Another reason we gotta get our $h!t together as a program is because the top 2010, 2011 & 2012 birth years in the country are all Minnesotan. I can’t remember a time where that’s happened.
2010 - Joey Cullen
2011 - Owen Moulton
2012 - Jack Keiser
Would be a catastrophic time to have the wheels fall off the bus recruiting-wise.
Where can I find these rankings?
Another reason we gotta get our $h!t together as a program is because the top 2010, 2011 & 2012 birth years in the country are all Minnesotan. I can’t remember a time where that’s happened.
2010 - Joey Cullen
2011 - Owen Moulton
2012 - Jack Keiser
Would be a catastrophic time to have the wheels fall off the bus recruiting-wise.
Where can I find these rankings?
Puck Preps, College Puck NXT, and Neutral Zone are all reliable sites.
Recruit rankings are always so fickle but when the top American player three years in a row are Minnesotan, it catches my eye.
Another reason we gotta get our $h!t together as a program is because the top 2010, 2011 & 2012 birth years in the country are all Minnesotan. I can’t remember a time where that’s happened.
2010 - Joey Cullen
2011 - Owen Moulton
2012 - Jack Keiser
Would be a catastrophic time to have the wheels fall off the bus recruiting-wise.
Where can I find these rankings?
Puck Preps, College Puck NXT, and Neutral Zone are all reliable sites.
Recruit rankings are always so fickle but when the top American player three years in a row are Minnesotan, it catches my eye.
And even if someone wanted to argue any one of them was "only Top 3" that's still a string of talent you really don't want to miss out on.
For those (like me) that don’t know all these names, here’s some information from a Youth Hockey Hub ARTICLE I posted in this thread last Spring.
Jack Keiser
The lone 2012-born player on this year's U14 Sabres roster, Keiser has been a known commodity for the last three seasons. Last year, Keiser helped Woodbury Peewee AA to a third-place finish at the state tournament, leading the Predators in scoring with four points in three games.
This spring, Keiser finished second among all skaters with 20 points in eight games in the Kings of Spring U14 tournament. New SSM teammate Jackson Liao led all skaters in the event with 21 points.
Owen Moulton
A slippery skater and smooth puck handler, Moulton amassed 55 goals and 122 points in 58 games last season for Shakopee's Bantam AA team. The 122 points nearly double his total from the 2023-2024 season, in which Moulton scored 23 goals and recorded 73 points in 45 games for the Sabres' Bantam A team. During Minnesota Hockey Fall Tier I League play, Moulton led all skaters with 31 goals and 65 points in 23 games.
To put a bow on the 2024-2025 season, Moulton led the 13O Lakers to the USA Hockey National Tournament, tying for third overall in scoring with seven goals and 12 points in six games.
Was thinking about the program’s recruiting philosophy and how it should change/adapt in the current landscape. Is there a world where doubling down on the Minnesota model is the way to go?
Obviously I don’t mean go cold turkey back into the Woog era but think about it, all these programs who over the years have contested us on the recruiting trails for the top MN kids (think North Dakota, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Michigan) have now shifted a large chunk of their focus to Canada. By default they have to have weakened their grip on recruiting Minnesotans by at least a little bit. Is doubling down on the “Pride on Ice” Minnesota mantra the way to go?
I’m not saying completely ignore Canadians and by all means if a Harper or a McArthur is out there grab them, but is what I’m saying making any sense?
Was thinking about the program’s recruiting philosophy and how it should change/adapt in the current landscape. Is there a world where doubling down on the Minnesota model is the way to go?
Obviously I don’t mean go cold turkey back into the Woog era but think about it, all these programs who over the years have contested us on the recruiting trails for the top MN kids (think North Dakota, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Michigan) have now shifted a large chunk of their focus to Canada. By default they have to have weakened their grip on recruiting Minnesotans by at least a little bit. Is doubling down on the “Pride on Ice” Minnesota mantra the way to go?
I’m not saying completely ignore Canadians and by all means if a Harper or a McArthur is out there grab them, but is what I’m saying making any sense?
it’S an approach, but go look at the last couple central scouting rankings. If you get every one of the top guys it can work, but really only that way because you would need balance for the lean years. There’s enough talent here to do well, but you’d have to slam the borders on the upper talent going elsewhere
The recruiting situation is constantly changing and the best thing a coach can do is adapt quickly and never get too complacent with one strategy. Sometimes the MN talent is down and that probably won't work, other years sure that might be a good strategy. Maybe the NHL CBA changes and suddenly that affects recruiting, who knows.
Lucia and Motzko both seemed to make a transition to recruiting bigger Dmen and those teams tended to struggle at moving the puck out of their zone with possession. Size isn't necessarily a bad thing but you can't have players who are big and not great with the puck.
Was thinking about the program’s recruiting philosophy and how it should change/adapt in the current landscape. Is there a world where doubling down on the Minnesota model is the way to go?
Obviously I don’t mean go cold turkey back into the Woog era but think about it, all these programs who over the years have contested us on the recruiting trails for the top MN kids (think North Dakota, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Michigan) have now shifted a large chunk of their focus to Canada. By default they have to have weakened their grip on recruiting Minnesotans by at least a little bit. Is doubling down on the “Pride on Ice” Minnesota mantra the way to go?
I’m not saying completely ignore Canadians and by all means if a Harper or a McArthur is out there grab them, but is what I’m saying making any sense?
Mason West, Logan Hensler, Garrett Schifsky, Isaac Howard, Charlie Stramel all recent high-end recruits from MN and integral (or will be integral, in West’s case) to those schools’ success. I don’t care about NoDak’s recruiting philosophy, and it likely won’t happen here unless we decide to add a full-time GM to the staff tomorrow. They can get all the Mitchell Miller types they want, I don’t want them here.
I also don’t give a damn about Notre Dame’s recruiting, they’re currently 0-16 in B1G play.
Lucia and Motzko both seemed to make a transition to recruiting bigger Dmen and those teams tended to struggle at moving the puck out of their zone with possession. Size isn't necessarily a bad thing but you can't have players who are big and not great with the puck.
I agree that the pendulum has swung too far in the size direction, but it also hasn’t helped tDon or tBob that guys like Clayton Phillips and Leo Gruba (as of right now) didn’t pan out.
I kinda want to see them try and mold Whipple into more of a puck moving, offensively minded Dman, he showed some flashes on Saturday vs. Michigan and some of our best shifts were when he said screw it, I’ll drive some O-zone possession myself
Was thinking about the program’s recruiting philosophy and how it should change/adapt in the current landscape. Is there a world where doubling down on the Minnesota model is the way to go?
Obviously I don’t mean go cold turkey back into the Woog era but think about it, all these programs who over the years have contested us on the recruiting trails for the top MN kids (think North Dakota, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Michigan) have now shifted a large chunk of their focus to Canada. By default they have to have weakened their grip on recruiting Minnesotans by at least a little bit. Is doubling down on the “Pride on Ice” Minnesota mantra the way to go?
I’m not saying completely ignore Canadians and by all means if a Harper or a McArthur is out there grab them, but is what I’m saying making any sense?
Mason West, Logan Hensler, Garrett Schifsky, Isaac Howard, Charlie Stramel all recent high-end recruits from MN and integral (or will be integral, in West’s case) to those schools’ success. I don’t care about NoDak’s recruiting philosophy, and it likely won’t happen here unless we decide to add a full-time GM to the staff tomorrow. I also don’t give a damn about Notre Dame’s recruiting, they’re currently 0-16 in B1G play.
Schifsky wasn’t that highly regarded (he’s undrafted) but came into a high scoring team at 20. He’s solid player but an odd choice to include with a bunch of first rounders
Technically Howard is a sconnie 🤮
Schifsky wasn’t that highly regarded (he’s undrafted) but came into a high scoring team at 20. He’s solid player but an odd choice to include with a bunch of first rounders
I just remembered that he was a beast in the state tourney for Andover and then kept giving us fits the year after our title game run.
Technically Howard is a sconnie
Didn’t he get cut from Hill-Murray as an 8th grader or something?
Schifsky wasn’t that highly regarded (he’s undrafted) but came into a high scoring team at 20. He’s solid player but an odd choice to include with a bunch of first rounders
I just remembered that he was a beast in the state tourney for Andover and then kept giving us fits the year after our title game run.
Technically Howard is a sconnie
Didn’t he get cut from Hill-Murray as an 8th grader or something?
can’t remember but know he went to shattuck but given he left I discard him as one of us lol
Was thinking about the program’s recruiting philosophy and how it should change/adapt in the current landscape. Is there a world where doubling down on the Minnesota model is the way to go?
Obviously I don’t mean go cold turkey back into the Woog era but think about it, all these programs who over the years have contested us on the recruiting trails for the top MN kids (think North Dakota, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Michigan) have now shifted a large chunk of their focus to Canada. By default they have to have weakened their grip on recruiting Minnesotans by at least a little bit. Is doubling down on the “Pride on Ice” Minnesota mantra the way to go?
I’m not saying completely ignore Canadians and by all means if a Harper or a McArthur is out there grab them, but is what I’m saying making any sense?
Mason West, Logan Hensler, Garrett Schifsky, Isaac Howard, Charlie Stramel all recent high-end recruits from MN and integral (or will be integral, in West’s case) to those schools’ success. I don’t care about NoDak’s recruiting philosophy, and it likely won’t happen here unless we decide to add a full-time GM to the staff tomorrow. They can get all the Mitchell Miller types they want, I don’t want them here.
I also don’t give a damn about Notre Dame’s recruiting, they’re currently 0-16 in B1G play.
There will always be some of these kinds of misses with the amount of talent this state produces. Unless we hire Barr after Motzko retires, Maine currently has 30+ commitments listed… ridiculous.
Notre dame recruiting has seemed to pick up this cycle. Would have loved to see Sammy Nelson and Riley Zupfer in the maroon and gold.
Notre dame recruiting has seemed to pick up this cycle. Would have loved to see Sammy Nelson and Riley Zupfer in the maroon and gold.
Still might. Faber and Cooley were both ND commits at one point
Notre dame recruiting has seemed to pick up this cycle. Would have loved to see Sammy Nelson and Riley Zupfer in the maroon and gold.
Still might. Faber and Cooley were both ND commits at one point
Very good point. Hopefully Fitzhenry and Schneider will be gophers and we won’t have to worry about flips. I dont get what the hold up is there.
Notre dame recruiting has seemed to pick up this cycle. Would have loved to see Sammy Nelson and Riley Zupfer in the maroon and gold.
Still might. Faber and Cooley were both ND commits at one point
Would have been shocking if Sammy Nelson ended up anywhere other than Notre Dame, considering the family ties there.
Gotta wonder what impact the negative aura that we have going here in MN (Mpls in particular) right now may have regarding future recruits wanting to steer away from school life around the U?
My son is a senior and living around campus in an apt., and I can’t wait to get him out of there.
It's a major city that has the same problems as every other major city. Well maybe not right now but that's a different story that can't get discussed here.
It's a major city that has the same problems as every other major city. Well maybe not right now but that's a different story that can't get discussed here.
Yep. People want different experiences. Can go elsewhere if you want more of the secluded, campus feel - totally fine - but there are always some who want to avoid the city. Pretty big nothing in recruiting for me.
this same thing got thrown out there when the Townsend info came out and it turned out it was, we'll just say not who a lot of people on FB wanted to say it was going to be that did it. And I'd say that based on current recruiting, it doesn't seem to be having much of an effect on guys looking to come in.
As others have said, if you don't want to be in a city, yeah you're going to lose those guys the same as you always were. The same as UND is going to lose people who don't want to smell a beet plant year round. Overall very low on the list of concerns when it comes to who you're bringing in, same as BU/BC in Boston or DU in Denver
Is Brandon Mickelson still uncommitted?
Is Brandon Mickelson still uncommitted?
No commitment yet. Feels like one of those guys people will get excited about (for good reason) if he is still uncommitted at the state tournament.
He’s a very good high school hockey player but I’d need to see him play in the dub before I’d toss an offer his way.
He’s a very good high school hockey player but I’d need to see him play in the dub before I’d toss an offer his way.
Agreed. I’ve only seen him a few times, but he reminds me a little bit of Mike Koster in his HS days.
He’s a very good high school hockey player but I’d need to see him play in the dub before I’d toss an offer his way.
Agreed. I’ve only seen him a few times, but he reminds me a little bit of Mike Koster in his HS days.
Koster was originally recruited by Don, right? Felt like I saw “Minnesota commit” attached to his name for half a decade.
Vast majority of those guys ended up elsewhere too, like who here remembers Sam Huff, Jake Braccini, Jack Jensen lol.
He’s a very good high school hockey player but I’d need to see him play in the dub before I’d toss an offer his way.
Agreed. I’ve only seen him a few times, but he reminds me a little bit of Mike Koster in his HS days.
Koster was originally recruited by Don, right? Felt like I saw “Minnesota commit” attached to his name for half a decade.
Vast majority of those guys ended up elsewhere too, like who here remembers Sam Huff, Jake Braccini, Jack Jensen lol.
Try Lucas McGregor on for size
I’d take Braccini and Nick Williams in a heartbeat. Both doing well for St. Thomas.
Most years those guys wouldn't be good enough to get in the top 6 here.
never said that (and this isn’t most years anyways). They’d be good pieces to have on this years team.
Most years those guys wouldn't be good enough to get in the top 6 here.
never said that (and this isn’t most years anyways). They’d be good pieces to have on this years team.
didn’t they get Ratzlaff too after he went back to playing hockey?
Most years those guys wouldn't be good enough to get in the top 6 here.
never said that (and this isn’t most years anyways). They’d be good pieces to have on this years team.
didn’t they get Ratzlaff too after he went back to playing hockey?
yes. though he only played 23 games in 2 years and had 1 point.
Ah, well, maybe the gridiron was his true calling. Shame but at these levels a kid has to be decisive, and I wonder if Ratzlaff’s trajectory influenced the Gophers to not pursue Mason West.
Ah, well, maybe the gridiron was his true calling. Shame but at these levels a kid has to be decisive, and I wonder if Ratzlaff’s trajectory influenced the Gophers to not pursue Mason West.
he didn’t play really at all at Wisconsin. Would guess it was more the time away and changing his body to football. He should’ve stuck with hockey full time imo
But ya gotta do what ya love first
Ah, well, maybe the gridiron was his true calling. Shame but at these levels a kid has to be decisive, and I wonder if Ratzlaff’s trajectory influenced the Gophers to not pursue Mason West.
he didn’t play really at all at Wisconsin. Would guess it was more the time away and changing his body to football. He should’ve stuck with hockey full time imo
But ya gotta do what ya love first
A lot of skill positions can translate from the football season to the hockey season but linemen have to put on a lot of weight to play football and that doesn't go over so well on skates. Athletes like Andres Lee or Buddish were big, strong, and lean. I seem to remember Lee was a QB (but a big one) and Buddish was a linebacker in high school.
Ah, well, maybe the gridiron was his true calling. Shame but at these levels a kid has to be decisive, and I wonder if Ratzlaff’s trajectory influenced the Gophers to not pursue Mason West.
he didn’t play really at all at Wisconsin. Would guess it was more the time away and changing his body to football. He should’ve stuck with hockey full time imo
But ya gotta do what ya love first
A lot of skill positions can translate from the football season to the hockey season but linemen have to put on a lot of weight to play football and that doesn't go over so well on skates. Athletes like Andres Lee or Buddish were big, strong, and lean. I seem to remember Lee was a QB (but a big one) and Buddish was a linebacker in high school.
Ratzlaff was a linebacker as well. Offers from the big four power programs in Minnesota and bordering states so obviously a good player. Just never clicked in either sport at the college level (not an insult - incredible accomplishment).
I believe Ratzlaff had some hip issues that basically ended his football career. Skating didn’t have the same strain on his body and I think that’s why he went back to hockey. I could be misremembering the injury but I think that was the reasoning.
I still think, overall, that if you are similar levels of good at football and a sport that isn't football, you should pick the sport that isn't football. Quarterbacks possibly excepted.
A name to watch for the future. Gophers have had a chokehold on Eden Prairie talent over the years. Would love for that to lead to another one here.
https://twitter.com/epboyshockey/status/2022161690927001717?s=46&t=AvtsG2WfNuGRyXzbYJqB7g
Eden Prairie has a lot of young talent. Sophomore Owen Konrad is not far behind Thompson in scoring.
By some miracle Fitzhenry and Schneider are still uncommitted. You got studs like Cullen, McKinnon, Thompson coming down the chute.
Hire someone who can recruit and this thing will be up and running in no time. But for Christ’s sake you can’t have Motzko run out his contract and bring the whole ship down with him.
By some miracle Fitzhenry and Schneider are still uncommitted. You got studs like Cullen, McKinnon, Thompson coming down the chute.
Hire someone who can recruit and this thing will be up and running in no time. But for Christ’s sake you can’t have Motzko run out his contract and bring the whole ship down with him.
Advisors are delaying their commitment, telling them to wait and see what the landscape looks like closer to when they'll enroll.
By some miracle Fitzhenry and Schneider are still uncommitted. You got studs like Cullen, McKinnon, Thompson coming down the chute.
Hire someone who can recruit and this thing will be up and running in no time. But for Christ’s sake you can’t have Motzko run out his contract and bring the whole ship down with him.
Advisors are delaying their commitment, telling them to wait and see what the landscape looks like closer to when they'll enroll.
Smart move on their part
By some miracle Fitzhenry and Schneider are still uncommitted. You got studs like Cullen, McKinnon, Thompson coming down the chute.
Hire someone who can recruit and this thing will be up and running in no time. But for Christ’s sake you can’t have Motzko run out his contract and bring the whole ship down with him.
Advisors are delaying their commitment, telling them to wait and see what the landscape looks like closer to when they'll enroll.
Smart move on their part
Am I wrong to think the longer they wait the worse our chances are? I’d assume if they really wanted to be gophers there wouldn’t be much of a decision to make.
By some miracle Fitzhenry and Schneider are still uncommitted. You got studs like Cullen, McKinnon, Thompson coming down the chute.
Hire someone who can recruit and this thing will be up and running in no time. But for Christ’s sake you can’t have Motzko run out his contract and bring the whole ship down with him.
Advisors are delaying their commitment, telling them to wait and see what the landscape looks like closer to when they'll enroll.
Smart move on their part
Am I wrong to think the longer they wait the worse our chances are? I’d assume if they really wanted to be gophers there wouldn’t be much of a decision to make.
I think if they were dead set on being Gophers, they would be by now, so likely something to your thought process. At the same time, things move more quickly than ever these days, and their options are not going to dwindle the longer they wait. They have incentives to be patient.
By some miracle Fitzhenry and Schneider are still uncommitted. You got studs like Cullen, McKinnon, Thompson coming down the chute.
Hire someone who can recruit and this thing will be up and running in no time. But for Christ’s sake you can’t have Motzko run out his contract and bring the whole ship down with him.
Advisors are delaying their commitment, telling them to wait and see what the landscape looks like closer to when they'll enroll.
Smart move on their part
Am I wrong to think the longer they wait the worse our chances are? I’d assume if they really wanted to be gophers there wouldn’t be much of a decision to make.
i think better if they're having the hint that Bob may not be the coach and then they want to decide after whoever the new person is. That they end up here is better than them committing and then decommitting if we have a coaching change
By some miracle Fitzhenry and Schneider are still uncommitted. You got studs like Cullen, McKinnon, Thompson coming down the chute.
Hire someone who can recruit and this thing will be up and running in no time. But for Christ’s sake you can’t have Motzko run out his contract and bring the whole ship down with him.
Advisors are delaying their commitment, telling them to wait and see what the landscape looks like closer to when they'll enroll.
Smart move on their part
Am I wrong to think the longer they wait the worse our chances are? I’d assume if they really wanted to be gophers there wouldn’t be much of a decision to make.
i think better if they're having the hint that Bob may not be the coach and then they want to decide after whoever the new person is. That they end up here is better than them committing and then decommitting if we have a coaching change
This was my thought too. If we get some new blood in here and all of a sudden Minnesota is the trendy landing spot for recruits over the summer like Penn St and MSU were last year, it’d be nice if Fitz and Fred were still uncommitted by then.
The season we're having certainly isn't helping matters.By some miracle Fitzhenry and Schneider are still uncommitted. You got studs like Cullen, McKinnon, Thompson coming down the chute.
Hire someone who can recruit and this thing will be up and running in no time. But for Christ’s sake you can’t have Motzko run out his contract and bring the whole ship down with him.
Advisors are delaying their commitment, telling them to wait and see what the landscape looks like closer to when they'll enroll.
Smart move on their part
Am I wrong to think the longer they wait the worse our chances are? I’d assume if they really wanted to be gophers there wouldn’t be much of a decision to make.
Casey played in the WHL top prospects game and got rung up for 4 goals. Not a great night for him but good experience and exposure. Definitely needs another year or two of seasoning first though