Minnesota Gopher Season Thread: 2014-15 (Continued)

[Bonin21]

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

The best team in the Big Ten is #4 in Minnesota

Not so sure the Gophers would win a three or seven game series with Bemidji.

[The Rube]

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

If they showed effort, they COULD beat anyone in the country. Actual results? If they lost, it'd be close. Very close. That is not tArrogance. That is fact. However, like many Gopher teams in the past, they think they can get by with just being the Gophers.

The down-year teams from a couple years ago? I wouldn't be saying the same thing, for the record.

[Nowheresville]

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

One of my bigger questions is, what are they doing about scheduling tougher non-conference next year? I saw a preliminary lineup for the Mariucci Classic, and all I can say is wow. I realize some of the teams scheduled this year had down years (BC and ND) but I don't have a lot of faith that the B1G will get to the point next year that they will be tested night in and out like in the WCHA.

With the exception of UMD and JBSU, there weren't any other games agains NACHO teams, and while I understand the desire to keep home games, sometimes you have to sacrifice and make a trip somewhere to get someone coming in here.

Next years schedule will look very similar to this years. With the set up with the other MN teams and the NSCC, there's really only room on the schedule for two other NC series and the Mariucci Classic, and the scheduling agreements are made years in advance.

Next year, Northeastern will play at MN as part of the 4 year deal with BC/NE. (BC came to MN last year, MN will do a weekend at BC/NE again in 2016/17).

I believe there is still one more year on the scheduling deal with Notre Dame, although I'm not certain about that one.

Otherwise, next year the Gophers will again do home/home splits with SCSU and Duluth again, and host Mankato.

There really won't even be much of a difference in 2016, except that they'll trade out Notre Dame for North Dakota.

[The Rube]

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

Next years schedule will look very similar to this years. With the set up with the other MN teams and the NSCC, there's really only room on the schedule for two other NC series and the Mariucci Classic, and the scheduling agreements are made years in advance.

Next year, Northeastern will play at MN as part of the 4 year deal with BC/NE. (BC came to MN last year, MN will do a weekend at BC/NE again in 2016/17).

I believe there is still one more year on the scheduling deal with Notre Dame, although I'm not certain about that one.

Otherwise, next year the Gophers will again do home/home splits with SCSU and Duluth again, and host Mankato.

There really won't even be much of a difference in 2016, except that they'll trade out Notre Dame for North Dakota.

There are rumors of MTU for the Mariucci Classic, but GLI conflicts are in play for MTU.

[William Blake]

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

The best team in the Big Ten is #4 in Minnesota

Would that put them behind Mankato choking to RIT?

[Stauber1]

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

One of my bigger questions is, what are they doing about scheduling tougher non-conference next year? I saw a preliminary lineup for the Mariucci Classic, and all I can say is wow. I realize some of the teams scheduled this year had down years (BC and ND) but I don't have a lot of faith that the B1G will get to the point next year that they will be tested night in and out like in the WCHA.

With the exception of UMD and JBSU, there weren't any other games agains NACHO teams, and while I understand the desire to keep home games, sometimes you have to sacrifice and make a trip somewhere to get someone coming in here.

I don't think the non-conference schedule is/was much of a concern. 8 of their 16 non-conference games this year were against teams that earned at-large bids to the NCAA tournament. The problem is 6 of those 8 were played before November was over. The last 16 games of the year (and 20 of the last 22) heading into the NCAAs were against very average competition, and improving your non-conf schedule does nothing to remedy that problem.


I was surprised by just how thoroughly MN were outplayed and outshot through the majority of the game yesterday, but I can't say I was too surprised by the final result. This team had issues with consistency, scoring 5on5, defensively, and with leadership; while they overcame those enough to have some success against the average teams of the Big10, there were serious questions in my mind as to what would happen if they made it to the NCAA Tournament.

It was good to see them finish off league play on a high note, and I hope the seniors feel good about the 4 conference championships they won in their time here. That's a pretty cool accomplishment. And I'm going to miss having the opportunity of watching those guys.
But with the expectations and personnel heading into the year, there's no point in pretending the season wasn't a disappointment.

[Sioux-perDrunk]

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

New chant for next year for the gophers....... Bulldog rejects...... Bulldog rejects.... Bulldog rejects

[D2D]

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

Ambroz first to sign:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/297897601.html

Good luck in your pro career, Seth!

[D2D]

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

And Rau is the second:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/297932261.html

Thanks, Kyle, for all you've given to Gopher hockey!

[Jesus of Suburbia]

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

I have a feeling the gophers are going to loose a lot of players during the offseason.

[The Rube]

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

I have a feeling the gophers are going to loose a lot of players during the offseason.

What a great hockey mind....

[5mn_Major]

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

And Rau is the second:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/297932261.html

Thanks, Kyle, for all you've given to Gopher hockey!

The seniors are awesome for having stuck around. Go Gophers.

[D2D]

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

And Rau is the second:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/297932261.html

Thanks, Kyle, for all you've given to Gopher hockey!

Best of luck to Travis Boyd, the third senior to sign:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/298167421.html

[Blackheart]

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

Congrats on getting Auston Matthews to sign with the Gofs. I figured he was a lock to play juniors.

[goldy_331]

Congrats on getting Auston Matthews to sign with the Gofs. I figured he was a lock to play juniors.

Can I ask where you saw that?