Local players in the pros

Schmidt is now playing on the top D pair with Mike Green

Bjug is back from his concussion too

@Jaykay3 wrote:

Schmidt is now playing on the top D pair with Mike Green

Bjug is back from his concussion too

Nice!

I saw on Twitter where the Fargo Force put up the NHL banner for Schmidt. That’s pretty cool. I’m really happy for the kid. Especially after all the questions he endured after his freshman year.

Aaron Ness scored his first NHL goal last night

Leopold can’t catch a break. Out 8 weeks with an injury to his hand.

@g_manpucker wrote:

I was just talking about that with some co-workers this morning, good for him. Here’s a question that I can’t remember discussing here on GPL…how much better of a player would Ness have been if Guentzel would have been his defensive coach? My bet is a lot.

Ness didn’t do himself any favors by finishing high school early and coming to the Gophers right out of high school. As a freshman at the University he was the same age as a senior in high school. He would have been much better off either staying in high school, going to Penticton or playing a season or two in the USHL.

I just don’t think he was physically or mentally ready to step in and be successful with the Gophers under those circumstances. Add to that the amount of hype accompanying his arrival. Some people were expecting the second coming of Mike Crowley. He was never anywhere near Mike Crowley and having Hill or Guentzel as a coach wouldn’t have changed that fact. Ness was never going to be that good. He had one of the worst shots I can remember for a D-1 player to boot.

Hindsight is always 20-20, and in Ness’ case, I don’t think having Hill or Guentzel as his coach played nearly as big a part as the bad decision he made to come in early.

I also think it’s well past the time to bash Hill. He was just the wrong guy here at the wrong time. Turn the page.

Seth Helgeson called up to the NHL with the Devils

@Norm wrote:

When are we going to rename this thread to “Big Ten/Minnesotans in the pros?”

Why not drop the qualifier altogether, and just rename it “Minnesotans in the pros”?

fixed

better?

@5 O.T. wrote:

@Jupiter wrote:

better?

Only if you’re catering to that RWD guy.

I think his name is Don?

@5 O.T. wrote:

@Jupiter wrote:

better?

Only if you’re catering to that RWD guy.

:rotflmao:

Players Dat Ya Kant Watch at Da Local Rink No More

@Chris Eckes wrote:

Heh heh heh, love this place

It is frequently good for an unexpected chuckle, isn’t it?

@frozen4champs wrote:

Nate Schmidt with 1st NHL goal tonight vs Preds.

And his second a day later

@Jaykay3 wrote:

@frozen4champs wrote:

Nate Schmidt with 1st NHL goal tonight vs Preds.

And his second a day later

[youtube:2ajtnnie]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4WQlGLLMJE[/youtube:2ajtnnie]

3:10

To think he was riding pine under John Hill..

Kyle Okposo scores.

[youtube:1wqyvj8k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEGxgXrQG1Y[/youtube:1wqyvj8k]

Wheeler’s been on a tear, 6 goals in 9 games or something like that?

Thoughts on this (hypothetical) All-Minnesota Olympic team?

Parise-Backes-Oshie
Wheeler-Stepan-Okposo
Cullen-Bjugstad-Mueller
Nelson-Morin-Bochenski
Hendricks

McDonagh-Faulk
Martin-Johnson
Goligoski-Byfuglien
Niskanen
(Leddy)
(McBain)
(Hillen)
(Ballard)

Stalock
Hartzell
Curry
(Frazee)

I think they could beat Norway, Latvia, and Slovenia pretty consistently… closer to par with Austria and Switzerland.

@gopherguy13 wrote:

Kinda weird that MN doesn’t produce any real NHL level goalies. Wonder why.

But we sure do pump out the defensemen!

Actually, I edited my roster to move Hartzell higher on the depth chart. He seems to be doing really well in Wilkes-Barre.

Phil Kessel #4 in NHL scoring with 30-32-61pts and Kyle Okposo tied at #8 with Ovechkin 24-34-58pts

http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20142ALLSASAll&sort=points&viewName=summary” onclick=”window.open(this.href);return false;

Jordan Schroeder scores two in his return to Vancouver line-up.

http://www.gophersports.com/blog/2014/01/nhl-schroeder-scores-two-in-return.html” onclick=”window.open(this.href);return false;

Here’s what I posted on the HFBoards about three months ago for a Minnesota team with a few minor updates based on recent play

Zach Parise-David Backes-Kyle Okposo
TJ Oshie-Derek Stepan-Blake Wheeler
Brock Nelson-Matt Cullen-Nick Bjugstad
Ryan Carter-Matt Hendricks-JT Brown

Extras: Jordan Schroeder, Jim O’Brien, Anders Lee

Ryan McDonagh-Justin Faulk
Paul Martin-Erik Johnson
Matt Niskanen-Dustin Byfuglien

Extras: Nick Leddy, Alex Goligoski, Jake Gardiner, Justin Braun, Tom Gilbert

Alex Stalock
Eric Hartzell
Mike Lee

Ben Hanowski recalled by Calgary on 3/5.

7 points (5 G, 2 A) in 7 games for Anders Lee since being called up for the Isles.

Paul Martin.

http://rinksidereport.com/2014/03/05/pittsburghs-paul-martin-meets-with-family-of-fallen-soldier-whose-name-was-sewn-into-his-olympic-hockey-gear/” onclick=”window.open(this.href);return false;

Tommy Vannelli has signed with the Blues

@Bash Brother wrote:

Tommy Vannelli has signed with the Blues

Further evidence that we were better off that he removed himself from the situation. Gave us a chance to recruit for a replacement much sooner which is better for us in the long run.

Oh Phil

Tyler Pitlick called up to Edmonton.

@gopherguy13 wrote:

That’s such an unfortunate last name :lol:

Get used to it. Pretty sure his brother is a future Gopher

@Beauner wrote:

@gopherguy13 wrote:

That’s such an unfortunate last name :lol:

Get used to it. Pretty sure his brother is a future Gopher

Lance Pitlick was one bad-ass defenseman for the Gophers. Pound for pound the hardest hitter the Gophers have ever had in my opinion. He’s Rem’s dad.

@gopherguy13 wrote:

That’s such an unfortunate last name :lol:

Nothing compared to former Blaine HS TC Vulcans & SCSU D man Mike Pudlick.

4 of the top 9 former college players in scoring were Gophers

Five Gopher players finished the regular season as their NHL teams leading scorer. :shock:

They are:
Phil Kessel (Tor) 82gp 37g 43a 80tp
Kyle Okposo (NYI) 71gp 27g 42a 69tp
Blake Wheeler (Wpg) 82gp 28g 41a 69tp
Thomas Vanek (Habs) 78gp 27g 41a 68tp
Nick Bjugstad (Flor) 76gp 16g 22a 38tp

Great job.

@5 O.T. wrote:

Five Gopher players finished the regular season as their NHL teams leading scorer. :shock:

They are:
Phil Kessel (Tor) 82gp 37g 43a 80tp
Kyle Okposo (NYI) 71gp 27g 42a 69tp
Blake Wheeler (Wpg) 82gp 28g 41a 69tp
Thomas Vanek (Habs) 78gp 27g 41a 68tp
Nick Bjugstad (Flor) 76gp 16g 22a 38tp

Great job.

Good for Kessel at 80!
Quite a drop off from Vanek down to Bjugstad, what a slacker… :biggrin2:

Tom Serratore with his first goal tonight for Adirondack, Alt had one of the helpers.
16 PIM now too