Two more express interest in UNO hockey job.

Two more college hockey coaches added their name to the list of potential candidates for the UNO head hockey coach. You would have to think that the Omaha coaching position would be a very attractive job. Add to the mix the possibility of relocating to one of the most prolific conferences in college hockey. Then if you added a high profile head coach like a Dean Blais that raises the bar even higher.

Omaha --- Earlier this week, Minnesota assistant Mike Hastings, a former Lancer head coach, said he hadn't decided whether he would apply.

Guentzel, 46, who coached the Lancers from 1992 through 1994, was one of four finalists when Kemp became the program's only head coach. He withdrew after interviewing when he was promoted to associate head coach at Minnesota, his alma mater. He stayed with the Golden Gophers until last season, when he moved to Colorado College.

"I've been an assistant for 15 years, and the people who have worked with me understand that it's been my dream to be a head coach at the Division I level," Guentzel said. "Every year I sit back and see if there's anything out there to pursue, but there's not a lot of turnover in our sport, and after 14 or 15 years you start to wonder if it's ever going to happen."

Quinn, 42, was Kemp's top assistant from 1996 through 2004 before returning to his alma mater. He helped guide the Terriers to the national championship last month.

"I'm in a situation where it's difficult to leave for any reason," Quinn said. "But my goal is to be a head coach and I'm not getting any younger. For me there are two jobs that separate themselves, and that's UNO and BU."

Besides Kemp and Guentzel, the other finalists for the job 13 years ago were former Lancers coach Frank Serratore, now head coach at Air Force, and Greg Drechsel, now associate head coach at Clarkson. Neither has returned phone calls to The World-Herald.

Other prospects include former North Dakota coach Dean Blais, now coaching Fargo of the USHL; Miami (Ohio) assistant Chris Bergeron; New Hampshire assistant David Lassonde, and former UNO assistant Steve Rohlik, now an assistant at Minnesota-Duluth. None has returned phone calls.

Blais to UNO?

Kevin Pates from Rink and Run is reporting this gem. What do Sioux fans think? Also, it would appear that UNO to the WCHA is gaining some legs. If Dean Blais was the coach of UNO they would probably become a top ten team nationally in 2 - 3 seasons.

ALSO there is talk that WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod will be in Omaha this week to talk with Nebraska-Omaha officials about joining the league. At the same time, Omaha's new athletic director, Trev Alberts, is in the midst of a search for a hockey coach, to replace Mike Kemp. The most recent rumor is that Dean Blais is the coaching front-runner, while UMD assistant Steve Rohlik is a former Omaha assistant.

The Alumni and Students should decide.

This article is in today's Bismarck Tribune. First off lets not start kicking dirt on the Fighting Sioux logo just yet. Let the people that are doing the outreach to the two Sioux tribes finish with their work. Second, this isn't some stupid contest. This should be a process that needs to be taken seriously and should be respectful. Some times I swear my head is going to explode from reading all of the misinformation and false facts I have read the past week since the decision.

I get it, the name is probably going to be changed it should be up to the students and Alumni of the University of North Dakota. Not up to some newspaper in Bismarck, ND. In my opinion if you didn't attend UND, you're not part of the facualty and or staff or not currently attending the University of North Dakota you shouldn't have any input in the next nick name and logo for the University of North Dakota.

Give us your ideas for a new UND nickname
What is the perfect nickname for the University of North Dakota? Alumni,
fans and regular readers have been passionate about the nickname issue.
Now that the Fighting Sioux name is likely on its way out, it's your
turn to suggest a new nickname. Post your ideas below as a comment.
Our normal commenting guidelines apply - nothing offensive.

Nah he isn't bitter.

Mike Chambers the Denver Post beat writer for the Denver Pioneers hockey never misses a chance to take a shot/hack at UND, here is his latest subtle shot across bow at UND. While it's true that Wiercioch is a talented and up and coming hockey player that will never see four seasons at DU, Brian Lee did play in 53 games with the Senators last season in the NHL so it's not like he is some talentless hack.

– Had a nice conversation with freshman defenseman Patrick Wiercioch, the gifted NHL-bound Canadian, about his looming decision to stay at DU or sign with the Ottawa Senators. Wiercioch previously said he intends to stay, but he probably hasn’t heard Ottawa’s best pitch yet. One thing that could help keep him around is the chance to play for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship. If he stays at DU, he almost certainly will have the opportunity to play in the WJC, but if he signs and is a regular for Ottawa, he almost certainly wont. Patrick noted that there were eight NHL rookies last December _ TB’s Stamkos and LA’s Doughty, to name two _ that could have played for Team Canada, but none were released from their NHL teams. In my humble opinion, Wiercioch is better than Ottawa’s Brian Lee, who would have been a senior at North Dakota last season, so signing with the Sens could quickly end Wiercioch’s dream of playing in the WJC. Of course, DU would love to let him go in December, and possibly be a WJC teammate with Pioneers classmate Joe Colborne. The publicity of having two Team Canada guys in the WJC would be enormous.

So you say there is a chance? Winnipeg Jets?

Every since the Jets left Winnipeg for the Desert I have wondered if Winnipeg would ever get another NHL franchise? I have kind of held out hope for the day I could watch an NHL game on Boxing day in Winnipeg. Also, that would make the NHL 150 miles from my front door. Stay tuned.

On Friday, as news spread out of the Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy hearing that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman indicated that if the team had to be relocated in Canada, the league would favour Winnipeg over Hamilton -- the reaction, as always, was cautionary.

First, we stressed that Bettman's "alleged" comments came in the form of an affidavit quoting a third party, Coyotes' lawyer Earl Scudder.

Second, we stressed that Bettman qualified the statement, that "if the Coyotes had to be relocated to Canada," the NHL would prefer Winnipeg over Hamilton.

Well, turns out there's no need to stress anymore. According to documents filed in court, the Globe and Mail reported Monday that Bettman e-mailed deputy commissioner Bill Daly on April 4, after talking to Scudder, and wrote: "I told (Scudder) that at some point, if we don't have an alternative, I will have to start looking at the moving (of the Coyotes) option."

When Scudder asked about Southern Ontario and Hamilton, Bettman said, "I responded that it's a league opportunity, the building (Copps Coliseum) is too old etc. and, frankly, if this team had to move it should first be offered to Winnipeg."

Note that Bettman did not qualify the latter statement with a "if we have to move to Canada." He said if the Coyotes had to be relocated, they should be offered to Winnipeg. Period.

It really makes you wonder what the folks at True North Sports and Entertainment aren't telling us. Do you think the NHL -- which has several (probably more than we know) financially troubled franchises other than Phoenix -- hasn't lined up a list of potential locations in a worst-case scenario?

Do you think Bettman or Daly haven't called Chipman or a True North representative, or even met with them, to say, "Hey, remember when you guys (Chipman and TNSE president and CEO Jim Ludlow) flew to New York 18 months ago to pitch Winnipeg as an NHL city to our board of governors? Just wondering, are you still interested? Do you have the financial wherewithal to afford an NHL team?"
(Read the rest of the article here)

Cooke will not be suspended.

Matt Cooke will not be suspended for his knee to knee hit on Eric Cole during game one of the Eastern Conference final. I have to admit that I am not a fan of Matt Cooke and his antics and this hit is a lot worse than the Ovechkin hit on Gonchar. In my opinion it looks more malicious. If we have learned anything during the Stanley Cup playoffs is that the league office is very inconsistent.

NHL decides not to suspend Penguins winger Cooke
Pittsburgh--- Penguins left winger Matt Cooke will not be suspended for a knee-on-knee hit on Carolina forward Erik Cole during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final Monday at Mellon Arena.

It was not immediately known if Cooke will be fined by the National Hockey League office.

Cole was injured on the hit, which occurred during the third period, and played sparingly after that.

Neither he nor teammate Tuomo Ruutu, who also was injured Monday, participated in Carolina's practice today. Hurricanes Coach Paul Maurice said their status for Game 2tomorrow night has not been determined.

Toews two times.

Former Fighting Sioux hockey player Jonathan Toews score two really nice goals in last night's game for the Chicago Blackhawks, unforunately it wasn't enough as the boring Detroit Redwings won the game. the first goal was a thing of beauty. The second Toews goal was a perfect example of a player getting in the blue paint and scoring a dirty goal.

Here are a few words that I would use to explain Detroit Redwings: tedious, dull, monotonous, repetitive, unrelieved, unvaried, unimaginative, uneventful; characterless, featureless, colorless, lifeless, insipid, uninteresting, unexciting, uninspiring, unstimulating; unreadable, unwatchable; jejune, flat, bland, dry, stale, tired, banal, lackluster, stodgy, vapid, monochrome, dreary, humdrum, mundane; mind-numbing, wearisome, tiring, tiresome, irksome, trying, frustrating; informal deadly, ho-hum, dullsville, dull as dishwater, plain-vanilla.

This sums it up.

Dave from the illegal curve had this posted up. I must say that I am bored with watching the Redwings play hockey. It's like I am watching a team from the Finnish or Swedish elite league play. I am holding out hope that the Chicago Blackhawks will rebound and win two games in Chicago and turn this series around.

Hockey news on the Fighting Sioux name.

Ryan Kennedy from the Hockey News weighs in on the Fighting Sioux nick name. This article has a few things that should be addressed. First, I don't believe the NCAA is going to accept the nick name Warriors not with the current logo anyways. There is already a NSIC team named the Warriors, the Sioux used to whoop up on them in football.

I have seen people write what is going to be be removed from the arena if the name is changed; I think people are miss stating the facts. The fact laid out by the settlement is that the championship banners hanging from the rafters, the photos, trophies and statues and the Sitting Bull statue in front of the Englestad arena and logos in the granite floor are not going anywhere. (NCAA Settlement agreement)

The Fighting Sioux name in North Dakota will soon be no more. The university’s controversial moniker is getting an update, thus appeasing the NCAA as well as actual Sioux nation members from two of the state’s three tribes, who would both need to change stances and endorse the name in order to keep it (the third is already on board).

Over the years there has been much debate over the topic; fans insist their love of the name and logo stems from pride and respect. Charges of racism are often quite wounding to UND supporters, though the hockey team’s greatest benefactor never really helped matters.

Ralph Engelstad, whose name graces the Fighting Sioux’s sparkling arena (which hosted the world juniors in 2005), was criticized for throwing parties in a Nazi-themed secret room at his Imperial Casino in Las Vegas on Hitler’s birthday in the 1980s. His $100 million donation to UND for the arena was contingent on the university keeping the Fighting Sioux name. Engelstad died of cancer in 2002.

But the name is likely a moot point now. The fans can regard themselves as Sioux Nation as long as they want, but the sweaters and pennants will have to be changed. The school that gave us Ed Belfour, Zach Parise and T.J. Oshie will still churn out excellent players, so what should the team be named?

Coming up with a new tag for a school so identified with the old one is tricky. And since the most obvious name for a team from North Dakota – the Bison – is already being used by North Dakota State, UND will have to get creative.

One way to keep the theme of the Fighting Sioux without the inflammatory bits, would be to call the team the Warriors. It’s a little plain, but it’s also vague enough to not be offensive. After all, a warrior can be anyone from a Sioux combatant to Peter Forsberg. Animal names are also very good. Unfortunately, North Dakota doesn’t have a very intimidating menagerie.

The state bird is the western meadowlark and North Dakota is sometimes known as the ‘Flickertail State’ because of a local squirrel. Taking to the ice as the North Dakota Flickertails would provide a little too much ammo for the Badgers and Bulldogs of the WCHA.

The state horse is the nakota, which is a cool-sounding name if you don’t mind the tongue-twister of saying “North Dakota Nakotas.” The Utah Utes have survived, after all.

Kessel and David Krejci will need surgury.

Word is coming out of Boston is that the Bruins young gun’s Phil Kessel and David Krejci were part of the walking wounded and will need surgery in the off season. There is a chance that neither of them could be ready when the regular season begins. Krejci played the whole season with a a torn labrum in his hip, an injury similar to the one that Marian Gaborik had this past season. Funny, Gabby couldn’t play on it but Krejci could, speaks to the character of David Krejci.I guess Czech's are tougher than Slovak's.

Both Krejci and Kessel will be restricted free agents on July 1 and are a big part of the Bruins success this past season. I would hope that the Bruin’s management will try very hard to get both players signed. The Bruins are going to be close to the cap so they will have to make some decisions during the off season.

David Krejci and Phil Kessel, two of the Bruins' best young forwards, are slated to undergo surgery this offseason. Both are questionable to be ready for the start of the regular season according to general manager Peter Chiarelli.

Defenseman Andrew Ference will undergo groin surgery next month, and forward Chuck Kobasew confirmed he played against the Canes with two broken ribs.

"There's a variety of injuries we had throughout the course of the playoffs," said Chiarelli this afternoon. "Every team has injuries. But we seemed to have a few more than other teams. I have to hand it to the players for playing through those injuries."

Krejci, 23, will have hip surgery next month. He is not expected to be ready for the start of training camp.

Kessel, 21, will have shoulder surgery on Thursday to repair a torn rotator cuff and labrum. Kessel is also not expected to be ready for camp.
(Links to the story) (Link to David Krejci Injury)

Check out the rest of the Bruins injuries this is a long list. .

Other Bruins who played through injuries included Mark Recchi (kidney stone), Marc Savard (knee), Milan Lucic (toe), and Zdeno Chara (shoulder, knee, and groin). Chara will not require surgery on any of his injuries. Savard noted that his knee problem probably would have kept him out for two weeks during the regular season.

UMN Assistant coach says he is staying

Maybe the Gophers won't be losing their assistant coach Mike Hastings after all. Early rumor were that Hastings would be the odds on favorite to take Mike Kemp's place at UNO. I guess only time will tell.

Hockey assistant staying :
Gophers assistant hockey coach Mike Hastings said he is flattered to be mentioned as a candidate to be head coach at Nebraska-Omaha, but he is not pursuing the job. 'I am focused right now on doing everything I can for the University of Minnesota,' said Hastings, who coached the Omaha Lancers of the USHL for 14 years before joining the U staff in 2008-09. Mike Kemp resigned as UNO coach Thursday to become the school's associate athletic director."

Aaron Ward smokes Tuomo Ruutu

Former Michigan Wolverine Aaron Ward absolutely smokes Tuomo Ruutu. This is one of the best hits that I have seen so far in the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. Unfortunately, it was about all there was to cheer about in game "7".

How about this one?

Big A HG had this uniform idea/concept posted over on Siouxsports.com and if UND decides to go with the no-logo/nick name in the interim while they pick a new one I think this is also a really good option. Contrary to the people that think you can just change the nick name, it may take a while to find an acceptable replacement nick name and logo that will even come close to the Fighting Sioux name and in my opinion that could be debatable as well. On my personal short list of name is no name, Wild Nokotas, Norse and Areos (flight School), Predators (UAV's), SOO and Flyers.

Simply North Dakota

This was linked to by Brad Schlossman and it's posted over on the Lets Go Sioux woman's hockey blog and frankly I could conceive a hockey Jersey with no logo like the jersey on the and just simply be the University of North Dakota. I would rather have no logo and mascot at all than something stupid. My biggest fear is the University would change the name witout consulting with the Students and Alumni. I really like the We ARE 1 WE ARE North Dakota slogan.

Logos what can stay and what can go.

I have seen the question posed on what can stay and what would have to go to be compliant with the NCAA settlement. I have also seen a lot of stuff that is incorrect, this should clear things up.

If UND had to drop the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo and the privately-owned Ralph Engelstad Arena wanted to host NCAA post-season games, it would have to remove many of the 2,400 logos it now contains.

What would stay and what would have to go?

The legal settlement between the state and the NCAA, which opposes Indian nicknames, says “images commonly associated with Native American culture” are not allowed, except these:

- Images of historical significance: These include championship banners, photos, trophies and statues, such as the Sitting Bull statue in front.

- Images that would be cost prohibitive to remove, namely the logos in the granite floor.

- Images the arena may replace over time: These include carpeting, turf, wood flooring, medallions on the seats and railings, lighted logos outside and etched glass door. Each item has a timetable for replacement from the end of 2011 to the end of 2015. (read the article here)

Also, if there logos were going to be changed don't expect Ralph Engelstad Arena or the Engelstad family to play for the changes it isn't going to happen. Nor should they be expected to pay for it. Maybe the people that wanted the Fighting Sioux name changed should poney up the money. Maybe team North Dakota can get a grant from the Federal government to pay for the changes.

On Friday we asked for a reaction from Jody Hodgson, the arena’s general manager and a representative of the Engelstad Family Foundation.

He said, among other things, that the arena’s preference, no matter the outcome, is to avoid any changes, such as removal of the logos. If changes were needed, he said, the arena won’t pay the more than $1 million cost.

The legal settlement between the state and the NCAA, which opposes Indian nicknames and imagery, requires the removal of many Sioux logos in the arena before UND can host a post-season game there. The settlement origi-nally set a Nov. 30, 2010 deadline to get tribal approval to use the name.
(read the article here)

Lastly, I have heard people say that the arena is going to blow up or be destroyed if the Fighting Sioux name is changed. Let's get serious, that's is not going to happen, folks. It is an urban legend that was started after the construction of the REA was almost stopped back in 2000 because of political correctness run amok. No one can find any documentation that says this because it is not true.

Engelstad family 'deeply disappointed' by 'lack of conviction'

The Englestad family is upset with UND president President Kelley and his lack of conviction. This is why I have said all along that I think UND needs to have a person with strong ties to UND serving as our university president, not some transient. The name means nothing to a bureaucrat like Kelly. So basically the university and the State Board of Higher Education pissed off one of their major donors there could be more to follow. Then try funding the university.

Statement from the Engelstad Family Foundation – May 15, 2009

In response to the resolution passed by the State Board of Higher Education the following statement is being released by the Engelstad Family Foundation.

"My father was immensely proud as a student-athlete to be identified with the Fighting Sioux and its proud and honored heritage," commented Kris Engelstad McGarry, daughter of Ralph Engelstad. "We stand with the 67% of tribal members at Spirit Lake who believe the identification with a fine university is a relationship which would have continued to bring benefit and opportunities to the Sioux citizens.

"I am deeply disappointed that the State Board and President Kelly are not committed to retaining the Fighting Sioux name and logo, however I can't say that I'm surprised by their lack of conviction. This is a sad day for North Dakota.

"We remain steadfast in our dedication to the students, the alumni, and the traditions established at UND.

"I feel it necessary to once again answer the question of why this issue is so important to us. As my father has stated, "Tradition is that gentle fabric woven through time and experience which generates meaning, character and identity to one and all. The Fighting Sioux logo, the Fighting Sioux tradition and the spirit of being a Fighting Sioux are of lasting value and immeasurable significance to our past, present and future."

Fighting Sioux nickname resolution.

In case you haven't read it here is the text of the from yesterday's nick name resolution.

Fighting Sioux nickname resolution adopted by North Dakota State Board of Higher Education on May 14, 2009
Consistent with the terms and conditions of the October 26, 2007, Settlement Agreement entered into with the NCAA, the Board directs UND officials to retire the “Sioux” nickname and logo, effective October 1, 2009. Full retirement of the nickname and logo shall be completed no later than August 1, 2010. In the event a new nickname and logo are adopted by UND, they shall not violate the NCAA policy regarding Native American nicknames, mascots and imagery.

UND is further directed to undertake actions consistent with the Settlement Agreement to protect its intellectual property rights in the “Fighting Sioux” nickname and mark.

UND is further directed to address the imagery at Ralph Engelstad Arena and other venues pursuant to the terms, conditions and timelines set forth in the Settlement Agreement.

This directive shall be suspended, if, prior to October 1, 2009, the following should happen:

1. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe and the Spirit Lake Sioux tribe give namesake approval consistent with the terms of the Settlement Agreement; and

2. The namesake approval be binding upon the tribes for a period not less than thirty (30) years.

Interesting day in College Hockey.

Yesterday turned out to be an interesting day in college hockey. First, Mike Kemp stepped down as hockey coach and is now the assistant athletic director of UNO. According to UNO Athletic Director Trev Alberts , Mike Kemp as not pushed out.

Former Red River star and Minnesota Gopher Grant Potulny will return to the Minnesota as an assistant coach.

Gopher assistant coach Mike Hastings is probably going to be a favorite for replacing Kemp at UNO. It would be interesting to see if Blais would consider coaching at UNO.

Neither Quinn nor Hastings returned phone calls Thursday night.

Kemp will serve on the committee to find the new coach, along with Alberts, Assistant Athletic Director Don Leahy, women's basketball coach Patty Patton Shearer, faculty athletic representative Bill Wakefield, hockey captain Mark Bernier and a member of the community.

Other names generating a buzz in coaching circles are former Lancers coach Mike Guentzel, an assistant at Colorado College who was a finalist at UNO when Kemp was hired; former North Dakota coach Dean Blais, who won two national championships with the Fighting Sioux and is now coaching Fargo of the USHL; New Hampshire assistant David Lassonde; and Miami (Ohio) assistant Chris Bergeron, who helped put together a Frozen Four team. (read the whole story here)

Interesting tid bits from Fiona Quick's twitter.

I was reading/perusing the Fiona Quick's twitter and there is some really good stuff there today. Looks like some are getting antsy in Gopher land, I hope Blaiser doesn't coach at the UofMN. I think the biggest development is that the UNO coach Mike Kemp was pushed out as the head coach. I think if Mike Hastings becomes the head coach it could bode well for the Mavericks and the WCHA expansion.

*Word on the street is there are several people pushing for Dean Blais as the next head coach of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers

*Former Gopher assistant coach Mike Guentzel will compete with current assistant Mike Hastings but Hastings is favorite for job at UNO.

*QuickFacts expects Golden Gopher freshman phenom Jordan Schroeder to sign an NHL professional contract following NHL Entry Draft in June.

*UNO Hockey called press conference for "Major announcement" at 4pm. Mike Hastings is favorite to take over as head coach of Mavericks.

Taps for the Fighting Sioux name?!?

I urge the University of North Dakota do not just pick a replacement name without having a discussion with the Students and alumni. If you do this hastily you will do more damage than good. As many fans have suggested in the past, if anything UND shoiuld not pick a new name and or logo immediately but in the interim just simply be the University of North Dakota.

Dickenson, ND --- The North Dakota State Higher Board of Education voted unanimously to retire the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname effective Oct. 1, 2009. The decision was made at its regular meeting held Thursday at Dickinson State University.

The retirement takes effect except in the event that stipulations in the original agreement with the NCAA to retain the nickname are met by both the Spirit Lake and Standing Rock Sioux tribes to approve the nickname.

The NCAA previously required approval of the nickname by both tribes for the university to retain use the nickname.