Rinzel and Thomas number switched make sense cause they’re both what they wore in high school but man it always sucks when you gotta retrain your brain to associate a new number with a player😂
Rinzel and Thomas number switched make sense cause they’re both what they wore in high school but man it always sucks when you gotta retrain your brain to associate a new number with a player😂
Wait until you're old and have to do that with every player every year. 🤣
Yeah I guess I am a get off my lawn too since I do NOT care for the skating goldie as a logo. Big M, gophers, the old tough looking gopher, just about anything else. I wouldn't buy it but not trying to rain on the parade of buyers. On a hockey note, now are we feeling about filling the big holes (size and leadership) of Nelson and Brodzinski? A dynamic duo for the past couple years and Nelson pretty much carried the team through the playoff run. Do we have that guy this year? Can Snuggy do that?
Yeah I guess I am a get off my lawn too since I do NOT care for the skating goldie as a logo. Big M, gophers, the old tough looking gopher, just about anything else. I wouldn't buy it but not trying to rain on the parade of buyers. On a hockey note, now are we feeling about filling the big holes (size and leadership) of Nelson and Brodzinski? A dynamic duo for the past couple years and Nelson pretty much carried the team through the playoff run. Do we have that guy this year? Can Snuggy do that?
I think the team will have success for different reasons than replacing Nelson, Brodz, Pitlick.
They will have more production from the bottom 6, and a better Power Play.
Yeah I guess I am a get off my lawn too since I do NOT care for the skating goldie as a logo. Big M, gophers, the old tough looking gopher, just about anything else. I wouldn't buy it but not trying to rain on the parade of buyers. On a hockey note, now are we feeling about filling the big holes (size and leadership) of Nelson and Brodzinski? A dynamic duo for the past couple years and Nelson pretty much carried the team through the playoff run. Do we have that guy this year? Can Snuggy do that?
I think the team will have success for different reasons than replacing Nelson, Brodz, Pitlick.
They will have more production from the bottom 6, and a better Power Play.
Id also add being better defensively (the whole d core is back) and a little more dynamic off the rush across multiple lines. Theres a reason Bob is high on this group
Agreed, I feel like gopher dmen are typically at their best in year 3.
Idk the center depth of the team because idk what positions the new guys play but assuming that’s not an issue the team should be fine. Didn’t realize wood was a winger but I’m sure he’ll be fine whatever position he plays. Curious to see if Moore improves in playmaking ability.
Telling his father was a bit more of a challenge, Gruba joked. Tony’s college arch-rivals wore that Gopher ‘M’ and Minnesota ended the elder Gruba’s college career in 1994, beating SCSU in overtime of the WCHA playoff title game in Milwaukee. Leo recalled, with a smile, that as a youth hockey player he was instructed to switch from number 4 to number 5, because Tony felt that yelling “Go Four!” sounded too much like “Gopher!”
While being buoyed about the teams potential is understandable…after two decades + one…NOBODY cares if they win 30 games…unless they win their last 4 games too. Being KINGS of the Regular Season…means Jack-Squat (at this juncture).
Meh, we all (not you lol) want to see them win that and can also acknowledge that the tourney has a stupid format that doesn’t exactly increase the likelihood of the best teams winning. Personally I’d like to see this team perform be more consistent in the regular season and be better in the big ten tourney, especially if they get another home game for the final. Ideally come playoff time they’re playing their best hockey and hopefully the chips fall in their favor.
The “win a national championship or bust!” expectation is for casual fans.
Forgive him. His team finally won some titles that are more recent than Minnesota's so he thinks he's in position to hockeysplain around here. Except this is what it feels like reading him:
Can’t speak for them but the D core being slightly more experienced, improvement in Snuggy’s game, and better forward depth aren’t unrealistic expectations that result in an improved team.
I kind of agree here with trix. The D core was actually pretty good last year and should be markedly better this year. I do still feel like there are some unknowns but NOT talent wise. Leadership and cool heads/experience at certain positions but I think we are in a better situation than most teams there also. Close, Nelson, and Brodz (admit not always a fan) gave some pretty solid " we got this" type leadership last year and even the year before. Snuggy needs to seriously step up and play with some intensity as a line LEADER not the feed me the puck guy he has been at times (not that we shouldn't feed him the puck of course:). There is a goalie question no doubt but feeling OK about that combo. The rest? So many top recruits there has to be some excitement I would hope
I am very bullish on this team. Feels it was put together with intention; complementary skillsets all over the ice with the high-end talent to steal wins on nights they do not deserve it.
Goaltending is a question mark, though I would guess the floor there is adequate play. This should be a contender...no reason why they cannot be one of the nation's elite.
I don't share the optimism why you like this team so much?
100% d core. You’re returning everyone, Koster is healthier a year and you had a green Rinzel as your major pick mover who now has his year under his belt. Usually that’s a big jump year for d men as is the soph-jun transition. Bobs best teams are built from the back and that is what it takes to win in April. Then you brought in scoring in Wood, have a veteran laden middle 6 and a ton of speed on the bottom 6 to keep pressure on. Biggest question is goaltending and we have seen Souilere be very good in the past for PSU if the lights are too bright for Airey (I don’t think this will be the case, but respect to Bob for bringing him in). Actually feels quite similar to the 21-22 to 22-23 years in that we unloaded a lot of vets up front (Walker, Meyers, McLaughlin, Sorensen, Broz, Cruikshank, Lucius) but brought back so much on the blue line. I am super optimistic about Moore’s game fitting well with Snuggerud and Wood if that is the combo we get and think it will feel very similar to Knies, Cooley, Snuggerud.
so in short, a dominant top line and a veteran d core with depth scoring available all over the lineup that also plays solid defense. They may not be as blue chip as BC but they’ll be older and more physical with some difference makers across the lineup. Reminds me a lot of DU last year
I hope so because it's there's not been a great record of transfers coming here and lighting it up. Although as soon as I type that surely I'm forgetting someone. 🤣
I hope so because it's there's not been a great record of transfers coming here and lighting it up. Although as soon as I type that surely I'm forgetting someone. 🤣
In fairness, they don't bring a ton of transfers. Cruikshank was disappointing a couple of years ago, then did well at Jan. Lafontaine was a phenomenal transfer who was able to help the program by coming and going, IMO. Going back pre-portal, first name that comes to mind is Jacob Cephis -- think he did decently.
Likewise, I'm sure I'm forgetting many or may not have realized someone was a transfer.
Looking forward to seeing Moore this year - think he really matured at World Jrs last year and was much better the second half. My expectations for him were skewed greatly by Cooley the year before - which was obviously unfair. Not sure if we'll see the Moore-Wood-Snuggy but if that's how it plays out, but certainly high ceiling there.
