UND's NHL Free Agent Rumblings

Here are a few links concerning North Dakota alums looking to sign new deals as NHL free agents this summer:

• The cream of the NHL free agent crop is Zach Parise, and expect his hometown Minnesota Wild to throw a substantial amount of cash his way. Parise has expressed his desire to remain in New Jersey, and Devils GM Lou Lamoriello says re-signing him is a top priority, but even with an influx of cash resulting from their deep playoff run, the team's financial instability may prove too much to overcome in order to keep their star winger. Detroit is also believed to be on his radar, and while the New York Rangers appear to have been ruled out right out of the gates, expect them to make a solid push nonetheless. 
• The St. Louis Blues and TJ Oshie are expected to agree to a deal with "a little bit of term to it" after Oshie's renewed commitment and attitude pleased GM Doug Armstrong. Oshie's St. Louis teammate Chris Porter, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent July 1st, will be looking to sign a one-way deal this offseason.
• Anaheim Duck GM Bob Murray said his team will not be looking to re-sign veteran forward Jason Blake this summer.
• Hockeybuzz expects restricted free agent Chris VandeVelde to receive a qualifying offer from the Edmonton Oilers, and they set the odds of the Oilers re-signing unrestricted free agent-to-be Taylor Chorney at 50/50.
• Toronto is expected to retain the services of winger Matt Frattin, who impressed Leafs management with his strong performance during the AHL playoffs. The National Post says Frattin will be one to keep an eye on for the Leafs next season and in the video below, the former North Dakota star discusses his first full season as a professional:

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

Thursday Evening Post

A fun weekend of hockey in The Zenith City followed by being a bit under the weather during the week has led me to fall behind on disseminating Sioux hockey news. Also, due to the fact that the half-marathon and marathon training season is once again upon me, I'm going to start posting the links without as much personal commentary, as that will help utilize my time more efficiently. Continue to expect the Series Notes & Links, Recruit Profiles, etc., but I don't plan on doing the Series Recaps any longer. There are usually at least 3-4 good game stories written after every game (GF Herald, UNDsports.com, USCHO, opponent's beat writers, etc.), so there is more than enough fodder out there for you Saturday and Sunday morning readers. I also hope to start doing more original writing, so please bear with me as the blog continues to evolve. Without further stalling, here's what's been going on in the world of Sioux hockey:

• Sioux winger Brendan O'Donnell impressed enough during his injury shortened season to be ranked among Tampa Bay's top prospects.
• As Tradition of Excellence blogged about last October, next season's Nebraska-Omaha vs. North Dakota outdoor game was made official this week. Here is the Omaha World-Leader's take on the weekend. Tickets go on sale October 1st.
• Head coach Dave Hakstol says the legislation mandating the use of the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo creates "insurmountable challenges" for North Dakota athletics.
• Travis Zajac's checkup showed that his Achilles tendon is healing as it should, and he should be able to resume skating by the end of the week.
• Zach Parise is feeling great and is focused on the present. New Jersey's captain also says he does not want to talk contract during the season, but keeping Parise is a matter of dollars and sense for the Devils.
• Former Sioux player and current Lincoln Star coach Chad Johnson is loyal to his players.
• Hunter Bishop was recently named a co-recipient of the Hamilton Bulldogs' Community Player of the Month Award.
• Leaf's TV asks Matt Frattin 20 Questions:

• Frattin also did an interview with Leafs Nation.
• Jason Blake's presence in the Anaheim Duck lineup seems to have a significant impact on the team's success.
• David Toews (Toledo-ECHL) and Brian Lee (Ottawa-NHL) both recently returned to their respective lineups after sitting out with injury.
• Tony Hrkac's NCAA single season scoring record could be unbreakable.
• Evan Trupp was named the ECHL's Player of the Week. The following goal certainly helped his case:

 

• Aaron Schneekloth recorded his 300th point as a member of the Colorado Eagles (ECHL).
• Rastislav Spirko and Team Slovakia recently won the BellSwiss Bank Championship. In the four-team knockout format Spirko notched a goal in two games.
• Keaton Thompson and the Team USA Under-17 team recently swept all three of its games at the Vlad Dzurilla Tournament in Slovakia. Thompson recorded one assist during the tournament.
• Miles Koules and the Under-18 team finished in third place at the Five Nations Tournament in Finland. The Americans won two and lost two as Koules produced one assist in four games.
• North Dakota landed another recruit for its Class of 2014. Brendan Lemieux of the Toronto AAA Red Wings has given a verbal commitment to the Fighting Sioux. He is the son of former NHLer Claude Lemieux.
• Recruit Zane Gothberg is keeping a level head.
• Recruit Drake Caggiula was named to the OJHL's All-Prospect 1st Team.
  

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:

Sunday Evening Post

• The Edmonton Oilers recalled Oklahoma City Barons' defenseman Taylor Chorney this morning. Chorney has played 25 games with the Barons, producing three goals, eight assists, and a +4 rating. This will be his second stint in the NHL this season, having previously played two games apiece for the Oilers and St. Louis Blues.
• Chicago Blackhawk captain Jonathan Toews was forced to leave yesterday's 5-2 loss to Nashville with an apparent upper-body injury. At this point the injury is not expected to keep him out of the lineup for an extended period of time, as head coach Joel Quenneville categorized Toews as day-to-day. With Patrick Sharp already sidelined, Chicago cannot afford to have Toews shelved for very long. The Edmonton Journal considers the former North Dakota star the Hart Trophy frontrunner, while Nashville associate coach Brent Peterson calls Toews "the best two-way player since Mark Messier."
• The New Jersey Devils may be turning to the NHL for some assistance in meeting their day-to-day financial obligations. Such a scenario does not bode well for a team that is looking to extend the contract of its captain Zach Parise, who says "it's hard to be competitive" if you don't spend to the cap. The more details that surface in regard to New Jersey's financial situation, the less likely it appears that they will be able to keep Parise.
• The Anaheim Ducks are apparently open to dealing Jason Blake should they receive the right offer. Blake, who is in the final year of his contract, has been playing some terrific hockey since his return from injury. Blake's recent performance may very well be piquing the interest of teams looking to add some depth to their lineup for the stretch run.
• Brandon Bochenski recorded a hat trick and added two assists in yesterday's KHL All-Star Game. Bochenski and Team Fedorov were able to pull out a 15-11 victory. 
• Brock Nelson was recently featured as part of the UND Sports Spotlight series:

• More than 100 NHL team representatives are expected to be on-hand when recruits Jordan Schmaltz and Luke Johnson take to the ice in Tuesday night's USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
• Team USA dropped the bronze medal game at the Youth Olympic Games yesterday, losing to Canada 7-5. Recruit Nick Schmaltz had a goal and an assist as Team USA tried to mount a comeback, but a 7-2 deficit after two periods proved to be too steep of a hill for the Under-16 team to climb. In examining the boxscores, goaltending was the difference in Team USA's two medal round losses. The Americans out-shot Russia and Canada by a combined margin of 72-35, yet were outscored 12-7. Nick Schmaltz finished the tournament tied for the team lead in assists (four) and points (six).
  

Friday Afternoon Links

I figured I could squeeze in one last batch of links before hopping on I-94 eastbound for this weekend's series against St. Cloud State. Enjoy the reading, have a great weekend, and here's to wishing the Fighting Sioux, both men and women, the best of luck against SCSU.

• This morning Team USA and Nick Schmaltz doubled up Russia on shots but eventually dropped a 5-2 decision in the semifinals of the Youth Olympic Games. They will play the loser of this afternoon's Canada-Finland semifinal in tomorrow's bronze medal game.
• The NHL recently published a nice feature on the USHL's Top Prospects Game, while the USHL announced the team breakdown for the inaugural event. Sioux recruits Jordan Schmaltz and Luke Johnson are scheduled to take part in the game, which will be played Tuesday, January 24 in Muskegon, MI.
• Aaron Schneekloth has been at or near the top of all offensive categories among ECHL defensemen this season, making him one of the driving forces behind the Colorado Eagles' running and gunning defensive corps.
• The Anaheim Ducks are currently among the hottest teams in the NHL, having gone unbeaten (6-0-1) in their last seven games. The Hockey Writers examine what's turned their season around, while an Anaheim fan blog identifies Jason Blake as a main catalyst of the Ducks' resurgence. 
• The Chicago Blackhawks have been getting some unexpected production out of rookies like Andrew Shaw and Jimmy Hayes, but one observer says the consistent performance of captain Jonathan Toews is the key to Chicago's success. Toews, who is perhaps the most complete player in the league, was recently named to the 2012 NHL All-Star Game for his first-half performance, and one of his duties on All-Star Weekend will be to take part in the Canadian Tire NHL Junior Skills National Championship.
• Toews' Blackhawks, Mike Commodore's Detroit Red Wings, and TJ Oshie & Chris Porter's St. Louis Blues are all looking to become the Masters of the Midwest.
• In Lou We Trust provides a rather extensive statistical breakdown in comparing Zach Parise's production this season to his previous four.
• The 23rd Annual Terry Casey Memorial Cup is underway in Great Falls, MT. The high school hockey tournament honors former Fighting Sioux All-American Terry Casey, who was a native of Great Falls. Casey's #12 is one of just two numbers to have been retired by the North Dakota men's hockey program. Ralph Engelstad's #23 is the other.

Wednesday Evening Post

• Here's the latest Fighting Sioux injury update: Derek Forbort, Brendan O'Donnell, Rocco Grimaldi, and Derek Rodwell are all out for this weekend. Michael Parks hasn't officially been ruled out but more than likely will not see action against St. Cloud State. Don't expect any sympathy from the Huskies, however. Number one goaltender Mike Lee and their top forward Drew LeBlanc have both been sidelined for long stretches due to injury, while forwards Cam Reid and Mitch MacMillan both left the team over the holiday break. MacMillan, of course, has since joined North Dakota but will not be able to play until next January.
• Former Fighting Sioux All-American & assistant coach John Marks was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame tonight. Marks, who currently serves as head coach of the USHL's Fargo Force, is the ECHL's all-time leader in games coached, wins, and seasons spent behind the bench. ECHL Press Release
• Earlier this week it was announced that Brandon Bochenski was named to the KHL All-Star Game. He's having a strong season for Barys Astana as his 42 points currently rank sixth in the league while his 19 goals are fourth best. For those of you not familiar with the Russian "super-league," here's a not-so-glamourous look at the top hockey league not based in North America.
• Want a great stat line? Here is Jason Blake's from Sunday's victory against Vancouver: 2 goals, 1 assist, +3, and 10 shots, all in just 13 minutes of ice time. After missing 34 games this season, it seems he's doing all he can to make up for lost time. The Ducks are hosting Dave Tippet's Phoenix Coyotes tonight.
• TJ Oshie of the high-riding St. Louis Blues took part in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch fan Q&A session today. Much like I was during my days at UND, Oshie fesses up to being quite the collector of campus parking citations.
• Though he was recently sent down to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL, Matt Frattin certainly got his licks in while playing with the Maple Leafs. He makes two appearances in the NHL's 25 Biggest Hits from the first half of the season.
• With two goals in the Blackhawks' 6-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres tonight, Jonathan Toews extended his point streak to five games. During the streak he has produced four goals and three assists in leading Chicago to a 4-0-1 record
• As Buffalo continues to struggle amid high expecations, speculation says both Derek Roy and Drew Stafford could be on the trading block. The Edmonton Journal asks whether Stafford would be a good fit for the Oilers.
• Russia handed Team USA a 7-1 defeat today in the final game of preliminary round play at the Youth Olympic Games. The good news (or bad news?) is that Nick Schmaltz and the Americans will have a chance to exact their revenge on Russia as the two teams meet again on Friday in the tournament semifinals. In four preliminary games Schmaltz produced a team-leading four points (1G, 3A). His three assists also lead Team USA.
• Nothing official has been reported in terms of Luke Voltin's move to the Chicago Steel. My guess is that it's a paperwork thing and that it is just a matter of time before it is announced.

Monday Evening Post

• As a result of Saturday night's handshake altercation, UND defenseman Ben Blood has been stripped of his assistant captaincy, and head coach Dave Hakstol said the possibility remains that additional disciplinary measures could be handed out. Blood said he "understands and respects the punishment." Corban Knight and Andrew MacWilliam will continue to serve as North Dakota's assistant captains. Danny Kristo, meanwhile, apologized for his Friday night actions via Twitter.
• In another blow to UND's depth, freshman forward Brendan O'Donnell's upper-body injury appears to be significant and he will be re-evaluated within the next couple of days. Michael Parks was also injured in last weekend's series against Minnesota and will be evaluated later this week. Derek Rodwell is already out for the season, Rocco Grimaldi and Derek Forbort were held out of the lineup last weekend, while Corban Knight and Mario Lamoureux played despite being banged-up.
• Freshman Connor Gaarder was recently featured in this UND Sports Profile:

• Recruit Zane Gothberg was named the USHL's Goaltender of the Week for his stellar play with the Fargo Force over the weekend. Gothberg won both of his starts and is currently riding a 6-0-0 streak during which he has posted a 1.65 GAA and .937 Save %. 
• In more USHL news, the league announced today that its Top Prospects Game will be webcast live and free on Fast Hockey. Sioux recruits Jordan Schmaltz and Luke Johnson are scheduled to participate in the event that takes place January 24 in Muskegon, MI.
• After notching two assists in Friday's 5-3 win over Chicago, Jordan Schmaltz sat out Green Bay's Saturday game due to the flu, while Stouffville Spirit forward Drake Caggiula suffered a lower-body injury in yesterday's contest and is listed as day-to-day.

Nick Schmaltz Battles Against Canada's Eric Cornel - Getty Images

• Recruit Nick Schmaltz (above) and Team USA had the day off today following yesterday's 5-1 loss to Canada at the Youth Olympic Games. The loss dropped the Americans to 1-1-0 in preliminary play, which they will wrap up by taking on Finland tomorrow and Russia on Wednesday. Schmaltz has two assists thus far during the tournament.
• Anaheim Duck forward Jason Blake continues to impress since returning from his lacerated wrist tendon injury, scoring twice and adding an assist in last night's 4-2 win over Vancouver. Blake has been playing on the Ducks' third as he works his way back into game condition, and last night that line gave the Canucks fits.
• Jonathan Toews had a strong weekend, helping Chicago earn three out of a possible four points. He had a goal in Saturday's OT loss to Detroit, while his goal and assist led the Blackhawks to a 4-3 victory over San Jose last night. 
• Battling it out with Chicago and Detroit for Central Division supremecy is resurgent St. Louis, and Blues' star TJ Oshie's career-best year is a big reason why.
• Matt Greene scored the game-winning goal Saturday night in the Los Angeles Kings' 4-1 victory over Calgary. It was the third goal of the season for the big defenseman, who had never scored more than two in a season prior to Saturday. The Mayor's Manor touched on Greene's accomplishment in its The Good, The Bad, and The Something feature.
• Zach Parise could become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and that prospect already has a number of teams drooling over the New Jersey star. One of the things that makes Parise such a coveted player is his ability to play in all situations, and those abilities have been on full display this season as he and the Devils have been the league's best penalty killers. New Jersey is the only team in the league with a kill percentage greater than 90%, and both Parise and Devils' rookie Adam Henrique have more shorthanded points than they do on the power play.
• Joe Finley received his third call up of the season when Buffalo summoned the big blue liner for Saturday's tilt with the New York Islanders. The Sabres dropped a 4-2 decision.
• Former Sioux All-American Brandon Bochenski was recently named to the KHL All-Star Game. He will play for the East All-Stars, whose forward group also includes one of the all-time great Russians in Sergei Federov, along with recent World Junior Championship standout Evgeny Kuznetsov. Bochenski currently plays for Barys Astana, for whom he has recorded 40 points (18G, 22A) in 36 games.
• Former Sioux goaltender Anthony Grieco and HC Asiago recently wrapped up play in the 2012 Continental Cup Super Finals in Rouen, France. Asiago had a rough go of it, dropping all three of its Super Finals contests, including both of Grieco's starts.

Tuesday Evening Links

Because I was unable to watch the game, there is no recap for last Saturday's 3-1 victory over Clarkson in the US College Hockey Classic. Instead, here's the latest from the Sioux hockey world:

• The Fighting Sioux lost another USNTDP recruit to Canadian major juniors after 2012 recruit Stefan Matteau announced via Twitter today that he plans on joining the QMJHL's Blainville-Boisbriand Armada next season instead of making his way to UND. Matteau's father, Stephane, was hired as an assistant coach for the Armada prior to this season, and after Stefan's rights were traded to the Armada last Saturday, the handwriting was certainly on the wall. Today Matteau made it official, and it is hard to blame the young man for wanting to play for his father. While it is somewhat conforting that he announced his decision in January rather than mid-summer (a la JT Miller), it continues the growing trend of high-end US talent making collegiate commitments only to back out in favor of major juniors. Signed letters-of-intent carry weight only within the jurisdiction of the NCAA, thus there are no repercussions for a recruit signing a LOI only to back out at a later date. It will be interesting to see how this trend influences the recruiting process and whether or not coaching staffs become a bit more gun-shy about offering scholarships to elite US talent. This on-going topic was touched upon in a recent Q&A with College Hockey Inc.'s Paul Kelly.
• Matteau's US Under-18 teammate Miles Koules also had his major junior rights traded prior to today's Western Hockey League trading deadline. Koules' rights were sent from Everett to Medicine Hat, but it is believed that Koules' commitment to UND is stronger than that of Matteau. However, the major junior teams can be tremendously persuasive in their recruitment of committed players, so Koules' commitment status certainly warrants monitoring.
• Yet another Sioux recruit who has drawn serious attention from the major junior ranks, Jordan Schmaltz, was recently featured as a potential Minnesota Wild draft pick in this summer's NHL Entry Draft.
• It became official today that Mark MacMillan's older brother Mitch has joined the Fighting Sioux. Mitch spent a year and a half playing at St. Could State prior to his decision to leave the Husky program. Due to NCAA transfer guidelines, he will not be eligible to suit up for North Dakota until next January.
• Stephane Pattyn had a strong game against Clarkson last weekend, and the local newspaper from his MJHL days put together a nice feature on him. Also garnering attention from his hometown media is Corban Knight, who will be counted upon to help lead North Dakota's push towards the postseason.
• Anaheim Duck Matt Smaby cleared waivers last week and was assigned to the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) to get back into game shape after having not yet played this season. The former Sioux defenseman, who has not scored a goal in 122 career NHL games, scored one in his first contest with Syracuse.
• Matt Frattin was assigned to the Toronto Marlies (the Maple Leafs' AHL affiliate) last week. As the Leafs begin to return to full health, Frattin's ice time would have diminished significantly, so the Leaf's opted to send him to the Marlies to keep his development on-track.
• Jason Blake has played in just six of the Anaheim Ducks' 40 games this season, but he has been involved in both of the winning streaks they been able to string together.
• The St. Louis Blues have powered their way to the top of the NHL's Central Division, and they've done so with a core of talent, including TJ Oshie, that was developed within the Blues' organization. 
• Travis Zajac sat out tonight's game at Calgary as he continues to recover from an inflamed Achilles tendon. He states that dealing with his Achilles injury has been a lot tougher than he expected.
• In the Devils Army midseason review, Zach Parise was named the team's first-half MVP. Meanwhile, Detroit Red Wing defenseman Mike Commodore graded out at a B for his first half performance.
• Parise's contract status is a hot topic around the league now that the Devils and their star winger can begin contract extension talks that could prevent him from hitting the open market. No talks are currently scheduled, and while Parise has expressed his desire to remain in New Jersey, it will take more than money to convince him to remain a Devil. Meanwhile, longtime Devil Petr Sykora went on record saying it's imperative that the team gets a new deal done with their irreplaceable star, and father JP has said he will have little to no impact on the situation. There have been rumblings that the Devils may look into trading Parise, but as they push towards a playoff berth in what has been a bounce back season, don't expect to see him play for anyone other than New Jersey this season.

USHL Prospects Game, Rodwell Done For Season, Etc,

A quick Thursday night update:

• Sioux recruits Luke Johnson and Jordan Schmaltz were both selected to take part in the inaugural USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game January 24th in Muskegon, MI. The game will feature 40 of the USHL's top players yet to be drafted by NHL teams. Schmaltz, who started the season with Sioux City but was later traded to the Green Bay Gamblers, has 16 points (8G, 8A) in 24 games and has twice been named the league's Defensive Player of the Week. Johnson, who has 22 points (7G, 15A) in 24 games  for the Lincoln Stars, is one of only three players chosen who are not NHL Draft-eligible until 2013. As a side note, players from the USNTDP teams were not chosen to play in this showcase event.
• It was announced today that Fighting Sioux winger Derek Rodwell will miss the rest of the season in order to have surgery on his injured shoulder. He hurt the shoulder in last weekend's series against Harvard and his absence will make an already short bench even shorter as the team heads into the second half of the season. Rodwell has played in nineteen games, producing two points (1G, 1A).
• Jason Blake made his return from injury last night in the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 loss to San Jose. Blake played on a line with Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu, and the heavy second line minutes caused him to "run out of gas" down the stretch.
• Matt Smaby, who is also looking to get on the ice for Anaheim, was placed on waivers today in the hope that he clears and can thus be assigned to Syracuse (AHL) for a conditioning assignment. Smaby has not played all year after suffering a torn thumb ligament in the preseason, and he says he's ready to do whatever it takes to return to action.
• Team USA was defeated by Russia 7-4 yesterday in the gold medal game of the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Windsor, Ontario. Sioux recruit Keaton Thompson had an assist in the gold medal game and finished the tournament with four assists in six games. Fellow recruit Luke Voltin also played in all six tournament games and produced a goal and an assist.

Wednesday Evening Wind-down

Here are some updates from the world of Fighting Sioux hockey:

• Team USA ended play at the World Junior Championship today, defeating Switzerland 2-1 in the 7th Place game. Derek Forbort has not played since the preliminary round game against the Czech Republic, and he is doubtful to play Saturday against Clarkson. Forbort played in three games and had two assists prior to his injury.
• The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge concludes tonight, and Sioux recruits Luke Voltin and Keaton Thompson are part of the USA squad that will be playing for the gold. Team USA will be looking for payback in the rematch with Russia, which served the Americans with the only blemish on their record, a 3-2 loss in preliminary play. Gametime is 6:00 CST. For the tournament, Thompson has three assists while Voltin has a goal and an assist in five games.
• Sioux recruit Jordan Schmaltz, whose season is really beginning to take off with Green Bay, was named the USHL's Defensive Player of the Week yesterday. It is the second time he's received the honor this year, and the seventh time in his one and a half-year USHL career. He was also recently featured in a very nice prospect Q&A done by McKeen's Hockey.
• Sioux recruit Luke Johnson and his Lincoln teammate Jared Hanson each finished the Stars' 7-6 win (SO) over Des Moines Friday with a +5 rating. It ties the highest +/- rating in the league this season.
• For a brief, one-minute scouting report on recruit Stefan Matteau, go to the 48:55 mark of Sports Radio NY's January 1st clip.
• UND freshman forward Connor Gaarder continued his breakout season by being named the WCHA Rookie of the Week today. Gaarder had two goals and two assists in last weekend's series against Harvard, and it is the fourth consecutive regular season weekend of action that a UND player has earned weekly conference honors.
• The Fighting Sioux will have to deal with the injury bug yet again this weekend, as both Rocco Grimaldi and Derek Rodwell have been ruled out for the Clarkson game. Corban Knight and Derek Forbort are also unlikely to play, while Mario Lamoureux is questionable.
• The New Jersey Devils and Travis Zajac were prepared to deal with his comeback from an achilles tendon injury throughout the season, and they are holding him out of the lineup tonight against Boston to help him recover. Zajac's teammate Zach Parise, meanwhile, cracked a list of the Ten Best Players in Devils History.
• Because several members of the Colorado Avalanche have recently returned from injury, Brad Malone has been a healthy scratch over the past few games. They've therefore decided to send him down to Lake Erie (AHL) so he can get more playing time, but he "did plenty of good things during his stay with the Avalanche."
• Matt Greene recently had some New Year's Resolution suggestions for his teammates.
• Jason Blake, who has been itching to return to game action, will be in the lineup tonight when the Anaheim Ducks take on the San Jose Sharks. It will be the first action for Blake since October 14 when he suffered a lacerated wrist tendon when he was stepped on by Shark's defenseman Brent Burns in the third game of the season. Duck teammate Matt Smaby is also nearing his return from injury. Smaby, who has not played this season after suffering a torn thumb ligament in a preseason game, has begun practicing with the team and should be available to play soon.
• Mike Commodore said he is "starting to actually feel like a hockey player again" after appearing in several consecutive games for the Detroit Red Wings.
• Drew Stafford has been mired in a season-long slump, but he took a big step toward busting out with a one goal, two assist performance last night against Edmonton.
• Matt Frattin celebrated his birthday in style last night by producing a goal and an assist in Toronto's 7-3 win over Tampa Bay.

Post Holiday Break Update, Part 2

This should hopefully get the blog caught up on the backlog of links and updates that have accumulated over the past week and a half. Expect an international update later today, a Harvard series recap Sunday or Monday, along with the remaining recruit profiles over the next week or so:

• TJ Oshie was sidelined for St. Louis' first two games out of the holiday break, but he returned to action last night and scored the Blues' only goal in a 2-1 shootout loss to Nashville. Oshie now has 19 points (11G, 8A) and a +10 in his last 24 games after a bit of a slow start, but still feels as though he can play better. His 24 points are one shy of David Backes' team leading 25, while his 12 goals are second to Alex Steen's 13.
• The Blues travel to Detroit to take on Mike Commodore and the Red Wings tonight. Commodore, who put in his work off the ice during an unfamiliar run of healthy scratches, has now played in the Wings' last four games, including last night's game against Chicago in which he registered his first point as a Wing. Red Wings' coach Mike Babcock says Commodore has seized the opportunity after earning his way back into the lineup.
• The New Jersey Devils have sustained their recent strong play, having won eight of their last eleven games. Travis Zajac's return to the lineup has bolstered the Devil's depth up the middle, but the consistently strong play of the top two lines has been key during New Jersey's surge. Zajac has been centering the third line and will most likely not be 100% health-wise until next season as he continues working his way back from an Achilles tendon injury. The Devils and team captain Zach Parise, meanwhile, can enter into contract extension negotiations beginning tomorrow.
• Last night Jonathan Toews, who has had a number of memorable NHL goals, was successful on his first career NHL penalty shot. The 'Hawks eventually earned a 3-2 victory over Detroit and extended their league-best point total to 52. Toews, who leads the 'Hawks with 21 goals and is second on the team with 38 points, continues to be mentioned in early Hart Trophy speculation and Chicago sports fans should be thankful for their hockey captain. Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville says it's the little things that make Toews so special. He was also recently featured in a rundown of Canada's last 10 years at the World Junior Championships, and he is one of many stars who can call themselves both Fighting Sioux and Shattuck-St. Mary's alumni.
• Anaheim Ducks forward Jason Blake, who suffered a lacerated wrist tendon just three games into the season, has been practicing with the team and should return to game action within a week. Meanwhile there is no set timetable for the return of Blake's teammate Matt Smaby, but Duck beat writer Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register said that Smaby is progressing nicely and official word on Smaby's status should come soon. Smaby underwent thumb surgery prior to the regular season and was originally expected to be out 2-3 months.
• Last week Colorado Avalanche rookie Brad Malone earned a nice review on his play since being called up from Lake Erie (AHL). In nine games with the Avs Malone has two assists and is a +1.
• Joe Finley, who made his NHL debut with Buffalo earlier this season, is climbing the Sabres ladder and not looking back.
• Drew Stafford has been in a season-long goal scoring drought, and he says extra focus is key to breaking out.
• David Toews made his AHL debut last night with the Rockford Ice Hogs. Prior to the call-up Toews had spent the entire season with the Toledo Walleye, playing in 24 games and producing nine points (2G, 7A).
• Taylor Chorney of Oklahoma City (AHL) received a three game suspension for an illegal check earlier this week.
• Reigning ECHL Player of the Week Michael Forney of the Colorado Eagles will have to sit out one game after receiving an instigating game misconduct last night against the Alaska Aces.

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.

Week 2 Recap

Here's my Week 2 Recap of Fighting Sioux men's hockey:

North Dakota vs. Maine:
The Fighting Sioux came away from their non-conference match-up with Hockey East rival Maine with a win and a tie. The Sioux were able to escape with a 3-1 victory Friday night after Maine had been the better team most of the night. Backed by stellar goalkeeping from senior Brad Eidsness the Sioux were able to survive a slow start and a 1-0 deficit to earn the victory. Saturday also saw the Sioux fall behind early as the Black Bears went up 2-0 early in the second period, but North Dakota battled back and eventually settled for a 3-3 tie. Here are my thoughts on the Sioux-Maine weekend:

• Coming into the season, most assumed the backend would be the strength of this team, enabling a young roster to endure some growing pains as it navigates through the early portion of its schedule. That was very much the case Friday night when Brad Eidsness turned back 24 of 25 shots through the first two periods to keep the Sioux in the game despite a very slow start. He was rock solid all night, playing a great positional game, smothering shots and severely limiting opportunistic rebounds. Aaron Dell also had a strong start in net Saturday to help the team earn a tie.
• The defense, while still not playing at the level I think most of us expected, was much better this weekend. Sticks were more active, the shot blocking was better, and they did a much better job of occupying the Black Bears around the goal. 
• Andrew MacWilliam could very well be dubbed The Eraser. Anytime he's physically engaged in a one-on-one play, his strength and brute force almost always render his counterpart irrelevant. This is true both defensively and when he has the puck. And man, can he lay the wood when it comes to checking.
• Danny Kristo was an absolute blast to watch this weekend. His skating and stickhandling were scintillating, and he and Nick Mattson were outstanding on the point for the top power play unit. Not to be overlooked is the immense progress he's made defensively. He was very effective in using his speed and quickness to take away time and space. He's very quickly becoming a dominant player.
• Brock Nelson didn't fill up the stat sheet, but all weekend he was making great hockey plays that sometimes go unappreciated but often affect game outcomes.
• Corban Knight was ridiculous at the dots, winning 16 of 22 faceoffs Friday and 21 of 26 Saturday. How significant was Knight on the draw? Maine won 56% of the faceoffs Knight didn't take, but only 23% of those he did. That's crucial in terms of puck possession.
• Nick Mattson and Michael Parks were the most consistent freshman. Mattson is playing with a lot of confidence and there is no doubt he's going to be a difference maker all season. Parks continues to impress me with his motor and speed. He's always buzzing out there, usually making good things happen. Mark MacMillan also seems to be finding a bit of a comfort zone as he's been looking stronger and stronger as the young season has progressed.
• Freshman Rocco Grimaldi was out of the lineup both games. Hopefully the extra weekend will allow him to be ready to roll this coming weekend when the Sioux open conference play at Wisconsin. Colten St. Clair has yet to receive the go-ahead from the NCAA Clearinghouse.
• The Sioux moved up a spot to #5 in the USCHO poll and held steady at #6 in the USA Today/USA Hockey poll. 

Sioux in the Pros:

• The Portland Pirates lost once in regulation and once in a shootout, but all three former Sioux on their roster registered a point this weekend. Brett Hextall notched an assist in Saturday's loss to Manchester, while Ryan Duncan and Matt Watkins each scored a goal in yesterday's shoot out loss in Providence.
• On Friday night the Colorado Eagles won their first regular season game as a member of the ECHL, with Michael Forney leading the way with a goal and an assist. Aaron Schneekloth assisted on the only goal as the Eagles dropped the Saturday portion of the back-to-back. Jake Marto played in both games but did not register any points.
• Chris Vande Velde had a goal and two assists in Oklahoma City's 10-1 victory over the Texas Stars.
• Anaheim Duck Jason Blake suffered a lacerated tendon Friday night against the San Jose Sharks. He is expected to be out of the line-up for three months.
• Detroit Red Wing Mike Commodore took part in his first regular season practice today, and while he's hoping to be available by Friday, he and the Wings staff are taking the patient approach.
• Drew Stafford has picked up where he left off last season. He is tied for the team lead in goals (3) and has four points in four games for the Buffalo Sabres. Watch him snipe the game winner from the faceoff circle during last Friday's victory over Pittsburgh, with one of the best play-by-play guys of all time Rick Jeannerete on the call:

Sioux Recruits:

• Luke Johnson had an assist in Lincoln's 4-1 victory over Sioux City Saturday. Johnson has now registered at least one point in all four of Lincoln's games, and he is tied for the team lead in points (5) with one goal and four assists.
• Both the USNTDP Under-17 & Under-18 teams are led in scoring by Sioux recruits. Luke Voltin is tied for the U-17 team lead (7 points) with three goals and four assists in eight games, while Stefan Matteau leads the U-18ers (6 points) with two goals and four assists in nine games. Voltin scored the only goal for the U-17ers in their 4-1 loss to Indiana (USHL) Saturday night. Matteau scored a goal and Miles Koules had an assist in the U-18ers 2-1 victory over Vermont (NCAA). Koules continued his breakthrough weekend by recording a goal and an assist in Saturday's 2-0 victory over Plattsburgh State (NCAA Div. III).
• I asked Chris Peters of the outstanding United States of Hockey blog about the USNTDP's Sioux recruits, and here's what he had to offer: "I haven’t seen Matteau play this year, yet, but I did speak to someone at the NTDP who said he looks vastly improved this season. Apparently Matteau put in some serious work over the summer and has come back in terrific shape for this season. That could be a big factor in his improvement. I haven’t seen Thompson or Koules yet this season either, but Thompson got some fair reports from the person I talked to regarding the first U17 USHL game. With his previous USHL experience, he’ll need less time to adjust than his teammates. Koules is a very gifted offensive player and sees the ice very well. He got hurt last season, which may have slowed him down a bit, but I’d expect him to be a big factor this season for the u18s."
• Zane Gothberg stopped 42 of 43 shots in a 1-0 Fargo Force loss to Omaha Saturday night, and Slightly Chilled detailed the meaning of his goalie mask artwork.

Misc. News:

• The USHL features Nick Mattson as one of its alumni to watch throughout the college season.
• Brock Nelson is #12 on the list of New York Islanders Top 25 Prospects Under 25.

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:


-----

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.

-----

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

-----

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

Rookie Tourney Wrap, Who's Going Camping, Toews Getting Physical, Etc.

Rookie camp action wrapped up this week as NHL teams prepared for the start of their main training camps. Jason Gregoire and the Winnipeg Jets rookies closed out their Young Stars action with a 2-0 win over Vancouver. Gregoire finished with a goal and an assist over the course of the three game tournament, and he is heading into main camp with a shot to play for his hometown team.

The Phoenix Coyotes rookies dropped the second game of their two game set with the LA Kings by a score of 4-3. Brett Hextall scored a power play goal for the Coyotes, giving him three goals in the two games against Los Angeles, a franchise he is certainly familiar with. And as he embarks on his goal of making the Hextalls a four generation NHL family, he is playing the game in the family tradition.

Brad Malone wrapped up rookie camp with the Colorado Avalanche, and here's what one observer had to say:

Brad Malone: lovelovelove this kid, wasted no time getting physical in 1-on-1 drill, looking for contact immediately, picked a few corners and made Aitokallio look silly, worked with Mike Brennan for several minutes on deflections, tipping nearly every shot into the net or off the post (the shots were pretty soft, though)

And some more analysis on Malone's play.

-----

An interesting sidenote to the above stories of Gregoire and Hextall is the role college hockey has played. Gregoire stated that it wasn't until he was 15 that he became aware of the NCAA hockey option, and Brett was urged by his father Ron to take the college route so that he'd be prepared if his hockey career didn't work out. Last weekend, during a Q&A session at the FSC Breakfast/Sioux Fan Fast, Andrew MacWilliam commented that he too didn't hear much about the NCAA option until later on in the recruiting process.

MacWilliam commented that the Canadian major junior teams can come at you early and hard, doing whatever they can to make you ineligible for the college option. This is pretty significant considering that kids are 14-15 years of age during their CHL bantam draft year. I'm doing my best to paraphrase MacWilliam's comments from memory here, but he also stated that he knows of players that have exhausted their junior eligibility who won't be playing at the next level, and they are now less prepared to take on life after hockey because the educational aspect of the Canadian junior system is not as strong as it is in the NCAA.

It was some interesting commentary, and it certainly makes you wonder if the marketing arms of the NCAA and College Hockey, Inc. need to be pushing into Canada with more aggression in order to let families and kids know of the viability and benefits of the college choice. It goes without saying that college hockey most definitely isn't for everyone and that CHL hockey (of which, by the way, I am a fan of) also has an awful lot to offer, but the Canadian exposure to the college option appears to need strengthening. Of course, time will only tell if this past summer's rash of top US-born talent backing out of their collegiate commitments is a trend or a short term anomaly, but perhaps there will be more focus instead on retaining elite American talent.

Also interesting is if you look at the ten confirmed players who have committed to enrolling at North Dakota over the next few years, how many Canadians do you see? Stefan Matteau has dual citizenship, so do we count that as 1/2? There's really no point here, just a curious observation considering North Dakota's strong and proud tradition of Canadian-born players.

-----

It's post-Labor Day, so it's officially camping season. Here's a list of former Sioux players taking part in NHL training camps:

	Player	NHL Club
1	Jason Blake	Anaheim
2	Matt Smaby	Anaheim
3	Corey Fienhage	Buffalo
4	Drew Stafford	Buffalo
5	David Toews	Chicago
6	Jonathan Toews	Chicago
7	Brad Malone	Colorado
8	Mike Commodore	Detroit
9	Ryan Johnson	Detroit
10	Chris Vandevelde	Edmonton
11	Taylor Chorney	Edmonton
12	Matt Greene	LA Kings
13	Chay Genoway	Minnesota
14	Hunter Bishop	Montreal
15	Darcy Zajac	New Jersey
16	Travis Zajac (Injured)	New Jersey
17	Zach Parise	New Jersey
18	Brian Lee	Ottawa
19	Brett Hextall	Phoenix
20	Chris Porter	St Louis
21	TJ Oshie	St Louis
22	Matt Frattin	Toronto
23	Jason Gregoire	Winnipeg

24

Joe Finley

Buffalo

25     Michael Forney                Winnipeg

I don't think I missed anyone, but if I did let me know.

-----

The commitment to offseason training was rewarded yesterday as both TJ Oshie and Iron Man extraordinaire Chris Porter fared very well during the fitness testing at St Louis Blues camp. And here's a bit more on the conditioning testing.

-----

From the "For What It's Worth Department," Jason Blake's group won the Anaheim Ducks annual training camp kick-off golf tournament. Check out the sweet orange jackets awarded to the winners-The Master's has nothing on these things:

-----

Everyone knows Jonathan Toews is one of the best all-around hockey players in the world, but he appears to have spent some time this summer working on the physical side of his game:


Toews response to the hit can be found in this Sun-Times piece.

-----

The College Hockey Blog has released its WCHA Preview, which has North Dakota coming in second.

-----

Sioux commit Jordan Schmaltz is featured as one of the best players around yet to play in the NHL. If you don't want to go through the entire slideshow, the Schmaltz page is right here.