Friday Morning Post

• The UND men take on USA Hockey's NTDP Under-18 team Saturday night in an exhibition tilt. Here are the game notes from each squad: North Dakota and Team USA
• The UND women, meanwhile, are on the road for the first time this season as they are in St. Cloud to take on the Huskies. Here are each school's game notes: North Dakota and St. Cloud State
• Brock Nelson picked up his first career NHL goal earlier this week, and one look at his family tree will show you that his hockey success shouldn't come as a surprise.
• Defenseman Brian Lee's (Tampa Bay-NHL) knee injury rehab is progressing nicely, though he still appears to be a few weeks out from returning to action.
• Darcy Zajac is expected to be out of the Albany Devil lineup for an extended period after suffering an upper body injury.
• Matt Greene is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this coming summer, but the Los Angeles Kings are looking to re-sign their alternate captain.
• Zach Parise scored his fifth goal of the season last night in Minnesota's 3-1 victory over Minnesota-Duluth alum Justin Faulk and the Carolina Hurricanes. Parise and Faulk became friends and workout partners this past summer, and they hope to become teammates in February.
• NHL.com says North Dakota recruit Nick Schmaltz is following in his older brother Jordan's footsteps.
• It's been a bit of an up and down start to the season for Fargo (USHL) goalie Cam Johnson, but he's using his helmet artwork in an attempt to summon the Force.
• Much has been written and said regarding NCAA committed recruits shunning the college game in order to play major juniors. Here's a look at the issue from a Canadian prospective.
• And here is the latest edition of Through These Doors:

Thursday Evening Post

• According to Hockeybuzz, North Dakota defenseman Dillon Simpson ranks 16th among the Edmonton Oilers' Top 20 Prospects.
• Michael Forney was named the ECHL Player of the Week after a weekend that saw him score three goals and chip in four assists in just two Colorado Eagle games. There was no resting on his laurels, however, as Forney had a goal and two assists last night in the Eagles' 10-1 demolition of Utah. Forney currently leads the ECHL with 10 goals, and he's accomplished that, rather remarkably, by registering only 26 shots on goal.
• Mario Lamoureux is on a nice run with the ECHL's Ontario Reign. Over his last seven games the former Sioux has eight points (2G, 6A) and is a +6. His eight points are fourth most on the Reign roster.
• Brock Nelson is acclimating quickly to professional hockey. He is second on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers with nine points (5G, 4A), and he is 5th in points among all AHL rookies. Over his last three games he has recorded five points (3G, 2A), and he has become an all-around force for the Sound Tigers.
• Matt Frattin appears to be about one week away from returning to the Toronto Marlies' lineup. Frattin has been recovering from surgery following the knee injury he suffered in last season's AHL playoffs.
• Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Brian Lee has been practicing with the USHL's Fargo Force as he waits for a resolution to the NHL lockout.

Friday Morning Coffee

Here are a few items for a morning read. The UND - BU series notes and links will be posted later this morning.

• The North Dakota men received a commitment from Tucker Poolman yesterday, and if you haven't done so already you can check out his Recruit Profile to see what type of player UND is getting. Poolman plays for the USHL's Omaha Lancers, and his commitment adds another UND connection to the Mutual of Omaha Battles on Ice. Poolman and the Lancers will be taking on Luke Johnson, Paul LaDue and the Lincoln Stars prior to the UND-UNO game at TD Ameritrade Park February 9 in Omaha. It will be fun watching the local Grand Forks kids battle it out in a big event atmosphere.
• As mentioned earlier this week, former Sioux captain Adam Calder suffered a fractured hip Sunday night in an English Premier League game. Calder underwent surgery Monday, spent three days in the hospital, and reportedly will be off his feet for three months. MK Lightning GM Vito Rausa called it the worst injury he's ever seen in hockey. Thoughts are certainly with Calder and his family.
• As the NHL labor impasse drags on, former Sioux defenseman and Moorhead native Brian Lee has taken to skating with the USHL's Fargo Force as a way to stay sharp.
• Get to know Buffalo Sabre winger and former Sioux sniper Drew Stafford in this nice NHLPA player profile video:

Rankings and Features, Part 1

A number of players have been featured in an assortment of offseason rankings, series, lists, etc. Here is the first installment of a complete rundown:

• The Edmonton Journal's Cult of Hockey ranked Chris VandeVelde #25 among Edmonton Oiler prospects.
• Top Shelf Prospects says UND centerman Corban Knight is a prospect to keep an eye on within the Florida Panthers organization. TSP also calls Colorado's Brad Malone a super sleeper prospect while ranking Brock Nelson #2 among New York Islanders prospects.
• CSN Washington says Zach Parise, TJ Oshie, and Drew Stafford should all be under consideration for Team USA, assuming NHL players are allowed to participate in the 2014 Olympics.
• Oshie was also featured in Rant Sports' 20 Players in 20 Days series.
• Brian Lee was featured in the Tampa Bay Lightning's Boys of Summer series.
• The Pipeline Show's One to Watch series featured Dillon Simpson for the Edmonton Oilers, Rocco Grimaldi for Florida, and former Sioux and current Western Michigan forward Mike Cichy for the Montreal Canadiens.
• Chay Genoway checks in at #19 in First Round Bust's rankings of the top Minnesota Wild prospects.

Signings & Offers

Tampa Bay defenseman Brian Lee, who was set to become a restricted free agent, signed a two-year, $2.3 million contract extension yesterday. The Lightning acquired Lee from Ottawa in a deadline deal that gave the former Sioux a fresh start, and he performed well enough in Tampa Bay for Steve Yzerman and company to keep him around for a couple more seasons. Here's a video clip of Lee delivering a big hit against Montreal after coming over from the Senators:


Lee was one of five former Sioux NHLers set to become restricted free agents (RFA) this offseason, and all five of those received qualifying offers from their respective organizations (in short, a qualifying offer is a contract offer that prevents a player from becoming an unrestriced free agent). In addition to Lee, TJ Oshie (STL), Chris VandeVelde (EDM), Chay Genoway (MIN), and Matt Frattin (TOR) have all received qualifying offers, and it would be a surprise if any of them were signed away from their current teams. Media outlets have reported that Genoway has signed a one year, two-way extension with the Wild, but thus far details of such a signing have not been confirmed by the Wild. Here's an updated look at all the former Sioux free agents who played in the NHL last season:

PLAYER	2011-2012 TEAM	STATUS	NEW TEAM	SIGNING/CONTRACT DETAILS
Jason Blake	Anaheim	UFA
Taylor Chorney	Edmonton	UFA
Mike Commodore	Tampa Bay	UFA
Matt Frattin	Toronto	RFA
Chay Genoway	Minnesota	RFA
Brian Lee	Tampa Bay	RFA	Tampa Bay	2 Years, $2.3 Million
T.J. Oshie	St Louis	RFA
Zach Parise	New Jersey	UFA
Chris Porter	St Louis	UFA
Chris VandeVelde	Edmonton	RFA
Matt Watkins	Phoenix	UFA

Of course the big free agent prize is Zach Parise, who says New Jersey will be given fair opportunity to re-sign their star winger, even though it appears unlikely an extension would be agreed upon before he becomes an UFA on July 1st. After clearing some cap space, the Pittsburgh Penguins have jumped into the ring and are expected to make a strong push to acquire Parise's services

In a non-North American transaction, former Sioux standout Rastislav Spirko has signed with the KHL's Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. This will be Spirko's second season in the Russian elite league after having spent last year with Lev Poprad, where he poduced 18 points (10G, 8A) in 53 games.

2012 Sioux NHL Free Agents

Though the Stanley Cup Final is still a week or two from concluding, NHL free agency is looming on the horizon. Of the 17 former Sioux to skate in the league this past season, 11 will enter free agency this offseason unless extended by their current teams.

Perhaps the biggest trophy in the unrestricted free agent (UFA) pool is New Jersey captain Zach Parise, who is busy trying to lead the Devils to the Stanley Cup. His services will be courted by a number of teams if he and New Jersey are unable to agree upon a new deal.

Also worth keeping an eye on will be St. Louis Blue TJ Oshie, who is eligible to become a restricted free agent (RFA). Oshie is coming off his best year as a pro after signing a one-year deal as a RFA last summer and St. Louis would very much like to re-sign him this offseason, perhaps to a long-term deal.

Matt Frattin saw his first full professional season end prematurely in the AHL's Western Conference Finals, but the Toronto front office was impressed with his play this season and will look to lock up his services.

Here's the full list of NHL free agents, which will be updated as contracts are signed:

PLAYER	2011-2012 TEAM	STATUS	NEW TEAM	SIGNING/CONTRACT DETAILS
Jason Blake	Anaheim	UFA
Taylor Chorney	Edmonton	UFA
Mike Commodore	Tampa Bay	UFA
Matt Frattin	Toronto	RFA
Chay Genoway	Minnesota	RFA
Brian Lee	Tampa Bay	RFA
T.J. Oshie	St Louis	RFA
Zach Parise	New Jersey	UFA
Chris Porter	St Louis	UFA
Chris VandeVelde	Edmonton	RFA
Matt Watkins	Phoenix	UFA

Wednesday Evening Post

It is time to disperse some links prior to hitting the Road to the Final Five:

• Fighting Sioux associate head coach Cary Eades was inducted into the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame last weekend during the Minnesota state high school hockey tournament. It's a very high honor for the former three-time state champion head coach of the Warroad Warriors, and congratulations are in order.
• Inside College Hockey recently named Fighting Sioux head coach Dave Hakstol its WCHA Coach of the Year in its year end awards. Brock Nelson was also named the WCHA Breakthrough Player of the Year.
• According to one blog, Corban Knight and Rocco Grimaldi are among the Florida Panthers top prospects.
• Jocelyne Lamoureux was named one of three finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Award, which is awarded annually to the top player in women's college hockey. The winner will be announced this weekend during the Frozen Four in Duluth.
• Brad Schlossman's Weekly Wednesday Update is full of good stuff today.
• Travis Zajac has been cleared to resume hard skating, and New Jersey Devil GM Lou Lamoriello says their top centerman should return sooner rather than later.
• The Hockey News recently conducted a poll of NHL players in order to determine the league's Top 50 players. Zach Parise came in at #29 (too low in my opinion, should be in the top 15) while Jonathan Toews is ranked #5. 
• Toews remains sidelined with concussion symptoms as he's learning to cope with the complexity of his head injury. There is a possibility that he could return by the weekend, but if there is any certainty when it comes to dealing with concussions, it is that there are no certainties.
• As for Parise, he recently moved into eighth place on New Jersey's all-time scoring list by registering his 400th career point, while there is more speculation that he could return home to Minnesota should he become a free agent this summer.
• Mike Commodore is looking to revitalize his career in Tampa Bay, and he says he likes Florida so much that if Tampa Bay does not re-sign him this offseason, he might just stick around anyway.
• Commodore's new Lightning teammate, Brian Lee, is also making an impact for the Bolts.
• Matt Greene and a few of his Los Angeles King teammates discuss some of the more common hockey player problems.
• TJ Oshie has taken over St. Louis' team scoring lead, and he looks to be due a nice pay raise this offseason.
• ESPN recently ran an outstanding feature on Phoenix Coyote head coach Dave Tippett and his unique situation out in the desert. Tippett currently sits on 398 career victories.
• Hockey Wilderness says Chay Genoway is the Houston Aero that has shown the most improvement over the course of the season.
• The Edmonton Oilers' Future Watch recently profiled Chris VandeVelde.
• Kyle Radke of the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (CHL) was recently placed on season-ending Injured Reserve.
• Fighting Sioux recruit Chris Wilkie was invited to USA Hockey's NTDP tryout camp.
• Recruit Drake Caggiula and the Stouffville Spirit (OJHL) tied their Divisional Final playoff series with Newmarket at two games apiece tonight. Caggiula has been outstanding in the postseason, registering 14 points (5G, 9A) in seven playoff games. He has had multiple points in six of the seven games.
• Being the Final Five is upon us, we'll leave you with a nice little interview of final Five superstar and current Bakersfield Condor (ECHL) Evan Trupp:

Monday Evening Post

• First and foremost, congratulations to the University of North Dakota women's hockey team for earning the program's first ever NCAA tournament berth. Head coach Brian Idalski and his seventh seeded Fighting Sioux will head to Minneapolis to take on the second seeded Golden Gophers. Gametime is 4:00 PM Saturday at Ridder Arena, and ticket information can be found here. North Dakota is 2-3 against Minnesota this season.
• On the men's side, North Dakota capped their regular season with a sweep of Minnesota State this past weekend. They now look to carry the momentum of a fourth place league finish into the postseason when they open up the first round of the WCHA playoffs this weekend at Engelstad Arena against Bemidji State. Also, be on the lookout for the league bloggers' version of the All-WCHA awards. The ballots went out last night and the results will be posted by the end of the week. I should have my ballot posted by tomorrow evening.
• The last two games have not been kind to New Jersey captain Zach Parise, at least not physically. Friday night he received a hard hit from a couple of Washington Capitals, and Sunday afternoon he took a hard stick to the hand. He appears no worse for the wear however, and in Friday's game he managed to notch a hat trick just three minutes into the second period:

• Jonathan Toews is not yet ready to rejoin the Chicago Blackhawk lineup, but he is showing progress in his recovery from injury.
• Travis Zajac's return to the Devils' lineup is on the horizon. If Zajac can get back into the lineup within the next couple of weeks, he will provide New Jersey with a nice boost heading into the postseason.
• Toward the bottom of this article, Tampa Bay head coach Guy Boucher and all-world sniper Steven Stamkos offer up their praise of new Lightning defensemen Mike Commodore and Brian Lee. Since the deal that sent Commodore to Tampa Bay, Detroit's blue line has suffered a minor rash of injuries, prompting one writer to ask, Where Has Mike Commodore Gone? The same writer, by the way, questioned the Commodore trade even before the injuries hit.
• Matt Frattin had a two point game Saturday night in helping Toronto defeat Montreal. Here's the video of his quick snipe off the face-off:

• NHL.com recently published a very nice article on former Sioux Dave Tippett, who has the Phoenix Coyotes in the thick of the playoff race. The Coyotes' leading goal scorer Radim Vrbata also had some glowing remarks concerning Tippett and his coaching abilities. Thanks to Mr. Senay for passing the Vrbata article my way.
• TJ Oshie is a big reason why St. Louis has developed into a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
• Taylor Chorney says things are trending up.
• The Houston Chronicle considers Curtis Murphy one of the best Houston Aeros of all-time.
• In transaction news, Michael Forney was recently loaned from Colorado (ECHL) to Texas (AHL), and Corey Fienhage was sent down from Rochester (AHL) to Gwinnett (ECHL).

Thursday Evening Post

• Yesterday it was reported that junior forward Taylor Dickin has not been practicing this week due to the lower body injury suffered Friday night against Denver. He is unlikely to play this weekend against Minnesota State, which of course means the Fighting Sioux will play one forward short.
• After being dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning on the NHL's Deadline Day, former Sioux defensemen Mike Commodore and Brian Lee were excited to make their Lightning debuts, and they were able to do just that Tuesday night against Montreal. They were paired together during even strength situations, and they were both regulars on the penalty kill. They both had very solid games for their new team and Lee delivered what was probably the hit of the game:

• For Lee, the trade to Ottawa might provide a fresh start that will enable him to spark his career, while for Commodore it is perhaps a bittersweet move after he quickly became a fan favorite in Detroit despite his abbreviated stay. Commodore, by the way, tweeted his appreciation of the aforementioned article.
• Matt Frattin was apparently the target of a number of trade inquiries leading up to the deadline, but Toronto GM Brian Burke is too high on Frattin to trade him (towards the bottom of the article).
• In an injury update, Jonathan Toews is said to be progressing in his recovery from an upper-body injury that is unofficially suspected of being a concussion. He will not travel with the team to begin their next roadie, but it is possible that he could join the team at some point on the trip. Toews is also mentioned in a Rogers Sportsnet article covering the increase in the number of Winnipeggers playing for the WHL's Tr-City Americans, the team that once held Toews' CHL rights.
• Phoenix Coyote head coach Dave Tippett currently has 397 career wins as a NHL head coach. When he reaches the 400 win mark, he will become just the 28th coach in league history to do so.
• The Fargo Force will be holding their first-ever Skills Challenge this weekend. Sioux recruit Bryn Chyzyk will lead Team Chyzyk while fellow recruit Zane Gothberg will compete for Team Farley. The Skills Challenge will take place at 4:00 PM Sunday afternoon at Fargo's Scheels Arena.

Monday Evening Post

It's been about a week and a half since the last Sioux hockey update, so some of these items are a bit dated. Nonetheless...

• The NHL trade deadline came and went today without any blockbuster transactions taking place, but two former Sioux defensemen were involved in deals that have them packing their bags for The Sunshine State. The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired Brian Lee from the Ottawa Senators for former Hobey Baker Award winner Matt Gilroy. It's interesting to note that since December 30th Ottawa was 12-0-1 with Lee in the lineup, and just 4-8-2 when he sat out. Tampa Bay also picked up defenseman Mike Commodore from Detroit for a seventh round draft pick. Commodore appeared in just 17 games this season for the Red Wings, so the trade could prove to be the best scenario for him. He wishes things would have worked out in Detroit, but at the same time he's looking forward to the opportunity in Tampa Bay.
• Matt Frattin was recently called up by the Toronto Maple Leafs, and head coach Ron Wilson thinks the former Sioux star is a good fit for the second line.
• Late last week New Jersey Devils' center Travis Zajac resumed light skating as he continues to work towards a return from his nagging Achilles tendon injury. He was back on the ice this morning, but there is no timetable set for his potential return.
• Chicago Blackhawk captain Jonathan Toews has missed his last handful of games due to an upper-body injury. He was also involved in a single car accident last week, but he reportedly suffered no injuries as a result of the crash.
• The results of the 2011-12 Hockey Night in Canada/National Hockey League Player's Association Player Poll were recently released and former Sioux Jonathan Toews, Zach Parise, and Dave Tippett all garnered some attention.
• Matt Watkins was recently called up by the Phoenix Coyotes. He became the 15th former Sioux to skate in the NHL this season when he made his big league debut last Tuesday against Los Angeles. The Coyotes, of course, are coached by former Sioux Dave Tippett and he has his squad on a heck of a roll. Phoenix has not lost a game in regulation during the month of February and in one month's time they've climbed from 12th place in the Western Conference to sitting atop the Pacific Division.
• Former North Dakota defenseman Aaron Schneekloth recently recorded his 300th career point as a member of the ECHL's Colorado Eagles. Schneekloth has been particularly hot during the month of February. He's played 12 games this month and has produced multiple point efforts in nine of them. During that span he has registered 19 points (6G, 13A) as he continues to lead the league's defensemen in both goals and assists. His 52 points (18G, 34A) are also 12 more than any other defenseman in the league. His Colorado teammate Michael Forney has also been putting up some nice numbers as of late. The former Sioux forward has 15 points (7G, 8A) in his last 11 games, including a five point effort Friday night in which he put up a hat trick and two assists.
• Jason Gregoire has been out of the St. John's IceCaps' lineup recently due to a shoulder injury, but that didn't prevent the St. John's Telegram from getting to know him.
• Concordia University of Wisconsin has parted ways with men's hockey coach Tony Hrkac.
• Fighting Sioux junior center Corban Knight was named last week's WCHA Offensive Player of the Week after his strong performance against Michigan Tech.
• With UND's Connor Gaarder and others making their marks on the college hockey landscape, the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament is starting to get noticed as a pipeline to the NCAA.
• Recruit Drake Caggiula has had multi-point efforts in all three of Stouffville's (OJHL) Divisional Semifinal games. Caggiula has four goals and two assists as the Spirit leads Aurora 2-1 in their best of seven series.

Friday Morning Coffee

• The Detroit Red Wing's Mike Commodore will be looking to claim the team's sixth defenseman spot down the stretch.
• Matt Smaby, who has missed the majority of the season recovering from surgery to repair a torn thumb ligament, is in Syracuse (AHL) working his way back into game condition in the hope of making his Anaheim debut as soon as possible. In personal news, Smaby and his wife had their first child last week.
• In what seems like the daily Zach Parise update, the New Jersey star says his contract negotiations will not be affected by the Devils' financial situation, but he does admit that the entire process has been harder than he had anticipated. On the ice Parise continues to play well, picking up two goals (including the game-winner) in last night's 5-3 win over Montreal. After a slow start statistically, he has put up 32 points over his last 29 games to help keep New Jersey in the middle of the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
• Jason Blake has missed the first two games coming out of the All-Star break due to a lingering foot injury, but he appears close to returning to the Anaheim lineup. The Ottawa Senators' Brian Lee has also been on the shelf due to injury, having missed the last eight games due to a lower body ailment. He resumed practicing this week and could be in the lineup this weekend.
• While every other team has returned to action since the NHL resumed play following All-Star Weekend, TJ Oshie, Chris Porter, and the St. Louis Blues finally get back at it tonight against Los Angeles. After a strong run that saw them climb towards the top of the Western Conference, head coach Ken Hitchcock says they have to take it up another level to become an elite team.
• Ed Belfour and Jonathan Toews each have one of the 15 Best Individual Seasons in the history of the Chicago Blackhawks, one of the NHL's Original Six.
• A few weeks ago Fighting Sioux head coach Dave Hakstol had some comments on the CHL vs. NCAA debate, and The Hockey News says the rivalry will only intensify. Expect recruit Nick Schmaltz to be a player that the CHL pursues very hard. He is one of the top 1996 birth year players in North America and is a highly-coveted prospect by the Ontario Hockey League. In related news, the WHL's Everett Silvertips fired their longtime general manager yesterday. Everett holds the CHL rights to USNTDP U-18 star defenseman Seth Jones, who reportedly has narrowed down next year's playing options to Everett or North Dakota. What this means in the grand scheme of Jones' decision is anyone's guess, but it certainly adds another level of intrigue.
• This morning the Vernon Morning Star published a very nice feature on UND's newest recruit, Adam Tambellini. One teammate says about the UND commit, “It’s not that often you see guys his age doing what he does. The poise he plays with is pretty awesome for the age he is right now." Tambellini also states that after his campus visit, the decision to commit to UND was "kind of a no-brainer."
• Keaton Thompson and the USNTDP Under-17 team will be off this weekend as they prepare for the Vlad Dzurilla Under-18 Tournament in Slovakia. The tournament will run from February 9-11 as Team USA looks to defend its title. Miles Koules and the Under-18ers return to play tonight against Lake Superior State after having last weekend off. The Under-18 team is a respectable 5-7-2 against collegiate teams this season.
• Recruit Drake Caggiula returned to the Stouffville Spirit (OJHL) lineup last night after missing a couple weeks due to injury. He notched an assist on the only Spirit goal of the night in a 2-1 OT loss. 
• After their performances against Wisconsin, North Dakota's Danny Kristo was named first star of the week among Montreal Canadien prospects, while Brock Nelson earned second star status among New York Islanders prospects. 
• Here is Through These Doors, Episode 13:

Schmaltz Bros. United, Two Sioux Hall of Famers, Frattin Back With Leafs, Etc.

• Sioux recruit Jordan Schmaltz was involved in a blockbuster USHL trade yesterday, as Sioux City sent the All-USHL defenseman to the Green Bay Gamblers. Green Bay also added Jordan's younger brother Nick to their roster. Nick, who is also a Sioux recruit, most recently played for the Chicago Midget Minor (Under-16) team and is widely considered to be one of the top 1996 birth-year forwards in the US. Because the trade involved such a highly-coveted NHL prospect, it has garnered a sizable amount of media attention. Here's a selection of some of the trade's coverage: Chris Peters at United States of Hockey, Ryan Clark at Slightly Chilled, The Sioux City Journal, and Kevin Allen at The USA Today. 
• Jordan is currently participating in the World Junior A Challenge (Langley, BC, Canada) with fellow Sioux recruit Zane Gothberg. Team USA opened regulation play last night, dropping a 1-0 heartbreaker that saw Sweden score with just six seconds remaining in regulation. Gothberg got the start and stopped 23 of the 24 shots he faced, but Swedish goaltender Oscar Dansk did him one better by stopping 44 of 44. Team USA returns to action Wednesday night at 9:30 PM CST, when they will face Canada West.
• Yesterday the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association announced that former Sioux player and current Associate Head Coach Cary Eades will be inducted into the MHCA Hall of Fame. Eades coached Warroad High School to three Minnesota Class A titles in his eleven seasons as head coach. The induction ceremony will take place in March, in conjunction with the Minnesota state high school hockey tournament.
• It was announced this past summer that former Sioux goaltender Ed Belfour would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. That ceremony takes place next Monday, November 14th at 6:30 PM CST. It will be aired live on The NHL Network.
• Toronto Maple Leaf centerman Tim Connolly suffered another injury over the weekend, and Matt Frattin received the call to fill his roster spot. The call-up led to Frattin narrowly missing out on the earthquake and severe weather that his teammates endured in Oklahoma City. Frattin played three games with the Maple Leafs' AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, recording three points (2G, 1A).
• Drew Stafford recently gave a postgame interview while wearing a golden helmet. The story behind the shiny lid is an interesting one, and here is the interview with the golden dome:

• After a string of healthy scratches, defenseman Brian Lee has now played in the Ottawa Senators' last two games. The blog SenShot recently asked Sens GM Bryan Murray if Lee's recent playing time was meant to serve as a showcase for a potential trade, and Murray answered no. SenShot earlier raised the question of what should be done with Lee if he continues to be a healthy scratch, while The Hockey Writers feel that keeping Lee in Ottawa has been one of the positives through the Sens' recent rebuilding efforts.
• While it's obviously too early to nail an exact date for Travis Zajac's return to action, New Jersey Devils' head coach Pete DeBoer has a rough time-frame in mind, and he expects his top centerman to be back by Christmas.
• Due to some injuries upfront, Mike Commodore spent some time skating as a winger at Red Wings' practice yesterday. As always, Commodore provided some worthwhile quotes (the Commodore info is toward the bottom of the article).

Commodore to Debut Tonight, Recruit Scouting Reports, Toews Best NHL Leader, Etc.

Mike Commodore was cleared to return to game action last week after sitting out for a month while recovering from a preseason knee injury, but the big defenseman has been a healthy scratch during the recent Red Wings' swoon. That all changes tonight as Commodore will make his Red Wings regular season debut against the Calgary Flames at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena. Commodore says he'll surely have some nerves, but he'll try to keep it simple. Commodore played in 18 games for the Flames from 2002-2004, and he will be the tenth Sioux hockey alumni to play in the NHL this season.

That number might grow to eleven pretty quickly, as indications are that Taylor Chorney could be in the St. Louis Blues' lineup tomorrow night against Vancouver. Since being waived by Edmonton and eventually claimed by St. Louis, Chorney has waited patiently for an opportunity to get on the ice in what he says is the longest stretch of non-injury imposed inactivity of his career.

Yesterday it was announced that recruit Nick Schmaltz will be representing Team USA at the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games in January. Much of the scouting and evaluation for selecting the players for the team occured at USA Hockey's summer select player development camp. US Hockey Report ranks the top performers, and here's what they had to say about the Sioux recruits that took part in this past summer's camps:

Select 15 Camp:
Forwards:
4. Nick Schmaltz (#10 Grey) 5-10/155 – 3-9-12 – Center has soft hands, sees the ice very well. Gets open, and finds the open man. He’s the brother of North Dakota recruit Jordan Schmaltz. From Verona, Wisc. and Chicago Mission U16.

Select 16 Camp: 
Forwards:
3. Luke Voltin (#15 Kelly Green) 6-1/185 – 4-3-7 -- From Hill-Murray (Minn.) HS; going to NTDP. Good hands. Good feet. Extremely athletic.

Note: Voltin's performance was ranked ahead of the likes of Hudson Fasching (#4, uncommitted), Michael McCarron (#5, Michigan St recruit), and Vinni Lettieri (#21, Minnesota recruit). Minot's Alex Schoenborn (uncommitted, potential Sioux recruit) also attended the camp:

12. Alex Schoenborn (#18 Grey) 6-1/190 – 3-2-5 -- 12/12/95 DOB from Minot HS. Lincoln first round pick. A very late ’95, but already a big strong kid.

Defensemen:
6. Keaton Thompson (#6 Red) 6-1/170 – 0-2-2 -- From Devils Lake HS. Joining NTDP. Good defensively, nice outlet passes, and judiciously picks his spots to join the rush.

13. Charlie Pelnik (#7 Forest Green) 6-4/190 – 0-0-0 -- From Carolina Jr. Hurricanes. North Dakota recruit. Quite raw, didn’t have a great week, but there’s a lot to work with here. Fargo’s top pick. Also picked by Plymouth in OHL draft.

Also, former East Grand Forks and current USNTDP U-17 defenseman Gage Ausmus (Denver recruit) was the 16th ranked blueliner.

And here are a few odds and ends:

• Hockey Futures' October College Prospects Notebook
• It's been reported that Michael Hulsizer and his investment group have signed a deal to purchase the St. Louis Blues. Hulsizer had previously shown interest in buying the NHL's redheaded stepchild franchise, the Phoenix Coyotes. Among those in Hulsizer's investment group is former Tampa Bay Lightning owner Oren Koules, the father of Sioux recruit Miles Koules.
• The Hockey Writers recently examined the age old and often heated topic of the CHL vs. NCAA. While discussing the CIS (Canada's NCAA equivalent) the author states, "The talent at the CIS level is smack dab in the middle of the CHL and NCAA." I'm not sure what he meant by that, but I found it odd considering the CIS currently has just four active alumni in the NHL.
• The Hockey News recently counted the votes for its The Best of Everything in Hockey edition, and Jonathan Toews was named the league's Best Leader (click the quote for the full Best of summary article): “Jonathan Toews as the best leader, which again isn’t a shock, but it’s interesting for such a young guy to be given so much respect at that age. You’ve got some other veteran leaders like Jarome Iginla and Nicklas Lidstrom, who have been around a lot longer. But Toews obviously has that something special.” 
• The Ottawa Senators recently revealed the inspiration for their jersey numbers. Brian Lee, who wears #5 for Ottawa, wore #22 for the Fighting Sioux.

NHL Training Camp Links & 2012 NHL Draft Prelim. Rankings

• Chris Vendevelde has been impressive at Edmonton Oiler training camp.
• TJ Oshie's approach to this season may be just what the St Louis Blues franchise needed.
• The Toews brothers comment briefly about their experience playing with one another.
• Once again, Brian Lee has a fight for playing time on his hands in Ottawa.
• The Portland Press Herald has a nice article on Brett Hextall adding to his family legacy.
• Toward the bottom of this Buffalo training camp notebook entry, Drew Stafford comments on the upcoming season.
• Jordan Schmaltz appears on this (very) preliminary 2012 NHL Draft ranking. Never mind the bit about him playing in Windsor-he'll be in Grand Forks next fall.
• The Western College Hockey Blog published their ballot for the WCHA preseaon poll. It's hard to believe DU's Jason Zucker isn't a first teamer, but then again, whose place would he take?

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Mike Brophy writes in his column at sportsnet.ca that Matt Frattin is taking advantage of his chances:

Matt Frattin has taken advantage of every opportunity he has been given to make the Maple Leafs. A finalist for the Hobey Baker Award with the University of North Dakota last season when he scored 36 goals and 60 points in 44 games the 23-year-old right winger looked like a man playing with boys at the team's rookie camp in Oshawa last week. He stood out in the weekend scrimmages and was flying again in the first pre-season game against the Senators. Frattin's greatest attribute in Game 1 was his drive to the net.

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Ryan Johnson welcomes the challenge of attending Detroit Red Wing training camp as a tryout attendee. Red Wing head coach Mike Babcock had a couple snippets about Johnson's performance thus far:

"I thought Huds, (Fabian) Brunnstrom and (Ryan) Johnson were a good line (previously), so I stayed with that. It had nothing to do with Patty, I just wanted to look at something else.'' 


"(Jan) Mursak was all over the puck, hounded hard. (Brendan) Smith was a good player today. Nyquist is a real good hockey player. Ryan Johnson and Brunnstrom have done a real nice job for themselves.''

Sioux NHL Links & Rookie Camp Updates

Here are some links pertaining to former Sioux as we head into NHL training camps:

• New Jersey Devil Zach Parise reiterates that his one-year deal does not signify that he's intent on leaving the Devils following the season.
• In a Fire & Ice post, Parise discusses the upcoming season, including more on this contract situation and returning from last season's knee injury that kept him out of the lineup almost all year.
• Fellow Devil Travis Zajac discusses the uncertainty involved in recovering from his Achilles tendon injury.
• Coming off his most productive offensive season, the Buffalo Sabres' Drew Stafford discusses a new component of his offseason regimen and the Sabre organization's busy summer.
• According to Senators Extra, Brian Lee isn't getting enough credit for his solid play down the stretch for the Ottawa Senators.
• Senshot proposes a new defensive pairing for the Senators, based on Lee's improved late season play.
• St Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong discusses his team heading into the upcoming season, including what he considers to be TJ Oshie's best offseason as a Blue. On a Blues sidenote, it's nice to see former MSU Maverick David Backes earn the Captainship for St Louis. I've always admired his play and it's nice to see him being rewarded.
• The Edmonton Journal's Cult of Hockey chronicles Chris Vandevelde's place among the Edmonton Oiler's young forwards. It was fun to watch the development of Vandevelde down the stretch last season as he started earning ice time in all situations.
• Jonathan Toews and Steven Stamkos comment on Toews defeating Stamkos in TSN's Franchise Faceoff final. They each also comment on why they should be picked first in a fantasy hockey draft. I love Toews' answer. The Q&A session was part of the NHL's two-day player media tour that took place last week. Zach Parise also took part.

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Chay Genoway scored a goal for the Minnesota Wild, but it wasn't enough as the Wild fell to the Buffalo Sabres 6-3 yesterday in each team's opener in the Traverse City rookie tournament. Corey Fienhage notched an assist for the Sabres. Buffalo's next game is today at 1:30 against Columbus while the Wild face Detroit this evening at 5:30.

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Matt Frattin and the Toronto Maple Leaf's rookies defeated David Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 yesterday in the Maple Leaf's rookie tournament. The game was streamed on the Leafs official website with a half hour delay, and the quality was pretty good. Frattin seemed to be pressing early but played well in the second and third periods. I also thought Toews had a solid game, though neither player ended up in the scoring column. Also, former Wisconsin Badger defenseman Jake Gardiner looked very sharp for the Leafs and his two goals certainly displayed his strong skating and puck protection skills. The Leafs play again tonight, but Frattin will not be in the lineup. The Blackhawks were back on the ice taking on Ottawa at 1:00 this afternoon.

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Yesterday marked the first practice at the Winnipeg Jets' rookie training camp. Jason Gregoire, who will be battling for a full time NHL gig, is appreciative of the fan support the Jets received for their first practice.