A bit of randomness from RW77

University of Alaska Anchorage (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ok, it's been a while since I posted here and there's a few random things I'm going to mini-rant about.  Before I do, however, I freely acknowledge that I'm no expert and that these are MY OPINIONS ONLY.

Ok....

Sure, I'll take on a job that's sure to be a lost cause...

That's my take on what a coach would have to think about when accepting the UAA Head Coaching gig.  As a UND fan, you don't get much insight into the internals and the atmosphere around the UAA program in Anchorage, but over the period of time from the end of Hill's tenure until now, it seems like it's just one bad year after another.  Sure, there were a few "ups" along the way but comon...

Now everyone, including alumni and former players, are giving the vote of No Confidence to UAA AD Steve Cobb.  I find myself wondering if Cobb is behind all of it, or is it above even him?

I can't imagine trying to sell UAA to a player from...say... Massachusetts, California, or even the Midwest.  It's so far away and isolated (even if it is a wonderful place...at least that's how I remember Anchorage anyhow).  I remember thinking during the coaching search after Hill left that whoever gets that job will inherit the toughest coaching gig in the WCHA and certainly among the hardest in all of DI hockey.

It seems that NO ONE wants to go to Anchorage.  So, if you keep on dreaming of diamonds being found in the rough that you convince to come to campus, how can you not have bad years year after year?

I don't think UAA should fold their program.  I do think they have something to bring to the table, but UAA is a big time dependent upon institutional support.  If it doesn't get it, it goes under.  I'd venture the same thing goes for MTU and even UNO (living in Omaha, I can tell you if the Husker football team is playing, no one gives a flying bleep about UNO hockey).  UNO gets it.  I believe MTU has gotten it as well.  UAA definitely does not... at least not totally.  If it goes completely, then it will follow the math UAH did but succeed and go the way of Findlay, Iona, and Wayne State.

Submariners on Skates

I despise diving.  I also despise officials that take forever to get the game going again after reviewing it but....  I think that's what's going to have to happen.  I am convinced that on ice officials do not call diving as much as they should because they cannot recognize diving when they see it in real time.  The truth is that diving has become a part of the game.  Not just because the refs don't call it when it happens, but because the coaches (at best) ignore it when players do it or, even worse, condone such acts.  Even the media at times refers to a clever dive as "Drawing a penalty."  (Though I admit freely that not every time a player draws a penalty is he diving).

I think the only ways to eliminate diving are long term or unacceptable solutions.  The long term is simply to replace all the coaches in amateur hockey with hockey coaches that have a heavy hand against diving.  They teach that it is wrong and do something about it when they see it (with or without their rose colored glasses).  There's nothing to say that this is even possible, either.

Secondly, use the replay system... post game.  If the head office spots a dive by another player, that player is brought in for a conduct review and a 1 or 2 game suspension gets handed out for diving after the fact. 

Related articles

• UAA Suspends Search For Head Hockey Coach (minnesota.cbslocal.com)
• Hockey alums give AD a no-confidence vote (sfgate.com)
• UNO Hockey: Ryan Walters to return for senior year (thehockeywriters.com)
• UAA arena to be called Alaska Airlines Center (sfgate.com)
• AD Steve Cobb Interview on UAA Firing/New Arena (thearu.com)

Jim Montgomery new coach at DU

Heading to #Avs locker room ... New DU coach will be at denverpost.com/sports in a couple minutes
— Mike Chambers (@MChambersDP) April 13, 2013

Here is the link to the story at the Dever Post via Mike Chambers.

NEWS CENTER Has learned that Jim Montgomery has been offered the head coaching job at the University of Denver. #mesports #umhockey
— LEE GOLDBERG (@WCSHSPORTSGUY) April 13, 2013

Looks like DU has their new head coach. Montgomery was an assistant coach at RPI and is the current head coach of the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints. This is an interesting development. Montgomery also played hockey in the NHL with the Blues, Canadiens, Stars, Flyers and Sharks.

Denver U. did not name interim hockey coach. Montgomery is their first choice. Denver offered to beat Maine to it. Last coach made mid 300k
— LEE GOLDBERG (@WCSHSPORTSGUY) April 13, 2013

The Hobey Baker Fan vote count so far.

While it's fun to vote in the fan vote for the Hobey Baker Memorial. The fan vote only counts for 1 percent of the vote total in each phase. That being said, UND fans don't forget to vote for Corban Knight.

Related articles

• Why not Corban Knight for the Hobey Baker? (thehockeywriters.com)

Why not Corban Knight for the Hobey Baker?

Western Collegiate Hockey Association logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I don’t think it’s too early to start this post – half of the college hockey season is over already – soon the second half of the season will be upon us. It won’t be long until the hockey pundits will be talking about the end of the season awards that go along with the culmination of the NCAA hockey season.

That means that the Hobey Baker Memorial fan voting will be upon us very soon.

While I have no say in the process, I do believe that UND senior forward Corban Knight should be a legitimate candidate for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award and I believe that it will be very hard for the voters to overlook him.

Breaking it down further, Knight is a complete player, both on an off of the ice, and there is no reason why he shouldn’t be one of the Hobey Hat Trick (finalists) when it’s all said and done.

Through 16 games this season, Knight is leading the Green and White in scoring and has amassed an impressive (8g-15s—23pts). Knight is ranked eighth nationally in the NCAA for points per game 1.35. Knight is also tied for first over-all with Drew LeBlanc of Saint Cloud State in the WCHA for points in conference games.

Knight is currently on a 13 game scoring streaking racking up (6g-15a-21pts).

In the locker room, on or off the ice, Knight has the respect of his teammates and is very well liked. Recently, this is what fellow teammate Carter Rowney had to say about his fellow assistant caption.

“He’s a good guy,” Rowney said.  “He lives in the same building as me and everything. Great team player, everyone gets along with him – easy to get along with. Always positive, no matter what’s going on. He’s never down on himself, never down on anyone else, just a positive guy.”

When UND head coach Dave Hakstol was asked about Corban Knight, the  head coach was very complimentary.

“He’s a mature young man in every way,” Haksol said. “That’s one of the benefits of being a junior and a senior and taking the extra time to develop at this level before you step to the pro level; is being able to have that year where physically you’re maybe a little bit ahead of the opponents that you’re playing against. Certainly, mentally he’s as toughest there is. Very quiet in the way he goes about it – but mentally as tough as anybody.”

The head coach went on to say, “Corban is just a complete hockey player. “He’s good in all three zones. There’s a lot of element to his game that bring a lot of value to a team. I think one that he gets a lot of credit for is his ability in the faceoff dot. But there are a lot of areas of his game that are quietly similar to what he does in the faceoff dot. He’s a very solid, reliable two way player that consistently puts out real good solid offensive numbers – we’re seeing that again this year. He’s flown under the radar with it – he’s got a nice point scoring streak going. More importantly, I think his play is probably indicative of our team’s play. He’s very consistent player.”

Knight also does many good things off the ice as well. Recently, this is what the head coach Dave Hakstol had to say about his senior forward’s off ice activities.

“What you see is what you get,” Hakstol said. “He’s a great young man, always got a positive perspective. He always pays attention to how he treats people around him. He’s very cognizant of that. He’s always being a leader – not just in our locker room but in the community. He does an awful lot of things in the community that go unnoticed. He doesn’t do it with any fanfare – but he’s always willing to help out.”

Here’s the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Criteria.

• Candidates must exhibit strength of character both on and off the ice.
• Candidates must contribute to the integrity of the team and display outstanding skills in all phases of the game.
• Consideration should be given to scholastic achievement and sportsmanship.
• Candidates must comply with all NCAA rules: be full time students in an accredited NCAA college or university; and complete 50% or more of the season.

I do believe that Corban Knight would meet all of these criteria, to be eligible for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

Related articles

• UND forward Corban Knight's attitude; infectious on and off the ice (thehockeywriters.com)
• UND skates past DU 6-3 (thehockeywriters.com)
• Notes from the Wednesday's UND Men's Hockey press conference (thehockeywriters.com)

Tale of two worlds

Last night, after the game, UND women’s head hockey coach head Brian Idalski looked less than pleased and even a bit agitated – his team won on the right side of a 3-2 victory against Division I newcomer RIT.

Words like lethargic and sloppy were uttered by the UND coach during the postgame press conference.

I made the comment to the women’s SID after the media scrum that it would be fun to see today’s pregame skate. I am sure it wasn’t all fun and games and there probably wasn’t any of coaching staffs vehicles parked at center ice today at the REA before the pre-game skate.

But I digress.

Idalski’s hockey team in also on an impressive six game winning streak including sweeps against conference foe’s UMD and BSU.

Yet there are grounds for concern. There are still minor things that need to be fixed going forward. I have seen some of the mistakes that the team was making earlier in the season not happen as much on the ice the past two games.

Sitting in the press box I was entertained by an exciting game of hockey that went down to the wire – with the home team coming out with the win. In the closing seconds of the game the Tigers came very close to tying the game as a shot hit flush off of the right post of the UND goal with the goaltenders moving to her left.

Listening to UND men’s head coach Dave last night during the postgame with Radio personality Tim Hennessey, I didn’t’ have to watch a video or be there in person to know that he was less than pleased with the results of last night’s game. Hakstol’s team did everything they had to do to win; except score enough goals to win.That’s not going to comfort anyone including the head coach – but it’s not time to call for the head coaches head either.

Personally, based on this team’s history, I am not all that concerned about their results so far to date. Especially with the teams that they’ve played to date – UND has played four out five series against teams that are nationally ranked and that have winning records. So far in 13 games, UND has only played against two teams that don’t have a winning record UAA and UMD and both of those teams aren’t easy draws as well.

These guys are winners and take their job very seriously – both coaches’ teams are very close to turning the corner and putting an 8-1 or 9-2 whooping on someone.

There are some things to remember going forward. No team has ever won a national title in November, December, January and February. Seasons are a body of work and national rankings and the pairwise rankings mean nothing right now. The season is a body of work and the head coach will have this team ready to play.

Idalski sports the stache during Movember

North Dakota women's head  coach Idalski sports a killer mustache during Movember.

Where do we go from here? RW77 and the new Job Opening

Well, consider me one of shock... though it isn't shock because Eades is gone. It's more of shock that Eades isn't gone due to a new position...either head coach at the DI level or USHL level.

I think Eades is one of the more up and coming coaches at the collegiate level among the cadre of attractive candidates that do not have DI head coaching experience.

  I haven't a doubt that Eades' unemployment will be measured in weeks rather than in months. Best of luck, Cary. Here's to success wherever you end up (unless it is against UND).

The NEW UND coach:

UND has basically two directions: First would be to promote Dane Jackson to Associate Head Coach and hire an Assistant Head Coach. The other would be to hire an Associate Head Coach.

First, hiring a new Assistant Coach:

This would be the least expensive option as they wouldn't necessarily have to shell out as much money as they'd have to if they went for an Associate Head Coach. Not to mention that it opens the most options to UND. Although UND doesn't have to follow "tradition" of hiring former UND or at least WCHA coaches or players, a new assistant can be ANYONE... including poaching a coach from the ranks of Major Juniors if they really wanted. They can also go in the direction of giving a guy his first shot at the DI level...having no real coaching experience outside of the volunteer variety... for example: Karl Goehring.

Possible Candidates can be from a large variety of sources from juniors up to the pro ranks. With how open this possibility is, I'm not sure anyone other than Karl who jumps out at me. Perhaps Tony Hrkac would be willing to take a shot at this position.

Option Two: Hire a new Associate

This is the more costly option but it holds a lot of intriguing names. People who have made their names known in the past could become candidates. Some names that come to mind include: Jason Herter, John Marks, Steve Johnson, even Chad Johnson could come up. There could be non-UND candidates, such as Shattuck's Tom Ward (he was a former Minnesota Assistant Coach). Hey, I hear John Hill and Troy Jutting are available. But then again, hiring John Hill would kill our program. Heh, we should make a run at one of the Sutters. They'd know how to undo the major junior influence. After all, no one knows more about Major Junior recruiting away NCAA players better than the Anti-NCAA Sutter family. I'd also love to see James Patrick be included in the list but he's doing well as an NHL Assistant and probably has a future at that level.

Like with the other option: They could go completely out of the blue. So my questions to the readership are: What direction do you think UND will take? Who do you think will be a candidate? Any you'd like to see on the list that I haven't mentioned?

Sioux close out the season with loss to Gophers

One of our fans posted this on the FightingSioux.com chat, this comment is ridiculous and far from the truth, Coach Hakstol did a great job coaching this team this season, especially with what he has been dealt this season and I hope the University gets him locked up with a new contract soon.

I was going to wait till tomorrow to put something up but I figured I would chime in with my two cents. While the defeat to the Gophers does leave a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth, I can’t say that UND’s didn’t give it their all to the end. They fought, they clawed and they emptied the tank. This team didn’t go down without a fight all season long.

Congrats to the seniors, Ben Blood, Brad Eidsness and Mario Lamoureux I have enjoyed watching you play for four years at UND. All three are character guys and will be successful in whatever they do in life.

It pains me to say that the Gophers were the better team today. That’s hockey and that’s life.
For me personally, this season has been one of the most exciting seasons of Fighting Sioux hockey that I have ever had the pleasure to witness since I started watching Fighting Sioux hockey back in 1992.

As I wrote for Inside Hockey last week, “Back in November, who would have thought that the Fighting Sioux would face off against Denver University and win the championship game of the Red Baron WCHA Final Five?

Especially on Sunday the 20th of November 2011, the Fighting Sioux had just suffered an unimpressive 1-0 loss to the Bemidji State Beavers at the Sandford Center in Bemidji, Minnesota.  After that loss, the Fighting Sioux had a lackluster record of 4-7-1 overall and 1-5 in the WCHA. That record was good for 11th place in the WCHA standings.

After the game, the Fighting Sioux took the two hour bus trip down highway two back to Grand Forks, they regrouped and on Monday morning the Fighting Sioux coaching staff conducted a bag skate on the Fighting Sioux hockey team at six o’clock.

Since that early morning bag skate, the Fighting Sioux have gone an impressive 21-5-2. That is the best overall record in Divison I hockey since November 26, 2011.

The Fighting Sioux finish that midseason surge at 22-6-2… The loss tonight ends the Sioux season with a record of 26-13-3. That was the eight season in a row that Hakstols teams have won 20 games or more.

This season show cased some new players that are going to be a force going forward. The Carter Rowney, Michael Parks and Mitch MacMillan line has a chance to be one of the better lines in the WCHA next season.  

While some of our fan base wants to run Coach Hakstol out of town on a rail, I think making it to the NCAA tourney this season was a big accomplishment, based on what happened to the Fighting Sioux hockey team, this is also testimate to the type of hockey coach that Dave Hakstol is.

During the offseason UND lost J.T. Miller to the CHL and it all seemed to snowball from there.
Here is the injury list from this season’s Fighting Sioux hockey team. Let’s not forget that three Fighting Sioux hockey players had season ending surgery.

North Dakota injuries: Taylor Dickin (lower-body injury), forward Rocco Grimaldi (season, knee surgery), Brendan O’Donnell (season-ending surgery) and Derek Rodwell (season, shoulder surgery) are all out of the lineup.

I mean seriously, Grimaldi, O’Donnell and Rodwell would make one heck of a line in any college hockey league.

Lastly, to the fans that want to fire coach Hakstol, here is a quote from my friend Moose Richards… “I find the whole fire Hakstol line out of Sioux fans just absurd,” Moose said.   “You look over the body of work. Yes there is no national championship in there, but how many Frozen Fours, nine straight final five appearances. It’s just…Yeah you would like the win the big one. But don’t you like being there every year?

Related articles

• UND Hockey coach Dave Hakstol weighs in on the nickname ... (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Sioux grind out 4-1 win against Huskies (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Sioux dismantle Gophers 6-3 in St. Paul (insidehockey.com)
• Fighting Sioux Finish off the Bemidji State Beavers 4-3 (insidehockey.com)
• Coach Hakstol takes issue with Wally Shaver's comments... (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

George Gwozdecky on Jason Zucker

Denver hockey head coach George Gwozdecky  addressed the media after the Denver and Michigan Tech quarter final game and fields a question from Bruce Brothers of the Pioneer Press at the 4:15 mark of the video about the possibility of Zucker leaving  for the professional ranks.

“I will tell you one thing Bruce [Brothers]; Gwozdecky said, "I have never, ever in my 30 plus years and my 18 years at Denver. I have never ever talked to anyone that regretting staying another year. But I have certainly talked to a lot of guys that said that they regret leaving early and so there is never anything wrong with leaving if you’re ready.  There is never anything wrong with staying, to be able to get one more extra year to be able to give yourself a better chance to be able play at the top level.  What that decision for Jason or for any of our guys, is hard to say right now.”

Related articles

• Denver slips past Michigan Tech (insidehockey.com)
• Thursday at the Final Five (insidehockey.com)

Coach Hakstol takes issue with Wally Shaver's comments...

Tonight during the UND Coaches Show, UND head coach Dave Hakstol took issue with what UMN radio personality had to say about the Ben Blood incident. If you need to have your memory refreshed, here is what Wally Shaver had to say about the incident. [Click to listen]

Here is what UND head coach Dave Hakstol had to say about matter. At the 11:20 mark of the audio, you can hear what Dave Hakstol has to say about his team being called a bunch of cheap hose heads by Wally Shaver. [Click to listen]  I would be willing to bet that the voice of the Minnesota Gopher's will be getting a call from Coach Hakstol. 

Related articles

• Minnesota pastes North Dakota (insidehockey.com)
• He said what? (mvn.com)
• UND Races Past Harvard on New Year's Eve (insidehockey.com)
• North Dakota edges Minnesota (insidehockey.com)

Blood loses the "A" - Ben Blood disciplined for post-game altercation

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota Head Coach Dave Hakstol announced today that he has revoked senior defenseman Ben Blood’s assistant captaincy due to an altercation that occurred during the post-game handshake following Saturday night’s game against Minnesota.

“Regardless of any provocation, Ben’s actions in the post-game handshake were not acceptable,” said Hakstol. “The handshake line is a traditional, gentlemanly part of our game where, at the end of a hard-fought battle, opponents show good sportsmanship and shake hands like men.”

Hakstol added that Blood will be subject to further internal team disciplinary actions.

“I’m not proud of my behavior,” said Blood. “That’s not how I want to represent our program, and that’s not how we handle ourselves here. I understand and respect the punishment, and I’ll move forward and not let my emotions get the best of me in the future.”

UND (12-8-2, 8-8-0 WCHA) travels to St. Cloud State on Friday and Saturday.

Related articles

• Minnesota pastes North Dakota (insidehockey.com)
• North Dakota vs. Minnesota Series Notes (insidehockey.com)
• UND Races Past Harvard on New Year's Eve (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - January 15 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings - January 8 (insidehockey.com)
• He said what? (mvn.com)
• North Dakota edges Minnesota (insidehockey.com)

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Jake Hanson, Minnesota is supposed to be the premier program

Image via WikipediaMinnesota Gophers forward Jake Hanson has stirred some discussion with his comments that he made in the Pioneer Press. If I was a head hockey coach I am not that I would want to hear that coming out of one of my players mouth. What do you think?

Ray Richardson, Pioneer Press --- The Bulldogs' title has magnified the questionable stature of the Gophers' program. For Gophers players, it's unsettling to know the NCAA championship trophy is only three hours north of the Twin Cities.

"For a lot of years, we have been the dominant program over Duluth," said defenseman Jake Hansen, one of only seven seniors on the Gophers' roster. "They have the crown now...that's a little strange. The University of Minnesota is supposed to be the premier program. That's what we're trying to get back to this year."

While I don't think historically Hansen is wrong, however, you don't want to wake up a sleeping giant. You let sleeping dogs lie. If I was the Bulldog head coach I would take these comments put them on the bulletin board and use these comments to my team's advantage. That being said, this should prove to be a great college hockey series and should be an early measuring for both the Bulldogs and Gophers. 

Winnipeg Expected to announce 'Jets' name before draft pick...

Image via WikipediaTSN.CA is reporting that the Winnipeg team will now be called the Jets. I believe that this is the right move, nice to see the Jets back in Winnipeg, Manitoba where they belong. Claude Noel has also been name head coach of the Winnipeg Jets, Noel was the head coach of the Manitoba Moose.

It looks like the Winnipeg Jets are cleared for landing.

The team, which is expected to officially announce their name before making the 7th overall pick in tonight's NHL Entry Draft, is reportedly going to go with the very popular Jets nickname.

You can watch the Draft live on TSN, TSN.ca and TSN Mobile TV tonight at 7pm et/4pm pt. Make sure to check out TSN.ca for a live hockey blog with TSN Analyst Craig Button, beginning at 6:30 pm et/3:30 pm pt.

After an explosive Thursday that watched big name players get moved, Friday could be just as volatile as the NHL Entry Draft goes tonight in Minnesota.