Sometimes I Have to Pinch Myself; My Sister’s Kid Plays in the NHL (Bobby Brink)

It's hard not to be a fanboy when my little sister's kid plays in the National Hockey League. Sometimes, I have to pinch myself and wonder if this is happening. It is. I wouldn't classify myself as a Flyers fan, but I've watched most of their games. 

The Flyers have a good young team, and they're starting to figure it out. The Flyers front office has drafted well and is developing a good team. This team is different from your father's favorite Broadstreet Bullies hockey team. They spend more time scoring goals than beating people up. 

How did we get here? Bobby Brink was the second-round pick (No. 34) of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2019 NHL Draft. 

During the 2021-22 season, Brink was the NCAA's leading points scorer with (14g-43a-57pts); he was also a plus 27. He wasn't the strongest in the faceoff dot going 2 for 6 or 33%. However, that wasn't his role. The Pioneers would win their 9th NCAA title, and Brink would sign with the Flyers after the championship game. Brink would finish his collegiate career with (27g-65a--92pts)in 84 games.  

Following his final collegiate season, Brink would play the Flyers last 10 games, recording four assists. In the offseason, Brink would have offseason hip surgery and miss the first half of the season. He'd play the entire 2022-23 season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League. In 41 games with the Phantoms, he scored (12g-16-28pts) in 41 games. He was also a minus-seven. 

So far this season, Brink has scored (6g-10a--16pts), and he's also a plus-five. He scored the first goal of his NHL career on October 26, 2023. Brink wasn't satisfied with one; he scored his second goal of the game. 

Here's Brink's latest goal.

Bobby Brink (6) gets us right back into the game
pic.twitter.com/s8F66eO0fe

— TLY (@TheLibertyYell) December 23, 2023

Here's his assist from Thursday night.

Bobby Brink's pass deflects off the leg of Morgan Frost, over the net, off the back of Saros, and in... insane!#LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/3PecAiL3wQ

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) December 22, 2023

If I could give my nephew any advice, I would tell him to enjoy it as long as he can. You never know how long your playing career will last. Enjoy those charter flights and excellent hotels. Live the dream.

News story from Denver's Channel 9 on Gwozdecky firing

I think many of us are still in a state of shock that George Gwozdecky was let go in Denver. You can bet that this firing will come back to haunt the Denver University administration some day.

I get the feeling DU will regret not retaining George as head coach.
— Eric J. Burton (@goon48) April 2, 2013

WCHA teams Strength of Schedule

I have been looking at the records and strength of schedules (SOS) of teams in the WCHA and here is what I have come up with.

There is a huge discrepancy between a few of the teams in the WCHA.

The first number is the current standing of team, the next number is the RPI and the last one is the strength of schedule.

The Denver Pioneers are the most battle tested team through 12 games as they have played the third toughest schedule in college hockey.

The Minnesota Gophers have played no teams with a record “above” .500.

The Omaha Mavericks have played one game against a team(Notre Dame) that has a winning record and that was ranked in the top twenty – the Mavericks also lost the game against Irish 3-2.

1 Denver:  RPI 4 – SOS 3 0.5528  

2 Minnesota:  RPI 10 – SOS 44 0.4855  

5 North Dakota: RPI 11 – SOS 8 0.5435

2 St Cloud St: RPI 16 – SOS 12 0.5274

3 Nebraska-Omaha 17 RPI – SOS 46 0.4843

5 Colorado College: 19 RPI – SOS 15 0.5243  

7 MSU-Mankato: RPI 29 – SOS 35 0.4949

 7 Michigan Tech: RPI 38 – SOS 27 0.5035

12 Alaska Anchorage: RPI 44 – SOS 40 0.4909

7 Bemidji State: RPI 45 – SOS 43 0.4855

10 Minnesota-Duluth: RPI 47 – SOS 29 0.5025

10 Wisconsin: RPI 56 – SOS 48 0.4808

The only game in town?

Original NHL logo, used until 2005. A version of the logo features it in the shape of a hockey puck. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The NHL lockout has been a buzzkill so far this fall and it appears that there is no end in sight to the second NHL lock out in eight seasons.

The two sides are literally squabbling over millions of dollars, but have no idea how to come to an agreement on how they’re going to split up their hockey related revenues. While these two sides bicker, college hockey seems to be taking the center stage.

Hockey fans need options and are looking to college hockey to fill their NHL Hockey void.

I have compiled a National Collete Hockey Television Schedule that you can use a guide. I update it, when more games are added to the schedule. In the US, college Hockey might be the only viable option we have this winter, if they two sides don’t come to an agreement soon.

The NHL will cancel the first two weeks of December very soon, if not in days,  if an agreement between the two sides isn’t reached. This is a true fact, that cancellation will probably come after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Dan Tencer@dantencer

Heard from @JSportsnet tonight that the next cancellation from the NHL is December 1-15 + All Star Game. Could be as early as tomorrow.

19 Nov 12

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So how big has college hockey been in absence of NHL Hockey, one team in Grand Forks, North Dakota is the most watched hockey team in North America.

UND hockey is king with the NHL hockey locked out.

If you don’t believe me, check out the article that Brad Schlossman wrote in today’s Grand Forks Herald, which says that UND Hockey is the most followed hockey team in North America.

I don’t think it’s a shock to any of us who have followed UND hockey, which has had a very big following since the team moved the Ralph Englestad Arena for the start of the 2001-02 season.

This season, UND hockey drew it’s 5 millionth fan. That’s pretty good for college hockey, which UND is historically in the top three nationally for attendance every season.

Those fans that come through the turnstiles of the Ralph Englestad Arena  to watch UND hockey are enthusiastic and fired up about watching their favorite team and this hasn’t gone unnoticed by UND head coach Dave Hakstol.

“I don’t know about the attendance marks, but I know about the energy our fans bring,” UND coach Dave Hakstol said. “It’s the best student section in the country. When we leave for pregame meal, there’s 1,000 students already lined up at 2:30 or 3 in the afternoon. When we come back for the game, that student lineup out in the cold wraps halfway around the back of the arena. That, in itself, brings some excitement when you get to the rink.

“Inside the arena, the passion all our fans bring is second to none. I can compare that to almost any sporting event I’ve been at. What continually strikes me is the new people that come into the building — NHL people and hockey people from all over different parts of North America. No matter what they’ve heard about the building, no matter how many positives they’ve heard, by the end of the hockey game they are still in disbelief about what they just witnessed. That’s due to the passion and excitement of our fans. Their loyalty is second to none.”

So while the NHL is locked out, you do have options. Here is the television is the National College HockeyTelevision Schedule for the next two weeks. If you have DiecTV and don’t have the sports pack, get it. Check your local cable television listings for the games and channels listed below.

Fri.	Nov. 23		Minnesota at Vermont	FS North +	7 p.m.	TBD
Fri.	Nov. 23		Colgate at Merrimack	FOX College	7:30 p.m.	TBD
Sat.	Nov. 24		Minnesota at Vermont	FS North	7 p.m.	668 / 436
Fri.	Nov. 30		Boston College at Boston University	NBC Sports Net.	7:30 pm	603 / 159
Fri.	Nov. 30		Ohio State at Michigan State	BTN	8 p.m.	610 / 439 (C)
Fri.	Nov. 30		Vermont at Maine	CBS Sports Net.	8 p.m.	613 / 158 (C)
Fri.	Nov. 30		Nebraska-Omaha at Minnesota	FS North +	8 p.m.	TBD
Sat.	Dec. 1		Boston University at Boston College	NBC Sports Net.	7:30 p.m.	603 / 159
Sat.	Dec. 1		Nebraska-Omaha at Minnesota	FS North +	8 p.m.	TBD

EDIT: How some of us voted in the WCHA Web Media Poll

Each week 12 of us participate in the WCHA Web Media Poll that is put on by the Tech Hockey Guide.  A few weeks ago, someone was wondering how the voters voted. I am a fan of transparency and if said voters/people put up their ballots I will share them with you.  Here is how four of the voters voted in this week’s poll. As you can see there is a wide range of votes.

Chris Dilks of Western College Hockey 
1. Denver University – (9-1-0, WCHA 7-1-0)

2. Saint Cloud State – (6-4-0, WCHA 4-2-0)

3. University of North Dakota – (5-3-2, WCHA 3-1-2)

4. Minnesota Gophers – (7-2-2, WCHA 4-2-2)  

5. Nebraska Omaha – (6-3-1, WCHA 4-1-1)

6. Colorado College – (7-5-0, WCHA 4-2-0)  

7. Michigan Tech – (4-6-0, WCHA 3-5-0) 

8. Bemidji State – (2-5-1, WCHA 1-4-1) 

9.  Alaska Anchorage – (2-3-3, WCHA 0-2-2) 

10. Wisconsin – (1-5-2, WCHA 1-3-2)

11. Minnesota Duluth – (2-6-1, WCHA 0-4-2)

12.   Minnesota State Mankato – (3-5-2, WCHA 1-5-0)

Mathew Semisch Radio Free Omaha

1. Denver University – (9-1-0, WCHA 7-1-0)

2. Saint Cloud State – (6-4-0, WCHA 4-2-0)

3.) Minnesota Gophers – (7-2-2, WCHA 4-2-2)  

4.) University of North Dakota – (5-3-2, WCHA 3-1-2)

5.) Colorado College – (7-5-0, WCHA 4-2-0)  

6.) Nebraska Omaha – (6-3-1, WCHA 4-1-1)

7.) Michigan Tech – (4-6-0, WCHA 3-5-0) 

8.) Wisconsin – (1-5-2, WCHA 1-3-2)

9.) Minnesota Duluth – (2-6-1, WCHA 0-4-2)

10.) Bemidji State – (2-5-1, WCHA 1-4-1) 

11.) Minnesota State Mankato – (3-5-2, WCHA 1-5-0)

12.) Alaska Anchorage – (2-3-3, WCHA 0-2-2)

Andy Johnson Bucky’s Fifth Quarter

1.) Denver University – (9-1-0, WCHA 7-1-0) 

2. Saint Cloud State – (6-4-0, WCHA 4-2-0) 3.) UMTC – (7-2-2, WCHA 4-2-2) 

4.) University of North Dakota – (5-3-2, WCHA 3-1-2) 

5.) Nebraska Omaha – (6-3-1, WCHA 4-1-1) 

6.) Colorado College – (7-5-0, WCHA 4-2-0)

7.) Wisconsin – (1-5-2, WCHA 1-3-2) 

8.) Michigan Tech – (4-6-0, WCHA 3-5-0)  

9.) Minnesota Duluth – (2-6-1, WCHA 0-4-2

10.) Minnesota State Mankato – (3-5-2, WCHA 1-5-0)

11.) Bemidji State – (2-5-1, WCHA 1-4-1) 

12.) Alaska Anchorage – (2-3-3, WCHA 0-2-2) 

My Picks

1. Denver University – (9-1-0, WCHA 7-1-0) 

2. Saint Cloud State – (6-4-0, WCHA 4-2-0)

3. University of North Dakota – (5-3-2, WCHA 3-1-2) 

4. Minnesota Gophers – (7-2-2, WCHA 4-2-2) 

5. Nebraska Omaha – (6-3-1, WCHA 4-1-1) 

6. Colorado College – (7-5-0, WCHA 4-2-0)

7. Michigan Tech – (4-6-0, WCHA 3-5-0)  

8. Bemidji State – (2-5-1, WCHA 1-4-1) 

9.  Alaska Anchorage – (2-3-3, WCHA 0-2-2) 

10. Wisconsin – (1-5-2, WCHA 1-3-2) 

11. Minnesota Duluth – (2-6-1, WCHA 0-4-2

12.  Minnesota State Mankato – (3-5-2, WCHA 1-5-0) 

Troy Mills of the Beaver Pond  

1. Denver University – (9-1-0, WCHA 7-1-0) 

2. Minnesota Gophers – (7-2-2, WCHA 4-2-2)   

3. University of North Dakota – (5-3-2, WCHA 3-1-2) 

4. Colorado College – (7-5-0, WCHA 4-2-0)   

5. Nebraska Omaha – (6-3-1, WCHA 4-1-1) 

6. Saint Cloud State – (6-4-0, WCHA 4-2-0)

7. Michigan Tech – (4-6-0, WCHA 3-5-0)  

8. Wisconsin – (1-5-2, WCHA 1-3-2)

9.  Bemidji State – (2-5-1, WCHA 1-4-1)  

10. Alaska Anchorage – (2-3-3, WCHA 0-2-2)  

11. Minnesota Duluth – (2-6-1, WCHA 0-4-2) 

12.   Minnesota State Mankato – (3-5-2, WCHA 1-5-0)

Related articles

• WCHA Power Rankings: 11/18/2012 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings: 11/11/2012 (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings (11/04/2012) (insidehockey.com)
• WCHA Power Rankings: 10/21/12 (insidehockey.com)