Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

I also think folks here discount M. Reilly, who likely can't win only due to Connolly and Leblanc.

Strib article about M. Reilly just posted leaves a glimmer of hope for next season:

“There’s probably no real chance that [leaving school immediately to play in the NHL] will happen. I’m worried about finishing my degree. That’s more important to my family.”

http://www.startribune.com/sports/go...tml?page=1&c=y

[5mn_Major]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

But Eichel is arguably the best college hockey player THIS year.

I'm not so sure of that. I don't know that he's the best college forward in Boston right now. Vesey is very close in points and certainly would have passed him had he had nearly the support.

Nation’s top goal scorer Vesey is Harvard’s first Walter Brown winner since 2005

The Gridiron Club of Greater Boston announced Tuesday that Harvard junior forward Jimmy Vesey is the winner of the 63rd Walter Brown Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England.

I also think folks here discount M. Reilly, who likely can't win only due to Connolly and Leblanc.

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

JG was a much, much better all around player and had a whopping 50% more goals. Eichel will probably win and for all the wrong reasons.

I expect the quality and style of play of the Hobey winners to vary from year to year. But Eichel is arguably the best college hockey player THIS year.

[5mn_Major]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

Give it up...while you're still behind. You don't know what you're talking about...

Gets some facts...and let's talk.

So I've got WatchESPN loaded in multiscreen mode (its cool, hook this up if you can)...and have it up on my 101" screen. Ready for some puck.

[chickod]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

JG was a much, much better all around player and had a whopping 50% more goals. Eichel will probably win and for all the wrong reasons.

Give it up...while you're still behind. You don't know what you're talking about...

[5mn_Major]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

JG was a much, much better all around player and had a whopping 50% more goals. Eichel will probably win and for all the wrong reasons.

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

Eichel will win the Hobey, go 1st or 2nd in the first round on June 26th, hold up an NHL jersey, smile for the camera and begin his NHL career immediately afterwards. There's a few NHL scouts today that believe Eichel could be a no. 1 center this season in the NHL.

[Bonin21]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

Eichel will win the Hobey, and is in the same class as Gaudreau. He'll be in the NHL next year full time, just like Johnny.

[chickod]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

OK...so the answer is no, Eichel is not nearly as good as last year's Hobey winner.

Being a #2 pick says nothing about the Hobey. EJ was a #1 pick...and no, he wasn't deserving of the Hobey either.

And I have to be honest...I really don't care. All I care about is the game! I was just responding to someone who says he had "hardly seen him play" but then makes all these evaluations...

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

Doesn't seem to be on anyone's radar here...and IMO some on GPL would jump out a window, but here's my opinion:

I can't say I've seen much BU hockey. But I'd say its very likely that Eichel's a fairly one dimensional player. He can score. No knock against him, because scoring in hockey is critical. But as a freshman, very few play 200 foot games. That's why it doesn't surprise me that Vesey got the Walter Brown.

At the end of the day, we always seem to have top scoring forwards getting the Hobey...with an occasional shut down D sprinkled in. Frankly, we haven't had a D of any type for awhile. Not since Gilroy. As an unbiased observer, I think its got to be Mike Reilly. He integrates with forwards like nobody's business, can instantly make the game 200 feet, and play very advanced D as needed (a serious upgrade to his game from LY). But if scoring is your thing, he's not only the top scoring D in the nation, but he's the top scoring player on a team with the most prolific senior class in hockey (and he's put up more points than Hobey winner Gilroy). You've got to go back 3 years to find a defenseman putting up the points (and four years if Reilly comes up with 2 more). Eichel? Go back to last year and you'll someone who was several times the Hobey forward. No offense, but Eichel doesn't deserve the Hobey.

There's little question whether Mike Reilly is definitely the most talented offensive/defenseman in the NCAA. But I think his 6 goals so far is not dominant enough for the Hobey. Reilly's main asset is playmaking, but not goal scoring. Leopold, a similar offensive D was 20-28-48 when he won it. What Eichel has done this season as a freshman is phenom status and he'll end up with Vanek type numbers by season end.

Another reason Reilly won't win it is the Hobey typically favors forwards. Only 6 D have ever won the Hobey in 34 years.

Hobey Baker winners by the numbers.

By team

5 — Minnesota-Duluth
4 — Minnesota
3 — Harvard, Boston College
2 — Boston University, Bowling Green, Colorado College, Maine, Michigan, Michigan State, North Dakota
1 — Denver, Miami, New Hampshire, St. Cloud State, Wisconsin

By position

Forward — 26
Defenseman — 6
Goaltender — 2

[5mn_Major]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

Freshman stats:

GM G A PTS

44 21 23 44 - JG

36 24 42 66 - JE

Eichel is 6' 2" 192 lbs. the Flames currently list JG at 5' 9" 150 lbs. I'd pick JG in a race especially a short one, but it would be close. I've seen Eichel hit people. I never noticed JG doing that. Even if he did, the player he hit probably didn't notice.

So Eichel is on target to win the Hobey as a junior. Maybe he'll be around to get it. Neither have been deserving as freshmen.

[Darius]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

He didn't even win the Walter Brown.

As a freshman, is he in the same class with Johnny Hockey? I'd bet large sums of money against that.

Freshman stats:

GM G A PTS

44 21 23 44 - JG

36 24 42 66 - JE

Eichel is 6' 2" 192 lbs. The Flames currently list JG at 5' 9" 150 lbs. I'd pick JG in a race especially a short one, but it would be close. I've seen Eichel hit people. I never noticed JG doing that. Even if he did, the player he hit probably didn't notice.

[5mn_Major]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

Are you trying to stir up the BC fans? I'm not falling for that one. But he is going to be the #2 pick behind McDavid. I don't think all the scouts are wrong, do you?

OK...so the answer is no, Eichel is not nearly as good as last year's Hobey winner.

Being a #2 pick says nothing about the Hobey. EJ was a #1 pick...and no, he wasn't deserving of the Hobey either.

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

UMD also wasn't healthy during part of that stretch from what I understand.

Good point Wes. Actually both teams have struggled through some tough injuries. At a time when the Gophers were struggling with putting the puck in the net, we lost our leading scorer C. Reilly in Wisconsin on Jan. 30. But the seniors really put the pedal to the metal for a 12-3-1 run and from that day until now a 4.0 GF/game. Any coach would be tickled with that number.

By way of contrast, UMD is noticeably NOT as talent deep as the Gophers, consequently their struggles with injuries have been more debilitating resulting in a 7-7-2 record over the same 16 game period. The difference between the two teams is UMD has struggled find those guys to step up and score goals during that same stretch resulting in 2.43 GF/game. In the last 3 games-all losses, they've averaged 1 G/game. UMD is clearly struggling as a team going into this weekend with a higher GA (2.56) than GF (2.43) in the last 16 games.

Of course, the rivalry component raises the energy and physicality level. But I'd be surprised if the Gophers did not end the Dogs season on Friday night. There's a ton of confidence and energy on this Gopher team right now.

Behind the scenes look back to B1G sweep and forward to this weekend with UMD >>> HERE

[chickod]

Re: Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

He didn't even win the Walter Brown.

So now we're measuring ability by awards won? Tom Brady didn't win the Heisman, either....

As a freshman, is he in the same class with Johnny Hockey? I'd bet large sums of money against that.

Are you trying to stir up the BC fans? I'm not falling for that one. But he is going to be the #2 pick behind McDavid. I don't think all the scouts are wrong, do you?