Hockey: Goalie Plinko

Goalie Billy Sauer expects to be at Michigan next year, according to this interview at McKeen's:

McKeen's: Have you decided on where you'll be playing this season?

Billy Sauer: Most likely for the University of Michigan, if not then I will play for a team in the USHL.

Rivals resident hockey guru tbarr says it's up in the air, though, with Michigan coaches actually leaning towards fellow USHLer Steve Jakiel, who's a couple years older than Sauer, although not significantly more experienced. On raw talent level Sauer appears to be the favorite--Jakiel is ranked 27th amongst goalies this year by the erratic CSB and does not appear likely to go particularly early, while Sauer is getting first round buzz for '06--but he is very young and somewhat untested. If he were to come in this year he would be skipping his senior year of high school a la Al Montoya and he split time with Wisconsin goalie commit Shane Connolly in the USHL this year. While Montoya performed admirably as a freshman, the Michigan coaches are understandably concerned about asking lightning to strike twice.

Of course, Montoya could render this entire conversation moot if he was to return for his senior year, but very few are expecting that to happen. Poster "churchonchurch" put up a post on Rivals that passes my BS meters; it strongly suggests that Montoya will be #33 for the Rangers next year. There is some good news: apparently Montoya asserted that Tambellini is definitely returning for what should be a huge senior year.

Also, CSTV has an article up titled "Scouts Go Rabid for Wolverines" ( a Chris Benoit reference?). They've got an NCAA-tinted NHL draft preview going on all this week which I'll undoubtedly link to a couple times.

(HT: Packer487 of TBT Yost Built.)