Or included UND along with the Gophers with 2 random teams. Crosd your fingers both UND & Minnesota win or atleast one wins to be in the championship every year.
Or included UND along with the Gophers with 2 random teams. Crosd your fingers both UND & Minnesota win or atleast one wins to be in the championship every year.
yeah the problem is the number of teams. You could feasibly make “pods” of the mn teams (north: umd, SCSU, bsu; south: mn, ust, Kato) and then the top two play for the title at the x with a “showcase” game along with it (hockey day mn?). Don’t like including und for that reason in that this is supposed to be mn hockey rather than just tend we enjoy seeing on the schedule and organizers want to use to make money. Really think the random selection of teams hurts and now you can sell it as a best in mn tournament
The University has stepped up its advertising and promotions for special events, and I'd much rather see good East coast teams come in than teams like Mankato, St. Thomas, SCSU, and even UMD. They could pack the X with good out-state teams.
I think if it became a yearly thing you’d see more fans from all the fanbases travel. I just don’t believe Michigan and Connecticut can pull off an in-state tourney and we can’t.
Do you mean Massachusetts, not Connecticut? Unless, I'm missing a tourney in Connecticut.
Connecticut does have a in state tourney with The Q, Sacred Heart, Yale and UConn
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The University has stepped up its advertising and promotions for special events, and I'd much rather see good East coast teams come in than teams like Mankato, St. Thomas, SCSU, and even UMD. They could pack the X with good out-state teams.
I agree with this 1000%. There are about 20 other college teams I would love the Gophers to play other than the same old Mn schools. Mix the Mn schools in every few years, no need to clog up our non conference schedule with them every year.
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The University has stepped up its advertising and promotions for special events, and I'd much rather see good East coast teams come in than teams like Mankato, St. Thomas, SCSU, and even UMD. They could pack the X with good out-state teams.
I agree with this 1000%. There are about 20 other college teams I would love the Gophers to play other than the same old Mn schools. Mix the Mn schools in every few years, no need to clog up our non conference schedule with them every year.
Absolutely. I'd like to see one weekend a year (maybe two weekends max) for UND and the other MN schools, then fill out the rest of the non-con schedule with an assortment from around the country. Yes, I know we only had 2 weekends last season, but, one is fine most years, with an occasional doubling up of that batch of teams.
Yes, I know that the U has a hard time getting good non-conference opponents due to the historical insistence on 2 for 1s, but maybe that can change and we can just agree to "yes, UNH (or Maine, Cornell, WMU, whomever), we'll come there for a weekend in the '27 season, you come here for a weekend the next season, then we both move on"
The University has stepped up its advertising and promotions for special events, and I'd much rather see good East coast teams come in than teams like Mankato, St. Thomas, SCSU, and even UMD. They could pack the X with good out-state teams.
good east coast teams are not going to do this unless there’s reciprocal travel. I also don’t think you’d sell out the x unless the tickets are dirt cheap as their fans are not looking at St. Paul as a great travel destination so you’re only selling here. Lower bowl yeah you probably can sell out (like for ust).
id much rather play those teams (love our schedule having du and bc this year) but you’re not going to make a tournament of it here every year with the cream of the crop, though I’d imagine something like that would work in college hockey if someone wanted to put it on (like the pre conference season basketball tournaments).
If you want any legitimate east coast teams, it going to come with a weekend the following year. And Minnesota schools want the same... get a series on their campus.
I know this is scope creep but what if they made it 8 teams over 3 days --- all teams guaranteed 3 games. Use both the X and Mariucci so no morning games.
Minny, SCSU, Kato, UMD, Bemidji, St. Thomas, Augustana, NoDak --- or rotate a couple eastern schools and/or Denver. Gets everyone some exposure.
Minny gets to play at least 2 Minnesota schools - opens up the schedule for other non-conf opponents.
I know this is scope creep but what if they made it 8 teams over 3 days --- all teams guaranteed 3 games. Use both the X and Mariucci so no morning games.
Minny, SCSU, Kato, UMD, Bemidji, St. Thomas, Augustana, NoDak --- or rotate a couple eastern schools and/or Denver. Gets everyone some exposure.
Minny gets to play at least 2 Minnesota schools - opens up the schedule for other non-conf opponents.
Maybe over Thanksgiving or other Holiday.
That likely wouldn't work, it would leave all of the teams trying to find another single non-conference game to play.
I remember during the Bjugstad-Rau years when a highly ranked BC team came to town. Wasn't that during the Christmas break? That game was packed and the place was jumpin'.
I remember during the Bjugstad-Rau years when a highly ranked BC team came to town. Wasn't that during the Christmas break? That game was packed and the place was jumpin'.
Definitely during Christmas break. We had tickets to see Elf at The Ordway so I (and YE) missed the game but followed on our phones. Was fun to watch the recording!
“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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Another far fetched idea for a NSCC. The Gophers host at Mariucci. UMD is a staple and SCSU/St. Thomas and Kato/Bemidji rotate every other year. To make it more of incentive to host the Gophers. If they win the NSCC, they can host the Gophers the next season for a 1 and 2 game series. If Minnesota wins the NSCC, it just rotates between the 5 teams to host the Gophers for a 1 or 2 game series.
Another far fetched idea for a NSCC. The Gophers host at Mariucci. UMD is a staple and SCSU/St. Thomas and Kato/Bemidji rotate every other year. To make it more of incentive to host the Gophers. If they win the NSCC, they can host the Gophers the next season for a 1 and 2 game series. If Minnesota wins the NSCC, it just rotates between the 5 teams to host the Gophers for a 1 or 2 game series.
Maybe the fans of those teams would attend but definitely not my cup of tea.
The St. Thomas game at the X was well attended but that was the beginning for UST and the game was well promoted. After a few years this will go the way of a purple cow match-up for Gophers fans.
I could care less about a MN tournament, doesn't really interest me. I'd rather see a Blue Blood Classic, rotate between the different sites every 4 years (MN, MI, BC, BU).
I could care less about a MN tournament, doesn't really interest me. I'd rather see a Blue Blue Classic, rotate between the different sites every 4 years (MN, MI, BC, BU).
a blue blood/invitational tourney would be an absolute dream scenario. Rotating sites and travel become problematic as well as bc and bu already being conference foes and beanpot teams. You’d maybe have better luck with und and du which would also be super fun and continue to enhance the already heated Michigan rivalry
I could care less about a MN tournament, doesn't really interest me. I'd rather see a Blue Blue Classic, rotate between the different sites every 4 years (MN, MI, BC, BU).
a blue blood/invitational tourney would be an absolute dream scenario. Rotating sites and travel become problematic as well as bc and bu already being conference foes and beanpot teams. You’d maybe have better luck with und and du which would also be super fun and continue to enhance the already heated Michigan rivalry
If you're rotating sites every year (year 1 @ BC, year 2 @ Mariucci, year 3 @ BU, year 4 @ Yost), why would travel be problematic? As for your concern about conference matchups, run it like they used to run the Big 10 Hockey Showcase back in the old days, where the eastern schools play the western schools (BU v MN and BC v MI on day one, and BC v MN and BU v MI on day two), and you avoid conference matchups.
Tact is the ability to step on a man's toes without messing up the shine on his shoes - Harry S Truman
I won't apologize but I like the idea of a Minnesota tournament of some kind. Why not have a Beanpot type tournament each year to showcase the college teams in the state. Rotate it to each teams rink to switch things up and make a fun travel weekend. Play the damn thing during the week like the Beanpot if you want/need to! I think that the teams in this state have all been pretty competitive on the national level in the last decade so it won't be like beating up on little brother each year. Though teams may have off years like UMD did this past season but what team won't go through something like that?
While I don't think it's necessary to have Minnesota schools on the schedule each year you can satisfy that with having this tournament every year. Bragging rights for the state. I'm for it...even though I may be alone in that thought.
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I could care less about a MN tournament, doesn't really interest me. I'd rather see a Blue Blue Classic, rotate between the different sites every 4 years (MN, MI, BC, BU).
a blue blood/invitational tourney would be an absolute dream scenario. Rotating sites and travel become problematic as well as bc and bu already being conference foes and beanpot teams. You’d maybe have better luck with und and du which would also be super fun and continue to enhance the already heated Michigan rivalry
If you're rotating sites every year (year 1 @ BC, year 2 @ Mariucci, year 3 @ BU, year 4 @ Yost), why would travel be problematic? As for your concern about conference matchups, run it like they used to run the Big 10 Hockey Showcase back in the old days, where the eastern schools play the western schools (BU v MN and BC v MI on day one, and BC v MN and BU v MI on day two), and you avoid conference matchups.
got it so you're just saying as "showcase" games rather than a "tournament".
Travel I mean as far as fans but if you're doing it as a showcase, then I suppose it works better (rather than if the host team loses the first game and is out).
I won't apologize but I like the idea of a Minnesota tournament of some kind. Why not have a Beanpot type tournament each year to showcase the college teams in the state. Rotate it to each teams rink to switch things up and make a fun travel weekend. Play the damn thing during the week like the Beanpot if you want/need to! I think that the teams in this state have all been pretty competitive on the national level in the last decade so it won't be like beating up on little brother each year. Though teams may have off years like UMD did this past season but what team won't go through something like that?
While I don't think it's necessary to have Minnesota schools on the schedule each year you can satisfy that with having this tournament every year. Bragging rights for the state. I'm for it...even though I may be alone in that thought.
i'm for it (3 team pools with 2 games there and one title game for a total of 3 games per team). Would prop up tradition and we'd actually end up playing less MN teams than we have historically. 6 last year, 4 the year prior, 4 the year prior, etc.
Can keep pools the same and rotate the host site of the 3 with the final (and add a HS showcase game prior) played in the Cities.
Then you don't schedule any other games vs the MN teams
Why not have a Beanpot type tournament each year to showcase the college teams in the state.
It was a good idea, but it's been tried, and failed to get interest.
This could work for a MN tournament:
Make it the last weekend of the regular season each year. Host it downtown St. Paul. Three days of hockey (Thursday, Friday, Saturday). Invite four other teams each year (rotate one out). Call it the Final five. 🤣🤣🤣
Before you all get your undies in a bunch, take a deep breath. This is a facetious post. 😁
Why not have a Beanpot type tournament each year to showcase the college teams in the state.
It was a good idea, but it's been tried, and failed to get interest.
The Beanpot is basically 4 teams in Boston. It would be like the Gophers, St. Thomas, Bethel and Hamline playing in a tournament. As @steve-mn stated, it had good intentions, just couldn’t get interest from the 4 other programs besides the sides. It’s all about money, and the 4 other programs, now 5 are looking out for themselves and how they can balance the budget.
I could care less about a MN tournament, doesn't really interest me. I'd rather see a Blue Blue Classic, rotate between the different sites every 4 years (MN, MI, BC, BU).
a blue blood/invitational tourney would be an absolute dream scenario. Rotating sites and travel become problematic as well as bc and bu already being conference foes and beanpot teams. You’d maybe have better luck with und and du which would also be super fun and continue to enhance the already heated Michigan rivalry
If you're rotating sites every year (year 1 @ BC, year 2 @ Mariucci, year 3 @ BU, year 4 @ Yost), why would travel be problematic? As for your concern about conference matchups, run it like they used to run the Big 10 Hockey Showcase back in the old days, where the eastern schools play the western schools (BU v MN and BC v MI on day one, and BC v MN and BU v MI on day two), and you avoid conference matchups.
got it so you're just saying as "showcase" games rather than a "tournament".
Travel I mean as far as fans but if you're doing it as a showcase, then I suppose it works better (rather than if the host team loses the first game and is out).
Could do a tournament with a 3rd place game, that way each team gets two games and you have a champion. And my original post meant to say blue blood, not blue blue.
Third place games suck neither the teams nor fans care...
Honestly mid season tournies were never that great to attend. Much preferred the College Hockey Showcase to the Marriucci Classic.
On another note the first game I ever saw at Mariucci was against BC. Gophers had a 4 goal lead erased and #1 BC forced OT and Nate Miller sent us all back to the dorms happy! BTW the schedule to start the year: @Maine, UND at home BC at home. That was 3 of the Frozen Four including the defending champs (Maine) and the future champs. (UND) Oh and BC won the next year. After that it was @CC followed by @WI.
I know it’s pointless and too early but interested on people’s thoughts. If we are done with adding players for next year what is the line chart?
It’s May and I’m bored so here goes nothing.
Ziemer Ludtke Lamb
Hendy Pahlsson Mooney
Townsend Clark Kvasnicka
Falloon J. Mitts Pritchard
Moore
No clue on defense. Mind you I’m just a foolish fan that has to tell himself not to yell “shoooot!” on the PP. So I know very little about the actual Xs and Os of hockey. I’m pretty sure I put wingers on the wings and centers at the center. But what I really wanted to do, especially for the top two lines, was to put a “terrier” with a puck handler/playmaking facilitator with a true blue scorer. I think I did that well enough but let me know what y’all think. I don’t care if the season is four and a half months away. I love this kind of off season chatter.
Not sure Mooney is a center at the college level. He definitely isn’t a center at the NHL level, so his NHL team that drafts him probably sees no use in playing him there. Just my thoughts.
Also I looked up some Lincoln line charts from a few years ago and it looks like Ludtke played a lot of center in juniors. He didn’t his freshman year at Omaha because they returned two veteran centers and Ludtke wasn’t gonna play bottom 6.
Not sure Mooney is a center at the college level. He definitely isn’t a center at the NHL level, so his NHL team that drafts him probably sees no use in playing him there. Just my thoughts.
Also I looked up some Lincoln line charts from a few years ago and it looks like Ludtke played a lot of center in juniors. He didn’t his freshman year at Omaha because they returned two veteran centers and Ludtke wasn’t gonna play bottom 6.
If Mooney can play center at the college level, I don't think his team will complain. This team does need centers. I'd love to see an NHL GM give an angry call to Motzko about it and say, "No, you can't do that!"
One thing’s for sure: there is a clear need for a RHD. Now that the portal is out of the question it’s pretty obvious that this has to be CHL.
Pretty interesting that Rud didn’t enter the portal. Is he anticipating playing time?
big ten perks and possible revenue sharing are more than he would be likely to get anywhere else. I’d gladly be a practice squad player in that environment
Not sure Mooney is a center at the college level. He definitely isn’t a center at the NHL level, so his NHL team that drafts him probably sees no use in playing him there. Just my thoughts.
Also I looked up some Lincoln line charts from a few years ago and it looks like Ludtke played a lot of center in juniors. He didn’t his freshman year at Omaha because they returned two veteran centers and Ludtke wasn’t gonna play bottom 6.
Serious question - should we worry about where a kid’s potential NHL team may or may not play him or focus on what is best for us in the present time based on our needs and how they perform at the college level? Ooc, how much pull do NHL teams have to dictate a kids development path in college?
Not sure Mooney is a center at the college level. He definitely isn’t a center at the NHL level, so his NHL team that drafts him probably sees no use in playing him there. Just my thoughts.
Also I looked up some Lincoln line charts from a few years ago and it looks like Ludtke played a lot of center in juniors. He didn’t his freshman year at Omaha because they returned two veteran centers and Ludtke wasn’t gonna play bottom 6.
Serious question - should we worry about where a kid’s potential NHL team may or may not play him or focus on what is best for us in the present time based on our needs and how they perform at the college level? Ooc, how much pull do NHL teams have to dictate a kids development path in college?
As with most things it’s a little give and take. Coaching is as much a relationships business as it’s ever been so coaches who develop good reps with NHL teams and agents have the best shot at landing high end recruits, keeping high end players an extra year, and such.
Not saying Buffalo’s GM could march down to Mariucci and say this is where I want Ziemer in the lineup but NHL teams definitely stay in contact with Bob throughout the year.
Now that it’s been roughly two months and the dust has settled I’m curious what people’s thoughts are on this past season. In particular with how it ended. I was just watching some highlights from the team this year and there were so many games where they were hard on pucks, their passing was crisp, they were clinical and their talent shined through. Obviously we know that there were games when that absolutely didn’t happen. I’m just curious as what people think went so wrong the last month plus, really a decent amount of the back half, of the season and how/why a team that seemed like it was built top to bottom for college hockey got bounced in the first round.
Now that it’s been roughly two months and the dust has settled I’m curious what people’s thoughts are on this past season. In particular with how it ended. I was just watching some highlights from the team this year and there were so many games where they were hard on pucks, their passing was crisp, they were clinical and their talent shined through. Obviously we know that there were games when that absolutely didn’t happen. I’m just curious as what people think went so wrong the last month plus, really a decent amount of the back half, of the season and how/why a team that seemed like it was built top to bottom for college hockey got bounced in the first round.
I think at the end of the regular season the Gopher players were distracted by the NHL who were offering contracts to the seniors on the team and contracts to the other top skilled players on the team
Now that it’s been roughly two months and the dust has settled I’m curious what people’s thoughts are on this past season. In particular with how it ended. I was just watching some highlights from the team this year and there were so many games where they were hard on pucks, their passing was crisp, they were clinical and their talent shined through. Obviously we know that there were games when that absolutely didn’t happen. I’m just curious as what people think went so wrong the last month plus, really a decent amount of the back half, of the season and how/why a team that seemed like it was built top to bottom for college hockey got bounced in the first round.
because a 1 and done atmosphere lends itself to this kind of thing. Bounces, missed/non-calls, weird circumstances like a goalie being forced to come off, and a team executing on their chances all can bounce better teams (see Michigan State for another prime example). Part of what makes winning one special, but also part why its super hard to judge purely based on titles now as you absolutely need some luck to win one (WMU easily could've lost to any of MSU, Umass, or DU as well which the stats back up) and this gets amplified in a sport where the game totals are lower (compared with basketball or even football where more points/scoring plays happen
What went wrong the last month plus (I assume you're meaning predominantly the ND B10 tourney series), insert same. Execution was poor in finishing chances (series xG was 10.1-5, edge to MN), Soulie gifted ND two goals in game 1, and ND played their best hockey when it mattered and had a hot goalie (there's a reason they only lost 1-0 to MSU in the next round). We otherwise lost to a red hot PSU team in OT on the road, Michigan in OT on the road, and lost in a shootout to Michigan on the road (going 5-2-1) prior to that. Think many of felt this team had "more" and truthfully they probably did, just never seemed to be able to get all the lines going at the same time like they did early in the season (though that is to be expected as there was no way you were going to see Kurth and Clark continuing on as 2ppg players).
Its a game that punishes you for mistakes and it can be hard to overcome them when you "point" totals are low. The best teams just have more margin as they have more talent on it. Our margin was lower this year than say 2022-23 but even that team still lost 10 games (vs our 11 this year). Another good, not great year where you knew it was going to take some of that luck for them to win the FF and it went about as opposite of that in postseason play as you could imagine.
Now that it’s been roughly two months and the dust has settled I’m curious what people’s thoughts are on this past season. In particular with how it ended. I was just watching some highlights from the team this year and there were so many games where they were hard on pucks, their passing was crisp, they were clinical and their talent shined through. Obviously we know that there were games when that absolutely didn’t happen. I’m just curious as what people think went so wrong the last month plus, really a decent amount of the back half, of the season and how/why a team that seemed like it was built top to bottom for college hockey got bounced in the first round.
I just watched the 3rd period of the UMASS game again. I realize blaming the refs is for losers, but c'mon. On goal 2 Mittlestadt got mugged behind the net. First he's tripped, then on the way down he's cross checked in the head. Then there's the goalie equip kerfuffle that ends with goal 3. Then the OT. Pretty tough to overcome all that when it's so blatant.
That being said, for some reason this team lost steam coming down the stretch. After seeing so many guys leave after the season it makes me wonder if some were thinking about where they want to be next year rather than the task at hand?
I don't think for 1 minute that players had 1 foot out the door. Winning a college national championship is special, and I guarantee that every one of them wanted to win one. To be part of that club, is something that will last forever. Just look at the 02-03 teams.
Look at the emotion that Snuggy and Moore, to name 2, had on the ice after the loss. The people that were in the building after the game can attest the emotion the players showed after the game when they came out to greet their parents in the entry.
You can say they underachieved, but I don't think it was because they were looking ahead. Stuff happens and things just didn't go their way. There were a bunch of little things that they could have done, or bounces that could have gone their way that didn't. Onward to October.
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I just watched the 3rd period of the UMASS game again. I realize blaming the refs is for losers, but c'mon. On goal 2 Mittlestadt got mugged behind the net. First he's tripped, then on the way down he's cross checked in the head. Then there's the goalie equip kerfuffle that ends with goal 3. Then the OT. Pretty tough to overcome all that when it's so blatant.
That being said, for some reason this team lost steam coming down the stretch. After seeing so many guys leave after the season it makes me wonder if some were thinking about where they want to be next year rather than the task at hand?
Main issue against ND was goalies gifting goals and the offense not being able to generate opportunities in the home plate area. I think the latter was mainly due to a lack of players like Knies, Nelson, or even Kyle Rau. As such you had a lot of perimeter play and not much to show for it offensively. Against UMass you had the ref screw job including the goalie equipment thing as well as somewhat of a late game letdown (though UMass was a good team). They scored enough to win a playoff game imo but Souliere was kinda mid though to be fair so was UMass goalie. I do think the issues this team had against Notre Dame probably would’ve showed up against WMU.
We’ve talked about goaltending in the past, ideally this team would land the NHL level goalies this state produces especially now that NIL is a thing. As good as Close was it seemed like he got outplayed by the goalies of Michigan, BU, and the Cows in the big games though it wasn’t entirely on him. While I thought Moore made decent progress and at times looked like the best player on the ice he wasn’t the super star that Cooley was, you’re not gonna have a player like that every year but the way this team tends to play and recruit (teams that play a more open offensive oriented style) you kinda need a player like that to reach contender status. And then having some net front grinders to break down the defense helps a lot. In the NHL this is partly why Florida is more successful than teams like the Caps or Carolina.
I just watched the 3rd period of the UMASS game again. I realize blaming the refs is for losers, but c'mon. On goal 2 Mittlestadt got mugged behind the net. First he's tripped, then on the way down he's cross checked in the head. Then there's the goalie equip kerfuffle that ends with goal 3. Then the OT. Pretty tough to overcome all that when it's so blatant.
That being said, for some reason this team lost steam coming down the stretch. After seeing so many guys leave after the season it makes me wonder if some were thinking about where they want to be next year rather than the task at hand?
Soy un perdedor
Refs who are so bad they get taken off a game is a pretty good counterpoint haha. Also B1G refs who should be reffing WWE instead make some games an absolute chore to watch, you’re more likely to get a call in the third overtime of an NHL game 7 than you would from some of those guys.
