The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Aah. The first full day of autumn. The leaves are just starting to change. You can find candy corn for sale again. My #20 Christian Hanson Leafs jersey was shipped today. (smiley. hearts.)

The Drop the Puck thingy is 2 weeks away. The first game is a mere 3 days after that. I'm cautiously quite optimistic about this season.

ND returns 8 of its top 10 scorers. Also returning are the top G scorer (Calle Ridderwall), the top guy for assists (Kevin Deeth), the top 2 PPG scorers (Ridderwall and Billy Maday), and the top 4 guys in +/-. Deeth (95 points) and Ryan Thang (92 points) will join the century club, maybe even by the end of the first month of the season. It is also quite possible for Kyle Lawson (68), Brett Blatchford (54), Ben Ryan (53) and even Dan Kissel (49) and Ian Cole (46) to reach "3/4 of a century."

I believe only 2 of us listed potentials for the upcoming season. IHF's pick for surprise stud was Ben Ryan, for impact-laden freshman was Kyle Palmieri and captains were Lawson, Thang, Teddy Ruth and Ryan. My pick for surprise stud was Ryan Guentzel, for impact frosh was Riley Sheahan and captains were Lawson, Thang, Cole and Kissel.

I know there are a few more posters out there who can take educated guesses. Hell, uneducated guesses are fine.

Here's to a fantastic season, boys. As the Irish say, "Adh mór ort."

 

[NDHockey9]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

With a talented team returning and a great group of freshmen coming in, there is plenty of reason to be excited. The above post showed all the scoring returning, but Im excited to have 5 of 6 defenseman back and all have tremendous talent and upside. If the Irish get solid goaltending, they have a great chance to take full advantage of what could be a bus trip NCAA Tournament run to Fort Wayne and Detroit.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Deadline to RSVP for the Drop the Puck thingy is Friday.

 

[SteveP]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Aah. The first full day of autumn. The leaves are just starting to change. You can find candy corn for sale again. My #20 Christian Hanson Leafs jersey was shipped today. (smiley. hearts.)

Looks like Christian needs some help.

After many rejected nicknames, the winner came to Christian Hanson in a flash after he and Ryan Bozak and Viktor Stalberg just completed another high-energy shift.

"The Frat Pack," Hanson said proudly. "You know, like Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack.

"We hadn't come up with a good one yet. That's your job (the media). Maybe we should hold a contest."

Call them what you will -- a Sun reader suggested Highway 86 in honour of their shared birth year -- the Maple Leafs trio of NCAA grads has been one of the delights of camp for coach Ron Wilson.

Seriously, the three have looked pretty good together in the Leafs preseason games.

In addition to playing together, they're sharing an apartment in downtown Toronto.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Seriously, the three have looked pretty good together in the Leafs preseason games.

In addition to playing together, they're sharing an apartment in downtown Toronto.

I wouldn't want to be that landlord!

While I also loved the energy of the Hanson-Bozak-Stalberg line, I fear that Christian may not start with the Leafs now that they got Phil Kessel...

 

[ND Hockey]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

While I also loved the energy of the Hanson-Bozak-Stalberg line, I fear that Christian may not start with the Leafs now that they got Phil Kessel...

Kessel will start the season on the injured list. He won't be ready until at least November. Bozak may be in more jeopardy because he has a bigger cap hit, though I am pretty ignorant about the Leafs cap situation.

Who's been playing center on the college line? I still have trouble picturing Hanson on the wing, especially because he was so good on faceoffs.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Kessel will start the season on the injured list. He won't be ready until at least November.

While I never root for an injury, that may bode well for Christian for a while.

Who's been playing center on the college line? I still have trouble picturing Hanson on the wing, especially because he was so good on faceoffs.

I don't like him as a wing either (to me it looks like he's not sure where to go out there), but centers have to be such fast skaters I guess they thought he'd do better on the sides. IIRC, Bozak is centering that line.

 

[DeadEnder65]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Christian puts me in a tough spot, has been so much fun to watch him grow as a hockey player and chat with he and his father a few times. Now, he is a member of the hated Hogtown Maple Laffs and as a lifelong Habs fan, this pretty much sucks. Conflicted isn't the word.

Was nice to get the email saying the season tickets are on the way....Finally.

 

[SteveP]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Christian puts me in a tough spot, has been so much fun to watch him grow as a hockey player and chat with he and his father a few times. Now, he is a member of the hated Hogtown Maple Laffs and as a lifelong Habs fan, this pretty much sucks. Conflicted isn't the word.

Was nice to get the email saying the season tickets are on the way....Finally.

Better seeing CH in blue & white than bleu, blanc et rouge!

Leafs coach Ron Wilson wasn't impressed by the trio after last night's 3-2 loss in Buffalo:

The ragged effort by the Leafs, who were outshot 18-5 in the first period, included some serious line juggling by Wilson. For much of the night, he had the so-called Frat Line of Tyler Bozak, Christian Hanson and Viktor Stalberg separated, though they were reunited in the third period.

"I think they've slowed down quite a bit," Wilson said of the line of NCAA college grads. "They're just swimming, trying to survive training camp, let along make our team."

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Just a few more days now. And to think there are what, maybe 40 more games to go in the Joyce before this program finally calls a different place home. Still a little hard to believe.

 

[Irishhockey]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Is that Regan #43 for the Sens I am watching on the NHL network right now? If so good for him, great kid, hope he gets a chance on the roster, from what I remember he went to Las Vegas to play ...if someone can fill me in it would be much appreciated…

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Is that Regan #43 for the Sens I am watching on the NHL network right now? If so good for him, great kid, hope he gets a chance on the roster, from what I remember he went to Las Vegas to play ...if someone can fill me in it would be much appreciated…

Not the one you're thinking of. Ottawa's is Peter Regin, been in the Sens system for a couple of years now. Garret Regan had a short stint with Las Vegas, but I'm not sure it led to anything.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Anyone want to take a stab at lines this year? I usually don't care to do that, and I think the first month will see some juggling, but I'm curious because ND technically has 4 centers and like 33 RW's. Who are the wingers that will move to the center?

My guesses for lines would be:
1. Ridderwall (smiley. heart.)-Deeth-Maday
2. Thang-B. Ryan-Palmieri
3. Kissel-Gaul-Guentzel
4. Larson (Murphy is also a LW)-Sheahan-Minella (Nugent and R. Ryan are also RW's)

Defensive pairs could be:
1. Cole-Lawson
2. Blatchford-Ruth
3. Calabrese (Ringel and Condon saw time last season though)-Lorenz

13 days.

 

[Irishhockey]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Not the one you're thinking of. Ottawa's is Peter Regin, been in the Sens system for a couple of years now. Garret Regan had a short stint with Las Vegas, but I'm not sure it led to anything.

Yeah, after I posted that and took another sip of beer I realized I was wrong....

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

...took another sip of beer...

See, you're not drinking enough!

 

[SteveP]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

TSN is reporting the Maple Leafs have assigned Christian Hanson to the AHL Marlies.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

The positives from this can be that he made it to the last day before being cut, he'll get to keep his bachelor pad in Toronto and he'll get to play against Erik Condra.

I think few college guys make it straight to the NHL without making a stop here and there in the minors. It took Mark Eaton several false starts before he made it stick with the Pens.

I'll still wear my #20 Hanson Leafs jersey as often as I can!

 

[ND Hockey]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

The positives from this can be that he made it to the last day before being cut, he'll get to keep his bachelor pad in Toronto and he'll get to play against Erik Condra.

I think few college guys make it straight to the NHL without making a stop here and there in the minors. It took Mark Eaton several false starts before he made it stick with the Pens.

I'll still wear my #20 Hanson Leafs jersey as often as I can!

Agreed, this is not a setback; it's par for the course. The only reasons Hanson finished 08-09 with the big club is because the Leafs were out of it, and Burke likely promised him playing time in order to get him to sign. This is not a demotion.

The best comparison may Justin Abdelkader. After the Irish knocked out the Spartans, Abdelkader finished the season with the Red Wings, but played almost all of 08-09 in Grand Rapids, before rejoining the Wings in time for the playoffs.

 

[SteveP]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

Agreed, this is not a setback; it's par for the course. The only reasons Hanson finished 08-09 with the big club is because the Leafs were out of it, and Burke likely promised him playing time in order to get him to sign. This is not a demotion.

The best comparison may Justin Abdelkader. After the Irish knocked out the Spartans, Abdelkader finished the season with the Red Wings, but played almost all of 08-09 in Grand Rapids, before rejoining the Wings in time for the playoffs.

Agreed 100%. I suspect that Christian will be one of the first call-ups if someone on the big squad (likely Jiri Tulusty) doesn't produce out of the gate.

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: The University of Notre Dame Hockey: 09-10. Let's Live It Up!

don't know if you folks saw this.

While I am still not a fan of a shootout to decide games, a 3-2-1-0 scoring system is a much better way to go.

And when it comes to the NCAA-AHL-NHL merry-go-round, don't forget it took Lebda a full season in the AHL to even get his look with the big club, and even then it took another half a season before he was basically up for good. I think a lot of that is getting the player used to the grind of an 80 game schedule as much as anything. Even with minor league seasoning, most NHL rookies seem to hit a wall by the time April rolls around and that plays a large part in the fact that rookies almost never seem to be a factor in the NHL playoffs. Lets face it, at the start of Hanson's Junior year did any of us think he was an NHL forward? Now he's got a very realistic chance at not only playing in the NHL, but carving out a nice career doing it.