One and done players aren’t winning national championships in todays college hockey landscape. Money must be good at BU/BC.
And we were hoping Hagens might come here to play with EisermanBu or Bc —- maybe Bc to play with Hagens.
The first ever Massachusetts gopher seemed almost too good to be true. Definitely wasn't expecting this though
NIL??
Wonder if the Golden Age of college hockey ended with NIL (and transfer portal)? It now may be like MLB where team with most money gets most talent, except there is no developmental leagues for a college to develop their own talent.
On KFAN the other day Tommie was talking about NIL and mentioned it was supposed to be public information. Has anyone actually tried to track down where that info might be and what schools are offering? Do we know if there is anything behind the $75,000 rumor? Any idea what the Dinkytown Athletes is accomplishing?
It went from most of last season looking like Gophers were set to be competing for Frozen Fours for next several years and a good shot at Title last year and possibly more, to now feeling like they need to strike gold this year because the future is getting dimmer.
Anyone know a millionaire Gopher Hockey fan who can offer Eiserman a really sweet deal making commercials if he decides to re-commit? Or if Elon Musk or Bill Gates like college hockey and the colors maroon and gold?
NIL??
Wonder if the Golden Age of college hockey ended with NIL (and transfer portal)? It now may be like MLB where team with most money gets most talent, except there is no developmental leagues for a college to develop their own talent.
On KFAN the other day Tommie was talking about NIL and mentioned it was supposed to be public information. Has anyone actually tried to track down where that info might be and what schools are offering? Do we know if there is anything behind the $75,000 rumor? Any idea what the Dinkytown Athletes is accomplishing?
It went from most of last season looking like Gophers were set to be competing for Frozen Fours for next several years and a good shot at Title last year and possibly more, to now feeling like they need to strike gold this year because the future is getting dimmer.
Anyone know a millionaire Gopher Hockey fan who can offer Eiserman a really sweet deal making commercials if he decides to re-commit? Or if Elon Musk or Bill Gates like college hockey and the colors maroon and gold?
guess we need to recruit Allie Rae to start sponsoring athletes
Wonder if the Golden Age of college hockey ended with NIL (and transfer portal)?
College hockey is terribly flawed and has been for a while. It's a place where 21-year-old freshmen are commonplace and high school-age kids play against 25 and 26-year-olds. Now, throw in NIL and the transfer portal and it's becoming a USHL "A" team.
Already announced he’s going to BU.
Well that was quick
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24131129/gallery_image.JPG "Hey_Sioux_Suck")
Is the sky falling yet?
Already announced he’s going to BU.
That would have been my guess. Maybe he's a jumper who decided he has a better chance for a title with BU than with Minnesota. Hope it turns out for him like it did for Parise (or Kessel ?) . No sour grapes though. ?
Not to pooh-pooh the rumored $75k, but for someone that's likely only going to play 1 year and set to make a ton more money in the NHL it seems like a paltry amount to jump ship over.
Is the sky falling yet?
Well, there is a doozy of a post over on Gopherhole by a long lost friend....
One of the best lines is that he replaced a Hobey candidate with a D3 player ?
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
@any-road I dunno, kinda nice to have to MN-MA rivalry back on again.....
Is the sky falling yet?
I felt something hit my head. Can't concentrate on my work (even less than normal.)
If the NIL money does start to pile up, wonder how many more Canadians will be coming South to play. Seems like D1 hockey has been a big factor in the rise of US players in NHL.
I'm going to try to enjoy this season with all the MN skaters. I know at least one poster doesn't care about the make-up of the team if the Gophs win it all. But if MN becomes a major player in NIL and buys a bunch of Canadians and other non-Minnesotans and wins it all in the future, I still say I will not enjoy it nearly as much as the wins of the past.
(I think I might go put on my hockey helmet in case anything else falls.)
I fail to see how any roster/future roster realignment that’s happened this offseason is Motzko’s fault. Which unfortunately is an opinion that I am seeing from some people on social media. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, each season he’s been here the roster has been more well rounded and the team has been better.
As far as Eiserman decomitting that is obviously a huge blow. There’s no way to sugar coat it. But let’s see what shakes out over the next year. Keep recruiting talented players and well rounded recruiting classes, primarily from Minnesota, and go from there. Who knows what the future might bring.
Damn that hurts. Makes a so far less than exciting recruiting season feel even worse now.
Is the sky falling yet?
Well, there is a doozy of a post over on Gopherhole by a long lost friend....
One of the best lines is that he replaced a Hobey candidate with a D3 player ?
He's not totally wrong. The Gophers unexpectedly lost Cooley and now Eiserman. Hard to put lipstick on that pig.
That said, I think the Cooley departure was worse. His loss from this team's roster is a big hole to fill.
Eiserman? Well, I guess you can't mourn something you never truly had, and the coaches have a year to replace him. Besides, freshman phenoms are fun to watch, but it's usually a mistake to think they will bring you national title success. I saw a video of Cooley's jaw-dropping goal last week against NHL talent, and couldn't stop myself from asking, "Where was that guy in Tampa?" He was completely in check mode, and his most important moment came in favor of Q when he took a dumb penalty that likely decided the game.
If Eiserman doesn't make the world jr team, will the boo birds be out when Eiserman comes to town with the under 18 team?
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
Here I check this thread thinking we finally have some positive commitment news after last week and am greeted with this. So much for all those articles about our first MA-born commitment and Cole growing up wearing Gopher gear!!
One and done players aren’t winning national championships in todays college hockey landscape. Money must be good at BU/BC.
Except we very likely do not make it to the national championship last season without Logan Cooley.
He's not totally wrong. The Gophers unexpectedly lost Cooley and now Eiserman. Hard to put lipstick on that pig.
That said, I think the Cooley departure was worse. His loss from this team's roster is a big hole to fill.
Eiserman? Well, I guess you can't mourn something you never truly had, and the coaches have a year to replace him. Besides, freshman phenoms are fun to watch, but it's usually a mistake to think they will bring you national title success. I saw a video of Cooley's jaw-dropping goal last week against NHL talent, and couldn't stop myself from asking, "Where was that guy in Tampa?" He was completely in check mode, and his most important moment came in favor of Q when he took a dumb penalty that likely decided the game.
I choose to look at as a wash.
MN got an unlikely player convert just before last season in Cooley and now we lose a player who's commitment to MN was probably more shocking then his decommitment. I agree 100%, Cooley leaving definitely stings more simply because his comments indicating a return. Oh well...
“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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Paging Lou NanneNIL??
Anyone know a millionaire Gopher Hockey fan who can offer Eiserman a really sweet deal making commercials if he decides to re-commit? Or if Elon Musk or Bill Gates like college hockey and the colors maroon and gold?
Why, what's the point? Where does it end? Say he donates $1M this year, that number has to go up next year. Then what? Does he (or anyone else) have unlimited funds? This is only going to get worse as it spirals out of control. I wouldn't donate a damn dime even if I was rich.
I don’t like the future of having 17-18 year olds holding fans hostage like this.
https://twitter.com/realmnsportsfan/status/1707074418034327880?s=46&t=3T_aqyWV0c5WnrFBAyJLTg
OK, hypothetically speaking, I have a whole in my wallet and I want to donate all the money I have to the Gopher's NIL fund. Specifically I want it to go to the hockey players. Is Dinkytown Athletes the only option? Is my money going directly to the hockey players? How much do we need to fix this? Cause I'm not playing the Minnesota nice "Oh well, shucks, it's only a game" card. I want to win and this summer has really harshed my buzz.
oof and going to BU probably too
On the bight side, the Gophers still have a pretty darn good recruiting class set up for 2024.
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
Absolutely! In fact, you know what? We didn’t want him anyway! Minnesota for Minnesotans. *sarcasm*
And what will happen to the smaller schools without the deep pocketed alumni? Return to a Division 2 hockey league?
And does anyone know more about how NIL works? Can a business owner mention to a recruit that he has a $100,000 waiting for him in a couple years to do one commercial if he shows up at his school? Does anyone know how Dinkytown athletes works?
While I always thought it wasn't really fair that Universities could make money off students, some of which didn't even get scholarships, I don't see how this will be good for college sports. I hope they consider at least letting Universities giving Full rides to all rostered players now.
https://twitter.com/gopherhockey/status/1707062620149190829?s=46
Despite the unfortunate news on the recruiting front, at least Mariucci is looking absolutely stunning ?
I don’t like the future of having 17-18 year olds holding fans hostage like this.
https://twitter.com/realmnsportsfan/status/1707074418034327880?s=46&t=3T_aqyWV0c5WnrFBAyJLTg
Welp, it was fun while it lasted. The Gophers can't compete with the Alabamas in college football before the NIL money. Now, it seems hopeless.
The Wooger got in trouble for passing the hat. Now, college sports is suddenly about luring in talent with the promise of ego money. This thing will blow up for the NCAA, as smaller schools will get pushed to the back of the trough.
College hockey might actually be mostly unaffected since the young NIL super talents aren't around long enough to win a championship anyway.
The crazy part of all this is the amount of money being reportedly lured to players in a traditionally non-revenue sport. The NIL numbers being thrown around that Cullen Potter got at Michigan State is flat out absurd!
How are universities going to make this money back? I assume the answer is that they won’t, but they want to win at all costs.
Schools are not paying out NIL money.
I understand that. I misspoke, I meant it’s shocking to me that donors would spend that much for a traditionally non-revenue sport. If a football team has a meteoritic rise, the university will benefit greatly. If a college hockey team has an amazing season, the university is not seeing the same benefit.
@mikeeruzione11 Agree. Didn't mean to be snarky; hopefully Dinkytown Athletes is well run. We have seen poor NIL doom recruiting im phases (Miami football) though seems NIL in hockey likely small potatoes in the grand scheme.
Dinkytown athletes is well run. They just have a Kong way to go to be able to provide that significant amount of $ to athletes.
Additionally nearly all the funds go to current players as the U administration won't allow a play for pay thing here unlike some schools who still are skirting the edge of the NCAA policies.
Additionally nearly all the funds go to current players.
This is a very important part of this. The U is not guaranteeing money to recruits like other schools are.
NIL in small sports was always going to be a place where a whale could buy a title easier. It's going to take millions to buy a football title. Hockey? Maybe $250k, 500k.
Not like hockey doesn't have a few of those swimming in the pond. They used to buy arenas, now they're going to buy hardware to house in the arenas.
NIL+transfer portal was the mix of detonator and high explosive needed to ruin what was left of college sports.
NIL in small sports was always going to be a place where a whale could buy a title easier. It's going to take millions to buy a football title. Hockey? Maybe $250k, 500k.
Not like hockey doesn't have a few of those swimming in the pond. They used to buy arenas, now they're going to buy hardware to house in the arenas.
NIL+transfer portal was the mix of detonator and high explosive needed to ruin what was left of college sports.
Very good points. It is certainly easier to make a significant impact in non-revenue sports.
I don’t think the sanctity of NCAA sports existed even before the transfer portal or NIL money but that’s just me. You’ve had idk how many college athletes straight up admit to getting paid in some way shape or form, Johnny Manziel talked about this in a recent documentary and he won a Heismann which… supposedly takes a person’s character into account ?. NIL money from what I can tell puts it out in the open in an attempt to “legitimize” the process.
Also it’s not like teams with 26 year old Canadian freshman struggle to win titles in this sport.
It sucks that we lost Eisermann but hopefully the U of M learns from this and adapts. That’s assuming that rumor is true and he wouldn’t have changed his mind for any other number of reasons.
Quickly reaching the point where I am
Not
Interested any
Longer
Gopherhole never failsIs the sky falling yet?
Well, there is a doozy of a post over on Gopherhole by a long lost friend....
One of the best lines is that he replaced a Hobey candidate with a D3 player ?
IALTO
The crazy part of all this is the amount of money being reportedly lured to players in a traditionally non-revenue sport. The NIL numbers being thrown around that Cullen Potter got at Michigan State is flat out absurd!
How are universities going to make this money back? I assume the answer is that they won’t, but they want to win at all costs.
I missed the rumors. What are they saying Potter got in NIL?
One thing I haven't seen discussed here that worried me when he was committed is that Eiserman might not even play in college at all. He's going to probably be the #2 pick in the next draft and could conceivably go straight to the NHL right after the NTDP a la Jack Hughes. I don't think it would be wise to do so but it's very possible.
One and done players aren’t winning national championships in todays college hockey landscape. Money must be good at BU/BC.
One and done's like Cooley got MN that much closer to winning than a 4th year player would have. Snuggy sinks the 2 on 1 and it is two first rounders that make for a better 2023 for Gopher fans. Jack Eichel did the same for BU, carrying them to the Championship game. In a one and done tourney, not winning one game does not prove that elite players don't contribute significantly. If I recall correctly, some of those years teams like BU had a handful of top draft picks and didn't win, they really had little depth beyond them. Yes, older players do have some advantage over younger players. But a team with two lines of first rounders and a couple on D can make up for lack of experience with skill.
Now with the combo of the transfer portal and NIL, what is to keep a BU from shedding players who plateaued and picking up in the portal the occasional older kid from Bemidji, or MTU who really accelerated and got better in a couple years of college than anyone expected to fill out a roster? Now the team has bought the studs and built a supporting cast of experienced players. Still a one and done, where anything can happen, but the odds are sure tipped in favor of teams that can lure the big names.
I've always loved college hockey more than any other level or sport, and I hope NIL doesn't make it go the direction it seems to be headed.
You definitely do not want to build around one and done players but as Koho outlined, can easily have a great impact on a program.
The portal does create issues with second-tier programs as good players could level up later in their career. On the flip side, however, player movement could allow players to move down if they are lacking opportunity at a power program. I do not think NIL nor the portal will have a great impact on the power structure, though if used wisely it can certainly assist.
I've always loved college hockey more than any other level or sport, and I hope NIL doesn't make it go the direction it seems to be headed.
Next up, player trades....? ?
“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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The NCAA is the most corrupt organization in the United States, even more than politics. It is all about the money and only about the money.
Rules? Who cares about rules. Rules are created and more importantly, enforced, based upon the financial impact it will have to the NCAA and the member college sports programs. Big money programs like ACC Basketball powerhouse, and national championship winning North Carolina Tar Heels are basically exempt from all rules regarding academics and recruitment because they bring in the dollars. Less important schools with little underlying revenue value will be monitored and if they break the NCAA rules will face harsh penalties.
Never mind that one reason the revenue powerhouse teams got to be revenue powerhouse teams is that they cheated on every rule, recruiting and academics, that have ever existed.
The transfer portal and NIL only enhances this money centered organization. The transfer portal or NIL individually adds additional corruption, but the combined results of the two along with how the NCAA governs means that the "STUDENT ATHLETE" concept of upper division college athletics has been completely removed from the equation.
That is one reason why the only college sport I am really a fanatic about is college hockey. I marginally follow U of MN football and basketball, but they are just mercenaries, and in today's world, professional mercenaries on our tax payer supported campus to play football. "Non-" revenue sports like hockey at least was not dominated by these mercenaries that posed as student-athletes but that seems to be the trend.
On another note, however, I am not totally convinced that the Eiserman issue is totally NIL related as it was an unusual commitment from the beginning.
On another note (if you have read this far), I think going forward there is going to be a lot more decommitments in college hockey. If I were advising a potential recruit, I would have them commit to a school and then use that commitment as leverage in my NIL negotiations. Look at Eiserman. Massachusetts kid commits to Minnesota. Now all the Eastern teams are salivating trying to get him to decommit, each bidding against the other. And they can use those bids against Minnesota to see if they can get a counter offer to keep the commitment.
I know he's not around as much these days, but it'd be interesting to get Hammy's input on how recruiting has changed with the emergence of the transfer portal and NIL, specifically for hockey. He was pretty tuned in with recruiting, and if that is still the case, I'd be curious to hear what he is hearing and get his perspective.