Sioux in the Pros Update

Here's an update on how some of the Sioux alums playing professionally are faring early on this season:

• Brandon Bochenski (Astana) is currently second in the KHL with 11 goals and fifth with 19 points through 19 games. Additionally, his three game winning goals are tied for third and his +14 rating is fifth best.
• Rastislav Spirko leads Spartak Moscow (KHL) with 14 points (6G, 8A) in 18 games.
• Danny Kristo (Hartford) is second among AHL rookies with 7 points (4G, 3A) in six games.
• Kristo and Brad Malone are among the AHL's leading goals scorers with 4 each.
• Corban Knight is tied for second on Abbotsford (AHL) with five points (1G, 4A) through seven games. His five points are also sixth most among AHL rookies.
• The Ulmer brothers are off to strong starts in the Austrian elite league. Jeff leads Ljubljana with 14 points (7G, 7A) in 14 games while Jason leads Linz with 21 points (7G, 14A) in 15 games. Andrew Kozek (6G, 4A) and Curtis Murphy (3G, 7A) are also among the top scorers for Linz.
• Jake Marto and Jason Gregoire are each among the top four scorers for Sodertalje (Sweden tier 2). Marto has nine points (2G, 7A) in 13 games while Gregoire has eight (2G, 6A) in eight.
• Ryan Bayda's eight points (5G, 3A) are tied for the Augsburger (Germany tier 1) team lead.
• Carter Rowney was signed by the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers and has two assists through two games.
• Aaron Dell has signed a Professional Try-Out (PTO) contract with the Norfolk Admirals (AHL) but has yet to see game action. Earlier this fall Dell signed an ECHL contract with the Utah Grizzlies.

Tuesday Morning Post

• Jason Gregoire has signed a one year deal with Södertälje of the Allsvenskan (Sweden Tier 2). He will be reunited with former Sioux and St. John's IceCap teammate Jake Marto, who signed with Södertälje earlier this summer.
• Brent Davidson has signed with Valpellice of Italy's elite league after spending last season with Herning (Denmark).
• The Hockey News featured former UND standout goaltender Darren Jensen in the print edition of its Backchecking segment several months ago, and it has recently found its way into the digital realm.
• Tony Hrkac will be inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame next month, joining fellow Sioux alum Greg Johnson, who was inducted in 2010.
• North Dakota goalie Zane Gothberg continues to impress Boston Bruins management.
• UND forward Rocco Grimaldi is on his way to building a big NHL future.
• UND sophomore forward Rebecca Kohler and incoming freshman defenseman Halli Krzyzaniak have been invited to Hockey Canada's National Women's Team Development Camp.
• A trio of UND commits are currently representing USA Hockey in the Ivan Hlinka Tournament in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Nick Schmaltz was named USA's Player of the Game in a 1-0 exhibition game victory over the Czech Republic Saturday while Austin Poganski and Ryan Mantha each picked up assists in yesterdays 3-2 OT loss to Finland. They resume play this morning at 7:00 AM CDT against Russia. Below are recent features on each UND commit:
• Nick Schmaltz
• Ryan Mantha
• Austin Poganski
• The Scouting Report is taking a look at some of the top USHL prospects for the 2014 NHL Draft and aside from the above feature on Schmaltz, Poganski and fellow UND commit Chris Wilkie were also recently highlighted.
• Incoming UND freshman defensemen Gage Ausmus and Keaton Thompson were invited to USA Hockey's National Junior Evaluation Camp, but they were both among the first round of cuts. They could potentially play themselves back into consideration with strong first halves to the NCAA season, and they will both be eligible for next year's World Junior Championship team as well.

Tuesday Morning Coffee

• North Dakota forward and Manitoba native Stephane Pattyn was featured in a very nice Winnipeg Free Press article.
• Aaron Dell was recently named the Central Hockey League's Goaltender of the Month for November. Dell leads the CHL in both GAA (2.03) and Save Percentage (.930). 
• Matt Watkins was named alternate captain for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. He will wear the A in Sound Tiger road games.
• ESPN.com says Mike Commodore's return to the AHL is part of a bigger mission.
• After patiently playing a game of wait and see with the NHL lockout, Jonathan Toews says heading overseas is "absolutely" on the front burner.
• Even after last week's apparent negotiation meltdown between the NHL and NHLPA, Zach Parise remains optimistic.
• The Hockey Writers are in the midst of ranking their top 90 prospects for the 2013 NHL Draft, and they have some nice things to say about North Dakota native/UND recruit Keaton Thompson (No. 26). Here's their take on the Devils Lake product:

Mr. Impressive – The smooth and easy of defense; fluid, consistent, calm under pressure, one and out passes, can join the rush, and not afraid of the rough stuff. A player who has been increasingly impressive so far with hints of what he can develop into. Go ahead, Keaton, add some weight and strength and see where this game can take you.

• Colorado Eagle (ECHL) defenseman Jake Marto was recently the subject of a player profile video and he spent a couple minutes discussing his time playing for the University of North Dakota:

Tuesday Evening Post

• The Pipeline Show published its 2012-13 NCAA All-Canadian teams, and three members of the Fighting Sioux made the cut. Corban Knight made the first-team while Dillon Simpson and Andrew MacWilliam form the defensive pairing for the second-team.
• As most probably already know, North Dakota received a verbal commitment from a highly-regarded defense recruit today. Christian Evers currently plays for the Omaha AAA Lancer Under-16 team (same program that produced UND recruit Chris Wilkie) and he tweeted last night of his intentions to attend UND. He is currently a high school sophomore and he becomes the first 1997 birth year player (and, I believe, the first-ever Iowan) to commit to North Dakota. For more information, check out his Recruit Profile.
• After putting up six points (2G, 4A) in two weekend games, North Dakota recruit Wade Murphy received an honorable mention in the BCHL's weekly honors. For the season Murphy ranks second overall in the BCHL scoring race with 17 points (5G, 12A) in 8 games, and his 12 assists and 2.1 PPG average both lead the league. 
• Chris VandeVelde was named an alternate captain for the AHL's Oklahoma City Barons. The Barons should be fun to watch this season, especially if the NHL lockout lingers. Until the NHL and the NHL Players Association can come to an agreement on a new CBA, young Edmonton Oiler superstars Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and Justin Schultz will be keeping their skills sharp in Oklahoma City.
• Jake Marto has been re-assigned to the ECHL's Colorado Eagles, where he will join fellow former Sioux Michael Forney and Aaron Schneekloth. Aaron Dell had also been participating in Colorado's training camp, but he was recently released by the team.
• Former Sioux Travis Zajac is training in his hometown of Winnipeg as he waits for a resolution to the NHL lockout. If the lockout drags on for too long, he says he will consider playing in Europe this season. 
• ESPN released a list of the Top 25 NHL Players Under 25. You need an ESPN Insider subscription to view the entire list, but you'll be able to see who's number one for free.
• Bucky's 5th Quarter published its 2012-13 WCHA Preview, and they have North Dakota finishing second in the conference. Individually, Danny Kristo (First Team), Corban Knight (Third Team), Rocco Grimaldi (All-Freshman Team, Rookie of the Year), Jordan Schmaltz (All-Freshman Team), and Zane Gothberg (All-Freshman Team) all received preseason honors. 
• Radio Free Omaha predicts a second-place conference finish for UND this season, while Kelly Green and White has North Dakota sitting at number two in its preseason WCHA Power Rankings.
• Top Shelf Prospects also put together a 2012-13 WCHA Preview, and they say North Dakota is a contender for the league title while Kristo will be a player to watch.

Monday Evening Post

After taking a few weeks off, a bit of a catch-up effort in regard to UND hockey news is much needed. A lot of this is pretty old news, but hopefully some of the links will be of interest. So, here goes...

After TJ Oshie happily re-signed with St. Louis late last week, all but three of the eleven former Sioux free agents who played in the NHL last year have signed new contracts. Mike Commodore, Jason Blake, and Chris VandeVelde are the lone free agents still on the market. Below are the details:

PLAYER	2011-2012 TEAM	STATUS	NEW TEAM	SIGNING/CONTRACT DETAILS
Jason Blake	Anaheim	UFA
Taylor Chorney	Edmonton	UFA	St. Louis	1 Year, 2-Way Contract
Mike Commodore	Tampa Bay	UFA
Matt Frattin	Toronto	RFA	Toronto	2 Years, $1.7 Million
Chay Genoway	Minnesota	RFA	Minnesota	2 Years, 2-Way Contract
Brian Lee	Tampa Bay	RFA	Tampa Bay	2 Years, $2.3 Million
T.J. Oshie	St Louis	RFA	St. Louis	5 Years, $20.9 Million
Zach Parise	New Jersey	UFA	Minnesota	13 Years, $98 Million
Chris Porter	St Louis	UFA	St. Louis	1 Year, 2-Way Contract
Chris VandeVelde	Edmonton	RFA
Matt Watkins	Phoenix	UFA	NY Islanders	1 Year, 2-Way Contract

Derrick LaPoint was tabbed as the 2011-12 Defensive Player of the Year for the Reading Royals (ECHL) despite having his season cut short due to an emergency appendectomy. The former Sioux defenseman re-signed with Reading late last week.


In other signings...

• Matt Smaby, who was on the verge of a late-season call-up to Anaheim before suffering an injury, will remain with the Ducks organization via a one year, two-way contract.
• Jake Marto re-signed with the St. John's IceCaps (AHL).
• Lee Goren signed with Pelicans of the SM-Liiga (Finland's elite league). He spent last season with Skelleftea of the Elitserien (Swedish elite league).

In other news...

• Luke Johnson, who is anticipated to arrive on campus in the fall of 2013, was ranked as an A List Player for the 2013 NHL Draft. An A Lister is a player Central Scouting considers to be a potential first round talent.
• Here's a look at Jonathan Toews By the Numbers. Toews is currently in the running for TSN's Who's Better feature, which is seeking to find who the fans think is the best hockey player under the age of 25. CSN Chicago caught up with the Chicago captain at Blackhawks Convention 2012.
• Incoming freshman defenseman Jordan Schmaltz is eager to prove the worth of St. Louis' investment in him as a first-round draft pick, and in this fan Q&A he says winning the national championship with North Dakota is the goal for this upcoming season.
• Stanley Cup champion Matt Greene, whose parents watched him hoist The Cup from afar, is friend, foe, and one-time bodyguard to Zach Parise.  
• FS North took a look at the importance Shattuck-St. Mary's had in Parise's career development.
• Courtesy of the Lake Erie Monsters, here's a review of Brad Malone's first season as a professional.
• Corban Knight is among a number of WCHAers who rank near the top of the Florida Panther prospect pool in terms of NHL equivalency.
• Derek Forbort carries his potential as he continues to mature.
• The prospect of playing for his hometown Jets thrills Jason Gregoire, who is featured in this Winnipeg Jet Prospect Update.
• Hockey Prospectus ranked Danny Kristo fourth and Mark MacMillan fourteenth among the top Montreal Canadiens prospects, while Brock Nelson is ranked third among New York Islanders prospects.
• Incoming freshman goaltender Zane Gothberg is ready for the next level.
• The national championship-winning 1996-97 Men's Hockey Team will be inducted into the UND Athletics Hall of Fame.

Wednesday Morning Coffee

• Hockey's Future recently published its list of the top 50 NHL prospects, and while they didn't make the initial list, Brock Nelson and Danny Kristo were two of the three NCAA products who received honorable mention recognition.
• The Hockey News' 2012 NHL Draft Preview is out, and recruit Jordan Schmaltz is ranked as the #34 prospect. As THN takes a look ahead to future drafts, recruiting target Seth Jones and committed recruit Nick Schmaltz are ranked as the top prospects for 2013 and 2014, respectively. 
• The New Jersey Devils evened their Eastern Conference semifinal series with Philadelphia at one game apiece by way of a 4-1 victory last night. Travis Zajac and Zach Parise each figured in on the scoring, with Zajac contributing a goal and Parise picking up an assist. The two former Sioux are the top two point producers for New Jersey during this year's playoffs as Zajac leads the way with eight points (5G, 3A) while Parise is right behind him with seven points (3G, 4A). The series resumes Thursday night when the action moves to New Jersey. Zajac's goal was a nifty backhanded wraparound that he was able to lift up and over the pad of Flyer goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. Check out the goal here:

• The AHL's second round kicked off last night, and the St John's IceCaps took a 1-0 series lead by defeating Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 3-1. Jason Gregoire and Jake Marto have yet to make an appearance for the IceCaps during the playoffs. Abbotsford defeated Toronto 3-1 last night and the lone Marlie goal was scored by Matt Frattin, who now has four points (2G, 2A) in four playoff games. Here's the video of Frattin's goal:

• The Oklahoma City Barons fire up their second round series against the San Antonio Rampage Thursday night, and Taylor Chorney will be back in OKC's lineup. He was forced to sit out the first round series with a knee injury.
• The USHL's Western Conference finals begin tonight. The Lincoln Stars, featuring recruits Paul LaDue and Luke Johnson, open their best of five series at home against Waterloo. Green Bay and recruit Jordan Schmaltz open the Eastern Conference finals at home against Indiana tomorrow night.
• The USHL held its annual Futures Draft last night, and the grandson of a former Sioux All-American was selected number three overall. Brad Schlossman did a nice breakdown of all the draft's local ties. The draft was for players with 1996 birth years, and with Brendan Lemieux (tendered by Green Bay-USHL), Nick Schmaltz (rights retained by Green Bay-USHL), and Chris Wilkie (USNTDP Under-17) already spoken for, no committed Sioux recruits were selected.

Sioux in the Pros: AHL Playoff Links

The AHL conference quarterfinals kick off tonight, and as many as 10 former Sioux could see action in the hunt for the Calder Cup. Here are a few article and preview links:

• AHL Conference Quarterfinal Preview (PDF)
• Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Brock Nelson) vs. Connecticut Whale
• St. John's IceCaps (Jason Gregoire, Jake Marto) vs. Syracuse Crunch (Matt Smaby)
• Houston Aeros (Chay Genoway) vs. Oklahoma City Barons (Chris VandeVelde, Taylor Chorney)
• Toronto Marlies (Matt Frattin) vs. Rochester Americans (Corey Fienhage, Joe Finley)
• Rochester Democrat and Journal: Amerks Will Face a Tough Team in Toronto
• Edmonton Journal: Barons OK Opening AHL Series on the Road
• Hartford Courant: Whale-Bridgeport Series Preview
• Houston Chronicle: Aeros Get New Life After Squeaking Into the Playoffs
• Toronto Star: Marlies Ready for Opneing Round Against Rochester Americans
• The Oklahoman: Defense Back to Full Strength as Barons Begin AHL Playoffs at Houston 
• Syracuse Post-Standard: Crunch Have to Turn-off St. Johns' Power in Playoff Series
• The Connecticut Post: Young Sound Tiger Defensemen Need to Rise to Playoff Intensity
• The Connecticut Post: Whale at Sound Tigers Game Day
• St. John's Telegram: IceCaps Ready to Put Their Best Skate Forward
• St. John's Telegram: Crunch Time for IceCaps

Monday Evening Post

• North Dakota received a verbal commitment from Fargo Force forward Bryn Chyzyk today. Chyzyk, who visited UND last Friday during the Wisconsin series, chose North Dakota over future NCHC foes Nebraska-Omaha, Minnesota-Duluth, and Western Michigan. Northern Michigan was also said to be in the mix for a player who has burst onto the USHL scene this season. Chyzyk is currently the second leading scorer for Fargo with 31 points (20G, 11A) in 37 games, and his 20 goals rank as the sixth best in the USHL. For a quick introduction to the latest North Dakota recruit, here is Chyzyk's Force in a Minute feature (CAUTION: Video contains Justin Bieber reference 1 of 2):

• Luke Johnson and Jack Rowe each had big games this past weekend in USHL action. Johnson had a three point game (1G, 2A) Friday night to help Lincoln to a 5-2 victory over Des Moines, while Rowe had a five assist night Saturday in Cedar Rapids' 6-5 shootout loss to Waterloo. Johnson now has 30 points (10G, 20A) in 32 games this season, while Rowe, after missing the first month of the season due to injury, has 14 points (2G, 12A) in 25 games. He's been playing particularly well as of late, recording 12 points (2G, 10A) and a +8 rating in his last 14 games after recording just two assists and a -5 in his first 11.
• Luke Voltin returned to the ice last weekend for the first time since leaving the USNTDP, going scoreless in two games with the Des Moines Buccaneers. Voltin was initially claimed off of USHL waivers by the Chicago Steel, who then moved the forward to Des Moines via trade.
• Jordan Schmaltz took part in an interview on The Pipeline Show last week following the NHL/USHL Top Prospects Game.
• Fighting Sioux centerman Corban Knight was recently interviewed by Litter Box Cats.  
• According to a leading Toronto Maple Leaf blog, former Sioux and current Toronto Marlie Matt Frattin is considered one of the top prospects in the Maple Leaf system. Frattin has three goals and an assist in his last four games, including a two goal performance against former linemate Brad Malone's Lake Erie Monsters last Thursday. Malone also had a goal in the 6-2 Marlie win.
• Chris Porter has been recalled by the St. Louis Blues following a two-game conditioning stint in Peoria (AHL), while Jake Marto is back with the Colorado Eagles (ECHL).
• Oilers Nation recently caught up with Oklahoma City Baron (AHL) head coach Todd Nelson in order to see how things are going for Edmonton's top farm team, and Nelson gave a glowing report on former Sioux standout Chris VandeVelde: 

Chris VandeVelde has made excellent gains this year. He's a lot better player than he was last year. He's a pretty dominant centerman at this level. And what I mean by dominant is just his play; his all-around game. If you look at his numbers, they're nothing to get all excited about, but what he does for us is he plays a very good defensive role. He does excellent penalty killing for us, and he's strong on draws. He's a big strong centerman, and he has improved drastically from last year.

• New Jersey Devils' center Travis Zajac has yet to resume skating since being shutdown earlier this month, but GM Lou Lamariello expects Zajac to be back with New Jersey at some point this season. As the article also points out, Zajac's wife gave birth to a baby boy last week, Zenon Nathan Zajac. Meanwhile, In Lou We Trust says New Jersey would be stupid to trade star winger Zach Parise.
• Jonathan Toews is expected to return to action tomorrow night in Vancouver. The All-Star Break came at a great time for the Chicago center, allowing him some extra time to recuperate from a wrist injury suffered a week and a half ago.
• ESPN's John Buccigross recently released his list of the Top 100 players in the NHL. North Dakota had two of the top 14, with Toews coming in at number two and Parise at number 14.
• Matt Greene and the Los Angeles Kings have been playing some very good hockey recently, but perhaps they've been overshadowed a bit by the NBA's Clippers and Lakers. The Fame Makers are looking to change that (CAUTION: Video contains Justin Bieber reference 2 of 2):

The Fame Makers with the Los Angeles Kings from Anze Kopitar

Thursday Evening Post

This is a bit of a short post, but it's nice to get the links posted as quickly as possible heading into the weekend. Enjoy:

• For the third time this season Jake Marto has been recalled by the St. Johns IceCaps (AHL). In his previous two stints with St. Johns, Marto has recorded three assists in 12 games, while he has produced five assists in 20 games with the Colorado Eagles (ECHL).
• There is still no timetable set for the return of injured New Jersey Devil centerman Travis Zajac. Zajac was shut-down after his surgically repaired Achilles tendon became inflamed. He has played in eight games this season, producing one goal and two assists.
• The Regina Leader-Post published a wonderful story on Kennedy Bobyck, the ten year-old daughter of former Sioux standout Brent Bobyck. While she fully intends to one day suit up for North Dakota, she has more pressing matters to deal with this weekend. Kennedy and family are off to Ottawa where she will be competing in the finals of the Canadian Tire NHL Junior Skills Championships during All-Star Weekend. Former Sioux Jonathan Toews will be presenting the championship trophy at the event, as he is the founding member of the Canadian Tire Hockey School.
• Toews was recently ranked 69th on Bloomberg Businessweek's Power 100, making him the highest ranked hockey player on the list that ranks the 100 most powerful athletes in the world. 
• There's also some good news on the Toews injury front. General manager Stan Bowman says he expects the Chicago captain to be in the lineup when the Blackhawks resume regular season play next Tuesday against Vancouver. 
• Lastly, Toews is currently taking on Steven Stamkos in the semi-finals of Real GM's Be a GM contest. He's already taken down Jimmy Howard, Shea Weber, and Alex Ovechkin, so make sure to vote Captain Serious into the finals.

Post Holiday Break Update, Part 1

Following the holiday break and a pleasant road trip to western North Dakota, the blog is now back to active status. There's been a decent amount of noteworthy activity in the land of Sioux hockey, and we'll look to tackle it all over the course of the next several days. There are a few recruit profiles left to complete, there are two significant international tournaments going on, and with a big nonconference series coming up against Harvard, the posting should become pretty regular during the next week or so. Hopefully everyone had a great holiday season, and here's the first round of updates and links:

• Derrick LaPoint scored his first professional goal last Friday in the Reading Royals' (ECHL) 6-4 victory over Greenville. LaPoint currently has five points (1G, 4A) in 24 games with Reading. He's also played in five AHL games this season-four with the Syracuse Crunch and one with the Peoria Rivermen.
• Brady Murray recently returned from injury to make his season debut with HC Lugano of the Swiss National League. He has registered seven points (3G, 4A) in eight games and recently signed a contract extension that will keep him in Lugano through the 2013/14 season with an option for an additional year.
• Michael Forney of the Colorado Eagles has been as hot as anyone in the ECHL lately, recently being named the league's Player of the Week. Forney produced six points (3G, 3A) and was a +7 in helping the Eagles to a 3-0 record over the course of the week. He is currently riding a nine game point streak during which he has recorded 14 points (8G, 6A) to go along with a +11 rating. For the season Forney has 27 points (12G, 15A) and a +9. Also helping Colorado earn at least one point in 11 of its last 12 games has been Aaron Schneekloth, who leads all ECHL defensemen with 28 points (11G, 17A) in 30 games. Jake Marto, meanwhile, has rejoined Colorado after a 12 game run with St. John's (AHL).
• The 2011 Spengler Cup, one of the oldest invitation-only hockey tournaments in the world, is currently taking place in Davos, Switzerland. Former Sioux defenseman Robbie Bina is taking part with his EHC Wolfsburg (Germany Tier I) squad, and earlier today they eliminated Team Canada 3-2 (SO) to advance to the semifinals. Travis Roche was originally chosen to participate for Team Canada, but was forced to back out due to injury.
• Derek Forbort is currently in Alberta representing Team USA in the 2012 World Junior Championships. In their tournament opener Team USA trounced Denmark 11-3, with Forbort notching two assists. The Americans were upset 4-1 Wednesday afternoon by an offensively gifted Finland team, despite outshooting the Fins 38-24. Team USA has an off day today before concluding preliminary round play against the Czech Republic Friday (2:30 CST) and Canada Saturday (7:00 CST).
• Recruits Luke Voltin and Keaton Thompson will be taking part in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge beginning today in Windsor, Ontario. The United States of Hockey put together a very nice preview of Team USA, including brief scouting reports of all players. Team USA kicks off their tournament today at 6:00 CST, and all games can be viewed live over the internet at Fast Hockey. This has become a high-profile showcase event for players still two to three years out of their draft year, and among those taking part will be highly-regarded prospects Nathan MacKinnon and Aaron Ekblad. Ekblad is just the second player ever to be granted exceptional player status by the OHL (John Tavares was the first), which allowed him to play in the league at the age of 15.
• Recruit Drake Caggiula is currently participating in the Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge in Smith Falls, Ontario. The tournament, which consists of all-star teams from several Canadian junior A leagues, concludes tonight at 6:00 CST when Caggiula and his OJHL North teammates take on Quebec for the tournament championship. Caggiula has a goal and an assist in four tournament games. He's also gone two-for-two in shootouts, including the game winner in the semifinal game earlier today. The game can be viewed live via Neulion.

Travis Zajac's Return On Schedule, Malone Called Up, Etc.

There's been a lot of activity in the world of Fighting Sioux hockey recently. Enjoy the nuggets:

• Travis Zajac returned to practice with the New Jersey Devils Wednesday, and he appears on track to return to game action in two weeks. Zajac, who has yet to play this year due to an offseason Achilles tendon injury, said he is pain free and that his legs feel good. The Devils will surely welcome him back to the lineup with open arms as they currently hover near the .500 mark. Zajac was unable to play in his hometown of Winnipeg during the Devils' recent road trip, but teammate Zach Parise was in action against his hometown team, the Minnesota Wild. And due to Parise's impending free agency status, speculation has begun on whether Parise might return to the Twin Cities for good.
• Brad Malone had an impressive training camp this fall with the Colorado Avalanche and has been streaking for the Lake Erie Monsters (AHL) as of late. This afternoon his solid play was rewarded as he was called up by the Avs. He is expected to meet the team in Edmonton Friday, where he could be making his NHL debut. If he does crack the lineup, he will be the 13th Fighting Sioux alumni to see NHL action this season.
• The most recent Fighting Sioux alum to make his NHL debut was the Buffalo Sabres' Joe Finley, who debuted last Friday. Finley has appeared in three games, going scoreless with a -1 rating. His ice time was limited in the two games he played last weekend, but Wednesday night against Philadelphia his shifts came more regularly and he played a solid game.
• Matt Frattin had what was probably his best game as a Maple Leaf this week against New Jersey, scoring a goal on a powerful drive to the net during a game in which he was a force all over the ice. He recently discussed his collegiate and Frozen Four experiences and made a radio appearance with 590 The Fan.
• Jake Marto started the year in the ECHL with the Colorado Eagles prior to being called up by St. John's (AHL). He began as the IceCaps' number 6/7 defenseman, but has since worked his way onto the team's top pairing.
• TJ Oshie continues his outstanding play. In a recent game St. Louis Blues color analyst Darren Pang named Oshie the player of the game and stated that even if Oshie hadn't scored a goal, he still would have been the best player on the ice. He's been all over the ice and has been an integral part of the Blues surge under new head coach Ken Hitchcock.
• Jonathan Toews' tremendous November recently earned him the NHL's Second Star of the Month, and it has pushed him to the forefront of the early Hart Trophy speculation. Toews, who might very well become the greatest captain in Blackhawk history, was recently named a finalist for Manitoba's Male Athlete of the Year. Steve Yzerman, one of hockey's all-time greatest captains, recently profiled Toews as a part of Chicago's 85 Years of Blood, Sweat, and Cheers series. Former Sioux goaltender and recent Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Ed Belfour was also featured in the series.
• David Toews, meanwhile, is making his own mark in the professional ranks. He has been a consistent presence for the ECHL's Toledo Walleye.
• Brock Nelson has been on quite a tear recently, earning back-to-back WCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors. The New York Islander draft pick's productivity was recently analyzed by the Isles' statistician, while Nelson and a host of other collegians are faring well in Copper and Blue's NHL Equivalency ratings.
• Sioux recruit Drake Caggiula was named to Team North, which will compete in the Central Canada Cup Challenge.
• Recruit Zane Gothberg says he is enjoying being the Fargo Force's number one goaltender.
• One note on the Recruit Profiles: They are being posted in reverse order of the commitments, but they will also be updated as the recruits' pre-Sioux careers progress. Any individual honors, achievements, scouting reports, etc. will be added throughout their time as recruits. So if you're interested, check The Recruits page from time to time to see how things are developing for the future of Fighting Sioux hockey. Also, if anyone has additional information on any of the recruits, pass it along and I will include it in the profiles.

Chorney Back to Edm/OKC, Marto Back to St. John's, Etc.

A few notes from the world of Sioux hockey:

• Taylor Chorney was placed on waivers yesterday by the St. Louis Blues and claimed today by the Edmonton Oilers. Last month Chorney was waived by the Oilers in the hope that he would clear waivers and be assigned to the Oklahoma City Barons, Edmonton's AHL affiliate. Well, it took a full month, but Edmonton has finally been able to, in very roundabout fashion, assign Chorney to Oklahoma City, where he will team with former Sioux teammate Chris VandeVelde.
• Going through a revolving door himself is Jake Marto. Marto was recalled by St. John's (AHL) last weekend and played with the IceCaps Sunday. He was reassigned back to Colorado (ECHL) Monday and played with the Eagles last night, only to be called-up by St. John's again today. He signed a two-way contract with Colorado/St. John's this summer, and with the defensive depth situation in Winnipeg right now, this might be just the beginning of Marto's interleague travels. Just yesterday Marto commented on his first AHL assignment, and now he's heading back.
• Ryan Duncan, Brett Hextall (who has missed several games due to a wrist injury) and Matt Watkins are all among Portland's (AHL) top eight point producers. Duncan leads the Pirates in scoring with 10 points (4G, 6A), and the Portland Daily Sun recently featured him and fellow Hobey Baker Award winner Andy Miele.
• Brock Nelson is one of the New York Islanders' top prospects, and Islanders Point Blank recently published a feature on North Dakota's super sophomore. It's a good piece that traces Nelson's tremendous hockey lineage, and it also includes a lot of commentary from Fighting Sioux head coach Dave Hakstol.
• If you are interested in checking out a Fighting Sioux recruit and can make it to Fargo tomorrow night, Jack Rowe and his Cedar Rapids RoughRider teammates will be in town Friday to take on the Force. Rowe played his first USHL game just last Saturday after having been been shelved all season due to injury. Tickets can be had for a handful of change due to the Force's 11/11/11 promotion: Reserved and general admission tickets are $1 between 11:11 AM and 1:11 PM Friday, while club seats and ice bar ticket prices have been reduced to $11. The one catch is that the Scheels Arena box office is the only place where you can take advantage of this great deal.
  

Week 4 Recap (Part 2): Genoway, Malone Get First Pro Goals & Injury Updates

Below is the weekly recap of former and future Sioux:

• Brad Malone (Lake Erie-AHL) and Chay Genoway (Houston-AHL) each scored their first goals as professionals last Friday night. Malone's goal came in a 2-1 Monster victory over the Toronto Marlies, while Genoway's helped the Aeros defeat San Antonio 4-2. Genoway had a big week in total as he recorded five points (1G, 4A) in three games, helping the team to a 2-0-1 record over the weekend.
• Corey Fienhage had a goal and an assist for Gwinnett (ECHL) as the Gladiators went 2-1 during the week.
• A trio of former Sioux had a nice weekend for the Colorado Eagles (ECHL). Aaron Schneekloth (1G, 2A) and Jake Marto (0G, 3A) each had three points while Michael Forney added two assists in helping the Eagles to a  2-1 weekend record.
• Like many of the goals he scored as a Sioux, Darcy Zajac scored the gritty game winner in the Albany Devils (AHL) 3-2 victory over the Hamilton Bulldogs Saturday night.
• Travis Zajac resumed skating last week as he continues rehabilitation following Achilles surgery. He also paid a surprise visit to New Jersey Devils practice earlier this week. The Devils have had to shuffle their lineup a bit due to injuries, and Zach Parise has been at the center of the changes.
• Jason Blake hopes to be a fast healer as he recuperates from the tendon injury he suffered to his left wrist. If cancer can't keep him out of the lineup, expect Blake to make a complete recovery for the Anaheim Ducks.
• Detroit's Mike Commodore has been cleared to play after sitting out the past month with a knee injury. Though the Red Wings defensemen have played well during the early stages of the season, expect Commodore to see the ice soon.
• Taylor Chorney has yet to play this season, but he has waited patiently and his chance could come Friday.
• Matt Frattin, who has played well for Toronto but has been unable to score, was assigned to the Leaf's AHL affiliate. Expect him to be back with the Leafs later this season as he rediscovers his scoring touch.
• The Colorado Springs Gazette published a nice piece on the recently retired David Hale, a Springs native.
• The Mayor's Manor caught up with Matt Greene to see what he's learned thus far about this year's LA Kings squad. That's a heckuva gash on his forehead that wound up requiring 54 stitches.
• Jack Rowe (Cedar Rapids-USHL) has yet to play this season as he recovers from offseason surgery, but he has begun practicing with the RoughRiders. Hopefully he will be on the ice Veteran's Day weekend when CR visits Fargo to take on the Force. That's an off week for North Dakota so it would be a great opportunity to see the Sioux recruit in action.
• Luke Johnson (Lincoln-USHL) sat out last weekend as one of several Lincoln Stars players dealing with injuries. No word thus far in regard to the extent of the injury. Johnson is off to a tremendous start, having notched at least one point in each of his six games.

Fighting Sioux & Maine Links & Former Sioux News

North Dakota vs. Maine - Series Notes & Links:

• Gametime: Friday 7:37 CDT/Saturday 7:07 CDT
• The games will be broadcast on a variety of media outlets across the region. Here's the standard broadcast information.
• Series notes in PDF: Maine's Take and North Dakota's Take
• The Sioux have been looking forward to the rematch after last year's series in Orono.
• Maine is expecting a challenge this weekend.
• The Bangor Daily News offers a concise series capsule.
• INCH's Friday Four-Cast
• USCHO's This Week in the WCHA
• USCHO's Weekend Picks

Former Sioux News:

• Matt Greene's first unofficial assist of the season? Packing advice for the King's recent European vacation.
• A recent Brett Hextall feature also includes some old footage of his father Ron's AHL days.
• Hextall's Portland Pirates have a lot of new talent, including fellow former Sioux Ryan Duncan and Matt Watkins.
• Speaking of Ryan Duncan, he is the feature in the most recent Pirates Notebook.
• Kyle Radke and the Rio Grande Killer Bees are also adjusting to a lot of new faces.
• A trio of former Sioux are part of the Colorado Eagles move to the ECHL. The Sioux contingent is comprised of Michael Forney, Jake Marto and Aaron Schneekloth. Marto and Schneekloth have been defensive partners in the preseason, and Forney has been playing on the Eagles' top line.
• Adam Calder is off to a sizzling start in the UK.
• David Toews has been loaned from Rockford (AHL) to their ECHL affiliate, the Toledo Walleye. I don't know what it is, but something tells me there's something mighty fishy about that transaction...
• David Hale has opted to retire from professional hockey. 
• TJ Oshie and Jason Blake both made a recent list of the 15 Slickest Shootout Goals. Ya gotta love the ol' spin-o-rama.
• In addition to the Maine series, there's a ton of action involving former and future Sioux this weekend. Look for all the highlights and summaries in the Week 2 Recap.
• And we'll leave you with Zach Parise's shootout goal from New Jersey's victory over Los Angeles last night. His slick backhand made a goalie named Quick look anything but. Check it out:

Two Sioux Named NHL Captains, New Recruit, Frattin Starts For Leafs, Etc.

Two former Fighting Sioux teammates were named NHL captains this week. Zach Parise was named captain of the New Jersey Devils, while Drew Stafford was named as an alternate captain for the Buffalo Sabres. This will be Parise's seventh NHL season, all with the Devils, while Stafford is entering his sixth season with the Sabres. They join Jonathan Toews (Chicago captain) and Matt Greene (Los Angeles alternate captain) as former Sioux serving as NHL captains.

Parise was recently interviewed by the New York Times concerning the upcoming season, while Stafford has been busy filming workout videos. Check it out:


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Matt Frattin was on the ice when the puck dropped on the NHL regular season tonight in Toronto, starting on the Maple Leafs top line in place of the suspended Clarke MacArthur. Frattin is one of two former WCHA players to make the Leafs roster out of camp, being joined by former Wisconsin Badger defenseman Jake Gardiner. He knows making the team is just the beginning, as each game will be an audition to retain his spot on the roster. Frattin was also featured in Meet the Leafs, and give the Toronto Star credit-they'd be hard pressed to find a better picture for the feature.

In other Sioux in the Pros news:

• Jason Blake, whose Anaheim Ducks are in Europe as part of the 2011 NHL Premiere, is getting a little extra attention these days due to his Finnish linemates.
• Joe Finley and Corey Fienhage recently signed with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League. Both had been taking part in Buffalo Sabre training camp prior to being reassigned to Rochester, which is Buffalo's AHL affiliate.
• Finley is hoping to have an injury free season for the first time in his professional career.
• David Toews is looking to make a name for himself with the AHL's Rockford Ice Hogs. (The article is from last week, but as of tonight, Toews was still on the Rockford roster)
• Jake Marto and Michael Forney were both recently released from St John's Ice Caps (AHL) training camp, meaning they'll likely be starting the season with the ECHL's Colorado Eagles. The Eagles also feature former Sioux Aaron Schneekloth. Forney was recently featured as part of The Illegal Curve's Prospect Pulse.

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The Sioux received a commitment today from Calgary native and Vernon Viper (BCHL) defenseman Geoff Crisfield. Crisfield, who this fall took part in Team Canada West's World Junior A Challenge evaluation camp, is expected to arrive at UND in the fall of 2013. Through five games with the Vipers this season the 6'1" 200 pound blueliner has one assist and seventeen penalty minutes. Looking at his statistics, he isn't afraid to mix it up, having earned 182 PIM in 40 games last season.
Crisfield's Viper Profile & Season Stats
Crisfield's Elite Prospect Profile

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The college hockey regular season commences tomorrow, and the Fighting Sioux will be hosting the annual Ice Breaker Tournament at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Friday will feature Boston College taking on Michigan State, while North Dakota will face Air Force. The Ice Breaker will be played under a four-team tournament format, with the losing and winning teams from Friday's games facing off against their counterparts on Saturday. Game times each day are slated for 4:07 and 7:37 CDT. The Fighting Sioux will play the 7:37 games each night, regardless of Friday night's outcome. Below are links from each competing team's respective athletic departments:

North Dakota Fighting Sioux
Michigan State Spartans
Air Force Falcons
Boston College Eagles
Broadcast Information