Thursday Morning Coffee

• Goaltender Clarke Saunders may be new to North Dakota, but he is certainly not unfamiliar with the WCHA. Saunders backstopped Alabama-Huntsville to victories over Nebraska-Omaha and Denver last season, and in 2010-11 he was in net when the Chargers defeated Nebraska-Omaha and Bemidji State. In the Nebraska-Omaha victory two seasons ago Saunders established two school records when he made 58 saves, including a 25 save second period.  
• North Dakota defenseman Dillon Simpson was recently featured in the Edmonton Oiler blog Copper and Blue. Despite being a junior, Simpson is still the third youngest player on the roster, and the 39th youngest among the WCHA's 317 players. 
• The University of Denver blueline has a player with a name very familiar to Fighting Sioux fans. Nolan Zajac, the youngest of the four hockey playing Zajac brothers, is a promising freshman defenseman for the Pioneers.
• Jonathan Toews views the NHL's latest CBA proposal with guarded optimism, saying that "Hopefully it gets the ball rolling in the right way."
• The Cheap Seats recently caught up with the parents of Jonathan and David Toews, and they shared some interesting insight into their role as hockey parents.
• Rant Sports is ranking the Top 100 players in the NHL, and St. Louis Blues winger T.J. Oshie comes in at number 71.
• TSN scout and NHL Network analyst Craig Button released his initial 2013 NHL Draft rankings yesterday. He has North Dakota recruit and Devils Lake native Keaton Thompson ranked 24th, while Grand Forks native Luke Johnson is listed as a player to keep an eye on. With J.T. Compher out of the Team USA lineup last weekend against North Dakota, Button said Thompson was the player he liked the most out of the Under-18ers. He also said he really likes Johnson's game and that he just needs to get stronger.
• The Hockey Writers also have a couple of draft watchlists on which Thompson appears. He comes in at number 49 on this list and number 41 on this one.
• North Dakota recruit Adam Tambellini comes from a well-known hockey family, but he is doing his best to forge his own path.

Tuesday Morning Coffee

• North Dakota, despite not playing any regular season games, has risen to number two in both the USCHO poll and the USA Today/USA Hockey poll. 
• Former Sioux defenseman Ben Blood was recalled by the AHL's Binghamton Senators yesterday. Blood, who played two games this past weekend with Elmira of the ECHL, will be with the team when they take on Joe Finley and the Rochester Americans tonight.
• Brock Nelson picked up his first professional points last weekend with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL), and here's a video of his first pro goal.
• Angus Certified recently interviewed Minnesota wild strength coach Kirk Olson. When asked to name the fittest hockey players he's trained, he mentioned Chris Porter, Zach Parise, and Drew Stafford.
• Former Sioux Travis Roche is currently tied for fifth among NLA (Swiss elite league) defensemen with eight points (1G, 7A). 
• Ryan Bayda is tied for seventh in DEL (German elite league) scoring with ten points (2G, 8A).
• UND recruit Wade Murphy has an eleven game point streak for the Penticton Vees (BCHL), the longest such active streak in the league. Murphy has recorded at least one point in each game he's played this season. Murphy is tied for the league lead with 20 points and he is the outright leader in assists (14) and points per game (1.80).

Weekend Musings, Etc.

The North Dakota men took to the ice for an exhibition game against the USA Hockey NTDP Under-18 team Friday night, and here are a few observations following the 6-4 UND victory:

• First for the most obvious, Knight Line Version 2.0 looked outstanding. Rocco Grimaldi, Corban Knight, and Danny Kristo combined for eight points (4G, 4A) and a +8.
• Clarke Saunders was the sharper of the two goaltenders vying for the starting job, and one would have to think he will be getting the start in the regular season opener against Alaska-Anchorage Friday night.
• The line of Stephane Pattyn, Colten St. Clair, and Derek Rodwell impressed. They were fast, gritty and hard to play against while also generating some nice offensive opportunities.
• It's great to see Derek Forbort so willing to shoot the puck. Granted it's only been exhibition action thus far, but he's scored a couple of very nice goals from the blueline without showing any hesitancy towards pulling the trigger.
• The strength of Andrew MacWilliam is something else. During one sequence he couldn't get a Team USA forward lined up squarely, but he was able to catch him with a forearm that contained enough power to separate puck from player. He must be just a beast to play against.
• Defenseman Jordan Schmaltz's offensive reputation comes as advertised. He's very smooth with the puck and has great offensive instincts. He also logged a lot of time on the power play and penalty kill units.
• Defensively there are still some things to clean up, but with an experienced bunch that should happen much sooner rather than later.
• For Team USA, North Dakota recruit and Devils Lake native Keaton Thompson looked good. He's a good skater who plays a very poised game. Scouts are high on him and with a solid season he could sneak into the first round of next summer's NHL Draft.

In other news...

• The UND women took to the road this weekend. They dropped the Friday night game against Ohio State, but bounced back with a Saturday afternoon victory.
• Matt Greene and a couple other NHLers spent some practice time with a Los Angeles area youth hockey team.
• The AHL and ECHL seasons kicked off Friday, and a number of former Sioux have had strong opening weekends. Brock Nelson and Matt Watkins got off to nice starts for Bridgeport (AHL). Nelson had a goal and two assists while Watkins had a goal and an assist in two Sound Tiger victories. Brad Malone notched two assists as Lake Erie (AHL) split its first two games of the year. In the ECHL, Aaron Schneekloth (1G, 2A) and Michael Forney (2G, 0A) helped Colorado to a weekend split while David Toews picked up a goal and an assist in two games with Bakersfield.
• Jean-Phillipe Lamoureux leads the Erste Bank Liga (Austrian elite league) with a .943 save percentage. He also has a 2.08 GAA. Lamoureux isn't the only former Sioux off to a strong start in Austria. Andrew Kozek is the league's leading goal scorer with nine, Ryan Duncan is T-3rd in goals with seven, and Curtis Murphy is T-9th in points among defensemen with eight (2G, 6A).
• Aaron Dell, who last weekend was released by the Colorado Eagles (ECHL), has signed with the Allen Americans of the CHL.
• In USHL play, North Dakota recruit and Grand Forks native Paul LaDue is a +8 with three assists in just four Lincoln Star games, while Sioux City defenseman Ryan Mantha leads his team with a +5 in three games. 
• The much-discussed on-campus arena for Nebraska-Omaha appears to be getting the greenlight. If it does indeed happen, it will be a big-step forward for the UNO program as it heads into the NCHC era.

North Dakota vs. Team USA U-18: Notes & Links

North Dakota vs. Team USA Under-18 - Exhibition Game Notes & Links

• Gametime: Friday 7:37 CDT
• The game will be broadcast by a variety of media outlets across the region. Here's the Broadcast Information.
• Brad Schlossman's Friday Morning Reading
• Game Notes (PDF): North Dakota and Team USA
• A pair of local defensemen, including North Dakota recruit Keaton Thompson, will be playing for Team USA.  
• Get to know Team USA a little better via the United States of Hockey's extensive team preview.
• USCHO's Weekend Picks
• Western College Hockey Blog Weekly WCHA Preview
• WCHA Weekly Press Release
• Here's Episode 2.02 of Through These Doors:

Friday Morning Coffee

• College Hockey News released several UND and WCHA related features this week. CHN put together a very nice North Dakota team feature, a list of what and who to watch in the WCHA, as well as team capsules for each of the league's twelve teams. 
• USCHO says UND's freshman class will play a big role in determining the team's success this season.
• CBS Sports released its Week 1 college hockey power rankings, and North Dakota comes in at number three.
• College Hockey Weekly released its preseason All-America Teams, with Danny Kristo making the second team and Andrew MacWilliam receiving an honorable mention.
• Taylor Chorney was named an alternate captain for the AHL's Peoria Rivermen, an affiliate of the St. Louis Blues.
• Locked out Buffalo Sabres Drew Stafford and Patrick Kaleta provided a nice surprise to a youth hockey team this week.
• The Rochester Americans (AHL) re-assigned Corey Fienhage to Gwinnett (ECHL), while Binghamton (AHL) re-assigned Ben Blood to Elmira (ECHL).
• Per a Reading Royals (ECHL) press release, former Sioux defenseman Derrick LaPoint intends to leave professional hockey. 
• For North Dakota recruit Luke Johnson, hockey and family form a nice blend.
• UND recruit Wade Murphy and the Penticton Vees (BCHL) travel to Victoria this weekend, where Murphy will be facing his former team.

2012-13 WCHA Picks & Predictions

Below is how I voted in the 2012-13 WCHA Blogger/Website Preseason Poll, as well as a few details regarding why I voted the way I did:

Predicted Order of Finish:

1. Minnesota - Loads of offense back, led by Nick Bjugstad, Erik Haula, and Kyle Rau, and loads of defense back, led by Nate Schmidt and Mark Alt, will make the Golden Gophers tough to beat. The returnees will be bolstered by a great recruiting class, led by defensemen Brady Skjei and Mike Reilly, that will be expected to pay immediate dividends. The only question comes in goal, where either freshman Adam Wilcox or sophomore Michael Shibrowski will be relied upon to take over for the departed Kent Patterson, who is the only Minnesota goaltender to start a game in nearly two years.

2. North Dakota - Danny Kristo and Corban Knight will lead the way offensively following the early departure of Brock Nelson. Carter Rowney, Mark MacMillan, and Michael Parks formed a very dangerous combination down the stretch last season and will look to build on that success this year, while redshirt freshman Rocco Grimaldi could turn out to be the most dynamic player in the league. The defense lost Ben Blood to graduation, but it should still be the backbone of the team with senior captain Andrew MacWilliam leading an experienced group that includes juniors Derek Forbort and Dillon Simpson along with bluechip freshman Jordan Schmaltz. In goal, Aaron Dell and Brad Eidsness are gone, but junior transfer Clarke Saunders and freshman Zane Gothberg will look to step in and solidify the goaltending position.

3. Wisconsin - Inexperience led to inconsistency last season in Madison, but down the stretch the Badgers became a team no one wanted to play. Mark Zengerle, the WCHA's leading returning point producer, leads the way upfront for a group that returns all key contributors, including Tyler Barnes, Michael Mersch, and Joe LaBate. Freshman Nic Kerdiles could find a spot on the top-line if his murky eligibility issues are resolved. The biggest loss for Wisco is blueliner Justin Schultz, who was as skilled of a defenseman that college hockey has seen in a number of years. Senior captain John Ramage anchors the Badger blueline, and among those aiding him in his efforts will be Frankie Simonelli and Jake McCabe. The goaltending situation appears set with Joel Rumpel occupying the number one spot, to be spelled on occasion by Landon Peterson.

4. Denver - Denver's strength is on the defensive end of the ice. One of the few teams in the league that does not face uncertainty in net, the Pioneers boast what is perhaps the nation's top goaltending trio in Sam Brittain, Juho Olkinuora, and Adam Murray. Playing in front of them will be a very good group of defensemen led by Joey LaLeggia, Scott Mayfield, and David Makowski. The biggest challenge for the Pioneers will be finding the offense to help offset the loss of Drew Shore, Jason Zucker, Beau Bennett, and Luke Salazar. Nick Shore is one of 11 current WCHA players to have scored 40 or more points last season, but the returning production drops off significantly thereafter. Denver will look to Ty Loney, Shawn Ostrow, and Chris Knowlton for added offense, with newcomer Quentin Shore chipping in as well.    

5. St. Cloud State - Much like Denver...and North Dakota...and...(you get the picture), the strength of the Huskies should be in the defensive zone, where a formidable group of defensemen will anchor the SCSU attack. They return five of their six regular d-men from last season, and leading the way will be a pair of slick, skilled puck-movers in Nick Jensen and Andrew Prochno, with Kevin Gravel playing more of a stay-at-home role. In goal, SCSU will be without Mike Lee, who opted to sign professionally, leaving sophomore Ryan Faragher to assume the role of number one goaltender. At forward, St. Cloud State losses three of their top four point producers from last year. Drew LeBlanc (who opted to return to school after receiving a medical redshirt), Ben Hanowski, and Nic Dowd will lead the way offensively, but their scoring depth took a hit when promising freshman Joey Benik suffered a broken leg during a preseason practice.

6. Minnesota-Duluth - No team in the conference loses more than the Bulldogs, who wave goodbye to a fantastic trio of forwards in Hobey Baker Award winner Jack Connolly, Travis Oleksuk, and JT Brown. Also parting ways will be defenseman Brady Lamb and goaltender Kenny Reiter. How will the Bulldogs counter these losses? Upfront, sophomore Caleb Herbert, senior Mike Seidel, and junior Joe Basaraba will be the go-to-guys, while freshman Austin Farley should step into a top six role immediately. Defensively the Bulldogs should be fine, led by Wade Bergman, Chris Casto and high-end recruit Andy Welinski. In goal, expect junior Aaron Crandall to be the starter with freshman Matt McNeely backing him up.

7. Minnesota State - The purple Mavericks became a very tough team to play during the second half of last season, ultimately playing .500 hockey over the course of their final 15 regular season games. They return a young and talented group of forwards, including sophomores Matt Leitner and Jean-Paul LaFontaine, who finished 1-2 in scoring for the Mavs last season. Additional skill and scoring will be provided by highly-touted freshmen Teddy Blueger and Bryce Gervais. On defense all but one regular returns from a group led by Evan Mosey and Zach Palmquist. In goal, Phil Cook will be counted upon to replace the graduated Austin Lee, with freshman Stephon Williams challenging for playing time. 

8. Nebraska-Omaha - The red Maverick offense suffered a pair of stinging departures when forwards Terry Broadhurst and Jayson Megna opted to sign professionally. A bit of salt was then rubbed into the wound when prized recruit Alex Broadhurst was declared academically ineligible, leading him to instead opt for the Canadian major junior ranks. But all is not lost for UNO, as leading scorer Matt White returns to lead the way offensively, with Ryan Walters, Josh Archibald, and Brock Montpetit providing support. The Mavs also return a vast majority of their experience on the blueline. Bryce Aneloski and Andej Sustr lead the returnees while freshmen Brian Cooper and Nick Seeler will look to contribute right out of the gates. In goal, Ryan Massa opted to take the season off, but UNO returns John Faulkner and Dayne Belfour, who will be challenged by heralded freshman Anthony Stolarz.

9. Colorado College - Colorado College enters 2012-13 tasked with replacing forward Jaden Schwartz, defenseman Gabe Guentzel, and forward Kevin Dineen, three of its top four point producers from a year ago. On the bright side, Rylan Schwartz opted to return for his senior season, and he will be joined by Scott Winkler and Alex Krushelnyski in leading the offensive charge. Freshman Hunter Fejes should also contribute offensively. In goal, Josh Thorimbert entrenched himself as the starter a year ago, a role he will resume this fall, with Joe Howe serving as his backup. Defensively, the Tigers will be led by Mike Boivin and Eamon McDermott.

10. Michigan Tech - MTU made significant strides last season under first-year head coach Mel Pearson. To build on that success, they will have to find ways to replace Brett Olson and Jordan Baker, two of their top three scorers from last season. David Johnstone and Ryan Furne are the top returning scorers, while freshmen Jujhar Khaira and Alex Petan should provide a fresh offensive spark. Defensively the Huskies return fully intact, with seniors Steven Seigo and Carl Nielsen leading a relatively young group. Last year's starting goaltender Josh Robinson is gone, leaving senior Kevin Genoe, who has significant experience as a starter, to battle freshmen Pheonix Copley and Jamie Phillips for the starting job. Early indications are that Copley may get the initial nod in net.

11. Bemidji State - The Beavers lose two of the top three point producers from a team that scored the second fewest goals in the league last year. Senior Jordan George will lead the way offensively for BSU, while Jake Areshenko and Brady Wacker are among the leading returnees defensively. In goal, Dan Bakala is gone, leaving sophomore Andrew Walsh as the number one goaltender, with freshman Fabian Sivnert and senior Mathieu Dugas serving as backups.

12. Alaska-Anchorage - In order to climb out of the WCHA basement, the Seawolves will need to experience improvements across the board, having  finished last in the conference in scoring offense, scoring defense, and special teams net one year ago. UAA will be led offensively by their leading scorer from a season ago, Matt Bailey. Jordan Kwas will also be expected to increase his offensive production, while freshman Blake Tatchell should add a little extra punch to the Seawolf attack. The defense returns virtually intact, and expect sophomores Austin Coldwell and Derek Docken to lead the way on the backend. In goal, UAA would love for either Chris Kamal or Rob Gunderson to revert back to their form of 2010-11, while freshman Michael Matyas will push for playing time.


All-Conference Team:

F - Nick Bjugstad, Minnesota - He's a "Four S" player: Size, Skill, Smarts, Skating. He will be a load for anyone and everyone this season, could be primed for a monster year.
F - Mark Zengerle, Wisconsin - This well-rounded centerman is a shifty playmaker who can also score. Top returning point producer in the nation.
F - Danny Kristo, North Dakota - The dynamic winger has a motor that never stops. Very elusive and explosive with a great shot.
D - Nate Schmidt, Minnesota - Great offensive instincts, made tremendous strides defensively last season. 
D - Joey LaLeggia, Denver - Burst onto the scene as a freshman, expect his defensive play to improve while he continues to produce offensively.
G - Sam Brittain, Denver - Returned from injury last season and proved his freshman season was no fluke. Denver's strong backend starts with him.

Player of the Year:

Nick Bjugstad, Minnesota - See All-Conference Team.

Defenseman of the Year:

Nate Schmidt, Minnesota - See All-Conference Team.

Rookie of the Year:

Rocco Grimaldi, North Dakota - Absolutely electric. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Grimaldi will be the most productive North Dakota freshman since Zach Parise in 2002-03.

Breakout Player of the Year:

Michael Parks, North Dakota - The speedy winger is a puckhound who notched 18 of his 22 points over the final 21 games of the season. And only Brock Nelson scored more goals for the Sioux over the season's final 10 games.

WCHA Instant Impact: Zane Gothberg (UND)

The 12th and final entry of the Instant Impact series features North Dakota freshman goaltender Zane Gothberg. Also, a big thank you to all the staff and coaches for their willingness to take the time to answer my questions and talk about the featured players.

Previous Entries:
Joey Benik, SCSU                                           Austin Farley, UMD
Blake Tatchell, UAA                                         Adam Wilcox, UM
Hunter Fejes, CC                                             Juhjar Khaira, MTU
Nic Kerdiles, UW                                             Brad Robbins, BSU 
Anthony Stolarz, UNO                                     Quentin Shore, DU
Teddy Blueger, MSU

Zane Gothberg, G, North Dakota
Vitals: 6' 2" - 198 lbs - 8/20/1992
Hometown: Thief River Falls, MN
Previous Team: Fargo Force (USHL)

North Dakota enters the 2012-13 season fully intent on bowing out of the WCHA with style. UND will move to the fledgling National Collegiate Hockey Conference next year, but in the meantime they will be looking to hoist two of college hockey's most revered trophies one final time. But as special as it may be to win the MacNaughton Cup and Broadmoor Trophy, that certainly is not the ultimate goal of this team. With a talented and experienced group of returnees supplemented by a good recruiting class, UND has the pieces in place to contend for the program's eighth national championship.

Offensively, North Dakota loses Brock Nelson, the league's leading goal scorer, and captain Mario Lamoureux, but all other forwards return. Seniors Danny Kristo and Corban Knight will lead the way upfront, and expect redshirt freshman Rocco Grimaldi to be an immediate offensive force. Ben Blood is the lone loss on the UND blueline, and the experienced defensive corps led by Andrew MacWilliam and Derek Forbort will be fortified by bluechip freshman Jordan Schmaltz.

North Dakota's biggest loss comes in goal, with All-WCHA goaltenders Brad Eidsness (graduated) and Aaron Dell (signed professionally) moving on from their UND careers. This loss of experience means that for the first time in five seasons, someone other than Dell or Eidsness will be tasked with manning the pipes as the number one goaltender. And while UND does gain the services of Clarke Saunders, a junior transfer from Alabama-Huntsville, they have a high-end recruit who will be expected to make a strong push towards the number one spot. That recruit is Zane Gothberg.

Gothberg comes to North Dakota on the heels of a fantastic high school and junior career. He was a three-year starter in goal for Thief River Falls (MN-HS), eventually culminating his high school career by winning the Frank Brimsek Award as the top senior goaltender in Minnesota after posting a 1.81 GAA and .925 save percentage in 2009-10. In 2010-11 he appeared in 23 games for the Fargo Force (USHL), recording a 2.23 GAA and .908 save percentage. Last season he won Fargo's number one goaltending spot and ran with it, earning USHL Goaltender of the Week honors on three occasions on his way to being named the All-USHL First Team goaltender. His 2.22 GAA and league-leading seven shutouts and .921% save percentage also helped earn him USHL Co-Goaltender of the Year honors.

According to Fargo Force associate head coach Byron Pool, Gothberg "is a big, strong athletic goaltender. He is tremendously conditioned and competes on every puck. He is a leader and gives the players in front of him a lot of confidence. He knows his position very well and has tremendous upside."

"Technically," Pool said, "Zane is a very sound goaltender. He knows his angles, is very square to the puck, and tracks the puck very well. Where Zane took a step for us last year was in his strength and conditioning. By being stronger he was able to use his athleticism to make those big cross-crease saves. Also, his recovery became a lot quicker."

When asked what qualities Gothberg possesses that will enable him to succeed at the NCAA level, Pool stated that "Zane is a great goaltender and he does not like to play second fiddle. He has a burning desire to play every minute of every game. He will push anyone who is ahead of him on the depth chart and fight tooth and nail to keep his starting position if and when he gets it. This competitiveness not only creates great competition between your goaltenders but it also makes your practices that much better as shooters are facing goaltenders who don't like to be scored on." Expect that competitiveness to be a driving force in Gothberg's push to become North Dakota's number one goaltender.

Tuesday Evening Post

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

Recruit Profile: Christian Evers

Photo-usantdp.com

Current Team:  USA Hockey NTDP U-17 Team (USHL/Int.)
Potential Arrival at UND:  2015
Position:  Defense

Birthday:  May 25th, 1997
Hometown:  Waukee, IA
Height:  6'4"
Weight:  195
Shoots:  Left

Profiles & Press Clippings:

• 2013-14 USA Hockey NTDP Profile/Stat Page
• 2012-13 NAPHL Profile/Stat Page
• Omaha AAA Lancers Commitment Press Release
• In the Western College Hockey Blog's review of the 2012 NAHL Showcase, Chris Dilks had this to say: Christian Evers-D-Omaha Lancers U16-Already a huge kid, listed at 6'4", and clearly the top D on a team with a pretty strong defense. Very good hands and feet for a player of his size. Definitely a big time prospect.
• NHL Entry Draft eligible in 2015.

2013-14:

• He will play for the USA Hockey NTDP Under-17 Team.
• In July, he participated in USA Hockey's Select 16 Development Camp, recording one assist in five games.

2012-13:

• Played for the Omaha AAA U-16 Lancers of the North American Prospects Hockey League, recording 69 points (27G, 42A) in 70 games on his way to earning All-NAPHL U-16 1st Team honors.
• Participated in USA Hockey's Select 15 Development camp, where he produced four points (2G, 2A) in five games in being named the fourth best defenseman at the camp by USHR: Christian Evers (#3 Grey, 2-2-4) 6-2/190 — We were told before we got here that the Waukee, Iowa native was in the same class as Hanifin and Werensky and were a little bit disappointed the first couple times we saw him. That said, we are glad we stuck around until the final day because he was great -- really showed us what he is capable of. Tall kid, smooth skater and passes the puck like a pro. Does not have the same offensive upside as the three d-men above him on this list, but has the ability to develop into a mean, shut-down type defenseman. Will play for the Omaha U16 team.

2011-12:

•  Played for the NPI Leafs AAA '96s.

Weekend Musings

A few thoughts on this past weekend's hockey action at REA. First for the men (to be taken with one, maybe two grains of salt considering it was an exhibition game):

• Danny Kristo and Corban Knight have developed some great chemistry. The top line is going to be really tough to stop considering what those two bring to the table, and it will be interesting to see who becomes the regular left winger. Freshman Drake Caggiula performed admirably in flanking Knight’s left-side against Manitoba, but my guess is that we will see someone else get that assignment Friday night against Team USA.
• Kristo was the best player on the ice Saturday night and he appears poised for a monster season. He is electric and he seems to have gotten stronger over the summer as Manitoba was unable to move him off the puck. He is going to be very difficult for opposing teams to contain this year.
• This weekend marked the much anticipated return to the lineup for Rocco Grimaldi, and he did not disappoint. He had the crowd buzzing on numerous occasions with his playmaking and creativity, and it didn’t take long to realize that he is a very special talent. Just how good will he be this year? My guess is that he is going to have the most productive offensive season by a North Dakota freshman since Zach Parise.
• The RPM Line was in effect for the exhibition opener. I'm a big fan of keeping this line together considering how they played down the stretch last season. Of course, the enthusiasm was dampened when Michael Parks left the ice with an apparent lower body injury, but Mark MacMillan, Carter Rowney, and Parks all looked really good.
• As expected, defenseman Joe Gleason returned to his natural position. He did a very nice job filling in upfront last season for a shorthanded team, but he is more of a difference maker on the backend.

Now for the women, who bounced back from Friday's heartbreaking loss with a solid overall performance Saturday afternoon:

• In addition to what the top line will be expected to create, North Dakota should have some good offensive depth this season. They will be able to roll out three lines capable of regularly generating offensive opportunities.
• Shelby Amsley-Benzie looked confident in net and played good all weekend.
• Leah Jensen did a nice job playing right-wing with the Lamoureux sisters, picking up her first career goal Saturday by getting to the net and knocking home a rebound.
• It didn’t take too long to realize that freshman winger Becca Kohler has a fantastic shot. She can really unwind on the puck.
• Meghan Dufault is a dynamic player and though she didn’t find her way onto the scoresheet, she created some nice opportunities and was hard to knock off the puck.