“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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After getting 29 As and 8 Bs my senior year in high school. I hit the big city lights at the University of Minnesota Minneapolis Campus in the Fall of 1960 with a first quarter grade slip of 2 Fs, a D, and a C . . . 360 quarter credits later and still looking to finish a degree ( they transferred my Humanities major to the English Literature Department ) I have wised up with a penchant for nailing straight As . . . https://tinyurl.com/3da2cuu2
Not knowing what to do, they do what they know . . .
Knowing what to do, they sometime don't do it . . .
The 26th year of the Gopher Men's Hockey Profile got to be too much for this ol' codger to handle . . . what with all of the possible activity on the transfer portal . . . . So, I'm closing it down at the 25th year . . .
If Hendrickson is going to Sioux Falls, then who are the Forwards we bring in? Also interested to know if there are any Jimmy Clark rumors one way or another regarding Gophers or USHL?
If Hendrickson is going to Sioux Falls, then who are the Forwards we bring in? Also interested to know if there are any Jimmy Clark rumors one way or another regarding Gophers or USHL?
I believe I saw that Clark was at Green Bay’s summer camp, which would indicate that right now he will be back in USHL next year. Many things can change in a few months though.
A little thought in the back of my head is that they are trying to get Eiserman eligible for next year. All signs are pointing to Hendrickson and Clark in the USHL next year, which leaves one spot open and you would think Bob would have filled it by now. Not much left in the transfer portal and probably not a lot of great uncommitted forwards ready to step in next year. Another option could be trying to flip a kid who is told he needs to go back to juniors for another year.
If Hendrickson is going to Sioux Falls, then who are the Forwards we bring in? Also interested to know if there are any Jimmy Clark rumors one way or another regarding Gophers or USHL?
I believe both will be in the USHL this year which means Bob needs to add 1-2 forwards. One could be Schmidt who knows?♂️
It also means that the 2024 freshmen forward class is shaping up to be Hendrickson, Clark, Ziemer, and Eiserman, with the potential to add Hagens to that group. That’s 4-5 high impact players that we’ll definitely need after losing Cooley, Nelson, Brodzinski, and probably Snuggerud.
It’s all rumor right now, nothing official, although Jess did mention it in his article. So pretty likely to happen. What I wonder about is if he goes back to juniors, does he stay committed to the U or does he essentially reopen his recruiting?
It’s all rumor right now, nothing official, although Jess did mention it in his article. So pretty likely to happen. What I wonder about is if he goes back to juniors, does he stay committed to the U or does he essentially reopen his recruiting?
Many players stay committed after returning to junior for a bit but they don't usually stick with it.
So I graduated from USN Great Lakes Basic Training last Friday. Left Minnesota the Tuesday after the B1G Tournament Championship game against Michigan. So what did I miss? I’m sure nothing crazy happened. Probably a pretty boring spring I’m guessing.
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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So I graduated from USN Great Lakes Basic Training last Friday. Left Minnesota the Tuesday after the B1G Tournament Championship game against Michigan. So what did I miss? I’m sure nothing crazy happened. Probably a pretty boring spring I’m guessing.
So I graduated from USN Great Lakes Basic Training last Friday. Left Minnesota the Tuesday after the B1G Tournament Championship game against Michigan. So what did I miss? I’m sure nothing crazy happened. Probably a pretty boring spring I’m guessing.
Congrats! My nephew went through there a couple years ago. He was then moved over to Groton as he wanted to be a submariner. He now sits in Norfolk because his boat has been in the shop for years. He’ll eventually be out in the Pacific.
What area you going into? If you can tell us without having to kill us, of course.
So I graduated from USN Great Lakes Basic Training last Friday. Left Minnesota the Tuesday after the B1G Tournament Championship game against Michigan. So what did I miss? I’m sure nothing crazy happened. Probably a pretty boring spring I’m guessing.
Congrats! My nephew went through there a couple years ago. He was then moved over to Groton as he wanted to be a submariner. He now sits in Norfolk because his boat has been in the shop for years. He’ll eventually be out in the Pacific.
What area you going into? If you can tell us without having to kill us, of course.
Thanks! I’m currently down in Pensacola attending Aircrew Candidate School. Hopefully eventually flying in fixed wing aircraft on maritime patrols and anti submarine missions.
The only down side is that I will now have to follow the Gophers from afar instead of from the seats of Mariucci. But I’ve already decided that when the season rolls around I’m going to get the B1G streaming package so I can watch the Gophs and have a little bit of home with me wherever I go.
I obviously wasn’t able to watch the playoffs but I did get a couple of short phone calls home. The first of which was the day of the National Championship game. So I was all excited and asked my parents to write me a letter with an update. But I didn’t receive that until about five days later. So in those five days I just told myself that the Gophers had won. Then of course heartbroken like the rest of Minnesota but just a few days later. Sometimes ignorance really is bliss.
If Hendrickson is going to Sioux Falls, then who are the Forwards we bring in? Also interested to know if there are any Jimmy Clark rumors one way or another regarding Gophers or USHL?
I believe both will be in the USHL this year which means Bob needs to add 1-2 forwards. One could be Schmidt who knows?♂️
It also means that the 2024 freshmen forward class is shaping up to be Hendrickson, Clark, Ziemer, and Eiserman, with the potential to add Hagens to that group. That’s 4-5 high impact players that we’ll definitely need after losing Cooley, Nelson, Brodzinski, and probably Snuggerud.
Clark played 13 games for Sioux City last year but played in all 62 games this season for Green Bay.
“Jimmy had a huge season for us and to put up over 45 points in his first full year in the league, that’s hard to do,” Leone said. “So I think you saw him get a lot more comfortable as the year went along and we’re excited to have him coming back.
“When you look at the teams that have had success in this league, they have 40 or 45-point guys back, and you’d like to think with natural progression and development those guys are only going to continue getting better. So we’re excited to see what Jimmy can do.”
Something that’s kind of underrated about this year’s team is that Cooley, Close and Airey are the only non-Minnesotan players.
As of now 12/13 forwards are Minnesotan, 8/8 D are Minnesotan and 1/3 goalies. I’m not someone that needs a Woog style approach to putting together a team, especially when Bob is bringing in guys like Cooley, Knies and Eiserman, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to see an all Minnesotan roster again at some point. Would be kinda cool.
Noticed Hendrickson added Sioux Falls to his instagram, don’t know if he just did that or not. Assuming Faber, Johnson, Knies, Lacombe = 4 scholarships and Begley and Staudacher have similar, there should be at least 1 full scholarship left after Moore, Rinzel and Rud I would think. Interested to see what Bob does. Split it up between some senior depth portal players? Might be hard to get a full scholarship type player from the portal who’s already unhappy to come play 4th line and fight for pp time. Kurth, Lamb, etc. are already still going to have a hard time getting pp time probably not good for team chemistry to potentially push them down further for a portal player.
Kurth, Lamb, etc. are already still going to have a hard time getting pp time probably not good for team chemistry to potentially push them down further for a portal player.
I tend to agree with this. I would pretty much run it back with the same forwards and maybe pick up a couple "depth" guys.
Noticed Hendrickson added Sioux Falls to his instagram, don’t know if he just did that or not. Assuming Faber, Johnson, Knies, Lacombe = 4 scholarships and Begley and Staudacher have similar, there should be at least 1 full scholarship left after Moore, Rinzel and Rud I would think. Interested to see what Bob does. Split it up between some senior depth portal players? Might be hard to get a full scholarship type player from the portal who’s already unhappy to come play 4th line and fight for pp time. Kurth, Lamb, etc. are already still going to have a hard time getting pp time probably not good for team chemistry to potentially push them down further for a portal player.
Agreed. Leave the back stabbing to mercenary U up north
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to see an all Minnesotan roster again at some point
Showing off the best that Minnesota has to offer at Mariucci is fun and all.
But I would absolutely trade that for getting the absolute best recruits from every corner of the nation. Granted many come from Minnesota, but pulling kids from PA, MA, etc. to give ourselves the absolute best talent possible is 1000x better.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to see an all Minnesotan roster again at some point
Showing off the best that Minnesota has to offer at Mariucci is fun and all.
But I would absolutely trade that for getting the absolute best recruits from every corner of the nation. Granted many come from Minnesota, but pulling kids from PA, MA, etc. to give ourselves the absolute best talent possible is 1000x better.
Having a competitive all-MN roster probably isn't realistic if the goal is a NC. With now 5 other Div I schools in the state and MN kids not shying away from UND, UW, BC, BU, etc., I don't think it's unfortunately ever going to happen again.
Right, it’s kinda hard to imagine a scenario where there isn’t at least one high end out of state prospect where the team would be better without them. I’d much rather have Cooley and Eiserman than go for an all MN roster.
Don’t get me wrong I prefer Bob brings in the high end out-of-staters too but there’s only 3 non-Minnesotans on this roster (right now) so you can’t tell me it’s not possible. Cooley and Close almost moved on too. Then we would’ve been REALLY close.
Right, it’s kinda hard to imagine a scenario where there isn’t at least one high end out of state prospect where the team would be better without them. I’d much rather have Cooley and Eiserman than go for an all MN roster.
Yeah I don't understand that angle of thinking at all. Give me the best players and the best product on the ice.
I'm basically a simpleton so having a team competing for conference and national titles coupled with a fantastic atmosphere at Mariucci is all I really need. Once the proper "M" jersey is pulled on where they are from is irrelevant to me.
I did have to chuckle the past couple seasons when the video introducing the players and their hometowns ran, number 23 from Irvine, CA followed by #24 from Magnolia, MN. It always struck me funny that having a player from SoCal was far less surprising than having a player from anywhere in SW MN! ?
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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Don’t get me wrong I prefer Bob brings in the high end out-of-staters too but there’s only 3 non-Minnesotans on this roster (right now) so you can’t tell me it’s not possible. Cooley and Close almost moved on too. Then we would’ve been REALLY close.
Not really. If Close had opted to leave, it's more than likely that Bartoszkiewicz (Michigan native) doesn't go back to juniors. Incoming freshman Airey is from Canada. In short, Closer moving on would have been a net wash in terms of Minnesotans on the roster.
Tact is the ability to step on a man's toes without messing up the shine on his shoes - Harry S Truman
Haha all I’m saying is it would be kinda neat. Definitely no complaints from me seeing Knies and Cooley come through the program the past couple years.
What would be interesting is if someone took the time to compile a 'best non-Minnesota' roster of former Gophers. For each position what would be the best former player that was from outside the state?
Not exactly what you asked but the Gophers track record with European players is kinda crazy. I’m sure I’m forgetting the misses but Vanek, Haula, Ranta, Bristedt (one of my favorites) is an extremely good crop of European talent.
What would be interesting is if someone took the time to compile a 'best non-Minnesota' roster of former Gophers. For each position what would be the best former player that was from outside the state?
Now to answer your question:
Potulny(either one honestly)-Haula-Vanek
Johnson(Ryan)-?
LaFontaine(Richter season)
There’s a start. I kept it to pretty recent history cause all-time would be a whole other rabbit hole.
Murray McLauchlan (G) was from London, ON and a two time WCHA player of the year and All American goalie in the late 60s.
I never saw him play but based on what I've heard he was one hell of a goalie,
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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Looks like the non-Minnesotans on the mural (first team All-Americans) are: Gordon Watters, Murray Williamson, Lou Nanne, Murray McLachlan, Ryan Potulny, Sampo Ranta, Logan Cooley and Matthew Knies.
Don’t get me wrong I prefer Bob brings in the high end out-of-staters too but there’s only 3 non-Minnesotans on this roster (right now) so you can’t tell me it’s not possible. Cooley and Close almost moved on too. Then we would’ve been REALLY close.
True, I’d just ideally rather have Cooley in that scenario than not. But maybe it’ll happen one of these years if this state has some players of that caliber.
