The Sky is the limit with Genoway

Here is some good news from Brad's blog about a few of the returning UND Fighting Sioux hockey players. Also, there has been an on going discussion in another blog post about Chay Genoway being left off snubbed by a few of the "media blogs" WCHA first or second teams ballots.

This blurb by Brad Schlossman should also put some of that discussion to bed. I mean seriously folks, Chay Genoway is a probable Hobey Baker Memorial Award candidate and there is a very good chance that he will be a first or second team All-American, also Genoway's offensive skills are matched by few in college hockey. Genoway would have been all of these things last season if he hadn't been the recipient of the one the most blush leagues hits I have seen since the Paukovich hit on Bina.

The players are saying that Matt Frattin has won the Iron Man competition this year. Frattin was one of the only guys who didn’t spend the summer here in Grand Forks. He went home to Edmonton, got in a routine, lifted weights with a trainer, and has returned in great shape. In fact, apparently trainer Mark Poolman has nicknamed him the X-Factor because of his fitness.

Some good news about Chay Genoway: It sure doesn’t look like he’s lost a step. He was flying around on the rink today.

Here is what beat writer for the Bemidji Pioneer Eric Stromgren had to say about Chay Genoway.

I expect Chay Genoway to be the preseason player of the year and he’s quite deserving. I picked Read for a few reasons. He’s an exceptional player who has helped make BSU a great hockey team in his time so far. Read could have signed an NHL contract in the offseason. But he chose to return to Bemidji State to complete his degree and remained committed to his team. He also appreciates the Bemidji community and I’ve seen his dedication to the fans here through a few uncertain years for the program. His commitment to the program, game, academics and community are what Beavers and WCHA hockey is all about. Those are reasons enough for me to vote him Preseason Player of the Year.

Repost - A new way to make comments

Lets Go Mavs of Goon's World was complaining about my new commenting system here on Goon's World. So I thought would re-post this message. Just for the record the post she made had 27+ comments.

I have gotten a few messages from folks that said, 'Hey you killed the comments section of your blog.' I said, "what you can still comment on Goon's World." Actually; I have made a few changes to the blog and I have changed the system for making comments on Goon's World. Starting last week, we are no longer accepting comments under blogger. For now; I have decided to use the Intense Debate system; which in my opinion is a better system for accepting comments on my blog. You can get an account by logging on to this web link.

Intense Debate is a commenting system which is designed to inspire conversation. Including such features as threaded comments (allowing readers to reply to each other in comment threads), avatars and a voting system, many Blogger users are now choosing this as an alternative to the default Blogger commenting system.

From time to time I have had a few internet trolls post questionable and disgusting comments on this blog, they were deleted. Now I have the ability of blocking said IP addresses of the people that act like moron/trolls. While you can post anonymous messages, I still have the option of deleting them and or blocking the IP address of the person making the comment.

D'Amigo Signs With Maple Leafs

Here is the official announcement on RPI star Jerry D'Amigo, in my opinion he was one of the better freshman in college hockey last season but everything that I have read on the kid leads me to believe that he wasn't/isn't going to play in the NHL this season so his signing does puzzle some.

NHL.COM --- Brian Burke, president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Wednesday that the club has agreed to terms on a three-year entry level contract with forward Jerry D’Amigo (pronounced dah-MEE-goh).

“We’ve been very pleased with Jerry’s progression over the past 12 months,” said Burke. “Seth Appert and the rest of the coaching staff at R.P.I. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) have done a really nice job of preparing Jerry for the next stage in his development. We look forward to having him at training camp.”

D’Amigo, 19, appeared in 35 games with the R.P.I. Engineers of the ECAC last season, recording 34 points (10 goals, 24 assists) and 41 penalty minutes. The 5-11, 208-pound winger ranked fifth nationally in points per game by a rookie (0.97), led R.P.I. in game-winning goals (3), and finished second in shorthanded goals (1). For his efforts, D’Amigo was selected to the ECAC All-Rookie Team and he was named ECAC Hockey’s Rookie of the Year.

The native of Binghamton, New York, represented the United States at the 2010 World Junior Championship in Saskatchewan. D’Amigo finished tied for third in tournament scoring with 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists) in seven games to help lead Team USA to a gold medal.

Feeling Minnesota - Gophers hockey team in meltdown?

I have been on vacation in Duluth this week but thought I would comment on the implosion going on down in Minneapolis. First off, I hope Gopher fans aren’t contemplating jumping off a bridge in Minneapolis or St Paul; the wheels haven’t fully come off the team bus just yet, things could get worse. For most of the summer the Gophers were cruising through the summer only suffering one early departure (Jordan Schroeder, NHL) when they suffered two early departures in a two day period. Josh Birkholz has left for the WHL and Nick Leddy has signed an entry level deal with the Chicago Blackhawks [click for link]. Oops!

I smell bull s***.

First off; Josh Birkholz expects us to believe that his impending suspension for an unknown team rule violation really didn’t have any affect on his decision to play for the Everett Silvertips of the WHL. Come on! We weren’t born yesterday. I smell bravo sierra on that one.

Former Gophers left wing Josh Birkholz said his suspension had very little to do with him leaving the program on Tuesday. "It is what I feel is best for me and my situation," he said, "what I feel most comfortable with."

But he said he realizes it will be easy for people to think the suspension is the reason because the news on that and his leaving came out at the same time.

"Once our season was over I started evaluated the year," Birkholz said, "so I've been thinking about it. It did not happen right at the time of the whole suspension." [Goal Gophers]

Personally, I think today’s athletes are pampered prima donnas that lack commitment and have a tough time seeing past their own needs. I think as a society we are raising a bunch of spoiled narcissistic brats.

Back in the day when I was in sports if you were unhappy with your playing time and how things were going for you, a discussion with the coach might lead to a conversation about how you need to work harder in practice and maybe you will get more playing time. You didn’t think about changing teams or leaving, you buckled down and got after it. Now days, these pampered prima donnas just switch teams with the approval of their parents. Also, if you made a mistake or violated a team rule(s) you spoke up and faced the music, now days the athlete just switches teams as well when the going gets tough. If that isn't entitlement I don't know what is?

As for the Minnesota Gophers recruits and players, honestly, I think they are recruiting too many of the entitlement cake eater kids with the attitude that I know best, or I don't have to work hard because I have already drafted by an NHL team. It also seems like these players already have one foot out the door for the NHL, when they arrive on campus.

Don't blame Donny Lucia for everything that's happen

This past week it has been interesting watching the Gopher fans in full melt down mode. There are a lot of fans calling for Don Lucia to be fired and that he is ruining the University of Minnesota Gopher Hockey program. I think Lucia is going to be under a lot of pressure to have his team perform this season or he might be out of a job.

I think the obvious problem to most onlookers is assistant coach John Hill, the man is an utter buffoon and the real problem plaguing the Gophers coaching staff. It also appears that former Gopher assistant coach Mike Guentzel was kind of the glue that held the Gopher hockey team together, like Johnny Pohl said during a KFAN interview, ‘Mike Guentzel leaving was a big loss to the Gopher’s hockey program.’ Personally, as a UND Fighting Sioux fan, I think the Gophers coaching staff is working magic right now and doing a hell of a great job.

The departures of the past two players really aren’t really the fault of the coaching staff; maybe Gopher fans should take a deep breath. I can’t blame Minnesota for taking players that are drafted; you have to take the top players when you can get them. It is also no mystery that blue chip athletes leave early for the NHL sometimes.

No matter how many back ground investigations and interviews you do, knuckle heads do and will slip through the cracks, that’s life. Disciplinary problems are going happen sometimes, even at the schools that try to take the moral high ground, not pointing any fingers. Cough, cough, cough… My question would be, how can you blame the coach for a player for making bad decision(s)? Seriously! It is assumed that when a player comes to said program that they are a mature human being. It is also implied that if said player screws up, it is that player that is going to face the consequences. Sure the head coach and their staff looks like a moron for recruiting that player, but the behavior goes back to the athlete. Also, a coach can’t be with his players 24 hours a day standing over their shoulders supervising them and telling them not to do that. Don’t drink that. Don’t smoke that. Don’t drive drunk.

A few things (College Hockey Related)

This past Friday I had a chance to participate in the Galen Nagle Golf Tourney at the Bemidji Town and Country Club and it was a great time and the tournament as always was run well and everything went off smoothly. If you get a chance to go over to Bemidiji and play the BTCC the course is in great shape. The fairways are some of the best I have ever hit a ball off of. Of course I am usually not in the fairway, but the woods aren’t bad either. :)

For the Galen Nagle golf tourney I played with Chase Schmidtt, Mike Williams, Scott Robbins, Scott Williams (TV voice of the Beavers Hockey Team) and we were one of the teams that didn't place. We couldn't putt.

Tickets are hard to come by for BREC Opener

Word on the street is that don’t expect to get tickets for the opening series between the BSU Beavers and the UND Fighting Sioux at the new BREC, they are going to be hard to come by. The building seats 4000-5000 people and the BSU ticket office has sold 80% of the building already. Also, there will be about 500 tickets set aside for BSU students as well as 400 tickets for UND. So it’s going to be tough getting a seat to see the Beavers and the Sioux open the new building. According to the Beavers Head Coach Tom Serratore the series is going to be a sell out.

TV coverage of BSU and UND series?

There is some hope though. What I am hoping for is that the games will be picked up by FSSN channel 23 on Midco.net. Recently; Midco.net moved into the Bemidji, Minnesota market, so it's not outside the realm of possibility that FSSN 23 could possibly pick up the broadcast(s) for one or both games so Sioux fans will be able to see the game. This past season UND both games were picked up between the Sioux and the Bulldogs. I think as we get closer to the series fans should flood the Midco office with emails and phone calls.

Links

Scott and Moose from the award winning Hockey Show cover the new rules and the BREC [Hockey Show]

The George Pelawa Calgary Flames Foundation Education Fund was unveiled last Friday at the 13th annual Galen Nagle Memorial Golf Tournament in Bemidji. [Times Colonist]

The official 2010-2011 Fighting Sioux hockey roster has been posted on line.
[Fighting Sioux]

The Minnesota Gopher hockey programs seems to be in full melt down mode already and it's not even October yet. [Goal Gophers] and [Goal Gophers]

Leddy turns heads at Blackhawks camp but not offered contract [Goal Gophers]

Bemidji State men's hockey: Offseason routine 'business as usual' ahead of first WCHA season [Bemidji Pioneer]

In the near future Goon's World will be returning to [MVN.COM]

Gone Fishing - Vacation time...

Gone Fishing - I need a vacation! So this week we are going to put Goon’s World on a summer vacation as well. I am off to go Walleye fishing in Devils Lake 12-15 July and I will be staying at my hunting shack north of Devils Lake, ND with Sioux7 and a few other friends of mine. Everyone needs decompression time.

I am ready for a vacation and I am pretty much just going to have fun and go where the wind blows me. I am excited to also be playing in the Galen Nagle Golf Tourney on Friday July, 16 2010. A long time ago I had the pleasure of meeting Galen and he was a definitely a quality guy. I think the Galen Nagle Golf tourney is a nice touch and a great honor to an awesome guy. Hopefully, this season our team can place again.

Recently I started playing some more golf and I have been playing a few rounds of golf at Lincoln Park Golf Course so I could get used to playing at a course that is lined with trees like Bemidji Town and Country Club. Of course Lincoln is not even comparable to the BTCC but Kings Walk has no trees that come into play on the course. If your ball is laying next to a to one of the four tree at Kings Walk your probably not having a very good day of golf, you might not even be in bounds.

While I am in Bemidji I am supposed to get a tour of the new BREC if time permits. If I am able to get in there and take a toure I will post some pictures up on the blog. Last time I was in Bemidji I forgot to take my camera so I wasn't able to get any pictures of the BREC from the outside.

This week if anything significant happens; Redwing77 will post something on the Goon’s World. I know we are waiting to hear where Ilya Kovalchuk is going to end up. The more this thing drags on the more with Kovaluchuk the more the other major transactions are kind of on the back burner until this things gets worked out.

Please also remember former Fighting Sioux hockey player Perry Nakonechny in your thoughts and prayers. Nako was a member on the 1987 NCAA Championship team. Perry has foughyt a tough fight against cancer and it sounds like he isn't doing well. I have known Perry for about 10 years from days at Valley Golf and Kings Walk and he is a quality guy as well.

Our warrior is nearing the end of his battle. He has fought with strength and courage. He is resting peacefully now as he prepares to accept the trophy of eternal life in heaven. Please don't think he lost his battle with cancer. It is clear to me that he is a champion.

Controversial icing rule shelved

I keep seeing various newspaper articles and blog posts that state, "NCAA coaches were unanimously opposed to the icing proposal." Fair enough Karr let’s put a name and a face to the coaches that are in favor of this ridiculous rule. I think that Forrest Karr was embarrassed and is looking to save some face. The 35-0 from three conferences (AHA, CCHA, WCHA) looks pretty unanimous to me and I have yet to see anyone quoted from the coaching ranks that’s in favor of this moronic rule. It’s time to put up or shut up, who are the coachs in favor of this icing rule.

College hockey coaches kept throwing punches, and the NCAA rules committee finally tapped out.

The NCAA announced Thursday that a proposed rules change, one that would forbid college hockey teams from legally icing the puck while shorthanded, has been pulled off the table.

The rules committee instead will allow for further experimentation with the change during exhibition games in 2010-11 and 2011-12.

If adopted, the rule would have altered a critical and long-standing tactic in killing penalties, and it could have made it almost impossible for shorthanded teams to change lines.

When the proposed change was moved forward in June, coaches across the country bashed the amendment. The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Dean Blais, as well as most of his colleagues in the WCHA, came out strongly against the proposal.

Forrest Karr, outgoing chair of the rules committee and athletic director at the University of Alaska, said in a statement that the committee valued the feedback it received from coaches.

“Responses indicate that, while several coaches like the concept, there are concerns about the potential for unintended consequences,” Karr said in the release.

Karr has strongly refuted the assertion that NCAA coaches were unanimously opposed to the icing proposal.

But coaches certainly were not shy about going on the record with their outrage over the idea. WCHA coaches had voted 12-0 against the proposal when it was discussed during the league’s annual meetings in April.

“It’s ridiculous,” Blais told The World-Herald on June 25. “What more do you want? You’re already on the power play, but then the other team gets the puck — what are they supposed to do with it? It sounds like whoever was involved with that rule and pushed it through, I don’t think they understand the game very well.” [Mavericks Today]

What part of no do they not understand? (more on the NCAA rules)

I really think hockey fans and coaches need to stand up against the rule change that penalizes a team for icing the puck during a penalty kill. What part of "NO" do they not understand? We do not want them to come back to this rule in the future not in 2012-2013 or 2015-2016. A team skating down a man or two (5-4 or 5-3 or 4-3) is being penalized enough. Hockey fans and coaches don't want this rule. I also think we need to put a face to this proposal. I think Hockey fans have a right to know who is pushing for this stupid rule change.

The NCAA Ice Hockey Rules Committee’s proposal met with largely negative reaction from coaches, so it will be used in exhibition games only during the two-year cycle of the next rule book, which starts with the coming season.

The committee will then have experience to work with in determining whether the rule will be implemented starting with the 2012-13 season.
[Read more]

NCAA decides against making icing a penalty during power plays

Redwing77 touched on this subject earlier today and I must say that today is a very good day for college hockey. College hockey fan have dodged a major screw up. Finally, there is some sanity over at the NC$$. This is what Forrest Karr had to say on the matter.

“The committee appreciates the membership feedback and values the opinions of coaches and administrators,” Rules Committee chair Forrest Karr said. “Responses indicate that while several coaches like the concept, there are concerns about the potential unintended consequences. By using the rule in exhibition games over the next two seasons, the committee will have more concrete information.”

Who are these coaches that like this ridiculous rule? To be honest with you I am very happy that Forrest Karr is no longer the Rules Committee Chairman. I do think the Division 1 hockey coaches will watch the NCAA Ice Hockey Rules Committee more closely from here on out.

As noted in an earlier blog post The WCHA, AHA and CCHA coaches were against this rule from the start voting something like 35-0 to reject these rules. I am very happy that the NCAA Ice Hockey Rules Committee Tyrants members has decided to not make it illegal to ice the puck while a team is killing a penalty, this was a bad rule and would have had negative effects on the game of college hockey. Thanks to the outrage of college hockey fans and Division one coaches this rule was rejected as it should have been.

CHN Staff Report --- The controversial rule proposal that would call icing even when a team is shorthanded, has been pulled, according to the NCAA.

However, the rule will be experimented with during exhibition games.

The rule proposal, part of a complete package put forth by the NCAA Ice Hockey Rules Committee, was met with fierce opposition when it was announced, leading to the idea being revisited.

All rules have to be formally approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel.

“The committee appreciates the membership feedback and values the opinions of coaches and administrators,” Forrest Karr, outgoing chair of the committee and athletic director at Alaska, said in a statement. “Responses indicate that while several coaches like the concept, there are concerns about the potential for unintended consequences.”

The rule will be in effect for exhibition games for two years, which is the normal cycle for rules changes.

The Oversight Panel meets via conference call July 29 to formalize the various rules changes.

Links to the Story:

NCAA decides against making icing a penalty during power plays [Red Star and Sickle]

NCAA Rescinds Icing Proposal [INCH]

Rules committee rescinds icing rule [UND Hockey Blog]

Hockey: NCAA rescinds icing rule [Grand Forks Herald]

NCAA Committee Regains Senses, Repeals Controversial Change [The Ciske Blog]

Icing Rule Dies; All Others Pass [Western College Hockey]

NCAA hockey rules committee backs off proposed icing rule [Parting Schotts]

The list of transactions so far. (updated - 07/3/2010)

There have been some former division one college hockey players moving the first two days of free agency. TSN has a good break down at all of the trades right here.

Jul 3 Giroux, Alexandre LW Washington Edmonton $500K 1 $500K
Jul 2 Mitchell, John C Toronto Toronto $750K 1 $750K
Jul 2 Quincey, Kyle D Colorado Colorado n/a 2 n/a
Jul 2 Winnik, Daniel C Colorado Colorado n/a 2 n/a - New Hampshire
Jul 2 Montoya, Al G Phoenix Phoenix n/a 1 n/a
Jul 2 Lepisto, Sami D Phoenix Phoenix n/a 1 n/a
Jul 2 Craig, Ryan C Tampa Bay Pittsburgh $500K 1 $500K
Jul 2 Andrew Ebbett n/a Minnesota Phoenix n/a 1 n/a-Michigan
Jul 2 Lombardi, Matthew C Phoenix Nashville $10.5M 3 $3.5M
Jul 2 Winchester, Brad LW St. Louis St. Louis $700K 1 $700K-UW
Jul 2 MacIntyre, Steve LW Florida Edmonton $500K 1 $500K
Jul 2 Konopka, Zenon RW Tampa Bay NY Islanders n/a 1 n/a
Jul 2 Parenteau, P.A. RW NY Rangers NY Islanders $600K 1 $600K
Jul 2 Jurcina, Milan D Washington NY Islanders $1M 1 $1M
Jul 2 Eaton, Mark D Pittsburgh NY Islanders $5M 2 $2.5M-Notre Dame
Jul 2 Higgins, Christopher RW Calgary Florida $1.6M 1 $1.6M-Yale
Jul 2 McCormick, Cody C Buffalo Buffalo $500K 1 $500K
Jul 2 Strudwick, Jason D Edmonton Edmonton n/a 1 n/a
Jul 2 Kubina, Pavel D Atlanta Tampa Bay $7.7M 2 $3.85M
Jul 2 Jackman, Tim RW NY Islanders Calgary n/a 2 n/a-MSU-M
Jul 2 Ivanans, Raitis RW Los Angeles Calgary n/a 2 n/a
Jul 1 Prospal, Vaclav LW NY Rangers NY Rangers $2.1M 1 $2.1M
Jul 1 Scott, John n/a Minnesota Chicago $1M 1 $1M-MTU
Jul 1 Boyd, Dustin C Montreal Montreal $650K 1 $650K
Jul 1 Nystrom, Eric LW Calgary Minnesota $4.2M 3 $1.4M-Michigan
Jul 1 Reich, Jeremy LW NY Islanders Boston n/a 1 n/a
Jul 1 Raycroft, Andrew G Vancouver Dallas $1.3M 2 $650K
Jul 1 Cullen, Matt C Ottawa Minnesota $10.5M 3 $3.5M-SCSU
Jul 1 Burish, Adam LW Chicago Dallas $2.3M 2 $1.15M-UW
Jul 1 Koivu, Saku C Anaheim Anaheim $5M 2 $2.5M
Jul 1 Tambellini, Jeff LW NY Islanders Vancouver $500K 1 $500K-Michigan
Jul 1 Leopold, Jordan D Pittsburgh Buffalo $9M 3 $3M-Minnesota
Jul 1 Hamhuis, Dan D Pittsburgh Vancouver $27M 6 $4.5M
Jul 1 Volchenkov, Anton D Ottawa New Jersey $25.5M 6 $4.25M
Jul 1 Jokinen, Olli C NY Rangers Calgary $6M 2 $3M
Jul 1 Mason, Chris G St. Louis Atlanta $3.7M 2 $1.85M
Jul 1 Foster, Kurtis D Tampa Bay Edmonton $3.6M 2 $1.8M
Jul 1 Tallinder, Henrik D Buffalo New Jersey $13.5M 4 $3.375M
Jul 1 Sanford, Curtis G Montreal Montreal $550K 1 $550K
Jul 1 Whitney, Ray RW Carolina Phoenix $6M 2 $3M
Jul 1 Lydman, Toni D Buffalo Anaheim $9M 3 $3M
Jul 1 Martin, Paul D New Jersey Pittsburgh $25M 5 $5M -Minnesota
Jul 1 Boogaard, Derek LW Minnesota NY Rangers $6.5M 4 $1.625M
Jul 1 Ellis, Dan G Montreal Tampa Bay $3M 2 $1.5M
Jul 1 Shelley, Jody RW NY Rangers Philadelphia $3.3M 3 $1.1M
Jul 1 Morris, Derek D Phoenix Phoenix $11M 4 $2.75M
Jul 1 Malhotra, Manny C San Jose Vancouver $7.5M 3 $2.5M
Jul 1 O'Donnell, Sean D Los Angeles Philadelphia $1M 1 $1M
Jul 1 Perrault, Joel C Phoenix Vancouver $510K 1 $510K
Jul 1 Niittymaki, Antero G Tampa Bay San Jose $4M 2 $2M
Jul 1 Armstrong, Colby RW Atlanta Toronto $9M 3 $3M
Jul 1 Auld, Alex G NY Rangers Montreal $1M 1 $1M
Jul 1 Michalek, Zbynek D Phoenix Pittsburgh $20M 5 $4M
Jul 1 Tanguay, Alex RW Tampa Bay Calgary $1.7M 1 $1.7M
Jul 1 Gonchar, Sergei D Pittsburgh Ottawa $16.5M 3 $5.5M
Jul 1 Paille, Dan LW Boston Boston $2.15M 2 $1.075M
Jul 1 Biron, Martin G NY Islanders NY Rangers $1.75M 2 $875K
Jun 30 Leighton, Michael G Philadelphia Philadelphia $3.1M 2 $1.55M
Jun 29 Barch, Krys LW Dallas Dallas $1.675M 2 $837.5K
Jun 26 Wallin, Niclas D San Jose San Jose $2.5M 1 $2.5M
Jun 26 Nichol, Scott C San Jose San Jose $760K 1 $760K
Jun 25 Recchi, Mark RW Boston Boston $1M 1 $1M
Jun 24 Boychuk, Johnny D Boston Boston $3.75M 2 $1.875M
Jun 24 Marleau, Patrick LW San Jose San Jose $27.6M 4 $6.9M
Jun 22 Plekanec, Tomas C Montreal Montreal $30M 6 $5M
Jun 22 Darche, Mathieu RW Montreal Montreal $550K 1 $550K
Jun 22 Cooke, Matt LW Pittsburgh Pittsburgh $5.4M 3 $1.8M
Jun 21 Pyatt, Taylor LW Phoenix Phoenix $2M 2 $1M
Jun 17 Aucoin, Adrian D Phoenix Phoenix $4M 2 $2M
Jun 17 Bouillon, Francis D Nashville Nashville $2.7M 2 $1.35M
Jun 16 Bertuzzi, Todd RW Detroit Detroit $3.875M 2 $1.9375M
Jun 15 Rome, Aaron D Vancouver Vancouver $1.5M 2 $750K
Jun 14 Backlund, Johan G Philadelphia Philadelphia $1.6M 2 $800K

NCAA Proposes End to Early Scholarship Offers

I saw this over at the fan house. I believe this is a good rule because it tell the college coaches hands off until the student athletes are juniors in high school and it also gives the kids more time to decide where they want to play.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- An NCAA committee wants to prohibit scholarship offers to recruits before July 1 of their junior season of high school.

Under the proposal, coaches would need to acquire five semesters or seven quarters of a high school transcript before making an offer.

It is the first recommendation to come out of the Recruiting and Athletics Personnel Issues Cabinet, which has been looking into recruiting conduct and would apply to all sports.

Committee chairwoman Petrina Long said Thursday that recruits and their families told the cabinet they felt pressured to make early decisions. Coaches also said they were under pressure to make the offers to "keep up" with competitors.

The Legislative Council will not vote on the proposal until at least January.

Some one jumped the gun? Ryan McDonagh still a Badger...

There has been some chatter on the Internet about the Badgers star defenseman Ryan McDonagh signing a professional contract with the New York Rangers but it appears that Corey Pronman might have jumped the gun a bit. Chuck Swartz has since called Corey Pronman out for this mistake.

Last night Corey Pronman from Puck Prospectus tweeted that Ryan McDonagh had joined Derek Stepan in signing entry level contracts with the New York Rangers. Finally got a hold of Pronman this morning and he regrettably admitted that he had made a mistake and that McDonagh had NOT yet signed with the Rangers.

"I apologize for the tweet about McDonagh, it was a false alarm from someone I knew in Wisconsin. Sincere apologies. I do feel incredibly bad for that."

So McDonagh is safe at least for now. I wouldn't expect to hear any more updates until after Rangers prospects camp this summer. We'll keep you updated if there is any news of course.

10:10 AM-Update from New York Post Rangers Beat Writer Larry Brooks:

"An fyi in case it has been reported otherwise: No progress at all in talks between Rangers and Badgers' senior D Ryan McDonagh."

What a crazy summer it has been for the Wisconsin Badgers, you have to wonder if they will lose Ryan McDonagh which would be a big loss but the Badgers also have many able bodied recruits waiting in the wings.

The Wheels are moving...

This was in today's Grand Forks Herald and worth a look if you have seen it yet. I am glad that the coaches are not going to let this ridiculous icing rule go through without putting up a fight.

College hockey coaches and commissioners will ask the NCAA Rules Committee in a conference call later this week to overturn the proposed rule that would not allow a shorthanded team to ice the puck.

The Rules Committee surprised the college hockey world Friday by announcing that the new icing rule was planned for the next two seasons.

An oversight committee still needs to approve the proposal next month in order for it to go into effect, but the coaches and commissioners are taking action before it gets that far.

“We’re trying to figure out, before it goes to the oversight committee, if there’s recourse or if there can be a re-vote based on the merits of the argument that we’d like to put forward,” Western Collegiate Hockey Association commissioner Bruce McLeod said. “Hopefully, we have some recourse.”

McLeod said the commissioners hope to schedule a conference call with a Rules Committee representative later in the week.

If the Rules Committee is unable to completely overturn the proposal, coaches and commissioners will ask that the language be changed to allow it on an experimental basis during exhibition games, but not for regular-season games.

The proposed icing rule was brought up during the annual coaches meetings in April. The WCHA men’s coaches voted 12-0 against it. Atlantic Hockey voted 12-0 against it and the Central Collegiate Hockey Association voted 11-0 against it. Because of the heavy opposition, coaches were shocked by Friday’s announcement. [Read the whole article]

Putting a face on the Ice Hockey Rules Committee

Here are the people that are responsible for making those horrible rule changes to division on hockey. Email them and let them know that you don't appreciate their latest work on the ice hockey committee.

Assistant Ice Hockey Coach, John Hill UMTC, WCHA, hillx083@umn.edu
Asst. AD Sarah Fraser, Brown University, ECAC
Head Men's Ice Hockey Coach, Derek Schooley, RMU AHA, schooley@rmu.edu
Director of Athletics, Ed McLaughlin, Niagara University AHA, P: (716)-286-8600
Director of Athletics, Forrest Karr, UAF CCHA, forrest.karr@alaska.edu
Director of Athletics/Head Coach, Chris Salani, Finlandia University, chris.salani@finlandia.edu
Director of Athletics, Frank Millerick, Becker College, frank.millerick@becker.edu
Associate Director of Athletics, William Gorman, WIT, gormanb@wit.edu
Head Ice Hockey Coach, Michael J. Carroll, Gustavus Adolphus College, mcarroll@gustavus.edu
Head Women's Ice Hockey Coach, Robert Christopher Wells, SLU, cwells@stlawu.edu
Head Women's Ice Hockey Coach, William E. Mandigo, Middlebury College, wmandigo@middlebury.edu
Head Women's Ice hockey coach, Claudia Asano, Union College, asanoc@union.edu

[Committee Members]

USHL Players at 2010 NHL Scouting Combine

USHL Players at 2010 NHL Scouting Combine

Bill Arnold (F), Team USA
Connor Brickley (F), Des Moines Buccaneers
Jack Campbell (G), Team USA
Jacob Fallon (F), Indiana Ice
Justin Faulk (D), Team USA
Derek Forbort (D), (Team USA/UND Recruit)
Kevin Gravel (D), Sioux City Musketeers
Justin Holl (D), Omaha Lancers
Stephen Johns (D), Team USA
Jon Merrill (D), Team USA
Jaden Schwartz (F), Tri-City Storm
Jarred Tinordi (D), Team USA
Jason Zucker (F), Team USA
Patrick McNally, (D), (Indiana Ice)
Brock Nelson (F), (Green Bay Gamblers/UND recruit)
Max Gardiner (F), (Des Moines Buccaneers)
Kevin Hayes (Indiana Ice)
Zane Gothberg (Fargo Force/UND recruit).

As NHL teams make their final preparations for the NHL Entry Draft in June, they will get an up-close look at the top prospects this week during the NHL Scouting Combine. Among the 100 players invited to the Combine are 13 who spent the 2009-10 season in the USHL.

The NHL Scouting Combine, which will run May 24-29 in Toronto and is conducted by NHL Central Scouting, is an opportunity for NHL teams to meet and interview prospects, as well as see them tested in an off-ice setting, which includes vigorous physical, medical, and psychological tests. [USHL.COM]

Gophers sign a goaltender from Ontario

This came across on Twitter tonight and I found it entertaining so I thought I would share it. It’s from the beat writer for the Minnesota Gophers. I wonder who many Gopher fans are upset they have "gasp" a Canadian joining their team in the 2011-2012 year. I wonder what took them so long? There is one point that does reek of entitlement; "the Gophers have not really told him how much he will play his first season." Yeah!

It has been reported for days that G Joel Vienneau of Hearst, Ont., has committed to the Gophers for 2011-12. Finally reached him...
[On Twitter]

He said he verbally committed three weeks ago. "When I went up to visit, I felt comfortable with their team and their place," he said.
[On Twitter]

Vienneau: "I was always leaning toward Minnesota." A number of other schools were recruiting him, Michigan was the Gophers' biggest rival.
[On Twitter]

Vienneau: "The fans were all into the game and all of them were cheering." He has signed to play with Muskegon, the new Michigan team
[On Twitter]

He said the Gophers have not really told him how much he will play his first season. He will be a freshman when Kent Patterson is a sr.
[On Twitter]

in the USHL next season. "It's a stronger league than the Canada or Ontario junior A leagues, so it will get me better prepared" for WCHA.
[On Twitter]

The Eye thinks coach Lucia will ease him into the goalie spot and give him more time as the 2011-12 season progresses.
[On Twitter]

Buffalo a hockey hot bed?

Chris Dilks from Western College Hockey had this article on his linkorama post and while the article brings up some thought provoking points, I found a few of his ideas to be quite laughable and almost hilarious. Canisius isn’t ever going to be anything but a door mat and hardly on the same level as the CCHA power house Miami University.

Heck, it should be an arms race.

Rochester Institute of Technology became a national contender in five years. RIT last season emerged from Atlantic Hockey, which included Canisius, and reached the Frozen Four. It was a great story, one that could easily be repeated if administrators in our region get their heads out of the sand. This is a no-brainer, a belt-high fastball down the middle.

Canisius coach Dave Smith has done a terrific job, but he's tangled in an unfair fight despite the pretty campus, excellent academics and rich tradition. Recruiting hits a wall when he's forced to admit the home rink rests — where? — on Buffalo State's campus.

Rumblings had Sabres owner Tom Golisano willing to donate some $10 million toward an on- campus events center, which would house graduation ceremonies, basketball and hockey, if Canisius approached him. School officials are waiting for him to come to them.

Good heavens, people, make it work. Canisius hockey with a 4,000-seat rink could become Miami of Ohio hockey, which spent most of last season as the top-ranked team in the country.

Niagara was going in the right direction before pulling back when it should have pushed. The Purple Eagles had 18 scholarships and planned to expand Dwyer Arena; then its conference folded. It joined Atlantic Hockey, which allows only 12 scholarships. The concrete had been poured, but why expand the arena after contracting the program?

And then there's UB, which could build a major D-I contender in no time. The backward thinking common in state government suggests a lack of funding is the problem. Top officials haven't caught on to the idea that strong hockey programs often turn a profit. Just ask Michigan.

My fantasy: Canisius and Niagara leave Atlantic Hockey, which has 12 teams but only one automatic bid. Ivy League schools band together, as they do in other sports. Toss Canisius, Niagara, RIT, UB, Mercyhurst, St. Lawrence, Clarkson and perhaps Syracuse, if it also wakes up, into a new conference.

It seems like a natural. [Read the rest of the Article]

While the run that Rochester Institute of Technology made this spring was an awesome story, in reality RIT is a decent not great team in a very weak cupcake laden Atlantic Hockey Association. I also think RIT are going to be hard pressed to replicate that feat again, the AHA brings in RMU and Niagara and the AHA teams will soon fall victim to the former CHA teams.

Finally, check out the teams that he threw out there; Canisius, Niagara, RIT, UB, Mercyhurst, St. Lawrence, Clarkson and perhaps Syracuse. Yeah! Nothing screams mediocre like that list of teams.

NCAA hockey tournament could be changing

When I first read Brad's article I didn't like the idea, then I called a couple fellow hockey fans like myself and came to the conclusion that this could be a change for the better. Can you imagine if UND had gotten to play Yale in the REA instead of some run down half empty hockey arena in Worcester, Massachusetts for a best two out of three series. Yeah! In my opinion there is no way that Yale beats UND two out of three times. Before some fans from hockey east attepmpt to take my head off, I lived in Ayer, MA for a year and a half. I worked in Worcester, it is a run down city and the DCU center is a dump as well. Those are accurate statements.

NC$$...

The NCAA would win because they would sell a lot more tickets than they did this year in the NCAA regional’s. I mean seriously, you have beautiful building like the Xcel Energy Center which seats about 19,000 and you can’t even sell 10,000 tickets? That is unacceptable. Also, with home venues I don’t think you would see crappy ice like you did in Fort Wayne Indiana. The ice conditions there and at the Frozen four were a disgrace and made the NCAA look like a second rate organization. I think the NCAA can do better and if it takes a few tweaks to make things better so be it.

The format for the NCAA men’s hockey tournament may be changing in a couple of years.

Proposals were discussed at an annual college hockey national meeting in Florida last weekend and one gained the most traction.

Under the most popular proposal, the tournament would stay as a 16-team field, but the first round would be a best-of-three series played at the venue of the higher seed.

The eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals would play at one of two super regional sites. The quarterfinals would be one-game shots with a trip to the Frozen Four on the line. The Frozen Four would not change.

The proposal would have to be approved by the NCAA and could not happen until the 2011-12 season at the earliest. Regional sites already have been scheduled for the upcoming season.[Grand Forks Herald]

Paul Kelly interview with From the Rink...

This is a must read interview with some really interesting points affecting the landscape of NCAA Division one hockey. Funny thing the Big Ten Hockey Conference keeps coming up. Yawn!

FTR: You mentioned the choices between junior hockey and the NCAA. Following your initial debut and the first few interviews you've done, there's been a negative response from the CHL. They've used the words "unfairly targeting" to describe the things that College Hockey Inc. has said about the CHL.

Kelly: I don't think we're unfairly targeting anybody. We need to provide information to people so that they can make informed decisions. Many times we need to draw distinctions between the experience of playing NCAA hockey as opposed to playing junior hockey in Canada. In order to do that, you need to point out the pros and cons for both of us. If that's viewed as a negative by them, I would say that whatever statements we've made are backed up by solid evidence and facts. If we make a claim that some of the statements that they make and some of the information that they put forth on their website regarding their education packages are somewhat suspect, then players need to read the fine print. We've found many instances of players that have had difficulties of players obtaining their educational benefits. In fact, a vast majority of players that have played in the CHL have never tapped into those benefits - the rate of kids that never get an education, that never get a diploma is very high in the CHL. I think that it's important for players, whether they are from the United States or Canada to know these facts. I'm not saying that NCAA hockey doesn't have it's own bumps and bruises and issues, because it does, but I think it's fair for us to point out some of these things to players and their families. We're not doing it to be purposefully negative, that's not our intention at all. I've always said that the CHL may be the right course for some kids and I think that means that NCAA hockey and the juniors programs in Canada need to co-exist.

FTR: One piece of the Canadian program that does co-exist with the NCAA is the BCHL. So many kids come out of the BCHL and play NCAA hockey. As an Edmonton writer, one that sticks out for me is Riley Nash from Cornell. Are you going to work with the BCHL at all?

Kelly: There are a number of programs up there, the BCHL is one of them, the Albert Junior Hockey League is another, the Prince Edward Island League is another. I actually traveled out to British Columbia and spoke at the BCHL All Star banquet, attended the Owners and Board of Governors Meeting for the league and spoke very candidly with them about our support of what they're doing. The answer to your question is yes, the BCHL is doing a terrific job, they're producing some great players, they've put a great number of very talented kids into NCAA programs. We have every desire to see that continue.

FTR: There are so many kids coming out of California now that have to travel a long way if they want to play Division I hockey, and many of them choose to go to the WHL instead. Is California expansion of NCAA Division I hockey a priority?

Kelly: Frankly, the first college or university that decides to add Division I hockey in California will have just an absolute bounty in front of it. They will have their pick of some of the most talented kids in the country and they've got some great young kids coming up. If we could ever convince USC or UCLA or Stanford or California to add a program, they would have such an immediate impact. It's impossible in football or basketball to start a college program and think that you could have a team that could compete for the national championship any time soon. That's not the case in hockey. You could start a hockey program, get the right coach and bring in the right recruits and within a matter of three or four years, you could be challenging for the national title. I think that many of these big schools need to take a look at that and realize that many of the teams in Division I do so very successfully from an economic perspective. Most of the teams in the WCHA do very well. They fill their buildings, there is a lot of excitement, it attracts students, not just athletes, to the school. It's another activity that they can offer to the student body that brings excitement and enthusiasm. We've got three NHL teams in California and there is a hockey following out there, so I think it's a natural fit for one of those schools.

Personally, I don’t see college hockey being all that successful in the west past DU and C.C., just my humble opinion, while there is some youth hockey out west it’s definitely not as strong as strong as Minnesota, Massachusetts and Michigan, where would they get a majority of their recruits from?

One could make the argument that UAA and UFA have had very limited success and they have decent to very good high school hockey in Alaska. Unfortunately for both schools there has been an out migration of good home grown hockey players to the lower 48 states. These schools would be in direct competition the WHL and the WCHA for recruits. If the western schools could support hockey successfully wouldn't they attempted it already?

Walters de-commits to Gophers, the drama continues

This was the story that had everyone a buzz on twitter the last couple of days. I guess it's ok for Jacob C-Piss to attempt to be an agitator but not Ryan Walters? What the hell is that? I am sure someone will take him. One has got to think that Lucia isn't long for the University of Minnesota Hockey team.

Ryan Walters, a high-scoring forward for Des Moines of the USHL, has de-committed to the Gophers. Walters met with the Gophers coaches on Friday and was asked to play a third year of junior hockey and to be less of an agitator, according to his father.

Walters decided on Saturday that he will play college hockey somewhere else.

Walters, 18, committed to the Gophers in October of 2007 when he was a sophomore at St. Thomas Academy. He has played for Des Moines the past two seasons.

He had 21 goals and 40 assists for 61 points this season, which puts him 12th in the league in scoring.

But the Gophers apparently did not have room on their 2010-11 roster for him. [Goal Gophers]