Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Goon’s Ramblings 8-02-2006

Another Big Loss for the Fighting Sioux Hockey Team.
Fighting Sioux assistant Coach Berry make the jump to the American Hockey League. This past week Fighting Sioux fans were greeted with more bad news (good for the coach and bad for the Sioux) Assistant Coach Brad Berry accepted a job with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League.

Goon’s World is saddened by the loss of a good coach because he was a great mentor of young defensemen, and his work was evident by the play of our blue liners. Coach Brad Berry was instrumental in the development of former Fighting Sioux players Matt Greene, Matt Smaby and last seasons freshman defensemen. This is a major blow to UND because his services will be sorely missed. I would like to take this time to thank Coach Berry for his service to UND and wish him the best of luck in coaching in the pros. As clichés go one team’s lose is another’s gain.

Toews Staying Put at UND.
This past week Fighting Sioux forward Jonathon Toews announced that he was staying put and returning to the Fighting Sioux for another season. It would be an understatement if I said a lot of us are relieved as the latest good news (finally something positive after a summer of disappointments) that the Fighting Sioux will have the services of the highly skilled Toews for at least one more season, I wonder if we can talk him into staying one more season after that? If Toews had signed a professional contract with the Chicago Black Hawks it would have been a serious blow to UND chances this up coming season. Let it be known that Toews is a man of poise, It would have been hard for me to turn down the rookie max 850,000.00 and a 85,000 signing bonus.

I believe with Toews the Sioux will still have a dynamic group of skilled players coming back for the next season. Although UND will not score goals in bunches as they did last season Toews and Oshie will still put the fear in the opposition.
Jack Skille Staying Put in Madison
The Wisconsin Badgers also received some good news in July also. Up and coming super star freshman forward Jack Skille announced that he will in fact be returning for another season with the defending National Champions Wisconsin Badgers. It had been rumored that Chicago was interested in signing Skille along with Fighting Sioux forward Jonathon Toews.

Wisconsin like the other great teams in the WCHA did not go unscathed during the off season as the Badgers suffered some big time losses as well, leading scorer Sophomore Joe Pavelski (56 points) signed with the San Jose Sharks of the NHL and second leading scorer Junior Robbie Earl (50 points) signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL. Both players were highly touted marquee players and their loss to their team is huge. Of course the Badgers are still loaded and sport one of colleges best goaltenders in Brian Elliot. The Badgers are still going to be the team to beat as teams are going to have to break through their defense to score. Elliot game teams fits last season.

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