“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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I would be so disappointed if Huglen doesn't come back. Not in him personally but missing out on the chance to see him for another season. He feels like a guy that could absolutely break out. Don't blame him if he takes a pro deal, don't blame any player, but my advice to him: come back, put up 50 points and sign with anyone you want. 
Still really depressed about this loss. Trying to move on, but my mind keeps going back to what could have been. All the pieces were there.
Even though it hurts, I wouldn’t trade this season (even with the hurt) for anything. This team was an absolute joy to watch. I am old enough to remember the 1981 and 1989 losses, and this one hurts just as bad for me.
I just keep reminding myself that Bob has us setup with recruiting to have a great chance of getting back to that game in the next few years.
And as upset as I am about some of the decisions that were made on how to play, the coaches and the players are probably beating themselves up at least twice as hard.
Hopefully the coaches learn from this experience and use it to fuel the drive to get back there and win. Look at how long it took Andy Reid to win a Super Bowl, but he finally did. Same can be said for countless college coaches that needed several cracks at the championship game before winning. And many of them have now won multiple.
Already looking forward to next season and continuing the quest for number 6!
@jwg Grant is more than capable of leading this program and bleeds maroon and gold as much as anyone.
I just want some younger blood in here for a change.
@mnstate0fhockey I put this one tied with 81 but nothing has been or will ever be as hard as the 89 teams loss to Harvard.
I have them ranked as the 2nd best Gopher team of all time only behind the 78-79 national championship team. Just the fact that the game was right in our backyard makes it that much worse.
I would be so disappointed if Huglen doesn't come back. Not in him personally but missing out on the chance to see him for another season. He feels like a guy that could absolutely break out. Don't blame him if he takes a pro deal, don't blame any player, but my advice to him: come back, put up 50 points and sign with anyone you want.
If Huglen doesn’t stay through his senior year I’ll be shocked. Him and Johnson seem to be cut from the same cloth.
Maybe. He’s finished 2, 2, 3, 5, 5, 4 in C/WCHA. He’s made it to the conference championship 3 times but hasn’t won and hasn’t made a NCAA tournament yet.
I don’t doubt his love for the M. Maybe he’d be great. Maybe not. I’m not anti-Grant but I’m not sure he’s right today.
The past 3-4 years seems like a setup for an intense and emotional 6th championship at the X next year. I’m buying my tickets for my FIRST Frozen Four whenever they come out.
LaCombe signs with Anaheim!!
The past 3-4 years seems like a setup for an intense and emotional 6th championship at the X next year. I’m buying my tickets for my FIRST Frozen Four whenever they come out.
Do you know when those come out?
The past 3-4 years seems like a setup for an intense and emotional 6th championship at the X next year. I’m buying my tickets for my FIRST Frozen Four whenever they come out.
Do you know when those come out?
I do not
I knew this team was special from the second they outshot Penn State at Pegula??
Well played (clapping)
Every year a team wins the National Champion but outshooting Penn State at Pegula is unheard of and something we will likely never seen again in our life time by any Penn State opponent. It's important to cherish these once in a lifetime moments. ? ?
I would be so disappointed if Huglen doesn't come back. Not in him personally but missing out on the chance to see him for another season. He feels like a guy that could absolutely break out. Don't blame him if he takes a pro deal, don't blame any player, but my advice to him: come back, put up 50 points and sign with anyone you want.
I am guessing this is his Plan A but since Buffalo doesn't want to lose him for nothing will them making a hard push to sign him change his mind? Time will tell.
The past 3-4 years seems like a setup for an intense and emotional 6th championship at the X next year. I’m buying my tickets for my FIRST Frozen Four whenever they come out.
Do you know when those come out?
I do not
They go through a priority process for those of us that have gone for years. Then they will have opportunities for the general public. This year it was in October.
I'm guessing that the regulars from Mn that go every year will max out the number that they are allotted. That may create less of an inventory for the general public, but will not create a sold out situation before they go public.
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
Young blood can be good at times but experience is the greatest teacher.
For this reason and many more Bob is clearly the right man for the job. Lets not forget he was the NCAA coach of the year this season so plenty of people think he is doing a fantastic job.
When he took over as head coach the team was coming off of a season where they were just over .500 (two of the past three seasons were just over .500). The Gophers had gone 4 straight seasons without an NCAA tournament win and had missed the NCCA tournament in two of the past three seasons.
He has been the Gopher head coach for 5 years and the team has improved every season.
Over the past three seasons the Gophers have the most NCAA tournament wins with 6.
Quinnipiac has 5
Mankato has 5
Denver has 4
U of Massachusetts has 4
U of Michigan has 4
St. Cloud has 4
Duluth has 2 (3 if you count the game that Michigan had to forfeit in the 2021 tournament due to Covid)
U of North Dakota has 1
@mnstate0fhockey I put this one tied with 81 but nothing has been or will ever be as hard as the 89 teams loss to Harvard.
I have them ranked as the 2nd best Gopher team of all time only behind the 78-79 national championship team. Just the fact that the game was right in our backyard makes it that much worse.
Yeah, that 1989 loss was rough. 4th straight Frozen Four and an absolutely stacked team. I was crushed.
Maybe. He’s finished 2, 2, 3, 5, 5, 4 in C/WCHA. He’s made it to the conference championship 3 times but hasn’t won and hasn’t made a NCAA tournament yet.
I don’t doubt his love for the M. Maybe he’d be great. Maybe not. I’m not anti-Grant but I’m not sure he’s right today.
I love Grant Potulny, but he is nowhere near ready to lead this program. If this job were to open up, I don’t think he’d currently make the top 5 for replacements.
Bob is going nowhere. He is landing big time recruits and is one of the best coaches in the country. I don’t think the people bickering about him realize just how good the recruits he has lined up are. Cole Eiserman is a generational talent that may end up outperforming Cooley and Fantilli as freshman. You switch coaches, you open those commitments back up and risk losing them.
Let’s put the Motzko replacement talk to rest.
Maybe. He’s finished 2, 2, 3, 5, 5, 4 in C/WCHA. He’s made it to the conference championship 3 times but hasn’t won and hasn’t made a NCAA tournament yet.
I don’t doubt his love for the M. Maybe he’d be great. Maybe not. I’m not anti-Grant but I’m not sure he’s right today.
I love Grant Potulny, but he is nowhere near ready to lead this program. If this job were to open up, I don’t think he’d currently make the top 5 for replacements.
Bob is going nowhere. He is landing big time recruits and is one of the best coaches in the country. I don’t think the people bickering about him realize just how good the recruits he has lined up are. Cole Eiserman is a generational talent that may end up outperforming Cooley and Fantilli as freshman. You switch coaches, you open those commitments back up and risk losing them.
Let’s put the Motzko replacement talk to rest.
Anyone who is serious about replacing Motzko is detached from reality. He obviously knows how to recruit, and I like the way his teams play (except two nights ago...that was just *holds finger to head with thumb cocked* pfft.)
The problem he has right now is that he needs to get the brass ring. People will always doubt him if he doesn't, ala Doug Woog.
I remember the ‘89 loss and it hurting - not enough to go rake the yard but we probably still had snow.@mnstate0fhockey I put this one tied with 81 but nothing has been or will ever be as hard as the 89 teams loss to Harvard.
I have them ranked as the 2nd best Gopher team of all time only behind the 78-79 national championship team. Just the fact that the game was right in our backyard makes it that much worse.
Yeah, that 1989 loss was rough. 4th straight Frozen Four and an absolutely stacked team. I was crushed.
Seeing the picture from Chicago of Brock’s MN bag with the stack of Wild bags was pretty cool. He seems to be an amazing young man and I wish nothing but best for him. Seeing him on the ice after the game was painful. Knowing how bad he wanted to deliver for the University, his teammates and the state you could just feel his emotion. Hopefully he gets to be in a St Paul parade someday!
Maybe. He’s finished 2, 2, 3, 5, 5, 4 in C/WCHA. He’s made it to the conference championship 3 times but hasn’t won and hasn’t made a NCAA tournament yet.
I don’t doubt his love for the M. Maybe he’d be great. Maybe not. I’m not anti-Grant but I’m not sure he’s right today.
I love Grant Potulny, but he is nowhere near ready to lead this program. If this job were to open up, I don’t think he’d currently make the top 5 for replacements.
Bob is going nowhere. He is landing big time recruits and is one of the best coaches in the country. I don’t think the people bickering about him realize just how good the recruits he has lined up are. Cole Eiserman is a generational talent that may end up outperforming Cooley and Fantilli as freshman. You switch coaches, you open those commitments back up and risk losing them.
Let’s put the Motzko replacement talk to rest.
Anyone who is serious about replacing Motzko is detached from reality. He obviously knows how to recruit, and I like the way his teams play (except two nights ago...that was just *holds finger to head with thumb cocked* pfft.)
The problem he has right now is that he needs to get the brass ring. People will always doubt him if he doesn't, ala Doug Woog.
No doubt. Don’t disagree with anything you said.
Hard to say which one for me was harder. 1989 was my first in-person, and it was tough to take with the Skarda Pipe and then the OT goal. This one was tough because I sat there and saw the team change the way they played in the middle of the 2nd period to a version of the game they hadn't played all year. Didn't make sense and didn't seem to fit them against a team that had speed and could clog things up. I really wish I understood why the change was made, even though I am fully aware that Q stepped things up, so it certainly isn't one sided.@mnstate0fhockey I put this one tied with 81 but nothing has been or will ever be as hard as the 89 teams loss to Harvard.
I have them ranked as the 2nd best Gopher team of all time only behind the 78-79 national championship team. Just the fact that the game was right in our backyard makes it that much worse.
Yeah, that 1989 loss was rough. 4th straight Frozen Four and an absolutely stacked team. I was crushed.
In the end, they were a great team to watch for my last season of in-person games at Mariucci (moving south in about 4 weeks). Rest assured, I will figure out a way to watch all games and still attend the Frozen Four as I have for 30 of the last 35 years.
Hard to say which one for me was harder. 1989 was my first in-person, and it was tough to take with the Skarda Pipe and then the OT goal. This one was tough because I sat there and saw the team change the way they played in the middle of the 2nd period to a version of the game they hadn't played all year. Didn't make sense and didn't seem to fit them against a team that had speed and could clog things up. I really wish I understood why the change was made, even though I am fully aware that Q stepped things up, so it certainly isn't one sided.@mnstate0fhockey I put this one tied with 81 but nothing has been or will ever be as hard as the 89 teams loss to Harvard.
I have them ranked as the 2nd best Gopher team of all time only behind the 78-79 national championship team. Just the fact that the game was right in our backyard makes it that much worse.
Yeah, that 1989 loss was rough. 4th straight Frozen Four and an absolutely stacked team. I was crushed.
In the end, they were a great team to watch for my last season of in-person games at Mariucci (moving south in about 4 weeks). Rest assured, I will figure out a way to watch all games and still attend the Frozen Four as I have for 30 of the last 35 years.
BTN+ hockey only package worked great for me! Only $59/year and gets you most of all B10 men’s and women’s games.
Young blood can be good at times but experience is the greatest teacher.
For this reason and many more Bob is clearly the right man for the job. Lets not forget he was the NCAA coach of the year this season so plenty of people think he is doing a fantastic job.
When he took over as head coach the team was coming off of a season where they were just over .500 (two of the past three seasons were just over .500). The Gophers had gone 4 straight seasons without an NCAA tournament win and had missed the NCCA tournament in two of the past three seasons.
He has been the Gopher head coach for 5 years and the team has improved every season.
Over the past three seasons the Gophers have the most NCAA tournament wins with 6.
Quinnipiac has 5
Mankato has 5
Denver has 4
U of Massachusetts has 4
U of Michigan has 4
St. Cloud has 4
Duluth has 2 (3 if you count the game that Michigan had to forfeit in the 2021 tournament due to Covid)
U of North Dakota has 1
I remember the ‘89 loss and it hurting - not enough to go rake the yard but we probably still had snow.@mnstate0fhockey I put this one tied with 81 but nothing has been or will ever be as hard as the 89 teams loss to Harvard.
I have them ranked as the 2nd best Gopher team of all time only behind the 78-79 national championship team. Just the fact that the game was right in our backyard makes it that much worse.
Yeah, that 1989 loss was rough. 4th straight Frozen Four and an absolutely stacked team. I was crushed.
Seeing the picture from Chicago of Brock’s MN bag with the stack of Wild bags was pretty cool. He seems to be an amazing young man and I wish nothing but best for him. Seeing him on the ice after the game was painful. Knowing how bad he wanted to deliver for the University, his teammates and the state you could just feel his emotion. Hopefully he gets to be in a St Paul parade someday!
Where was the photo?
Edit I found it in the Wild thread
The end of that Championship game was painful and to paraphrase Nick Hornby, "The natural state of the [Gopher's hockey] fan is bitter disappointment . . . ." I've been thinking through the various what-ifs (what if Snuggy's or Huglen's shots were on target, what if Close was able to shut the 5-hole or get his stick on the cross ice pass before the first goal was deflected in, what if the puck was iced or shot at the empty net near the end of that last penalty kill, what if the first face-off in OT hadn't gone out of play). There are lots of ways that game could have turned out differently and I'm still bitterly disappointed.
Nonetheless, this has been my favorite season of Gopher's hockey and my favorite Gopher's team. I am most bummed for the players who I really deserved the Natty this year. Us fans will get more chances -- the next two years look great and I'm sure Bob and Co. have plans to keep it going after that. But guys like Knies, Faber, and LaCombe are never going to get to win the Natty. Sad for them. Many thanks to this great group of players and coaches for such an awesome season.
I am certainly looking forward to next year and hope that Motzko will still be at them helm for a long time.
Maybe. He’s finished 2, 2, 3, 5, 5, 4 in C/WCHA. He’s made it to the conference championship 3 times but hasn’t won and hasn’t made a NCAA tournament yet.
I don’t doubt his love for the M. Maybe he’d be great. Maybe not. I’m not anti-Grant but I’m not sure he’s right today.
I love Grant Potulny, but he is nowhere near ready to lead this program. If this job were to open up, I don’t think he’d currently make the top 5 for replacements.
Bob is going nowhere. He is landing big time recruits and is one of the best coaches in the country. I don’t think the people bickering about him realize just how good the recruits he has lined up are. Cole Eiserman is a generational talent that may end up outperforming Cooley and Fantilli as freshman. You switch coaches, you open those commitments back up and risk losing them.
Let’s put the Motzko replacement talk to rest.
Anyone who is serious about replacing Motzko is detached from reality. He obviously knows how to recruit, and I like the way his teams play (except two nights ago...that was just *holds finger to head with thumb cocked* pfft.)
The problem he has right now is that he needs to get the brass ring. People will always doubt him if he doesn't, ala Doug Woog.
Counterpoint: For all the doubts about Woog that was one of the best runs of all time. If Motzko has that kind of a period of success I don't think anyone would say it wasn't worth it. Plus that means the next guy launches us to even higher heights off of that type of run 😉
(I know what you are saying and you are right just saying it wouldn't be the worst thing ever those Woog Years were fun for quite a while)
As long as we are commiserating this one was painful and about the same level as '89 for me & both were to very good hockey teams.
Losing to the effing red team in '81 still burns a hole in my gut, there is no way that gopher team should have lost that game. If I'm rating all time upsets in hockey the '81 loss rates right behind the US beating the USSR in '80.
“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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Those what-ifs can go both ways and Q has their own set if we reverse this and win 3-2.
I think what is most scary for me is just how hard it is to get to the Frozen Four and the limited # of chances you get. This is only the 2nd time they've gone back-to-back since I've started really paying attention (1996). The odds of a 3rd in a row feels slim and that makes me sad.
With the exception of 2021, I've attended every Frozen Four starting in 1996. That's 26 (no '20 or '21), the Gophers have been there 7 of those and in the title game 4. They're 6-5 in those games after starting 4-0, so 2-5 since 2003. The odds just feel so heavy right now.
On the flip side, it could be worse. While we've struggled in the tournament since the '02-'03 seasons, Michigan is actually a bit worse since their last win in 1998.
Sooner or later, some team in MN is going to beat the odds. At some point doing so just becomes odds in your favor.
We'll, I've only really paid attention to Gopher hockey since 1995, so if I have to rate the tournament losses that stick out to me:
1) 2023
2) 2014
3) 1996 -> not a FF, but that team was also special and that damn MI goal... and ultimate MI title
4) 2007 -> it's happened since, but being the first in the new format to have that #1 overall loss in game 1
5) 2005
6) 2012
I think this is the most painful loss I’ve ever witnessed in my tenure as a Gopher Hockey fan.
I still keep thinking I’m going to wake up and it will be third period and we get to do it right this time….
This one was tough because I sat there and saw the team change the way they played in the middle of the 2nd period to a version of the game they hadn't played all year. Didn't make sense and didn't seem to fit them against a team that had speed and could clog things up. I really wish I understood why the change was made, even though I am fully aware that Q stepped things up, so it certainly isn't one sided.@mnstate0fhockey I put this one tied with 81 but nothing has been or will ever be as hard as the 89 teams loss to Harvard.
I have them ranked as the 2nd best Gopher team of all time only behind the 78-79 national championship team. Just the fact that the game was right in our backyard makes it that much worse.
Yeah, that 1989 loss was rough. 4th straight Frozen Four and an absolutely stacked team. I was crushed.
I'm sure Jess will get a chance to ask this question about play at some point and I'm sure we'll get a wonderfully snarky answer about it.
Maybe. He’s finished 2, 2, 3, 5, 5, 4 in C/WCHA. He’s made it to the conference championship 3 times but hasn’t won and hasn’t made a NCAA tournament yet.
I don’t doubt his love for the M. Maybe he’d be great. Maybe not. I’m not anti-Grant but I’m not sure he’s right today.
I love Grant Potulny, but he is nowhere near ready to lead this program. If this job were to open up, I don’t think he’d currently make the top 5 for replacements.
Bob is going nowhere. He is landing big time recruits and is one of the best coaches in the country. I don’t think the people bickering about him realize just how good the recruits he has lined up are. Cole Eiserman is a generational talent that may end up outperforming Cooley and Fantilli as freshman. You switch coaches, you open those commitments back up and risk losing them.
Let’s put the Motzko replacement talk to rest.
Anyone who is serious about replacing Motzko is detached from reality. He obviously knows how to recruit, and I like the way his teams play (except two nights ago...that was just *holds finger to head with thumb cocked* pfft.)
The problem he has right now is that he needs to get the brass ring. People will always doubt him if he doesn't, ala Doug Woog.
Counterpoint: For all the doubts about Woog that was one of the best runs of all time. If Motzko has that kind of a period of success I don't think anyone would say it wasn't worth it. Plus that means the next guy launches us to even higher heights off of that type of run 😉
(I know what you are saying and you are right just saying it wouldn't be the worst thing ever those Woog Years were fun for quite a while)
I loved the Wooger era teams. How much of a thing was junior hockey back in the Woog era? I don't remember 21-year-old freshmen playing at the U, and it seems to me Wooger's teams were always true to their class.
It was sure different back then. The fightin' hawks team I think was down for a while, MI State was a rivalry, LSSU won a title or two, the Badgers were consistently strong, St. Lawrence had good teams, lots of Canadians etc.
Maybe. He’s finished 2, 2, 3, 5, 5, 4 in C/WCHA. He’s made it to the conference championship 3 times but hasn’t won and hasn’t made a NCAA tournament yet.
I don’t doubt his love for the M. Maybe he’d be great. Maybe not. I’m not anti-Grant but I’m not sure he’s right today.
I love Grant Potulny, but he is nowhere near ready to lead this program. If this job were to open up, I don’t think he’d currently make the top 5 for replacements.
Bob is going nowhere. He is landing big time recruits and is one of the best coaches in the country. I don’t think the people bickering about him realize just how good the recruits he has lined up are. Cole Eiserman is a generational talent that may end up outperforming Cooley and Fantilli as freshman. You switch coaches, you open those commitments back up and risk losing them.
Let’s put the Motzko replacement talk to rest.
Anyone who is serious about replacing Motzko is detached from reality. He obviously knows how to recruit, and I like the way his teams play (except two nights ago...that was just *holds finger to head with thumb cocked* pfft.)
The problem he has right now is that he needs to get the brass ring. People will always doubt him if he doesn't, ala Doug Woog.
Counterpoint: For all the doubts about Woog that was one of the best runs of all time. If Motzko has that kind of a period of success I don't think anyone would say it wasn't worth it. Plus that means the next guy launches us to even higher heights off of that type of run 😉
(I know what you are saying and you are right just saying it wouldn't be the worst thing ever those Woog Years were fun for quite a while)
I loved the Wooger era teams. How much of a thing was junior hockey back in the Woog era? I don't remember 21-year-old freshmen playing at the U, and it seems to me Wooger's teams were always true to their class.
It was sure different back then. The fightin' hawks team I think was down for a while, MI State was a rivalry, LSSU won a title or two, the Badgers were consistently strong, St. Lawrence had good teams, lots of Canadians etc.
I missed the best of the Woog years. Started attending in 95-96 and that was his last great team. It wasn't until Lucia I finally got a Frozen Four.
Maybe. He’s finished 2, 2, 3, 5, 5, 4 in C/WCHA. He’s made it to the conference championship 3 times but hasn’t won and hasn’t made a NCAA tournament yet.
I don’t doubt his love for the M. Maybe he’d be great. Maybe not. I’m not anti-Grant but I’m not sure he’s right today.
I love Grant Potulny, but he is nowhere near ready to lead this program. If this job were to open up, I don’t think he’d currently make the top 5 for replacements.
Bob is going nowhere. He is landing big time recruits and is one of the best coaches in the country. I don’t think the people bickering about him realize just how good the recruits he has lined up are. Cole Eiserman is a generational talent that may end up outperforming Cooley and Fantilli as freshman. You switch coaches, you open those commitments back up and risk losing them.
Let’s put the Motzko replacement talk to rest.
Anyone who is serious about replacing Motzko is detached from reality. He obviously knows how to recruit, and I like the way his teams play (except two nights ago...that was just *holds finger to head with thumb cocked* pfft.)
The problem he has right now is that he needs to get the brass ring. People will always doubt him if he doesn't, ala Doug Woog.
Counterpoint: For all the doubts about Woog that was one of the best runs of all time. If Motzko has that kind of a period of success I don't think anyone would say it wasn't worth it. Plus that means the next guy launches us to even higher heights off of that type of run 😉
(I know what you are saying and you are right just saying it wouldn't be the worst thing ever those Woog Years were fun for quite a while)
I loved the Wooger era teams. How much of a thing was junior hockey back in the Woog era? I don't remember 21-year-old freshmen playing at the U, and it seems to me Wooger's teams were always true to their class.
It was sure different back then. The fightin' hawks team I think was down for a while, MI State was a rivalry, LSSU won a title or two, the Badgers were consistently strong, St. Lawrence had good teams, lots of Canadians etc.
Juniors was a thing...Woog was just hardcore against it. (he agreed with Mariucci) He was also not a fan of Shattuck...
While I didn't watch back then my dad did so I heard about it a lot. He had press credentials due to a small radio show he had and he often reported on HS sports (even interviewed Bonins Dad at the State tourny once!) and he was always bugged by how Woog was too set in his ways.
Those what-ifs can go both ways and Q has their own set if we reverse this and win 3-2.
I think what is most scary for me is just how hard it is to get to the Frozen Four and the limited # of chances you get. This is only the 2nd time they've gone back-to-back since I've started really paying attention (1996). The odds of a 3rd in a row feels slim and that makes me sad.
With the exception of 2021, I've attended every Frozen Four starting in 1996. That's 26 (no '20 or '21), the Gophers have been there 7 of those and in the title game 4. They're 6-5 in those games after starting 4-0, so 2-5 since 2003. The odds just feel so heavy right now.
On the flip side, it could be worse. While we've struggled in the tournament since the '02-'03 seasons, Michigan is actually a bit worse since their last win in 1998.
Sooner or later, some team in MN is going to beat the odds. At some point doing so just becomes odds in your favor.
They went to four straight in the 80’s (86-89), so it isn’t out of the realm of possibility for a program like Minnesota if we’re recruiting well (and Bob is). I think we’ll be back again with a great shot to win it all in the next several years.
@jwg NMU is not an easy place to coach anymore as living in the UP is not super exciting to many of these kids. He has done a great job considering the elements. Scott Beatie and Dallas Drake are not the kind of recruits that are going to NMU anymore.
@streakygopher The Wooger era of college hockey was a little different. One difference back in the 80's especially the 89 team had 2 returning Olympic players in Dave Snuggerud and Tom Chorske.
We did have some players that played junior hockey but most of our players were straight out of high school and from Minnesota and this would cause the Wooger's downfall a few years later.
Our team was did not have all of the defections like they have today because the $ was not as good back then on the NHL entry level contract like they have today. After the 89 season we lost Snuggy, Skarda, Stauber and Chorske as they all had remaining another year.
The only thing I am going to say further about a current coaching change. Remember Doug Woog replaced a coach in Brad Beutow who won 32 games and came within 1 game of going to his 3rd final(frozen) four in 6 years.
@streakygopher The Wooger era of college hockey was a little different. One difference back in the 80's especially the 89 team had 2 returning Olympic players in Dave Snuggerud and Tom Chorske.
We did have some players that played junior hockey but most of our players were straight out of high school and from Minnesota and this would cause the Wooger's downfall a few years later.
Our team was did not have all of the defections like they have today because the $ was not as good back then on the NHL entry level contract like they have today. After the 89 season we lost Snuggy, Skarda, Stauber and Chorske as they all had remaining another year.
The only thing I am going to say further about a current coaching change. Remember Doug Woog replaced a coach in Brad Beutow who won 32 games and came within 1 game of going to his 3rd final(frozen) four in 6 years.
The Gophers have a generational talent in Cole Eiserman committed to Minnesota under Motzko. Changing coaches may make him reconsider that commitment. That alone, let alone the myriad of other logical reasons, makes a coaching change an absolute non-starter for me. I am honestly surprised it is even being discussed.
And if we did make a change, Potulny wouldn’t be someone I would even consider right now.
We need to be careful about why a coaching change. It's a rumor based on Bob retiring, not on the U wanting a change. We all agree losing Bob would not be good right now, but it's something that supposedly is based on Bob's desire - not anyone else's.
Well, we all mostly agree losing Bob would not be good. Some of the stupidity in the socialverse following Saturday's game has to be ignored.
I don’t see the rush with Brodzinski and Nelson. Both are 22. If Bob is offering a 5th year, which it sounds like he is, I don’t see why they shouldn’t both take him up on that offer.
Yea, Brodz and Nelson aren't going to be long-term NHLers (I don't think) so I'd agree unless it creates an issue for incoming recruits.
("Brodz sucks" 😉 )
Really just depends on the needs for next year at forward, IDK how many available slots there are vs forwards for sure coming in next year etc. Not sure if Cooley decision affects anything either.
I definitely wouldn’t be opposed to Nelson returning, Brodzinski… not as excited about that idea.
I have most definitely changed over the years in terms of my reactions. I was gutted after the loss to MI in 96 and BU in 95, but got over this year pretty quickly. Hated the loss, was furious afterwards but was able to move on.
This comes mainly from the fact that I had a close up and personal experience watching a family member participate in a similar event with a similar outcome in recent years. Seeing the impact of losing that game on the players makes me realize that as a fan I'm feeling a mere fraction of what they are going through. I have no issue with fans being upset, disappointed, or feeling whatever it is they are feeling but for me, when I think about the players and everything they have sacrificed to get there and to come so close? My heart just breaks for them and my own personal disappointment disappears.
No judgment on anyone here. We are all allowed our own time and means to grieve, but at this stage in my life, I feel worst for the players themselves. Especially those that may never have a chance to play in a meaningful game the rest of their life. The great news is that these players really seemed to care about one another (kudos to Bob for helping create that environment) and those friendships will stay with them the rest of their lives. In 2043, when they have a reunion they won't lament the loss but rather will celebrate the season, the friendships and the lives they have led since that day.
Congrats on a great season and great careers for those moving on.
As for Bob, I hope he comes back. But if he chooses to move on, I wish him nothing but the best. He's done a great job here and brought the team back to where we all hoped it would be when he took over.
See everyone next year.
Really just depends on the needs for next year at forward, IDK how many available slots there are vs forwards for sure coming in next year etc. Not sure if Cooley decision affects anything either.
I definitely wouldn’t be opposed to Nelson returning, Brodzinski… not as excited about that idea.
You’re not excited about returning 19 goals?? And we are looking pretty thin up front numbers wise so it would be sweet to return the whole 2nd 3rd and 4th line.
Who from this team could people see hitting the portal? If Close returns for a 5th year I would assume Bartoskziewicz enters, and I wouldn’t blame him. Pinoniemi maybe if he wants to be a top 9 player somewhere else. Only name on defense I could entertain would be Fish but I think he’ll play good minutes next year so I don’t see that happening. We shouldn’t have a surprise Tristan Broz like last year.
Really just depends on the needs for next year at forward, IDK how many available slots there are vs forwards for sure coming in next year etc. Not sure if Cooley decision affects anything either.
I definitely wouldn’t be opposed to Nelson returning, Brodzinski… not as excited about that idea.
You’re not excited about returning 19 goals?? And we are looking pretty thin up front numbers wise so it would be sweet to return the whole 2nd 3rd and 4th line.
The Brodz hate in prior years was interesting, it's really waned this year especially as the season progressed. I don't get it, he's one of my favorite players. This weird dislike or relentless criticism of him is where my "Brodz sucks" line comes from. I pull it out for every goal and 19 isn't too shabby. He almost led the team in goals and if he'd kept pace through the entire playoffs may have.
I'd love to have him back. But I'll also be glad when this darn 5th year eligibility is over. Q doesn't have the team they do without it.
If Cooley (and Snuggerud, I guess as well) are back, which player replaces Knies?
Really just depends on the needs for next year at forward, IDK how many available slots there are vs forwards for sure coming in next year etc. Not sure if Cooley decision affects anything either.
I definitely wouldn’t be opposed to Nelson returning, Brodzinski… not as excited about that idea.
I would like his 19 goals on this team next year.
