Chris Porter Making His Case

Like many of you, I have been watching Dave Hakstol's NHL coaching debut in Philly with great interest. Another story that has began to emerge is the impression that former Fighting Sioux forward Chris Porter has made in the City of brotherly love. There's a chance that Porter could end up as the extra forward when Philly breaks camp.

“We’ll see what happens [Friday] and if things shake out a little bit more, we’ll get down,” Hextall said. “It’s important to get the numbers down for practices. I think playing the lines is important.

“We have four games left, and we’ve talked about our big guys playing in quite a few. In the past, we brought some guys from Allentown. I don’t know if we will or not. We can still do that if we have one game — bring a couple guys in for a preseason game.”

Right now, Chris Porter is making a case for himself as the extra forward. Coincidentally, Porter is playing on Scott Laughton’s line with Brayden Schenn. (Tim Panaccio, CSNPhilly.com)

Don't expect any special treatment because he's from North Dakota.

General manager Ron Hextall signed the free agent as a depth player in August.

“He’s a guy we’ve had our eye on for a few years,” Hextall said of Porter. “I think when there’s a North Dakota guy, it can always go back to Hak, but we talked about him actually in pro meetings before Hak.

“We talked long and hard about depth players. He was one of the guys very high on our radar. He’s going to get no special treatment because of North Dakota. There’s no doubt about that.”

Porter is expected to play left wing tonight on Laughton’s line. He realizes this is another audition to make the final roster. (Tim Panaccio, CSNPhilly.com)

Sifting Through the Herald Letters to the Editor

Wow! Seriously. We're picking a nickname for a sports team. Sundogs screams weakness and isn't something we can all rally around. Based on the history of this nickname choice it would further divide the UND fan base. Thank God she only has one vote.
Per the Herald Editorial Page:

To UND promoters and fans: "Sundogs" is a nickname with enormous potential.

Forget the dorky image of a shaggy dog with green eyes that was printed in the Herald previously. Our "Sundog" is a mythic—or should I say "Legendary"—creature made of light and ice!

Whether a head-only image or full-figure pack running, the Sundogs should have clean lines, pointed ears and—most especially—penetrating and diamond-shaped eyes made only of brightness (no pupils).

Forget "rainbows." Instead, think of strobe-light eyes for arena fixtures whenever possible and a special iridescent fabric for them on uniforms of any color (e.g. Kelly green included).

Sportscasters could talk about the Sundogs 'blinding/hypnotizing" opponents with their exceptional play—or "fading away" if they lose.

Besides being unique to UND, "Sundogs" can be an extremely powerful brand if we use our imaginations.

Lynn Lindholm
Grand Forks
Lindholm is a retired UND faculty member.

Here's another fan that's not a fan of the nickname selection process.
Per the Grand Forks Herald:

Over time, this process has reminded me of medieval Europe, when the aristocracy of the feudal system ruled the countrysides.

All the peasants had to live outside of the castle walls, where they were subjected to whatever whims those inside the walls decided was best for all people of the kingdom.

As I have followed the stories on the nickname selection in the Herald, one thing was completely clear from all the polls conducted. Remaining "UND/North Dakota" was the overwhelmingly dominant choice in all of the polls.

Steve Molvig
Lovelock, Nev.

Speaking of voting. Don't forget to make sure the your email is updated so you can participate in the voting process.

Alumni and donors, we need your email address in order for you to be a part of the voting process. Please visit UNDalumni.org/update to provide your email address and identifying information that will allow us to match you with your database record.

UND Heading to the big Apple in 2016

Yes, it's true. UND will play the Boston College Eagles on December 3, 2016, at Madison Square Garden, in New York City at the College Hockey Showdown.

UND, BC to Meet in New ‘College Hockey Showdown at Madison Square Garden’ in December 2016: http://t.co/uqX0uOADJW #UNDproud

— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDmhockey) September 24, 2015

#NCHCHockey, @TheGarden announce College Hockey Showdown @HkyShowdown_MSG w/ @UNDmhockey & BC http://t.co/PsCbQMQPbO pic.twitter.com/PTSrTo2l4o

— The NCHC (@TheNCHC) September 24, 2015

NCHC Preseason Media Poll

NCHC Preseason Poll

1.       Minnesota Duluth – 208 points (17 first-place votes)

2.       Denver – 187 (7)

3.       North Dakota – 183 (4)

4.       Omaha – 148

5.       Miami – 142 (2)

6.       St. Cloud State – 117

7.       Western Michigan – 60

8.       Colorado College – 35

The University of Minnesota-Duluth has been picked to finish first in the third annual preseason media poll. As we found out last year, there wasn't a lot of difference between 1-6. I expect the same this season.

Snap Shot: StarTribune's online poll, UND Nickname (Updated)

Updated numbers: While not very scientific at all. It does show that Fighting Hawks and Roughriders (Rough Riders) are the most popular. (Link to Poll)  Thoughts? None of the above isn't a choice.

ECAC Hockey Preseason Media Poll

1. Yale University
2. QuinnipiacUniversity 
3. Harvard University
4 Saint Lawrence University  
5. Colgate University
6. Union College
7 Dartmouth College
8 Clarkson University
9 Cornell University
10 Rensselaer
11 Brown University
12 Princeton University

The ECAC Media has spoken.

Drake Caggiula Picked for NCHC 2015 Preseason All-Conference Team

 

NCHC 2015 Preseason All-Conference Team
F – Trevor Moore, Denver, Jr. – 21 votes
F – Danton Heinen, Denver, So. – 20 votes
F – Drake Caggiula, North Dakota, Sr. – 17 votes
D – Andy Welinski, Minnesota Duluth, Sr. – 22 votes
D – Matthew Caito, Miami, Sr. – 10 votes
G – Kasimir Kaskisuo, Minnesota Duluth, So. – 14 votes

 

University of North Dakota forward Drake Caggiula has earned preseason all-conference honors. Caggiula who scored (18g-18a-36pts) last season, is the top returning forward from last season's team. Last season, UND goalie Zane McIntyre was named to the preseason all-conference team.

Breaking News: UND announces nickname voting dates

The timetable for the new nickname voting has been announced.

According to the UND website, The voting process, which will be conducted completely online, will begin at 8 a.m. Central Time Monday, Oct. 19, and will close at midnight Central Time on Friday, Oct. 23. Voting will be open to the following groups:

Current UND Students
Current UND Faculty
Current UND Staff
UND Retirees
UND Alumni
UND Donors
Current Season Ticket Holders to UND Athletic Events

During the voting process, eligible voters will cast one vote for a single option on the ballot. Eligible voters will choose one of five nickname options:

The Nickname choices:

Fighting Hawks
Nodaks
North Stars
Roughriders
Sundogs

For instructions, check your email during the week of October 12, 2015.

WCHA Preseason Coaches' Poll

2015-16 Mankato Free Press WCHA Men's Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
Team (1st Place Votes)		Pts.
1.	Minnesota State (8)	89
2.	Bowling Green (1)	79
3.	Michigan Tech (1)	78
4.	Bemidji State	61
5.	Alaska	55
6.	Ferris State	51
7.	Northern Michigan	49
8.	Alabama-Huntsville	29
9.	Alaska Anchorage	27
10.	Lake Superior State	22
Predicted order of finish. Based on a 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale. Coaches could not vote for their own teams

(Link)
The Minnesota State Mavericks have been picked to win the 2015-16 regular season title. 

Forum of Fargo-Moorhead Gives Marlan “Hawk” Haakenson Some Leafy Spurge

Ha, not that many UND fans care what the Forum has to say on the matter. This time, they might have a point. Haakenson's stunt isn't going to slow down UND picking a new nickname. Whether we like it or not, that ship has sailed.


Per the Forum:

Leafy spurge to Former Bismarck Mayor Marlan “Hawk” Haakenson for attempting to derail the University of North Dakota’s search for a new nickname by registering trade names that are on UND’s list of possible nicknames.

It’s a going-nowhere stunt that speaks more to foolish desperation than advancing the reputation of a great university.

“Hawk,” who counts among his claims to fame embarrassing his city routinely when he was mayor, registered several trade names last week – Fighting Hawks, Nodaks and North Stars. His purpose was to keep them from UND, and thus make the difficult transition from the school’s old name to a new one all the more difficult.

In other stories. someone sent President Robert O. Kelley a bunch of nasty emails. Good Lord people.

Per the Grand Forks Herald:

In July, UND President Robert Kelley received an email from someone who wrote he or she hoped Kelley would “(expletive) die.”

It was one of several UND police think is from the same Fargo man: William Ragan. He started emailing Kelley in January about his displeasure with the school’s nickname process and retirement of the Fighting Sioux logo, officials said.

An August email thought to be from Ragan called Kelley a traitor and “waste of human tissue,” while another one in April described him as a liar.

T.J. Oshie set to make Captials Debut

Former Fighting Sioux forward T.J. Oshie is set to make his Washing Capitals preseason debut tonight when the Washington Capitals take on the Carolina Hurricanes. Oshie played sevens season with the St. Louis Blues scoring (110g-200a—310pts) in 443 games.

Per Chuck Gormley, Capitals Insider :

Oshie debut: T.J. Oshie will make his Capitals preseason debut tonight and is expected to play alongside former St. Louis Blues teammate Derek Roy, who is trying to make the Caps’ lineup on a professional tryout contract. The Capitals acquired Oshie from the Blues in exchange for right wing Troy Brouwer, goaltender Pheonix Copley and a third-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft on July 2, 2015. Oshie registered 55 points (19 goals, 36 assists) and 51 penalty minutes in 72 games with St. Louis last season. He finished the season ranked tied for third among Blues skaters in assists, fourth in plus/minus (plus-17), tied for fourth in game-winning goals (4) and fifth in points and goals. Roy could center that line with Andre Burakovsky on the leftr, or Burakovsky could center the line with Roy on the left.

UND Women 6th in Preseason USCHO.com Poll

September 21, 2015

	Team	(First Place Votes)	Record	Points	Last Poll
1	Minnesota	(15)	34- 3-4	150	1
2	Boston College		34- 3-2	128	3
3	Wisconsin		29- 7-4	124	4
4	Harvard		27- 6-3	101	2
5	Clarkson		24-11-3	84	7
6	North Dakota		22-12-3	64	8
7	Quinnipiac		26- 9-3	56	6
8	Boston University		25- 9-3	49	5
9	Bemidji State		21-17-1	25	10
10	Cornell		19-11-3	18	9
Team (First Place) Record Pts Last Year Others receiving votes: Northeastern 11, Mercyhurst 6, Minnesota-Duluth 5, St. Lawrence 4.

 

The UND women start the 2015-16 season ranked sixth in the preseason USCHO.COM poll.

Hockey East Preseason Media Poll

Rank	Team (First Place Votes)	Points	2014-15 Record
1	Boston College (20)	397	21-14-3 (12-7-3 HE)
2	Boston University (7)	374	28-8-5 (14-5-3 HE)
3	UMass Lowell (5)	344	21-12-6 (11-7-4 HE)
4	Providence (2)	328	26-13-2 (13-8-1 HE)
5	Notre Dame (1)	250	18-19-5 (10-7-5 HE)
6	Vermont	237	22-15-4 (10-9-3 HE)
7	Northeastern	217	16-16-4 (11-9-2 HE)
8	New Hampshire	187	19-19-2 (10-11-1 HE)
9	Connecticut	142	10-19-7 (7-11-4 HE)
10	Merrimack	119	16-18-4 (5-14-3 HE)
11	Maine	87	14-22-3 (8-12-2 HE)
12	Massachusetts	48	11-23-2 (5-16-1 HE)

 

Hockey East has released its preseason Media Poll.

Update on Darryl Sydor

Looks like Darryl Sydor is making some progress and has extended his stay in treatment. Here's hoping Sydor's treatment is successful and that he will be back with the Wild soon.

Per Michael Russo:

Assistant coach Darryl Sydor, who entered a treatment facility for alcoholism on Aug. 23, has voluntarily extended his stay in California beyond 30 days, his attorney, Ryan Pacyga, told me today.

“I speak with him several times per week,” Pacyga said. “He is making great progress and is doing exactly what he should be doing right now (trying to get better).”

The Wild continues to support Sydor and the hope from his end is that he can return to the team when deemed appropriate.

Sydor was arrested Aug. 20 for drunken driving. He will be arraigned Oct. 12 on two counts of second-degree driving while impaired with two aggravating factors – the endangerment of his child who was in the car and having a blood alcohol content of .16 or more.

Herald Letter: Here's hoping Haakenson blocks UND nickname change

When I read this letter, I have to giggle. If I am betting man and I am. I am pretty sure if UND fans vote in favor of Fighting Hawks, North Stars or Nodaks. I don't see Haakenson's little stunt stopping UND from using any of the three nicknames that he says that he registered. I predict there will be a vote in October and UND will probably end up being either the Fighting Hawks or the Rough Riders.

Granted, the three nicknames in question aren't great, but the Fighting Sioux nickname isn't coming back.

If UND was still the Fighting Sioux, they would have never hosted the NCAA West Regional Championship last spring. And I love the Fighting Sioux nickname.

  Per the Grand Forks Herald:

It's a terrific, creative step to register the proposed nicknames Fighting Hawks, Nodaks and the North Stars with the North Dakota Secretary of State.

As an attorney and UND grad, I can especially appreciate (Marlan "Hawk") Haakenson's innovative approach to impeding the university's endless quest to install a spineless nickname. By the way, I'm planning to go to the UND/North Dakota State University game in Fargo and proudly wear one of my Fighting Sioux shirts. And let's all plan to chant Fighting Sioux while we're in the Fargodome!

William Brotherton
Highland Village, Texas

Three UND Men's Preseason Story Lines

With the first exhibition only 16 days away for the North Dakota Men's Hockey Team, it is time to take a look at three major story lines going into the 2015-2016 season.

Brad Berry's First Season as Head Coach
As summer was just starting to go into full force, the UND hockey world was given a surprise that many, myself included, were never thinking that we were going to hear, well at least this soon. Head Coach Dave Hakstol would resign as head coach and take a head job in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers, ending his successful tenure as one of the top coaches in program history.

Who would be his replacement? Assistant coach Brad Berry was almost immediately announced as the new bench boss for UND, He was won over by the locker room right away as the appropriate choice to take over as head coach and the same can be said by the incoming freshman class as well.

The Alberta native has had a lot of experience surrounding the game, whether it be playing, coaching, or even as a scout for the Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks. Berry, who is a University of North Dakota alum and played for UND as a defenseman from 1983-1986 where he would collect 74 points in 112 games played.

The coach would then have two stints as an assistant coach at UND, first under Dean Blais, and then under Coach Hakstol. However, His time with Coach Hakstol would be split in to two parts as he would take job opportunities in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose, and then in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets as assistant coach.

Coach Berry has a lot to prove to carry on the tradition of winning and NCAA tournament appearances as the 16th head coach in UND history, however, taking what he learned at the NHL level and from Coach Hakstol, he should be able to find success in a timely manor as the UND bench boss.

Who Starts in Goal?
With the early departure of Zane McIntyre to the NHL at the end of last season, it is now time to figure out who is going to be the new call to the net for UND. Right now the logical choice seems to be Cam Johnson, however he still has limited experience as McIntyre saw most of the playing time last season

Incoming freshman Matej Tomek could give Johnson a run for his money. The 2015 third round draft pick (90th overall) to the Philadelphia Flyers was named NAHL goaltender of the year last year posting a 24-7-2 record with a 1.83 GAA and .928 save percentage. If Tomek is able to avoid those freshman jitters, he very well could be the guy to call to the blue paint this season.

Finally, there is junior Matt Hrynkiw. Taking off where former third string Tate Maris left off, Hrynkiw has yet to see any action in regular season play and has only seen 3:32 of total ice time in UND's 7-2 exhibition victory over the USA under 18 team last January. He does not seem to be a huge factor in who will be the starting goaltender.

For now, you have to start the veteran Cam Johnson on opening night, but maybe a few weeks into the season, try a goalie by committee to see who you will ride down the stretch and into the conference and NCAA tournaments.

Drake Caggiula
After his best season at the collegiate level, senior Drake Caggiula is looking to lead the offensive charge once again this season and dazzle the crowd with his highlight reel goals and big hits when fighting for puck possession.

Caggiula enters this season as an assistant captain for UND and the NCAA active player games leader at 123 games played. He has earned 76 points in his three seasons with UND and including a career high 36 last season.

The three time letter winner has much to improve on this season after his career best season last year, but his niche to find the net, and leadership qualities will have him possibly pushing the 45 point and 20 goal mark by seasons end in April.

Developing: Islanders Sign Brock Nelson

Retweeted Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday): #Isles and Brock Nelson have agreed on a three-year, $7 million deal.

— nhlfreeagents (@NHLFREEAGENTS) September 17, 2015

#Isles Transaction: Brock Nelson has agreed to a three-year deal.

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) September 17, 2015

The New York Islanders have signed Brock Nelson to a three-year contract.

UND can use Sundogs nickname

Marvelous. I am so happy.

Per the Grand Forks Herald:

FARGO -- If UND wants to be the Sundogs, that would be just dandy with Sundog Interactive, an advertising agency in Fargo.

"We wish them nothing but the best in whichever name they go with," Heidi Haaven, the firm's communications director, said in an email. "Obviously choosing a name that represents the University and the state of North Dakota is not an easy task and we would support whatever decision they make."

Sundog is among the top choices for a new nickname for UND's athletic teams after the university stopped using Fighting Sioux as a nickname under pressure from the NCAA, which considers Indian nicknames abusive.

Marlan "Hawk" Haakenson, the former mayor of Bismarck and a fan of the Fighting Sioux nickname, recently registered several potential UND nicknames as trademarks under the belief that this would prevent the university from using them and transitioning to a new nickname. He said he was unable to register "sundog" because another firm already has that trademark.

Related articles

• Grand Forks Herald: Former Bismarck mayor registers trademarks with state(ndgoon.blogspot.com)

  ---

Grand Forks Herald: Former Bismarck mayor registers trademarks with state

You can't make this stuff up.  This gets sillier by the day. And of course, he's an NDSU Alumni.
Per the Grand Forks Herald:

(Marlan "Hawk") Haakenson, who attended North Dakota State University but says he's a supporter of the Fighting Sioux nickname, said he registered the trade names Fighting Hawks, Nodaks and North Stars with the North Dakota Secretary of State in order to prevent UND from using them.

"As far as I'm concerned, Kelley will never get permission from me," Haakenson said. "I'll use every legal means I have to stop him from using the names."

Haakenson said he registered the trade names on Sept. 4, though they were not officially registered until Monday. He was prevented from registering a fourth name, Roughriders, because Secretary of State Al Jaeger said it was too similar to an existing registered trade name in the state.

Haakenson said he was unable to register Sundogs for that same reason, though Jaeger said it was unclear whether an existing trade name would prevent Sundogs from being registered.

Mike Parks signs with the Flyers

This is about 10 days late, but Former UND forward Michael Parks has signed with the Philadelphia Flyers organization. I imagine that he will play in the AHL or ECHL.

Not sure if this is out there, but #Flyers 2010 fifth-round pick (and UND alum) Mike Parks has signed an AHL deal with the #LVPhantoms.

— Dave Isaac (@davegisaac) September 3, 2015