The way I see it, for the Gophers to creep into the tournament the 16 bids need to shake out like so:
- 4 top B10 teams (UW, MSU, UM, PSU)
- 4 NCHC teams (UND, DU, UMD, WMU)
- 1 Atlantic
- 1 CCHA
- 5 or less from HE/ECAC combined
All this leaves room for a fifth B10 team (the best performing conference this year) to squeeze in. None of this is unrealistic either, just need .500 or so hockey from the Gophers to pull it off.
Thankfully the eastern heavyweights have all played like crap this year, and both conferences have wrecked their NPIs. A very plausible set of 4 HE/ECAC bidswould be: (1) BC + one of Northeastern/UNH/UConn/Maine/etc., and (2) Qpac + whoever beats QU in Lake Placid; let’s say Dartmouth.
My main worry is that a 5th NCHC team like Miami or Jan Brady could “steal” that last extra bid up for grabs.
The way I see it, for the Gophers to creep into the tournament the 16 bids need to shake out like so:
- 4 top B10 teams (UW, MSU, UM, PSU)
- 4 NCHC teams (UND, DU, UMD, WMU)
- 1 Atlantic
- 1 CCHA
- 5 or less from HE/ECAC combined
All this leaves room for a fifth B10 team (the best performing conference this year) to squeeze in. None of this is unrealistic either, just need .500 or so hockey from the Gophers to pull it off.
Thankfully the eastern heavyweights have all played like crap this year, and both conferences have wrecked their NPIs. A very plausible set of 4 HE/ECAC bidswould be: (1) BC + one of Northeastern/UNH/UConn/Maine/etc., and (2) Qpac + whoever beats QU in Lake Placid; let’s say Dartmouth.
My main worry is that a 5th NCHC team like Miami or Jan Brady could “steal” that last extra bid up for grabs.
As far as those 5th teams
ASU and Dartmouth is a big one for both teams and will either kill Dartmouth's NPI or kill ASUs chances. They probably have the best shot purely from they have some OOC wins and have UND, WMU and DU
Cloud's NPI is propped up by the CCHA games which will drop as they continue to lose more. They're 2-6 (2-4 at home) vs the top of the conference though I suppose they could go on a tear, but it will be at the expense of those upper teams if they do so.
Miami doesn't have the bandwidth to run up and in given they're 0-4 against DU and WMU (2-6-2 in conf overall) and only have 6 total games vs WMU, DU, UND and UMD the rest of the way.
They basically all play each other and by the eye test, none of them are better than each other which makes it feel pretty unlikely one does the necessary run
It's kind of a weird NCHC record that's inflated by a boatload of games with the CCHA (16-8) and independents (9-2). UMD sweeping us is really the only OOC result that's really of note, and got offset by us beating DU and splitting UND on the road.
I laughed pretty hard at this snippet about Gavin MidKenna which apparently deserved a fawning writeup by the CHN crew:
This should not be notable or praiseworthy for a projected #1 overall draft pick. This is literally the bare minimum of effort that we might expect here from someone like Cooley or Snuggerud or Casey Mittelstadt.
Also found this part interesting:
Guess the insufferable Canadian arrogance regarding the NCAA’s quality and level of competition really came back to bite them, eh
I laughed pretty hard at this snippet about Gavin MidKenna which apparently deserved a fawning writeup by the CHN crew:
This should not be notable or praiseworthy for a projected #1 overall draft pick. This is literally the bare minimum of effort that we might expect here from someone like Cooley or Snuggerud or Casey Mittelstadt.
Also found this part interesting:
Guess the insufferable Canadian arrogance regarding the NCAA’s quality and level of competition really came back to bite them, eh
Van Olm played first line (with Berkly Catton and Andrew Cristall) and PP1 minutes last year. He's playing third line with teammates that don't have that talent level this year.
I laughed pretty hard at this snippet about Gavin MidKenna which apparently deserved a fawning writeup by the CHN crew:
This should not be notable or praiseworthy for a projected #1 overall draft pick. This is literally the bare minimum of effort that we might expect here from someone like Cooley or Snuggerud or Casey Mittelstadt.
Also found this part interesting:
-- attachment is not available --
Guess the insufferable Canadian arrogance regarding the NCAA’s quality and level of competition really came back to bite them, eh
Van Olm played first line (with Berkly Catton and Andrew Cristall) and PP1 minutes last year. He's playing third line with teammates that don't have that talent level this year.
Isn't it on Olm for not earning a higher spot in the depth chart?
In related news the NCAA has announced that they are concerned about the validity of NPI rankings and have decided to move to the Vegoe poll for determining NCAA tournament at large teams. This change is effective immediately.
In related news the NCAA has announced that they are concerned about the validity of NPI rankings and have decided to move to the Vegoe poll for determining NCAA tournament at large teams. This change is effective immediately.
I’m going to be curious how the NPI changes, but it seems pretty apparent (to me) that they need to change the home-away weight given the rise in parity and seeming drop in home ice advantage.
Things will start stabilizing more in 5-8 games but feels way harder to predict where the dust will settle right now
Right now we’re 29 in npi, 32 in pwr, and 20 In KRACH. Typically they all come together but I don’t remember this significant a dichotomy in them at the halfway point last year
I'm assuming it's still crickets on the front of the Gophers filling out their remaining roster spot for the second half of this season. I'm thinking if it remains vacant...then I don't wish to hear any excuses from Motzko about injury status of the team when in fact they (injuries) will come at points during this second half and will in effect thin out the projected lines.
Can anyone explain this US College Hockey Selects team that is playing a random 6 team tournament in Switzerland? Why? What purpose does it provide other than to expose those players to a different competition?
I'd have to look, but I think pretty much everyone on the team is over 20, so wouldn't be eligible for the WJC anyway. A lot of names I recognize, for sure.
I'd have to look, but I think pretty much everyone on the team is over 20, so wouldn't be eligible for the WJC anyway. A lot of names I recognize, for sure.
Guys like L.Mitts, Thomas, Gruba, Lamb would’ve fit in on this roster, and they’d be major talent upgrades too. But, all of the non-WJC Gophers are sitting idle during the break. Which tells me that, (a) our program really didn’t care about this Guy Gadowsky-led sideshow; or (b) we’ve been focused entirely on hosting the WJC; or (c) some combination of both.
Also, lol at NCAA’s janky website full of their usual sloppy careless work. Wrong sport + 3 years ago + didn’t even mention the PEDs 🤭
Rough first period by team USA. It us going to take more than that to get through this game much less the first game in the medal round.
I have yet to see anyone pop on the team. Here's hoping someone steps up. Let's start by winning a couple faceoffs. That felt very lopsided in the first. Just came up on the board, 27%. Woof.
I'm assuming it's still crickets on the front of the Gophers filling out their remaining roster spot for the second half of this season. I'm thinking if it remains vacant...then I don't wish to hear any excuses from Motzko about injury status of the team when in fact they (injuries) will come at points during this second half and will in effect thin out the projected lines.
It is now 2026 and Motzko still hasn’t filled out his roster. Like this poster says, if he complains about injuries again without filling his roster, he has lost the plot.
I'm assuming it's still crickets on the front of the Gophers filling out their remaining roster spot for the second half of this season. I'm thinking if it remains vacant...then I don't wish to hear any excuses from Motzko about injury status of the team when in fact they (injuries) will come at points during this second half and will in effect thin out the projected lines.
It is now 2026 and Motzko still hasn’t filled out his roster. Like this poster says, if he complains about injuries again without filling his roster, he has lost the plot.
Yeah, because Bob is constantly complaining about injuries. His total M.O. Thank God you guys are on the case.
I'm assuming it's still crickets on the front of the Gophers filling out their remaining roster spot for the second half of this season. I'm thinking if it remains vacant...then I don't wish to hear any excuses from Motzko about injury status of the team when in fact they (injuries) will come at points during this second half and will in effect thin out the projected lines.
It is now 2026 and Motzko still hasn’t filled out his roster. Like this poster says, if he complains about injuries again without filling his roster, he has lost the plot.
Yeah, because Bob is constantly complaining about injuries. His total M.O. Thank God you guys are on the case.
Do you ever listen to his weekly podcast shows with Wally or his weekly press conferences?
I'm assuming it's still crickets on the front of the Gophers filling out their remaining roster spot for the second half of this season. I'm thinking if it remains vacant...then I don't wish to hear any excuses from Motzko about injury status of the team when in fact they (injuries) will come at points during this second half and will in effect thin out the projected lines.
It is now 2026 and Motzko still hasn’t filled out his roster. Like this poster says, if he complains about injuries again without filling his roster, he has lost the plot.
Yeah, because Bob is constantly complaining about injuries. His total M.O. Thank God you guys are on the case.
Do you ever listen to his weekly podcast shows with Wally or his weekly press conferences?
Yeah. Is talking about injuries the same thing as outright complaining about them? Is Bob unique in that regard? O
PSU loses to RIT, OSU loses and ties BGSU, ND swept by WMU. That is going to be exceedingly unhelpful for the B10 sos where the NCHC has now taken the lead
gophs drop to 32nd in NPI on the weekend while idle
PSU loses to RIT, OSU loses and ties BGSU, ND swept by WMU. That is going to be exceedingly unhelpful for the B10 sos where the NCHC has now taken the lead
gophs drop to 32nd in NPI on the weekend while idle
Came here to post this. Brutal weekend for the Big Ten (and the Gophers at-large chances).
OK, not to be pedantic, but nothing that happens before March (when the B1G tournament happens) short of a season-ending injury can really impact the Gophers' Auto-bid chances.
We're talking about the at-large bid chances here. And yes, this weekend does negatively impact that chance.
OK, not to be pedantic, but nothing that happens before March (when the B1G tournament happens) short of a season-ending injury can really impact the Gophers' Auto-bid chances.
We're talking about the at-large bid chances here. And yes, this weekend does negatively impact that chance.
yeah more that the hopes of getting the 5th B10 team in took a major digger. That said, guys only have themselves to blame and it’s on them to right the ship. Is what it is at this point
played at Muskegon this weekend. BU played their exhibition this weekend (down multiple players for the WJC). Just feels like one you would've brought him in prior to now given he's been healthy (his injury was in preseason after he was already decided to be in the USHL) and his talent has been known rather than at the 11th hour with a weekend series with only, in theory, 2 days to prep for it.
Would be curious to know who pushed for it, but Lawrence has recently jumped ahead of McKenna in a bunch of mocks. Will be interesting to see if its a half year and done or what he does for next year as well. He's going to get far fewer games in the NCAA compared to if he'd stayed in the USHL for the rest of the year. Just interesting move at this time of year for one of the youngest prospects in the draft in a year we've already seen McKenna's stock really hurt by his year at PSU so far
If Pandolfo didn't think Tynan Lawrence would make his roster better before the year started, he needs different scouts as the kid is really good averaging over a point per game as a 16 year old in the USHL. Hence why I said I was curious if Lawrence said he wants to accelerate the plan or opposite given he was playing at Muskegon as of this weekend. Just why its weird timing imo.
Western Michigan goes to Denver and sweeps the Pioneers by scores of 4-1 and 6-2.
Denver is winless in their last 5 games with 4 losses and a tie. 4 of the 5 games Denver was at home.
Clearly the Gophers killed their confidence beating them in Denver. 😉
Denver is 12-9-2 (8-4-0 in conference) 4-5-2 out of conference. Clearly, they struggle against good teams and can only have success against Nacho opponents. 😀
Augustana and Garrett Raboin up to 12th in the NPI. He is making a legit case to be the next Gopher coach.
the job he's done there has been really impressive. That said, they did look like this last year, prior to going 2-6-1 down the stretch (16-7-3 prior to that slide). Weird CCHA this year with 2 god awful teams (Ferris and NMU) who are going to pump up some records for the upper tier teams. Should be a fun race between Augie, Mankato, UST, and MTU for it and I'd guess they will have one locked in come tourney time with 2 of them right on the edge but probably needing to win it to get in. Then again, thinking of the postseason is now just kind of depressing.
Wonder if anything of the sort came up as Raboin on campus as part of the WJC staff
Should be a fun race between Augie, Mankato, UST, and MTU for it
I was at the MSU vs. Tommies game on Saturday night and the Tommies completely handled the Mavs. The Mavs defense continued their questionable defense and Alex Tracy looked very pedestrian giving up two 1v1 goals.
I am theofficial Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
Denver is in full on free fall. BU and BC both lose (and play each other at least 3 more times this year).
feels like a year they may be a lot of the usual group sitting outside looking in
I’ll be real fascinated to see what happens to that BU roster if they somehow miss the postseason as there a lot of high draft picks getting minimal ice time on that team
Denver is in full on free fall. BU and BC both lose (and play each other at least 3 more times this year).
feels like a year they may be a lot of the usual group sitting outside looking in
I’ll be real fascinated to see what happens to that BU roster if they somehow miss the postseason as there a lot of high draft picks getting minimal ice time on that team
