Wyatt Cullen looks really good. Maybe he will be ok at center at the very least he makes a lot of plays.
Some scouts have criticized Wyatt's off-puck engagement level and his willingness to battle. See: https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/select-2026-nhl-draft-detailed-scouting-report-wyatt-cullen-f-usdp-ntdp/
I'm sure his dad + coach Larson will definitely be able to address such flaws, but it's the kind of critique you really don't want to see in a potential #1 center.
After reading that I went back and looked at Cooley's pre-draft scouting reports; literally all of them spoke very highly of Cooley's intensity level and relentless pursuit of pucks.
(I don't mean to come off as sour-graping like "wah wah 2023 was our only, best shot". Wanted to compare the two guys' play styles, and better understand what certain scouts look for & how they describe a player's game)
Reminds me of Jordan Schroeder. He was a super talent but I felt he was a perimeter player who came up short on engagement inside the faceoff circles and in the corners.
I'd rather hear this about Cullen than something like he has slow starts or has average hands and poor vision.
A little coaching and maturity should bring him around.
Reminds me of Jordan Schroeder. He was a super talent but I felt he was a perimeter player who came up short on engagement inside the faceoff circles and in the corners.
It's crazy how much NHL talent / high draft picks were on those 2008-2011 Gophers teams. How the hell did they manage to miss the NCAAs for 3 straight years?
I was in elementary school at the time, so I don't know what the on-ice product looked like back then.
At the time I didn't realize how highly some of these guys were drafted but you had some major first round draft busts on those teams. I wouldn't even say Schroeder was one of them though compared to his competition he didn't really stand out like a first rounder a lot of the time, especially sophomore year. Fischer was not a great Dman, Patrick White... no idea how that guy was a first rounder (Vancouver has been an incompetent org for most of my life so that prob explains it). Nick Leddy was solid but he wasn't as good as Rinzel imo much less the core of the D from 2021-23. And then the 2nd rounders for the most part weren't anything special, I can't remember how many times Hoeffel would get the puck in the slot and somehow hit the glass lol. Guys like Sachetti and Hansen were sorta just there, they became decent depth guys as they got older but weren't doing much as freshmen and sophomores.Reminds me of Jordan Schroeder. He was a super talent but I felt he was a perimeter player who came up short on engagement inside the faceoff circles and in the corners.
It's crazy how much NHL talent / high draft picks were on those 2008-2011 Gophers teams. How the hell did they manage to miss the NCAAs for 3 straight years?
I was in elementary school at the time, so I don't know what the on-ice product looked like back then.
Part of the issue too was that Lucia was late to adapt to his competitor schools getting older and so you'd have guys coming straight out of highschool with no USHL experience not exactly ready to compete at this level. Aaron Ness was on all three of those teams and he was definitely undersized as a freshman on top of having the usual growing pains of being a freshman D who was expected to improve things right away. There were other issues too like how they theoretically could've had Okposo as a junior but he didn't even finish his sophomore year, Lucia had an illness that required him to take steroids which caused him to rage out on guys, Jon Hill was the most useless assistant ever (made Miller look like Herb Brooks by comparison), Hastings left after 2009 to become an associate head coach at Omaha which seemed weird at the time, Kangas lost his magic slippers and became average, nobody really replaced Stoa once he graduated and so Schroeder didn't have a finisher to generate assists his sophomore year and as others mentioned his own game had its limitations. It was just a lot of different issues compounding to absolute dysfunction in 2009-10.
Leddy played 1,000 games in the NHL and was still young enough to play in the WJC after turning pro.
No arguments there, he just didn't exactly light the world on fire as a Gopher is all I'm saying (and mainly talking about offensive output). Which wasn't entirely his fault or anything, some of that is just due to his role and he was a solid player that year, I'm mostly just commenting on the dysfunction of the team as a whole and even the higher end guys weren't able to save that team.
@streakygopher Jordan Schroeder is 5’8”. Wyatt Cullen is 6’1”. Hence it’s not an apples vs apples comparison. JS lack of height & reach hindered him at the NHL level.
I think we also need to take into consideration that just a short while ago, Cullen was teeny tiny and kind of had to play that way. Im hoping once he gains some man muscles he will be much more willing to engage physically.
Formerly known as davey j.
No arguments there, he just didn't exactly light the world on fire as a Gopher is all I'm saying (and mainly talking about offensive output). Which wasn't entirely his fault or anything, some of that is just due to his role and he was a solid player that year, I'm mostly just commenting on the dysfunction of the team as a whole and even the higher end guys weren't able to save that team.
I don't remember all of what you described so clearly. It comes back some after you describe it, but I don't know how people recall so much. (Ok, not only am I older, but never have had a great memory.) But one thing that sticks in my mind was how good Leddy was as a freshman. Even though he missed a some games with an injury, he just seemed to get better every week. He was their freshman of the year and I remember thinking how excited I was to watch him as a Sophomore. Then he wowed them at camp and went pro.
As for Patrick White, his draft status was a victim of State Tourney Fever. He completely dominated teams in the tourney his Junior year and looked like he was best player in state for those 3 games. Then he never seemed to get better after that. stuck on a plateau.
It's crazy how much NHL talent / high draft picks were on those 2008-2011 Gophers teams. How the hell did they manage to miss the NCAAs for 3 straight years?
Under achieving players (also some that maybe just shouldn't have been as highly touted), a coach battling a pretty nasty illness, and some stinging departures (ie; Okposo leaving mid-season and Lucia getting blasted by the Islanders org) all led to a lot of wasted potential for those teams.
It's crazy how much NHL talent / high draft picks were on those 2008-2011 Gophers teams. How the hell did they manage to miss the NCAAs for 3 straight years?
Under achieving players (also some that maybe just shouldn't have been as highly touted), a coach battling a pretty nasty illness, and some stinging departures (ie; Okposo leaving mid-season and Lucia getting blasted by the Islanders org) all led to a lot of wasted potential for those teams.
Not to mention the 2011 team that was trending upwards most of the 2nd half and somehow got shockingly swept by Anchorage in the WCHA First Round, and only needed the series win to cement their at large pairwise...otherwise that run would've been a mere 2 season dip. I still can't believe that series happened.
That was my senior year and I was pretty neuro-divergent shall we say about the Gopher hockey team back then 🤣.No arguments there, he just didn't exactly light the world on fire as a Gopher is all I'm saying (and mainly talking about offensive output). Which wasn't entirely his fault or anything, some of that is just due to his role and he was a solid player that year, I'm mostly just commenting on the dysfunction of the team as a whole and even the higher end guys weren't able to save that team.
I don't remember all of what you described so clearly. It comes back some after you describe it, but I don't know how people recall so much. (Ok, not only am I older, but never have had a great memory.) But one thing that sticks in my mind was how good Leddy was as a freshman. Even though he missed a some games with an injury, he just seemed to get better every week. He was their freshman of the year and I remember thinking how excited I was to watch him as a Sophomore. Then he wowed them at camp and went pro.
As for Patrick White, his draft status was a victim of State Tourney Fever. He completely dominated teams in the tourney his Junior year and looked like he was best player in state for those 3 games. Then he never seemed to get better after that. stuck on a plateau.
Lol yeah that series... was kinda like the Notre Dame series from two years ago except with way more pressure on the line. I remember Patterson gifting Anchorage a goal by misplaying a puck or something like that and the Gophers having to chase the entire game but getting swept by that terrible team was kinda impressive lol. I really wanted Lucia gone after that but that team at least sorta seemed like it was on the right track.It's crazy how much NHL talent / high draft picks were on those 2008-2011 Gophers teams. How the hell did they manage to miss the NCAAs for 3 straight years?
Under achieving players (also some that maybe just shouldn't have been as highly touted), a coach battling a pretty nasty illness, and some stinging departures (ie; Okposo leaving mid-season and Lucia getting blasted by the Islanders org) all led to a lot of wasted potential for those teams.
Not to mention the 2011 team that was trending upwards most of the 2nd half and somehow got shockingly swept by Anchorage in the WCHA First Round, and only needed the series win to cement their at large pairwise...otherwise that run would've been a mere 2 season dip. I still can't believe that series happened.
I think we also need to take into consideration that just a short while ago, Cullen was teeny tiny and kind of had to play that way. Im hoping once he gains some man muscles he will be much more willing to engage physically.
Agreed. A lot of times you see players like that (who were smaller and relied on shiftiness to compete... and then have a growth spurt) take more time adapting to what their new frame can do. He is a lean kid who definitely needs time to in the weight room, and it won't shock me at all if the critique about physicality/compete goes away as he gains confidence from physical improvements in the weight room.
USA up 4-2 on Slovakia. Roed and Cullen are very very noticeable. Conboy just missed a wide open net. He is a bit snakebitten at the moment. Roed with 2 today
Hat trick for Roed
https://twitter.com/onthefly1515/status/2085807295171043450?s=46&t=AvtsG2WfNuGRyXzbYJqB7g
https://twitter.com/onthefly1515/status/2085809435843199457?s=46&t=AvtsG2WfNuGRyXzbYJqB7g
https://twitter.com/onthefly1515/status/2085832102470103139?s=46&t=AvtsG2WfNuGRyXzbYJqB7g
Roed, Conboy & Cullen play team Canada for the championship tonight at 6 on NHL Network
Conboy with a much needed goal for USA. Canada just dominating USA after 1. 3-1 Canada
I actually give a @#$* about the Twins
Looking down from my High Horse
Morality Police
Conboy with a much needed goal for USA. Canada just dominating USA after 1. 3-1 Canada
what an absolute fucking ass kicking
8-1 Canada with about 7min to go
Pue and Schultz are really, really good
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24131129/gallery_image.JPG "Hey_Sioux_Suck")
https://twitter.com/clankomedia/status/2088997069163802994?s=46&t=AvtsG2WfNuGRyXzbYJqB7g
A Gopher who can score on the breakaway or in a shootout…you know what?…it just might work.
https://twitter.com/clankomedia/status/2088997069163802994?s=46&t=AvtsG2WfNuGRyXzbYJqB7g
A Gopher who can score on the breakaway or in a shootout…you know what?…it just might work.
Nah, just like a Gopher basketball recruit who’s great at free throws, he’ll lose that ability when he puts on the maroon and gold 😅
https://twitter.com/clankomedia/status/2088997069163802994?s=46&t=AvtsG2WfNuGRyXzbYJqB7g
A Gopher who can score on the breakaway or in a shootout…you know what?…it just might work.
Nah, just like a Gopher basketball recruit who’s great at free throws, he’ll lose that ability when he puts on the maroon and gold 😅
https://twitter.com/clankomedia/status/2088997069163802994?s=46&t=AvtsG2WfNuGRyXzbYJqB7g
A Gopher who can score on the breakaway or in a shootout…you know what?…it just might work.
Nah, just like a Gopher basketball recruit who’s great at free throws, he’ll lose that ability when he puts on the maroon and gold 😅
Has the Gopher basketball team recruited a player who's great at free throws since Trent Tucker?
Tact is the ability to step on a man's toes without messing up the shine on his shoes - Harry S Truman
https://twitter.com/clankomedia/status/2088997069163802994?s=46&t=AvtsG2WfNuGRyXzbYJqB7g
A Gopher who can score on the breakaway or in a shootout…you know what?…it just might work.
Nah, just like a Gopher basketball recruit who’s great at free throws, he’ll lose that ability when he puts on the maroon and gold 😅
Has the Gopher basketball team recruited a player who's great at free throws since Trent Tucker?
Is bouncyball talk allowed in here? If it currently is, I have an amendment to the by-laws I'd like to propose.
I apologize for what I’ve started lol. To answer the question above, I could have sworn there was a recruit that came in towards the end of the Pitino era that was decent at free throws in high school and got continually worse the longer he played for the Gophers. But that is the last that I will bring up bouncy ball in this thread.
Last season the 50th ranked team in the country shot 75.9% combined. 🤣 🙄
The Gophers back to 2015-16:
https://twitter.com/clankomedia/status/2088997069163802994?s=46&t=AvtsG2WfNuGRyXzbYJqB7g
A Gopher who can score on the breakaway or in a shootout…you know what?…it just might work.
Nah, just like a Gopher basketball recruit who’s great at free throws, he’ll lose that ability when he puts on the maroon and gold 😅
Has the Gopher basketball team recruited a player who's great at free throws since Trent Tucker?
Is bouncyball talk allowed in here? If it currently is, I have an amendment to the by-laws I'd like to propose.
I second the motion. I know there are a couple lawyers here, I got 3 dollars and a hotdog at Mariucci to write these up
#Banhammer
https://twitter.com/ClankoMedia/status/2089797019049066583
I actually give a @#$* about the Twins
Looking down from my High Horse
Morality Police
He’s had a great tournament. Shades of Neal Br- no I won’t go there yet😁
A friend that is not a Gophers fan said he was impressed by Whipple the day he went to DBL, saying he stood out fwiw
Fan of this one. Will provide some offense to a blue line that loses Murr and potentially Smith. 20 year old freshman as well so will have some seasoning.
Between Smith, Meier and Laylin, are we developing a bit of an Everett pipeline?
https://twitter.com/WHLsilvertips/status/2096117219205980475
I actually give a @#$* about the Twins
Looking down from my High Horse
Morality Police
Quote: frozen 4 champs
He had the game-tying goal to send it to overtime as well. Preseason, but good start for Meier.
Interesting article on Phillips. Still wonder if he makes it in college without his ability to fight.
https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2099706394882777411
I still think there’s a player there somewhere, but part of me wonders if he’s just built for the pro game more than college. If he’s just gonna spend his time here in the penalty box, then he won’t be much help.
Interesting article. As M&G states the way he is being groomed doesn’t really align with the needs of the Gophers. I don’t think anyone would worry too much if he never made it to campus.
The Gophers have been missing the next DeMarchi since he left.
I have no idea if it's an apt comparison though or not.
Quote: Slap ShotThe Gophers have been missing the next DeMarchi since he left.
I have no idea if it's an apt comparison though or not.
There have been others. Helgeson, Seeler and Lindgren come to mind.
Quote: maroon and goldQuote: Slap ShotThe Gophers have been missing the next DeMarchi since he left.
I have no idea if it's an apt comparison though or not.
There have been others. Helgeson, Seeler and Lindgren come to mind.
Did the Gophers also have an 81% winning record when one of them had a penalty? 😉
Quote: maroon and goldQuote: Slap ShotThe Gophers have been missing the next DeMarchi since he left.
I have no idea if it's an apt comparison though or not.
There have been others. Helgeson, Seeler and Lindgren come to mind.
This is Stu Bickel erasure