All Things Denver XXXIII

[du78]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

All - I have not been on the boards for some time and I'm not certain there are still any folks on this board that knew my father, but it is with a heavy heart that I let you know he passed away late on Saturday night at home. Behind his family and his religion, he loved DU hockey more than anything in this world. He taught at DU for 40+ years and had season tickets during each of those years. If there is anyone interested in the details of the service, please PM me.

BYU very sad to hear about your Dad. My condolences to you and your family.

[vizoroo]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

All - I have not been on the boards for some time and I'm not certain there are still any folks on this board that knew my father, but it is with a heavy heart that I let you know he passed away late on Saturday night at home. Behind his family and his religion, he loved DU hockey more than anything in this world. He taught at DU for 40+ years and had season tickets during each of those years. If there is anyone interested in the details of the service, please PM me.

Most of us here were probably students when your father was teaching at DU.
Condolences to you and your family.

[Chris]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

My thoughts on the upcoming season and so forth:

The goaltending is just fine. I mean, Big Sam is as quality as anything we have had basically ever in my time (which is 30ish years) and Olki is like striking gold on an almost blind dig, plus Murray is more capable and more experienced than any other third-stringer we could ever hope for.
Unlike a few years ago, when we had Chevy and his lone start as our whole entire goaltender experience...

The defense will be as good as any group I have witnessed...I really fail to recall any top four as gifted as Makowski(granted his return to full health), Phillips, LaLeggia and Mayfield. Then you add in Didier (a top 4 in mostly any other year), the new Mermis and a Travis Zajac...We are looking at whole group of excellent collegiate defensemen. My educated understanding is that Murray Armstrong focused on having a core of stud d-men as the basis of his championship teams. I would think he would be at least somewhat proud in the core that Gwoz has assembled for us to witness next season. We have guys who, while still focusing on their proper role of defense, can also move the puck and contribute mightily to the offense.

Obviously, the offense is our question mark. Yet, what would you rather have -- Questionable offense or questionable defense (goaltending)? I would personally prefer to see a team with a wall of a defense with great goaltending -- and proper team-play -- than the polar opposite. We got took out by Ferris in the NCAA's, which was a team that had the proper team-play mixed with superb defense; basically the formula with which we captured our back-to-backs. I see a DU team whose offense won't get worn down because the certain stars are out there every other shift...we will have a balanced attack and might actually roll four lines for the first time in years. I think we will have a solid, yet unspectacular offense which will have a unique balance which is what actually was a major key to our success which has gone away the last few years.

All-in-all, I truly believe our program thrives when underrated and has a tendency to tank when we are supposed to thrive. I'm not sure why, but I'm not here to decide why

Personally, I think we will have another top-half finish (which many years of recent history dictate) and will make some unexpected noise at the proper time come March/late March/early April....GO DU!!!!....

[Dmann]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

My thoughts on the upcoming season and so forth:

The goaltending is just fine. I mean, Big Sam is as quality as anything we have had basically ever in my time (which is 30ish years) and Olki is like striking gold on an almost blind dig, plus Murray is more capable and more experienced than any other third-stringer we could ever hope for.
Unlike a few years ago, when we had Chevy and his lone start as our whole entire goaltender experience...

The defense will be as good as any group I have witnessed...I really fail to recall any top four as gifted as Makowski(granted his return to full health), Phillips, LaLeggia and Mayfield. Then you add in Didier (a top 4 in mostly any other year), the new Mermis and a Travis Zajac...We are looking at whole group of excellent collegiate defensemen. My educated understanding is that Murray Armstrong focused on having a core of stud d-men as the basis of his championship teams. I would think he would be at least somewhat proud in the core that Gwoz has assembled for us to witness next season. We have guys who, while still focusing on their proper role of defense, can also move the puck and contribute mightily to the offense.

Obviously, the offense is our question mark. Yet, what would you rather have -- Questionable offense or questionable defense (goaltending)? I would personally prefer to see a team with a wall of a defense with great goaltending -- and proper team-play -- than the polar opposite. We got took out by Ferris in the NCAA's, which was a team that had the proper team-play mixed with superb defense; basically the formula with which we captured our back-to-backs. I see a DU team whose offense won't get worn down because the certain stars are out there every other shift...we will have a balanced attack and might actually roll four lines for the first time in years. I think we will have a solid, yet unspectacular offense which will have a unique balance which is what actually was a major key to our success which has gone away the last few years.

All-in-all, I truly believe our program thrives when underrated and has a tendency to tank when we are supposed to thrive. I'm not sure why, but I'm not here to decide why

Personally, I think we will have another top-half finish (which many years of recent history dictate) and will make some unexpected noise at the proper time come March/late March/early April....GO DU!!!!....

Thanks for the optimistic assessment Chris. (this is probably the only time I don't miss Swami) I have been very worried about our offense, but you make some good points. The last few years we have relied on some super stars and battled injuries along the way. Maybe if we're not depending on them in favor of a "blue collar" offense we will see more depth. We do have some pretty serious weapons, Shore, Loney and hopefully some nice surprises from the Freshmen class. Hopefully some studs will emerge with the extra ice time. Go DU!!!

[BigBossMan]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

DU Hockey You Can Play Video

Good to see Chancellor Coombe’s diversity program is having a positive effect. Lifelong bachelors can feel free to come out of the closet, wear a toga, start a hockey blog .. err .. DU sports blog.

[ronmexico]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

Good to see Chancellor Coombe’s diversity program is having a positive effect. Lifelong bachelors can feel free to come out of the closet, wear a toga, start a hockey blog .. err .. DU sports blog.

QFT!

[Pablo]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

I like your analysis, Chris. Not just because it's optimistic. I don't remember a more promising defense and goaltending since I've been following DU. As an added bonus--two of those defensemen have elite offensive skills. This will be a tremendous building block for the team.

The forward part of the equation isn't as rosey. But if Loney has a big year, if Nick Shore contributes as expected, and if Knowlton plays consistently like he did in streaks last year, we could finish in the top 3 of the league.

I concur that lower expectations, and less reliance on superstars, could result in a harder working team.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

This DU squad will definitely be an interesting one to follow. DU should have a solid blueline, and Brittain is a top-3 goalie in the league, and potentially the top returning goalie for next season. Olki is an interesting situation. Was last year just a fluke? A result of being unknown and teams don't know his tendencies? We'll find out this fall. As for Murray, probably the most heralded third-string goalie in the history of college hockey. He has shown flashes of brilliance in his time at DU, and flashes of being a third-string goalie. I can't imagine that he thought he would be in this position when he committed to DU, but he is certainly the best third string goalie in the country.

DU will struggle to score, but they should have a blueline and goalie combo that should keep them in most games. I do seem them on the wrong side of some 2-1, 3-2 type games, especially early on. That being said, you can't really count out Gwoz, and while the WCHA is a stronger conference this season than last year, DU should be a top-half team, and could very well make another NCAA Tournament. Once you get there, it's a matter of stringing together 4 straight games and hoisting the title...just ask the 2004 team.

Ultimately, I have DU finishing 5th in the conference. I think their range is anywhere from 3rd to 8th, but I do see them hosting a first round series...potentially against CC.

[vizoroo]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

Although there are 112 days (14 weeks) until DU's exhibition game, Josiah Didier is back on the ice at the Habs development camp.

Josiah Didier: Known to be an expert shot blocker, one wouldn’t expect him to shine in this sort of camp. But he also didn’t look out of place in any drills either. He isn’t seen as having much offense in his game, which is why I was quite surprised on day two when he flashed a deceptively accurate wrist shot, picking bottom corners almost at will on a number of drills. Whereas Beaulieu would try to shoot through goalies, Didier picked his spots. As a d-man, he won’t be in the kind of position to take those sorts of shots often in a game, but interesting to see that he’s capable of it. He’s an under-the-radar guy to watch over the next couple of seasons. A project, but with the potential to become a Josh Gorges-type. He’ll need to improve his skating.
http://www.allhabs.net/canadiens-pro...t-camp-part-1/

[vizoroo]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

Interview with Joe Colborne as he cleans out his locker and discusses his injuries.
http://video.mapleleafs.nhl.com/vide...id=DL|TOR|home

[vizoroo]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

Happy Birthdays DG and me

[dggoddard]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

Happy Birthdays DG and me

And Paul McCartney. He's 70.

[du78]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

Happy Birthdays DG and me

Have a happy both of you!!!!

[ronmexico]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

Happy Birthdays DG and me

I guess it's time to bust out the hookers and blow.

[vizoroo]

Re: All Things Denver XXXIII

Reporting that DU will play in the Great Lakes Invitational in December 2013
http://www.uscho.com/2012/06/18/grea...ee-more-years/

BTW Fighting Siuox 23 is running a poll to see who would be the 4 DU hickey figures we would put on "Mt. Rushmore"

I nominated:
Murray Armstrong
Keith Magnuson
Matt Carle
Bill Masteton
Make your nominations here:
http://board.uscho.com/showthread.ph...Mount-Rushmore