All valid points, I think the question is how much longer does he want to coach and what that timeline looks like. I'm not opposed to the idea of him coming back next year but I do think people make some valid points about future recruiting pipelines and establishing a brand with the new potential sources of talent.
the above I agree with you 100%. Right now it seems like, at least on paper, that he's still locked in through the end of his contract, which I fully expect to be his last year. If he hadn't landed the Cullens, Harper, and the handful of decent MN talent he has so far, I would be saying you have to pressure him one way or the other. From what has been out there of rumblings, I think he's been pretty transparent he's not doing this forever, but I don't think his approach to the CHL was because he was lazy about it or too stubborn to change style (as evidenced by the number of out state recruits recently), but rather because he truthfully didn't know how it would go, if guys would stay, etc., and the results have been mixed so far in how guys have worked out if you aren't getting the upper echelon and even some of those guys have really had a tough time.
This offseason and next fall is going to be really telling. There are still a pretty good number of MN NTDPers uncommitted as well. I'm optimistic as Bob strikes me as someone who does truly want to leave the program better than he found it, has improved these guys through the year, and is still recruiting.
On your last point, I think this is the biggest part of why I'd hire a GM. Pipeline and relationship management is going to be a long-term thing and would be great to have someone get in now while NIL and the CHL are new and let it be someone who can bridge Bob's tenure.
What are the concerns with the future pipeline?
I don't care who coaches if they can recruit and have money $$$$$ to buy players. The days of cherry picking the best players are long gone. Motzko is a good coach (another Wooger unless he wins a title). Bottom line is my mailman can beat Peewee C teams if he is coaching Peewee A teams.
I didn't realize that the only D1 men's hockey head coaches older than Motzko are Frank Serratore and the retiring Rick Gotkin.
I didn't realize that the only D1 men's hockey head coaches older than Motzko are Frank Serratore and the retiring Rick Gotkin.
I always wondered when he played for us if Tom Serratore had developed the same Serratore family personality
If Bob decides to call it a career.
#1 Get a GM for the team
#2 Time for a young coach that understands the current player and landscape of college hockey
Young and know where the money is? But he doesn't have to be a good hockey coach.
But he doesn't have to be a good hockey coach.
Elite teams tend to mostly coach themselves. Prime example being Michigan under Naurato
If Bob decides to call it a career.
#1 Get a GM for the team
#2 Time for a young coach that understands the current player and landscape of college hockey
Young and know where the money is? But he doesn't have to be a good hockey coach.
He was probably thinking that goes without saying.
Elite teams tend to mostly coach themselves. Prime example being Michigan under Naurato
I will say that Naurato is a great skills coach and knows how to develop talent. I've just questioned his ability to be a head hockey coach running a program with discipline. They've had a lot of success with him behind the bench, I've just always felt there's a level of consistency missing there with a young coach in charge.
How did Motzko think he could compete going into the season with this defensive core?
How did Motzko think he could compete going into the season with this defensive core?
Truly mind-boggling stuff. I was willing to wait and see at the beginning of the year given Rombach’s draft status and Gruba’s potential. Hell even McLaughlin had some pedigree in the USHL.
Now I just think they should blow it all up in the offseason.
4, 5 and 55 can be back (yes he’s been terrible but you know there’s a player there somewhere) the rest need to be portal or CHL.
55 is brutal. Slow and makes silly mistakes.
4 and 5 can come back. Nobody else should return.
Please can we also stop pretending the recruiting and outcome this year is a “CHL wait and see” issue. Transfer portal has been alive and well, working just fine. A strategic organization would have understood the CHL would also create good portal opportunities. 7 out of top 10 added notable D-men:
-Michigan: Ben Robertson, looked fantastic last night against Sparty +18
-Sparty: Colin Ralph, looked strong last night against go blue +23
-WMU: Theo Wallberg +14
-PSU: Gadowsky -1
-Cornell: Luke Ashton +14, Michael Fisher +8
-UMD: Brady Cleveland +5
-Quinnipiac: Will Gilson +12
………..
-OSU: Straky and Sabo outplayed our lot last night
4, 5 and 55 can be back (yes he’s been terrible but you know there’s a player there somewhere) the rest need to be portal or CHL.
Too lazy to look up more advanced metrics that better reflect individual performance. But thought this was interesting:
4 is +1
5 is +4
55 is -4
24 is -11
33 is -2
15 is -2
22 is -8
20 is -6
20 is -6 (in spite of PP)
You don’t get a +1 for being on the ice when a PP goal is scored and vice versa for PKers who get scored on (no -1)
4, 5 and 55 can be back (yes he’s been terrible but you know there’s a player there somewhere) the rest need to be portal or CHL.
Too lazy to look up more advanced metrics that better reflect individual performance. But thought this was interesting:
4 is +1
5 is +4
55 is -4
24 is -11
33 is -2
15 is -2
22 is -8
20 is -6
McLaughlin being -11 despite playing limited minutes is very telling.
4, 5 and 55 can be back (yes he’s been terrible but you know there’s a player there somewhere) the rest need to be portal or CHL.
Too lazy to look up more advanced metrics that better reflect individual performance. But thought this was interesting:
4 is +1
5 is +4
55 is -4
24 is -11
33 is -2
15 is -2
22 is -8
20 is -6
I like CHIP on CHN. Which has the following:
Mittelstadt is 57.1
Thomas is 24.4
Gruba is 18.2
Whipple is 17.9
Rombach is 13.9
Rud is 6.2
Begley is 3.6
McLaughlin is 3.3
https://www.collegehockeynews.com/stats/team/Minnesota/34
Looking at everyone else, there is not much that is different that what the eye test shows. Ziemer, Lamb and Mitts is the the only reason we have won some games (Mooney is doing great for freshman), the rest of the team is tough.
4, 5 and 55 can be back (yes he’s been terrible but you know there’s a player there somewhere) the rest need to be portal or CHL.
Too lazy to look up more advanced metrics that better reflect individual performance. But thought this was interesting:
4 is +1
5 is +4
55 is -4
24 is -11
33 is -2
15 is -2
22 is -8
20 is -6
I like CHIP on CHN. Which has the following:
Mittelstadt is 57.1
Thomas is 24.4
Gruba is 18.2
Whipple is 17.9
Rombach is 13.9
Rud is 6.2
Begley is 3.6
McLaughlin is 3.3
https://www.collegehockeynews.com/stats/team/Minnesota/34
Looking at everyone else, there is not much that is different that what the eye test shows. Ziemer, Lamb and Mitts is the the only reason we have won some games (Mooney is doing great for freshman), the rest of the team is tough.
i remember Rinzel and Snuggerud both had CHIP ratings in the 60s-70s at the halfway point last year
4, 5 and 55 can be back (yes he’s been terrible but you know there’s a player there somewhere) the rest need to be portal or CHL.
Too lazy to look up more advanced metrics that better reflect individual performance. But thought this was interesting:
4 is +1
5 is +4
55 is -4
24 is -11
33 is -2
15 is -2
22 is -8
20 is -6
I like CHIP on CHN. Which has the following:
Mittelstadt is 57.1
Thomas is 24.4
Gruba is 18.2
Whipple is 17.9
Rombach is 13.9
Rud is 6.2
Begley is 3.6
McLaughlin is 3.3
https://www.collegehockeynews.com/stats/team/Minnesota/34
Looking at everyone else, there is not much that is different that what the eye test shows. Ziemer, Lamb and Mitts is the the only reason we have won some games (Mooney is doing great for freshman), the rest of the team is tough.
i remember Rinzel and Snuggerud both had CHIP ratings in the 60s-70s at the halfway point last year
the biggest component of CHIP is TOI so it inherently is going to be skewed to your biggest TOI players which is why LJ is lagging as he didn’t PK early in the year. I like CHIP but it’s also reliant on how good your time on ice tracking is done which we know is flawed at this level and really is hard to compare across teams
I think CHIP is good for goalies but yeah, the TOI component makes it not great for comparing skaters.
Bob has said all the right things during his time here about how he’s just renting the coaches office and the players are just renting those stalls for 4 years. What came before and what comes after being just as important as the present.
I just hope he carries that same mindset into the offseason. Either cut ties with some players as uncomfortable as it may be, or realize his time is up. The program is more important than anyone’s ego.
I'm curious of the handful of players that many here have said have no business being on the roster next season (maybe this season?) how many of them were assumed would be busts before ever stepping foot on campus? How much of that recruiting was arguably bad from the start vs. unfortunate whiffs?
Yeah I’m ready
I'm curious of the handful of players that many here have said have no business being on the roster next season (maybe this season?) how many of them were assumed would be busts before ever stepping foot on campus? How much of that recruiting was arguably bad from the start vs. unfortunate whiffs?
begley, rud, and McLaughlin all should’ve never been Gophers. Clark and Pahlsson were obviously not going to cut it in the roles they’ve been put into for this season. Airey has never been good, he was lucky to get two years of limited action with Close and then Souliere doing all the heavy lifting.
I'm curious of the handful of players that many here have said have no business being on the roster next season (maybe this season?) how many of them were assumed would be busts before ever stepping foot on campus? How much of that recruiting was arguably bad from the start vs. unfortunate whiffs?
really really good question
On D: whipple was supposed to be a stud. He will be our best d next year. Gruba was ushl DPOY and has been a ghost offensively. Rombach is a long dev guy so we’ll see. The rest are not pro players nor were ever thought to be (and gruba included there). Of incoming, Grimes plateaued and Phillips is a draft on frame. We’ll see on the NTDP guys but Harper seems like a major find who’s a 1-2 round guy that’ll hopefully keep developing.
on F: I think the freshmen forwards look exactly as you’d expect. The upperclassmen, i mean aside from lamb who is playing his heart out, it’s been a ghost town. Problem is these classes were filled with top round picks but they’ve all left by now
I'm curious of the handful of players that many here have said have no business being on the roster next season (maybe this season?) how many of them were assumed would be busts before ever stepping foot on campus? How much of that recruiting was arguably bad from the start vs. unfortunate whiffs?
begley, rud, and McLaughlin all should’ve never been Gophers. Clark and Pahlsson were obviously not going to cut it in the roles they’ve been put into for this season.
add Harris
Get Ben Barr in here and watch how fast we’re contenders again. Could be as early as next season with the CHL and transfer portal.
For me alarm bells started ringing early before this season when I read that Cal Thomas was running a PP unit. It’s a total mismatch with his toolkit and role leading up to this year. Sometimes that kind of ad hoc solution ends up working alright (see: Bischoff) but it worried me about how many mismatched players in roles we were gonna have to work with
Suddenly I felt myself transported back to 2018. Mariucci was a morgue and I was watching a once proud program get pushed around the ice by a “lesser than” team.
If we’ve come full circle, that should signify a need for a change.
Well you have some glaring issues like the D3 players who are on a D1 roster, I get that you need depth guys on the 4th lines or maybe a guy who sits the bench mainly and comes in when there's an emergency but this team is regularly playing Begley and Falloon. That just shouldn't be the case I think most would agree on that.I'm curious of the handful of players that many here have said have no business being on the roster next season (maybe this season?) how many of them were assumed would be busts before ever stepping foot on campus? How much of that recruiting was arguably bad from the start vs. unfortunate whiffs?
This D core kinda reminds me of the Lucia era where he recruited big guys like Collins and Glover who were 2nd and 3rd round picks, sometimes guys in that range are just total busts that get over valued because of their size. Then you have guys like Gruba who were USHL Dman of the year but also was undrafted, he shouldn't look this bad but it's not totally surprising that he's be a step down from guys like Chesley, Rinzel, or the many other Dmen of the past few years. Rombach was an early 2nd rounder and he hasn't been anything special (benched tonight after a blind pass up the boards), he seems to have duped at least one NHL team so it wasn't just Motzko (also I'm not trying to insinuate that the guy won't improve or couldn't be a solid 4 year guy). The best Dman on the team is a 7th round pick who was a bottom pairing Dman most of his career here.
Obviously draft position isn't everything but it's also not a total coincidence that the teams of the past few years had more 1st and 2nd rounders (especially on the blue line) and were far more competent teams. Overall the recruiting quality of this class just wasn't as high and a good number of people called it out before the year. The more optimistic projections were based on guys like Gruba making more of an impact.
I do think it'd also be fair to ask if Motzko is getting the most out of some of these guys currently, I don't pretend to know exactly how much of the problem is talent vs effort/coaching but it seems like they're trying hard and just not getting better.
Whoever was in Chesley’s ear telling him to go pro is a moron. His agent, the Caps GM, whoever. With a great senior year, in much more pleasant environs than Hershey AHL, he could’ve probably stepped right into an NHL cup of coffee at the end of this year.
Kurth should’ve stayed too, but it’s less frustrating because I think he knew he had slim pro prospects and a winger who depends on having elite finisher linemates is inherently less impactful
Whoever was in Chesley’s ear telling him to go pro is a moron. His agent, the Caps GM, whoever. With a great senior year, in much more pleasant environs than Hershey AHL, he could’ve probably stepped right into an NHL cup of coffee at the end of this year.
Agreed 100% he should not have left. Numerous bad decisions from last year’s graduating class, but his stands out along with Kurths. Rinzel and Moore it was pretty clear Davidson had told them they were going to come in
You would have to be a moron to return to this team with hopes of improving your professional career chances.Whoever was in Chesley’s ear telling him to go pro is a moron. His agent, the Caps GM, whoever. With a great senior year, in much more pleasant environs than Hershey AHL, he could’ve probably stepped right into an NHL cup of coffee at the end of this year.
Kurth should’ve stayed too, but it’s less frustrating because I think he knew he had slim pro prospects and a winger who depends on having elite finisher linemates is inherently less impactful
You would have to be a moron to return to this team with hopes of improving your professional career chances.Whoever was in Chesley’s ear telling him to go pro is a moron. His agent, the Caps GM, whoever. With a great senior year, in much more pleasant environs than Hershey AHL, he could’ve probably stepped right into an NHL cup of coffee at the end of this year.
Kurth should’ve stayed too, but it’s less frustrating because I think he knew he had slim pro prospects and a winger who depends on having elite finisher linemates is inherently less impactful
it is true. No players off bad to mediocre teams have ever gone on to play pro because there is no way to evaluate a player off a bad team
being purposely hyperbolic, but that’s a silly take. This team is also markedly better with Chesley and Kurth on it (I’d feel very comfortable saying they would be much closer to .500 with those two with what it trickles through the D core and the roles it has the Fs playing) and you never know what the stack is for outside guys looking in/portal guys as they don’t want to transfer into a non contender if you’re a top tier guy.
You would have to be a moron to return to this team with hopes of improving your professional career chances.Whoever was in Chesley’s ear telling him to go pro is a moron. His agent, the Caps GM, whoever. With a great senior year, in much more pleasant environs than Hershey AHL, he could’ve probably stepped right into an NHL cup of coffee at the end of this year.
Kurth should’ve stayed too, but it’s less frustrating because I think he knew he had slim pro prospects and a winger who depends on having elite finisher linemates is inherently less impactful
Its not like Dobes, Caufield, Lohrei, etc. played on great teams. Even Alabama-Huntsville produced some pro players.
All 3 of the guys you listed left school after 2 years, What's your point? Guys come back to school for 3 reasons IMO-You would have to be a moron to return to this team with hopes of improving your professional career chances.Whoever was in Chesley’s ear telling him to go pro is a moron. His agent, the Caps GM, whoever. With a great senior year, in much more pleasant environs than Hershey AHL, he could’ve probably stepped right into an NHL cup of coffee at the end of this year.
Kurth should’ve stayed too, but it’s less frustrating because I think he knew he had slim pro prospects and a winger who depends on having elite finisher linemates is inherently less impactful
Its not like Dobes, Caufield, Lohrei, etc. played on great teams. Even Alabama-Huntsville produced some pro players.
1. They don't have a better option
2. They believe another year at school would be more beneficial to themselves than leaving early would
3. They think they have a chance to do something special with another season.
You can argue that #2 applies to just about every player who ever left early, but it's not something you can ever really know. I certainly can't blame Chesley or Kurth for seeing what was going on last off-season and deciding that it might be best to move on.
All 3 of the guys you listed left school after 2 years, What's your point? Guys come back to school for 3 reasons IMO-You would have to be a moron to return to this team with hopes of improving your professional career chances.Whoever was in Chesley’s ear telling him to go pro is a moron. His agent, the Caps GM, whoever. With a great senior year, in much more pleasant environs than Hershey AHL, he could’ve probably stepped right into an NHL cup of coffee at the end of this year.
Kurth should’ve stayed too, but it’s less frustrating because I think he knew he had slim pro prospects and a winger who depends on having elite finisher linemates is inherently less impactful
Its not like Dobes, Caufield, Lohrei, etc. played on great teams. Even Alabama-Huntsville produced some pro players.
1. They don't have a better option
2. They believe another year at school would be more beneficial to themselves than leaving early would
3. They think they have a chance to do something special with another season.
You can argue that #2 applies to just about every player who ever left early, but it's not something you can ever really know. I certainly can't blame Chesley or Kurth for seeing what was going on last off-season and deciding that it might be best to move on.
i'd go with the point being guys come back to schools who are not going to achieve big things and put together big years and it helps them continue to develop?
Personally think Chesley would have benefited from being back, playing top pair, playing PP1 which he never got to do and it would've served him very well at trying to break into the NHL. I'm guessing the Caps pressed him to come in as they didn't want to chance him playing through and signing elsewhere, but I also think that is the shortsighted aspect some of these guys make. Chesley projects as a 3rd pair Dman which takes finding the right fit and honing as much of your skillset as you can. I don't blame him for moving on, but I do feel it was a bad choice dev wise as he has struck me as an NHL level talent who was improving each year here.
Kurth I don't think matters a heck of a lot as he's probably always an ECHLer. That said, always tough to see a guy who probably is wearing a letter and playing 1st line as a senior choose that option. Who knows what was said to him by Tampa who just needed warm bodies at the time he signed due to injuries and cap mismanagement
Do you think you proved that point by listing 3 players who all stayed 1 year less than Chesley and Kurth?All 3 of the guys you listed left school after 2 years, What's your point? Guys come back to school for 3 reasons IMO-You would have to be a moron to return to this team with hopes of improving your professional career chances.Whoever was in Chesley’s ear telling him to go pro is a moron. His agent, the Caps GM, whoever. With a great senior year, in much more pleasant environs than Hershey AHL, he could’ve probably stepped right into an NHL cup of coffee at the end of this year.
Kurth should’ve stayed too, but it’s less frustrating because I think he knew he had slim pro prospects and a winger who depends on having elite finisher linemates is inherently less impactful
Its not like Dobes, Caufield, Lohrei, etc. played on great teams. Even Alabama-Huntsville produced some pro players.
1. They don't have a better option
2. They believe another year at school would be more beneficial to themselves than leaving early would
3. They think they have a chance to do something special with another season.
You can argue that #2 applies to just about every player who ever left early, but it's not something you can ever really know. I certainly can't blame Chesley or Kurth for seeing what was going on last off-season and deciding that it might be best to move on.
i'd go with the point being guys come back to schools who are not going to achieve big things and put together big years and it helps them continue to develop?
Personally think Chesley would have benefited from being back, playing top pair, playing PP1 which he never got to do and it would've served him very well at trying to break into the NHL. I'm guessing the Caps pressed him to come in as they didn't want to chance him playing through and signing elsewhere, but I also think that is the shortsighted aspect some of these guys make. Chesley projects as a 3rd pair Dman which takes finding the right fit and honing as much of your skillset as you can. I don't blame him for moving on, but I do feel it was a bad choice dev wise as he has struck me as an NHL level talent who was improving each year here.
Kurth I don't think matters a heck of a lot as he's probably always an ECHLer. That said, always tough to see a guy who probably is wearing a letter and playing 1st line as a senior choose that option. Who knows what was said to him by Tampa who just needed warm bodies at the time he signed due to injuries and cap mismanagement
There are countless reasons that either should've stayed/left. There's also a pretty good chance that we will never know the main reason that caused either to make the decision they did. I don't have any real argument with someone who thinks they could've been better off staying another year, I do have a hard time with calling someone a moron for moving on from the disaster that is the current Gopher squad.
Do you think you proved that point by listing 3 players who all stayed 1 year less than Chesley and Kurth?All 3 of the guys you listed left school after 2 years, What's your point? Guys come back to school for 3 reasons IMO-You would have to be a moron to return to this team with hopes of improving your professional career chances.Whoever was in Chesley’s ear telling him to go pro is a moron. His agent, the Caps GM, whoever. With a great senior year, in much more pleasant environs than Hershey AHL, he could’ve probably stepped right into an NHL cup of coffee at the end of this year.
Kurth should’ve stayed too, but it’s less frustrating because I think he knew he had slim pro prospects and a winger who depends on having elite finisher linemates is inherently less impactful
Its not like Dobes, Caufield, Lohrei, etc. played on great teams. Even Alabama-Huntsville produced some pro players.
1. They don't have a better option
2. They believe another year at school would be more beneficial to themselves than leaving early would
3. They think they have a chance to do something special with another season.
You can argue that #2 applies to just about every player who ever left early, but it's not something you can ever really know. I certainly can't blame Chesley or Kurth for seeing what was going on last off-season and deciding that it might be best to move on.
i'd go with the point being guys come back to schools who are not going to achieve big things and put together big years and it helps them continue to develop?
Personally think Chesley would have benefited from being back, playing top pair, playing PP1 which he never got to do and it would've served him very well at trying to break into the NHL. I'm guessing the Caps pressed him to come in as they didn't want to chance him playing through and signing elsewhere, but I also think that is the shortsighted aspect some of these guys make. Chesley projects as a 3rd pair Dman which takes finding the right fit and honing as much of your skillset as you can. I don't blame him for moving on, but I do feel it was a bad choice dev wise as he has struck me as an NHL level talent who was improving each year here.
Kurth I don't think matters a heck of a lot as he's probably always an ECHLer. That said, always tough to see a guy who probably is wearing a letter and playing 1st line as a senior choose that option. Who knows what was said to him by Tampa who just needed warm bodies at the time he signed due to injuries and cap mismanagement
There are countless reasons that either should've stayed/left. There's also a pretty good chance that we will never know the main reason that caused either to make the decision they did. I don't have any real argument with someone who thinks they could've been better off staying another year, I do have a hard time with calling someone a moron for moving on from the disaster that is the current Gopher squad.
i didn't write the OP or call anyone a moron, though I do agree whoever told Chesley to leave made a bad, though understandable, call. No one has called any of these players that either, as they are clearly doing what their advisors say they should do based on their feelings and feedback. Was pretty clear the point OP was trying to make listing guys who came back extra years and developed well on bad teams and in some cases guys can come back and carry a bad team way further than they have any business going
Just saying I can see the point of disagreeing with someone can improve their stock and develop being on a bad team. Wouldn't have been the 3 picks I'd have selected. Plenty of Gophers who fit that sample as well who benefited from coming back, same as some guys who made a mistake leaving early and stunted their dev.
Is there a chance more left last year because there were problems in the locker room or in the relationship between coaches and players, and so it was the straw that broke the camel's back? Not trying to start rumors, but it would fit if they weren't quite ready from a development standpoint...
Do you think you proved that point by listing 3 players who all stayed 1 year less than Chesley and Kurth?All 3 of the guys you listed left school after 2 years, What's your point? Guys come back to school for 3 reasons IMO-You would have to be a moron to return to this team with hopes of improving your professional career chances.Whoever was in Chesley’s ear telling him to go pro is a moron. His agent, the Caps GM, whoever. With a great senior year, in much more pleasant environs than Hershey AHL, he could’ve probably stepped right into an NHL cup of coffee at the end of this year.
Kurth should’ve stayed too, but it’s less frustrating because I think he knew he had slim pro prospects and a winger who depends on having elite finisher linemates is inherently less impactful
Its not like Dobes, Caufield, Lohrei, etc. played on great teams. Even Alabama-Huntsville produced some pro players.
1. They don't have a better option
2. They believe another year at school would be more beneficial to themselves than leaving early would
3. They think they have a chance to do something special with another season.
You can argue that #2 applies to just about every player who ever left early, but it's not something you can ever really know. I certainly can't blame Chesley or Kurth for seeing what was going on last off-season and deciding that it might be best to move on.
i'd go with the point being guys come back to schools who are not going to achieve big things and put together big years and it helps them continue to develop?
Personally think Chesley would have benefited from being back, playing top pair, playing PP1 which he never got to do and it would've served him very well at trying to break into the NHL. I'm guessing the Caps pressed him to come in as they didn't want to chance him playing through and signing elsewhere, but I also think that is the shortsighted aspect some of these guys make. Chesley projects as a 3rd pair Dman which takes finding the right fit and honing as much of your skillset as you can. I don't blame him for moving on, but I do feel it was a bad choice dev wise as he has struck me as an NHL level talent who was improving each year here.
Kurth I don't think matters a heck of a lot as he's probably always an ECHLer. That said, always tough to see a guy who probably is wearing a letter and playing 1st line as a senior choose that option. Who knows what was said to him by Tampa who just needed warm bodies at the time he signed due to injuries and cap mismanagement
There are countless reasons that either should've stayed/left. There's also a pretty good chance that we will never know the main reason that caused either to make the decision they did. I don't have any real argument with someone who thinks they could've been better off staying another year, I do have a hard time with calling someone a moron for moving on from the disaster that is the current Gopher squad.
Pay attention to detail. Not only did you reply to the wrong person, you completely misread what I said. I didn’t say Chesley was an idiot. I very clearly directed my irritation at his agent, draft team GM, whoever is advising him because these young players all have a bunch of other people supposed to guide their development but whose respective interests are often only marginally aligned with the player’s.
If Bob leaves, what would your thoughts on Raboin as new head coach be?
He’d be on the short list for sure. Great young option.
If Bob leaves, what would your thoughts on Raboin as new head coach be?
he’s the most realistic and likely option because (a) known quantity, (b) strong local ties, (c) Bob would have some input on his successor, (d) the Minnesota job is a clear and massive step up from his current one at Augustana, less so for someone like Barr where Maine has a lot of comparable perks and prestige.
I don’t have strong opinions about Rabs’ in-game/on-ice management and systems, it’s been a while since he was at Minnesota. I think he’d be the “path of least resistance” kind of hire for Coyle to make and I’d be satisfied with him.
If Bob leaves, what would your thoughts on Raboin as new head coach be?
he’s the most realistic and likely option because (a) known quantity, (b) strong local ties, (c) Bob would have some input on his successor, (d) the Minnesota job is a clear and massive step up from his current one at Augustana, less so for someone like Barr where Maine has a lot of comparable perks and prestige.
I don’t have strong opinions about Rabs’ in-game/on-ice management and systems, it’s been a while since he was at Minnesota. I think he’d be the “path of least resistance” kind of hire for Coyle to make and I’d be satisfied with him.
I, like you, have no opinions on any of these coaches systems. What I would prefer is someone who has a system of forechecking hard, more physicality than anything we have had in 20 years, and preaches puck support. I feel like we’re in the day and age of needing a system to fall back on and not just let the talent do what it does. We’ve seen this year that when the talent isn’t there, it all falls apart.
Regarding Barr...
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In 2008 Barr got his first permanent position in college as an assistant for Union, the Engineers' long-time rival. Barr's arrival coincided with the Dutchmen's rise to prominence, going from 8th place in ECAC Hockey to 1st in just three years.[3] In his final year with the team, Barr helped Union reach the Frozen Four.
Providence
In 2012 he rejoined Nate Leaman, who had hired him at Union, in Providence. He spent just two years with the program but both seasons saw the Friars post winning records, the first time the program had consecutive winning seasons since the early 1990s.[4]
Western Michigan
In 2014, Barr left Leaman's shadow and became an associate head coach at Western Michigan. This time the positive results weren't forthcoming. The Broncos finished 7th out of 8 teams for two consecutive years in the NCHC and couldn't reach 10 wins in 2016.
UMass
Barr left the program and moved back east, taking an assistant position with Massachusetts under new head coach Greg Carvel. the Minutemen were recovering from a disappointing 4-year stretch under the previous bench boss and the abrupt change in scheme led to the program's worst record in 38 years. After the first year, however, the team took great strides and UMass won its first regular season title in 2019. The team reached the championship game that season but fell to defending champion Minnesota Duluth.[5] Two years later, however, Barr's team got its revenge against the Bulldogs in the national semifinal and then went on to win the championship two nights later.[6]
Maine
Shortly before Barr helped Massachusetts win the championship, Red Gendron, the head coach at Maine, died suddenly.[7] The athletic department began a search for Gendron's replacement and, after a month of deliberation, hired Barr as the program's 5th head coach.[8] Barr was noted as a strong recruiter when hired and announced his first three signees that July.[9]
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The past 4 seasons including 2025-26 so far Maine has gone 76-47-15 overall and 44-34-11 in HEA. Struggling a bit this season in conference admittedly at 8-9-0. They did make the NCAA tournament the past 2 seasons after having missed it the previous 11 seasons, and the resources at Minnesota should be an upgrade to what they have at Maine.
He's not a slam duck choice but he has to be in the conversation.
On Bob’s radio show he stated he wasn’t prepared to lose that many guys to pro last year and they were “caught with their pants down”. He didn’t believe the portal would have solved the departures. Still no excuses to not work to solve that issue with a full offseason.