I don’t think I’ve heard someone say a pass was squibbed, a skater was felled, or a guy had a player on his six during a hockey game. These two seem to be having a contest of who can say the most awkwardly creative thing to describe hockey.
You would think that might be a good thing but it is all the not
@fightclub30 As I just watched the Wild get their ass handed to them, I was thinking the same thing. 🙄
Pathetic. With all the players available to Bob with transfers/chl, there is no excuse for MN to have a roster this far behind the competition.
This is the worst Gophers team I can remember. Including the last years of the Lucia coached teams that were dominated by in state teams.
Hopefully they can turn things around, and get the split. It's just painful to watch lately.
Wonder if/when we work to fill that last roster spot?
Also, serious question - I know we are expecting a rebuilding year and have a pretty good pipeline; but what risk is there for guys to de-commit if this season ends the way it has started? 😬
Pathetic. With all the players available to Bob with transfers/chl, there is no excuse for MN to have a roster this far behind the competition.
First off, he should’ve pushed 10,000x harder for Chesley, Kurth, Wood, and Moore to all stay 1 more year. Kurth is in the ECHL and I don’t know if Chesley has played any NHL games. I wonder if he thought they’d self-manage into deciding to stay longer and then neglected to really have those conversations.
Second, it’s unbelievable how often we see Begley-McLaughlin out on the ice for faceoffs right after a TV timeout. Mittelstadt, Gruba, and Whipple need to be on the ice for every single second their bodies can handle. To this point, it’s frustrating how Thomas seems to be made of glass, for 3 years now and counting. I get that it’s not necessarily anything he’s doing or has control over, but it’s kind of unreal how much time he’s missed cumulatively
Pathetic. With all the players available to Bob with transfers/chl, there is no excuse for MN to have a roster this far behind the competition.
careful.. any more criticism (100% valid by the way) and @frozen4champs will come after you.
Team is a disaster. All on the coach for constructing the roster.
For starters it didn’t help that the NTDP totally shot Whipple and Phillips development in the leg. They were supposed to be 5-star can’t miss guys on this team. We need to get Geiger and McArthur outta there.
Wonder if/when we work to fill that last roster spot?
Also, serious question - I know we are expecting a rebuilding year and have a pretty good pipeline; but what risk is there for guys to de-commit if this season ends the way it has started? 😬
If it’s just one bad season: ~zero. It’s not football or basketball. Everyone knows teams can go from the basement of their conference to the Frozen Four in the span of a year, and the “M” brand is timeless. Remember, in a very recent season BC won just 9 games and then Perreault/Leonard/Smith all came in the next year and took BC to the national championship game.
I don’t think we lost many top-end commits in that down period of 2009-11, and the guys we lost in the tDon-tBob transition years were mostly like, tDon/Scott Bell recruits who had committed absurdly young and never panned out to be serviceable NCAA D1 players at all
Brutal. Only word to describe that 60 minutes. Madison bars are going to get a lot of money from me tomorrow and saturday
Falloon out for “a while.”
anyone see what happened?
Falloon out for “a while.”
anyone see what happened?
Great, now we’ll be back to Begley on the 4th line. This year could get seriously ugly. Do they make it to double digit wins?
I'll say one positive, and it's well deserved. Luca played very well in net, and if he plays like that moving forward, he will keep games closer than they should be.
Falloon out for “a while.”
anyone see what happened?Great, now we’ll be back to Begley on the 4th line. This year could get seriously ugly. Do they make it to double digit wins?
Not if we can barely make double-digit shots each night. 🫤
Kind of glad I missed this one. I know “we’re young” and we have a lot of new guys but it’s truly baffling to me that any gopher team can be this bad. The really concerning thing, among so many other concerning things, is the issues with the effort. Like others have said, that should be a nonnegotiable. Especially if you play at a program like Minnesota. Looking for positives and it feels like I’m grasping for straws. Really disappointing.
I just want effort. Gimme the cliched ol' college try. And no, don't come at me (or anyone) "you don't think they are trying?" We all know the difference.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
It’s a good thing last night’s game wasn’t on Halloween, as that game was scary enough 😉
in all seriousness, I’ll go positive first;
Luca is working his ass off to give this team a chance. Goaltending was a bit unknown going in but safe to say it’s down the list of concerns at this point.
in a rebuilding year, the players need to play in order to gain experience and hopefully develop. So, while it’s going to be tough to watch, the positive (especially for the D core) of a Thomas being out, Gruba plays a more critical role, Whipple gets more opportunities, 5 continues to adjust to the game pace, mcglocklin settled in and on down the lineup.
regarding “effort” (lack of) - for me, much of that perception associates to the physical play/hitting. This team doesn’t finish checks which drives me nuts. Especially Moore. If Moore would impose his size I think his game skyrockets and that’s just one example.
keep hendrickson, Moe and Pritchard together and let them continue to gel. They have something going.
bring it Saturday boys
Not only does it feel like Gophs NEED at least one win, I need a win or two. As someone mentioned, hasn't been a great MN Sports' Fall. The only sports I really follow are 1. Goph men's hockey 2. Wild 3. Vikings. (I'll follow teams like Twins and Goph women when they are making playoffs, but couldn't care less about any bouncyball team even if they win championship 10 yrs in a row.)
Goph's I knew would likely start slowly, but wasn't expecting this slow. Wild I thought would be over .500 and get better through season, given how they did last year even with multiple starters out (Who knew Freddy Goudreau was so good and important?). Vikings I knew would depend on QB, but thought their D would be a top 3 in league (too much listening to PA) and rest of O (especially improved O line) good enough to make the O at least average. (What is that saying about when you assume things?)
Tough to be an optimistic fan.
While this team is clearly a step down in talent from last few years, they still have a lot of talent and if Bob can get them to a consistent level of effort enough to make the tourney, they have a shot. A lot of champs in the past several years were not necessarily the team with most talent, but one that was playing the best as a team and with most effort. (Gotta just keep telling myself that.)
Last night didn't help. Don't have a lot of hope any of these teams win a game this weekend. Is it possible to buy anti-depressants over the counter? At least I am a liquor hoarder so have plenty on hand.
Just plain putrid. There were times during that game when I was wondering why Hastings was using a goalie.
I'm going to all 4 games this weekend. I went into it thinking seeing 2 wins would be a very good outcome, and 1 win was the most likely. After being there last night, and knowing how horrible the women have played in Madison the past several years, I think it will require some luck to even see 1 win.
When was the last time the Gopher Men were a truly bad team?
From what I remember, even in Lucia's leanest years they were still top 20-25. Yes, it's early, but what I saw last night , that feels like an optimistic goal.
That’s not what typically happens at NTDP. That’s more on the player, especially with defenseman. Look a Faber for example. There’s a myriad of D playing regular shifts in the NHL who played at NTDP. They may have ups & downs with their coaching staffs, but the PROGRAM produces good defenseman by & large.For starters it didn’t help that the NTDP totally shot Whipple and Phillips development in the leg. They were supposed to be 5-star can’t miss guys on this team. We need to get Geiger and McArthur outta there.
Wood, who transferred from U Conn wasn’t staying. The other 3 should have stayed another year at the U. I don’t believe any of Moore, Chesley or Kurth have registered a shift in the NHL during 25-26 season. Especially Chesley & Kurth shud have stayed. But if they’re signing early, there’s reasons and 💵 is one of them if you’re in the AHL or above. Now if you’re straight to the ECHL, it’s really hard to argue not staying at the U for another year.Pathetic. With all the players available to Bob with transfers/chl, there is no excuse for MN to have a roster this far behind the competition.
First off, he should’ve pushed 10,000x harder for Chesley, Kurth, Wood, and Moore to all stay 1 more year. Kurth is in the ECHL and I don’t know if Chesley has played any NHL games. I wonder if he thought they’d self-manage into deciding to stay longer and then neglected to really have those conversations.
Second, it’s unbelievable how often we see Begley-McLaughlin out on the ice for faceoffs right after a TV timeout. Mittelstadt, Gruba, and Whipple need to be on the ice for every single second their bodies can handle. To this point, it’s frustrating how Thomas seems to be made of glass, for 3 years now and counting. I get that it’s not necessarily anything he’s doing or has control over, but it’s kind of unreal how much time he’s missed cumulatively
Mariucci could be a morgue by Christmas.
Bob's enthusiasm for the team is starting to sound like a sales pitch. He tells the media they're going to be good, but the hole they're digging is getting too deep.
I can't remember a team that's generated fewer shots. That starts with defense but the play of the forwards has been equally cringe-worthy.
I like Brody Lamb as a college hockey player, but if he's your top guy, you're in trouble. Hendrickson can skate but he's a digger, and most of the freshmen are so lost and mistake-prone that puck possession is constantly disrupted.
Wood, who transferred from U Conn wasn’t staying. The other 3 should have stayed another year at the U. I don’t believe any of Moore, Chesley or Kurth have registered a shift in the NHL during 25-26 season. Especially Chesley & Kurth shud have stayed. But if they’re signing early, there’s reasons and 💵 is one of them if you’re in the AHL or above. Now if you’re straight to the ECHL, it’s really hard to argue not staying at the U for another year.Pathetic. With all the players available to Bob with transfers/chl, there is no excuse for MN to have a roster this far behind the competition.
First off, he should’ve pushed 10,000x harder for Chesley, Kurth, Wood, and Moore to all stay 1 more year. Kurth is in the ECHL and I don’t know if Chesley has played any NHL games. I wonder if he thought they’d self-manage into deciding to stay longer and then neglected to really have those conversations.
Second, it’s unbelievable how often we see Begley-McLaughlin out on the ice for faceoffs right after a TV timeout. Mittelstadt, Gruba, and Whipple need to be on the ice for every single second their bodies can handle. To this point, it’s frustrating how Thomas seems to be made of glass, for 3 years now and counting. I get that it’s not necessarily anything he’s doing or has control over, but it’s kind of unreal how much time he’s missed cumulatively
Kurth is the one that hurts of them as you knew he was not an NHLer and debatable if he'd ever be an AHLer but was an extremely good college player, glue/effort guy who played the right way every night. Chesley has played reasonable AHL minutes so I get it if he wanted to move on, but think 1 more year would've made a heck of a lot of sense as he would be running the PP and on PK1 while playing 1st pair minutes. Moore will be up and down on his 2 way this year and has been very good in the AHL so far, though that may be all he ever ends up being. Debatable if he should've stayed but Chicago wanted him (and Rinzel) signed
Any possibility for BTN or BTN ( OverFlow) for the Saturday Men's D1 Hockey game?
Not knowing what to do, they do what they know . . .
Knowing what to do, they sometime don't do it . . .
The 26th year of the Gopher Men's Hockey Profile got to be too much for this ol' codger to handle . . . what with all of the possible activity on the transfer portal . . . . So, I'm closing it down at the 25th year . . .
Any possibility for BTN or BTN ( OverFlow) for the Saturday Men's D1 Hockey game?
ZERO CHANCE
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♃
I hope the women’s team plays better then the men’s team in Madison this weekend
Aloha!
I thought they might have used them during the playoffs, but Jup corrected me on that. Those are ONLY used for football. Not even basketball gets those overflow channels.Any possibility for BTN or BTN ( OverFlow) for the Saturday Men's D1 Hockey game?
ZERO CHANCE
i always chuckle at these during the football season. people really think they're going to cut broadcast territory of any football game to go to hockey?
That’s not what typically happens at NTDP. That’s more on the player, especially with defenseman. Look a Faber for example. There’s a myriad of D playing regular shifts in the NHL who played at NTDP. They may have ups & downs with their coaching staffs, but the PROGRAM produces good defenseman by & large.For starters it didn’t help that the NTDP totally shot Whipple and Phillips development in the leg. They were supposed to be 5-star can’t miss guys on this team. We need to get Geiger and McArthur outta there.
If you’re on the top pair and PP unit sure, then you get the Faber, Hutson, Hughes, treatment. After that, minutes tail off, and you’d be better playing top pair minutes on a junior team somewhere. Just my observation.
@maroon_and_gold I see what you’re saying. Yes, that is a risk when you commit to NTDP for 2 years, you sign a contract and it’s very expensive to break that contract. But you’re also given the tools to accelerate your development. Maybe certain players should have played a year of juniors after their 2 years at NTDP before joining the Gophers squad. But that’s on them and tBob too…as most players aren’t ready to play D1 hockey at age 18/or just turned 19.
Bob wasn’t going to change offers to new players he was bringing in but I can’t help wondering about the CHL players that could have come here like N Dak, Penn St, and Mich St got. I’m not an all Minnesota roster advocate, just recruit the top players.
Bob wasn’t going to change offers to new players he was bringing in but I can’t help wondering about the CHL players that could have come here like N Dak, Penn St, and Mich St got. I’m not an all Minnesota roster advocate, just recruit the top players.
Do we know for a fact he didn’t try to recruit any CHL players?
Bob wasn’t going to change offers to new players he was bringing in but I can’t help wondering about the CHL players that could have come here like N Dak, Penn St, and Mich St got. I’m not an all Minnesota roster advocate, just recruit the top players.
Do we know for a fact he didn’t try to recruit any CHL players?
I believe he’s been quoted saying he’s gonna “watch and observe” how it goes for CHL guys. Pretty openly saying he didn’t try. At least not this offseason, which I agree with most on here is perplexing.
Instead he picked up a D3 hockey player and left a roster spot wide open.
Instead he picked up a D3 hockey player and left a roster spot wide open.
And he plays that former D3 player on a regular rotation. I get we have injuries, but that doesn't mean EVERYONE on the bench has to play in a high level D1 hockey game. There are all kinds of ways to avoid putting players that are not at this competitive level on the ice such as double shifting your other forwards (and just not playing the 4th line at all).
Modern hockey is not like it was even 10 years ago when Minnesota was a premier hockey program and could just select the recruits they wanted. It is much more competitive and the fact is, mainly because of other sports, many other colleges have higher brand recognition. Minnesota is losing too many of the instate top recruits and doesn't have the same premier college brand with the outstate, Canadien and other foreign players it needs to compete in the NIL world.
We had a mediocre recruiting class last season. A mediocre at best recruiting class this year. I think a below average recruiting class for next season. And we do not have any real stars amongst our future recruits.
ON the current team and recruiting pipeline we are seriously lacking goal scorers and offensive minded defensemen who can move the puck and play on the power play. At least with Carter Casey we can say we have a potential goal tending recruit, something that hasn't been true for a while (and he is still a couple of years from coming to campus).
The danger for this program is if you fall behind, it will take a long time to catch up. If Denver, Penn St, Michigan St, and of course Michigan become the place for these elite talents to (continue) to go to, Minnesota might be on the outside looking in regardless of our tradition. That is meaningless to many of these kids.
And he plays that former D3 player on a regular rotation
Even more distressing, he doesn't look out of place on this roster.🥴
In theory it wouldn't take that long to turn things around but you're right that you don't want to keep going in the wrong direction for much longer. I admittedly don't follow recruiting super closely but if the talent level of the next class or two is like what we're seeing currently then.. yikes.Instead he picked up a D3 hockey player and left a roster spot wide open.
And he plays that former D3 player on a regular rotation. I get we have injuries, but that doesn't mean EVERYONE on the bench has to play in a high level D1 hockey game. There are all kinds of ways to avoid putting players that are not at this competitive level on the ice such as double shifting your other forwards (and just not playing the 4th line at all).
Modern hockey is not like it was even 10 years ago when Minnesota was a premier hockey program and could just select the recruits they wanted. It is much more competitive and the fact is, mainly because of other sports, many other colleges have higher brand recognition. Minnesota is losing too many of the instate top recruits and doesn't have the same premier college brand with the outstate, Canadien and other foreign players it needs to compete in the NIL world.
We had a mediocre recruiting class last season. A mediocre at best recruiting class this year. I think a below average recruiting class for next season. And we do not have any real stars amongst our future recruits.
ON the current team and recruiting pipeline we are seriously lacking goal scorers and offensive minded defensemen who can move the puck and play on the power play. At least with Carter Casey we can say we have a potential goal tending recruit, something that hasn't been true for a while (and he is still a couple of years from coming to campus).
The danger for this program is if you fall behind, it will take a long time to catch up. If Denver, Penn St, Michigan St, and of course Michigan become the place for these elite talents to (continue) to go to, Minnesota might be on the outside looking in regardless of our tradition. That is meaningless to many of these kids.
I understand that some of these current freshmen will look better in 2-3 years but it's mainly a group of 4 year projects with no high end talent among the upper classmen. Mooney is a good recruit but even he seems like someone who needs 3-4 years here and doesn't seem likely to bolt to the NHL any time soon. The rest seem more like guys who could maybe be depth guys as upper classmen on a competent gopher team. And like you said the offensive minded D talent is clearly lacking, if they don't have someone to fill that roll next year then we're not gonna see much improvement.
In theory it wouldn't take that long to turn things around but you're right that you don't want to keep going in the wrong direction for much longer. I admittedly don't follow recruiting super closely but if the talent level of the next class or two is like what we're seeing currently then.. yikes.Instead he picked up a D3 hockey player and left a roster spot wide open.
And he plays that former D3 player on a regular rotation. I get we have injuries, but that doesn't mean EVERYONE on the bench has to play in a high level D1 hockey game. There are all kinds of ways to avoid putting players that are not at this competitive level on the ice such as double shifting your other forwards (and just not playing the 4th line at all).
Modern hockey is not like it was even 10 years ago when Minnesota was a premier hockey program and could just select the recruits they wanted. It is much more competitive and the fact is, mainly because of other sports, many other colleges have higher brand recognition. Minnesota is losing too many of the instate top recruits and doesn't have the same premier college brand with the outstate, Canadien and other foreign players it needs to compete in the NIL world.
We had a mediocre recruiting class last season. A mediocre at best recruiting class this year. I think a below average recruiting class for next season. And we do not have any real stars amongst our future recruits.
ON the current team and recruiting pipeline we are seriously lacking goal scorers and offensive minded defensemen who can move the puck and play on the power play. At least with Carter Casey we can say we have a potential goal tending recruit, something that hasn't been true for a while (and he is still a couple of years from coming to campus).
The danger for this program is if you fall behind, it will take a long time to catch up. If Denver, Penn St, Michigan St, and of course Michigan become the place for these elite talents to (continue) to go to, Minnesota might be on the outside looking in regardless of our tradition. That is meaningless to many of these kids.
I understand that some of these current freshmen will look better in 2-3 years but it's mainly a group of 4 year projects with no high end talent among the upper classmen. Mooney is a good recruit but even he seems like someone who needs 3-4 years here and doesn't seem likely to bolt to the NHL any time soon. The rest seem more like guys who could maybe be depth guys as upper classmen on a competent gopher team. And like you said the offensive minded D talent is clearly lacking, if they don't have someone to fill that roll next year then we're not gonna see much improvement.
Well when I said a long time I was trying to go half way between the worst case scenario. In the modern world of NIL college recruiting there is a door that the recruits of all college sports passes through. The real danger is that door becomes closed. I think the Gophers are well on their way of having the door closed.
Don't think its possible? It is for football. It is for basketball. MInnesota is 3rd tier at best for those sports programs and there are not many tiers lower.
For hockey it is even worse because unlike the football and basketball programs, the Gophers have to recruit in state against UMD, Mankato, St Cloud, Bemidji, and now St Thomas, along with the border states like NoDak and Wisconsin that poach. And that is just the local competition. Notre Dame has always appealed to a certain type of hockey recruit and now it seems that Michigan St and Denver have grown much stronger in the recruiting wars for top level MN talent as they move away from the traditional Minnesota High School hockey programs to more national programs.
I like Bob Motzko. I think he has had a great college hockey coaching career. 437 total wins at St Cloud and MN before the start of this season. But I also think his ways are the old fashion ways of running a D1 hockey program. The program needs to find a top level guy who not only knows how to coach the team, but is well connected to the recruiting ways that are present now. This program should have the resources and brand to find that absolute best modern coach available, even poaching them from another high level D1 team. Move Bob upstairs in the athletic department for a bit. HE is 64 years old so retirement a near term option. I woud rather that happen than fire the guy, and I also do not think they will fire him.
I admittedly don't follow recruiting super closely but if the talent level of the next class or two is like what we're seeing currently then.. yikes.
They aren’t, or at least they aren’t projected to be.
(1) because of other sports, many other colleges have higher brand recognition. Minnesota is losing too many of the instate top recruits and doesn't have the same premier college brand with the outstate, Canadien and other foreign players it needs to compete in the NIL world.
(2) We had a mediocre recruiting class last season. A mediocre at best recruiting class this year. I think a below average recruiting class for next season. And we do not have any real stars amongst our future recruits.
(1) Gophers will always be a premier college hockey brand, in-state and nationally. That is corroborated by my experience living out-of-state since 2021, and even this year we’ve held on in the polls far longer and far higher than we ever should’ve been. Regardless of how strong a given year’s team is, having the 2nd(3rd?)-most active NHL players of any NCAA team is a stable indicator of quality, one that also resonates with players who didn’t necessarily grow up revering the M. Furthermore, NoDak’s last five years doesn’t seem to have tanked their brand, and they have no other marquee sports. Yes, they’ve always had pull with Canadian NCAA prospects, but not to the level we have with Minnesotan players.
(2) Mediocre recruiting the last two years, yes. I’m assuming Kvasnicka, Phillips, Grimes, and Jackson Nevers (if JN comes at all) next year. Plus, ideally, Townsend and Ludtke fully healthy. After that (so 2 years from now), oldest Cullen and Geiger. Geiger should hopefully make an immediate impact, but a lot can happen. I don’t really know as much about the recruiting side of things.
it seems that Michigan St and Denver have grown much stronger in the recruiting wars for top level MN talent as they move away from the traditional Minnesota High School hockey programs to more national programs.
I have a nagging feeling that the NTDP staff do a lot of whispering in ears to shift MN talent away from the Gophers.
Finley 1-0.
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End of 1, Gophs trail 0-1.
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Finley 2-0, PPG.
Not every disease is visible. Not every pain comes from an obvious wound. Some people you see day-to-day may be suffering in ways you or I may never understand and fighting just to live a normal life. Please consider contributing to the Facial Pain Association and together we can find a cure.
Announcing crew is terrible. He seems to think “yelling = aura” and she’s either got a speech impediment or a really, really strong Wisco accent. Ofc neither know a thing about hockey.
my family heard her and asked if she was 12Announcing crew is terrible. He seems to think “yelling = aura” and she’s either got a speech impediment or a really, really strong Wisco accent. Ofc neither know a thing about hockey.
The “gift wrapped turnover, delay, pass to no-one, out of the zone” by Moore really sums up this weekend.