Redwing77's Take: New Coach... Direction?

 

Whoo boy.  Here we go!

I recently posted my thoughts on the next coach of UND hockey.  So much weight is put on whom it was who takes the reins that it often goes hand in hand with the rumors of how and why we got into this situation in the first place.  I had no issues with Brad Berry.  I've only talked to him once, and that was briefly over the phone.  Most who blog or follow UND hockey closely within the media know him far better than I ever will.

That being said, I have no qualms about saying that I was surprised by Berry's firing.  However, it happened and everyone asked:  What next?  What direction would UND take?  The answer was the same direction, it appears, that UND took when Blais left.  This poses an interesting bit of reading when it comes to what the fanbase thought.  After Jackson's hiring, I joking told Goon that perhaps we should start up X threads and UND hockey message board threads about when to fire Jackson.  This direction was not what the angry UND fan mob wanted to go.  They all seemed to want Hakstol or other untouchable coaches (like Fershweiler from WMU or even David Carle from DU).  

Regardless of "spin," I believe that hiring Dane Jackson was the safe, if not predictable move by Chaves.  Jackson has been around UND hockey for 19 years as a coach and almost 25 years all together.  His dedication is hardly arguable.  But image weighs a lot to the fans outside of the inner circles.   If memory serves, Jackson was a Blais or Hakstol hire whom Berry promoted to associate when Hakstol departed.  Therefore it's not a stretch to claim that Jackson is simply a younger variant of Hakstol and Berry.  He inherits a team in turmoil amidst NCAA college sports in its own turmoil.  NIL and CHL (and USports by extension) is now a thing for NCAA DI college hockey.  This, in itself, is a topic for another day. Jackson inherits a challenge and I hope he's up to it.  We'll find out either way.

I watched the press conference and there were a few things that jumped out at me:

1.  Modernize the program.  It's perhaps a not so challenging argument to be made that the program had sort of stagnated.  We were still getting decent recruits, but times were changing and it was thought, imo, that UND was falling behind the curve.  Having a recruiting/portal/GM coordinator as an assistant is a pretty decent idea of changing that complacency... assuming that UND and the 1883 Collective can compete against big money programs like those found in the Big 10 Hockey Conference.  Right now, it's not out of control, but it's rocketing towards that direction; following in the wake of college football and perhaps college basketball.

2.   Jackson's Staff.  Coach Jackson hasn't said much about who he will be hiring other than the fact that UND will hire an assistant coach/GM/recruiting guy.  This seems to scream Bryn Chyzyk.  I think this job redesign is essential but it's also going to be a severely time consuming and stressful job to do it well.

3.  Building a program of no excuses filled with 3-4 year players is all well and good but in the day of NIL and player selfishness, one has to wonder what kind of players we'll end up with?  UND fans aren't really patient and sometimes lose sight of everything short of the Frozen Four.  To me, it's an ideal situation but in reality it would put us in the same tier as UNO.  They go after high-character and hard-working guys.  However, if they are in fact top tier hockey talent, they're invariably going to transfer out to a program with money like Jayden Perron did for UND to Michigan or Tanner Ludtke of UNO transferring to Minnesota.  Top tier players now see DI hockey as more of an academic CHL with the added bonus of having control over where you play.  Don't like what it's like here?  Transfer there.  UND fans might not like what type of program that would display.  But then again I'm a skeptic and a cynic.  

4.  The NIL.  Jackson talked about the role of the 1883 Collective in the future of UND.   I think that the 1883 Collective will quickly, if it isn't already, become the most important off ice factor in bringing championships to UND.  And that's a problem considering UND doesn't have the financial clout that most of the teams in the Big 10 Hockey Conference does as well as teams like ASU and, perhaps, some teams out East.   

Coach Jackson has to address the remainder of his staff.  He has two openings to fill.  One will be the GM he spoke about, but the other will be the Associate Head Coach if he doesn't name Simpson to that role.  I wonder whom it will be?  Will it be a former UND player like Matt Smaby or Colten St. Clair?  Or will he go off the board?  Maybe someone from the CHL or the pro minor leagues?  Who knows outside of him.  

It will be interesting to see what happens.  It will definitely be an interesting ride.

UND Head Coach Dane Jackson Introduced as 17th Head Coach; Messages Were Sent

A few people asked me what I thought about the Dane Jackson introductory press conference. I was going to get to it earlier, but I have been busy being a Just for Kix Dance Dad, attending band concerts, and taking care of other personal things that need to be taken care of in the off-season. This afternoon, I listened to yesterday's press conference again. 

Wow! Messages have been sent. It's a new dawn, a new day, a new direction. 

First, I would like to recognize former UND head coach Brad Berry. He always had time to sit down with the media and give you his thoughts on the team and college hockey. Good luck in the future, coach. He will be remembered for leading UND to its eighth NCAA title. Coach Jackson mentions Berry in his opening statement.

"Our staff wants to acknowledge and thank the recent leaders of our program: Brad Berry, Dave Hakstol, Hacks, and Gino Gasparini," Jackson said. 

Coach Jackson sent quite a few messages during the brief press conference. It was obvious who he was pointing his comments at. If you missed that, you should watch the video again (embedded below). 

"Gino (Gaspirini) taught us about toughness, competing, selflessness, Jackson said. "His passion and fire were inspiring. He talked about the logo on the front being more important than the name on the back."

There's more. 

"These leaders (Gaspirini, Blais, Hakstol) taught us about humility and respect, how to work and compete, and that everything is earned," Jackson said. "We are a selfless team, first being part of something bigger than yourselves."

You can already see where this is going. UND will commit to hard work and won't put up with entitled passengers. Draft status will not matter to the new staff moving forward. Every player will earn it every day. The UND hockey team will give 100 percent. That means on the ice in games. They will outwork their opponents for every game. UND will train hard in every drill in practice and in the weight room. The players will earn every inch, every day, and work hard. They will bring pride back to the UND brand and hockey jersey. The coaching staff is committed to getting UND hockey back to where it belongs. No excuses. 

Our staff's plan: "North Dakota has always been built differently. We've been built on the man -- the character -- the toughness -- the grit, Jackson said. "(We want) the guys that rise up in big moments. That's what our coaches have picked for years. We will get back to that. We have done that a lot, and we will ensure that's our core identity. Our core identity is to get the right players, for the right reasons, who want to play at UND, win championships, and develop as players and people."

Interpretation: There is a new sheriff in town, and things will change. Jackson and the staff will be ready for the new year with a new attitude. If you don't want to be here, pack your bags, we don't want you. 

"We need to modernize our program in this fast-changing college landscape," Jackson said. We need to adapt. We're going to hire a person who's a GM/recruiting coach dedicated to recruiting, roster management, and portal management. Having said that, we'll ensure we get back to a sustainable model of recruiting and developing three and four-year players (who) are tied to UND and love the program." 

Boom!

There are about six months until the 2025-26 season begins. There is a lot of work to be done, but you will see a new UND hockey team when the puck drops on the 2025-26 season. 

 

Dane Jackson Is UND Hockey's 17th Head Coach, Now What?

Grand Forks, ND—What a week it's been. Last Sunday, around 6:20 pm, the University of North Dakota announced that it had fired Brad Berry and named Associate Head Coach Dane Jackson interim head coach. UND also announced that a national search would start immediately and close at Midnight on Wednesday.

Fast-forward to Saturday evening, around 9:30 pm, when UND announced that it had promoted Dane Jackson to head coach. Apparently, after conversations with current and former players and others, UND decided they didn't need to look outside the organization.

Well driving home from the @jfkdance meet in Wahpeton, the @UNDmhockey drops their announcement of who is the next head coach. The phone blew up on I-29—an impressive list of finalists. I wonder if UND could pull an assistant coach or two out of that list.

Matt Smaby, Jason… https://t.co/epbBNGvzkz

— Eric J. Burton (@goon48) March 30, 2025

Now what? From this day forward, UND head coach Dave Jackson's chair will immediately be hot. If you think I am kidding, I am not. All you have to do is peruse social media and our favorite fan messageboard. Some from this group wanted Dave Hakstol fired after he didn't win an NCAA title after numerous trips to the Frozen Four. 

Again,  we've come full circle. 

Exhibit A: UND Hockey: Making the Case for Dave Hakstol

Exhibit B: Fire Coach Hakstol, Not Likely

For the record, I am not a burn it to the ground fire everybody kind of guy. Did we need to make a change? I don't know. Something had to change. The loudest fire Brad Berry fans got their wish. We now have a new head coach. I don't know if UND got better. Only time will tell. It is what it is, that's the nature of the business. College sports are now a professional minor league. 

As I tweeted on X today, checking the responses to this announcement, it would appear that it's about 40/60 or 50/50 on the @UNDmhockey team's new head coach.

Checking the responses to this announcement, it would appear that it's about 40/60 or 50/50 on the @UNDmhockey team's new head coach. https://t.co/IpNJGIr6Jq

— Eric J. Burton (@goon48) March 30, 2025

My question is, how long of a honeymoon does Jackson get? How long before the fans start calling for his head, too? Some people are never happy. I guess time will tell. It will be interesting to see how the 2025-26 UND hockey team responds. There will be a lot of background noise, especially if they stumble out of the gate. 

Also, if Jackson wins a title in his first year, will fans say, "Well, he did it all with Brad Berry's recruits?" 

Also, should we be concerned that the players chose Berry's replacement? Is everyone comfortable with this? This is 2025, not your daddy's UND Fighting Sioux team or a 1990s version of college sports. Everything has changed. In the old days, if you were unhappy with your playing time, you'd talk to the coach, and he'd tell you to practice harder and play better. Now, players go somewhere else. The unhappy players take their sticks and leave. It's just a different time. 

After Jackson was hired, Dylan James and Jake Livanavage announced their return. That's excellent news for the UND hockey team. We should see more personnel announcements as the week moves forward. 

I recommend that you listen to the "Live in Five" podcast. It's interesting. It features former UND hockey players Gage Ausmus and Jordan Schmaltz from the 2016 NCAA title-winning team. Obviously, Ausmus is dialed in to the college hockey NIL.  

🚨Episode 80: New Bench Boss

-Weekend Recap
-Bob Rock is all time
-UND fires Brad Berry
-Best candidate for the job
-NailGun of the week
-People’s 📞📞 term of the week
&& much more !!

🎧: https://t.co/U0U3Qs1P8W pic.twitter.com/nDGQEFVMFc

— Live in Five (@LiveInFivePod) March 26, 2025

Here are a few things that stood out for me from the podcast. 

"The fans think they have the answers: We can go out and get whoever we want, or replacing Bubs is the better option," Ausmus said. "Are we sure we'll find a better coach than Bubs? Are you sure about that? You don't know. I don't know, either. Who knows if it's the right call?" 

 "The college landscape has changed, Jordo," Ausmus said. "The Gopher's first line this year cost them 225k or something like that, that's a rumor that I heard. Our first line cost 12k, and some free Deeks pizza on Saturday nights. What are we ranking right now in NIL money compared to these other schools? It ain't near the top 10 or 15. There might be like 10 to 15 teams spending more money than us. Do we expect to be better than them? I know we got a huge tradition and culture at North Dakota, and it's a great place to play, but at the end of the day, we've got to figure that out."

Redwing77's Coaching Musings

Ok, I was wrong.  I admit it.  I didn't think UND would fire someone with only a few really down years as a Head Coach and a lot of talent on the roster.  But today I was proven wrong.  Brad Berry had a win percentage of over 64% in his time with UND as the head honcho.  Admittedly, all the hate online for him as the season progressed must have swayed the AD at UND because I thought there were a lot of exceptions to this year that would have bought at least one more season from other programs.  First, the injuries.  We faced a LOT of injuries this year in key positions.  Second, the screwy pairwise.  For the first time since 1990, we failed to make the NCAA tournament despite having 20+ wins.  But hey, we're not Arizona State, right?

 I'm too far south to be "in the loop" anymore, so I didn't see this coming.  Maybe I should have.  I guess the signs were there: our D not being as fearsome as in years past, fundamentals not being as stout as they should, raiding "lesser" programs for top-line players (We're the southern campus, apparently, of Alaska Fairbanks), and running the risk of turning into another transfer portal surfing plug and play institution when our reputation is built based upon our developmental programming as much as our winning.  I'm still not a fan of "If we're not in the Frozen Four every year, fire the coach" mentality many on social media seem to possess.  

I'm curious who they will find.  I wonder how our recruits will handle this change.  I wonder who will transfer out because of this?  Will this ensure Boisvert signs with Chicago?

I wonder what the national search will bring UND?  Here are a few names that I know are out there.  I don't know if they're under consideration or, if approached, would even consider coming to Grand Forks.

Dane Jackson - He's been named Interim Head Coach.  He's familiar, and his style is known.  He's an ex-UND player and has pro-playing and coaching experience.  It is unclear to me how much of the recruiting that UND has done during his time at UND was performed by Coach Jackson.  In my opinion, the penalty kill, which he's the main coach of, has regressed mightily the past few seasons as well.  This might or might not signal a diminishing return for him.  However, retaining him on the staff would be a good sign for Karl Goehring and Dillon Simpson.

Cary Eades:  He's currently the President of Hockey Operations and Assistant GM of the Fargo Force.  I am told he left under questionable circumstances, and I've heard from some unaffiliated USHL folks that he's not the most popular guy.  That's all rumor and I know nothing about this.  What I do know is that he was the 2023-2024 GM of the Year for the USHL and built Fargo into a powerhouse USHL program.  I don't think Eades will get the job, but his name is out there.

Dave Hakstol:  This is probably what all of the armchair social media GMs want to happen... just like they wanted Dean Blais back after he left Columbus.  He is currently out of hockey after being let go as head coach of the Seattle Kraken.  He experienced some success in the NHL with Philadelphia and was even a candidate for NHL coach of the year with the Kraken.  Then again, his dismissal came with storm clouds after reports were made that Hakstol and some of the Kraken players were not on the best terms.

Matt Smaby:  This is an odd choice but not unbelievable.  Matt Smaby played for UND, has served at one point as team manager, coached abroad in a Swiss pro league, and currently is the head coach of the USHL Waterloo Blackhawks.  It's unclear to me how good he is at recruiting or whether or not his coaching acumen is ready for DI hockey (which isn't a big deal to me as I argued that UNO's hire of Gabinet would bite them and so far, I'm wrong).

Long Shots that are NOT likely regardless:

Scott Sandelin:  Ok, he's come up when Blais and Hakstol left so why not know?  He has strong ties at UND and in Grand Forks.  After the past few years where UMD has fallen on their faces more often than they'd like, I'm not so sure they'd be upset if UND came calling.  That being said, I doubt Sandelin would leave Duluth while still employed.

Jason Herter:  He's currently an assistant with WMU, he's had a lot of coaching experience, and he's well-liked.  He's a former UND player as well.  That being said, I highly doubt he'd take the job.  He was coaxed out of retirement by WMU head coach Ferschweiler (I'm thinking I'm spelling that wrong).  For that reason, I'm not so sure he'd want the job.  Could be wrong though.

Dave Tippett:  He's currently a senior advisor for the Seattle Kraken.  Has loads of experience as a player and a coach.  The only reason why I think Dave Tippett would take this job is if he wanted to be another Andy Murray.  Go out coaching into retirement.  This is about as long of a long shot as they come.

Aaron Schneekloth:  Currently head coach of the Colorado Eagles of the AHL.  Former UND guy.  Other than that, he's so well established in the AHL that I don't see it likely he'd come down a level or two to D1 college hockey, even if it is his alma mater.  Oh yeah, and he's leading the first-place team in his division right now.  Would be nice though. 

Evan Trupp:  This is unlikely because of experience or lack thereof.  Evan was a great player for UND and played for a while in the ECHL, AHL, and the German pro leagues before returning to be an assistant coach in the NAHL and now an assistant coach and Director of Hockey Ops for Muskegon of the USHL.  He lacks experience in a head coaching position.  He, along with Matt Smaby (should he be passed up for the head coaching position) would be a great candidate as an assistant with UND should the new head coach decide to change staff.

Dean Bla... just kidding folks.  He's retired.  I only bring him up because there are still fans of the Nebraska Cornhuskers who are still pining for Tom Osborne to come back.  He's gone, Jim.  

NON-UND guys

Brett Skinner:  Ok, he's not a UND guy.  Worse yet, he's a DU guy.  But he's been leading the Fargo Force for a few years and has been very successful.  

Stu Bickel:  Ok, that's not going to happen.  Former Minnesota defenseman and current assistant coach of the AHL Coachella Valley Firebirds.  I did say long shots, but he's a college hockey guy and has a coaching resume and player resumes. (On a tangent, former UND goaltender Peter Thome is the video coach for Coachella Valley!  Who knew!)

 Jeff Blashill: WMU guy.  Currently an assistant coach with Tampa Bay.  Has massive connections all over the place.  No way he'd come to Grand Forks, but it's a name.

Grant Potulny: HA!  He just left Northern Michigan for an AHL gig.  No way he's coming back to D1 so soon.  But he is a Grand Forks kid, even if he did play for some stinking rodents in college.

Greg Moore:  Ok, he's a UMaine guy, but he's the current head coach of the NTDP program and has connections throughout USA Hockey, NHL, USHL, and the AHL. It would give us an in-road back into the National program.

Nick Fohr: U17 head coach.  Very respected and has much of the same connections that Greg Moore has.

Dallas Ferguson:  Current DU assistant coach.  Former Alaska Fairbanks head coach.  Hey, we take all of their castoffs, so why not take a former head coach?  :D

 

SOMEBODY ELSE

There are a ton of coaches out there.  Maybe we'll raid the Major Junior ranks or the ECHL or AHL coaching ranks for a coach?   Who do you think will take the reins?

UND Hockey: Brad Berry Is Out as Head Coach

The University of North Dakota men's hockey team has decided to part ways with head coach Brad Berry after 10 seasons with the Fighting Hawks. Per a release from UND: Berry guided North Dakota to 10 winning seasons, amassing a 227-119-35 overall record to rank fourth all-time in program history in wins. He also captured five NCHC Penrose Cups, one NCHC Frozen Faceoff crown, and five NCAA Tournament appearances. He became the first and only head coach in NCAA Division I men's hockey history to win a national title in his first season in 2015-16.

"Coach Berry has had a tremendous decade run at his alma mater," UND Athletic Director Bill Chaves said. "Not many coaches win a national title, and he's one of a very few. His time will be cherished, but today was the right time to move in a new direction for UND hockey."

UND will immediately seek a replacement. AD Chaves also announced that Dane Jackson will serve as interim head coach. 

Pursuing social media and our favorite fan message board, I see fans wanting a Dave Hakstol 2.0. That would be fine, but I doubt he's interested in coaching college hockey again. I imagine he'd like to coach in the NHL again. Finally, I also want to remind these people you were the same people who wanted him fired after he didn't win an NCAA title. We come full circle. 

Exhibit A: UND Hockey: Making the Case for Dave Hakstol

Exhibit B: Fire Coach Hakstol, Not Likely

There will be more on this subject later this week. 

The Hockey World Responds to Berry's Firing.

After 10 seasons, 227-119-35 overall record, 2016 national championship, Berry not returning behind North Dakota bench - https://t.co/v0xsCbiioi pic.twitter.com/OLLNvdIbrA

— USCHO.com (@USCHO) March 23, 2025

Brad Berry will not return next season in North Dakota. Berry guided North Dakota to 10 winning seasons..he became the first-and-only head coach in NCAA D I men’s hockey history to win a national title in his first season in 2015-16 pic.twitter.com/dE30CxzMO9

— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) March 23, 2025

I'm not sure I can express enough how upset I am to hear the news regarding Brad Berry. For the better part of 20 years Brad has been a friend, a colleague, and someone whose helpful advice on many topics I have sought out in my career. Great coach; incredible human being.

— Dave Starman (@DStarmanHockey) March 23, 2025

Who are we thinking they hire now? Give me one realistic and one out there idea. I’ll start.
Garret Raboin (Augie Coach)

Or @Gausmus47

— Sioux Lite (@SiouxLite) March 24, 2025

This is a bit stunning...

— 𝙂𝙋𝙇 🏒 (@GopherPuckLive) March 23, 2025

This is a bit stunning...

— 𝙂𝙋𝙇 🏒 (@GopherPuckLive) March 23, 2025

I guess i’m not that surprised brad berry is out at UND. Thats a program that expects a championship year in and out. Super interested to see who they hire next

— Mike Grinnell (@MikeGrinnell_) March 24, 2025

Welp. The angry people get what they want. Y'all better be right.

— Tim Boger (@timothyboger) March 24, 2025

Couldn’t have said it better. Bubs gave me the chance to live out a dream I never knew was possible—working a dream job I didn’t know I would fall in love with. His leadership, dedication, and the values he instilled in the program have shaped my career and life in ways I’ll… https://t.co/cnstdi8PRC

— Dan Johansson (@DanJohansson14) March 24, 2025

Dave Hakstol (dreaming)
Garrett Raboin
Matt Smaby

That’s my wish list. And whoever it is brings Bryn Chyzyk with as GM. https://t.co/ncxWcNQS9Z

— F’n Hawks Talk (@fnhawkstalk) March 24, 2025

When does a love his players and them for him a love for the program and a great record including 4 conference titles and a National championship doesn’t mean more years to keep it going? I’m staggered at news for a great coach and a better man and friend

— tim hennessy (@tim_cctimh) March 24, 2025

I can't find any evidence that North Dakota ever fired a coach before. In 1978, UND and Rube Bjorkman "mutually agreed" to part ways after many seasons of mediocrity. That led immediately to the Gino Gasparini heyday.

— Adam Wodon (@CHN_AdamWodon) March 24, 2025

Bring back Hak if only so we can get #FireHak trending every week again

— LetsGoDU (@LetsGoDU) March 24, 2025

NCHC Coaches: They Said What?

Hockey is full of cliches' and sound bites. Yesterday, during the semifinal round of the NCHC Frozen Faceoff, it was a big day for quotes from the coaches. Here are a few that caught my attention. 

Arizona State head coach Greg Powers talked about the Pairwise Rankings. 

"We feel like we're a team that should still be playing," coach Powers said. "We're the first team in the history of the NCHC to finish second (in the regular season standings) and not advance. It's a screwy year in the Pairwise. Cornell won tonight, and there's another spot gone."

Late in the first period, ASU Graduate forward Artem Shlaine blocked a Denver Pioneers shot. Shlaine would miss some time, but he would return later in the game, score a goal, and almost set up another goal. 

"He's a warrior, he's (Shlaine) our MPV," coach Powers said. "His foot is probably broken. I'm sure it's fractured. For him to come back and do what he did, get a big goal, and miss Chuckie (Charlie Schoen) in the back door and make a great play there in the third to take the lead, and their guy just got their stick on him, that's what he does. He's a winner and has a long career in front of him."

UND head coach Brad Berry gave his thoughts on his team's season being over. 

"Everybody has key injuries," coach Berry said. "The inconsistency in our game early on, which led to our nonconference record, was .500 or about .500. It wasn't good enough to get in the tournament. You have to build it up early in the year, which means your nonconference record. Not only us but also a lot of teams in our league didn't have great nonconference schedules or outcomes. We have to be better at that next year."

Denver head coach David Carle discussed Arizona State's fortunes and how the Sun Devils deserve to be in the NCAA tournament. 

"I certainly think they're a team that deserves to be," coach Carle said. "They're a top 12, top 10 team all day long. But unfortunately, it is what it is. You've got to win your games, and the Pairwise is a brutal thing sometimes. The games count as much in October as they do in March and don't take into account injuries or anything like that."

Western head coach Pat Ferschweiler on his team's style of play. 

"We talk daily," head coach Ferschweiler said. No slamming your stick. No frustration. Frustration is a weakness. We will not show it. We will stick with our plan. We'll believe in ourselves, and we're gonna we're gonna go forward in a relentless fashion. That's the way we play."

Well...Redwing77's Take

Well….

Another season is in the books and well… it was a season.  This was a season made most notable by injuries, transfers, and freshmen.  It was also a season made noteworthy by less favorable statistics.   Here’s my take:

The Offense

This was a team that, on paper, could hang with anyone.  Sometimes it did!  Sometimes, it did not.  The only consistent factor of our offense was the fact that it was inconsistent.  All in all, I figured that the offense had to carry this team in order for it to win.  How so?  They’re VERY FAR under .500 when they score 3 or less goals.  Tonight, they lost the semifinals 4-2.  Very sad, considering how well we played otherwise.

Drop the Puck…no wait… uhm…

This team struggled mightily in the faceoff circle.  I’m not sure how to fix this.  What I saw on the replays and as I watched wasn’t bad form per se, but then again… if you need me to judge form and technique, you might as well fold the team.  Regardless, this is an issue.

The Defense

Young and somewhat Injury-plagued as well.  Emery, Jubenvill, and Strathman have promise.  Strathman can be great if he just is more disciplined.  Jubenvill is going to be special.  I might be the only one, but Caleb McDonald didn't impress me all that much.  He wasn't a liability, but, to me, he wasn't a first-pairing defenseman.  Regardless, UND's defense used to provoke fear due to their physicality and proficiency at their trade.  I don't feel like that's the case much anymore.  WMU shot the puck at will. 

The Goaltending

Whoo… this part is the most aggravating to me.  TJ played great tonight against a VASTLY superior Western Michigan.  However, it’s not enough.  I can’t find much to say negatively about his play tonight, but why is it that it takes most of the season to grow into this form?  I talked to some more dialed-in UND fans at the Baxter Arena in Omaha, and they spoke highly of TJ and even said that he was the best “first-shot goaltender” they’ve ever seen.  The problem is you don’t see just one shot in a flurry of chances usually.  To me, I’m still leaning a lot towards comparing TJ to Drew DeRidder.  Both TJ and Drew had rough seasons and got hot late in the season all for naught.  My thought to ponder, though, is: Is it better to come up just short despite playing well with a transfer or to come up equally short developing a homegrown goaltender like Hedquist?  I think Berry ultimately made the right choice with TJ, but I've always been a homegrown guy.  Think of Herb Brooks in Miracle.  He brought in the flashy guy and sent him home in favor of the guys he had to start.  I'm like that.  Maybe detrimental and irrational, but still..

Special Teams… WELLLLL……

The Power play was pretty good again.  Not as good as last year but still good.  The Penalty Kill, however…. That was special with air quotes around it.  50th in the nation special.  I will give BIG kudos to UND for killing off two penalties against WMU when WMU could shoot the puck practically at will.  I would say that this is the most significant problem in UND’s game if it wasn’t for the fact that faceoffs happen all game long.  I know.  Understatement as usual and certainly not a statement made on a limb.  It was straight-up bad this year, even with the later season PK being better.  

Coaching

FIRE…. No one.  It never ceased amazing me how many social media coaches and GMs out there would fire a head coach with Berry’s resume.  It is true this is the first time since 1990 that UND had 20+ wins and failed to get to the NCAA Regionals, but UND is going to need to fail more before the boo birds get their way.  That being said… I can’t see this year being all that helpful towards the careers of Dane Jackson and maybe Karl Goehring.  Jackson ran the PK coaching, and it was atrocious, and Goehring seems unable to find good goaltenders, or at least ones that grow season to season.  And that hurts because Karl Goehring might be my favorite all-time UND player.  He certainly is my favorite goaltender.

The Future

I think the future hangs a lot on #9.  Sacha Boisvert was a stud this year.  It’s no secret that the Blackhawks are NOT very good and Bedard isn’t happy.  Chicago drafted Boisvert as a two-way player that can, eventually, center a line with Bedard (though I thought Bedard was a center?).  We have good players already in Grand Forks and more coming, but none nearly as dynamic and game-changing as Boisvert.  And he’s only going to get better.  That being said, if we’re not talking about Boisvert, the player that impressed me the most late in the season was Cade Littler.  He’s the replacement for Jackson Kunz and Cam Berg easily if he can improve his faceoff skills.  He’s a big kid, and he can score.  I am VERY certain that Cade will be a top 2 liner next season.

Predictions

Well, here we may get a bit edgy, but this is an Op-Ed piece, so…

1. Next season, UND will only have 1 returning goaltender:  Alexsi Huson (assuming Kaleb Johnson graduates).  TJ graduates, and I’m predicting Hobie Hedquist transfers.  What does this mean?  Another transfer to come in with Caleb Heil.  Let’s face it.  Heil didn’t have statistically the best season in Madison.  True, he was 22-8-2, but his 2.67 GAA with a .897 Save% was nothing to write home about.  Will it matter if we’re always going to the Portal for 1 year wonders in net?  I can’t help but notice that WMU had a transfer goaltender, too…as a backup to their freshman phenom (and a former UND commit to boot).  DU doesn’t have a transfer goaltender on their roster.  I guess that puts me in the “homegrown” camp.  I guess I’d rather develop a goaltender through playing time rather than roll the dice on a retread every year.  

2. Please note that the following is my opinion and it is not meant to be a dig at any player or be mean-spirited in any way!  I think Berry SHOULD use the transfer portal to bring in a bench defenseman or depth at D.  Why?  Because Bennet Zmolek has more talent than his body allows him to display.  I like the kid, and it kills me to say this, but… he’s too fragile to play the game style he’s been playing thus far.  Yes, he’s coming back next year, but for how many games?  He hasn’t played a full season to my recollection yet… at least in Grand Forks.  He’s a GOOD defenseman, though.  Maybe this time, he’ll come back healthy and become a workhorse on the back end for UND.  I certainly hope so.  I’m just not confident that his body will allow what his mindset and spirit desires.

3. They aren’t going to fire Berry, but his seat MIGHT be getting warmer.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure Berry was the primary recruiter while Hakstol was the head coach.  Could be wrong on this. 

4. In the transfer era, we need a new recruiting philosophy.  How come we’re not even top 3 in the NCHC at recruiting goaltenders?  Even UNO is better than we are and there’s an argument to be made that CC is better too.  I really am thinking that Adam Scheel and Cam Johnson were flukes.  And how come Denver is always able to find great goaltenders?  Pisses me off.

5. It seems like the NCHC is having a grand time finding Scandinavian skaters to bolster their American and Canadian skaters…except UND isn’t one of them.  UND, to my knowledge, has had three:  Ludvig Hoff, Ludvig Persson, and Jacob Helleston.  Not so sure we need Scandinavians but what’s with that anyways?  Bring the umlaut to UND!  :D 

    

Ponderings from around D1 Hockey:

Ok, this is off-topic, but I’ve watched a bit of hockey from other places, and this is what I have pondered:

1. What is everyone’s fascination with Trey Augustine of MSU?  I’m not suggesting he’s a bad goalie nor am I saying he’s overrated.  I’m simply amazed by how, when I watched him play vs. Penn State earlier this year, the commentators couldn’t stop raving about him even after he gives up a rather weak goal or even after MSU lost the game.  This must be the potential he shows.  He was ok with Team USA.  It’s like he’s the second coming of Rick DiPietro or Mike Richter.  Future NHLer?  Quite probably.  Great college hockey goalie?  Not yet.

2. Alex Bump is good.  Not as good as Dave Starman made him out to be, but very darn good.  I feel that Bump is as likely to be signed this offseason as Boisvert is.  Philadelphia is hurting for talent, too. 

3. As for coaching hot seats, What do you think is happening in Duluth?  Sandelin continues to get talent (like the Plante brothers, and their goaltenders aren’t that bad), but they’ve been terrible.  Could Sandelin’s seat be getting a bit toasty?

Final Thought

If you’ve hung around college athletics the past year, be it hockey or football, the prevailing thoughts have been centered around the transfer portal and NIL.  True, the NIL isn’t as big of an issue in hockey as it is in football (and WOW, is it a problem in FBS land), but the true test of Berry and whether or not he can last will be how he will build a team despite the revolving door college athletics has become.  Are we done seeing teams that primarily build from within?  I think the transfer portal has made it harder to build teams and instead play into superficiality in both players and fans alike.  TJ would have been a great add if he were a sophomore or even a junior, but he’s one and done.  Imagine what Ludvig Persson would have been like had he had more than 1 year of eligibility remaining when he came to Grand Forks.  So many fans want a “win now” attitude or maybe now they’re far more vocal than in the past.  UND fans are going around saying that we should be in the National Championship game every year or at least the Frozen Four on a yearly basis and that’s just not practical in this environment.  The biggest key will be how coaches can build and develop teams moving forward in this landscape.  I think UND is trying to find its footing and UND will be back.  I just hope it’s sooner rather than later.

 

SCSU Assistant Coach R.J. Enga Airs Grievances Following Series with UND

SCSU Player Talks to the Refs During a Break in the Action

When I was a freshman at Upper Iowa University, our football coach told our team, following a painful loss, that we won class and we lost with class. Apparently, St. Cloud assistant coach R.J. Enga hasn't heard those words of advice. 

AUDIO: The Brett Larson Show from last night (12/16) from the @GreenMill

With Huskies assistant coach RJ Enga.

Next show will be Jan. 13. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all Huskies fans. https://t.co/MtmN5P0Dcf

— Jim Erickson (@SCSU_hockey_pbp) December 17, 2024

 

Coach Enga filled in for head coach Brent Larson on the Brent Larson Show with Huskies play-by-play radio announcer Jim Erickson. (You can listen to the whole show, linked in the tweet above.)  If you haven't heard it, check it out. It's interesting. 

Larson wasn't available because he had already left town to be an assistant coach with Team USA for the U20 World Junior Tourney. It was an interesting 40+ minutes. Enga aired his grievances about this past weekend's series. He attacked the linesmen, saying they dropped the pucks closer to the UND centermen, giving them an unfair advantage. The faceoff numbers were tied on Friday night 29-29; on Saturday, UND had the advantage 36-29. 

Whatever.

Enga attacked T.J. Semptimphelter, saying that he showed the ref up for taking his helmet off after being elbowed in the head on Friday night and taking off his helmet during Saturday's game after being elbowed in the head. Granted, the SCSU player was cross-checked into the UND goalie. He also attacked the ref for not making the right call. It sounds like sour grapes. 

After Friday's game, head coach Brad Berry got into a heated conversation with Larson. The video replay showed both coaches shouting obscenities at each other (you could read both men's lips). In the post-game press conference, coach Berry wasn't very pleased with what had transpired on the ice. 

"I'm not happy right now," Berry said. "I'm not going to get myself into trouble here, but that wasn't a great hockey play by them. For it to be a two-minute minor, that's a five-minute major and a game misconduct." 

Here's Enga's quote from the show, referring to Friday's dirty play that 

"If you watch the video, the young man that plays goalie for them, he threw his helmet off, tapping his head and stuff," Enga said on the radio show. "I'm not really sure what was going on with the guy. But when you watch it, it's like a split second, and I thought maybe a skate came up. We've seen some terrible incidents. I thought maybe that was the way he reacted. And then when I kind of saw it, definitely when I saw the video, I'm like, 'What is going on?'

"To me, don't make a mockery of the referees. Don't put them in those situations. Just play an honest, hard game and let's see who comes out on top. That's my opinion."

As I heard Enga's comment, I wondered; are you kidding me? Do we need to review the play in question again? Without beating a dead horse, It was a dirty play by Gavyn Thoreson. How did he expect the UND hockey team to react to Thoreson's antics? 

Here's the hit on T.J. Semptimphelter that irked UND coach Brad Berry tonight. pic.twitter.com/sXhGpKKQag

— Brad Elliott Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) December 14, 2024

Finally, Enga made a snide comment about Brad Schlossman, who referenced Thoreson's style of play when he was in the USHL. His remarks show that Enga had read Schlossman's Friday Gamer. 

"Thoreson was known as a skilled player and agitator T.J. Semptimphelter the United States Hockey League last year, where he had 87 penalty minutes for the Waterloo Black Hawks, " Schlossman wrote.

I don't see anything wrong with bringing that point up. For those keeping track at home, Thoreson had 103 PIMs in 85 USHL games. It's not out of line to bring that up, especially after he had just run over the opposition's goalie in an attempt to rally his team or take out their goalie. If you don't like it, don't read the opposition's beat writer's analysis. 

Finally, the league could come down on Enga. He could get suspended for making comments about the on-ice officials; he attacked their credibility and integrity. However, it's unlikely based on who the commissioner is. The two teams play in St. Cloud on January 31 and February 1, 2025. This could be an interesting rematch. 

Random Thoughts on the UND Goalie Position

In hockey, the most popular player on a hockey team is the backup goalie.

This season, the University of North Dakota's goalie position has been the subject of much discussion on X and fan message boards. Everyone has an opinion on the matter. It's been an interesting season, and the UND hockey team has faced their fair share of adversity. 

"This has been a tumultuous first half," head coach Brad Berry said. "Up and down, inconsistent. Every season is different, but my biggest positive is that we're going the right way. We still have a long way to go, and the second half is coming up. We have to keep our foot on the gas and know what we've built here. We've got to continue to build and grow."

I keep reading that UND sophomore goalie Hobie Hedquist needs to play, or he'll enter the transfer portal. First, anyone familiar with UND head coach Brad Berry knows he's a team-first coach, meaning no player is more important than the program. Why isn't Hedquist playing more? There could be a variety of reasons. 

My random thoughts on the UND goalie position: has anyone ever considered that T.J. Semptimphelter might be the better goaltender? It's something to think about. Hobie has occasionally let in some weak goals. The goal in game two against Cornell to open the third period comes to mind. I am not saying Hedquist is a bad goalie, not at all. Currently, Semptimphelter may be the better goalie for UND hockey. Based on how the season has gone, there's very little room to experiment with a goalie rotation, especially now that the first half has passed; the coaches need to put together the best lineup to win. If the coaching staff decides to ride a hot goalie, they may do that. 

What happens if he enters the portal? The coaching staff will recruit more goalies; there will be many available goalies, and the CHL players will be eligible to play NCAA hockey.

Since the 2021-22 season, UND has utilized the transfer portal to recruit a starting goalie.

Post UND's starting goalie, Adam Scheel, here's how the goalie position has played out. UND has used four goalies in four consecutive seasons who weren't initially recruited by UND but finished their college careers at UND. That's the nature of the transfer portal. Here's the list of Portal goalies UND has used since the 2021-22 season. I added Scheel for comparison purposes. 

2018-21; Adam Scheel  (52-18-5 (.726), 1.95 GAA and .915 Save Percentage)

2021-22; Zach Driscoll (22-11-1 (.642), 2.34 GAA, .908 Save Percentage)

2022-23; Drew DeRidder (13-9-4 (.576), 2.53, .899 Save Percentage )

2023-24; Ludvig Persson (22-11-2 (.657), 2.52 GAA, .904 Save Percentage)

2024-25; T.J. Semptimphelter (10-5-1 (.656), 2.56 GAA, .903 Save Percentage)