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2011 Minnesota Offseason Thread

Re: 2011 Minnesota Offseason Thread

If you don't want Nick Bjustad, we'll take him. Not that anything is a sure thing but Matt Frattin did not have nearly the freshman year that Nick B did. Nick B probably would have been the 2nd or 3rd leading scorer at UND this year, getting way more than 20 points.
 
Re: 2011 Minnesota Offseason Thread

HarleyMC said:
Recently some Gopher hockey alumni attempted to put the pressure on AD Joel Maturi to not grant a contract extension to Lucia. They threatened to run an ad in one of the local papers proclaiming their disapproval of Lucia. Last week some ex-Gopher hockey players had a meeting with Maturi to air their complaints and discuss coaching options other than Lucia. Maturi reiterated that Lucia is the man for the job and will get the extension.
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I am way behind, so maybe this is covered later; but are the 'former players' just alum that are concerned about the program status, or are they players who have played for Lucia so would have a personal knowledge of what they perceive is wrong?
 
Re: 2011 Minnesota Offseason Thread

Tiggsy said:
Catastrophic may be a little too far.

Not sure if that's a good comparison or what that means other then don't read too much into roomers just yet before completely writing off next season.
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Have you ever read a Scooby post before????

and I am sorry but I can't resist;

room·er (rmr, rmr)
n.
One who rents a room or rooms in which to live; a lodger.
 
Re: 2011 Minnesota Offseason Thread

HarleyMC said:
Neal Broten says the Hobey should have gone to his brother Aaron.
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I said it the year it happened and have been saying it since. Aaron was unbelievable that year. Clearly better offensively than Neal. He seemed unstoppable at times. He just had one of those years. However, Neal was probably better defensively that year. Neal also showed he was a true college sportsman by returning for that year of school. It is just that whenever Aaron touched the puck, you leaned forward in your seat to make sure you didn't miss whatever was going to happen next.
 
Re: 2011 Minnesota Offseason Thread

Koho said:
I am way behind, so maybe this is covered later; but are the 'former players' just alum that are concerned about the program status, or are they players who have played for Lucia so would have a personal knowledge of what they perceive is wrong?
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I don't know for sure. A couple names come to mind, but I'd rather not speculate on potentially who comprised this very small but notable group. But my understanding is they definitely had not played for Lucia at any time in the past. My guess is it is somewhat connected to this letter to Maturi. Reusse purposely left out the name of the author who apparently had an "outstanding NHL career". That was probably a good idea at least for the sake of the author's reputation since the letter is somewhat inaccurate: "Since winning the two national titles [2002-03], the program has struggled and especially the last few years. Most of the players (false) on the two national title teams were already there or previously committed" and "We still get some top players because of the school's rich hockey history and its facilities but that's rapidly disintegrating" (really?).

But I wouldn't be surprised though if a less than 500K buyout clause is written into the contract extension as an attempt to somewhat placate the disgruntled masses.
 
Re: 2011 Minnesota Offseason Thread

cross cheque said:
Chalk up another bottom dweller season because Bjugstad signed with Florida:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/florida-panthers/
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I am feeling very Scooby-esque about next year. There is just no light on the horizon. Bjugstad was becoming the type of player that could have single-handily one some games, and made even some losses interesting. Reading all the optimism in the UND thread despite all the players they lose just made things worse. MN had plenty of talent this year, but rarely showed it. They showed plenty when playing the two teams that vied for the NC, but looked mediocre or poor a lot of the time. I am at a loss for what the cure is. I don't think it is as simple as most make it (Hill is the problem, Lucia is the problem, too many leaving early, poor development, etc.). I would love to have years like the early 2000's where each season ended with anticipation that next year's team would be one of the top teams int he country and potentially vying for an NC.
 
Re: 2011 Minnesota Offseason Thread

Koho said:
I am feeling very Scooby-esque about next year. There is just no light on the horizon. Bjugstad was becoming the type of player that could have single-handily one some games, and made even some losses interesting. Reading all the optimism in the UND thread despite all the players they lose just made things worse. MN had plenty of talent this year, but rarely showed it. They showed plenty when playing the two teams that vied for the NC, but looked mediocre or poor a lot of the time. I am at a loss for what the cure is. I don't think it is as simple as most make it (Hill is the problem, Lucia is the problem, too many leaving early, poor development, etc.). I would love to have years like the early 2000's where each season ended with anticipation that next year's team would be one of the top teams int he country and potentially vying for an NC.
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when Bjugstad wins the Hobey, then you can be happy. and, UND has hakstool, so they may have a good team, but they can never win the National Championship.
 
Re: 2011 Minnesota Offseason Thread

Koho said:
I am feeling very Scooby-esque about next year. There is just no light on the horizon. Bjugstad was becoming the type of player that could have single-handily one some games, and made even some losses interesting.
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You do realize what his link was, don't you? :p
 
Re: 2011 Minnesota Offseason Thread

Bakunin said:
You do realize what his link was, don't you? :p
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I guess I should actually look at links??? (I am just prepared to believe any negative news with this team in my fragile emotional state.)

Still, it is difficult to face another summer without a great deal of anticipation of huge improvement.

And I wish I could believe that Hackstool has a curse that would prevent him from winning, but I don't believe that anymore than I believe Wooger was a bad coach who couldn't win the big one. A bounce here or there (or a shot two inches over that doesn't hit the pipe) in a few games and the Gophs could have won at least one with Wooger at the helm if not more, given the talent his teams had some years. After all, did people really expect UMD to win after the 2nd half of a season they had and do they think it was all due to coaching, or just partially coaching, partially talent and partially things just falling into place at the perfect time. (I'll take the last one in about half the NC's in the last decade or so.)
 
Re: 2011 Minnesota Offseason Thread

state of hockey said:
Shhh. I like where this is going.
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I can't believe this is still going on :confused::)! Anyways, someone thinks all the Lucia naysayers are just a bunch of blatherers which I assume is just a nice way of saying idiots....

College Hockey News said:
It was a move driven too much by a vocal minority of passionate yet misguided alumni and Internet blatherers — the kind that calls for the heads of people like Dick Umile, Don Lucia and Tim Whitehead on a regular basis.
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Re: 2011 Minnesota Offseason Thread

Watching Leddy playing tonight, you gotta wonder what he would have been like as a Gopher this year and how much difference he would have made.
 
Re: 2011 Minnesota Offseason Thread

Koho said:
Watching Leddy playing tonight, you gotta wonder what he would have been like as a Gopher this year and how much difference he would have made.
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Give a kid more reasons to stay (i.e. a defensive coach worth a crap) and we wouldn't have to wonder.
 
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