Adam Hauser is perhaps the worst goalie I've ever seen and he won a title. We don't need Connor Hellebuyck 2.0 to win.
Like 5 of the top 10 goalies are guys you have never heard of. So stop the nonsense that stats tell the whole story on college goalies.
No they aren’t, the top 5 goalies in CHIP are Fowler, Maine’s goalie, Sergeev, Augustine, and Alex Tracy. Owen Say is just barely outside the top 10. All of those are very recognizable names. There’s only one in the top 10 I don’t recognize (Augustana goalie) and that’s because they play in a conference I never watch. The UMass goalie who had a great year, Davis (Denver), the Omaha goalie who stoned us early in the season, and Whitehead (NE goalie who stole the game vs BC in the conference tourney) are the others.
As far as Airey is concerned, hopefully I’m wrong and he makes some significant strides.
Laugh my ass off. Not LMAO. Had to type it out because you haven't watched most of these guys. And my point stands; Airey is plenty good.
I watched most of them at one point or another, whether they played against the gophers, in the NCAA tourney, or even the world junior tourney. I also kinda doubt they all put up elite numbers and won various awards and were generally considered the best goalies by the media despite their play.
Maybe we can come up with some friendly wager re Airey.
I'd love to but you won't give Airey a fair shake because if you would, you would already admit he's fine. So no I won't engage in a bet I can't win because you expect our goalies to be wilcox or close even though they were very high end for us.
The tricky thing with Airey is that the gaps he has need game reps to fix. He was injured and unable to really work for a very long time, and coming back from that can take longer than it would for a skater. I can see Airey’s upside and think it is entirely possible for him to be great while wearing the M. Obviously this doesn’t mean it’ll happen, but some competition usually helps speed the process up a bit.
No I’m comparing him to the likes of Kangas, Patterson, and Schierhorn. I haven’t even named the terms and you’re scared to bet on Airey which says enough 🤣 .I'd love to but you won't give Airey a fair shake because if you would, you would already admit he's fine. So no I won't engage in a bet I can't win because you expect our goalies to be wilcox or close even though they were very high end for us.
@karlsson you raise some good points and that gives me some reason for optimism that his game could improve. You’re right that game reps are more important because that’s a better test of the mental side of things.
I think Airey is fine. You selected several goalies that did quite a job for us. I'm willing to bet that Airey is a decent goalie. $1,000.
We do have a VERY recent history of goalies being really (really) good from unexpected sources. Close? WHO KNEW? Seriously no one. And Souliere? Excellent. Airey? Overall good! He just looks hesitant. He seems like a guy that needs shots. Has he had that chance and lost? Maybe that needs to change. I hate the goalie bashing. Nothing that happened this year other than maybe one or two games was EITHER of their faults.Those games did not cause the early exit from the NCAA
I don't think it's intentional bashing, but call a spade a spade. Anyone who knows what a great goaltender looks like, knows Airey is not near that as of today. I'd love for him to be successful, but having eat, slept, and breathed hockey for the last 25 years it doesn't pass the eye test for me. Close routinely made special saves and at times Souliere did too, until he got the yips from that weird floater against Notre Dame. Then he never looked the same.
Airey could surprise many of us (and I hope he does), but odds are not in his favor.
I think Souliere played a good game against UMASS and made some huge saves. Not his fault, or the refs, Chesley tried to take it against 5 defenders with no help behind him.
The problem with writing off Airey is not a single one of us knows which Airey is the real Airey and/or what his ceiling is. He struggled as the season went on but imho it would be premature to say he can't figure it out.
Everyone is focused an a R handed D, but we wouldn’t want Colin Ralph or Theo Wallberg?
been watching and playing hockey at least that long. Goalies are weird. And we need them to be. You are not wrong on the eye test. I think the same. I also am willing to speculate if Airey had really been under the gun would he have stepped up. No way to know. Some players knowing they have an alternate in case of emergency don't seem to step up. Does he need that do or die? Maybe we will see. I would hope most players at this level have a higher compete level. Have we let him play, struggle, and then succeed yet? Every player but the goalie gets that. Just trying to be open minded since better goalie minds than mine have been positive on Airey
fair enough.
We do have a VERY recent history of goalies being really (really) good from unexpected sources. Close? WHO KNEW? Seriously no one. And Souliere? Excellent. Airey? Overall good! He just looks hesitant. He seems like a guy that needs shots. Has he had that chance and lost? Maybe that needs to change. I hate the goalie bashing. Nothing that happened this year other than maybe one or two games was EITHER of their faults.Those games did not cause the early exit from the NCAA
I don't think it's intentional bashing, but call a spade a spade. Anyone who knows what a great goaltender looks like, knows Airey is not near that as of today. I'd love for him to be successful, but having eat, slept, and breathed hockey for the last 25 years it doesn't pass the eye test for me. Close routinely made special saves and at times Souliere did too, until he got the yips from that weird floater against Notre Dame. Then he never looked the same.
Airey could surprise many of us (and I hope he does), but odds are not in his favor.
I think Souliere played a good game against UMASS and made some huge saves. Not his fault, or the refs, Chesley tried to take it against 5 defenders with no help behind him.
I thought he was shaky as heck in the first period and the first goal was soft, but you could see he got locked in in the 2nd and 3rd. I felt bad for him because frankly he was a great addition for us 95% of the year. I think he was finding his grove again and would have been solid going forward had we won.
The problem with writing off Airey is not a single one of us knows which Airey is the real Airey and/or what his ceiling is. He struggled as the season went on but imho it would be premature to say he can't figure it out.
100% true that no one knows what an offseason will do for him. However, in my opinion his leash is going to be short if Luca plays anywhere close to his historical.
I think Airey is fine. You selected several goalies that did quite a job for us. I'm willing to bet that Airey is a decent goalie. $1,000.
I think you've been in that hot tub too long sir. HAHA. Just messing around, doubt anyone would argue that he's not "fine". If you are happy with fine, then..well..fine.
Maybe we should all move on towards the next thing, which is who Bob takes/gets to fill the last couple voids. He's doing good so far.
I think Airey is fine. You selected several goalies that did quite a job for us. I'm willing to bet that Airey is a decent goalie. $1,000.
I think you've been in that hot tub too long sir. HAHA. Just messing around, doubt anyone would argue that he's not "fine". If you are happy with fine, then..well..fine.
Maybe we should all move on towards the next thing, which is who Bob takes/gets to fill the last couple voids. He's doing good so far.
Coyle needs to throw a couple of bags at the Misa’s. Misa/Clark/Misa/Pahlsson down the middle. Feels like if I keep writing it will come true.
Great news on the goalie front….now we can start recruiting for a stud level netminder to commit and come in right behind Airey/Luca.
There’ll likely be an opportunity to come in the year after next as it unlikely that we retain both as seniors but I guess we’ll see
I think Airey is fine. You selected several goalies that did quite a job for us. I'm willing to bet that Airey is a decent goalie. $1,000.
I think you've been in that hot tub too long sir. HAHA. Just messing around, doubt anyone would argue that he's not "fine". If you are happy with fine, then..well..fine.
Maybe we should all move on towards the next thing, which is who Bob takes/gets to fill the last couple voids. He's doing good so far.
Coyle needs to throw a couple of bags at the Misa’s. Misa/Clark/Misa/Pahlsson down the middle. Feels like if I keep writing it will come true.
misa isn’t selecting where he will play college hockey if he does
The thing we forget about Airey is that he was basically a freshman this year after missing most of last year with an injury. I hope he works his tail off this off season in preparation for the upcoming season. I'm sure Luca did not come here with the mindset of being a backup either. Healthy completion is good.
I was recently informed by a GPLer that I'm related to Airey
This team has not recruited a high end goalie since Wilcox and now we have fans claiming an average goalie is good lol. It doesn't matter what any of us think about the goalie, watch the players and you can see that they don't trust Airey in net.
Overall we've had pretty solid goaltending during Bob's tenure. But in the last 2 seasons in the game that we were eliminated in it wasn't great. Last year Close let in a real woofer against BU. This year that first UMASS goal was super soft. You just can't do that against good teams in a one and done game.
Would you take a goalie that had a .900 save percentage, 2.47 GAA, and went 12-3-2? Because that's exactly what Airey did even though people seem to think he sucked
On a mediocre team sure, those aren’t that great of numbers playing on the team he did. The record kind of tells the story there.
Can we move on from the goaltending conversation? If I wanted that I would go in Gopherhole.
We need a center or 2, a winger, and a PP QB on the blue line
Didn't Close let in a weak one vs Q too?Overall we've had pretty solid goaltending during Bob's tenure. But in the last 2 seasons in the game that we were eliminated in it wasn't great. Last year Close let in a real woofer against BU. This year that first UMASS goal was super soft. You just can't do that against good teams in a one and done game.
Didn't Close let in a weak one vs Q too?Overall we've had pretty solid goaltending during Bob's tenure. But in the last 2 seasons in the game that we were eliminated in it wasn't great. Last year Close let in a real woofer against BU. This year that first UMASS goal was super soft. You just can't do that against good teams in a one and done game.
dont remind me…. Perets had a woofer early in the game vs us as well
but so did Augustine for them to blow the game vs Cornell this year as well as last year against Michigan in the regional final. It happens to the best of them but we as fans remember when it’s in big games.
Can we move on from the goaltending conversation? If I wanted that I would go in Gopherhole.
We need a center or 2, a winger, and a PP QB on the blue line
Yeah, head up to Canada and grab the Misa brothers and Mikes teammate Zayne Parekh. While you’re up there you might as well grab McKenna too. That should round out the roster nicely.
So, the plan is to beat Michigan State with Michigan State's backups. Seems kind of unlikely.
Can we move on from the goaltending conversation? If I wanted that I would go in Gopherhole.
We need a center or 2, a winger, and a PP QB on the blue line
Yeah, head up to Canada and grab the Misa brothers and Mikes teammate Zayne Parekh. While you’re up there you might as well grab McKenna too. That should round out the roster nicely.
Yes, but he also made several high quality saves in the 3rd period when Q was really swarming.Didn't Close let in a weak one vs Q too?Overall we've had pretty solid goaltending during Bob's tenure. But in the last 2 seasons in the game that we were eliminated in it wasn't great. Last year Close let in a real woofer against BU. This year that first UMASS goal was super soft. You just can't do that against good teams in a one and done game.
Yes, but he also made several high quality saves in the 3rd period when Q was really swarming.Didn't Close let in a weak one vs Q too?Overall we've had pretty solid goaltending during Bob's tenure. But in the last 2 seasons in the game that we were eliminated in it wasn't great. Last year Close let in a real woofer against BU. This year that first UMASS goal was super soft. You just can't do that against good teams in a one and done game.
Both were weak in regulation. And he should have stopped and frozen number 2 which would have allowed a line change after we had just killed the bogus penalty on Cooley. We likely win if this happens.
We do have a VERY recent history of goalies being really (really) good from unexpected sources. Close? WHO KNEW? Seriously no one. And Souliere? Excellent. Airey? Overall good! He just looks hesitant. He seems like a guy that needs shots. Has he had that chance and lost? Maybe that needs to change. I hate the goalie bashing. Nothing that happened this year other than maybe one or two games was EITHER of their faults.Those games did not cause the early exit from the NCAA
Don’t forget Laffer. Flamed out in limited action at Michigan, went back to juniors, wins a Richter with us.
Then inexplicably regressed the next year.We do have a VERY recent history of goalies being really (really) good from unexpected sources. Close? WHO KNEW? Seriously no one. And Souliere? Excellent. Airey? Overall good! He just looks hesitant. He seems like a guy that needs shots. Has he had that chance and lost? Maybe that needs to change. I hate the goalie bashing. Nothing that happened this year other than maybe one or two games was EITHER of their faults.Those games did not cause the early exit from the NCAA
Don’t forget Laffer. Flamed out in limited action at Michigan, went back to juniors, wins a Richter with us.
Aloha!
Then inexplicably regressed the next year.We do have a VERY recent history of goalies being really (really) good from unexpected sources. Close? WHO KNEW? Seriously no one. And Souliere? Excellent. Airey? Overall good! He just looks hesitant. He seems like a guy that needs shots. Has he had that chance and lost? Maybe that needs to change. I hate the goalie bashing. Nothing that happened this year other than maybe one or two games was EITHER of their faults.Those games did not cause the early exit from the NCAA
Don’t forget Laffer. Flamed out in limited action at Michigan, went back to juniors, wins a Richter with us.
yeah no idea if it was the Carolina rumors/putting pressure on him to sign or what but he was rough in multiple games the year he signed
Then inexplicably regressed the next year.We do have a VERY recent history of goalies being really (really) good from unexpected sources. Close? WHO KNEW? Seriously no one. And Souliere? Excellent. Airey? Overall good! He just looks hesitant. He seems like a guy that needs shots. Has he had that chance and lost? Maybe that needs to change. I hate the goalie bashing. Nothing that happened this year other than maybe one or two games was EITHER of their faults.Those games did not cause the early exit from the NCAA
Don’t forget Laffer. Flamed out in limited action at Michigan, went back to juniors, wins a Richter with us.
yeah no idea if it was the Carolina rumors/putting pressure on him to sign or what but he was rough in multiple games the year he signed
I forget if it was Jup and Vegoe who talked about it, but I remember that it was readily apparent, from just looking at the stats, how the 2021-22 team’s underperformance for the entire first half was almost entirely due to Laffer’s subpar play. But I generally prefer to remember guys by their highs rather than their lows.
Colin Ralph (SCSU 2nd rounder of STL) going to Mich St per Schloss.
Colin Ralph (SCSU 2nd rounder of STL) going to Mich St per Schloss.
Feels like Stramel in some respects. Highly drafted/touted player who needs to kickstart his collegiate career. Michigan State poised to be the most talented team in conference. Of course, we know it is never as simple as raw talent.
Great pickup. The only thing that I'm not a fan of is that they are both juniors. Would rather have them staggered. But, we will cross bridge when it comes.
I would envision if one of them takes the reins, the other transfers post season. Neither is going to the nhl so this is fine
If Airey (6'3") has a good year, let's say takes the starting job and has a save percentage at or above .920, then I would imagine he leaves for an NHL deal and Di Pasquo may well stay. If Di Pasquo (6'0") has a year like that, then Airey probably transfers.
Great pickup. The only thing that I'm not a fan of is that they are both juniors. Would rather have them staggered. But, we will cross bridge when it comes.
I would envision if one of them takes the reins, the other transfers post season. Neither is going to the nhl so this is fine
If Airey (6'3") has a good year, let's say takes the starting job and has a save percentage at or above .920, then I would imagine he leaves for an NHL deal and Di Pasquo may well stay. If Di Pasquo (6'0") has a year like that, then Airey probably transfers.
No chance Airey gets an NHL deal after next season, barring a McKay or 2020-21 Laffer type of year with the stats to go along with it. Close had a better resume than I think Airey is even capable of aspiring to, and Closer only got an ECHL tryout deal when he left.
Close isn't 6'3"
Well we only have to wait like 6 months to find out.
Great pickup. The only thing that I'm not a fan of is that they are both juniors. Would rather have them staggered. But, we will cross bridge when it comes.
I would envision if one of them takes the reins, the other transfers post season. Neither is going to the nhl so this is fine
If Airey (6'3") has a good year, let's say takes the starting job and has a save percentage at or above .920, then I would imagine he leaves for an NHL deal and Di Pasquo may well stay. If Di Pasquo (6'0") has a year like that, then Airey probably transfers.
No chance Airey gets an NHL deal after next season, barring a McKay or 2020-21 Laffer type of year with the stats to go along with it. Close had a better resume than I think Airey is even capable of aspiring to, and Closer only got an ECHL tryout deal when he left.
We just saw Isak Posch get signed after his first good college season and Callum Tung get signed after being a 1A platoon goalie. I'm just saying don't count it out if the season goes well.
I like the Luca move. It gives both goalies an opportunity to improve and win the starting job. I expect November and December to alternate (Fri/Sat). We knew at Christmas break Souliere was better than Airey. Like I said in an earlier post I never worry Coach Motkzo getting good players. Its getting those those difference makers (Eichels, Celebrinis, Makars, etc)
Nobody is even mentioning how Minnesota missed on Ovechkin. 😉
I am not a goalie guy so really don't have any deeper perspective than how the team looks and some individual plays. I do think Airey needs experience and seems to get better once he is in the flow of the game. Some of the things people have said are true! He really is a first timer at this level of college hockey. Do I think he can be really good? Yes. That being said I am pretty OK with what has transpired in the offseason so far. Misa brothers to bring it home? Ya ya 
Question for those who know more than I do on this topic. I read an article about how BC once offered Misa $1.4MM to go there. Projections seem to indicate Coyle is allocating roughly $1MM to hockey from the revenue share. Is that the entirety of the budget for player acquisition or are there more dollars the hockey program might be able to access. Seems like for a player of that projected caliber you'd have to spend the farm to get them if $1.4MM didn't convince Misa the first time. I also wonder how our budget compares to other programs like the BC/BU/Michigan/Denver etc..
I am very likely too 'died in the wool Gopher' to be even involved in this conversation but if throwing millions of dollars at a player will not get them to your school... DO YOU WANT THEM? Yes, super talented, super high end. We HAVE HAD that and still really have that. That does not translate to an end run to the NC. I know I am too Herb Brooks for the modern NIL (sorry just threw up a little) era but we need the right players not necessarily the best players at every position. Anyone watching who is still in it? You don't want to be here? Go. You are just chasing the money? Might not be a fit here. I am OK with the hits that will come here.
Retaining Lamb is more important than any add we can make in the portal from here on out.