Clipped from the Thursday GF Herald....
 
 
     Hoogsteen: A red shirt for Christmas?
 
     Blais may seek medical hardship year if
     Hoogsteen isn't healthy enough to play by
     January
 
 
     By Virg Foss
     Herald Staff Writer
 
     There's a chance that David Hoogsteen, the little player who was a
     big cog on UND's national championship team in 1997, may be held
     out the rest of his senior season.
 
     UND coach Dean Blais said Wednesday that unless Hoogsteen's
     injured ankle improves considerably after Christmas break, he'd
     consider seeking a medical hardship for Hoogsteen.
 
     If Blais took that step, Hoogsteen would have one full season of
     eligibility remaining. He has played six of UND's 10 games, averaging
     more than a point a game with five goals and three assists.
 
     Hoogsteen suffered a broken fibula in the Nov. 14 game at the
     University of Minnesota and has missed the last two series against
     Colorado College and St. Cloud State.
 
     Blais said that Hoogsteen definitely won't play this weekend at
     Denver and likely won't be ready for the series in Grand Forks the
     following weekend against Wisconsin.
 
     Hoogsteen resumed skating on his own this week, but was limping
     noticeably after being on skates and has not taken part in a practice
     session.
 
     Following the Wisconsin series on Dec. 11-12, UND is off two
     weeks until beginning the 1999 portion of the schedule on Jan. 2-3
     with a nonconference series against Notre Dame in Grand Forks.
 
     When Hoogsteen was first injured, it was estimated by UND officials
     that he would be out three to six weeks.
 
     If the injury keeps him out longer, Blais said he'd look at a medical
     hardship appeal to the NCAA for Hoogsteen.
 
     "David needs to stay in Grand Forks over Christmas break and work
     on rehabilitating his ankle. He might be able to go home for
     Christmas for two or three days," Blais said. "If he's not ready to
     play in early January, we'd have to look at a medical hardship. It's
     not what David wants, but he needs to be healthy to help us."
 
     At 5-foot-7, 155 pounds, Hoogsteen is one of the league's smallest
     forwards but also one of the quickest and most dynamic. With a bad
     ankle, however, his quickness is taken away.
 
     "If he doesn't have his quickness, he has nothing except his hockey
     sense and his shot," Blais said.
 
     Hoogsteen, from Thunder Bay, Ont., has been a big part of UND's
     last two Western Collegiate Hockey Association championships. He
     was a first team all-WCHA selection and second team All-America
     choice in 1997 and on the all-WCHA second team in 1998.
 
     The senior is the leader among active Sioux players in career points,
     with 125, six more than Jason Blake.
 
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