Tuesday Morning Coffee

• All Habs Magazine recently ran a nice feature on North Dakota forward Mark MacMillan, whom Montreal selected in the 4th round on the 2010 NHL Draft.
• USA Hockey is set to release its World Junior Championship preliminary roster this morning, and the United States of Hockey expects North Dakota forward Rocco Grimaldi to be on the list. Team USA's pre-tournament camp begins December 16 and the WJC begins December 26 in Ufa, Russia. The tournament runs through the gold medal game Januray 5th.
• The International Ice Hockey Federation has published a series of articles examining the role of college hockey within the overall bounds of the sport. On the men's side they covered the NCAA's increased ability to develop professional players, while they also examined the elite level of play NCAA women's ice hockey brings to the international stage. UND women's coaches Brian Idalski and Peter Elander are prominently featured in the women's article.
• Despite playing in just eight of Toronto's 21 games this season, Matt Frattin is tied for the Marlies' team lead in goals with seven. The Winnipeg Sun took a look at his strong return from injury, while TSN says the former Sioux star has a lot of extra eyes watching him.
• Norfolk Admiral teammates Matt Smaby and Emerson Etem share the Shattuck-St. Mary's connection.
• Jonathan Toews will be part of the group of players that will meet with team owners in the hopes of  breaking the NHL lockout stalemate. Toews recently commented that the players refuse to get pushed around by the owners.
• Looking past the lockout and the all-too-real possibility of the cancellation of the entire season, Sportsnet has listed some of the top potential free agents for 2013, and Travis Zajac is in their group.
• The always entertaining Mike Commodore spent an hour discussing a wide range of topics on the Cabbie Podcast.
• UND recruit Christian Evers and the Omaha AAA U-16 Lancers rolled through the NAPHL Blaine Showcase this weekend with a 5-0 record, outscoring their opponents 24-4 along the way. Evers, a 6'4" 195 pound defenseman, finished the showcase with five assists in five games. The Lancers, who have yet to lose an NAPHL game this season, are coached by David Wilkie, the father of North Dakota recruit and current USNTDP Under-17 team forward Chris Wilkie.

Thursday Morning Coffee

• The acting class Matt Greene took at UND may or may not have helped prepare him for his feature length debut, the Los Angeles Kings' Stanley Cup Championship DVD. Greene was also a guest on L.A. Today earlier this week, where he discussed LA's Stanley Cup season.
• A host of former Sioux recently took part in UND professor Frank White's charity golf tournament to help raise scholarship money.
• Dillon Simpson, who Hockey Prospectus recently ranked as the #12 prospect in the Edmonton Oiler organization, spent three segments as an in-studio guest on The Pipeline Show Tuesday night. If you care to take a listen, the audio clips can be found on this page.
• Former Sioux goaltender Jordan Parise lives a different hockey life than his younger brother Zach.
• An Anaheim Ducks blogger profiles the newly extended Matt Smaby.
• Veteran Fargo sportscaster Dan Hammer has signed on with Midco Sports Network and will be Midco's man in the booth for UND sports play-by-play.

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.

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

Sunday Afternoon Post, Part 1

Here is the first of two servings of the latest nuggets concerning Fighting Sioux men's hockey:

• Brad Schlossman has a full listing of links on his blog concerning UND's win over Western Michigan yesterday in the NCAA tournament's West Regional. North Dakota will look to book a trip to its sixth Frozen Four in the past eight years when it faces off against Minnesota for the sixth and final time this season.
• New Jersey Devil centerman Travis Zajac will return to the lineup tonight against Pittsburgh. Zajac has been limited to 8 games this season due to an Achilles tendon injury he suffered in the preseason, and has not played since January 2nd. Zajac will get right back at it on one of the Devils' two top lines, and his return gives New Jersey a much-needed pair of fresh legs as it looks to make a strong push heading into the playoffs.
• Chris VandeVelde was recalled yesterday by the Edmonton Oilers and is expected to be in the lineup this afternoon when the Oilers take on Columbus. He will be the 16th former Sioux to play in the NHL this season. VandeVelde has spent the entire season with with the Oklahoma City Barons, Edmonton's AHL affiliate, where he's produced 22 points (7G, 15A) in 65 games. He was also recently featured in an Oklahoma City Gameday episode.
• Chicago Blackhawk center Jonathan Toews practiced for the fifth consecutive day yesterday as he continues to work towards a return from a concussion. The injury will cause him to miss his 16th game tonight, and the Blackhawks are adamant about not rushing him back into the lineup.
• Zach Parise is wrapping up a very nice bounce-back season after missing most of last year due to a knee injury, and one of the keys to his individual success has been eliminating the talk of his impending free agency status. Parise, who would be the offseason's most coveted free agent should New Jersey not be able to re-sign him, has recorded 63 points (29G, 34A) while playing in all 75 of New Jersey's game this season.
• The Buffalo Sabres are making what could become a historic push towards the postseason, and fueling the effort has been the play of Drew Stafford and his linemates Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno. Buffalo, which has won four in a row and has not had a regulation defeat over its last eight games, currently holds down the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot. As for Stafford, the former Sioux winger has registered 12 points (4G, 8A) and a +10 rating over his last seven games, and has 45 points (17G, 28A) for the season. This is the second most prolific season of his six year career, and his 28 assists have established a new career high.
• When Stafford hit the 45 point mark, he became the fourth former Sioux to do so this season, joining Toews, Parise, and TJ Oshie. As of Saturday morning, 21 former collegians had reached that mark, and UND's four led all NCAA institutions. 13 of those 21 players played in the WCHA, with Wisconsin (Joe Pavelski, Derek Stepan, Dany Heatley) and Minnesota (Blake Wheeler, Phil Kessel, Thomas Vanek) each having three players on the list. David Backes (MSU), Paul Stastny (DU), and Curtis Glencross (UAA) round out the WCHA representation.
• Matt Frattin has missed Toronto's last two games due to a lower-body injury, while Darcy Zajac is out of the Albany Devil lineup indefinitely with an upper-body injury.
• Evan Trupp went scoreless last night, snapping his five game scoring streak, but the Bakersfield Condor (ECHL) has been very productive over the last month and a half. Since February 8, Trupp has recorded 16 points (9G, 7A) and a +8 rating in 13 games.
• Ryan Duncan had been looking forward to getting back into the lineup after suffering a nasty cut to the face last Sunday, and he had recovered enough to rejoin the Portland (AHL) lineup last night.
• The Anaheim Ducks have had a rash of injuries hit its defensive corps recently, and should they need to make a call to the AHL's Syracuse Crunch for reinforcements, it sounds like former Sioux Matt Smaby would be the one getting the call.

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:

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.

Exhibition Game, Recruit News, NHL Preseason News

On the night the 2010-11 WCHA championship banner was raised to the Ralph Engelstad Arena rafters, the Fighting Sioux men's hockey team came out with guns blazing, defeating the University of Regina Cougars 8-1. Here are some of my observations from the game, for what they're worth:

• Scoring came from up and down the lineup, and several freshmen made their presence felt immediately. With Rocco Grimaldi (injury) and Colten St Clair (NCAA Clearinghouse) out of the lineup, the freshman class accounted for a goal and six assists and generally looked very solid throughout the evening. It'll be interesting to see how the lines are shuffled when everyone's available to play.
• The defense was very solid and active all night, regularly jumping into the play and tilting the ice towards the Cougar goal. Joe Gleason was very noticeable, as was freshman Nick Mattson.
• The top line of Brock Nelson-Corban Knight-Danny Kristo looked really, really good. They dictated the action anytime they stepped onto the ice. Kristo, at times, played at a level higher than anyone else out there and Nelson easily could have had a hat trick or more as he clanged a couple off the iron in addition to the two pucks he buried. Knight is just a smart, heady player that is downright fun to watch.
• Even though he didn't make it into the scoring column, freshman Mike Parks played with a motor that wouldn't quit. He's fast, he's a puckhound, and he was good on the backcheck.

Next weekend the games will begin to count in the standings as North Dakota will host the 2011 Ice Breaker Tournament. The Air Force Academy, Michigan State, and Boston College will all descend upon The Ralph for what should be a tremendous weekend of college hockey.

In Fighting Sioux recruit news:

• Luke Johnson notched an assist in his first game with the Lincoln Stars, a USHL franchise he is plenty familiar with.
• Keaton Thompson opened his USHL season this weekend, and had he not chose to play for the USNTDP Under-17 team, Thompson might otherwise have found himself on the gridiron. Fellow Sioux recruit and Under-17 teammate Luke Voltin  scored two goals and had an assist in two games over the weekend.
• Jordan Schmaltz will serve as an alternate captain for the Sioux City Musketeers.
• Stefan Matteau is off to a strong start for the USNTDP Under-18 team (the info on Matteau is about halfway down the page). Matteau, Miles Koules, and the rest of the U-18 team kick off their schedule October 3 when they take on the University of Michigan. They also travel to the University of Denver, Colorado College, and the University of Vermont before beginning USHL play.

NHL preseason news:

• Detroit Red Wings defenseman Mike Commodore could miss up to three weeks with a knee injury.
• The Anaheim Ducks will be without the services of Matt Smaby for 2-3 months due to a thumb injury.
• The Winnipeg Jets reassigned Jason Gregoire to the St Johns Ice Caps of the AHL. Former Sioux Jake Marto and Michael Forney are also at St Johns training camp.
• Brad Malone was reassigned from the Colorado Avalanche to the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters.

Sioux in the Pros: Training Camp News

NHL training camp rosters are getting whittled down with the regular season just a week away, and several former Sioux are engaged in opening day roster spot battles. Among the camp rookies, Jason Gregoire, Matt Frattin, and Brad Malone have survived their teams' cuts thus far.

Brad Malone was impressive at the Colorado Avalanche training camp, and he's in the running for a job as Colorado's fourth line center. With his size and skill set, it's also within the realm of possibility that he could earn a spot on the wing if Av centerman Jay McClement is awarded the fourth line job.

Matt Frattin, who is averaging a point per game in five preseason contests (2 G, 3A), has virtually locked up the third line left wing spot for the Toronto Maple Leafs. As camp began, Frattin, Nazem Kadri, and Joe Colborne were all expected to compete for the position that was widely considered to be open for the taking. Colborne started slow and was inconsistent prior to being cut from camp, but both Kadri and Frattin were performing well and running neck and neck until Kadri suffered a knee injury that could keep him out of the lineup for up to a month. Frattin has impressed the Toronto staff, and he is looking forward to taking advantage of his opportunity by striking while the iron is hot.

Ryan Johnson may also benefit from an injury in his quest to make the Detroit Red Wing roster and defenseman Matt Smaby is experiencing a similar situation in Anaheim.

Among those who have been reassigned to minor league training camps, defenseman Joe Finley looks to shake off the injury bug and find a home in the Buffalo Sabres organization. After the Phoenix Coyotes assigned Brett Hextall to the Portland Pirate training camp, GM Don Maloney had some good things to say about the former Sioux forward (Click the quote for the full article):


"I think it's a fact of life that your first-round pick gets more time to show what he can do vs. a later-round pick. A good example for us might be (sixth-round pick) Brett Hextall, whose had a terrific camp; he's very good. We were really happy with him, and arguably, he could still be there, but we think he's a first-year pro, and we have a couple other guys, we're still waiting to see a little bit more from."

Evan Trupp, who recently signed with the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL), is participating in the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals training camp, while Derrick LaPoint is attending Syracuse Crunch training camp (AHL) on a tryout invitation.

Other former Sioux news:

• New Jersey Devils centerman Travis Zajac says he won't rush his comeback from an Achilles tendon injury.
• Zajac's Devils teammate Zach Parise comments on the upcoming season.
• There's been more discussion on the likelihood of TJ Oshie having a breakout season for the St Louis Blues.
• A Chicago Blackhawk blogger offers up some interesting statistical insight on the importance of playing alongside Jonathan Toews.
• Toews had the opportunity to play alongside his brother David this preseason, and though David has been assigned to the Rockford Ice Hog training camp, there's been a lot of good stuff published on their relationship. More on that in this video and this article.
• Jonathan Toews is also part of the heavy Sioux presence in the Shattuck-St Mary's pipeline to the pros.

Free Agency & A Mixed Bag

NHL free agency fires up Friday, and several former Sioux find themselves in search of new contracts. Drew Stafford and Chris Porter have already signed new deals, and below is a list of the other former Sioux who played in the NHL last season and will be looking to sign new deals this summer:

PLAYER 2010-2011 TEAM  FA STATUS NEW TEAM SIGNING/CONTRACT DETAILS Zach Parise New Jersey RFA Drew Stafford Buffalo RFA Buffalo 4 Years, $16 Million David Hale Ottawa UFA Matt Smaby Tampa Bay RFA Ryan Johnson Chicago UFA Chris Porter St Louis UFA St Louis 1 Year, 2 Way Contract T.J. Oshie St Louis RFA Taylor Chorney Edmonton RFA Oshie recently received a qualifying offer from St. Louis, which prevents him from becoming an UFA, while the New Jersey Devils have filed for arbitration in their effort to get Parise signed long-term without risking losing him to an offer sheet it might not be able to match. It will also be interesting to see where Jason Gregoire signs, and if any other former Sioux are able to make there way into the NHL. McKeen's Hockey published an interview with incoming recruit Rocco Grimaldi about a week before the NHL Draft,  and when asked about next year's outlook at North Dakota Grimaldi replied: "I expect to be a big part of it, to be a big contributor, and I expect to win. I really do expect to win. That's just the mental attitude that I have. We're going to be a pretty young team, but we're going to be a pretty dang good, solid, skilled team. I think we'll do really well. Obviously, I want to win in the end. That's our goal and hopefully I'll be a big part of that and be able to help along the way."  I love his positive outlook, the expectations he has of himself, and the expectations he has of the team. Here's the full interview. The USHL put together some short highlight reels of some it's NHL Draft prospects, including Grimaldi and fellow incoming recruit Colten St. Clair: Grimaldi: St. Clair: