What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

Minnesota State Offseason Thread: Made a Frozen Four, how do they get more?

MavHockey14 said:
It will be interesting if we see more Juniors(successful/guys who had regular roles at their respective schools) transfer for their senior seasons, or if grad transfers and guys who just aren’t fitting primarily make up the portal.
Click to expand...

I'm sure there will be some of it, but I don't see it as being the issue it could be in football and basketball. In basketball, there are over 350 D1 schools. I could see where a guy could go unnoticed at a lower tier school, especially given that he may never play against the top tier schools. There are far fewer D1 football schools, but still over 100, and many of those never really get tested against a top tier school. There can be a real incentive to try to go to a P5 conference team and prove yourself.
But with only 61 schools in hockey, and with all of those schools getting games against the "big boys" every year, you don't go unnoticed by the pro scouts. It was only a couple years ago when the most sought after UFA in college hockey was a defenseman from Mercyhurst. If you're worth finding, NHL scouts will find you in college hockey.
 
purpleinnebraska said:
Sorry, I wasn't very clear in my last post. When I talked about this being a one year thing, I was referring to the number of players in the portal being this large. The extra Covid year made it that way. I agree that the rule itself will -and probably should- go on. But you won't see 200 kids in it next year. Or, I'd guess even half of that.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I agree with that. This is a 4 year issue. Any player that played this last year will be able to claim this as a free year. That being the case, we could see this situation for the next 4 years. I suspect that just like this year, it will mainly be seniors taking advantage of it. I don't think it will go beyond that, but you never know.
 
purpleinnebraska said:
I'm sure there will be some of it, but I don't see it as being the issue it could be in football and basketball. In basketball, there are over 350 D1 schools. I could see where a guy could go unnoticed at a lower tier school, especially given that he may never play against the top tier schools. There are far fewer D1 football schools, but still over 100, and many of those never really get tested against a top tier school. There can be a real incentive to try to go to a P5 conference team and prove yourself.
But with only 61 schools in hockey, and with all of those schools getting games against the "big boys" every year, you don't go unnoticed by the pro scouts. It was only a couple years ago when the most sought after UFA in college hockey was a defenseman from Mercyhurst. If you're worth finding, NHL scouts will find you in college hockey.
Click to expand...

Snarky counterpoint......yes, kids can get noticed by scouts at smaller schools, but they are still discounted a la Dryden McKay.
 
Bale said:
I'm not sure I agree with that. This is a 4 year issue. Any player that played this last year will be able to claim this as a free year. That being the case, we could see this situation for the next 4 years. I suspect that just like this year, it will mainly be seniors taking advantage of it. I don't think it will go beyond that, but you never know.
Click to expand...

Agree this is not a one year thing, but the AHL and ECHL will be back at full strength (see what I did there?) so there will be pro options available next year that aren't available this year. I would think that would have a dampening effect on this whole thing.
 
purpleinnebraska said:
I'm sure there will be some of it, but I don't see it as being the issue it could be in football and basketball. In basketball, there are over 350 D1 schools. I could see where a guy could go unnoticed at a lower tier school, especially given that he may never play against the top tier schools. There are far fewer D1 football schools, but still over 100, and many of those never really get tested against a top tier school. There can be a real incentive to try to go to a P5 conference team and prove yourself.
But with only 61 schools in hockey, and with all of those schools getting games against the "big boys" every year, you don't go unnoticed by the pro scouts. It was only a couple years ago when the most sought after UFA in college hockey was a defenseman from Mercyhurst. If you're worth finding, NHL scouts will find you in college hockey.
Click to expand...

I understand what you’re saying, but there’s a reason Minnesota State would jump to the NCHC tomorrow if given the option — league play makes up the majority of anyone’s schedule, and kids want to play in the top league.

I was talking to a HS player(legit D1 prospect) and asked if he has a dream school — he’s from Minnesota, and replied “DU or UMD. If not those two, then St. Cloud. Really anywhere in the NCHC.”
 
MavHockey14 said:
I understand what you’re saying, but there’s a reason Minnesota State would jump to the NCHC tomorrow if given the option — league play makes up the majority of anyone’s schedule, and kids want to play in the top league.

I was talking to a HS player(legit D1 prospect) and asked if he has a dream school — he’s from Minnesota, and replied “DU or UMD. If not those two, then St. Cloud. Really anywhere in the NCHC.”
Click to expand...

Oh, no doubt. First and second round talent just hasn't been coming to the WCHA/CCHA. Pinto, Caufield, Sanderson, Boldy, et al. go HE, NCHC, or Big. It's hard to get talented players in the door in our conference. But I think that also works to our advantage when we get a guy who then starts moving quickly up a scout's list. That player knows who took a chance on him, and maybe more importantly, who helped develop him into a guy who is now attracting NHL attention.
I agree that it's still a one-way street: No highly regarded player is going to leave first-line minutes in the NCHC or Big to come to us. But I just don't see many going the other way, either.
 
True it will always be hard but it does help that we have guys signed as undrafted free agents. At least as a recruit you know pro scouts are watching though it would help if a few of the guys made the NHL and stuck. Such an odd thing when you look at mavs who have made it and stuck it out in nhl vs those who just never were able to make it.
 
Looks like in addition to the Icebreaker against Providence, and then either Minnesota Duluth or Michigan, the Mavs will host St. Cloud State for 2 games, as well as a home and home series with Minnesota Duluth.
 
Is David Backes still playing hockey? One of these years MSU should be honoring him. I suppose that has to wait until the Covid attendance maximum is lifted. Someone? Anyone?
 
Iwearpurple said:
He currently is with the Anaheim Ducks but playing very little.
Click to expand...

Correct. I believe he is making $5MM this year, and it’s his last year of his contract — so, retirement seems likely once he finishes this year.

Backes was inducted into the inaugural MSU Hockey Hall of Fame class, FWIW.
 
Iwearpurple said:
Mavs to play St. Thomas on Hockey Day Minnesota

https://www.nhl.com/wild/news/minne...ity-of-st-thomas-hdm-2022-matchup/c-324454196
Click to expand...

I was hoping this would happen. It's a 1 time chance. Much of the money generated goes to youth hockey and an outdoor game will be big. At least it should. I don't care how cold, look for two red ice Eskimo ice houses, a smoker and a simmer pot of coffee thatll be free upgrade to Irish coffee. This is all assuming the University will allow tailgating. My kid played in the Anthony ford one year and it was below zero. We can pull this off
 
MavsFan19 said:
I was hoping this would happen. It's a 1 time chance. Much of the money generated goes to youth hockey and an outdoor game will be big. At least it should. I don't care how cold, look for two red ice Eskimo ice houses, a smoker and a simmer pot of coffee thatll be free upgrade to Irish coffee. This is all assuming the University will allow tailgating. My kid played in the Anthony ford one year and it was below zero. We can pull this off
Click to expand...

I am assuming they will allow tailgating. They do for football.
 
MavsFan19 said:
I was hoping this would happen. It's a 1 time chance. Much of the money generated goes to youth hockey and an outdoor game will be big. At least it should. I don't care how cold, look for two red ice Eskimo ice houses, a smoker and a simmer pot of coffee thatll be free upgrade to Irish coffee. This is all assuming the University will allow tailgating. My kid played in the Anthony ford one year and it was below zero. We can pull this off
Click to expand...

If they can get 4200 fans on the shores of Lake Bemidji for Hockey Day 2019 when the Beavers played Michigan Tech, at night, in subzero air temps, the show should go on.
 
Dudley: A schedule filled with in-state intrigue for MSU | Local Sports | mankatofreepress.com

Interesting article. Dudley drops a nugget that we may have games prior to the St. Cloud games on Oct 8-9, and that it could be "an opponent that would be just as exciting" as the Huskies. ??? The Gophers are scheduled to play Alaska that weekend, so it's not them. We're already playing UMD, so it's not them. UNO? A big name Hockey East school? Who else would we find "just as exciting" as SCSU?
 
purpleinnebraska said:
Dudley: A schedule filled with in-state intrigue for MSU | Local Sports | mankatofreepress.com

Interesting article. Dudley drops a nugget that we may have games prior to the St. Cloud games on Oct 8-9, and that it could be "an opponent that would be just as exciting" as the Huskies. ??? The Gophers are scheduled to play Alaska that weekend, so it's not them. We're already playing UMD, so it's not them. UNO? A big name Hockey East school? Who else would we find "just as exciting" as SCSU?
Click to expand...

UMass is defending national champion. How about them?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top