I think Bob will offer the top cream of the crop 16 year old MN kids on August 1st but if they unfortunately don’t fall through (Berchild, Lutner, Trottier, West last year) then he’s more keen to wait and be more patient than to rush and commit a middle of the road 16 year old.
I know I’m in the minority on this board that thinks Kraft wasn’t a “miss” simply because I think we didn’t offer. If he proves himself in the WHL next season then he’ll likely get an offer and if he accepts it will be “woe is me” from the Kato crowd all over again like with Pritchard this year.
For example, I remember some on here (and on Twitter) banging the table for Deschene, Kor, Vanek types a few years ago. Those would’ve been panic commits in my opinion. Better to have a late bloomer like Pritchard fall in your lap than force it with a kid who’s likely not Gopher caliber but was the “next best option”.
That being said, if we miss on Schneider, Fitzhenry, Conboy, Geiger and Scott this year (Nelson already committed and Cullen doesn’t look like it’s happening) then alarm sirens will be sounding for me personally.
Even last year when they missed on Berchild and Lutner they still landed Kvasnicka and Moe.
Again it's not just mn talent, we just had Pandoras box open and we weren't in on any big names in chl, I refuse to believe we can't compete for those types of players. Also, again there is also almost zero downside to recruiting players, if they don't pan out you tell them to move along. To limit yourself to just the ones we have i just don't think is smart.
Are you saying that the Gophers should offer players and then drop them when a better players come available? Not sure if you want to be known for that.
It would be different if we were still getting top mn players.
What evidence do we have for this other than "Berchild went elsewhere"? The entire 2025 class - save Mooney - is good players from Minnesota. No coach is going to have a 100% hit rate on top local talent.
Obviously. West, berchild, cullens, fondrk, potter, nelson to name a few. There is no debating we haven't taken the last two cycles off. You couldn't have less recruits if you tried.
I think Bob will offer the top cream of the crop 16 year old MN kids on August 1st but if they unfortunately don’t fall through (Berchild, Lutner, Trottier, West last year) then he’s more keen to wait and be more patient than to rush and commit a middle of the road 16 year old.
I know I’m in the minority on this board that thinks Kraft wasn’t a “miss” simply because I think we didn’t offer. If he proves himself in the WHL next season then he’ll likely get an offer and if he accepts it will be “woe is me” from the Kato crowd all over again like with Pritchard this year.
For example, I remember some on here (and on Twitter) banging the table for Deschene, Kor, Vanek types a few years ago. Those would’ve been panic commits in my opinion. Better to have a late bloomer like Pritchard fall in your lap than force it with a kid who’s likely not Gopher caliber but was the “next best option”.
That being said, if we miss on Schneider, Fitzhenry, Conboy, Geiger and Scott this year (Nelson already committed and Cullen doesn’t look like it’s happening) then alarm sirens will be sounding for me personally.
Even last year when they missed on Berchild and Lutner they still landed Kvasnicka and Moe.
Is Gunnar Conboy the son of Tim Conboy? And if so will he be anti Gopher because his dad played for St Cloud?
Gunnar Conboy is the son of Tim Conboy. Hard to say what his mentality is. Some follow family ties; some do not care at all.
About the time Tim was playing there was some very strong rivalries between MN and UND and MN and SCSU and I would expect there to be quite a lot of hatred of the Gophers from any player who played for UND or SCSU (UMD too but less so). For the SCSU players it sounds more personal in that some of those players likely felt snubbed by the Gophers. Mark Parrish is the standard for Gopher hatred as he was snubbed by Woog while many of his Jefferson teammates were not. Tim would have also been in that Woog recruiting class although near the end of Woog's tenure.
I would be hopeful, but not optimistic that Gunnar would consider the Gophers.
Looking back at Tim's stats I had no idea he played pro hockey for soooo long. His last season was 2017-2018 (Gunnar was 9 years old). Tim left SCSU after only two seasons and played 14 years of mostly minor league pro hockey. Ended his career with 6 seasons in Germany.... yikes. Can't call Tim a quitter. He put in his time and likely rode many busses. Played 59 games in the NHL. I would kill for just one.
Would be a departure from the staff's usual approach at goalie, and I think a detour worth taking given Casey's upside. Going to be a fight to land him.
Gunnar Conboy is the son of Tim Conboy. Hard to say what his mentality is. Some follow family ties; some do not care at all.
About the time Tim was playing there was some very strong rivalries between MN and UND and MN and SCSU and I would expect there to be quite a lot of hatred of the Gophers from any player who played for UND or SCSU (UMD too but less so). For the SCSU players it sounds more personal in that some of those players likely felt snubbed by the Gophers. Mark Parrish is the standard for Gopher hatred as he was snubbed by Woog while many of his Jefferson teammates were not. Tim would have also been in that Woog recruiting class although near the end of Woog's tenure.
I would be hopeful, but not optimistic that Gunnar would consider the Gophers.
Looking back at Tim's stats I had no idea he played pro hockey for soooo long. His last season was 2017-2018 (Gunnar was 9 years old). Tim left SCSU after only two seasons and played 14 years of mostly minor league pro hockey. Ended his career with 6 seasons in Germany.... yikes. Can't call Tim a quitter. He put in his time and likely rode many busses. Played 59 games in the NHL. I would kill for just one.
Gunnar was coached by Nick and Jack Poehling at Lakeville North. Two guys that were recruited by and played under Bob Motzko.
I’m also getting impatient for a CHL blue chipper but on the other hand there is no correlation/causation between UND landing good players and Minnesota not landing a good player. We may have something in the works for all we know. Hopefully…
UND going nuclear, gopher fans on here calling me crazy for wanting one high end recruit. Unbelievable
I feel like we HAVE to get at least one high end CHLer just to keep up with the Jones’s. No there is no law saying CHL first round picks will be the ticket to a natty (historically it’s been older players) but I feel as a blue blood program you can’t sit on your hands with this new player pool available. Not saying we go off the deep end like Michigan but IMO we need 1.
Also worth noting UND lost Boisvert and Perron via The Portal following the coaching change. Those are gifted players who will be tough to replace in year one.
UND going nuclear, gopher fans on here calling me crazy for wanting one high end recruit. Unbelievable
I feel like we HAVE to get at least one high end CHLer just to keep up with the Jones’s. No there is no law saying CHL first round picks will be the ticket to a natty (historically it’s been older players) but I feel as a blue blood program you can’t sit on your hands with this new player pool available. Not saying we go off the deep end like Michigan but IMO we need 1.
In addition to the player, it keeps the brand in the news and headlines - reminds players that this is an attractive destination right now. Obviously, Minnesota is great destination when viewed over the long term, but in shorter windows, this can compound positively or negatively and lead to recruiting droughts --- which sorry to say, I feel like we are in now.
timing would fit perfectly for him to come in in 2026 and be the backup for whoever remains of Airey and di Pasquo prior to picking up the net for 3 years
DU and UND have pretty full goalie pipelines if I’m not mistaken? If he still picks one of them, not a great look for Bob and co. I still like our odds to land him though.
DU and UND have pretty full goalie pipelines if I’m not mistaken? If he still picks one of them, not a great look for Bob and co. I still like our odds to land him though.
One name to watch is WHL goalie Anders Miller. Had a great rookie season which put him on some NHL draft boards as a late round swing. 6’3 pro style goalie. Born in Anchorage but moved to MN at a young age for hockey so a de facto Minnesotan. Recently started following MN, only school he follows.
I know I’m in the minority on this board that thinks Kraft wasn’t a “miss” simply because I think we didn’t offer. If he proves himself in the WHL next season then he’ll likely get an offer and if he accepts it will be “woe is me” from the Kato crowd all over again like with Pritchard this year.
In the latest "Chattin Mavericks" podcast that Coach Strand happened to be on he mentioned that Kraft has been contacted by over 20 teams since he committed to MSU. That is one third of D1 programs have called him, so if he wanted to bolt I would think he would have by now.
I am theofficial Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
I know I’m in the minority on this board that thinks Kraft wasn’t a “miss” simply because I think we didn’t offer. If he proves himself in the WHL next season then he’ll likely get an offer and if he accepts it will be “woe is me” from the Kato crowd all over again like with Pritchard this year.
In the latest "Chattin Mavericks" podcast that Coach Strand happened to be on he mentioned that Kraft has been contacted by over 20 teams since he committed to MSU. That is one third of D1 programs have called him, so if he wanted to bolt I would think he would have by now.
He could be waiting for the right programs, or potentially waiting to reopen his recruitment to go on more visits. If he has a big year in the WHL, I have a tough time seeing him land with the Mavericks.
I know I’m in the minority on this board that thinks Kraft wasn’t a “miss” simply because I think we didn’t offer. If he proves himself in the WHL next season then he’ll likely get an offer and if he accepts it will be “woe is me” from the Kato crowd all over again like with Pritchard this year.
In the latest "Chattin Mavericks" podcast that Coach Strand happened to be on he mentioned that Kraft has been contacted by over 20 teams since he committed to MSU. That is one third of D1 programs have called him, so if he wanted to bolt I would think he would have by now.
I don’t think Minnesota was one of those 20 programs which is likely the one he’s waiting for if he’s gonna flip.
Not sure where to post this but Finn McLaughlin recently followed a few more Gopher related accounts so it’s looking increasingly more likely he’ll be on campus in the fall. Phillips to CHL perhaps?
Mittelstadt-Gruba
Rombach-Thomas
Whipple-McLaughlin
That group won’t exactly win any awards lol but they have potential. So much hinges on Gruba and Whipple taking the next step. Rombach can/should be a steady presence as a freshman and McLaughlin is a poised/experienced player himself with 150 games of juniors under his belt.
Gruba is the ultimate X-factor for this team, IMO. If he steps in and produces offense like he did at Fargo, this team could be in good shape. If he is not ready for the role, scoring could be an issue.
Phillips' decision of USHL versus Canada - assuming it is the route we are going - will be interesting.
I know I’m in the minority on this board that thinks Kraft wasn’t a “miss” simply because I think we didn’t offer. If he proves himself in the WHL next season then he’ll likely get an offer and if he accepts it will be “woe is me” from the Kato crowd all over again like with Pritchard this year.
In the latest "Chattin Mavericks" podcast that Coach Strand happened to be on he mentioned that Kraft has been contacted by over 20 teams since he committed to MSU. That is one third of D1 programs have called him, so if he wanted to bolt I would think he would have by now.
I don’t think Minnesota was one of those 20 programs which is likely the one he’s waiting for if he’s gonna flip.
I know I’m in the minority on this board that thinks Kraft wasn’t a “miss” simply because I think we didn’t offer. If he proves himself in the WHL next season then he’ll likely get an offer and if he accepts it will be “woe is me” from the Kato crowd all over again like with Pritchard this year.
In the latest "Chattin Mavericks" podcast that Coach Strand happened to be on he mentioned that Kraft has been contacted by over 20 teams since he committed to MSU. That is one third of D1 programs have called him, so if he wanted to bolt I would think he would have by now.
I don’t think Minnesota was one of those 20 programs which is likely the one he’s waiting for if he’s gonna flip.
Why would MN not be one to contact him?
I think it’s also the difference in contact versus offer. Recruiting will change to be up until the minute they hit campus after signing. Would envision mn reached out but probably hasn’t offered yet
I know I’m in the minority on this board that thinks Kraft wasn’t a “miss” simply because I think we didn’t offer. If he proves himself in the WHL next season then he’ll likely get an offer and if he accepts it will be “woe is me” from the Kato crowd all over again like with Pritchard this year.
In the latest "Chattin Mavericks" podcast that Coach Strand happened to be on he mentioned that Kraft has been contacted by over 20 teams since he committed to MSU. That is one third of D1 programs have called him, so if he wanted to bolt I would think he would have by now.
I don’t think Minnesota was one of those 20 programs which is likely the one he’s waiting for if he’s gonna flip.
Why would MN not be one to contact him?
I think it’s also the difference in contact versus offer. Recruiting will change to be up until the minute they hit campus after signing. Would envision mn reached out but probably hasn’t offered yet
timing would fit perfectly for him to come in in 2026 and be the backup for whoever remains of Airey and di Pasquo prior to picking up the net for 3 years
People need to pump the brakes just a little bit, he's not going to come in as a true freshman in 2026. Did he have an amazing playoff run...absolutely, it was fun to watch. I would like to see a larger sample size next season in Waterloo though. Most of the hype train is driven by this Mr. Sikes fella. Denver already has Boettiger (07 at NTDP, 2026 draft class) coming in and UND has Heil (late 06, 2025 draft class) coming in and they're both better at this point in time. There are also other goalies in that 2025 / 2026 draft classes with better bodies of work to date. That's not to say he doesn't have a ton of upside but let's see what happens this coming season.
timing would fit perfectly for him to come in in 2026 and be the backup for whoever remains of Airey and di Pasquo prior to picking up the net for 3 years
I missed the Di Pasquo announcement. Never heard of him previously, but looking at his history, he could be a great addition. No need to sit behind Augustine for another year or two.
timing would fit perfectly for him to come in in 2026 and be the backup for whoever remains of Airey and di Pasquo prior to picking up the net for 3 years
People need to pump the brakes just a little bit, he's not going to come in as a true freshman in 2026. Did he have an amazing playoff run...absolutely, it was fun to watch. I would like to see a larger sample size next season in Waterloo though. Most of the hype train is driven by this Mr. Sikes fella. Denver already has Boettiger (07 at NTDP, 2026 draft class) coming in and UND has Heil (late 06, 2025 draft class) coming in and they're both better at this point in time. There are also other goalies in that 2025 / 2026 draft classes with better bodies of work to date. That's not to say he doesn't have a ton of upside but let's see what happens this coming season.
oh sure I'd 0% expect he'd play at that point, but timing wise would be ideal to not be hunting for another transfer and having nothing in the pipeline. Purely was just talking on timing of coming in, not that we should just pencil him in as a competing starter for that year. Picking up a bigger sample size is nice, but with literally no one in the pipeline doesn't feel like a guy you sit on and tell you need to see more.
timing would fit perfectly for him to come in in 2026 and be the backup for whoever remains of Airey and di Pasquo prior to picking up the net for 3 years
People need to pump the brakes just a little bit, he's not going to come in as a true freshman in 2026. Did he have an amazing playoff run...absolutely, it was fun to watch. I would like to see a larger sample size next season in Waterloo though. Most of the hype train is driven by this Mr. Sikes fella. Denver already has Boettiger (07 at NTDP, 2026 draft class) coming in and UND has Heil (late 06, 2025 draft class) coming in and they're both better at this point in time. There are also other goalies in that 2025 / 2026 draft classes with better bodies of work to date. That's not to say he doesn't have a ton of upside but let's see what happens this coming season.
oh sure I'd 0% expect he'd play at that point, but timing wise would be ideal to not be hunting for another transfer and having nothing in the pipeline. Purely was just talking on timing of coming in, not that we should just pencil him in as a competing starter for that year. Picking up a bigger sample size is nice, but with literally no one in the pipeline doesn't feel like a guy you sit on and tell you need to see more.
With the CHL opening up you don't really need to have anyone in the pipeline. There will be plenty of 06's and 07's available which allows you to wait and see with the 2026 graduates (late 07's and 08's) to see what they can do in juniors first before making a decision on them.
timing would fit perfectly for him to come in in 2026 and be the backup for whoever remains of Airey and di Pasquo prior to picking up the net for 3 years
People need to pump the brakes just a little bit, he's not going to come in as a true freshman in 2026. Did he have an amazing playoff run...absolutely, it was fun to watch. I would like to see a larger sample size next season in Waterloo though. Most of the hype train is driven by this Mr. Sikes fella. Denver already has Boettiger (07 at NTDP, 2026 draft class) coming in and UND has Heil (late 06, 2025 draft class) coming in and they're both better at this point in time. There are also other goalies in that 2025 / 2026 draft classes with better bodies of work to date. That's not to say he doesn't have a ton of upside but let's see what happens this coming season.
oh sure I'd 0% expect he'd play at that point, but timing wise would be ideal to not be hunting for another transfer and having nothing in the pipeline. Purely was just talking on timing of coming in, not that we should just pencil him in as a competing starter for that year. Picking up a bigger sample size is nice, but with literally no one in the pipeline doesn't feel like a guy you sit on and tell you need to see more.
With the CHL opening up you don't really need to have anyone in the pipeline. There will be plenty of 06's and 07's available which allows you to wait and see with the 2026 graduates (late 07's and 08's) to see what they can do in juniors first before making a decision on them.
that's a reasonable approach. I don't think you're going to land many guys who will end up being draft picks with that route unless there's a specific tie to you and you're flipping them late or taking Canadian kids. all your US top goalie prospects are already committed for this coming draft
Note: i also acknowledge I am biased. I think he's a very good player and will be a college goalie at a high level school. add to that he's from MN and specifically the 218 area code, which is an area I'd love to see us recruit better (particularly given how much UMD has declined) rather than them ending up at UMD, SCSU, or UND
"that's a reasonable approach. I don't think you're going to land many guys who will end up being draft picks with that route unless there's a specific tie to you and you're flipping them late or taking Canadian kids. all your US top goalie prospects are already committed for this coming draft"
"that's a reasonable approach. I don't think you're going to land many guys who will end up being draft picks with that route unless there's a specific tie to you and you're flipping them late or taking Canadian kids. all your US top goalie prospects are already committed for this coming draft"
certainly could've missed one. Should know better than to write all
Of those born in the US on multiple lists, Parsons (Providence), Cameron (BC), Quinlan (ND), Hendrickson (UConn), and Bronas (Kato) are all committed.
See I missed Anders Miller who's playing up in Calgary and Lee-Stack playing in the OHL. Other guys further down (Jones UML, Phillips Prov, Doyon Cataquiz Quin) are also committed.
US guys commit earlier. There are still plenty of Canadian kids left. Lot smaller pool to draw off waiting. That being said, it's a reasonable move. Was more alluding to waiting another entire year of Jr hockey you're going to see the pool whittle down quite a bit. I get Bob wants to see more Jr hockey from guys. Just a differing strategy
