Great Hockey Minds

It's everyone's favorite time of year!!! WCHA academic award time!!!

First up: Scholar Athletes!

Here's the official definition. A Scholar-Athlete must first of all had at least one year at their current institution (meaning no transfers or freshmen) and must have maintained a 3.5 GPA either overall or for the previous 2 semesters or 3 quarters.

tUMD's Scholar-Athletes are:

Aaron Crandall (Business)
Keegan Flaherty (Business)
Kenny Reiter (Finance)
Kyle Schmidt (Statistics and Actuarial Science)

Kyle and Kenny are repeat offenders, while Keegan and Aaron are first-timers. Kyle should probably be named the WCHA Student-Athlete of the year, if the voters have any sort of credibility at all. We won't find out until March. Congratulations to all four gentlemen!

Here's how the other member schools stack up:

UAA - 3
Bemidji - 11
CC - 3
Denver - 5
MTU - 5
UMTC - 3
MSUM - 5
UNO - 3
UND - 5
SCSU - 6
UW -0

Rumble in the Jungle

tUMD 4, Teenagers 1, RWD 2

Yes! That's a correct score, folks!

So I got my first live crack at Matt McNeely, future tUMD superstar. He was voted player of the game and he certainly deserved it. 42 saves on 46 shots. Yay!

It was hard to really get into this game since it had no statistical value and our opponents were just widdle bitty boys. Biddco and I did make up some nice chants like "Obama Payroll" and "No Blood For Oil!" McNeely's fan club started chanting "USA! USA!" and we responded with "CANADA! CANADA!" and "MEXICO! MEXICO!" Meh. That was the best we could do.

So David Grun got the first Bulldog goal in the building. Not the first OFFICIAL goal as this was an exhibition game, but still, yay! Sick goal, too. MCON has the puck and the USA player falls down to try to break up the pass, MCON waits and then feeds the puck to Grunner who slams it home.

Oh, AMSoil folks? Play the rouser after a goal. Not Sweet Caroline.

I missed the second goal because a certain short person needed a pretzel and it took forever to complete the transaction, although there was no apparent reason for the slowness. Sigh. But there was a TV right there! So I could see it! My Jacky put a bouncing puck into the net. Whee!!

I missed the Teenagers' only goal too, because of another reason. It was scored by UND recruit Rocco Grimaldi, also known as the Prince of Liechtenstein. How a foreign prince is on our national team is unclear at this time.

I was, ahem, "selected" for the Subway Shoot-out in the second period and was waiting to get on the ice when the Teenagers had their goal. Biddco and Boody were also "selected." The Subway Shoot-out, in case you are unaware, is one of those competitions where contestants shoot at a board with a slot in in. One starts between the face-off dots, and gets five pucks to try to get a goal. If a goal is scored before all five pucks go in, then one moves back to the blue line, and if a goal is scored there, then one makes an attempt from center ice with any remaining pucks.

Biddco went first and missed all five. I was very nervous, because I'm not exactly Justin Faulk with his pinpoint accuracy, but I RECEIVED A SIGN FROM THE HOCKEY GODS. The stick used in the shootout? IT WAS MIKE CURRY'S! Now, that pretty much means zero goals were scored using it, but Curry's My Guy! So on my 4th shot, I got the puck in from between the face-off dots, and on the fifth one I scored from the blue line! Yay! I have four years of NCAA eligibility, BTW, coaches. Boody had to go and steal the show by scoring from center ice as well, but that was pretty cool so I can't hold a grudge.

Then something happened.

I purposefully selected my seats in AMSoil Arena at the top of a section in the upper deck so that I could stand during games, because I like to and also because I get nervous. I couldn't stand during the UND game because there were people behind me and next to me, but through the first two periods of tonight's game there weren't any people behind us.

So. Then. Some drunken man and his drunken friend showed up and decided to sit behind and to the right of us. And they didn't like us standing, although at first the drunken man asked me if we were going to stand the whole game, so they could move, and I said yes, thinking that was the end of it and they'd just move to one of the myriad other seats available. But no, Drunky McDrunkerson wanted to get into it with me, and since I'm classy like that, I made him say please before I would sit down. Which he obviously would have rather died than said. And then he yelled at me that he was 47 years old, which was hilarious, and reminded Biddco of this:



So finally some kid comes over and gets the moron to say please and I sat down, just as I said I would, and then I thought that was the end of it. But no, Drunky McDrunkerson and his stupid friend decided they would keep running their mouths. So after about three or four minutes of that I whipped around and snapped at them, and then a DECC lady intervened and I asked her to call security and they came and that shut them up. And then they went away. Yay! I win!

I think, instead of keeping a list of arenas where I have visited, I'm going to keep a list of arenas where I have had an altercation with another fan. It just so happens that list is almost identical to the list of arenas I have seen. Funny how that works.

In the third period, Keegan Flaherty and Jake Hendrickson got their first goals as Bulldogs, although for official statistical purposes they still are without a goal. Still, that just opened the floodgates, no?

The arena seems more lovely with a win, although it's not quite right yet without the students and the band.

Seeing Spots

The new banner is pretty, no? I know it doesn't fit in with the colour scheme, but it's fun.

So, there are rampant rumours that a certain player who decommitted from a certain sister school is interested in coming to a certain Harvard of the Midwest. But really, where would this certain individual fit in? tUMD is stacked. With or without this certain player, we’re going to have good players sitting every weekend, which is both good and bad. I’ve been wondering how everyone is going to fit in. And hey, I haven’t posted in awhile, so let’s do this.

Ok, so let’s take the team at face value. Here’s what I’ve got (freshmen positions are based on Heisenberg’s site):

Centre
Jack Connolly (Jr)
Travis Oleksuk (Jr)
Danny DeLisle (So)
Chris Stafne (Fr)
Max Tardy (Fr)

Left Wing
Mike Connolly (Jr)
Kyle Schmidt (Sr)
Cody Danberg (Sr)
Jake Hendrickson (So)

Right Wing
Justin Fontaine (Sr)
David Grun (Jr)
Mike Seidel (So)
Keegan Flaherty (So)
Joe Basaraba (Fr)
J.T. Brown (Fr)

Left Defence
Dylan Olsen (So)
Scott Kishel (Jr)
Wade Bergman (So)
Drew Olson (So)
Trent Palm (rs-Sr)
Luke McManus (Fr)

Right Defence
Brady Lamb (Jr)
Mike Montgomery (Sr)
Chad Huttel (Sr)
Chase Ryan (rs-Sr)
Justin Faulk (Fr)

Goalie
Brady Hjelle (Jr)
Kenny Reiter (Jr)
Aaron Crandall (So)

Well, obviously this isn’t going to work. Too many right wings and too many left defencemen. Too many MCs, not enough mics. I’ve made some changes, and here’s what I’ve got.

Ok, first I’m gonna sneak Keegan Flaherty to centre. Jake Hendrickson could do the same but I’m going to give the nod to the Keeg based on his playing time last year, and based on some other things you’ll see later. Stafne is a lefty so I am going to sneak him over to LW.

Now our centres are Jack Connolly, Travis Oleksuk, Danny DeLisle, Keegan Flaherty and Max Tardy.

Note that I have MCON down as a LW even though he has played RW, but at LW he shall stay. Left wingers are Mike Connolly, Kyle Schmidt, Cody Danberg, Jake Hendrickson and Chris Stafne. Right wingers are Justin Fontaine, David Grun, Mike Seidel, Joe Basaraba and J.T. Brown.

At defence we can make the easy adjustment of removing Chase Ryan from the lineup. He has extra eligibility left, but he is getting a real degree in a real subject so let’s say that he is going to start a new career. Someone else has to scoot over to RD, unless Palm chooses not to/is not able to play. But, let’s just assume the best here. Anyway, I think maybe to make things easier I will just put Palm there. He’s also right-handed.

Left defencemen are Dylan Olsen, Scott Kishel, Wade Bergman, Drew Olson and Luke McManus. Right defencemen are Brady Lamb, Mike Montgomery, Chad Huttel, Trent Palm and Justin Faulk.

Goalies are still Brady Hjelle, Kenny Reiter and Aaron Crandall. Now we’re in business and can start crankin’ out the lines.

Top line: Mike Connolly – Jack Connolly – Justin Fontaine
No way is Sandy going to open the season any other way. I am sure there will be many different combinations throughout the year, but this is such an easy call. With no Overly Mature Canadian team to tune up with, gotta stick with what ya know.

Second line: Kyle Schmidt – Travis Oleksuk – Mike Seidel
Left wing and centre were easy picks, but I am really unsure about this one. I can see either J.T. Brown or Joe Basaraba on here, too at some point in the season. I really hate the idea of Seidel relegated to the 4^th line, but he could also pick up a spot on the 3^rd line without losing any grit there, and I could see him on the top line if Sandy gets the urge to juggle things. He’s my breakout pick.

Third line: Cody Danberg – Danny DeLisle – David Grun
People might be killed by this line. Literally, not figuratively.

Fourth line: Jake Hendrickson – Flaherty – J.T. Brown
J.T. has been explosive so far in the USHL, which as we know is not a guarantee of success, but that’s why I put him in over Basaraba. Flaherty and Hendo are in to start with because they’ve paid their dues, as (almost) all freshmen must. Of course, once the season gets into high gear, anything goes, and there are going to be a lot of guys duking it out for a spot in the lineup.

Bleacher line: Stafne – Tardy - Basaraba
Get those suits pressed.

Top defensive pairing: Dylan Olsen – Mike Montgomery
Obvious pairing is obvious.

Second pairing: Wade Bergman – Brady Lamb
Ah, who can forget Rat Boy? Dear, dear Rat Boy. (I am sorry, this is not nice. But somehow I thought this one time and can't get it out of my head. It's better than Smeagol, which is what Akins calls him.) Bergman was voted rookie of the year and I am totally in agreement. Lamb has his issues but defencemen mature more slowly. He should be solid this year.

Third pairing: Scott Kishel – Justin Faulk
Complete opposite of what I said about the forwards. Faulk is going to get a chance right away.

Fourth pairing: Drew Olson – Chad Huttel
It just pains me to put Drew here. I think he’s awesome and has really come into his own, but I think Scotty’s been placed ahead of him by the coaching staff. If Sandy refuses to sit seniors, then Faulk will be here instead of Huttel, but Faulk’s offensive upside blows away Huttel’s, um, temper.

Fifth pairing: Luke McManus – Trent Palm
It all depends on Palm’s health and his plans. However, I think he’ll be eased back into the lineup if he does return, so I’m putting him here. And Luke, I am sorry, but you are the low man on the indigenous wooden sculpture.

Starting goalie: Kenny Reiter
Kenny Reiter? Yes he can! His overall performance last year (North Dakota game notwithstanding) gives him the first game of the year.

Backup: Brady Hjelle
When Hjelle’s hot, he’s hot, and if he can find consistency, he’ll be back in there again.

Backup’s Backup: Aaron Crandall
He didn’t see a second of ice time this past year, so I don’t see him climbing the ranks. I hope we at least see him in the exhibition game against the teenagers in January.

So, really, this is a full lineup and then some. I don’t see any way to fit another guy into the lineup, let alone give him any scholarship money.

A Brady Hjelle Christmas

Brady Hjelle: I think there must be something wrong with me, Jacky. Christmas is coming but I’m not happy, I don’t feel the way I’m supposed to feel. I just don’t understand Christmas, I guess. I like getting presents, and sending cards and decorating trees and all that, but I’m still not happy. I always end up feeling depressed.

Jacky: Brady Hjelle, you’re the only person I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem. Maybe RWD is right: of all the Brady Hjelles in the world, you’re the Brady Hjelliest.
















Brady Hjelle: Drew, you’re the only person I know who can raise a cloud of dust in a snowstorm.
















RWD: May I help you?

BRADY HJELLE: I am in sad shape.

RWD: Wait a minute, before you begin, I must ask that you pay in advance. Five cents, please. Boy what a sound! How I love hearing that old money clank! That beautiful sound of cold hard cash! That beautiful, beautiful sound: nickels, nickels, nickels! That beautiful sound of clinking nickels! All right now, what seems to be your trouble?

BRADY HJELLE: I feel depressed. I know I should be happy, but I’m not.

RWD: Well, as they say on TV, the mere fact that you realize you need help indicates that you are not too far gone. I think we better pinpoint your fears. If we can find out what you’re afraid of, we can label it. Are you afraid of referees? If you are, then you have officialphobia.

BRADY HJELLE: I don’t think that’s quite it.

RWD: How about pucks? If you are afraid of pucks, you have rubberdiskophobia.

BRADY HJELLE: Well, sort of, but I’m not sure.

RWD: Are you afraid of odd man rushes? If you are, then you have twoononeophobia. Maybe you have Mankatomavsophobia. This is fear of getting run over by opponents. Or, quintigoalophobia, which is the fear of opponents going five-hole. Or maybe you have Lordstanleysgameophobia. Do you think you have Lordstanleysgameophobia?

BRADY HJELLE: What’s Lordstanleysgameophobia?

RWD: The fear of hockey!

BRADY HJELLE: THAT’S IT! Actually, RWD, my trouble is Christmas. I just don’t understand it. I feel sort of let down.

RWD: You need involvement. You need to be involved in some real Christmas project. How would you like to be the coach of our Christmas game?

BRADY HJELLE: Me? You want me to be the coach of the Christmas game?

RWD: Sure Brady Hjelle! We need a coach. You need involvement. We’ve got referees, entertainment, bananas, everyone you need. We even have a Christmas queen.

BRADY HJELLE: I don’t know anything about coaching a Christmas game.

RWD: Don’t worry; I’ll be there to help you. I’ll meet you at the auditorium. Incidentally, I know how you feel about all this Christmas business, getting depressed and all that. It happens to me every year. I never get what I really want, I always get a lot of stupid toys or clothes or a bicycle or something like that.

BRADY HJELLE: What is it you want?

RWD: A national championship.
















RWD: All right, quiet everybody. Our coach will be here any minute and we’ll start practice.

Wade Bergman: Coach? What coach?

RWD: Brady Hjelle.

Drew Olson: Oh no, no, we’re doomed.

Wade Bergman: This will be the worst Christmas game ever.

RWD: Here he comes! Attention everyone. Here’s our director.
















BRADY HJELLE: Well, it’s real good seeing you all here. As you know we are going to play in the Christmas game. Due to the shortage of time, we’ll get right down to work. One of the first things to ensure a good performance is strict attention to the coach. I’ll keep my directions simple. If I point to the right, it means the right wing carries the puck. If I make a slashing motion across my throat, it means I think the ref has made a bad call. If I make a revolving motion with my hand, it means skate faster. If I spread my hands apart, it means make a long pass. It’s the spirit of the player that counts, the attention that they show their coach. Am I right? I said am I right?
















BRADY HJELLE: Stop the music! All right now, we’re going to do this game, and we’re going to do it right. RWD, get those jerseys and playbooks and pass them out. Now the equipment girl will be handing out your gear.
















RWD: You’re a forward.

MCON: Do forwards have naturally curly hair?

RWD: Drew Akins, you’re the goalie.
















Akins: In spite of my outward appearance, I will try to keep the crease clean.

RWD: Schmitty, you’re Derek Shepherd.
















Kyle Schmidt: Every Christmas it’s the same. I always end up being Derek Shepherd.
















RWD: Jacky! You have to get rid of that stupid blanket! And here, memorize these plays.

Jacky: I can’t memorize these plays. This is ridiculous.

RWD: Memorize them and be ready to play when I tell you to.

Jacky: I can’t memorize this so quickly. Why should I be put through such agony? Give me one good reason why I should memorize this.

RWD (showing her fist): I’ll give you 5 good reasons. 1.2.3.4.5.

Jacky: Those are good reasons. Christmas is not only getting too commercial, it’s getting too dangerous.

RWD: And get rid of that stupid blanket. What’s a center gonna look like with a stupid blanket like that?

Jacky: Well, this is one center that’s gonna keep his trusty blanket with him. You wouldn’t hit an innocent center, would you?

RWD: Okay, Mr. Coach, the cast is set. Take over.

BRADY HJELLE: All right, let’s have quiet, places everybody. Seidel, set the mood for the first period.
















BRADY HJELLE: Cut cut! No no no! Look, let’s rehearse the power play. Mikey--
















MCON: I can’t go on the ice, there’s too much dust. It’s taking the curl out of my naturally curly hair.

BRADY HJELLE: Don’t think of it as dust. Think of it as maybe the soil of some great past civilization. Maybe the soil of the ancient Duluth Curling Club arena. It staggers the imagination. He may be carrying the soil that was tread upon by Bill Watson. Or even Huffer Christiansen.

Akins: Sorta makes you wanna treat me with more respect, doesn’t it?

MCON: You’re an absolute mess. Just look at yourself.

Akins: On the contrary, I didn’t think I looked that good.

RWD: What about my part? What about the Christmas queen, hmm? Are you going to let all this beauty go to waste? You do think I’m beautiful, don’t you Brady Hjelle? You didn’t answer me right away. You had to think about it first, didn’t you? If you really had thought I was beautiful, you would have spoken right up. I know when I’ve been insulted! I know when I’ve been insulted!

BRADY HJELLE: Good grief. All right, let’s take it from the top again. Places. Puck drop.
















RWD: Brady Hjelle, isn’t it a great game?

BRADY HJELLE: That does it. Now look, if we’re ever to get this game off the ground, we’ve gotta have some cooperation.

RWD: What’s matter, Brady Hjelle? Don’t you think it’s great?

BRADY HJELLE: It’s all wrong.

RWD: Look Brady, let’s face it, we all know that Christmas hockey is a big commercial racket. There’s a big eastern bias, you know.

BRADY HJELLE: Well, this is one game that won’t be commercial.

RWD: Look, Brady Hjelle, what do you want?

BRADY HJELLE: We need a Christmas tree.

RWD: Hey, perhaps a tree. A great big shiny aluminum Christmas tree. That’s it, Brady Hjelle! You get the tree. I’ll handle this crowd.

BRADY HJELLE: Ok. I’ll take Jacky with me. The rest of you practice your line changes.

RWD: Get the biggest aluminum tree you can find. Maybe paint it pink!

Wade Bergman: Yeah, do something right for a change, Brady Hjelle.

BRADY HJELLE: I don’t know Jacky, I just don’t know. Well, I guess we better concentrate on finding a nice Christmas tree.

Jacky: I suggest we try those searchlights, Brady Hjelle.

Jacky: This really brings Christmas close to a person.

BRADY HJELLE: Fantastic.

Jacky: Gee, do they still make wooden Christmas trees?
















BRADY HJELLE: This little green one here seems to need a home.

Jacky: I don’t know, Brady Hjelle. Remember what RWD said? This doesn’t seem to fit the modern spirit.

BRADY HJELLE: I don’t care. I’ll decorate it, and it’ll be just right for our game. Besides I think it needs me.
















Mike Seidel: This is the music I’ve selected for the Christmas game.

RWD: What kind of hockey music is that?

Mike Seidel: Beethoven hockey music.

RWD: What has Beethoven music got to do with hockey? Everybody talks about how great Beethoven is. Beethoven wasn’t so great.

Mike Seidel: What do you mean, Beethoven wasn’t so great?

RWD: He never got his name on the Stanley Cup, did he? Have you ever seen his name on the Stanley Cup, hmm? How can you say a person is great who’s never had his name on the Stanley Cup?

Mike Seidel: Good grief.

Brady and Jacky come back with the little tree.

BRADY HJELLE: We’re back.

Drew Olson: Boy are you stupid Brady Hjelle!

Wade Bergman: What kind of a tree is that?

RWD: You were supposed to get a good tree! Can’t you even tell a good tree from a poor tree?

Drew Olson: I told you he’d goof it up. He’s not the kind you can depend on for anything.

Wade Bergman: You’re hopeless, Brady Hjelle.

MCON: Completely hopeless.

BRADY HJELLE: Rats.

RWD: You’ve been dumb before Brady Hjelle, but this time you really did it. What a treat.

BRADY HJELLE: I guess you were right, Jacky. I shouldn’t have picked this little tree. Everything I do turns into a disaster. I guess I really don’t know what hockey is all about. Isn’t there anyone who knows what hockey is all about?
















Jacky: Sure, Brady Hjelle, I can tell you what hockey is all about. Lights, please. And there were in the same country coaches, keeping watch, abiding over their teams by weekends, and lo the angel of the NCAA came upon them, and the glory of the tournament shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, fear not, for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is given this day in the city of Detroit a tournament, which is the Frozen Four. And this shall be a sign unto you, you shall find the teams with the best pairwise rankings meeting in the regionals. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of fans praising the hockey gods and saying glory to hockey in the winter and on earth peace and goodwill toward men. That’s what hockey is all about Brady Hjelle.
















Jacky's voice: For behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is given this day in the city of Detroit a tournament, which is the Frozen Four. And this shall be a sign unto you...

BRADY HJELLE: Jacky is right. I won’t let all this commercialism ruin my Christmas. I’ll take this little tree home and decorate it, and I’ll show em it really will work at our game. I’ve killed it. OH! Everything I touch gets ruined.
















JACKY: I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.

RWD: Brady Hjelle is a blockhead, but he did get a nice tree.
















Loo loo loo, loo loo-loo loo-loo, loo loo loo loo-loo loo loo.

BRADY HJELLE: What’s going on here?

Everyone: Merry Christmas Brady Hjelle!

Awwwww

tUMD 3, Distinguished Alumni of the Rhett Rakhshani Institute of Unsportsmanlike Diving 3

Hello, who can be mad at the refs when THE CUTEST FREAKING BABY IN THE WHOLE WORLD is decked out in UMD gear!!!! Observe.









Of course, this is not my baby, he is my cousin's, but OMFGBBQ he is so cute and wearing the Bulldog hoodie I sent him. Never mind that he lives in Rhode Island, I am starting the indoctrination soon. This baby's first word will be "Sieve" if I have anything to do with it. And his first sentence will be "OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" if his great-grandfather has anything to do with it.

Obviously this game ended up as the Penalty Pride Parade as we ended up registering 12 penalties. Warranted or not, it killed tUMD. I am really proud of the Dogs for surviving the death march Anderson and Shep2 forced them to walk. The game was not on B2 or TV and I wasn't there in person, so I can't comment on who was naughty and who was nice, but I can only hope these are the same old Dogs that are going to come out on Saturday smoking. I'm happy with a Friday night tie, as Friday night wins are hard to come by, and points in the National Hockey Center are about as rare as a St. Cloud State player staying on his skates if an opponent BREATHES near him.

PBHj had an assist tonight!!! And made 41 saves!!!! Brady, you are the only person holding the Team Cougar WCHA Fantasy Hockey Team together right now! Jacky, you are not helping. But I know you will be helping in the next game, so I'm ok.

Numbers
Wins until we reach last season's total: 8 (But, can't be swept by SCCC!)
Points until we reach last season's total: 22! (Keep those road points comin'!)

My Guys
Jack Connolly: 9
Brady Lamb: 1!!!! (On the board! Although Bruce thinks the goal should be Smitty's)
Mike Seidel: 0 (in Duluth)

Freshmen
Dylan Olsen: 2 (Sick tonight)
Dan Delisle: 1
Keegan Flaherty: 1 (W000t! Keegs!)
Jake Hendrickson: 1
Others: 0

Connollys
Jacky: 9
Mikey: 5! (He's comin'! He's comin'!)

Olsen/Olson
Drew: 0
Dylan: 2

Drews
Olson: 4
Akins: 4 (Now has as many points as penalty minutes!)

Requiem for a Season

Blogger has this feature where I can label my posts, which is a handy way of organizing them. Then all a reader has to do if they want to, say, read everything I've written about Jack Connolly, they can just click on the Jack Connolly label and get hit full blast with craziness. It's very handy.

The labels are pretty discreet, so I don't know if any of you noticed, but somewhere between Thursday and Friday we reached a point of inflection, where the Off-Season label dropped off and the very first Sixth Season label appeared in its place.

Before looking to the future, let's travel back to last season.



Yes, it really happened. No, I still can't believe it. Yes, I still get chills.

The first game of the West regional was one of the greatest days of my life. The Final Five championship would have been another of those days had I not been in the midst of my final exams. But the regional was incredible, not just because of the game's outcome, but the entire experience. I'd say the planning and execution of the signs and the togas and the cheers/chants is what ultimately inspired us to do Peanut Butter Hjelle Time!!! (It is only properly punctuated with three exclamation points.) A little organization and planning can go a long way toward increasing the atmosphere at a game, and if UMD isn't going to promote their own product, someone has to.

The last season was really a turning point for RWD. It was the first season I was able to make it to a majority of games, so it changed the way I was able to experience the games. In years past I'd only been able to listen to the games on the radio or sometimes not at all. I made 23 games last season and I am pretty certain I caught every other game, whether it was on B2 or just the radio. I know it seems like I have no life, but I work over 40 hours a week and have school for another 8-12, so I just have no social life.

Which isn't entirely true, because I met a lot of incredible people last year. UMD has amazing fans, and I'm not discounting the people I have met in seasons past, but the friends I've made over the past year have augmented the already awesome Bulldog hockey atmosphere. I don't want to name names because I don't want to leave anyone out, and like I said, I don't want to detract from the folks I've known for years. I don't know the guys on the ice, and they don't know me, and it's partially by design and partially by accident, and they're only there for four years, tops. I'll be able to come to Bulldog games in 10 years with a lot of the same people and we can laugh about how we KAWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!d at the Miami band or when one of Mitch's Misfits told Biddco he sounded like an anorexic dog.

I don't know how last season can be topped. I mean, other than the obvious NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!! Some of you who voted in the first of my trio of polls the other night abstained from the second and third, I noticed. (FYI, it appears Keegan Flaherty is the most highly-anticipated non-Dylan Olsen freshman, with every guy receiving at least one vote. Antti Miettinen and Chase Ryan are tied in the Biddco Dead Ringer poll.)

I do know that a lot of guys are gone, and they took a lot of offensive firepower and defensive prowess. But they left their legacy. Those guys were fighters. As freshmen they willed a 9th place team to the Final Five and as seniors they battled to a Final Five championship and an NCAA win. Do you think the remaining guys on the team didn't notice? Or participate? The seniors that left came from a class that had to mature early, and we've got another group of freshmen and sophomores who will also have to.

What the senior class has reminded me, and what I hope they have also imparted to all of you, is to never give up on this team. More than any other college hockey team, UMD has surprised and overachieved. One of the hardest things about rooting for a team that's not a perennial powerhouse is remaining hopeful despite game after game and season after season of disappointment, but we simply must keep believing the next crazy win is a week or a day away. Negativity is a plague that can decimate a fan base, and we can't afford to see that at UMD. Not after last season, not with the new season coming, and not as long as we have a team on the ice who play their best and give it all they've got and wear their jerseys with pride and respect.

There are 18 guys on this team who were a part of the team last year and had a hand in the successes (yes, all of them, whether they were scoring with 42 seconds left in the Princeton game or jostling for a spot in the lineup, everyone contributed) and I'm sure they are pretty certain they're going to have a great year. I'm ready to see who is going to be the next MacGregor Sharp, who tripled his point outcome. I'm ready to see PBHj continue the goaltending excellence UMD has enjoyed for the better part of a decade. I'm ready to see Brady Lamb or Scott Kishel take the same strides Oberg did from freshman to sophomore year (although thankfully neither will have to break a leg in the process.)

I love to think about all the craziness from last year, but I've got to start looking ahead to this season, which is SEVEN DAYS AWAY!

Straw Poll

The season! It's going to start so soon! People might actually read RWD again! Or, at all!

In honor of Tracy, my favorite Iowegian reader, here's a few preseason straw polls for you!

More Roster Fun

Just checked the roster, and I've got some more updates.

Dylan Olsen is #4 now. (Evan Oberg is evidently still on the team.) Keegan Flaherty is now listed correctly as hailing from Duluth, instead of WBL (still left over from Cassy). Jake Hendrickson is #15, which I hope means I like him. Mikey Seidel is #17. That will REALLY confuse me, to see #17 at forward. Cody Danberg is #20, which I don't like. I will discuss that later. Travis Oleksuk is #21; I liked #13! You should have stayed there, T.O.! Aaron Crandall is on the board now, at #31, and Kenny Reiter decided he'd rather be #35.

No pix yet. Distressing.

What Dreams May Come

Hola amigos, I know it's been a long time since I rapped at ya, but hey, hockey's over. Well, now it's officially over as the Penguins have won the Stanley Cup, about which I did not really care. I watched the BU championship and then didn't watch any hockey until I kind of watched Game Seven.

First of all, this has nothing to do with the post forthcoming, but holy crap, I am a genius. I forgot that I had written this in February:

In three weeks, when the dust has settled, I don't want to be picking through the wreckage of a season that could have been, eating crow for writing posts like this. Please, please, please, throw your girl a bone here (triple entendre, anyone?) and give me, along with the city of Duluth and the worldwide Bulldog nation, something positive to take away from this season other than "It's equal to or slightly better than last year." I know you guys have it in you; seniors, you know what it was like to be on a team heading nowhere at an all-out run and then turn it into a playoff upset and a Final Five appearance. This year's team is going somewhere at a trot or possibly a canter, and I would like to see something fun. A couple of wins at the X. A couple of wins at Mariucci in February... and then a couple more in March. I don't know. Get creative. Okay? Thanks.

Wow, damn, do I love these guys even more. Begging works! Unless you're trying to get someone to take you back.

Let's talk about the impending season of doom. I think about Bulldog hockey probably more often than is healthy in the off-season (partially because my co-workers discovered RWD and enjoy making fun of my zealotry) and the other night I was dreaming about it. Specifically about Brady Hjelle. Don't worry, sweetie, you were clothed. Anyway, I was dreaming about a game and somehow Brady kept making these UNBELIEVABLE saves. That is really the extent of the dream that I remember, although I am fairly certain this is not a dream, but a premonition.

WHAT EXCITES ME
+Mikey Seidel bringing his unique brand of mischievous hockey to tUMD.
+RWD correspondents from all over attending games (ahem, Tracy and Dawn).
+SSPW, part III.
+This year's sophomore class.
+Another set of players who have the same last name (though different spellings), play the same position, and I hope will have similar numbers.
+PEANUT BUTTER HJELLE TIME.
+David Grun keeping #27 and getting his first collegiate goal on Oct 27th when I turn 27.
+Fonzie having a monster year.
+Playing at Tech for Winter Carnival!
+Road trippin'! Mankato, St. Cloud, Houghton, and of course Duluth.
+Rohlik didn't go to UNO.

WHAT SCARES ME
-Trying to make it through this season with 1. good grades 2. my job and 3. many games attended.
-Whether we'll have enough experience on the blue line.
-80s mall bangs (in general).
-The DU Pioneers.
-Not finishing in the top 5 in the WCHA (again) and not making the Final Five.
-Special teams.
-Drinking way too much on the Drunk Hockey Walk.
-Trying to pick who My Guys will be.
-Dan Delisle panning out as well as Mike Curry.

WHAT I WILL MISS
~Bruce on the airwaves. Although I do enjoy sitting with him and the fam at games, especially when he's in one of his moods.
~MacGregor Sharp. I practically hyperventilated the other day realizing he'd no longer be on the ice for the 'Dogs.
~The road trippin' dads. Two dads had kids graduate. But... maybe they'll still come on the road?
~Inebriated Mike. One of my favorite people with whom to attend a game. Now who am I going to clutch in panic when games get stressful?
~Being Christine's stats slut, though I know she's still going to come to games.
~The incredible senior leadership we were so fortunate to have.

Lastly, in case you rely solely on RWD for your UMD Bulldog Hockey news (which is inadvisable), here's the fresh meat for 2009-2010:

F Mike Seidel
F Dan Delisle
F Keegan Flaherty
F Jake Hendrickson
D Drew Olson
D Dylan Olsen
D Wade Bergman
G Aaron Crandall