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Re: University of North Dakota - Offseason Thread 2010
The difference is that I'm looking at the individual players on the roster and their potential to increase their scoring. I really don't think that comparing what players have done in the past -- particularly those who weren't expected to be scorers, who played only two seasons and who had injury issues -- relates to the current group of forwards.
Malone has increased his scoring every year. Frattin greatly improved by season's end, despite playing only half a season. Hextall and Gregoire have both improved their scoring. Kristo could very well increase his production, too. It'd be interesting to see what Hextall can do if he stays healthy. Lamoureux improved from his freshman to sophomore seasons.
Trupp remains something of an enigma. We've seen what he's capable of doing, but he also has a tendency to disappear for long stretches. Knight is also something of a question mark, although Hakstol certainly seems to think that he'll play a larger role by centering one of the top lines and being a regular on the power play.
You're also totally ignoring the potential for more scoring from the defensive corps. Hakstol's scheme is to develop defenseman with a "defense first" mentality. Once he knows that they're solid defensively, he gives them more freedom to get involved offensively. Usually, that doesn't happen until their junior year. We saw that from Blood this season. I suspect that Gleason has more of an offensive upside than we've seen.
We know how good Marto can be when he's healthy. LaPoint also has offensive skills. Will he be even better after playing a full season and having the off season to further rehab his leg? It's possible. And if Genoway comes back? Wow.
We have this same discussion every year at the end of the season. The assumption always is that the team can't replace the scoring it lost. And each new season, freshmen produce more than expected, some players begin to play up to their potential, others play better than anticipated and upper classmen have better seasons than they did as freshmen and sophomores simply because of the experience factor.
Will all that happen next season? Possibly not because as you pointed out, injuires can play a major role in a team's offensive production. However, I do believe the potential is there -- barring early departures -- for next season's Sioux team to be one of the most solid from top to bottom that Hakstol has coached during his tenure.
The difference is that I'm looking at the individual players on the roster and their potential to increase their scoring. I really don't think that comparing what players have done in the past -- particularly those who weren't expected to be scorers, who played only two seasons and who had injury issues -- relates to the current group of forwards.
Malone has increased his scoring every year. Frattin greatly improved by season's end, despite playing only half a season. Hextall and Gregoire have both improved their scoring. Kristo could very well increase his production, too. It'd be interesting to see what Hextall can do if he stays healthy. Lamoureux improved from his freshman to sophomore seasons.
Trupp remains something of an enigma. We've seen what he's capable of doing, but he also has a tendency to disappear for long stretches. Knight is also something of a question mark, although Hakstol certainly seems to think that he'll play a larger role by centering one of the top lines and being a regular on the power play.
You're also totally ignoring the potential for more scoring from the defensive corps. Hakstol's scheme is to develop defenseman with a "defense first" mentality. Once he knows that they're solid defensively, he gives them more freedom to get involved offensively. Usually, that doesn't happen until their junior year. We saw that from Blood this season. I suspect that Gleason has more of an offensive upside than we've seen.
We know how good Marto can be when he's healthy. LaPoint also has offensive skills. Will he be even better after playing a full season and having the off season to further rehab his leg? It's possible. And if Genoway comes back? Wow.
We have this same discussion every year at the end of the season. The assumption always is that the team can't replace the scoring it lost. And each new season, freshmen produce more than expected, some players begin to play up to their potential, others play better than anticipated and upper classmen have better seasons than they did as freshmen and sophomores simply because of the experience factor.
Will all that happen next season? Possibly not because as you pointed out, injuires can play a major role in a team's offensive production. However, I do believe the potential is there -- barring early departures -- for next season's Sioux team to be one of the most solid from top to bottom that Hakstol has coached during his tenure.
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