UND announces rookie class

Posted on by
5

I forgot to post this last week, and partly because it was exactly as expected, but UND announced its freshman class for the 2013-14 season.

Forwards

Luke Johnson, Lincoln Stars (USHL)
Wade Murphy, Penticton Vees (BCHL)
Adam Tambellini, Surrey Eagles (BCHL)

Defensemen

Paul LaDue, Lincoln Stars (USHL) – L.A. Kings pick, 6th round
Troy Stecher, Penticton Vees (BCHL)
Keaton Thompson, U.S. Under-18
Gage Ausmus, U.S. Under-18

Goaltender

Matt Hrynkiw, Humboldt Broncos (SJHL)

The release also had a note that said UND still could add rookies to this class at a later date. If they do, it will likely be a depth/walk-on type of player, as all of the top prospects are already committed.

I will later go into more detail on my thoughts of the class and the scouting reports that I get from their coaches and those who have seen them play, but here are a few quick impressions.

  • There aren’t any first-round picks or guys who are getting lots of buzz in this group but it’s a pretty solid class. I don’t think we’re going to see a 30-point rookie scorer or anything, but they all have potential to contribute something right away.
  • I’m thinking Tambellini will most likely have the most points of the rookies next season. He’s a big kid who knows how to score. He hasn’t completely filled out yet, but when he does, he could be hard to handle.
  • The headliners of this class are the defensemen. You have the USHL defenseman of the year in LaDue, the BCHL defenseman of the year in Stecher and two guys who played a college schedule with the NTDP and will likely be drafted. That being said, it’s always a tough transition for rookie defensemen. They’ll probably have their good nights and tough nights next year. But as they grow up together, this group should be the backbone to some pretty good teams.
  • LaDue, Stecher and Thompson are more of the offensive variety. Ausmus is more of a stay-at-home, physical type of defenseman.
  • I’ve seen Luke Johnson play a number of times in past years. He’s an intelligent, two-way player. I’m not expecting huge point totals out of him next season, but I do think he’ll be a nightly contributor.
  • Hrynkiw will likely start as the third goaltender, but he has a pretty solid background and should help to push the others.

Tambellini named top forward

Posted on by
Reply

UND forward recruit Adam Tambellini was named the top forward at the RBC Cup this week.

Tambellini scored two goals and had six points in four pool-play games for the Surrey Eagles of the BCHL (the RBC Cup is a collection of Canadian Junior A league champions).

Surrey lost its semifinal game in overtime on Saturday, meaning Tambellini’s season has come to an end.

Tambellini is expected to be a second- to fourth-round pick in June’s NHL draft. He will come to campus this fall.

U.S. falls in semis

Posted on by
Reply

The surprising and unbeaten Swiss knocked off Team USA 3-0 today to advance to the gold medal game at the IIHF World Championships.

That means the Danny Kristo, T.J. Oshie and the Americans will take on Finland for the bronze medal today.

It is still rare territory for the Americans, who have not won a medal in the World Championships since 2004.

U.S. reaches semifinals

Posted on by
2

T.J. Oshie scored a goal and Team USA surprisingly routed Russia 8-3 in a quarterfinal game at the World Championships.

The Americans, who also have Danny Kristo on the team, advance to a semifinal matchup against undefeated Switzerland at noon Saturday. The other semifinal is Finland vs. Sweden.

This is rare territory for the U.S. in this tournament. The Americans haven’t won a medal at the World Championship since 2004 (bronze) and they haven’t played in the championship since the 1960 Winter Olympics doubled as the IIHF World Championship.

Oshie has played in two games this tournament, registering one goal. Kristo has a goal and two assists in eight games for Team USA.

Below is a picture of Kristo matching up against NHL MVP finalist Alexander Ovechkin.

Toews named Selke finalist

Posted on by
2

The first Chicago Blackhawk to ever win the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward was a guy who wore No. 19 and played at the University of North Dakota.

History may repeat itself.

Another UND product who wears No. 19 for the Blackhawks was announced as one of three finalists for the Selke Trophy this week. Chicago captain Jonathan Toews joins Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron and Detroit Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk as the three finalists.

The other UND player to earn the honor was Troy Murray in 1986. The 2013 winner will be announced during the Stanley Cup Final.

The NHL sent out bios of all the finalists.

Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks

Toews played a leading role in helping the runaway Presidents’ Trophy winners rank first overall in team defense (2.02 goals-against per game). He finished third in the NHL in plus-minus with a career-high +28 rating, including a League-leading +21 away from home; shared the overall lead in takeaways with fellow Selke finalist Pavel Datsyuk (56); placed second in the NHL in face-off winning percentage (59.9%, 559-374); and played an average of 1:25 per game on the NHL’s third-ranked penalty-killing unit (87.2%). The Blackhawks captain is a Selke finalist for second time, having finished runner-up to Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler in 2011.

Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins

Bergeron was the NHL’s top face-off man in 2012-13, winning 62.1% of his draws, as the Bruins ranked third League-wide in team defense (2.21 goals-against per game). He ranked sixth overall and led the Bruins in plus-minus with a +24 rating and played an average of 2:12 per game with his team shorthanded, slightly more than his per-game average on the Boston power-play (2:10). Bergeron is in quest of a repeat Selke win, having claimed the trophy last season in his first appearance as a finalist.

Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings

Datsyuk’s all-around game helped the Red Wings place fifth in the NHL in team defense (2.29 goals-against per game) — their stingiest performance since the 2007-08 Stanley Cup championship season. Datsyuk tied for the League lead in takeaways (56), topped the Red Wings in plus-minus (+21) and posted a 55.0% face-off winning percentage (488-399). The three-time Selke winner is a finalist for the sixth consecutive year, surpassing the streaks of Montreal’s Guy Carbonneau (1986 through 1990) and Bob Gainey (1978 through 1982) as the longest since the award was introduced in 1978.

Random updates

Posted on by
3

Matt Frattin and the Toronto Maple Leafs were knocked out of the playoffs Monday night in crushing fashion, letting a 4-1 lead slip away in the final 11 minutes and losing in overtime to the Boston Bruins.

That means if UND is going to have another Stanley Cup winner, it will have to be either Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks) or Matt Greene (Los Angeles Kings).

Greene has been hurt and has not been cleared to play yet, but he’s working his way there.

*****

In the AHL playoffs, Brian Lee and Syracuse are up 2-0 in their second-round series, while Chris VandeVelde and Oklahoma City lead Mike Commodore’s Texas Stars 2-1 in a second-round series. Commodore has not played yet in the series.

*****

If things couldn’t get any worse in Anchorage, now there’s another controversy/scandal brewing up there with a former Seawolves player, Mickey Spencer, accusing recently fired coach Dave Shyiak of hitting a player with a stick during practice. Read the details in this Anchorage Daily News story.

*****

There’s also a controversy about the NAHL’s championship, the Robertson Cup, where Amarillo has been accused of throwing a pool play game to make sure they reached the championship.

The way I understand it, is this: If Amarillo would have won its final pool play game vs. Wenatchee, it would have reached the championship. If it lost by two or more, it would make the final. However, if they lost a one-goal game, they would have been knocked out (yes, the NAHL has some absolutely bizarre tiebreaking scenarios).

Amarillo ended up losing 7-0 to Wenatchee on Sunday night – a loss that kept the Bismarck Bobcats out of the championship game and clinched the trip for Amarillo (the worst loss Amarillo suffered during the season was by three goals). Then, 24 hours later, Amarillo ended up beating Wenatchee 5-0 to win the title.

So, the question is: Did Amarillo just happen to have, by far, its worst day of the last two years on Sunday? Or was something more going on?

Crisfield not coming to UND

Posted on by
1

Defenseman Geoff Crisfield, who had a relatively quiet year in the BCHL, will no longer be coming to UND.

Vernon Vipers coach Jason Williamson confirmed that Crisfield’s recruitment was re-opened about two weeks ago. Williamson didn’t have any details of what happened and UND coaches are not allowed to comment on players who have not signed letters of intent.

Even so, this appears to be a case of a player whose development may have stalled and there wasn’t going to be much ice time for him at UND, especially with the addition of East Grand Forks blue liner Gage Ausmus, who de-committed from Denver last month after the firing of George Gwozdecky. Ausmus committed to UND last week.

Crisfield, a 20-year-old, stay-at-home physical defenseman, had one goal and two assists this season for the Vipers, while leading the team with 73 penalty minutes.

UND is expected to bring in four defensemen next season — USHL defenseman of the year Paul LaDue, BCHL defenseman of the year Troy Stecher and NTDP blue liners Ausmus and Keaton Thompson.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Reply

LaDue named USHL D-man of the year

Posted on by
2

UND recruit and former Grand Forks Central standout Paul LaDue is the USHL defenseman of the year.

LaDue, who played for the Lincoln Stars, was the top-scoring defenseman in the league with 49 points in 62 games — five points ahead of Waterloo’s Ian McCoshen. The award likely came down to either LaDue or McCoshen.

“Paul LaDue was the heart and soul of a great Lincoln Stars team this past season,” USHL commish Skip Prince said.  ”His work in the offensive zone was League-leading – but there weren’t too many goals scored against the Stars when he was on the ice, either.  He’ll be a great addition to the University of North Dakota next season, and the Los Angeles Kings made an excellent choice in drafting him last year. Congratulations and thanks to him for his stellar USHL career – and best wishes on his next steps.”

LaDue will come to UND next season along with the BCHL defenseman of the year in Troy Stecher.

The USHL put together a highlight video to showcase LaDue for winning the award.