63 -- North American skater
Central Scouting report: A power forward ... has good puck protection skills ... plays physical and drives hard to the net ... is a good positional player ... needs to improve his acceleration and mobility ... needs to be more consistent with his effort.
Personal profile: If he could choose any three people to have dinner with he would invite: Tiger Woods, Bill Gates and Tom Brady "because they know how to win and become successful at what they do" ... patterns his game after Joe Thornton because "he's physical, dominant in the corners and moves the puck well" ... credits his father, a first round draft pick by the New York Rangers in 1980, for having the most influence on his career because he has "always been there and helps me through new things" ... he admires his father for "the things he has done for me and the things he's been through" ... pre-game ritual includes listening to the same two songs before warmup ... most memorable hockey game watched: Team Canada's Olympic gold medal win over Team USA in 2002 "because of the hype and atmosphere" surrounding the game ... most memorable hockey game played: winning the 2006 U.S. national championship in overtime ... has committed to the University of North Dakota ... his uncle, Greg Malone, played 11 seasons in the NHL from 1976-87 and his cousin, Ryan Malone, is a left winger with his favorite team, the Pittsburgh Penguins ... nickname is Brader ... wears #15 because it was given to him ... favorites include: shot low blocker (shootout move), former Pittsburgh Penguins great Mario Lemieux (NHL player), Seinfeld (TV show), Tiger Woods (video game), Jack Johnson (musician), Adam Sandler (actor) and Rudy (movie).
Statistics:
2006-07 Sioux Falls USHL -- 57GP, 14G, 19A, 33P, 134PIM
Posted by: Schlossman on Monday, May 14 at 12:49 PM | Comments (1) | Permalink
Malone wins Clark Cup
UND recruit Brad Malone scored a goal to help the Sioux Falls Stampede win the Clark Cup championship on Sunday.
Sioux Falls defeated Waterloo 3-0, with Malone scoring the second goal by taking a feed from Jake Drewiske and scoring from the doorstep. Former Maine goaltender Matt Lundin earned MVP honors by making 27 saves.
Malone joins Shattuck-St. Mary's defenseman Ben Blood as Sioux recruits who won a postseason title.
Sometime during the offseason, I will catch up with Malone for a Q&A. Check back for that.
Posted by: Schlossman on Monday, May 14 at 3:31 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Toews, Commie golden
Team Canada, which features UND sophomore Jonathan Toews and former Sioux defenseman Mike Commodore, won the gold medal at the World Championship this afternoon.
The Canadians beat Finland 4-2 to capture the gold. Tournament MVP Rick Nash scored twice, while Eric Staal and Colby Armstrong also added goals for Team Canada, which went undefeated at the tournament.
Toews was the only non-professional on the Canadian squad. He finished the tournament with two goals and five assists for seven points, tied for sixth on the team in scoring.
Toews is only the second Canadian to ever win gold at the World Junior Championship and at the World Championship in the same year. The other player to accomplish that feat is goaltender Jamie Storr in 1994. Storr, however, never stepped on the ice at the World Championship that year.
Commodore, meanwhile, won his first medal of any kind in international competition. He finished with two assists and 14 penalty minutes, which was good for third on the team.
Many in Canada are writing about Toews' success. Here are a few:
The Canadian Press writes about the young players on Team Canada.
The Winnipeg Press has a feature on Toews (although the headline is not accurate).
CanWest ran a feature earlier in the tournament about Toews.
Posted by: Schlossman on Sunday, May 13 at 2:13 PM | Comments (2) | Permalink
Malone to play for USHL title
UND recruit Brad Malone and the Sioux Falls Stampede are one game away from a USHL championship. The Stampede moved to the title game by getting a game-winning overtime goal for the second Saturday in a row.
Former Moorhead High School player Drew Fisher (uncommitted) scored the game winner tonight against Indiana. Last week, it was Malone who scored the game winner.
Sioux Falls will play Waterloo in the championship at 7:05 p.m. Sunday night in Waterloo. The game will be available via webcast. Visit ushl.com for more information.
Posted by: Schlossman on Sunday, May 13 at 1:44 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Commodore, Toews to play for gold
Canada advanced to the gold-medal game by beating defending champion Sweden 4-1 in the semifinals of the World Championship on Saturday.
UND sophomore Jonathan Toews scored the eventual game-winning goal in the first period. Toews moved the puck from the side of the net to the slot, where he was being hauled down by a Swedish defenseman. Despite going down, Toews still slid the puck to the goaltender's far side for the goal.
The Canadians will play Finland for the gold medal at 11:15 a.m. Sunday. The game will be on TSN and TSN broadband. You can also follow live updates at the bottom of this page.
Toews is looking for yet another gold medal in international competition. He's already won gold at the World Under-17 tournament and two at the World Junior Championship. Former UND defenseman Mike Commodore will be earning his first medal in international competition.
Posted by: Schlossman on Saturday, May 12 at 2:34 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Q&A with Evan Trupp
Here's part two of the interviews with the Penticton Vees boys. Evan Trupp missed the first two months of the season as he recovered from a shoulder injury that he suffered in the 2006 playoffs. In 35 games, Trupp had 20 goals and 30 assists for 50 points. He was one of the top point-per game scorers in the BCHL (1.4). The 5-foot-10, 155-pound forward from Anchorage is scheduled to be at UND beginning this fall.
Q. How did you feel your season went?
EVAN TRUPP: It went pretty good. We finished first in the regular season. Going into the playoffs, we swept the first two rounds. In the last game in the second round, I ruptured my appendix and missed the series against Vernon. I tried to play in the last game of that series, but we ended up losing.
Q. Your teammate, Brett Hextall, told us a little bit about the appendix break. What happened with that?
EVAN TRUPP: It was Game 4 of the second round. I was rooming with him and I thought I had the stomach flu. I couldn't get out of bed. I ended up playing power play and penalty kill in that game. I was puking in between shifts. After the game, they rushed me to the hospital and found out that it wasn't the stomach flu. My appendix ruptured.
Q. That's extremely serious, isn't it?
EVAN TRUPP: It's fatal if you don't get to the hospital. They didn't tell me how close I was. It was pretty painful, though. It probably burst during the game. On the way to the hospital, it was unbearable. It's a good thing we stopped at the hospital.
Q. What is the rehab process like for that?
EVAN TRUPP: What happens is your appendix builds up with poison. Once it bursts, it spreads the poison around your stomach. They open you up and leave a hole open for the poison to come out. That lasts about a week/week and a half. Then, they close it up and you just let it heal. I feel good now.
Q. You've had some terrible luck in the playoffs the last two seasons -- your appendix and last year, your shoulder. How is your shoulder doing?
EVAN TRUPP: It's 100 percent. It feels better than my other shoulder.
Q. Your coach, Bruno Campese, said that the time away from the rink allowed you to concentrate a little bit on lifting weights. Do you feel you were stronger this season?
EVAN TRUPP: Yeah, definitely. I noticed a big difference from last year. I was trying to put on more weight and strength that I knew I was going to lose during the season. I did put on more weight, which is good because I lost about 20 pounds during the playoffs. Half of that was because of the appendix though.
Q. Were you able to follow UND's season much?
EVAN TRUPP: Yeah, I followed them weekly. I got to watch a few games on TV. I saw the game in St. Louis and the game against Michigan.
Q. We got the low-down on you from Hextall. What can you tell us about him?
EVAN TRUPP: He's an extremely hard-working player. He's a pretty gritty player. He's only 5-10, but he's a pretty tough kid. He's hated throughout the league. He runs his mouth a lot. It's pretty funny. Lots of people hate him for it, but he's a great team player. He's a great guy to be around.
Q. As for yourself, do you feel you are ready to contribute at the college level?
EVAN TRUPP: Yeah, I felt I improved a lot as the year went on. I'm pretty excited and ready to come to North Dakota.
Posted by: Schlossman on Friday, May 11 at 9:59 PM | Comments (1) | Permalink
Lamoureux gets in to AFA
In the first month of the offseason, we've seen a number of great stories, like T.J. Oshie, Ryan Duncan, Taylor Chorney and Joe Finley walking away from big contracts to stay in school and Jonathan Toews making Canada's World Championship team.
Today, however, we heard the best of them all.
His path to the Academy has had many twists and turns. It started when he was attending Central and battled severe depression. After coming out of it, Jacques spoke about it and did interviews to help educate parents and raise awareness about depression. He wrote a long, powerful piece in the Herald in 2004 about it.
Still, the medical board at Air Force denied his application 13 months ago because of his past. He wound up at Northern Michigan this year where he posted a 3.92 GPA and played in 16 hockey games. After the season, he decided to continue pursuing his dream of going to Air Force.
He submitted another application, went through the process and got the long-awaited message Wednesday that he's been accepted.
Jacques said there was a case where someone was denied by the medical board at Air Force and then was able to enroll at Navy -- even though the same board reviews applications for both Academies. He thinks that instance helped bring about some changes in the application process. He also said he thinks he proved himself, again, as a freshman at Northern Michigan.
Jacques said he couldn't help but watch Air Force make a run into the NCAA tournament this season -- and almost upset No. 1 Minnesota -- and think about how he could be a part of it. He said he was excited about their success and hopes to be a part of it in the future. Jacques will have to sit out this season, but will have three years of eligibility left beginning in 2008.
Plans were for Jacques to play with his younger brother, Mario, at Northern Michigan. But Northern Michigan may not be in the future for either of them. Jacques said that Mario will return to Tri-City (USHL) next season and has opened up his recruitment again.
As for Jacques, you have to believe that everyone in college hockey is happy for the guy who didn't give up on his dream.
Posted by: Schlossman on Friday, May 11 at 2:45 AM | Comments (3) | Permalink
Duncan attends banquet
Last weekend, UND's Ryan Duncan attended the Hobey Baker Award banquet in the Twin Cities. He was honored at a dinner and was presented a ring by Josten's.
St. Paul mayor Chris Coleman delcared May 3 as "Hobey Baker Day" and he read a declaration at the awards dinner. Craig Patrick, a longtime NHL coach and assistant on the 1980 Miracle on Ice team, also spoke at the banquet.
Four former Hobey Baker Award winners attended the dinner -- Tony Hrkac (1987, UND), Bill Watkins (1985, Duluth), Brian Bonin (1996, Minnesota) and Jordan Leopold (2002, Minnesota).
Here is a photo of Duncan throwing out the first pitch at the Minnesota Twins vs. Boston Red Sox game. Winners of the Hobey Baker 2007 High School Character Award from around the state of Minnesota are behind Duncan, as were teammates Taylor Chorney and Matt Watkins.
Posted by: Schlossman on Thursday, May 10 at 10:59 PM | Comments (4) | Permalink
Canada advances, U.S. falls
Mike Commodore, Jonathan Toews and Team Canada advanced to the semifinals at the World Championship by beating the Swiss 5-1 on Thursday. Neither Commodore or Toews had a point, though.
The U.S., meanwhile, lost to Finland in a shootout, 5-4.
Canada will play Sweden at 10:15 a.m. Saturday. In the other semifinal, Russia will play Finland. The gold and bronze medal games are scheduled for Sunday in Moscow.
Matt Greene and Brandon Bochenski had assists for the Americans. Zach Parise played for Team USA after making the overseas trip on the heels of the New Jersey Devils' elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Posted by: Schlossman on Thursday, May 10 at 2:19 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Kings sign Brady Murray
After spending two years in Switzerland, Brady Murray will be back in America next season.
Murray's route to an NHL contract started so typical. He played his high school hockey at Shattuck-St. Mary's before going to Salmon Arm in the BCHL for a season. He then played two seasons at UND. He spent much of his first season on the potent first line, which also featured Zach Parise and Brandon Bochenski. Murray was named the WCHA rookie of the year. His second season was filled with injuries, however, and he unable to play in the Frozen Four.
After the season, he signed with Rapperswil-Jona of the Swiss Elite League. Murray lived in Switzerland at age 3, when his father, Andy, coached there. Because of that, he had a Swiss youth player pass issued to him, meaning he could qualify as a non-import player in the SEL. That loophole was being closed during that offseason, meaning Murray had to sign then or miss out on the $300,000 to $400,000 contract he was reportedly offered. The large contract was offered because the SEL allows just five non-import players on each team and it is rare to get a player of Murray's caliber as a non-import.
Now, he will try to join his former UND linemates -- Parise and Bochenski -- in the NHL.
Posted by: Schlossman on Tuesday, May 08 at 7:56 PM | Comments (6) | Permalink
Parise added to Team USA
Another former UND player has made his way to the World Championship.
Zach Parise will join Matt Greene and Brandon Bochenski on the American squad, USA Hockey announced today. Parise was added to the roster after his New Jersey Devils were knocked out of the NHL playoffs.
Team Canada has one former Sioux player, Mike Commodore, and a current UND player, Jonathan Toews, on its roster.
Team USA will play Finland at 11:15 a.m. Thursday in the quarterfinals.
Team Canada will play Switzerland at 7:15 a.m. Thursday in a quarterfinal matchup.
Posted by: Schlossman on Tuesday, May 08 at 12:11 PM | Comments (3) | Permalink
Q&A with Brett Hextall
As promised, I will try to go through all of UND's recruits this offseason and talk to them about their year of juniors. We'll start with Penticton Vees forward Brett Hextall. In 59 games, Hextall scored 18 goals and had 27 assists for 45 points. He also led the team with 156 penalty minutes. Penticton lost in the third round of the BCHL playoffs after sweeping its first two opponents in four games.
The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Hextall, of Manhattan Beach, Calif., is slated to come in this fall. Once the coaches know who all is staying and who is leaving, they will make final decisions on which players will be in Grand Forks this fall.
Q. How would you assess your season?
BRETT HEXTALL: I think it went well. My personal goal was to get a D-I scholarship and I got that early on. After that, my goal was all about winning a national championship. We didn't get that done, though. Even though we didn't get it done, looking back, it was a good year for developing and everything.
Q. How did you feel you developed throughout the year? In what areas did you progress the most?
BRETT HEXTALL: Both skill and putting on weight. The biggest thing, though, was the mental challenge of playing a junior schedule -- being able to prepare yourself game after game.
Q. Can you talk about your game? You racked up a lot of penalty minutes this season.
BRETT HEXTALL: I was leading the league for a while (laughing). I definitely classify myself as a physical player, but I can put up points as well. My strongest assets are work ethic, physical play and grittiness. I wouldn't call myself a sniper or a goal scorer, but I think I can put up some points -- a solid two-way player.
Q. UND has a reputation for having physical, gritty players. Were you aware of that reputation?
BRETT HEXTALL: I've heard that a lot. Even when I was as young as 15 or 16, people were telling me that North Dakota would be the perfect spot for me because of how I play. (More recently), people have compared me to (Mike) Prpich.
Q. Prpich also played juniors in Penticton, so did you hear a lot of that comparison up there?
BRETT HEXTALL: A little, but not too much, because the ownership changed from when Prpich played there.
Q. What are your plans for the summer?
BRETT HEXTALL: I'm going to be here in California. I actually broke my shoulder in round three against Vernon -- the ball that fits into the socket -- a labrum injury. I didn't know it at the time. I played three more games (after breaking it). Then, I came home and had an MRI on it and they told me I broke my shoulder. I was surprised. I had surgery April 18 and I'm working on rehabbing that. I'm doing range of motion and massage stuff on it right now. I'll go back to the doctor in two weeks.
Q. How long is it going to keep you out?
BRETT HEXTALL: Three months. By mid-July I should be able to start lifting weights and taking contact again.
Q. This is different than the injury (Sioux recruit and Penticton forward) Evan Trupp suffered last year, isn't it?
BRETT HEXTALL: Yeah, it is. I think he totally separated it.
Q. Speaking of Trupp, you've seen him play as much as anyone. What can you tell us about him?
BRETT HEXTALL: He's an unbelievable player. He's a great skater -- and not only in a straight line. He's agile, he's quick and he's got unbelievable hands. He handles the puck on a string. He's developed a nice shot and he's scored some highlight-reel goals. He also works hard. He'll come up from behind a guy and steal the puck. He was one of my best friends this year, so I'll be happy to be playing with him for four more years.
Q. I read in the Penticton paper that Trupp missed the Vernon series because he was sick.
BRETT HEXTALL: Yeah, he was my roommate and he was feeling horrible. He didn't even want to get out of bed. He had flu-like symptoms -- lots of puking. He ended up playing in the game -- just power play and penalty kill. Then, after the game we took him to the hospital and his appendix burst. It was too bad. He was on fire and playing so well late in the year.
Posted by: Schlossman on Monday, May 07 at 5:31 PM | Comments (1) | Permalink
Duncan, Toews, etc.
More random notes and updates:
UND's Ryan Duncan threw out the first pitch at the Minnesota Twins baseball game tonight in Minneapolis. Word is that the pitch was high to the catcher's glove side.
*****
Jonathan Toews continues to be impressive at the World Championship, scoring a goal and adding in assist in Canada's 6-3 win over Belarus. Toews is tied with NHL All-Star Rick Nash for the points lead among the undefeated Canadians.
Many media outlets are writing about his play. There's the Winnipeg Free Press, Toronto Globe and Mail and the Chicago Daily Herald to name a few.
Team USA continued its strong play, beating Slovakia yesterday thanks to WCHA players. UND's Brandon Bochenski, Minnesota's Phil Kessel and Mankato's David Backes scored three of USA's four goals.
*****
The Buffalo Sabres moved one game closer to the Eastern Conference Finals, beating the New York Rangers 2-1 in overtime Friday night. The Sabres now lead the series 3-2. UND's Drew Stafford was scratched so Fargo's Paul Gaustad could make a return to the lineup. Gaustad has been out for quite a while with a leg injury.
Meanwhile, Stafford's old college teammates Travis Zajac and Zach Parise will try to stay alive with the New Jersey Devils. New Jersey is down 3-1 in the series against Ottawa.
*****
The Manitoba Moose (AHL), featuring assistant coach Brad Berry and forwards Lee Goren and Colby Genoway, will start their best-of-seven quarterfinal series against Hamilton on Saturday night.
Posted by: Schlossman on Friday, May 04 at 10:45 PM | Comments (14) | Permalink
Mid-week updates
Ryan Duncan was named UND's male athlete of the year Tuesday night at the school's student-athlete awards program in the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. Duncan, of course, became UND's first Hobey Baker Award winner in 20 years last month.
*****
Jonathan Toews continues to excel at the World Championship. He had three assists, all on the power play, in a 5-4 win over Slovakia this morning. He set up NHL All-Star Rick Nash for the game-winning goal midway through the third period. Toews, the only non-pro on Canada, is tied for the team lead in scoring.
Next up for unbeaten Canada is Belarus on Friday. The United States (2-1) plays Slovakia tomorrow (Thursday). Former UND defenseman Matt Greene has the best plus/minus rating for the Americans (plus-3)
*****
The Manitoba Moose defeated the Grand Rapids Griffins 4-1 in Game 7 last night. The Moose, who have three former Sioux in the locker room in assistant coach Brad Berry and forwards Colby Genoway and Lee Goren, now play Hamilton in the second round. The Moose are the only AHL team remaining with former Sioux players on the roster.
*****
Rumors have been going around that Wisconsin coach Mike Eaves could be a prime candidate for the New Jersey Devils job. The Devils are a team that has dipped into the college ranks for most of their players and GM Lou Lamoriello was a former college coach himself. Add to that the fact that Eaves' Badgers play a defensive style similar to one that New Jersey plays, and you can see where this rumor would get legs. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, however, there is nothing to the rumor.
*****
Bemidji State's athletic director said he wasn't surprised by the WCHA's announcement Tuesday that it won't expand. No word on what the school is going to do next, though.
Posted by: Schlossman on Wednesday, May 02 at 2:46 PM | Comments (10) | Permalink
Bemidji State out of luck?
The WCHA just sent out this release:
"MADISON, Wis. -- The Western Collegiate Hockey Association, as recommended by its Structure Committee and as accepted by the membership at its annual meeting last week, will maintain its current moratorium on expansion.
Although sensitive to the issues of expansion and the plight of other collegiate hockey programs, the league's current moratorium will remain in effect.
The WCHA has not, however, closed the door on this issue permanently and will continue to address what is in the best interests of the Association while maintaining its tradition of assisting in the continuing growth and development of college hockey."
Of course, Bemidji State was hoping to get into the WCHA. Apparently that's not going to happen right now. What's next for Bemidji State? Stay tuned.
Posted by: Schlossman on Tuesday, May 01 at 11:46 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Parise conference call
I'm a little late getting this up, but Zach Parise was on a conference call with national media last week prior to opening the series against the Ottawa Senators. Also on the conference call were Senators coach Bryan Murray and Devils general manager/president/coach/everything Lou Lamoriello. Here are some excerpts:
Q. What are your observations on Parise, as a young player, and what he's been able to do for the Devils?
BRYAN MURRAY: I'm not sure how they ever got him at the pick they got him at to start off with (laughing). I was in Halifax when he played in the World Juniors. We all recognized that he was going to be a top-end guy. He's almost exactly what we thought he'd end up being: a very competitive guy. He gets good goals driving to the net, but he gets dirty goals because he's not afraid to get his nose dirty around the crease and do battles that are necessary to win hockey games. I think he's just become a real top-end kid. Obviously, he has lots of character. Too bad he's playing for New Jersey today.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about Zach Parise's development as a player? Is he where you thought he would be at this point, or are you a little surprised how quickly he's developed?
LOU LAMORIELLO: Well, if you look at Zach's past, whether it be at North Dakota or at the juniors or the high school he came from, success has always been with him. You kno, the World Junior tournament, he was the most valuable player. He goes and plays in the rookie All-Star game this year and scores X number of goals. For us last year, once the second half of the season came, he was right up there with all our scorers. I don't think it's surprising the success he's having.
I think what we're a little surprised at is the way he can sustain the energy that he does night in and night out without ever taking a night off. I mean, this is one consistent player... not only because of scoring, just the way he plays defense. I mean, he's a complete player. Usually, you see non-skilled players compete for 60 minutes. This is a skilled player who competes both offensively and defensively and hounds the puck as well as anybody I've ever seen. I think the way he can sustain that and has sustained it over the season on a consistent basis to me has been our biggest surprise.
Q. You are leading the NHL in goals in the playoffs. What has been the difference for you this year from last year's playoff?
ZACH PARISE: I think it's experience. I think last year it took a few games to settle down and kind of adjust to the pace and everything. I think this year I've had confidence with the puck. We found good chemistry with the line of Travis (Zajac), Jamie (Langenbrunner) and I. Each game it seems like we're getting good scoring opportunities.
Q. Can you talk about your line a little bit more? Why has it been able to gel?
ZACH PARISE: I don't know, it's just one of those things. We all work hard. I think we play pretty similar. None of us are too flashy. We're fine chipping it in, going to work and we seem to respond to each other. I think we think alike. We know where the other one's going to be without even looking sometimes.
Q. Which of your teammates do you feel like you've learned the most from in the last two years?
ZACH PARISE: I think probably Gomez or Gionta because I sit next to him (Gomez) in the locker room. He's always helped me out just talking to me, telling me little things. At the same time, I like to watch the way him and Gionta play. Gionta and I are kind of similar with our size and everything. I watched Gio a lot last year and how he was getting all his goals in front of the net. I was paying attention to that. Going back to Scotty, he's a really good guy for a kid coming into the league to have. He's a good guy that will just kind of take you under his wing and help you out.
Q. For a young guy in that locker room, is it every intimidating with how much experience and success those guys have had?
ZACH PARISE: Yeah, it is. Even to this day, you learn a lot. Like you said, the success that they've had, sometimes it is kind of intimidating. But at the same time, you know that when it gets to crunch time, you know you have the experience in the locker room. Really, it's a good group to learn from when you're going into these tough playoff series.
Q. Your dad must be thrilled with your success. Have you had a chance to chat with him throughout the playoffs, getting some advice and chatting about your success?
ZACH PARISE: Yeah, I mean, I don't think there's anything that he and I haven't already talked about. It's not like he was saying anything to me right before the playoffs. But I talk to him all the time. He's a good guy to have. I mean, he's seen me play enough where he can critique my game and tell me things that he doesn't feel I'm doing or the things I should be doing better.
Posted by: Schlossman on Tuesday, May 01 at 3:20 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
