Some of you get your panties so bunched up when others imply anything that you consider negative about the team/program/coaches. I'm not sold on Bob, who cares. If you like him as a coach then that's great. Don't get so worked up. And just because I'm ready to move on from him doesn't mean it's my duty to find a replacement. We have people who get paid big bucks to do that.
@gopherpete - for...who? Is there someone better or that is on the U's radar for the heir apparent? If we are going to say replace Bob - there has to be a better alternative.
One thousand percent this.
If you're disappointed with Bob the last year or two, ok, I can sort of understand that (even though I don't agree, it's a position I can understand). But, before you say we need to get rid of him you need to come up with a name for a replacement that is:
A - at least as good as Bob has been
B- someone that's actually available and not some random pipe dream that we could get them
I'd say that's a difficult ask right now. The handful of coaches that I think are truly on the same level as Bob are all in great positions and I can't really see them moving any time soon. Yeah B1G money speaks volumes, but, can we really get Nightingale away from MSU (already with B1G money)? Or Carle away from Denver? Carle is probably more likely, but even there, he's making the same kind of money as Motzko, in an environment that's way less stressful. Pandalfo? He's a BU guy from day 1 and also making roughly the same already. After that, what... Pecknold? After 31 years at QU? Hastings? Let's see if he can actually get a true winning team built with top-end talent rather than a team that's 3/4s 24 or 25 year old defensive lockdown style (and a goalie that isn't on steroids).
If someone has a reasonable candidate, let's have a conversation, but, until I see a name of someone that we could realistically see moving here, let's drop the "Bob has to go" when he's been here for 7 years, made the tournament all but the first two, and the frozen 4 twice in that span.
replacing Bob with Nightingale would be absurd by every single measure. Bob just flipped one of MSU’s top recruits. The only other coach with a somewhat comparable track record as to recruiting elite US-NTDP guys is Greg Brown for BC, and Brown didn’t even recruit the Leonard-Smith-Perreault trio. [I do not respect Naurato as a coach and he’s definitely not a main factor in Michigan getting all those high-end commits. Or maybe he is- but in all the worst ways.]
imagine if MSU had fired Nightingale as a knee jerk response after we ran up that 5-0-0 season record vs. them with 32-6 goals for/against (5-0,6-2,8-0,6-3,5-1)
@gopherpete - for...who? Is there someone better or that is on the U's radar for the heir apparent? If we are going to say replace Bob - there has to be a better alternative.
I feel like we’re pretty stuffed at forward for the next couple seasons:
2026-27 (assuming Ludtke signing)
Hendrickson-Clark-Mooney
Townsend-Pahlsson-Ziemer
Moore-Moe-Kvasnicka
Falloon-Nevers-Pritchard
Extras: Reid, Harris
2027-28
Hendrickson-Pahlsson-Mooney
Townsend-Moe-Ziemer
Moore-Cullen-Kvasnicka
Falloon-Nevers-Katz
Extras: Cullen, Reid, Harris
Edit: I totally forgot Pritchard existed for 2027-28, which only further proves my point that we’re pretty stuffed at forward.
Even Conboy and/or Jarvis could be ready for college by 27-28 with two good years in the USHL. I guess they’re banking on Ziemer not staying 4 years? Maybe even Mooney leaving after 2? They’re gonna have to push out some current recruits if they wanna make room for Fitzhenry or Schneider.
I feel like we’re pretty stuffed at forward for the next couple seasons:
2026-27 (assuming Ludtke signing)
Hendrickson-Clark-Mooney
Townsend-Pahlsson-Ziemer
Moore-Moe-Kvasnicka
Falloon-Nevers-Pritchard
Extras: Reid, Harris
2027-28
Hendrickson-Pahlsson-Mooney
Townsend-Moe-Ziemer
Moore-Cullen-Kvasnicka
Falloon-Nevers-Katz
Extras: Cullen, Reid, Harris
Even Conboy and/or Jarvis could be ready for college by 27-28 with two good years in the USHL. I guess they’re banking on Ziemer not staying 4 years? Maybe even Mooney leaving after 2? They’re gonna have to push out some current recruits if they wanna make room for Fitzhenry or Schneider.
This is also assuming Brooks and Wyatt Cullen don’t come in til 2027-28 which is very much up in the air. Brooks alone I feel won’t be ready til 27-28 but Wyatt may feel he’s ready by next season. A year of juniors after his u18 year like Hendy and Kwaz wouldn’t hurt him I feel, especially since he’s pretty young for his age group.
Anyone know if Wyatt is still 5’8 like elite prospects claims? I remember reading somewhere that he had a growth spurt this season and is now 5’10-5’11 range.
It is possible the staff's belief is Fitzhenry and Schneider are going elsewhere and they pivoted to other options. You can also add them to the pipeline and get creative down the line. You do not want to overrecruit to an extreme degree but you also have to be prepared for general attrition if it hits hard. Stuffed forward pipeline but it looks like a healthy one.
I feel like we’re pretty stuffed at forward for the next couple seasons:
2026-27 (assuming Ludtke signing)
Hendrickson-Clark-Mooney
Townsend-Pahlsson-Ziemer
Moore-Moe-Kvasnicka
Falloon-Nevers-Pritchard
Extras: Reid, Harris
2027-28
Hendrickson-Pahlsson-Mooney
Townsend-Moe-Ziemer
Moore-Cullen-Kvasnicka
Falloon-Nevers-Katz
Extras: Cullen, Reid, Harris
Edit: I totally forgot Pritchard existed for 2027-28, which only further proves my point that we’re pretty stuffed at forward.
Even Conboy and/or Jarvis could be ready for college by 27-28 with two good years in the USHL. I guess they’re banking on Ziemer not staying 4 years? Maybe even Mooney leaving after 2? They’re gonna have to push out some current recruits if they wanna make room for Fitzhenry or Schneider.
Reid, Harris, and Nevers have not shown anything to this point that they would be considered "high end" recruits. Katz we'll see. You absolutely push them if you have better options and I think all kids know this at this point. Fitzhenry and Schneider are absolute takes and you figure it out. We are full in the bottom 6, not the top as it stands right now and you want every chance to hit on those types of players, even if it costs 1-2 extra skaters as you can always find a guy like Harris to bring in and you never know if every one of these guys is going to stick every year (we've had a decent number of bottom 6 guys transfer out over the last few years).
I feel like we’re pretty stuffed at forward for the next couple seasons:
2026-27 (assuming Ludtke signing)
Hendrickson-Clark-Mooney
Townsend-Pahlsson-Ziemer
Moore-Moe-Kvasnicka
Falloon-Nevers-Pritchard
Extras: Reid, Harris
2027-28
Hendrickson-Pahlsson-Mooney
Townsend-Moe-Ziemer
Moore-Cullen-Kvasnicka
Falloon-Nevers-Katz
Extras: Cullen, Reid, Harris
Edit: I totally forgot Pritchard existed for 2027-28, which only further proves my point that we’re pretty stuffed at forward.
Even Conboy and/or Jarvis could be ready for college by 27-28 with two good years in the USHL. I guess they’re banking on Ziemer not staying 4 years? Maybe even Mooney leaving after 2? They’re gonna have to push out some current recruits if they wanna make room for Fitzhenry or Schneider.
Reid, Harris, and Nevers have not shown anything to this point that they would be considered "high end" recruits. Katz we'll see. You absolutely push them if you have better options and I think all kids know this at this point. Fitzhenry and Schneider are absolute takes and you figure it out. We are full in the bottom 6, not the top as it stands right now and you want every chance to hit on those types of players, even if it costs 1-2 extra skaters as you can always find a guy like Harris to bring in and you never know if every one of these guys is going to stick every year (we've had a decent number of bottom 6 guys transfer out over the last few years).
Yeah Harris and Reid are 100% discardable but that doesn’t create any actual room in the lineup as they’re already extra skaters as it stands. I guess push Nevers and/or Katz to an extra skater? Idk
I feel like we’re pretty stuffed at forward for the next couple seasons:
2026-27 (assuming Ludtke signing)
Hendrickson-Clark-Mooney
Townsend-Pahlsson-Ziemer
Moore-Moe-Kvasnicka
Falloon-Nevers-Pritchard
Extras: Reid, Harris
2027-28
Hendrickson-Pahlsson-Mooney
Townsend-Moe-Ziemer
Moore-Cullen-Kvasnicka
Falloon-Nevers-Katz
Extras: Cullen, Reid, Harris
Edit: I totally forgot Pritchard existed for 2027-28, which only further proves my point that we’re pretty stuffed at forward.
Even Conboy and/or Jarvis could be ready for college by 27-28 with two good years in the USHL. I guess they’re banking on Ziemer not staying 4 years? Maybe even Mooney leaving after 2? They’re gonna have to push out some current recruits if they wanna make room for Fitzhenry or Schneider.
Reid, Harris, and Nevers have not shown anything to this point that they would be considered "high end" recruits. Katz we'll see. You absolutely push them if you have better options and I think all kids know this at this point. Fitzhenry and Schneider are absolute takes and you figure it out. We are full in the bottom 6, not the top as it stands right now and you want every chance to hit on those types of players, even if it costs 1-2 extra skaters as you can always find a guy like Harris to bring in and you never know if every one of these guys is going to stick every year (we've had a decent number of bottom 6 guys transfer out over the last few years).
Yeah Harris and Reid are 100% discardable but that doesn’t create any actual room in the lineup as they’re already extra skaters as it stands. I guess push Nevers and/or Katz to an extra skater? Idk
correct. and that competition in the bottom 6 would absolutely be a good thing, both from a pushing each other and an avoiding situations like last year where we had Michel skating and/or Begley skating forward shifts
tBob is the last thing on Coyles mind. Hell, I don’t know if Coyle is even capable of making an appropriate decision on tBobs heir apparent, he simply doesn’t seem to be hockey focused AD. But…facts are tBob is already 7 years into his tenure & just turned 64 years old. So there’s imminent concern down the pike. I think he will complete his current contract, then retire.
tBob is the last thing on Coyles mind. Hell, I don’t know if Coyle is even capable of making an appropriate decision on tBobs heir apparent, he simply doesn’t seem to be hockey focused AD. But…facts are tBob is already 7 years into his tenure & just turned 64 years old. So there’s imminent concern down the pike. I think he will complete his current contract, then retire.
I don’t have any issues with Mark Coyle’s handling of the hockey program. Earlier in his and Bob’s tenure, the dept was heavily invested in all sorts of efforts to bring the fans and passion back to Gopher hockey. In the last few years there’s been huge dept-wide upheaval for B1G schools while the hockey program has been in a great place in terms of fans, alumni, and on-ice success. The basketball program has been a total dumpster fire. So I think Coyle’s given our men’s hockey program an appropriate level of attention. Especially compared to his predecessor, Norwood Teague.
tBob is the last thing on Coyles mind. Hell, I don’t know if Coyle is even capable of making an appropriate decision on tBobs heir apparent, he simply doesn’t seem to be hockey focused AD. But…facts are tBob is already 7 years into his tenure & just turned 64 years old. So there’s imminent concern down the pike. I think he will complete his current contract, then retire.
I don’t have any issues with Mark Coyle’s handling of the hockey program. Earlier in his and Bob’s tenure, the dept was heavily invested in all sorts of efforts to bring the fans and passion back to Gopher hockey. In the last few years there’s been huge dept-wide upheaval for B1G schools while the hockey program has been in a great place in terms of fans, alumni, and on-ice success. The basketball program has been a total dumpster fire. So I think Coyle’s given our men’s hockey program an appropriate level of attention. Especially compared to his predecessor, Norwood Teague.
It's clear with the hiring of Niko that they are invested in the bb program, and with NLI $$ coming out of programs like MSU and PSU among others the U is behind on that front.
You're correct that some things have improved with respect to getting more butts in seats, but beyond that I'm not remotely convinced.
@walker-barely-know-her My point is Coyles hands are so full with men’s hoops & football I doubt he gives the hockey program a second of thought. Hiring tBob to replace tDon was an easy lay-up at the time. Agree…Norwood Teague can only be described as an embarrassing F-CKing JOKE in the annuls of Gopher sports administration.
My point is Coyles hands are so full with men’s hoops & football I doubt he gives the hockey program a second of thought
Well... He does attend a ton of home games each year and will regularly come down after games to observe from the back of the room as Bob talks to the media along with the players. So saying that he doesn't give hockey a second thought is just not true.
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My point is Coyles hands are so full with men’s hoops & football I doubt he gives the hockey program a second of thought
Well... He does attend a ton of home games each year and will regularly come down after games to observe from the back of the room as Bob talks to the media along with the players. So saying that he doesn't give hockey a second thought is just not true.
I always thought everything bearpaw said was fact 🧐
My point is Coyles hands are so full with men’s hoops & football I doubt he gives the hockey program a second of thought
Well... He does attend a ton of home games each year and will regularly come down after games to observe from the back of the room as Bob talks to the media along with the players. So saying that he doesn't give hockey a second thought is just not true.
I always thought everything bearpaw said was fact 🧐
no one said he was thinking about it while there. he was clearly thinking about firing Johnson while at all these games and pressers and using Bob as a how to address the media after
“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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Already a bang up job by the coaching staff but if they manage to land one of Fitzhenry or Schneider I’ll be over the moon. Get both and … idk what’s after over the moon but we’ll find out I guess😄
Already a bang up job by the coaching staff but if they manage to land one of Fitzhenry or Schneider I’ll be over the moon. Get both and … idk what’s after over the moon but we’ll find out I guess😄
Already a bang up job by the coaching staff but if they manage to land one of Fitzhenry or Schneider I’ll be over the moon. Get both and … idk what’s after over the moon but we’ll find out I guess😄
Wow this one is a surprise. Bob is on a roll! A couple weeks ago I said on here that we were missing some offensive dman. Welp, problem solved! Geiger and McArthur in the same week!