Wild officially done.

As I slept in my bed last night the Anaheim Ducks were putting the finishing touches on ending the Minnesota Wild's season, in a shootout no doubt. It should not have come down to this. The Wild should have been able to compete on the ice but were short changed an incompetent general manager who has missmanged the Wild so poorly they have no room under the cap to operate. Maybe Risbrough could learn from the Boston, Detroit and St Louis GM's.

This paragraph from the Minneapolis Star and Tribune really makes my blood boil because it should have never come down to this. It's not really Jacques Lemaire fault, he did a good job he could coaching the Wild with what he given to him from the teams GM.

I could see that [the fans] were happy the way the guys were working because they let us know," said a proud Lemaire, who might have coached his last home game. "I wish we would have had more games like this and we wouldn't be in the situation that we're in right now.

"Tonight was special. Behind the bench, I don't know how many times I thought, 'Gee, the guys are playing with their heart,' and you could tell."

I get what he is saying. So if only they had given this effort in February or March? I think the Wild gave the best effor they could based on injuries and lack of talented players. What if the Wild had more talented players necessary to make a run. Imagine if Gabby had been around maybe 10 more games this season? You have to wonder if Doug Risebrough had only resigned Brian Rolston during the off season? Come on! Rolston wasn't asking for that much money, it was a drop in the barrel, and who did you get to replace him with?

Could you imagine how Marian Hossa would have looked playing the forward possition in the land of 10,000 lakes. Great! Hossa took less money to play hockey in Detroit a team that has a chance to win a stanley cup and a general manager that knows how to manage the salary cap and develop players in their organization. Their players actually take less money to stay in their organization. The same can't be said about the state of hockey.

Now maybe Jacques Lemaire has coached his last game I don't hold him as responsible as I do Risebrough Lemaire did a lot with very little. Hopefully Doug Risebrough will be shown the door. I have followed this team since their born on date in 2000-2001 season, it is time for a change.

Something to look forward to

While the Wild are out of the Playoff as predicted, T.J. Oshie will get his first kick at the Stanley Cup with the St Louis Blues. The Blues played to a 18-6-3 since Feburary 12th. Oshie was also awarded the goal of the year by the NHL.

According to Brad's blog there will be seven former Fighting Sioux playing for the Stanley Cup. Zach Parise, Travis Zajac (New Jersey), Ryan Bayda (Carolina), Jonathan Toews (Chicago), Ryan Johnson (Vancouver), Mike Commodore (Columbus), T.J. Oshie with the (St Louis). I think the Sioux player(s) that has the best chance of going the furthest in the Stanley Cup playoffs is probably Ryan Bayda and Ryan Johnson. The Devils are a mess right now have gone 11-9-1 the last 20 games and three of their last four wins are against teams not in the Stanley cup playoffs (Lighting, Senators, Sabres).

Clearing up a few things.

During Bemidji’s amazing run to the Frozen Four I have heard a few things that need clearing up or addressing. First off there is one more year to the hockey Conference College Hockey America. The only issue remaining is whether the NCAA is going to grant them an auto bid next season. So the person that wrote to me an email to inform me that BSU doesn’t have a conference. Wrong!

Not deserving of an Auto-Bid

To the people that said Bemidji didn’t deserve to be in the NCAA tourney and took an at large bid away from a more deserving team. I believe that is a straw man’s argument. Evidence is the way BSU took down a number one seed in Notre Dame and beat a tough defensive three seed Cornell to advance to the Frozen Four. While Traditional powers like Michigan, North Dakota and Denver couldn’t get out of their regionals. That is hardly a fluke or an enigma in my opinion. Notre Dame was ranked number one or two for a good part of the college hockey season and was the number two over all seed in the NCAA hockey tourney. BSU has already done what MSU-M and SCSU have ever been able to accomplish advance to the Frozen Four and they have been a Division one hockey team for a shorter period of time that either of the fore mentioned teams.

BSU to the WCHA or not?

There seems to be a lot of emotions on both ends of the argument on whether BSU should be admitted to the WCHA or not. I think Bemidji State University has made a strong case to gain membership to the WCHA. I keep reading where people say just let Bemidji State and University of Alabama Huntsville wither and die on the vine or show apathy towards these two teams.

Like Donna from RWD’s said from a previous blog post that there will be people that will cry whine and complain if the WCHA lets BSU into the league because they won’t get their traditional rivalries like Wisconsin, DU, C.C. or Minnesota. I will buy that argument; however, my next question is what is worse? No match up with your favorite hockey team or missing the NCAA tourney because your favorite league was short sighted? I am going to take not playing a common opponent for one season because I would rather see my team go to the NCAA hockey tourney and possibly to the Frozen Four than being left at home because of stuborness.

I am going to take this argument one further. Imagine your favorite college has a strong season just missed winning their conference tourney, now off to the NCAA tourney. Not so fast. Imagine that favorite college hockey team being eligible under the current PWR and 16 team NCAA hockey tourney, you make your plans to attend a regional and watch your team play. Not going to happen. Due to a number teams folding and not being picked up by one of the five division one hockey conferences the NCAA has decided to drop the NCAA hockey tourney from sixteen to twelve bids. Your favorite hockey team’s season is over and there is no NCAA tourney for you. Do you see what I am getting at? The NCAA is going to pull at large bids if anymore hockey teams decide to fold. Now tell me who does UAH and BSU look. How about adding a few Canadian CIS teams? The University of British Columbia looking pretty good right now.

My Pick for the NCAA championship

I think that the Boston University Terriers are the most complete and balanced team in this season NCAA field and it would be only fitting that they win the NCAA tourney. While Miami trip to the Frozen Four is a nice story I don't think they are going to be able to slow down the Terriers tonight. Also, the final game is going to feature refs from the WCHA according to Fiona Quick on a recent twitter post. Note to the Redhawks expect the refs from the WCHA to make their presence know by calling a bunch of ticky tacky penalties. Also don’t expect the rash of penalties to have much of an effect on the Boston University Terriers who were one of the top penalized teams in the NCAA this season.

Stalock gone. Signs with the Sharks.

With the defection of Alex Stalock to the NHL that bring the total of 9 underclassmen that have left early to sign professional contracts so far this off season. After Stalock's run in the playoffs this spring you had to wonder if the Mighty Stalock's stock had risen pretty high. UND, MTU and SCSU are the only teams not to suffer any early defections as of yet. Also, in today's Grand Forks Herald UND beat writer Brad Elliott Schlossman is reporting that Chris VandeVelde is leaning towards staying at UND for his senior season.

Rink and Run had the details of Stalock's contract and even if Alex only plays in the AHL next season 62,000.00 is pretty good start to a post college career.

His two-way contract will be worth $62,500 if playing in the American Hockey League and $630,700 if playing in the NHL, plus an annual signing bonus of $85,000. Its possible Stalock may be assigned next week to San Jose’s American Hockey League affiliate in Worcester, Mass.

Early departures in the WCHA (9)

Alaska-Anchorage (1)
Paul Crowder, jr, forward, N.Y. Rangers

Colorado College (2)
Brian Connelly, jr, defenseman, Chicago Blackhawks
Richard Bachman, so, goaltender, Dallas Stars

Denver (1)
Tyler Bozak, so, forward, Toronto Maple Leafs

Minnesota (1)
Ryan Stoa, jr, forward, Colorado Avalanche

Minnesota-Duluth (1)
Evan Oberg, so, defenseman, Vancouver Canucks
Alex Stalock, jr, goaltender,

MSU-Mankato (1)
Trevor Bruess, jr, forward, Washington Capitals

Wisconsin (1)
Jamie McBain, jr, defenseman, Carolina Hurricanes

Did Chara break the code?

Our friend BrettB mentioned in another blog post earlier that Chara had broke the code when he was pounding on Les Hab's hack Mike Komisarek during last night's game.

BrenttB said:Chara guy was punching guys with gloves on?? Uh oh... numerous amounts of hockey code were broken from the highlights I saw..

True Zedno Chara did run in to the pile and start wailing away on someone that was sort out of the play and being held back by two officials and Chara did keep his gloves on. What does everyone think?

Bruins and Habs first round?

God I hope so and it is looking like that might be the case. I have to say that Jack Edwards is my favorite homer hockey announcer. I am sure he grates on some people but being a Bruins fan his commentary is music to my hears. There are so many Edwardisms that they actually have a Jack Edwards bingo game. Hockey Fights got the names of the combatants wrong for this fight, it was actually Shane Hnidy and Josh Georges and not Maxim Lapierre who was dropped by Brian Lee ealier in the week. Lapierre is really, really, really lucky that Lucic wasn't able to get his hands on him or he would have gotten his ass beaten for a second time this week.

I guess it would be an understatement to say that Milan Lucic was in an ornery mood last night and was looking to dance with former Michigan player Mike Komisarek.

It's just one of the general rules of life: when Canadiens meet Bruins, gloves, helmets and sticks end up as litter on the ice (true to form, there was a line brawl in the second).

Rough-hewn Bruins forward Milan Lucic renewed hostilities with nemesis Mike Komisarek and at one point in the second period chased down the Habs defenceman after he hit Lucic from behind in the neutral zone.

As Komisarek jousted with Bruins enforcer Shawn Thornton, Lucic skated up behind the Canadiens player and grabbed his head with both hands, dragging him to the ice.

Lucic was assessed a double-minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct.

And as the horn blew to end the first, a scrum saw colossus defenceman Zdeno Chara raining blows on a hapless Komisarek - who clearly featured as the top target in the Bruins gameplan.

Though Chara sought out Komisarek, who was exchanging angry words with another Bruin, he received only a double-minor for roughing.

The story that won't go away.

When I first read this story I thought it was a joke, so I checked the calender for the date and it wasn't April 1st. This story contiunes to keep motoring on and won't die, maybe it will die once MSU-M gets rejected by the WCHA.

Earlier this week I said, "Immediately we hear the pontifications about Dean Blais coaching the team." Wow, that didn't take long and Blais angle came full circle in just one short week (three - four days). I wonder if MSU-M realize how expensive it is to have a division one men's and woman's program? Also, coaches like Dean Blais don't work for free either.

MSUM hockey plan includes Blais ---- by Eric Peterson

Metro Sports Foundation proposal outlines potential Division I hockey team

A proposal presented to Minnesota State University Moorhead last month outlines launching Division I hockey with well-known coach Dean Blais leading the men's team.

The Forum obtained a similar proposal through an open records request to North Dakota State.

MSUM is responding to a similar request from The Forum, but had not provided documents as of Thursday.

"I would not be surprised if both of the presentations were exactly the same, exchanging the logos and names of the universities," MSUM Athletic Director Doug Peters said.

MSUM is holding a news conference at 10 a.m. today in the Comstock Memorial Union to discuss its potential move to Division I hockey.

"At this point in time, we are exploring the opportunity," Peters said.

Peters said he received the proposal from Metro Sports Foundation President Todd Berning and Urban Plains Center General Manager Lance Johnson in early March.

The MSF owns and operates the UP Center, which would house the potential Division I program.

Peters said the proposal he received was dated March 7.

"It's a good starting point and a good reference point, and it's been prepared by people that are very, very experienced," Peters said. "We're taking a good look at it. It doesn't mean we have adopted it. It's a good starting point."

The 14-page plan NDSU received is titled, "North Dakota State University Men's and Women's Division I Hockey Plan." It's dated March 25.

On Page 10 of the plan, a section reads:

"Finally, Dean Blais, who will serve as the head coach of the men's team, was the head coach of the Sioux for 10 years."

Peters confirmed the MSUM plan contained the same statement.

Links to the Story

In Forum --- MSUM AD says chances better than 50 percent the school will add D-I men's and women's hockey.

McFeely: No harm in MSUM's push for D-I hockey.

Could we see the Gophers playing the Dragons in a weekend series at the Urban Plains Center in the next few years? Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor and give a urine sample just for writing that sentence.

Reality check time: The odds of this actually happening, of the Dragons actually fielding a Division I hockey program and playing in the WCHA, are so in excess of astronomical that it is not even worth discussing beyond the hallucinatory level. Drop two acids and call me in the morning.

In Forum --- Dragons, Szymanski set hockey press conference for Friday

So is Standing Rock going to vote as well?

This is the first step in the right direction if UND wants to keep the Fighting Sioux name. I think this is something that should have been started a long time agon and it still might be a little to late.

I also wonder if the Tribal Council Chairman Ron "His Horse Thunder" will let his tribal members vote or not. In the past he has been against it. If RHT doesn't let them have a referendum, what is he afraid of? I would say let the member of the Standing Rock Tribe vote. If after both tribe vote and the results show that the two North Dakota Sioux tribes are against the Fighting Sioux name then it's time to move on and change the name. I don't see any reason why UND needs to rush and change the name without first exhausting all steps in the process.

Sioux tribes begin nickname campaigns
Spirit Lake, Standing Rock reservations to hold referendums
Supporters of the Fighting Sioux nickname on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation are seeking a referendum on the issue, similar to the one being held in a few weeks on the Spirit Lake reservation Antoine American Horse Jr. said he and some other veterans from Standing Rock will be asking the Tribal Council to let tribal members decide whether they support the nickname.

A longtime supporter of the nickname, he’s probably best known as a participant in a tribal flag ceremony at Ralph Engelstad Arena in October.

On the Spirit Lake reservation, nickname opponents are gearing up to win hearts and minds, convinced that, if they could tell voters their side of the story, they could turn the public against the nickname.

Referendums are key because, under a legal settlement with the NCAA, UND needs the blessings of both namesake tribes in North Dakota to keep the Fighting Sioux nickname.

The NCAA opposes the use of American Indian nicknames because it considers them derogatory. Nickname opponents agree, calling the nickname racist.

Tribal councils on both reservations have generally been hostile or ambivalent about the nickname. The Standing Rock Tribal Council has not only opposed the nickname, it also voted to ban a referendum in June.

But tribal members have been more open to the nickname’s use. In the Spirit Lake Dakotah Nation, nickname supporters, backed by a survey, are confident they’ll win a substantial majority.

Opponents have essentially conceded as much, but they cautioned voters to heed the experience of tribal members that have actually attended UND and felt the sting of racism.

These are not the quotes of a leader.

I have been reading the comments of WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod for the last few months leading up to Bemidji State University applying for membership in the WCHA. There are no other option for BSU due to no fault of their own. Frankly I have to say that I am unimpressed with McLeod’s leadership so far to date. I keep hearing a lot of excuses from McLeod on how 11 teams won’t work, so McLeod is throwing his hand up in surrender. Just once I would like to here some suggestion on how the league might/will try to accommodate BSU and look to to correct the problem in the future.

Time for a change at the top

I have been told that McLeod is looking for an extension on his contract. Maybe the league schools should think twice before they go ahead and renew his contract. Personally, I think there are other people more qualified that would make a much better commissioner than Bruce McLeod, heck I can think of a few off of the top of my head. Here are just a few that come to mind; RH Bob Peters, Gino Gasperini, Jeff Sauer or Dean Blais. There are many people that could do the job. Why does the WCHA we have to settle with Bruce McLeod?

All of these fore mentioned men would be a better choice IMHO to run the WCHA. The WCHA needs a strong leader not just a figure head. A real leader would have been on the fore front to absorb these teams from the CHA and not let it become catastrophe. It is not these teams fault that their league is about to disband. It is also not these teams fault that their future could be on the brink of extinction.

Loss of At-Large Bids Next?

I predict that if NCAA division one hockey loses anymore teams the NCAA will start pulling at large bids. I also believe that some of these leagues are waiting for the stick/carrot approach before they chug ahead with re-alignment. It is a big poker game and they are waiting for someone to make the first move and lay their cards down on the table. I believe we have one season to work things out before the NCAA threatens to start pulling at-large bids. I don't want to see my team stay home because everyone was to stubborn to make concessions. I suggest the big four conferences commishioners start coming up with some solutions. Enough of the excuses.

With January’s announcement that Niagara and Robert Morris are joining Atlantic Hockey for the 2010-11 season, the CHA is officially a dead league walking. Bemidji has applied for membership to the WCHA and Alabama-Huntsville has applied to the CCHA. If either team is rejected, they will have to go it as an independent or…the unthinkable.

Bemidji needs the approval of eight of the ten WCHA teams to join. The league meeting in April 27. It’s going to be a tall order, especially getting the approval of schools that seem to have more to lose than to gain: Colorado College, Denver and Alaska-Anchorage. More travel, and, for all the schools, a lesser share of playoff revenue and a crazy 11-team schedule (since no other team applied for admission, although reportedly as many as four teams from other conferences expressed interest).

Will the feel-good story of the Beavers help?

“It doesn’t change the facts,” WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod told the Grand Forks Herald. “But it certainly changes the feelings when you deal with your heart. In one case, you’re dealing with your heart…You also have to deal with your head and business sense, too.
(read the whole thing here)

Wild Season just about over.

I am going to have to say that it's over for the Wild dead man walking.

Team Pts Games remaining

6. Columbus 92 2 @StL, vs. Wild
7. Anaheim 88 2 vs. Dal, @Phx.
8. St. Louis 88 2 vs. Clb., @Colo.
9. Nashville 86 2 @Det., @Wild
10. Wild 85 2 vs. Nash., @Clb.

While mathematically the Wild are still alive; I don't see St. Louis losing to the Av's nor do I see the Ducks losing two games either especially when the two team they play are really bad. So I think we can finally start kicking dirt on the Wild season. Note to owner Craig Leipold please tell Doug Risebrough he is fired and tell him to pack up his thing. Risebrough is one of the major reasons this team sucks and no free agents want to play here. If think I am being silly look at the development of James Sheppard and Colton Gillies how is that working out for the Wild?

Keep Voting for T.J. Oshie.

Here are the latest numbers for Goal of the Season.

1.) T.J. Oshie (vs. VAN): 53.56 %
2.) Blake Wheeler (vs. STL): 19.33 %
3.) Alex Ovechkin (vs. MTL): 13.67 %
4.) Niklas Hagman (vs. FLA): 7.75 %
5.) Johan Franzen (vs. MTL): 5.69 %

Keep voting on line, as they say in Chicago vote early and vote often. Also, a nice honor for the WCHA, two of their former players are in the top two right now for goals of the season.

Here is what is wrong with the new NHL. (Moron of the week)

I found this blog for the Columbus Blue Jackets and this post really kind of illustrates what is wrong with the NHL right now. There is this mind set if you hit your opponent with a legal hit an then someone on your team needs to go after the player that just hammered your teammate with a legal. I call shenanigans and say that is BUSH LEAGUE.

If you are hit with a good clean check you take that player's number and wait for the time you can line that player up. It may be later in the game or in another game. The end. If your on the ice and someone slashes your goaltender, another player or you that is ground for droppign the mits. That is different. All these prima Donna's today that think they can't be checked. Hockey is a contact sport.

Last night, after Rick Nash was steamrolled by T.J. Oshie, the smallest player on the ice was the first responder with his team trailing the Blues 3-1 early in the third period. Kris Russell, all 5-foot-10, 180 pounds of him, went after Oshie. The hit produced a wild scrum and landed Russell in the box for four minutes (double minor, roughing). Oshie went for two minutes.

The entire sequence seemed to wake up the Jackets who responded with two quick goals from Kristian Huselius and Nash to tie it. The Jackets eventually lost 4-3 in a shootout, but coach Ken Hitchcock was proud of the response on individual and collective levels.

It was a valuable point for the Jackets on a night it appeared they might be run out of the building. They maintained sixth place and remained five points clear of ninth. It also gives them a little momentum heading into today's game.
(read the whole article here)

Moron of the week

Here is this week's candidate for moron of the week. This person here should stop watching hockey because they don't have a clue what a legal hit is. Maybe some of northern boys need come down to Ohio and give some of the rubes in OHIO classes about the ins and outs of hockey. T.J. Oshie is not a chippy, dirty player.

Anonymous:
oshie's hit could have been legal, but it was cheap. maybe that is what oshie wants to be. he better be ready to pay. think what a shelley will do to him...fresh punk meat... Posted by Anonymous | March 29, 2009 10:53 AM

College Hockey players in the NHL.

Last night I was watching a game between the Boston Bruins and the Ottawa Senators and started doing a mental accounting of all the college hockey players that were on both teams. If you think about it, this is an impressive list. For the Senators: Mike Comrie F Michigan, Danny Heatley F Wisconsin, Brian Lee D North Dakota Ottawa, Ryan Shannon F Boston College, Jesse Winchester F Colgate. On the other bench for the Bruins you had Byron Bitz F Cornell, Matt Hunwick D Michigan, Phil Kessel F Minnesota, Chuck Kobasew F Boston College, Mark Stuart D Colorado College, Tim Thomas G Vermont, Aaron Ward D Michigan. Blake Wheeler F Minnesota Boston. You see a pattern here, there are more and more division one college hockey players playing in the NHL each.

This a press release that I recieved from the editor of Letsplayhockey.com

From college to the NHL

Nearly a third of all NHL players in 2008-09 honed their skills in college before making the leap to the pros

In the world of NCAA hockey, the vast majority of players on the 58 Division I and 78Division II/III men’s teams will not make the jump to the NHL, AHL, ECHL or any other of the various professional hockey leagues around the world. But for a growing number of players, college hockey is a steppingstone to the bright lights of the National Hockey League.

In fact, according to next week’s issue of Let’s Play Hockey (www.letsplayhockey.com), 279 players who saw at least one regular season NHL game in 2008-09 honed their skills in college before making the leap to the professional ranks. That number represents nearly a third of all NHL players from the current season. In 2008-09, 61 former collegiate hockey players made their NHL debut.

Leading the list of former college players now in the NHL are standouts such as New Jersey’s Zach Parise (North Dakota), Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis (Vermont), Calgary’s Mike Cammalleri (Michigan), Atlanta’s Todd White (Clarkson), Ottawa’s Dany Heatley (Wisconsin), Chicago’s Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) and Boston’s Tim Thomas (Vermont).

Former college players are also among the leading 2008-09 rookies. Eight players who competed in the college ranks are currently among the top 33 rookie scorers in the NHL. They are: Boston’s Blake Wheeler (Minnesota), N.Y. Islanders’ Kyle Okposo (Minnesota), St. Louis’ T.J. Oshie (North Dakota), Anaheim’s Andrew Ebbett (Michigan), Boston’s Matt Hunwick (Michigan), Phoenix’s Kyle Turris (Wisconsin), Pittsburgh’s Alex Goligoski (Minnesota) and Nashville’s Ryan Jones (Miami).

Former college players are also among the leading 2008-09 rookies. Eight players who competed in the college ranks are currently among the top 33 rookie scorers in the NHL. They are: Boston’s Blake Wheeler (Minnesota), N.Y. Islanders’ Kyle Okposo (Minnesota), St. Louis’ T.J. Oshie (North Dakota), Anaheim’s Andrew Ebbett (Michigan), Boston’s Matt Hunwick (Michigan), Phoenix’s Kyle Turris (Wisconsin), Pittsburgh’s Alex Goligoski (Minnesota) and Nashville’s Ryan Jones (Miami).

Breaking down the list of 279 players by college sees the University of Michigan lead the way with 25 players, followed by Boston College (16), North Dakota (16), Wisconsin (16), Michigan State (15) and Minnesota (14).

And the numbers will only continue to grow. During the 2008-09 college hockey season, there were 197 players whose rights were owned by an NHL franchise. In addition, the NHL Central Scouting Service’s rankings for the 2009 Entry Draft list numerous prospects who will head to college hockey programs across the nation this fall.

Phil Housley was the rare hockey player to make the quantum leap from high school to the NHL. Countless Canadians take the Major Junior route before making the jump to the pros. European players compete in the numerous leagues throughout the continent in hopes of someday earning a spot on an NHL team. But for 279 NHL players, college was the path to take.

Colleges Represented in the NHL

Michigan 25
Boston College 16
North Dakota 16
Wisconsin 16
Michigan State 15
Minnesota 14
Boston University 13
St. Cloud State 13
Colorado College 10
Denver 10
Maine 9
Clarkson 8
Cornell 7
Dartmouth 6
Notre Dame 6
Ohio State 6
Vermont 6
Harvard 5
Michigan Tech 5
Minnesota Duluth 5
Minnesota State 5
Nebraska-Omaha 5
New Hampshire 5
Bowling Green 4
Princeton 4
Western Michigan 4
Alaska 3
Colgate 3
Miami 3
Providence 3
St. Lawrence 3
UMass-Lowell 3
Yale 3
Alaska Anchorage 2
Bemidji State 2
Lake Superior State 2
Massachusetts 2
Northern Michigan 2
Norwich 2
Alabama-Huntsville 1
Army 1
Brown 1
Ferris State 1
Holy Cross 1
Niagara 1
Northeastern 1
RPI 1

Vote for Oshie goal of the year.

Here is the link to the NHL web page to vote for T.J. Oshie who is a candidate for goal of the year. Currently Oshie is leading the vote with 45.60%, Alex Ovechkin 21.06%, Niklas Hagman 13.39%, Blake Wheeler 10.44%, Johan Franzen 9.51%. Ok Sioux fans and Blues fans vote for T.J. Oshie for goal of the year.

What's the Goal of the Season? You decide! Tuesday, 04.07.2009 / 11:20 AM / NHL Insider By Adam Schwartz and Brad Holland - NHL.com Staff Writers Below you'll find our five nominees for the Fan's Choice Goal of the Season.

Watch the videos, consider their merits, and record your choice by voting in the poll.

Vote as many times as you like.

The choice is personal, but some things to consider when voting are degree of difficulty, skill, and showmanship.

The voting ends this Friday at 10:00 a.m. ET, when the top goal, hit and save of the season is revealed.

Enjoy

Bemidji's new arena.

Check out the ins and outs of BSU's new arena that is going to be open for the 2010 season. This is going to be the new Beaver pond.

Beaver Linkorama.

Sean Leahy of Puck Daddy had an awesome write up on Matt Read one of the Stars for the Bemidji State Beavers. Having gone to Bemidji State University myself I know there is a lot of ice fishing to be had as well as an occasional party here and there. LOL, I can't believe he didn't mention the Beaver bashes, those were always fun when I attended BSU.

Matt Read, a sophomore forward on Bemidji State, was the CHA's Rookie of the Year and a member of the conference's All-Rookie team in 2007-08; as well as an all-CHA selection this season. For the second season in a row, Read is leading the team in scoring. It was his overtime goal in the CHA championship game against Robert Morris that put the Beavers into the NCAA tournament.

Read talked to Puck Daddy about making an immediate impact as a freshman, beating Notre Dame, and college life in Bemidji, Minnesota.

Q. Since you upset Notre Dame in the opening round of the tournament, how much more confidence is there now in the locker room?

READ: There's a lot more confidence now. You can tell within our practices now, a lot of us are all excited and having a good time now. We're starting to get a little bit stressed out now going to Washington next Tuesday, but right now our whole team is confident and it's fun to be around the guys and we're just having a great time.

How strong is the feeling around the locker room now that "Cinderella label be-damned, we can win this thing?"

I've never been in a locker room where there's such a good feeling going around and, all of us, we know what we have at stake and what we can do. It's an unbelievable experience right now and I don't know how to put it into words.

Having a chance, coming to Bemidji, you never think of even in a national tournament of coming to the Frozen Four and now you have the opportunity we've got to make the best out of it. It's just exciting right now.
--------------
Q. So, you're a 22-year-old college-athlete ... what the are the parties like in Bemidji? What does a college kid do up there?

READ: Um, ice fishing. [Laughs] There's not much here in Bemidji , but we have our fun. We like to play cards once in a while. Trying to think, we don't do much up here really, just do what we can. Spend a lot of time at the rink and just goofing around on campus.

Other great reads

Bemidji State Hockey Goes From 16th Seed to the Frozen Four.

Grand Forks Hearld: Men's hockey: Busy Beavers.

Bemidji State fitting itself for hockey's glass slipper

WCCO --- Bemidji State Hockey Looks To Erase Underdog Status.

Adam Wodon, CHN --- Bemidji State Playing For Something More.

Matthew Conyers, CHN --- Beaver Players Trying to Re-Focus.

Kessel, Thornton and Ward back in for the Bruins.

The three Bruins that were hurt this week are back in tonight's line up to play against Brian Lee's team the Ottawa Senators. Manny Fernandez in net.

Blake Wheeler---Marc Savard----Phil Kessel
Mark Recchi---Patrice Bergeron---Chuck Kobasew
Milan Lucic---David Krejci---Michael Ryder
Shawn Thornton---Stephane Yelle--- Byron Bitz

Zdeno Chara --- Aaron Ward
Matt Hunwick --- Steve Montador
Mark Stuart --- Shane Hnidy

Manny Fernandez
Tim Thomas
(source Boston Globe)

Drew Stafford vs Jonathan Ericsson

Not a good season for the Sabres and this is not former Sioux Drew Staffords best effort as far as fighting goes but I have to give him credit he stood up for a team mate that was getting cheap shoted.

MSU-M Dragon's Hockey.

I think I am going to call shenanigans on this one. I just don't see this happening. While I think realignment is on the way I don't see how MSU-M thinks they can get a college hockey team together that would even be remotely competitive in the WCHA let alone one of the lesser conferences. Immediately we hear the pontifications about Dean Blais coaching the team. Come on now! Also, I think the WCHA is going to expand to twelve teams but it won't include a team from the Fargo Moorhead area. I would rather see an established team like UAH, UNO or NMU than Moorhead State.

MSUM considers D-I hockey
Urban Plains Center could be home to team. Minnesota State University Moorhead is considering launching an NCAA Division I hockey team and using the Urban Plains Center as a possible home, MSUM President Edna Szymanski said Monday.

Szymanski said no state money could be used to fund the proposal with the school and state facing a budget deficit.

“Not to explore it would be crazy,” Szymanski said. “This is a hockey community. It would help us increase our recognition in the region.”

MSUM athletic director Doug Peters said campus and community members began studying the idea after the Western Collegiate Hockey Association voted in January to lift a moratorium on adding teams.

“The time is right to take a look at it,” Peters said.

The WCHA is a 10-team league that includes the University of North Dakota and is widely regarded as one of the top ice hockey conferences in the country.

Brian Lee vs Maxim Lapierre

I thought this was a pretty good fight between former Fighting Sioux hockey player Brian Lee and Maxim Lapierre what ever it takes to stay in the line up. This was Brian Lee's first fight in the NHL. Brian Lee also had one fight against Pascal Morency when he was with the Binghamton Senators.

Sharks and Ducks brawl.

I watched the ending of this game last night and I must say that I would love to see the Sharks and the Ducks face off in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Checking the standings and IF the Ducks can finish eighth they could end up facing the Sharks in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Holy Cow that would be a great series. The ending of the game was an old fashion donnybrook. You have to wonder if the NHL will take a look at this? I don't expect any suspensions to come out of this.

The Ducks had chances at the end, but could not convert and frustrated by the lack of calls in their favor, things boiled over on the ice. It wasn't a scrum, it was a brawl that primarily focused on Getzlaf and Marc-Edouard Vlasic going full tilt, Boucher coming out of his net to get involved. and Teemu Selanne yapping at the referee in either disgust, disbelief or both. The penalties handed out, including several misconducts, were 26 minutes for San Jose and 38 minutes for Anaheim.

The primary frustration was not the calls, but lack thereof that befuddled the Ducks.

"There were obviously some emotions, frustrations and what not," commented coach Randy Carlyle. "We're not saying we haven't committed fouls. We have. When we've played in the offensive zone for as many minutes as we have and watch what other teams do to defend our players, and if we do the same thing, it doesn't seem like there is an equal playing field at times. But that's perception."
(read the whole article here)