Yeah how much did that help them last year? First round picks is a worthless stat I’m sorry… Lying about COVID could get them in NCAA trouble too. Even if he is gone it might not stop that. How stupid is he?
I’d say it helped them a lot. They were an OT loss away from playing the NC title game. The other M team with all their draft picks didn’t fare as well. Denver, Minnesota and Michigan were similar teams, but I think Denver had a little more sandpaper to their game, which helped them break through Mankato. Their game against Mankato was a lot like Minnesota’s. Denver had like four shots on goal almost half way through the game. It felt like Mankato had them right where they wanted them, but when they lost the lead their system broke down and Denver had the talent to cash in.
We both lost to teams that had less top end picks. That is the point. A high number of draft picks is not as big of a deal in hockey as it is made out to be. Some of the biggest choking Lucia teams were friggin loaded. "Less" talented teams beat them all the time that is just the way a one and done tourny goes.
The teams that win in hockey always have elite goaltending. Chrona was reason they beat Michigan and Mankato, clearly they made plays to score but Chrona kept them in both games. Same as Mass the year before and UMD. Tampa won cup because Andre V as well. Hopefully we can find a goalie and I’m not worried about a few forwards that left in April.
The teams that win in hockey always have elite goaltending. Chrona was reason they beat Michigan and Mankato, clearly they made plays to score but Chrona kept them in both games. Same as Mass the year before and UMD. Tampa won cup because Andre V as well. Hopefully we can find a goalie and I’m not worried about a few forwards that left in April.
BINGO…well stated ?
<p style="text-align: left;">Bob has to be pulling out all the stops with possible transfers. Don't think there is much left for us in the transfer portal. Would be a shame if he doesn't add anyone significant with this stacked returning d-core. Chaz is the only big loss for me, feel he was poised for a big sophomore year if he stayed healthy.</p>
Yeah how much did that help them last year? First round picks is a worthless stat I’m sorry… Lying about COVID could get them in NCAA trouble too. Even if he is gone it might not stop that. How stupid is he?
I’d say it helped them a lot. They were an OT loss away from playing the NC title game. The other M team with all their draft picks didn’t fare as well. Denver, Minnesota and Michigan were similar teams, but I think Denver had a little more sandpaper to their game, which helped them break through Mankato. Their game against Mankato was a lot like Minnesota’s. Denver had like four shots on goal almost half way through the game. It felt like Mankato had them right where they wanted them, but when they lost the lead their system broke down and Denver had the talent to cash in.
We both lost to teams that had less top end picks. That is the point. A high number of draft picks is not as big of a deal in hockey as it is made out to be. Some of the biggest choking Lucia teams were friggin loaded. “Less” talented teams beat them all the time that is just the way a one and done tourny goes.
I mean sure, though the difference between a 7th rounder and being undrafted is usually non-existent and that “stat” isn’t really taking that part into account. It’s a dumb argument that weights a first rounder the same as a seventh rounder and is completely disingenuous. Teams that have more early draft picks tend to be better, that’s not really being contested here.
edit: Scuba is also spot-on, Denver has no chance in that final without hot goaltending as they got considerably outplayed for two periods. Fortunately Chrona was far superior to McKay in that game and they weathered the storm/got a bit lucky and beat the cows. But Denver had 5 shots in two periods before things turned around.
I assume whatever happens with Cruz, and Cole Spicer, won’t happen until the u18 Tourney is complete. Moldenhauer can go to Michigan and we can get Hallum to come home!
Anyone see speculation on why Spicer decomitted or what his plans are? Might have missed that if it was said already.
He wanted to go to UND this fall and they wanted him to wait a year because they are full at forwards this year.
I read UMD could be destination
Last time I checked UMi also lost in the semis. I don't care that it was in OT - it's a single elimination tournament. If you want to compare results look at the entire season including H2H. Good Lord how many swords do you people have to fall upon?
Is there not an ignore feature here?
Michigan was #1 in the pairwise and lost in OT of the semis. Clearly their recruiting strategy didn’t work!
Michigan had all those first rounders but think the reason it worked well for them is they also had some good older depth and physicality. Pasta, Morgan, Moyal, VanWhye, blankenberg all played big roles. Plus they had great goaltending with Portillo
Portillo was really good, in the past Michigan had inconsistent and suspect at times goalies which led to some high scoring games against the Gophers. That wasn’t the case last year though and they were a pretty stingy team.
Michigan was #1 in the pairwise and lost in OT of the semis. Clearly their recruiting strategy didn’t work!
That isn't what we are saying, but feel free to keep tilting at windmills Mr. Strawman.
What we are saying is that for all the bluster about how great Michigan is and how many 1st rounders they have, they ended up exactly where they always do, short of the goal. Yippie they lost in OT instead of regulation in the semis...congrats you still lost. (ask the '89 Gophers if losing in OT changes the outcome)
For all of Michigan's "greatness" they didn't win the conference or the National Title. They won the conference tourny so at least they didn't get completely shut out I guess. I would honestly rather have our team and our season over theirs. They have been doing this as long as I have watched hockey (which is not as long as many but still dates back to last century 
) they load up on talent, get hyped up by everyone because of their titles from 1865 and their prestige in other sports, then fall short to teams that often have none of the prestige or history. (unless they played us, then we beat them because they are pansies!! 
) Where were all of their high recruiting classes then...sitting at home. In this case though they lost to a team with equal prestige in Denver, but Denver should have been no match for the eleventy billion 1st rounders MEEEEEEEEEEEEEECHIGAN had!1!1!1!1
That is the point. I wouldn't change our recruiting philosophy for the most part, and neither would they. But their high recruiting classes havent been paying dividends so there is no reason for anyone to sweat them. They aren't playing for conference tourny titles they are playing for national titles. Most times their teams shrink under pressure or if you throw your weight around a bit. Been that way forever and will likely not change in the future. That is why they haven't won it all since I was in high school. Since the advent of the BTHC they have hung exactly 2 banners...
So…Michigan has no coach tomorrow?
Losing 1 game in overtime (after ending the year as the #1 PWR team) to a different young team with NHL talent on it and a similar recruiting strategy, doesn’t really prove that their recruiting strategy, “doesn’t pay dividends”. But keep trolling ?
A little off-season project:
My all time Gopher team of the Big Ten era. All players in their prime (sophomore Bristedt for example).
Pitlick-Rau-Boyd
Ranta-Meyers-Sheehy
Knies-Kloos-Lettieri
Bristedt-Mittelstadt-Fasching
Skjei-Faber
Reilly-LaCombe
Bischoff-Lindgren
Wilcox
LaFontaine
Robson
Honorable Mentions: Warning, Reedy, Ambroz, Condon, Walker, M Brodzinski, Johnson, Schierhorn
100% chance I missed someone. What do you guys think?
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That would certainly be an amazing start to the Lucius/Lucius/Broz for 1/2/3 swap. The staff can’t contact him, though, right? NLI signed.
Hallum does follow Gopher hockey on Instagram….
I’m shocked it’s taking this long to get a decision on Walker.
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That would certainly be an amazing start to the Lucius/Lucius/Broz for 1/2/3 swap. The staff can’t contact him, though, right? NLI signed.
Hallum does follow Gopher hockey on Instagram…. I’m shocked it’s taking this long to get a decision on Walker.
I posted this earlier, source is a well connected Edina guy (chance of Walker returning is SLIM (at best)
Word is -
Sammy is going to plan on attending multiple camps this summer on FA tryouts and earn a signing. TB actually passed on signing him (no room on roster even in minors)...was more of a reach pick for Yzerman and Brisebois contingent has 'moved on'...
Sammy's college career is in rear view. But that's just the word - one phone call on any given day can prove otherwise. ?
Jonny graduated and will be a grad transfer. Here is his goodbye tweet.
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
Today is May 1. At least we know that no more Gophers will be entering the transfer portal.
Idk about everyone else but all the guys leaving has just made me more amped for all the guys that did stay. Excited for how Huglen and Pitlick look in their sophomore seasons!
Hoping for news on additions this week.
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
According to Jess Cruz has "decommitted" and is looking at other college options which only works if he either hasn't signed an NLI, or Minnesota is willing to let him out of the NLI.
So it will be interesting to hear exactly what is going on there.
I would love to know what happened behind the scenes to get to this point. That family ended up screwing the Gophers instead of helping.
It may be petty, but I hope they don't let him out of the NLI. Go play juniors or WHL. They probably have a couple of decent colleges in Canada.
Yeah I'm kinda over the Lucius family at this point
Yeah I’m kinda over the Lucius family at this point
I mean if we didn't think the family was all about themselves after starting their own charter school because they did not like the answers they were given 
See ya later and good luck to the Lucius'.
Yeah I’m kinda over the Lucius family at this point
I mean if we didn’t think the family was all about themselves after starting their own charter school because they did not like the answers they were given
"I don't recall saying good luck"
'29, '40, '74, '76, '79, '02, & '03
GPL's Resident Cabin Enthusiast & Cadets Hockey Fan
They are very good players with a ton of upside who would help any team but wow they bring along a lot of baggage and I can definitely hear helicopters when the Lucius family is involved.
“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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Hoping for news on additions this week.
3 big things, what happens first??
1. Assistant coach
2. Add 1-2 forwards
3. Add goalie
I checked Cruz's Instagram earlier this morning to see if it said Gopher commit and it did and now is wiped clean of the pics of him signing his NLI as expected. Now will the Gophers play hardball and not allow him to go to certain schools are will they just say screw it and say don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out? Obviously the Lucius brothers have a ton of talent, and if all goes well will play in the NHL, and the Gophers will miss that talent on the ice. Bob certainly won't miss the behind the scenes drama that the family brings. Just hope that Kurth still comes in.
Also Jess's tweet said a" spokesperson" for the family said... ( roll my eyes )
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
Yeah I’m kinda over the Lucius family at this point
The LaVar Ball family of hockey.
Note: Due to inflation dirty deeds will no longer be done dirt cheap.
Gopher hockey gets 24 total games out of the two wunderkinds.
Maybe he'll go join Mel or Tristan.
Hoping for news on additions this week.
3 big things, what happens first?? 1. Assistant coach 2. Add 1-2 forwards 3. Add goalie
*Add 2 Top 9 forwards.
They only have 13 forwards on the roster and that includes Mittelstadt/Schmidt/Strobel...
No way would I give Cruz a release.
No way would I give Cruz a release.
And get a bad reputation in the community, especially the Gentry community (cough Kurth cough)? Tough spot to be in. I bet he ends up NCHC cuz they advise against in-conference rival Michigan.
Recruiting Kindergartners never really worked out that good for us.
Let him out and have his dad ruin another team.
No way would I give Cruz a release.
And get a bad reputation in the community, especially the Gentry community (cough Kurth cough)? Tough spot to be in. I bet he ends up NCHC cuz they advise against in-conference rival Michigan.
Unless something has already been reported that I haven’t seen…just because Chaz decided to sign with the Jets (& evidently) play in WHL next season…doesn’t de facto mean Cruz no longer wishes to play for the Gophers next season…
Recruiting Kindergartners never really worked out that good for us.
I couldn't find the youngest Gopher commitments ever data. But I actually think some of the top 5 youngest worked out okay. I think Reedy and McManus were on there, and they turned out okay (but neither met the expectation for them at time of commitment).
Unless something has already been reported that I haven’t seen…just because Chaz decided to sign with the Jets (& evidently) play in WHL next season…doesn’t de facto mean Cruz no longer wishes to play for the Gophers next season…
What are you talking about? Cruz is gone.
When I think of d-bag hockey parents I always go back to the conversation I had with one time Gopher recruit Mitch Hults's dad here in Mankato when Mitch was in town with Lake Superior State. Listening to his dad talk about Minnesota and tDon and how his kid was the best thing since sliced bread all the while Mitch wasn't a top 6 forward even on that team.
Here is a serious question though...what is the dad going to do if both Lucius kids end up hurt and have no degree or life experience outside of practicing and playing hockey? What does the Lucius dad even do that he can buy his kid's way through life?
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
Unless something has already been reported that I haven’t seen…just because Chaz decided to sign with the Jets (& evidently) play in WHL next season…doesn’t de facto mean Cruz no longer wishes to play for the Gophers next season…
What are you talking about? Cruz is gone.
OK, who reported it or how was it announced (did Cruz himself tweet something)? Thanks
what is the dad going to do if both Lucius kids end up hurt and have no degree or life experience outside of practicing and playing hockey? What does the Lucius dad even do that he can buy his kid’s way through life?
When you are that rich you're set for life unless your parents hate you. They can just get a job the parents find for them if hockey doesn't work out. Also the hockey community in general looks out for its own when it comes to post hockey careers.
Unless something has already been reported that I haven’t seen…just because Chaz decided to sign with the Jets (& evidently) play in WHL next season…doesn’t de facto mean Cruz no longer wishes to play for the Gophers next season…
What are you talking about? Cruz is gone.
OK, who reported it or how was it announced (did Cruz himself tweet something)? Thanks
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
Does Jess realize they only have 13 forwards including Mittelstadt who we don't even know for sure about?
Yeah I’m kinda over the Lucius family at this point
The LaVar Ball family of hockey.
Agree... though LaVar (the dad) is a complete clown show.
Keep your stick on the ice...
Keep your stick on the ice...
Well, I guess that puts the final wrap on the Lucia era recruits ☝️ Chaz had flashes, but compared to how he was touted, never met expectations & Cruz is an asterisk…a moot point (now).
Well, I guess that puts the final wrap on the Lucia era recruits ☝️ Chaz had flashes, but compared to how he was touted, never met expectations & Cruz is an asterisk…a moot point (now).
Nope. Mittelstadts still coming in.