Thanks to all of you asked questions but, more importantly, thanks to everyone who has followed PucKato throughout the hockey season. Now, onto the answers ...
Which freshman forward coming next year do you predict to have the biggest impact on the Mavericks 09/10 team? This is always hard to predict. I've heard great things about Centennial forward Tyler Pitlick, although he will be right out of high school and that's always a big leap. Perhaps one of the freshman goaltenders -- Kevin Murdock or Phil Cook -- will have a Dan Tormey-like rookie season.
Tyler Thompson was playing in games early last year. Did he get injured last year or was he just a healthy scratch for the last half of the season? I believe he was a healthy scratch, although I know he was sick part way through the year, too. With the exception of redshirt Mike Louwerse, the freshman forwards didn't make a huge impact last year. While Thompson played more early in the year, Adam Mueller and Justin Jokinen appeared to have a leg up at the end of the season. They played in 26 an 24 games, respectively. Thompson played in 22 games. Joe Schiller played in 18 and was practicing as a defenseman late in the year after Channing Boe went down. I'll be curious to see where Schiller lines up next fall.
Which sophomore player do you think will have the biggest turn around from their freshman season to this upcoming 09/10 season? Jumping off the last question, I think I'd put Jokinen in that category. I think he looked like he was starting to figure out the college game and how he needs to play it over the last month or so of the season. He'll likely put on some needed weight this summer, too. I'd expect Mueller to significantly increase his point production, too.
How is Pitlick's game? Will he play next year? Does he have the skill to contribute right away? Not that we need him right away given the returning talent but I'd hate to see MSU, upward trending, go backward. I have not seen him play, although I've heard from people who have that he looks like he can step right in and play. He's listed as 6-foot-2, 185. He's a Mr. Hockey finalist and an AP all-state selection. He's the nephew of former NHLer Lance Pitlick. Those are good credentials, but it's always interesting to see how someone coming straight out of high school does.
I have been checking the Hershey Bears box scores and have yet to see Bruess' name listed. Any idea if he's just not seeing any playing time yet, or he perhaps doesn't intend on joining the team until next season? I, too, have been checking Hershey's website and have been surprised that his name hasn't come up on any game sheets yet. I found this nugget this morning though, which says that Bruess was released from his amateur tryout contract. I know Hershey his competing for an AHL championship and perhaps doesn't have room for Bruess or other newcomers right now. I guess if nothing happens the rest of this season, he'll attend Washington's rookie camp and training camp over the summer. I'll see what else I can find out about this.
Anymore rumblings on players that may be leaving the Mavericks early? As you mentioned, there are a ton of forwards coming in. I have to believe Jutting had a reason for recruiting so many for the upcoming season. I really don't believe any other underclassmen will be turning pro. There are only three forwards coming in -- Pitlick, Eli Zuck and Eriah Hayes -- and the Mavericks lost Bruess and Mick Berge up front. I can't imagine that forward Brett Peterson, who has not played in any games and had back surgery in January, will be on the roster. MSU will also have Michael Dorr, the transfer from Minnesota, available in January, so there will be plenty of competition for playing time.
How is the defense shaping up ... any defensive minded blueliners? Sorry i live in colorado and i just can't get a handle on their play. I saw the Mavs in Colorado Springs and it just seems like they had problems in front of the net (5-2 Friday). I assume that was also part of the reason Zacharias gave up almost a full goal more in 08-09 than in 07-08. Minnesota State certainly wasn't as good defensively this year as it was last year. The Mavericks missed R.J. Linder much more than anyone anticipated. Also, Joel Hanson and Jon Kalinski were excellent penalty killers and defensive forwards who seemed to relish playing those roles. Obviously, the Mavs will lose Brian Kilburg and Blake Friesen to graduation, but I like what Cameron Cooper and Baylor Dieter -- who is more of defensive defenseman -- showed during their freshman season. Dieter didn't even play until the second half of the season and seemed to do fine. As for Zacharas' numbers, the Mavericks allowed 52 power-play goals this season, compared to 35 a year earlier. One WCHA writer told me that stat alone led him to put Zacharias as his second-team, all-conference ballot this year.
I believe that Matt Leitner is coming in in 2010-at least that's what it says on Fargo's website. Shane, do you know what happened to Eli Zuck the second half of the year in USHL? Is Danny Heath still coming in? I believe that is correct about Leitner. Zuck was injured partway through the year (I'm not sure what the injury was). In fact, it was a rough year for MSU recruits in Tri-City. Zuck played in 25 games, and Heath was lost for the season on the first game of the year. From what I've heard, Heath -- whom team insiders are very high on -- will play another year of junior hockey. He was a AAA player in Arizona to start the 2007-08 season and went to the USHL halfway though the year, so this past year was supposed to be his first full year of juniors.
Who do you think will be the starting goalie for the Mavs next year? It's anybody's guess at this point. This is the first time since I've been covering the Mavericks that the team will start the season with zero game experience in goal (when Tormey and Zacharias arrived, Chris Clark had played in 24 games). Austin Lee has practiced for two years, so, if I were betting, I'd say he'll be the starting goalie on opening night. After that, who knows. Then again, Kevin Murdock is the top goaltender, statistically, in the USHL right now. Through Wednesday, he has a .922 save percentage and a 2.19 goals-against average. Phil Cook is fifth in the NAHL with a .922 save percentage.
This year's team was still young and we only lose 5 or 6 Bruess. Offensively, we return 9 of our top 10 scorers but is there anyone, Lee or Murdock, who can play well enough to give us a shot at top five or even contend for the conference title? Actually, MSU loses two of its top seven scorers. However, goaltending is always the big mystery. The Mavericks have to shore up its penalty problems and defensive game like it did in 07-08 to help out the young goalies (they needed to do it this year to help out their veteran goalie!). North Dakota's biggest question mark this season was goaltending, and Eidsness had a great year. Denver was led by a sophomore, Cheverie, who had played in only five games as a freshman. CC's Richard Bachman was the best player in the league as a freshman in 07-08. Look what Kangas did for the Gophers at the end that year.
I count 7 seniors for next year's team assuming no more defections (which, I believe is a fair assumption, correct?). Who is your front runner for team captain in the 09-10 campaign? That's a really good questions. Obviously, Bruess was an assistant captain this year and he's gone. I'm not in the locker room, so I don't know who's the leader in there. Kael Mouillierat really stepped up his game this year. Zach Harrison is certainly a good face for the program, and he's asked to do so much defensively, playing against opponents' best forwards, which I think his teammates have to respect. I think there might be some good leadership in next year's junior class, too, with Rylan Galiardi, Channing Boe, Kurt Davis and Ben Youds.
Thanks again for all of your questions. Keep checking the blog throughout the offeseason.
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