I can't understand your logic here. You say you agree 100% with the statement there are too many prima donnas, then go on to say that this team has plenty of grinders but not the top level guys???
I think Scooby hit it right. Guys are recruited a couple years before they come to play based on projected development. In the pros this works, because a lot of players are drafted, and the ones that don't advance just don't make it. In college hockey, you have to stick with the guys you recruited and hope they develop. In recent years, the guys who really developed left early and a number of the rest didn't progress as expected. That is why there is a lot of luck in producing a team that competes for the NC. (Not to mention season ending injuries.) So when people say Lucia is a bad coach because at MN he should get most of the players he wants or get very critical of the players on the team, I respond that there is too much luck involved to be that critical.
So I guess what we're left with is the guys that stuck around because they're not the top level guys. The players that are the prima donna guys either A) are not scoring at a sufficient level so far this year to carry the team (Schroeder) or B) Left early (Kessel/Okposo/Wheeler/Stoa).
I agree with you that there is a lot of luck in these top level guys staying vs the guys that leave early, but it just seems unfortunate that what looks like ALL of our top guys turn pro at the drop of a hat (except for maybe Schroeder this year) and not all of the players elsewhere do so (Oshie, Duncan, Rau, Rakhshani, Ruegsegger). Sure, everyone has players leave early, but I think you're right when you said that some other teams have been very fortunate to get these guys that stay 3 or 4 years and the U has been very unlucky to get guys that leave after 1 or 2. Maybe we can find some players that want to put the 'M' on and have pride to wear the Maroon and Gold... hopefully Potulny can instill that sort of attitude into the young kids this year.
And #21 who was recruited to put the biscuit in the basket. And #24, the door is wide open man all you have to do is walk through it.
How about #28? I know he's a D-man, but somebody's gotta lead the charge on the point on the PP, and he's supposed to be a scorer. I was very pessimistic about White at the beginning of the year but he's completely changed my mind so far. I think he's made the jump in his development - he looks great. I'm confident he'll score. Haven't seen it from Hansen or Sacchetti so far. Maybe Matson can start putting the puck in the net? Lord knows he's the best player on the ice every night
Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA
Gophers79,
There is an extremely small window to enter the NHL for most of these players. No matter your talent, teams are looking to fill roles, and if your window opens, you don't come, they'll find somebody else to fill that role. Look at Ness for example. He got an Islander Player development rep, in town, coming to his practices, keeping an eye on him, watching the club, the coach, his progress. Don't fool yourself, players like Ness play for the u, but are property of New York.
There is an extremely small window to enter the NHL for most of these players. No matter your talent, teams are looking to fill roles, and if your window opens, you don't come, they'll find somebody else to fill that role. Look at Ness for example. He got an Islander Player development rep, in town, coming to his practices, keeping an eye on him, watching the club, the coach, his progress. Don't fool yourself, players like Ness play for the u, but are property of New York.
I know, but it's hard to admit to yourself that, as much as I bleed Maroon and Gold, these guys most likely care more about the potential $ than about the 'M'
So I guess what we're left with is the guys that stuck around because they're not the top level guys. The players that are the prima donna guys either A) are not scoring at a sufficient level so far this year to carry the team (Schroeder) or B) Left early (Kessel/Okposo/Wheeler/Stoa).
I agree with you that there is a lot of luck in these top level guys staying vs the guys that leave early, but it just seems unfortunate that what looks like ALL of our top guys turn pro at the drop of a hat (except for maybe Schroeder this year) and not all of the players elsewhere do so (Oshie, Duncan, Rau, Rakhshani, Ruegsegger). Sure, everyone has players leave early, but I think you're right when you said that some other teams have been very fortunate to get these guys that stay 3 or 4 years and the U has been very unlucky to get guys that leave after 1 or 2. Maybe we can find some players that want to put the 'M' on and have pride to wear the Maroon and Gold... hopefully Potulny can instill that sort of attitude into the young kids this year.
I get your point, but your examples weren't the best. T.J. Oshie left after his junior year, as did Stoa and Wheeler, and for Stoa, that meant staying for 4 years. And I think most Gopher fans were pretty happy with getting Wheeler for 3, because when he came, nobody expected him to stay that long.
tUMD is Jan Brady per Brenthoven. Whew.... thanks for clearing THAT up.
Best USCHO quotes to date:
"UND/DU will realize that their party sucks, because the easterners only want to drink Zima." - BPH
"It is too bad that aaron marvin was a senior so he can't go after the rest of the sioux". - bigblue_dl
"I would rather play the blackhawks than you right now." - dogs2012
There is an extremely small window to enter the NHL for most of these players. No matter your talent, teams are looking to fill roles, and if your window opens, you don't come, they'll find somebody else to fill that role. Look at Ness for example. He got an Islander Player development rep, in town, coming to his practices, keeping an eye on him, watching the club, the coach, his progress. Don't fool yourself, players like Ness play for the u, but are property of New York.
Exactly, there is even luck involved who drafts your recruits/players, in that some pro teams are more prone to let their players develop in college longer than others. Sometime the only player you could count on is the Gerbe/Lasch/Roe type of waterbug who can excel in college but is too small for the NHL to want them anytime soon. But there aren't many players that talented around (and once again you have to get lucky in their development) and you can only have so many mites on your team.
I'm not sure which is more frustrating though, losing the players early on a regular basis on losing players to injury on what seems like a regular basis.
I get your point, but your examples weren't the best. T.J. Oshie left after his junior year, as did Stoa and Wheeler, and for Stoa, that meant staying for 4 years. And I think most Gopher fans were pretty happy with getting Wheeler for 3, because when he came, nobody expected him to stay that long.
Frankly, in ANY major college sport that can "feed" the pro leagues, 3 years is the max nowadays for high talent, and honestly, if you can get 3 years out of 'em....God bless ya.
Never really developed a taste for tequila. Kind of hard to understand how you make a drink out of something that sharp, inhospitable. Now, bourbon is easy to understand.
Tastes like a warm summer day. -Raylan Givens
Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA
Not Looking Forward To This Weekend's Series. This Could Get Ugly. I Hope I'm Wrong.
Lucia is expecting a low scoring series:
"When you go in there [the Kohl Center], you have to win a 3-2 type game," Lucia said. "We not going to go in there and score four, five goals. They are too good a defensive team. They are too experienced. They have good size. And so we are going to have to find a way to generate -- we are going to have to score a goal on the power play and try to find a couple goals.
"And that has to be enough and you have to have a good goaltender when you go on the road. The way Alex played [against Alaska Anchorage] I think that is a step in the right direction this past weekend."
Not Looking Forward To This Weekend's Series. This Could Get Ugly. I Hope I'm Wrong.
Don't go negative already. They have the horses. They're going to have to play shut down hockey and they are more than capable of doing that. They certainly have the goaltending.
**NOTE: The misleading post above was brought to you by Reynold's Wrap and American Steeples, makers of Crosses.
Originally Posted by dropthatpuck-Scooby's a lost cause.
Originally Posted by First Time, Long Time-Always knew you were nothing but a troll.
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