Is there a chance the Slukynsky boys would ever leave Western to try and get closer to home?
Next years possible defense. They will be young, less point producing but more grit.
Assuming Chesley leaves-- Thomas is TBD and a possible Rud transfer
Phillips -- Mittlestadt
Gruba --- Thomas ?
Rombach -- Whipple
Grimes -- Begley
Rud ?
Rombach, Phillips and Grimes all will be 18 when the season starts. All 3 signed their NLI.
Bob may need to bring in an experienced portal defenseman or 2 depending on Thomas and Rud. Last year they had 9 defensemen ( including Rud )
I was recently informed by a GPLer that I'm related to Airey
Would Rud transfer knowing that there are plenty of minutes available here now? Especially if Chesley flies the coup? He redshirted when he could have transferred last season.
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
As I said previously, MN HS talent is down. Maybe (maybe) 2-3 of the Mr. Hockey finalists are going somewhere where you say "could have been MN". Are we supposed to bring in the top MN talent when the top talent is a level below just to keep bringing in whatever the top talent is for optics?
The week following the season's end is always a bit on the fringe, and we'll come back to the middle with some positive news coming in eventually. But we complain the team is too much high-end NHL talent without enough grit and physical play. Then, if the recruits aren't all 1st or 2nd round NHL draft picks, we complain we're not getting high-end talent.
All I know is I've been following this team closely for 30 years, we've had a crap ton of high-end NHL talent and have 2 national titles in that timeframe to show for it. And a lot of "lesser" teams have certainly done better, especially in the 22 years since our last title (UMD closest to home).
Am I nervous about the lost talent? Yes.
Do I think we have a trusted goaltender strategy? No.
But Bob knew what was coming (and I'm sure even knew where Kurth was leaning), and his job is to prepare for it. Given he's made 5 NCAA tournaments in his 7 seasons behind the bench, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.
Is there a chance the Slukynsky boys would ever leave Western to try and get closer to home?
not that I could see. I believe UND has tried to pull them as well.
Next years possible defense. They will be young, less point producing but more grit.
Assuming Chesley leaves-- Thomas is TBD and a possible Rud transfer
Phillips -- Mittlestadt
Gruba --- Thomas ?
Rombach -- Whipple
Grimes -- Begley
Rud ?
Rombach, Phillips and Grimes all will be 18 when the season starts. All 3 signed their NLI.
Bob may need to bring in an experienced portal defenseman or 2 depending on Thomas and Rud. Last year they had 9 defensemen ( including Rud )
there anything behind Thomas leaving? He's always been listed pretty far down the prospect pool for Utah and spent a huge chunk of last year hurt. Don't see why they'd be pushing to sign him
Chesley officially gone. I guess as we suspected.
This is gonna be a wild off-season.
Not to beat a dead horse but... I was at the game on Thursday and I had a perfect angle of the ref who was on the far blue line right behind Chesley. I'm not sure if anyone has brought this up yet? But am I the only one who saw him put his arm up half way then put it back down??? Absolutely embarrassing, the NCAA should be ashamed!!
IALTO
Not sure if you could see it on tv.
IALTO
Official announcement on Chesley:
Not to beat a dead horse but... I was at the game on Thursday and I had a perfect angle of the ref who was on the far blue line right behind Chesley. I'm not sure if anyone has brought this up yet? But am I the only one who saw him put his arm up half way then put it back down??? Absolutely embarrassing, the NCAA should be ashamed!!
The NCAA was ashamed enough to remove them from the rest of the post season.
As I said previously, MN HS talent is down.
Is this expected to be a short-term trend or is something larger at play and the state is slipping backwards for producing top-end talent?
As I said previously, MN HS talent is down.
Is this expected to be a short-term trend or is something larger at play and the state is slipping backwards for producing top-end talent?
I don't follow close enough to know, and I'm basing that statement on what Bob said at a Gopher Score / meet and greet event and what I've heard anecdotally from others. Bob thought it was a two-year thing when he spoke. But then you're assuming 12–13-year-olds are going to be better/worse - and how do you know that?
Given where the 2025 Mr. Hockey award nominees are playing, he seems right. a few are Wisconsin, OSU, etc. But several are schools you wouldn't think we compete with (Mankato, WMU, etc.).
With Chesley gone, Thomas is the only remaining player who wore a letter this year. I imagine he's the captain for 25-26.
With Chesley gone, Thomas is the only remaining player who wore a letter this year. I imagine he's the captain for 25-26.
One of the five or six, at least.
Sorry - Couldn’t resist.
We better be in on boisvert
We better be in on boisvert
No chance. IF he transfers, he will go out east to be closer to his home.
I was recently informed by a GPLer that I'm related to Airey
We better be in on boisvert
No chance. IF he transfers, he will go out east to be closer to his home.
he is transferring so we'll see
Did not see that. I talked to a UND fan yesterday and he speculated BU. NHL insider Seravalli speculated out east as well. But, I guess nothing is set in stone.
I was recently informed by a GPLer that I'm related to Airey
Who the hell is this Twin City Hockey guy on X? Holee chit he has some far out hockey takes on the Gophers going right now. "Motzko has a ton of NIL cash freed up"???? Like I ranted in the NIL thread, is this conjecture or reality about how much money these kids are getting for NIL?
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/817695/joshua-ravensbergen
While it is clear the team is going to have to recruit players like this, but if they need to rely on Canadian players and the players filtering through the transfer portal it is going to change the entire brand image of this team.
Maybe it is just me, but one of the top reasons I am an avid Gopher hockey fan is that the team recruits the best Minnesota players and builds the team around them. We know these players. We have heard about them and seen them play since they were 14 years old, sometimes even younger. There is a historical pipeline that links these players with the Gopher players of the past.
Warroad. Grand Rapids. Edina. Stillwater. Duluth East. Eden Prairie. Would it be the same having a bunch of "North Vancouver BC" and "Niverville MB" be the bulk of the roster and winning the national championship?
Not to me I guess. The program would just become another mercenary sports program like football and basketball.
Well we need a goalie so I through a name out there. Our goalies have been Canadians for the last 8 or so years anyway. Yeah the all Minnesota kids is nice and cool and all but it’s not exactly panned out with the grand prize in over 20 years. We’re way over due.
my $.02 but now with NIL we are waiting for a kid who grows up bleeding maroon and gold and wants to play here because he truly wants to, not because someone pays him to.
I have a friend whose son is a good MN goalie and fits that description. Hope it pans out. 😁
The thing about recruiting goalies is that Canadian youth hockey plays so many more games at every level, while USA Hockey prefers to have a higher ratio of practices-to-games. The USA Hockey approach is better for overall skater development, but goalies need game conditions to develop the mental skills and situational experience important to their position. A Minnesota HS star goalie might get 60 varsity starts in 3 years, while a Canadian kid gets 60 starts every year.
Look at Begley’s older brother, was a brick wall for Hill-Murray but has done nothing at CC.
What a wild few days.
Following up on the earlier post from @goldy77 I am 100% in the camp of not wanting a roster full of Canadians and transfer portal guys. I'm perfectly find with a roster with some dashes of Europe, Canada and non-MN players but for me it just would not be the same if the roster wasn't mainly kids from the State of Hockey.
Next year is gonna be tough, no question, and I'm shocked by some of the departures give a lot of these guys will be riding buses in the AHL. However, I'll take a down year or two if it means we can rebuild the team organically. I said in the UMass game thread and reiterate it here, if College Hockey becomes an arms race like basketball where the only thing that matters is how much money we can throw at a kid then I'll be trading my season tickets for a partial package to the Wild. It's no longer college hockey if they kid has absolutely zero allegiance to the school other than the fact they can write him the biggest check.
Next years possible defense. They will be young, less point producing but more grit.
Assuming Chesley leaves-- Thomas is TBD and a possible Rud transfer
Phillips -- Mittlestadt
Gruba --- Thomas ?
Rombach -- Whipple
Grimes -- Begley
Rud ?
Rombach, Phillips and Grimes all will be 18 when the season starts. All 3 signed their NLI.
Bob may need to bring in an experienced portal defenseman or 2 depending on Thomas and Rud. Last year they had 9 defensemen ( including Rud )
Of these nine, only Gruba shoots right. I believe they probably get a RHD in the portal (and Grimes stays in the USHL if they don't lose anyone else).
What a wild few days.
Following up on the earlier post from @goldy77 I am 100% in the camp of not wanting a roster full of Canadians and transfer portal guys. I'm perfectly find with a roster with some dashes of Europe, Canada and non-MN players but for me it just would not be the same if the roster wasn't mainly kids from the State of Hockey.
Next year is gonna be tough, no question, and I'm shocked by some of the departures give a lot of these guys will be riding buses in the AHL. However, I'll take a down year or two if it means we can rebuild the team organically. I said in the UMass game thread and reiterate it here, if College Hockey becomes an arms race like basketball where the only thing that matters is how much money we can throw at a kid then I'll be trading my season tickets for a partial package to the Wild. It's no longer college hockey if they kid has absolutely zero allegiance to the school other than the fact they can write him the biggest check.
It's here and it's just gonna keep getting worse. Programs need to adapt or get buried, growing and developing a roster from within will only get you so far. I agree with you it sucks...on the flip side, without the portal the 25-26 Gophers would be buried before the season even starts.
Who the hell is this Twin City Hockey guy on X? Holee chit he has some far out hockey takes on the Gophers going right now. "Motzko has a ton of NIL cash freed up"???? Like I ranted in the NIL thread, is this conjecture or reality about how much money these kids are getting for NIL?
It is assumed (known) that the U will get ~$20M in revenue sharing dollars this next year for use against the quickly resolving law suit around allowing schools to pay players. Won't get into the detail of all that, not close enough.
But, with that $20M coming in, it's expected 75-85% will go to football and men's basketball with the remaining being split against men's hockey, women's basketball, and volleyball (Coyle has already mentioned it going to 5 sports, I can't imagine those aren't the 5).
If it's 85% of $20M, that leave $3M for hockey, W BBall, and VBall. I'd have to imagine, worst case, hockey gets $1M of that plus they continue to expand the reach of Dinkytown Athletes. So, in theory, hockey should have some 7-figure number to play with.
@johnny-five no portal applicants we are linked to are going to save this roster. It's MISA brothers or bust. Long few years ahead wow.
Yup, portal / NIL era college sports suck unless you're a huge fan of free agency and the art of the deal. If you're a fan of the sport, the team, and building rapport with the roster - forget about it.
@gophers_ingf No better time than now with a combo of the portal and CHL potential. People still want to play at the U and Bob is doing a great job of moving them onto the pros as well.
Time will tell I guess. We should know within the next few weeks.
What a wild few days.
Following up on the earlier post from @goldy77 I am 100% in the camp of not wanting a roster full of Canadians and transfer portal guys. I'm perfectly find with a roster with some dashes of Europe, Canada and non-MN players but for me it just would not be the same if the roster wasn't mainly kids from the State of Hockey.
Next year is gonna be tough, no question, and I'm shocked by some of the departures give a lot of these guys will be riding buses in the AHL. However, I'll take a down year or two if it means we can rebuild the team organically. I said in the UMass game thread and reiterate it here, if College Hockey becomes an arms race like basketball where the only thing that matters is how much money we can throw at a kid then I'll be trading my season tickets for a partial package to the Wild. It's no longer college hockey if they kid has absolutely zero allegiance to the school other than the fact they can write him the biggest check.
I agree. I would much rather fill the roster with Minnesota players than chase a bunch of Canadians with no allegiance to the Gophers program and its history. But what I find perplexing is why we are missing out on so many Minnesota standouts. Why were none of the best high school hockey players in the state tournament Gophers commits? Why are we not getting guys like Bobby Cowan, who de-commited from UST last year and announced that he is committing to Western Michigan earlier this month? That's just one name, of course, but I keep seeing excellent Minnesota-born players commit to other programs.
What a wild few days.
Following up on the earlier post from @goldy77 I am 100% in the camp of not wanting a roster full of Canadians and transfer portal guys. I'm perfectly find with a roster with some dashes of Europe, Canada and non-MN players but for me it just would not be the same if the roster wasn't mainly kids from the State of Hockey.
Next year is gonna be tough, no question, and I'm shocked by some of the departures give a lot of these guys will be riding buses in the AHL. However, I'll take a down year or two if it means we can rebuild the team organically. I said in the UMass game thread and reiterate it here, if College Hockey becomes an arms race like basketball where the only thing that matters is how much money we can throw at a kid then I'll be trading my season tickets for a partial package to the Wild. It's no longer college hockey if they kid has absolutely zero allegiance to the school other than the fact they can write him the biggest check.
I agree. I would much rather fill the roster with Minnesota players than chase a bunch of Canadians with no allegiance to the Gophers program and its history. But what I find perplexing is why we are missing out on so many Minnesota standouts. Why were none of the best high school hockey players in the state tournament Gophers commits? Why are we not getting guys like Bobby Cowan, who de-commited from UST last year and announced that he is committing to Western Michigan earlier this month? That's just one name, of course, but I keep seeing excellent Minnesota-born players commit to other programs.
because the game has changed wildly. kids travel all over the country playing, play on select teams with guys from all over, and are exposed to way more coaches (not to mention agents, handlers, scouts etc., even for kids who are at the NCDC level). Add that to the world of junior hockey and differences in when you're coming in to play college at various places and a circumstance in which the Gophers are no longer broadcast locally from youth (this was a MASSIVE advantage in the state when the Gophs were on FSN all the time) and the allegiance isn't there as much.
Bob has also said these last few classes have been down MN talent years.
Aloha!
What a wild few days.
Following up on the earlier post from @goldy77 I am 100% in the camp of not wanting a roster full of Canadians and transfer portal guys. I'm perfectly find with a roster with some dashes of Europe, Canada and non-MN players but for me it just would not be the same if the roster wasn't mainly kids from the State of Hockey.
Next year is gonna be tough, no question, and I'm shocked by some of the departures give a lot of these guys will be riding buses in the AHL. However, I'll take a down year or two if it means we can rebuild the team organically. I said in the UMass game thread and reiterate it here, if College Hockey becomes an arms race like basketball where the only thing that matters is how much money we can throw at a kid then I'll be trading my season tickets for a partial package to the Wild. It's no longer college hockey if they kid has absolutely zero allegiance to the school other than the fact they can write him the biggest check.
I agree. I would much rather fill the roster with Minnesota players than chase a bunch of Canadians with no allegiance to the Gophers program and its history. But what I find perplexing is why we are missing out on so many Minnesota standouts. Why were none of the best high school hockey players in the state tournament Gophers commits? Why are we not getting guys like Bobby Cowan, who de-commited from UST last year and announced that he is committing to Western Michigan earlier this month? That's just one name, of course, but I keep seeing excellent Minnesota-born players commit to other programs.
Cowan is a golden example of why you exercise some patience in recruiting. He was a respected player yet blue bloods were not knocking down the door when he committed to St. Thomas. He shows growth and has a strong year in the USHL and now he joins a solid NCHC program. You lose those guys if you are just collecting players from the high school ranks.
Rombach, Phillips, Moe, Kvasnicka, etc. are all some of the best players in their age group from Minnesota. They are just not in high school so they are out of sight, out of mind. Berchild has changed perception wildly.
why we are missing out on so many Minnesota standouts. Why were none of the best high school hockey players in the state tournament Gophers commits? Why are we not getting guys like Bobby Cowan, who de-commited from UST last year and announced that he is committing to Western Michigan earlier this month? That's just one name, of course, but I keep seeing excellent Minnesota-born players commit to other programs.
I think you answered your own question. I don't think we missed out, I think we passed on. We'll see how Bobby does in this year's entry draft but he's not a touted prospect.
https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/817695/joshua-ravensbergen
While it is clear the team is going to have to recruit players like this, but if they need to rely on Canadian players and the players filtering through the transfer portal it is going to change the entire brand image of this team.
Maybe it is just me, but one of the top reasons I am an avid Gopher hockey fan is that the team recruits the best Minnesota players and builds the team around them. We know these players. We have heard about them and seen them play since they were 14 years old, sometimes even younger. There is a historical pipeline that links these players with the Gopher players of the past.
Warroad. Grand Rapids. Edina. Stillwater. Duluth East. Eden Prairie. Would it be the same having a bunch of "North Vancouver BC" and "Niverville MB" be the bulk of the roster and winning the national championship?
Not to me I guess. The program would just become another mercenary sports program like football and basketball.
Well we need a goalie so I through a name out there. Our goalies have been Canadians for the last 8 or so years anyway. Yeah the all Minnesota kids is nice and cool and all but it’s not exactly panned out with the grand prize in over 20 years. We’re way over due.
my $.02 but now with NIL we are waiting for a kid who grows up bleeding maroon and gold and wants to play here because he truly wants to, not because someone pays him to.
I have a friend whose son is a good MN goalie and fits that description. Hope it pans out. 😁
The thing about recruiting goalies is that Canadian youth hockey plays so many more games at every level, while USA Hockey prefers to have a higher ratio of practices-to-games. The USA Hockey approach is better for overall skater development, but goalies need game conditions to develop the mental skills and situational experience important to their position. A Minnesota HS star goalie might get 60 varsity starts in 3 years, while a Canadian kid gets 60 starts every year.
Look at Begley’s older brother, was a brick wall for Hill-Murray but has done nothing at CC.
A HS goalie that doesn't share time will get more than 25 HS starts in a season, and won't the top giys also get playing time in the Elite league (fall and/or spring?) and possibly juniors?
What a wild few days.
Following up on the earlier post from @goldy77 I am 100% in the camp of not wanting a roster full of Canadians and transfer portal guys. I'm perfectly find with a roster with some dashes of Europe, Canada and non-MN players but for me it just would not be the same if the roster wasn't mainly kids from the State of Hockey.
Next year is gonna be tough, no question, and I'm shocked by some of the departures give a lot of these guys will be riding buses in the AHL. However, I'll take a down year or two if it means we can rebuild the team organically. I said in the UMass game thread and reiterate it here, if College Hockey becomes an arms race like basketball where the only thing that matters is how much money we can throw at a kid then I'll be trading my season tickets for a partial package to the Wild. It's no longer college hockey if they kid has absolutely zero allegiance to the school other than the fact they can write him the biggest check.
I thought this was only fitting 😂
What a wild few days.
Following up on the earlier post from @goldy77 I am 100% in the camp of not wanting a roster full of Canadians and transfer portal guys. I'm perfectly find with a roster with some dashes of Europe, Canada and non-MN players but for me it just would not be the same if the roster wasn't mainly kids from the State of Hockey.
Next year is gonna be tough, no question, and I'm shocked by some of the departures give a lot of these guys will be riding buses in the AHL. However, I'll take a down year or two if it means we can rebuild the team organically. I said in the UMass game thread and reiterate it here, if College Hockey becomes an arms race like basketball where the only thing that matters is how much money we can throw at a kid then I'll be trading my season tickets for a partial package to the Wild. It's no longer college hockey if they kid has absolutely zero allegiance to the school other than the fact they can write him the biggest check.
It's here and it's just gonna keep getting worse. Programs need to adapt or get buried, growing and developing a roster from within will only get you so far. I agree with you it sucks...on the flip side, without the portal the 25-26 Gophers would be buried before the season even starts.
You are dead on but I'm old and want the "good ole days" back. $500 in a cap under the desk kind of days.
We might still be buried but at the least the portal is a straw we can breathe through while someone grabs a shovel? 
This feels like the biggest off season in Gopher modern history. I can't remember a year where we've lost 11+ guys and 6 of those were losses to the NHL / early signing.
I saw WI goalie entered the portal.
I lost zero sleep over the loss of Pitlick. I'm sure he would have been a help on the ice, but either you are all in or not. He chose to see if he could get a deal after the Aug 15th deadline and by the time he couldn't find one, Bob and the team had moved on. His advisor should have had an idea on what was available for him and could have avoided the whole situation.
Pitlick flashed a little bit on a couple rushes in the OT vs Western Michigan, but I didn't think he was much of a factor in that game. He didn't drive much play, turned over the puck as often as he made plus plays. I'm sure he'll play some pro hockey and put up points there too, he's got a lot of tricks in his bag and very skilled.
Lets hope Motzko has some tricks in his bag, looks like we will need them. Team doesn't need to be full of first/second round picks. ....my dad would say to many chiefs not enough Indians.
Anyone know anything about Broten Sabo from Alaska Fairbanks? Minnesota kid (Rosemount) who put up good offensive numbers as a left shot defenseman (8 goals, 21 assists this past season). He's in the portal and with that name, he should be a Gopher 
I guess it's easy for us to say that, Motzko needs to put a product on the ice that's worth watching or his job is at risk (assuming he wants to keep it and not retire anytime soon). I also think on some level it's good that he isn't overrating the in state talent.What a wild few days.
Following up on the earlier post from @goldy77 I am 100% in the camp of not wanting a roster full of Canadians and transfer portal guys. I'm perfectly find with a roster with some dashes of Europe, Canada and non-MN players but for me it just would not be the same if the roster wasn't mainly kids from the State of Hockey.
Next year is gonna be tough, no question, and I'm shocked by some of the departures give a lot of these guys will be riding buses in the AHL. However, I'll take a down year or two if it means we can rebuild the team organically. I said in the UMass game thread and reiterate it here, if College Hockey becomes an arms race like basketball where the only thing that matters is how much money we can throw at a kid then I'll be trading my season tickets for a partial package to the Wild. It's no longer college hockey if they kid has absolutely zero allegiance to the school other than the fact they can write him the biggest check.
Bentley's goalie, Connor Hasley, just hit the portal. By far the best goalie in the portal, so far.
Given our current roster...ugh...needs I would really like to see Bob acclimatize quickly to the CHL ruling. No need to be patient. As Vegs and Jup have said numerous times on the podcast. After Gwoz was fired from Denver every coach knows it can happen to them which is certainly motivating. I'm confident the U will find guys looking to further develop their game whether its flipping recruits, portal,or the chl. Lots of good spots to fill.
'29, '40, '74, '76, '79, '02, & '03
GPL's Resident Cabin Enthusiast & Cadets Hockey Fan
https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/817695/joshua-ravensbergen
While it is clear the team is going to have to recruit players like this, but if they need to rely on Canadian players and the players filtering through the transfer portal it is going to change the entire brand image of this team.
Maybe it is just me, but one of the top reasons I am an avid Gopher hockey fan is that the team recruits the best Minnesota players and builds the team around them. We know these players. We have heard about them and seen them play since they were 14 years old, sometimes even younger. There is a historical pipeline that links these players with the Gopher players of the past.
Warroad. Grand Rapids. Edina. Stillwater. Duluth East. Eden Prairie. Would it be the same having a bunch of "North Vancouver BC" and "Niverville MB" be the bulk of the roster and winning the national championship?
Not to me I guess. The program would just become another mercenary sports program like football and basketball.
Well we need a goalie so I through a name out there. Our goalies have been Canadians for the last 8 or so years anyway. Yeah the all Minnesota kids is nice and cool and all but it’s not exactly panned out with the grand prize in over 20 years. We’re way over due.
my $.02 but now with NIL we are waiting for a kid who grows up bleeding maroon and gold and wants to play here because he truly wants to, not because someone pays him to.
I have a friend whose son is a good MN goalie and fits that description. Hope it pans out. 😁
The thing about recruiting goalies is that Canadian youth hockey plays so many more games at every level, while USA Hockey prefers to have a higher ratio of practices-to-games. The USA Hockey approach is better for overall skater development, but goalies need game conditions to develop the mental skills and situational experience important to their position. A Minnesota HS star goalie might get 60 varsity starts in 3 years, while a Canadian kid gets 60 starts every year.
Look at Begley’s older brother, was a brick wall for Hill-Murray but has done nothing at CC.
A HS goalie that doesn't share time will get more than 25 HS starts in a season, and won't the top giys also get playing time in the Elite league (fall and/or spring?) and possibly juniors?
I thought HS teams play 25 games plus 1 section game at least. I don’t think 26 games is meaningfully different from 25 when the fact is other leagues get their guys 45-60 games.
He means that top Minnesota hs goalies will have the option of playing Elite League or juniors as well.
This will be a true test of recruiting sway for our staff. That said there is no way that a D1 coach of the level program of the Gophers would not have anticipated that a bunch of these guys were leaving. Do you not think he talks to his players? The only one I am surprised by is Kurth and maybe a little with Chesley but Bob has to have a feel for the room. If he doesn't THEN he is not the guy for this job. He had to be planning for this and if anything the late Cooley move might have screwed him more than anything this year. Have we not just watched a bunch of teams get further than us with less highly recruited talent? Adapt or die.
