Monday Morning Post

• After establishing himself as more than just a long shot to make Philadelphia's opening night roster, Chris VandeVelde was the last forward cut made by the Flyers. He came into camp on an AHL deal and nearly parlayed it into an NHL contract. He will begin the season playing with Philly's AHL affiliate in Adirondack.
• The New Jersey Devils have lost two of the world's best players over the past two seasons in Ilya Kovulchuk and Zach Parise. Their success this season will be greatly impacted by how strong Travis Zajac and the rest of their centermen play down the middle.
• Despite being signed to a two-year, one-way contract in the offseason, Chris Porter was placed on waivers by the St. Louis Blues this weekend. Porter really established himself during the playoffs last season as part of the Blues' "CPR" line, but he ended up getting caught up in a numbers game during training camp. After clearing waivers, Porter will begin the season in the AHL.
• TJ Oshie had a strong preseason camp for St. Louis while changing his spots in the locker room.
• Brock Nelson proved he belongs in the NHL following a very good preseason. We'll find out today if he makes the Islanders' opening night roster.
• Over the weekend Sioux alum JP Lamoureux was inducted into the Lincoln Stars (USHL) Hall of Fame.

Friday Morning Post

• Senior defenseman Dillon Simpson was named team captain for the 2013-14 season, with junior forwards Michael Parks and Stephane Pattyn serving as assistant captains. Simpson was also tabbed as a player to watch in the NCHC this year in CBS Sports Network analyst/College Hockey New columnist Dave Starman's NCHC overview.
• The Hockey Writers' Gabriella Fundaro does a great job covering women's hockey and in her WCHA preview she says that despite their losses to graduation, North Dakota still has plenty of talent to make a run at the top of the WCHA standings.
• Corban Knight's bid to make Calgary's opening night roster ended yesterday when he was assigned to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. Away from the rink Knight has been forced to deal with a natural disaster and CBC Sports took a look at his family's recovery from this past summer's devastating Alberta flooding.
• NHL rookie Brock Nelson remains at New York Islanders' training camp, where he is fighting for a spot on the Isle.
• Buffalo Sabres winger Drew Stafford is looking forward to the upcoming season with a refreshed optimism as he looks to put Buffalo's disappointing 2012-13 season behind him.
• After signing the first one-way NHL contract of his career, Chris Porter finds himself in the middle of a logjam in terms of earning playing time in St. Louis. 
• Mike Commodore will reportedly be joining Vladivostok (KHL) for the 2013-14 season, joining Brandon Bochenski and Rastislav Spirko as Sioux alums playing in Russia's "super league." Bochenski, by the way, is currently T-8th in points with 10 (4G, 6A) while Spirko is T-18th with 8 (5G, 3A).
• Tony Hrkac will be inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday.
• Nick Schmaltz and Ryan Mantha were part of the victorious Team Johnson at last night's All-American Prospects Game in Pittsburgh, defeating Team Mullen and Shane Gersich 5-2. Schmaltz picked up an assist and was very good throughout the game while Gersich may have been the best player on the ice for the first period plus. Overall he played a fine game and was very noticeable in all three zones while Mantha played a solid defensive game. The United States of Hockey offers a nice recap of the event.
• UND recruits Austin Poganski and Chris Wilkie are hoping to form a dynamic duo for Tri-City (USHL) this season as the past, present, and future teammates look to help kickstart the Storm's offense. A highlight of the article is the North Dakota recruiting pitch Wilkie gave to Poganski while the two were playing in the Under-17 Four Nations Tournament. It worked.

Thursday Morning Post

• Cousins Paul LaDue and Luke Johnson are set to make a big impact on UND during their collegiate careers.
• UND junior forward Andrea Dalen has been awarded Norway's Gold Puck for 2013.
• UND freshman defenseman Halli Krzyzaniak is preparing for her first season of college hockey.
• Johanna Fallman is a part of North Dakota's strong group of European talent.

Former Player Updates:

• Matt Frattin has had a strong preseason debut for the Los Angeles Kings' second line left wing spot. The style of play and the skill set Frattin possesses are exactly what the Kings are looking for in that spot, and that could have the Sioux alum primed for a breakout NHL season.
• Already having racked up a career's worth of accomplishments at the age of 25, the Chicago Sun-Times asks what's next for Chicago captain Jonathan Toews? Toews was recently ranked as the third best player in the NHL by a panel of NHL GM's and head coaches, while Zach Parise came in at number 23.
• Brock Nelson has made a strong push to make the New York Islander roster out of training camp, having earned enough trust of the Isles' staff along the way to have been spending time on the top penalty killing unit as an NHL rookie.
• Brad Malone is another former Sioux looking to make an opening night roster as he has had an impressive preseason thus far for the Colorado Avalanche.
• Former UND standout goaltender Jordan Parise has decided to call it a career as he is retiring from professional hockey.
• A healthy TJ Oshie could be what St. Louis needs to get them over the hump in the postseason.
• In what came as a bit of a surprise, the New York Rangers sent Danny Kristo down to their AHL affiliate in Hartford. By most accounts Kristo appeared to be having a strong preseason, and with the Rangers facing some injury and contract issues up front he appeared to be in line to take the battle for a roster spot down to the wire. Regardless, he showed several promising flashes during the preseason, so don't be surprised if he gets called up at some point during the season. 
• Travis Zajac is looking forward to putting a frustrating 2012-13 season behind him.
• Chris VandeVelde was invited to Philadelphia's training camp after signing an AHL deal with Adirondack, and he is now part of a trio trying to crack the Flyers' opening night roster.
• Andrew MacWilliam was re-assigned to the Toronto Marlies, but not before he left a positive impression on the Maple Leafs' staff.
• Quick Hits: Evan Trupp re-signed with the Alaska Aces (ECHL)...Aaron Dell signed with the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL)...Ryan Hill signed with the Mississippi RiverKings (SPHL)...Derek Forbort, one of the top players under the age of 25 within the LA King organization, was assigned to Manchester (AHL) after a solid preseason camp in LA...Darcy Zajac is lending a veteran presence to the Albany Devils (AHL)...Carter Rowney is attending Wilkes-Barre (AHL) training camp...Joe Gleason is attending Rockford (AHL) training camp...Updated Sioux in the Pros roster for 2013-14...

Recruit Updates:

• UND received a big verbal commitment this week from Christian Cakebread of the Fargo Force, a 1997-born forward who comes out of the Arizona Bobcat AAA program.
• Recruits Nick Schmaltz, Ryan Mantha, and Shane Gersich are all set to take part in tonight's All-American Prospects game in Pittsburgh (6:00 PM CDT start). Austin Poganski was originally scheduled to participate as well, but a minor injury will keep him out of the lineup. The United States of Hockey has a preview of the event, which can be viewed free of charge via FastHockey.
• The NHL's Central Scouting Service released its Preliminary Watch List for the 2014 NHL Draft, and a handful of North Dakota recruits are on the NHL's radar. Nick Schmaltz is listed as an A Skater (potential first round pick), Ryan Mantha, Austin Poganski, and Chris Wilkie are listed as B Skaters (potential second to third round picks), and Rhett Gardner and Shane Gersich are C Skaters (potential fourth round and later picks).
• Schmaltz came in at number 13 on Bob McKenzie's 2014 NHL Draft Preseason Report.
• Charlie Pelnik is expected spend the next couple of seasons playing for the Langley Rivermen (BCHL).

Recruit Profile: Christian Cakebread

Photo: USHL.com

Current Team:  Fargo Force (USHL)
Potential Arrival at UND:  2015
Position:  Forward
Birthday:  April 15th, 1997
Hometown:  Gilbert, AZ
Height:  5'11"
Weight:  170
Shoots:  Left


Profiles & Press Clippings:

• USHL 2013-14 Profile/Stat Page
• Elite Prospects Profile/Stat Page
• WDAY: Cakebread Verbals to UND (Sep 2013)
• OTB: Cakebread Commits to North Dakota (Sep 2013)
• OTB: Number 20 Uncommitted Recruit (May 2013)
• USHL: Fargo Force Tender Christian Cakebread (Feb 2013)
• Hails from the same hometown as current UND forward Colten St. Clair.

2013-14:

• Playing for the Fargo Force of the USHL.

2012-13:

• Out of team need, he played out of his natural forward position for the Arizona Bobcats AAA U-16 team, registering 63 points (24G, 39A), 40 PIM, and a rating of +90 in 60 games as a defenseman.
• Helped lead the Bobcats to the Arizona state Tier 1 championship and an appearance in USA Hockey's Rocky Mountain District tournament.

2011-12:

• Helped the Arizona Bobcats AAA U-14 team to a runner-up finish at the Rockey Mountain District Tier 1 tournament, falling one game short of qualifying for USA Hockey's U-14 tier 1 national championships.

Men's Hockey Home & Away Ticket Info

Ticket information for all UND home and away men's hockey games can be found below:

Series	Game Date	Tix On-Sale	Tickets/Details
UND Home Games	-	Now	Tickets
Miami University	Oct 18/19	Sept. 11	Tickets
Nebraska-Omaha	Nov 9/10	Now	Tickets
Boston University	Nov 22/23	TBD	Details
Western Michigan	Dec 6/7	Sept. 10	Details
Great Northwest Showcase	Jan 3/4	October	Website
Bemidji State	Jan 17	Sept. 20	Tickets
Denver	Jan 24/25	Now	Details
Minnesota-Duluth	Feb 21/22	Sept. 23/24	Tickets
St. Cloud State	Feb 28/Mar 1	Now	Tickets
NCHC Tournament (MSP)	Mar 21/22	Now	Tickets
NCAA Regionals	Mar 28/29/30	TBD	Details
Frozen Four (Philadelphia)	Apr 10/12	TBD	Details

Thursday Morning Post

• A number of Sioux alums will be hitting the ice for the 2013-14 season this week as NHL rookie/prospect camps and tournaments kick into gear. Toronto's Rookie Tournament will feature four Sioux alums as the Maple Leafs (Andrew MacWilliam), Ottawa (Ben Blood), Chicago (Joe Gleason), and Penguins (Carter Rowney) will compete in a round robin tournament beginning today and running through the weekend. Danny Kristo will be part of the New York Ranger contingent competing at the Traverse City Tournament while Corban Knight and the Calgary Flames will be participating in the Young Stars Classic in Penticton, BC (Flames games will be streamed on their website). Derek Forbort will be attending the Los Angeles King rookie camp, which includes a pair of games against Anaheim, and Brock Nelson will participate in the New York Islanders rookie camp.
• Leading into the rookie tournaments, The Calgary Herald detailed Knight's unusually busy summer, while Blueshirts United featured Kristo in this nice interview:

• Hockey Prospectus recently ranked the Rangers' top prospects, and Kristo came in at number two while freshman forward Adam Tambellini was ranked fifteenth. Meanwhile, CBS New York says Kristo will be given every opportunity to crack the Ranger lineup. 
• Forbort checks in at number six amongst the Mayor's Manor top LA King prospects.
• Also from Mayor's Manor, Matt Frattin is fitting in nicely in Los Angeles following his offseason trade from Toronto.
• Following a strong performance at a tryout camp, Sioux alum Tate Maris earned an invite to the St. Charles Chill (CHL) training camp.
• David Toews has signed with the Reading Royals (ECHL) for the 2013-14 season.
• Former Sioux defenseman and Grand Forks native Nick Fuher has joined the Winkler Flyers (MJHL) staff as an assistant coach.
• The Hockey Guys have ranked the top recruiting classes for the next two seasons, and North Dakota's are ranked number two for 2013 and number one for 2014.
• Nick Schmaltz is a key cog in UND's 2014 freshman class, and TSN's Craig Button has him slotted at number 25 in his initial rankings for the 2014 NHL Draft.
• Sioux alum Phil Jackson recently did a Q&A with the LA Kings, and he mentions his time spent playing hockey as a youth with former Sioux All-American Terry Casey. Jackson and Casey were neighborhood friends in Great Falls, MT prior to Jackson's family moving to Williston, ND.

Wednesday Morning Post

• Midco Sports Net produced a nice segment honoring the original Ralph Engelstad Arena. It aired last night during the debut of North Dakota Hockey with Dave Hakstol:

•  Here's another segment from last night's episode featuring Sioux alum Evan Trupp:

• The Winnipeg Free Press says that while Sidney Crosby will likely wear the C for Team Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Jonathan Toews is the team's real leader. Meanwhile, The Calgary Sun says Toews has quickly developed a reputation for winning. My feeling is that Toews probably has a better chance to be named captain than most media outlets are signaling, and Zach Parise is definitely on the shortlist of candidates to be the next Captain America. Don't be surprised if either, or both, don the C in Russia come February.
• The Hockey News' most recent Prospect Need To Know feature says maturation was a key step in Danny Kristo turning pro.
• Big things are expected out of UND recruit Ryan Gropp as he assumes more of the spotlight for the BCHL's Penticton Vees.
• Over the Boards has North Dakota's incoming freshman class ranked as the third best in the nation for 2013-14 and number one for 2014-15.



Tuesday Morning Post

• The 2013-14 roster for the UND men's team was released yesterday and the only real surprise was the absence of junior-to-be Dan Senkbeil. Senkbeil is transferring to Vermont and will be eligible to play in 2014-15 after sitting out this season to satisfy the NCAA's transfer rules. In 49 career games at North Dakota, he produced a goal and four assists.
• NHL.com continues its "30 in 30" series, with Brock Nelson being ranked third among New York Islanders prospects and Danny Kristo and Adam Tambellini coming in at one and nine, respectively, among New York Rangers prospects.
• Surly & Scribe took a look at the top candidates to fill the LA Kings' second line LW position, and they say Matt Frattin would be a good choice. 
• The roster for the 2013 All-American Prospects Game was released yesterday and four North Dakota recruits earned invitations. Ryan Mantha, Shane Gersich, Nick Schmaltz and Austin Poganski are all scheduled to take part in the American-born 2014 NHL Draft eligible showcase September 26 in Pittsburgh. An interesting omission was UND recruit and Tri-City Storm (USHL) forward Chris Wilkie. Wilkie was one of the NTDP U-17 team's top performers last season, including a very strong showing at last season's World U-17 Challenge. The United States of Hockey briefly highlighted a few of the players to watch during the event, and Schmaltz and Poganski were included. Schmaltz was also included in the latest edition of The Hockey News' Hot List.

Sunday Afternoon Post

• The Edmonton Journal says that North Dakota senior Dillon Simpson has worked his way into becoming a solid Oiler prospect who possesses top-four NHL potential as a complete defenseman. 
• Sioux alums Zach Parise, Jonathan Toews, and TJ Oshie are among the Canadian and American Olympic hopefuls who will be attending Olympic orientation camps this week. Parise and Toews are all but locks to appear in their second consecutive Olympic tournament, while Oshie is a player who, with a strong NHL first half, could earn his way onto Team USA as a bottom six winger. This week's orientation camps will not include any on-ice activity for either nation as the cost of insuring the attendees' NHL contracts is too great.
• As part of its "30 in 30" series, NHL.com says Travis Zajac is the New Jersey Devils' X-Factor and that he must produce offensively for the Devils to achieve team success this season. His importance to the team became even more important when star winger Ilya Kovalchuk opted to return home to Russia to play in the KHL. 
• Former Sioux defenseman Aaron Schneekloth has opted to retire after twelve professional seasons. Schneekloth, the ECHL's Defenseman of the Year just two seasons ago, will remain with the ECHL's Colorado Eagles as an assistant coach. He spent the final seven seasons of his career with Colorado.
• According to a German sports website, former Sioux goaltender Jordan Parise is retiring after seven professional seasons. He spent last season with Valpellice of the Italian elite league, posting a 2.87 GAA and .906 save percentage.
• The Los Angeles Kings Rookie Camp starts next Wednesday (Sept 4) and Derek Forbort will be in attendance. While he is expected to spend this season with Manchester (AHL), Kings executive Mike O'Connell says he expects Forbort to play with bigger goals in mind.
• North Dakota goaltending commit Cam Johnson was interviewed during the Fargo Force (USHL) tryout camp this week. Here's the video of the brief interview:

Friday Morning Post

• UND incoming freshman defenseman Halli Krzyzaniak earned an invite to Hockey Canada's National Women's Program Red and White Series following her performance at the National Women's Development Team Selection Camp, and she says she is enjoying her time playing with Canada's big stars.
• Earlier this week the UND athletic department and Midco Sports Net released the broadcast schedule for the 2013-14 season, with the vast majority of the programming being produced in high definition. MSN will also be airing quite a bit of original UND programming, including Through These Doors and the new ND Hockey with Dake Hakstol. For those non-Midco subscribers out there (myself included), HD webcasts of most home hockey games will be available through a UND Insider subscription. CBS Sports Net, which holds the exclusive rights of national NCHC broadcasts, also recently announced that it is moving to DirecTV channel 221, meaning the additional purchase of DTV's sports tier is no longer required to receive CBSSN's NCHC broadcasts.
• Danny Kristo has been invited to the NHLPA's 2013 Rookie Showcase.
• Hunter Bishop, who played a handful of games in a Fighting Sioux uniform before transferring to Ohio State, has signed with the AHL's Manchester Monarchs.
• CBS Eye on Hockey is putting together All-Time teams for each NHL franchise, and former Sioux Ed Belfour earned the nod as the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars All-Time goaltender. 
• A New York Islanders blog wonders if Sioux alum Brock Nelson will earn a spot with the Islanders this season. Hockey Prospectus also slotted Nelson in at number four in its rankings of the Islanders' top prospects, saying he "looks like he could be a very good two-way center" and that he "is a quality, do-it-all type of forward who could step into the NHL next season."
• Hockey's Future is also producing organizational prospect rankings and Derek Forbort is ranked fifth among Kings prospects.
• The Scouting Report took a look at some of the USNTDP U-18 team's NHL Draft prospects, and North Dakota recruit Shane Gersich was included.
• ESPN recently analyzed some of the top 2014 NHL Draft prospects from the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup (ESPN Insider membership required for full viewing), and here's a sampling of what they had to say about North Dakota recruit Nick Schmaltz: "had a very good tournament, ranking second among all players in scoring and impressing scouts with his very high level of skill...pure offensive abilities drive his value, as he can make a lot of flashy plays...hand-eye coordination, creativity and vision are his best traits...he is small, a slightly above-average skater and needs to work on his all-around game...a potential first- or second-round prospect." 
• The United States of Hockey took a long, hard look at the ongoing turf battle between the CHL and NCAA.