Nick Bjugstad returns to the Gophers

The Minnesota Gophers got some good news yesterday when they learned that their power forward Nick Bjugstad will be returning for his junior season. With the return of Bjugstad the Gophers are going to have the target on their back.

Lets not kid ourselves, Bjugstad is one of the better forwards in the WCHA and could’ve signed a entry level professional contract this summer if he wanted to.

Recently while listening to the P.A. show on KFAN 100.3 at the end of June,  the host Paul Allen had Michael Russo of the Star and Tribune on the show with him.

During that segment in question Russo said that if Bjugstad did in fact sign an entry level deal, he would probably would start the season in the AHL based on who the Panthers had on their roster. It also sounds like the Panthers were in no rush to sign the young Minnesota forward.

The upside is with Bjugstad staying in college, it doesn't hurt his development at all, he is going to play against older players. The Gophers also win because they don't to rush another forward in to take his place in the line up and they keep their coveted forward for one more season.

There is one loser in the equation - it's bad for WCHA goalies - who he could be lighting up for 20+ goals this season - Bjugstad had 25 last season. 

Gopher Sports --- Minnesota junior Nick Bjugstad announced today that he is returning to the Golden Gopher hockey team for the 2012-13 season.

"This is the right spot for me," said Bjugstad. "I am going to be close to finishing my education and hopefully can accomplish the goal that I have had ever since I was little, which is winning a national championship. We are going to have a good team this year and hopefully get another chance at the national championship and make a run there. I feel I can develop here and become more of a leader on the team as well. Hopefully, I will have a good season."

The 6’5”, 211-pound center from Blaine, Minn., was named All-WCHA First Team and Second-Team All-American after recording 42 points in 40 games as a sophomore. He led Minnesota with 25 goals (tied for fifth in the nation) and also added 17 assists as he finished third on the team in points. His 25 goals were the most scored by a Gopher since Ryan Potulny had 38 in 2005-06. Minnesota was 20-6-1 when he had a point last season.

Bjugstad, who will turn 20 next Tuesday, recorded 21 of his points (9g-12a) in 16 road games and he had a point in 13 of 16 games away from Mariucci Arena. He was +21 on the season and tied for second on the team in power-play goals (8). He also led the team in shooting percentage (17.2%) and faceoffs (of players who have taken more than 50 faceoffs) with a 57.9% success rate.

Based on what has happened recently in College hockey Nick Bjugstad returning to the Golden Gophers for another season is a win for college hockey. It's rare that we get to see a highly talented blue chip players stay more than two seasons – this is exciting for college hockey fans – in the past highly talented first round draft choices rarely if ever stay more than two seasons.

Bjugstad goes back to college

Panthers prospect forward Nick Bjugstad, who was believed to have a chance at making the team this year, has decided to return to the University of Minnesota for his junior season and put his pro career on hold.

“We told him to weigh the pros and cons,’’ Tallon said. “Either way we stick by him and support him. He has a brilliant future for us and I’m excited for whenever it starts.’’

The Michigan Daily stands by their man.

I am very happy to learn that the Michigan Daily is standing behind their man Matt Slovin, who has not backed off his story one bit, even with a threat of a law suit staring him in the face, he did not blink.

Honestly, I have to admire a person like that, Slovin will probably go down in history as the guy that stood up to the mighty Kitchener Rangers.

A statement from The Michigan Daily regarding the situation involving the Kitchener Rangers:

On June 28 The Michigan Daily published an article on its website that said hockey player Jacob Trouba was considering an offer to play for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. The article was updated to include further developments on July 2, July 3 and July 4. The Rangers and the Trouba family have denied the offer, and the Rangers have threatened legal action. The Daily stands behind the story and the reporter, Matt Slovin. The Daily will respond to threats of legal action in an appropriate fashion. [The Michigan Daily]

Time for the NCAA to throw the book at PSU football

Getty Images

The results of the PSU sex abuse scandal were made public today – just like many of us expected – PSU officials to include former head football coach Joe Paterno covered up these heinous and disgusting vile acts for over 14 year period, there is no excuse for this felonious criminal behavior, none.

PSU officials have known since 1998 that Jerry Sandusky was a sexual predator and was abusing young boys on the grounds of Penn State University, yet they covered these crimes up. This is unacceptable! The Penn State officials that covered up these crimes are also culpable for the heinous acts that were committed against the victims of Jerry Sandusky.

There is no way of sugar coating this - this is a horrible disgusting scandal cannot go unpunished – the NCAA has to respond to this, if the NCAA fails to respond to this in an acceptable manner they have no credibility what-so-ever. The NCAA needs to come down hard on the PSU football team - the "death penalty" for the PSU football team would be a good start.

State College, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Penn State's most powerful leaders showed "total and consistent disregard" for victims of child sex abuse and failed to protect children, according to the findings of a long-awaited internal review over how the university handled a scandal involving its former defensive coordinator. In fact, the report says several former officials "empowered" Jerry Sandusky to continue his abuse, and investigators say legendary head football coach Joe Paterno could have stopped the attacks had he done more. Read the report here (PDF)

I read a good number of the Freeh report until I couldn’t stomach any more of it - I hope Jerry Sandusky rots in hell. There are a few items in this report that I found to be really egregious. The University knew about this as early as 1998.

Investigators found that even before May 1998, "several staff members and football coaches regularly observed Sandusky showering with young boys," but "none of the individuals interviewed notified their superiors of this behavior," according to the report.

It also found that university police "and the Department of Public Welfare responded promptly to the report by a young boy's mother of a possible sexual assault by Sandusky" in 1998, and top university officials were "kept informed of the investigation.

In what universe is an adult male showering with a young boy to be considered to be normal behavior – that should have been the last incident in this story not the beginning of a long line of abusive incidents. Again, there is not excuse to these incidents - none - the victims of Jerry Sandusky will suffer the effects of their abuse for the rest of their lives.

Another thing that I find disgusting is on Page 62 of the Free Report it states.

On Friday February 9, 2011, University graduate assistant Michael McQueary observed Sandusky involved in a sexual activity with a boy in the coach’s shower room in the University Lasch Building. McQueary met with and reported the incident to Paterno on Saturday, February 10, 2001. Paterno did not immediately report what McQueary told him, explaining that he didn’t not want to interfere with anyone’s weekend.

Wait, What? Didn’t want to interfere with anyone’s weekend, you’ve got to be kidding me. I had to read this twice because I couldn't believe that Paterno could be so callus, the health and safety of the children victimized are way more important than some university suit's weekend being interrupted because one of their assistant football coaches was a sexual predator and had perpetrated a felonious crime against a minor child. This is nothing but arrogance of an out of control football coach and staff.

Finally, They should take the statue that stands outside of Beaver Stadium and smash it into a thousand pieces melt it down and sell the rubble as scraps, because the actions of a few bad apples in  have tarnished the reputation for Penn State for a very long time.

The ball is in PSU’s court, the rest of the world is waiting for you to make the proper and right move.

Jeff Dubay resurfaces - talks about his addiction

s/t @Bruce Ciskie... The P.A. and Dubay show from nine to noon, Monday through Friday was a very popular radio show on KFAN for 10 years; then in the fall of 2008, co-host Jeff Dubay’s world fell apart on him. For college hockey fans Dubay filled the college hockey void that Minneapolis, St. Paul and the upper Midwest had.

Since his dismissal from KFAN – the station has lacked a daily college hockey presence – until recently. While Ryan Cardinal of Gopher Puck Live has done a good job filling in on Thursdays, the station has never been the same since Dubay left KFAN 100.3, there has been a void that has yet to be filled.

That being said, I do have to give credit where credit is due, Paul Allen has incorporated some good hockey minds like Michael Russo of the Star Tribune and Allen has also improved in his knowledge of the game of hockey.

Chad Hartman, MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) —“When somebody brought this out and set it on the table, I’d never seen this before,” Dubay said. “It’s these chunky, little white things. I thought, ‘What the heck is it?’ The guy said, ‘It’s rock.’ I still didn’t know what it was. I still didn’t know it was crack cocaine.”

The drug was a break from the depression, but it quickly became a habit.

“You took the drug and then the drug took you,” he said. “And that’s all it took. I was done for the next two years.”

In October 2008, while driving home after buying crack, an officer started pulling Dubay over for a broken taillight.

Dubay panicked and threw the drugs out the window. But officers found them.

“I was crying, saying, ‘My life is over.’ Please don’t. Just please give me a break,’” he recalled.

You can listen to the whole interview right here. I ran into Jeff Dubay three years ago during the WCHA Final Five and have often wondered what had happened to him. Hartman's interview on WCCO kind of catches us up. Thankfully Dubay has been clean since May of 2011. I hope that Jeff can finally get his act together and go on to live a healthy life.

Farwell 'NCAA has been similarly accused of making it attractive financially to keep these players playing in their system'

To tonight while I was riding my bike and I was listening to the Pipeline show on Team 1260 A.M. out of Edmonton, Alberta .

The hosts Guy Flaming and Dean Millard had on Mike Farwell who is a radio analyst for Kitchener Rangers hockey team and works for  570 A.M. News. Farwell is also a sports anchor on the Sportsnet 590 A.M. The Fan out of Toronto, Ontario.  

You can listen to the show in question by clicking on this link or you can download the show on iTunes store.

Guy asked Mike Farwell about the various allegations surrounding the CHL and if there is any truth to some of these rumors.  The response to the question was quite interesting.

“In my personal opinion and I am heading into my thirteenth season in this league,” Farwell said. “Where there is smoke there is fire and we hear unfortunately about these types of situations far too often. “

“You listed some of the power houses but again; I don’t want to get into a naming of names and who said what and he said – she said sort of thing again. It’s not too hard if want to just Google it you can find the members clubs across the entire 62 team Canadian Hockey League that have been accused of these things before.”

Then Farwell dropped this little throw away nugget out there, “having said that, the NCAA has been similarly accused of making it attractive financially to keep these players playing in their system, despite that fact that it goes against their rules and regulations as well.”

“I want to make that abundantly clear we hear this so often, you have to ask what is going on.  To me this is really the elephant in the room for the Canadian Hockey League and its incumbent on the league to do something.” 

Wait, What? I was disappointed that the hosts didn’t dig a little further and ask for clarification from Farwell, he also gave no specific example of what he was referring to.

College is pretty regulated and there just isn’t a lot of dirty under the table stuff going on in college hockey. When is the last time a team in the NCAA hockey was given the death penalty for improprieties? You don't have the violations in college hockey that happen in NCAA Division I Basketball and Football. If you don't think the NCAA is looking up North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Boston College and Denver's rear ends you're highly mistaken.

This is also not the first time I have heard Major Junior Hockey Fans make the charge that NCAA hockey has questionable recruiting practices. Really! There has not been a lot in the recent past and there has only been six NCAA violations since 1974 according to Joe Meloni of the College Hockey News. 

Text of letter Joe Paterno wrote in December 2011

This letter by Joe Paterno's which was written in December of 2011 or January of 2012 has been making it's way around the internet today and its a must read if you have not read it.

[The Associated Press]

For the last two months, at the request of the Attorney General's office, I have not discussed the specifics of my testimony regarding the pending cases. And while I will continue to honor that request, I do feel compelled to address comments made subsequent to November 9; specifically, I feel compelled to say, in no uncertain terms, that this is not a football scandal.

Let me say that again so I am not misunderstood: regardless of anyone's opinion of my actions or the actions of the handful of administration officials in this matter, the fact is nothing alleged is an indictment of football or evidence that the spectacular collections of accomplishments by dedicated student athletes should be in anyway tarnished.

Yet, over and over again, I have heard Penn State officials decrying the influence of football and have heard such ignorant comments like Penn State will no longer be a ''football factory'' and we are going to ''start'' focusing on integrity in athletics. These statements are simply unsupported by the five decades of evidence to the contrary - and succeed only in unfairly besmirching both a great university and the players and alumni of the football program who have given of themselves to help make it great.

For over 40 years young men have come to Penn State with the idea that they were going to do something different - they were coming to a place where they would be expected to compete at the highest levels of college football and challenged to get a degree. And they succeeded - during the last 45 years NO ONE has won more games while graduating more players. The men who made that commitment and who gave of themselves to help build the national reputation of what was once a regional school deserve better than to have their hard work and sacrifice dismissed as part of a ''football factory,'' all in the interests of expediency.

Penn State is not a football factory and it is ALREADY a great University. We have world-class researchers, degree programs, and students in every discipline. Penn Staters have been pioneers in medical advancements, engineering, and in the humanities. Our graduates have gone on to change the world - even graduates with football lettermen sweaters.

That is why recent comments are so perplexing and damaging - Penn Staters know we are a world class University. We can recite with pride the ranks of our academic programs and the successes of our graduates. Penn Staters (and employers) know what we are and the quality of our education. Nothing that has been alleged in any way implicates that reputation; rather, it is only the inexplicable comments of our own administration doing so.

It must stop. This is not a football scandal and should not be treated as one. It is not an academic scandal and does not in any way tarnish the hard earned and well-deserved academic reputation of Penn State. That Penn State officials would suggest otherwise is a disservice to every one of the over 500,000 living alumni.

Forget my career in terms of my accomplishments and look at the last 40 years as I do: as the aggregate achievements of hundreds of young men working to become better people as they got an education and became better football players. Look at those men and what they have done in the world since they left Penn State and assess their contributions as an aggregate - is this a collection of jocks who did nothing but skate by at a football factory, or are these men who earned an education and built a reputation second to none as a place where academic integrity and gridiron success could thrive together?

Whatever failings that may have happened at Penn State, whatever conclusions about my or others' conduct you may wish to draw from a fair view of the allegations, it is inarguable that these actions had nothing to do with this last team or any of the hundreds of prior graduates of the ''Grand Experiment.''

Penn Staters across the globe should feel no shame in saying ''We are . Penn State.'' This is a great university with one of the best academic performing football programs in major college athletics. Those are facts - and nothing that has been alleged changes them.

NCAA to wait for 'appropriate time' for action on Penn State

I don't think that Penn State is out of the woods yet and I do believe that there has to be some kind of NCAA punishment or sanctions for Penn State University football team. What happened on their campus is disgusting and heinous crime and might have been covered up.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) – The NCAA says that it will decide on whether to take action at the "appropriate time" in connection with its inquiry into Penn State and the child sexual abuse scandal that led to the ouster of Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno.

The NCAA says Penn State will have to formally respond to questions from President Mark Emmert about the conduct of its athletics department in connection with the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal.

Findings from Penn State's internal investigation into the case of ex-defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky are due to be released at 9 a.m. ET Thursday. The NCAA says it has already been collecting information from the probe led by former FBI director Louis Freeh.

The NCAA says Penn State will have to formally respond to questions from NCAA President Mark Emmert, even after Freeh unveils his findings.

The governing body says it won't interfere with other ongoing inquiries and will determine if additional action is necessary. It offered no specific timeline.

If investigations reveal that Penn State did in fact cover up these heinous crimes then,  PSU needs to have the book thrown at them by the NCAA - but I would say lets let the investigations play out before the long arm of the NCAA wields its punishment. I don't like the fact that the University knew about this back in 2001 and this didn't get exposed. If in fact there was a coverup then PSU should feel the pain of NCAA Sanctions.

UND Women's Hockey - 2012-13

The UND Women's 2012-13 schedule was released today.

Fri, Oct 05   Minnesota State *  Grand Forks, N.D.    7:07 p.m. 

Sat, Oct 06   Minnesota State *  Grand Forks, N.D.    2:07 p.m. 

Fri, Oct 12   Ohio State *  at Columbus, Ohio    7:07 p.m. 

Sat, Oct 13   Ohio State *  at Columbus, Ohio    4:07 p.m. 

Fri, Oct 19   St. Cloud State *  Grand Forks, N.D.    7:07 p.m. 

Sat, Oct 20   St. Cloud State *  Grand Forks, N.D.    7:07 p.m. 

Sat, Oct 27   Minnesota *  Grand Forks, N.D.    2:07 p.m. 

Sun, Oct 28   Minnesota *  Grand Forks, N.D.    2:07 p.m. 

Fri, Nov 02   Clarkson  Grand Forks, N.D.    2:07 p.m. 

Sat, Nov 03   Clarkson  Grand Forks, N.D.    2:07 p.m. 

Sat, Nov 17   Bemidji State *  at Bemidji, Minn.    2:07 p.m. 

Sun, Nov 18   Bemidji State *  at Bemidji, Minn.    2:07 p.m. 

Fri, Nov 23   Minnesota Duluth *  Grand Forks, N.D.    7:07 p.m. 

Sat, Nov 24   Minnesota Duluth *  Grand Forks, N.D.    7:07 p.m. 

Fri, Nov 30   RIT  Grand Forks, N.D.    7:07 p.m. 

Sat, Dec 01   RIT  Grand Forks, N.D.    7:07 p.m. 

Sat, Dec 08   Wisconsin *  at Madison, Wis.    2:07 p.m. 

Sun, Dec 09   Wisconsin *  at Madison, Wis.    2:07 p.m. 

Fri, Jan 04   Lindenwood  at St. Charles, Mo.    7:00 p.m. 

Sat, Jan 05   Lindenwood  at St. Charles, Mo.    2:00 p.m. 

Fri, Jan 11   Minnesota *  at Minneapolis, Minn.    6:07 p.m. 

Sat, Jan 12   Minnesota *  at Minneapolis, Minn.    4:07 p.m. 

Fri, Jan 18   Wisconsin *  Grand Forks, N.D.    7:07 p.m. 

Sat, Jan 19   Wisconsin *  Grand Forks, N.D.    7:07 p.m.  

Fri, Jan 25   St. Cloud State *  at St. Cloud, Minn.    7:07 p.m. 

Sat, Jan 26   St. Cloud State *  at St. Cloud, Minn.    2:07 p.m. 

Fri, Feb 01   Minnesota State *  at Mankato, Minn.    7:07 p.m. 

Sat, Feb 02   Minnesota State *  at Mankato, Minn.    3:07 p.m. 

Fri, Feb 08   Bemidji State *  Grand Forks, N.D.    7:07 p.m. 

Sat, Feb 09   Bemidji State *  Grand Forks, N.D.    7:07 p.m. 

Fri, Feb 15   Ohio State *  Grand Forks, N.D.    7:07 p.m. 

Sat, Feb 16   Ohio State *  Grand Forks, N.D.    7:07 p.m. 

Fri, Feb 22   Minnesota Duluth *  at Duluth, Minn.    7:07 p.m. 

Sat, Feb 23   Minnesota Duluth *  at Duluth, Minn.    4:07 p.m. 

Fri, Mar 01   WCHA First Round  TBA    TBA 

Sat, Mar 02   WCHA First Round  TBA    TBA 

Sun, Mar 03   WCHA First Round (if nec.)  TBA    TBA 

Fri, Mar 08   WCHA Final Face-Off Semifinals  at Minneapolis, Minn.    TBA 

Sat, Mar 09   WCHA Final Face-Off Championship  at Minneapolis, Minn.    7:07 p.m. 

Fri, Mar 15   NCAA Regionals  TBA    TBA 

Fri, Mar 22   NCAA Frozen Four Semifinals  at Minneapolis, Minn.    TBA 

Sun, Mar 24   NCAA Frozen Four Championship  at Minneapolis, Minn.    TBA 

More from the Kitchener Rangers suing the Michigan Daily

Personally, I think it’s funny that the all mighty Kitchener Rangers of the OHL are suing the University of Michigan student newspaper – in Canada no doubt. Like Chris Peters of the United States of Hockey said on twitter yesterday this is probably all optics for now. I agree with Peters' assessment. I am not sure how a Canadian court is going to get "The Michigan Daily" to comply with their rulings if they found liable?

Sunaya Sapurji, Yahoo Sports --- The long, bitter and ongoing feud between the Canadian Hockey League and NCAA hockey took an interesting twist when the Kitchener Rangers announced they had made good on a previous threat to sue The Michigan Daily.

According to Kitchener’s chief operating officer Steve Bienkowski, the Ontario Hockey League team has filed a statement of claim in a Kitchener, Ont., court against The Daily – the University of Michigan’s student newspaper – and to reporter Matt Slovin. The issued claim is expected to be served on Wednesday morning.

The lawsuit stems from a report the newspaper published last Tuesday, which quoted an anonymous OHL source, who alleged the Rangers had offered standout defenceman Jacob Trouba, a Wolverines commit, $200,000 in lieu of an education package to play for Kitchener this season. Such a payment would contravene the OHL’s rules in regards to impermissible benefits.

Ryder Gilliland, the lawyer representing the Rangers in their suit, said the team is seeking $1 million in damages – $500,000 in general damages and another $500,000 in punitive damages. Once the official claim is processed, the newspaper and Slovin have 40 days in which to defend that claim because they are located in the United States.

“We’re actually not making any comment at this time,” said Jacob Axelrad, the editor-in-chief of The Daily.

Although I am not a lawyer by any stretch of the imagination – I think it’s going to be very hard to prove liable in this case. This also isn’t the first time that the Rangers have been accused of shenanigans either.

Three years ago Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson accused the Rangers of trying to pay off blueliner Cam Fowler, who was slated to play for Jackson's squad. [RANGERS REPORT]

I don’t recall the Rangers suing Jeff Jackson. So does that mean that they don’t dispute the Jackson claims? As of right now the story is still on "the Michigan Daily web site.

Kitchener Rangers sue the Michigan Daily

The Kitchener Rangers have sued the University of Michigan’s student newspaper the Michigan Daily and reporter Matt Slovin for his story that Michigan recruit Jacob Trouba was offered 200,000.00 by the Kitchener Rangers to break his commitment to the University of Michigan and play for the Kitchener Rangers who drafted him.

By QMI Agency --- The Kitchener Rangers of the OHL have taken legal action against a University of Michigan student newspaper and one of its reporters for publishing a story that alleged the team offered defenceman Jacob Trouba $200,000 to play for it.

A story that appeared in The Michigan Daily last week alleged that the Rangers tried to coax Trouba, a first-round draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets last month, out of a deal to play for the Michigan Wolverines.

This story is getting more interesting by the minute – here is a story from the Record that says the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL are suing the Michigan Daily for $1 million dollars in damages for the story that Matt Slovin wrote on Michigan recruit Jacob Trouba and him being offered 200,000.00 to play for the Rangers.

You can also read more about this developing story here and here.

NHL Owners can't claim they're poor - not after the latest free agent signings

I touched on this in the last blog post... The battle lines are being drawn up. The good news is, the two sides are talking to attempt to avoid another lock out. I doubt either the players or the NHL owners want another repeat of the lockout that cost the NHL the entire 2004-05 season.

Scott Burnside, ESPN.com --- Never mind the spreadsheets and the pie graphs breaking down the NHL's revenue streams, all union head Donald Fehr needs to do when the NHL and its players sit down to try to hammer out a new labor deal is to bring the clippings from the first four days of free agency.

Zach Parise and Ryan Suter combining for $196 million over the next 13 seasons.

Forty-year-olds Ray Whitney and Jaromir Jagr combining to bring in a hair more than $9 million next season.

Matt Carle, 20th among NHL defensemen in point production last season, was lured back to Tampa by a six-year deal that will pay him an average of $5.5 million annually.

Jiri Hudler struck it rich with a four-year, $16 million contract after a career-best 25-goal campaign in Detroit.

Brandon Prust -- seriously -- got $10 million over four years to bring toughness to the Montreal lineup.

Every time a new contract was added to the list of bloated contracts that came before, commissioner Gary Bettman must have given a grim shake of his head.

When the NHL announced that they had a record breaking $3.3 billion in revenue this past season and then they turned around and said that the NHL owners we're hurting is going to fall upon deaf ears. I don’t believe it and I am sure most of the fans don’t as well.

Seriously! The NHL Owners are going to have a hard time convincing most sane people that the NHL owners are suffering financially. Sure, there is no doubt that certain teams are not as well off as financially as others – that’s life.

I also don’t doubt that are probably a half dozen NHL teams that would fold tomorrow if there is another lockout, but the owners made this bed for themselves. I don’t blame the players in this mess, the owners are the ones that signed free agents for astronomically high contracts and then turn around and say we want to reel in player contracts and that we’re broke.

The players and owners get to work and try avoid a work stoppage.

Parise and Suter signings didn't go unnoticed

I don’t think that anyone one is going to feel sorry for the NHL owners during the upcoming CBA negotiations when they say we’re broke and we can’t afford to play these big exuberant salaries anymore… Seriously! No one is going to feel sorry for the owners – especially after the Minnesota Wild’s owner signed two players for a total of 196 million dollars. I just don’t see there being a lot of empathy – especially for the Wild owner Craig Leipold.

I would imagine that the players have been watching these players’ signings as well.

Michael Russo, Star Tribune --- Leipold responded Monday, saying, "Listen: We've been losing money and the way we were going, we were going to have another year of 'keep losing more money and more money and more money.' So if I'm going to make the kind of financial commitment to keep this team and move this forward, I'd rather do it growing it.

"Ultimately that was the decision. As a result of this move, it's not going to cause us to be financially stable. I believe it will be within a year or two. This is a move to get us out of the hole that we've been digging. And as I spoke with some other owners in the league as to why I did it, they totally get it. They understand it. At some point you have to make that kind of commitment in order to turn your franchise around. If we didn't, then we would just keep losing more going forward without any plan of changing it."

Ironically, the day after the spending spree, Leipold was one of the owners who sat in the bargaining session between the NHL and NHL Players' Association in New York. The league has moved to terminate the collective bargaining agreement and negotiate another. The current agreement expires Sept. 15, and the league is in danger of a lockout. In 2004-05, the season was wiped out because of a lockout.

The hockey world has been a buzz since the big signing in Minnesota and you can bet that executive director of the National Hockey League Players Association Donald Fehr took note of the signing as well.

The owners want to move to a 50/50 revenue split; currently the players are at 57-43 revenue split. If the players are to accept the 50/50 number would mean that means the players are going to have their salaries rolled back. This could end up being a long fight especially with the recent signing in the NHL during free agency.

Zach Parise on ESPN 1500

Check out this segment on ESPN's A.M 1500 with Jim Souhan and Tom Pelissero the two hosts talked about the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter signing in Minnesota and then they talked with the Minnesota Wild's newest star forward Zach Parise yesterday morning.

The Second hour is where Parise talks to the hosts. [click to listen]

Zach Parise on defining success in Minnesota – “In New Jersey we hadn’t won a round… I think it was since 2006, we hadn’t won a playoff round for a long time, we missed the playoffs the year before going to the finals; the league is so even right now,” Parise said.

“If you look at the Stanley Cup Finals this year you have a sixth seed with us [Devils] and the eight seed with L.A. – it’s so even that you just want to get in. The team that seems to get hot for two months always does well.”

“I think when you through in a defenseman of the caliber of Ryan Suter and mix him in with the defensemen they already got and put him on any team, that immediately makes the team much better and the appeal of having him there with me… I was… I thought it was a great fit. Like you said, I know they haven’t won a playoff series in a while and that is a challenge that everyone is going to face and hopefully we can get into the post season this year and progress and develop and get to the ultimate thing.”

Idalski lands 2-year contract extension

Good news for UND Women’s hockey, head women's hockey coach Brian Idalski has been re-upped for another two years. Since taking over the Women’s hockey program from former UND women’s head coach Shantel Rivard, Brian Idalski has taken a program from the ashes and turned UND into a national power. Apparently, Idalaski’s base salary is $116,777. Goon’s World would like to congratulate Idalski on his new deal.

[Official Press Release]

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - University of North Dakota Athletics Director Brian Faison announced today that head women's hockey coach Brian Idalski has received a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the helm of his program through the 2016-17 season.

Idalski guided his team to the most successful season in program history in 2011-12, his fifth year behind the UND bench. UND went 22-13-3 to set a program record for victories while securing its first NCAA postseason berth. Junior forwards Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux became UND's first women's hockey All-Americans, while Jocelyne Lamoureux became the school's first top-3 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award, given annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women's hockey.

"Coach Idalski has a great understanding of the game of hockey and what it takes to be successful," said Faison. "That success is evident in all facets of his program, from assembling a top-notch staff to recruiting to community service to a strong emphasis upon academics to on-ice results. Coach Idalski has positioned our program to be amongst college women's ice hockey elite."

Idalski, who inherited a program that had gone 0-27-1 in 2006-07, has led UND to 20-win seasons in each of the last two years. UND finished the 2011-12 season ranked sixth in the final USCHO.com poll and was named the 2011-12 North Dakota women's college team of the year by the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscaster and Sportswriters Association (NDAPSSA).

Jocelyne Lamoureux, who set a program record for points (82), goals (34) and assists (48), was named the NDAPSSA Female College Athlete of the Year, the WCHA Most Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year, and a Capital One Academic All-American.

Both Lamoureuxs were named to the All-USCHO First Team, while freshman forward Michelle Karvinen was named to USCHO's All-Rookie Team.

UND's milestone season was also reflected in the stands at Ralph Engelstad Arena, as the program ranked second nationally in average (1,485) and total (28,218) home attendance.

QMJHL having trouble with recruitment of American players

s/t Cam Charron, Buzzing The Net... s/t to Kathleen Lavoie, Le Soleil... Note the article is in French, so you have to use Google Translate to read the article. This is good news for Division I college hockey, I am also sure that the QMJHL isn’t going to get a lot of people to feel sorry for them.

Aiming to favour its smaller markets, the governors* voted in a new rule concerning "special arrangements" with players. This new rule, starting now, puts an annual limit of $10,000 on scholarships/bursaries allotted to Americans, for a maximum total of $40,000.

This amount is in addition to the one already outlined in the QMJHL's scholastic policy, which puts an annual limit of $5,000 on bursaries awarded to these student athletes, for a possible total of $60,000.

And yet, one year's tuition in colleges such as Boston University, Boston College or Cornell University can easily cost anywhere between $25,000 and $40,000, depending on the program. As such, it's not uncommon for an American player to be offered a full scholarship ranging from $100,000 to $150,000.

"The League's message is paradoxical", according to Jean Gagnon. "On the one hand, for the last year we have been forcing teams to draft two American players, but on the other, we're preventing teams from making competitive offers to these players."

If you’re a college hockey fan and one of your recruits is being perused by the QMJHL, this is good news.

I am not anti-CHL by any stretch of the imagination; I think that the CHL route is a good way to make the NHL if you’re one of the “top” blue chip hockey players. If you’re a late bloomer or a player that takes longer to develop the NCAA route is going to be a better path to take.

Let’s not kid ourselves, I do favor the NCAA Division I college hockey route... I have been around college hockey for a very long time and have seen some really good hockey players make the NHL from the NCAA route. All you have to do is watch the AHL or the NHL on a weekly basis to see that there are very talented players making their way to the AHL and or the NHL from the NCAA hockey ranks. This season’s AHL Calder Cup playoffs were a perfect example of this. This year's Stanley Cup playoffs also featured many former NCAA alumni.

I do also think that the NCAA is on par with the major junior route when it comes to players making the NHL. Contrary to some in the thump your chest with everything that is CHL Hockey - there is more than one route of the NHL and I don't think that any one fan base can claim that their route is better than another route. Finally, I also look at the revelations of this article as a positive for the NCAA route.

Another $900,000.00 Question – Does Nick Bjugstad sign with the Florida Panthers?

I’ve been monitoring the Twitter traffic the past couple of weeks and one of the main topics of discussion amongst Gopher fans is; will Golden Gopher forward Nick Bjugstad sign an entry level contract with the Florida Panthers? From everything that I have read, it appears that Bjugstad wowed them in South Florida this past week and was a man among boys.

Bjugstad "if" he signs will get the rookie max - money probably isn't' the concern - the big decision is whether he wants to leave college two years early and begin his professional career - which according to Michale Russo of the Star Tribune, will probably be in the AHL, because the Panthers are stacked with forwards.

I think Bjugstad is a great hockey prospect and doesn't have a lot to prove in college so I wouldn't be surprised if he signed a professional contract. So we wait, just like we did with the past few summers. I am sure we will hear which way he is leaning in the next couple of weeks. 

Harvey Fialkov, Sun Sentinel --- Panthers prospect Nick Bjugstad firmly denied that the Panthers had made him any contract offers or that he had turned down any (that a source told me yesterday). He will talk to his family about his decision in the coming days and hopes to decide over the next two weeks. Bjugstad has looked like a man among boys at this camp. Ditto for Jonathan Huberdeau who wowed the fans and teammates with a spectacular shootout goal today in which he turned his back on the goalie before switching from backhand to forehand and backhand for a score between the five-hole.

Could the NHL kill the Coyotes

I have seen this idea bandied about the internet the last few days - can you imagine if the NHL decided to just fold the Phoenix Coyotes and hold a dispersal draft?

David Shoalts, the Globe and Mail --- Bettman has long refused to consider moving the Coyotes. Doing so now would be difficult but not impossible. But the only candidate with an arena that could be whipped into NHL shape quickly is Quebec City and Bettman has never shown enthusiasm for that move.

In some NHL circles, a more drastic solution is envisioned. The Coyotes could simply be folded, its 23 players sent to other NHL teams through a dispersal draft and the league would operate with 29 teams next season.

This would allow the NHL to collect expansion fees of $200-million or more each from Seattle and Quebec City, the top candidates for NHL teams, rather than a single relocation fee of $60-million or so for the Coyotes. That is a gain of at least $200-million if a total loss of $200-million is assumed on the NHL's investment in the Coyotes.

However, this would create legal headaches with lenders holding the Coyotes franchise as collateral and probably the NHL Players’ Association. So the NHL’s longest limbo dance will continue for now but a nasty choice could be coming quickly.

It would appear that the NHL and the city of Glendale are running out of options, there are only three options.  1.) Find a buyer that wants to keep the Coyotes in the Phoenix area - they have a potential buyer but there seems to be a few sticking points that could slow up the sale. 2.) move the team out of the Phoenix area to another city that wants to have a NHL team. 3.) Fold the team.  

A few things - Zane Gothberg goes to camp

What a difference a couple of days make. Since the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter watch is over the summer is basically officially started.

Future UND goalie Zane Gothberg attended the Boston Bruins development camp and he is in a few of pictures on the Bruins Hockey Blog. [The Bruins Blog], [The Bruins Blog]

Check out this picture. [Click to open] If you look closely you will see that Zane is wearing Fighting Sioux hockey pants.

I haven’t been able to find anything on Zane Gothberg’s development camp with the Boston Bruins and I don’t expect him to be a very early departure at UND because the Boston Bruins have a stable full of goalies.

James Murphy, ESPN.COM --- In late May, the Bruins signed Swedish free-agent goalie Niklas Svedberg. At the draft in Pittsburgh last week, they used their first selection on another goaltender in Belleville Bulls (OHL) goalie Malcolm Subban with the 24th overall pick. They also decided to invite Boston College star goaltender Parker Milner -- who is a free agent and has one more season left at the Heights after helping the Eagles to a national championship last season -- to development camp. In addition to Svedberg, Subban and Milner, goalies Zane Gothberg, Adam Morrison and Lars Volden are also attending camp. Sweeney sees nothing but positives out of the sudden logjam between the pipes.

Here is a nice article on Zane Gothberg - [Zane] Gothberg ready for the next level

One thing that you can’t deny is that Zane Gothberg is a confident kid – the young goalie wants to come into camp and prove his worth to the UND coaching staff. Quote courtesy of the Hockey Writers Bob Mand.

Both Hargrove and Gothberg will be attending colleges in the fall: Zane will patrol the crease for the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux while Colton will lace ‘em up for the Western Michigan University Broncos.

Speaking of his goals as a freshman at UND, Gothberg said he wants to, “… Come in, put my best foot forward and try and get the starting job there….It’s the competition that brings out the best in you and it’s only going to make myself and my other goalie partners at North Dakota better. I just want to step up and prove that I can take the full bulk and be the starting goalie.”

Recently, I have watched the Goalie thread unfold on Sioux Sports and I have found some of the comments to be interesting – I predict that if Aaron Dell returns to the UND for his senior season he will be the starting goaltender for the Fighting Sioux next season. Just a hunch and I predict that Dell will get the start in the big games when it matters the most. It takes a lot to unseat a former All-American like Aaron Dell.

Does Penn State belong in the Big Ten?

The Face of Pervert

I found this article while reading the Thank You Terry Hockey Biog. Can you imagine If the Big Ten decided that they no longer could tolerate the scandal at Penn State?

Does Penn State belong in the Big Ten?

The Big Ten’s Council of Presidents voted in 1990 to “integrate Pennsylvania State University” into the conference. PSU began athletic competition in the league in 1993, making the Nittany Lions full-blown competitive members for 19 years.

Though full details aren’t available, the emails released so far and other investigations indicate Paterno and the school’s president, vice president and athletic director learned of Sandusky’s perversion as early as 1998.

In other words, *for at least 74 percent of the time that Penn State has been in the Big Ten Conference, four of the most powerful figures on campus allegedly chose to focus on protecting their institution and positions of authority at the expense of children already abused — with more victims to come because of their inaction.

Is that how the Big Ten does business? And is that the kind of operation the Big Ten wants to associate itself with?

Those are brutally hard questions. But the discussion needs to happen, and at a level far beyond athletics.

The history of major schools getting kicked out of conferences is short.

* This is the sentence that makes my blood boil – Penn State knew – that’s unacceptable.

If the Big Ten decided that they no longer wanted Penn State in their Conference – would cause great turmoil – especially after all of the dominos had already fallen in re-alignment.

In my opinion, Jerry Sandusky is a disgusting P.O.S and deserves to rot in hell for the rest of his life for what he has done to defenseless children. There is no excuse for what Sandusky has done – no matter how you look at it the guy is pure evil.

Going forward, how does Penn State make it right? Is there any chance the Big Ten kicks Penn State out of the Big Ten Conference? What should happen to Penn State? What is a just and right punishment?

In Conclusion; People (Staff, student and visitors) have the right to feel safe on America’s college campuses, what has happened at Penn State is unacceptable especially if they covered it up and kicked it under the rug. Penn State needs to pay some kind of a price for the sins of their football program – but what is an acceptable penalty? Does Penn State deserve to have the book thrown at them? Are NCAA sanctions up to a death penalty an acceptable punishment? What do you think?

Oshie to file for Arbitration

Former Fighting Sioux forward T.J. Oshie is going to file for Salary Arbitration, according to Andy Strickland Oshie is still a restricted free agent so he really isn’t able to rest the free agent market as of yet.

Andy Strickland, TrueHockey.com --- Sources close to Blues forward T.J. Oshie tell me he will file for arbitration before today’s 5:00 eastern deadline.

This is often nothing more than simple protocol to protect a player’s rights. Oshie, who tied Captain David Backes for the team lead in scoring, enjoyed career highs last season in goals, assists, points, penalty minutes, and games played. His 19:31 minutes per game were second among Blues forwards while leading the way with 1:48 per game shorthanded. He also averaged over 2:00 per game on the power play.

Considering Oshie’s versatility it’s hard to put a number on his actual value. He does much more than what you find on the scoresheet and head Coach Ken Hitchcock has referred to him as one of the better defensive forwards in the NHL today. With that being said he’s also among the Blues more talented offensive players as well.

Bruins went after Parise as well

Perusing the internet today it appears that the Boston Bruins also offered Zach Parise a significant contract offer.

Fluto Shinzawa, Boston Globe --- Before Sunday’s market opening, GM Peter Chiarelli said he expected to be quiet. The Bruins have less than $3 million in available cap space.

Had the Bruins signed Parise, they would have exceeded the $70.2 million cap by the allowable 10 percent offseason margin. They could have placed Marc Savard on long-term injured reserve if necessary.

Parise said his final decision came between Minnesota and New Jersey. Parise is a Minnesota native. The left wing had previously played for the Devils his entire career.

Parise, the ex-captain of the Devils, was one of the two high-end free agents available on the market. Ryan Suter was the other. Both signed identical deals with the Wild.

Obviously, the Boston Bruins didn’t have a lot of space to work with and they would have had to makes some moves to get under the cap. Could Bruins fans imagine how he would have looked in the B’s line up skating alongside a couple of the Bruins faster forwards like Patrice Bergeron and say the “Little Ball of Hate” Brad Marchand.