Re: Golden Gopher Women's Hockey 2009-2010
I can't help it...I have my concerns for the month of Feb.
The way this season has unfolded around the country, I have concerns for every game against every opponent. Räty is clearly a special player, and she elevates us to another level. But we are more than a one-player team. I'm confident that Grogan and Lura will step up and give us high-quality goaltending when their numbers are called, and that their teammates will be playing better defensively in front of them by then. That is something that I think must happen for the team to win any of the three titles that they pursue.
I still have some concerns offensively, but I've been pleasantly surprised in that regard by the season to date. Jones started like a house a fire, has receded of late, and I think the 2nd line goes as she goes. This weekend it was less important because the 3rd line took up the slack. Partly, that is because Blankenship is playing great right now, but also, the line functioned well as a cohesive unit. First line, no worries. Except maybe whether or not West will survive the season, because she always seems to take a pounding, and we plain can't afford to lose her. I believe that Francis will get on a roll on the offensive end, as she always seems to do as the season develops. In some ways, that is less important with her than some other forwards, because she does so many other things well, like maintaining possession of the puck and staying out of the box (she's had 21 minors in 127 games, one this season).
Then there is the power play. I'm not crazy about it right now. The white unit looks to be ahead of the gold one, if I have the colors right, and that shouldn't be happening when one has been going out there all year and the other debuted this weekend. That isn't really fair to the gold unit, because they've made wholesale changes to it, and it's heading in the wrong direction. I'd blow it up and start over, but if they are committed to it being the second option, then I'd swap Seeler and Schleper. The gold unit clearly needs more juice, Schleper is our best offensive threat from the blue line, and I don't think that she is being fully utilized on the maroon unit. IMO, Jones is the person best suited to the in front of the net role. When I think of players who have done well there in the past, they've had great hands, to deflect shots (at the net, not into the corner) and cash in rebounds. Plus, they have to be able to go behind the net, win possession, and get it back into the system. I know that they have Jones QB'ing that squad right now, but I'd try Blankenship in that spot. She did well on the PP her first two months here, then they took her off that unit and she's never really got back on until this weekend. If not, stick with Jones running the PP and go with Rasmussen in front. I'd try a 4-forwards plus Schleper unit, with Jones, Blankenship, Rasmussen, and May. Yes, one would like Kortum on there at some point, but she seems to be hitting the wall a bit, as players out of HS often do, and so it might be best to simplify. I'd like to steal Francis from the maroon unit to run this one, but that creates problems where somebody is always tired when switching from 5-on-5 to PP and back. And although I'm tempted to see what Jalosuo can do with her slap shot if properly set up, this might not be the year with her upcoming Olympic absence.
In the miscellaneous category, I'd have Frischmann working at D, not F, because that is clearly her future, both in February and next season. I'd look for opportunities to get her a shift or two on the blue line in games, so that if you plug her back into the rotation when Mira leaves, it doesn't look like she's been in mothballs for 3 months.
What I like best about this team is that it appears to have the makings of a team -- with everyone pulling in the same direction. That does require that everyone pulls. People say this team doesn't have a superstar, but they definitely have a few that qualify in an Olympic year, and probably a couple that are legit superstars in any year. The leaders seem more evident than they did last year, and hopefully, that translates into everyone being of a common goal.
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