Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

[DavidNardolillo]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Can you be more specific as to what your friend(s) in the athletic department told you? You said "shrink the arena". Does that mean the entire building's footprint? Or leave the structure itself unchanged but reduce the number of seats?

And are you sure your friend(s) were not simply referring to shrinking the ice surface, which has been in the works for years but with no definite timetable?

I just don't get what the point would be of reducing the number of seats; I think the resources could be better applied to more effective strategies and better uses (lowering ticket prices). I am also unclear on what the pros and cons are of moving away from the international-sized sheet.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Why would it cost so much? What are the components of the project? Honest question: I just don't know what would be involved in such a project

Unless you want to watch from 10 feet away instead of on the glass... You'd need to jackhammer up all of the concrete, remove the existing cooling system, upgrade it to code if there are any deficiencies, add additional seats or somehow move existing seats, add a new cooling system, pour new concrete. Likely purchase new boards. The concrete work along is going to cost half a million. At least. The cooling system install would be another 250k to 500k. The seats another 100-200k.

They're going to do it, but it's gonig to be expensive.

 

[DavidNardolillo]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Unless you want to watch from 10 feet away instead of on the glass... You'd need to jackhammer up all of the concrete, remove the existing cooling system, upgrade it to code if there are any deficiencies, add additional seats or somehow move existing seats, add a new cooling system, pour new concrete. Likely purchase new boards. The concrete work along is going to cost half a million. At least. The cooling system install would be another 250k to 500k. The seats another 100-200k.

They're going to do it, but it's gonig to be expensive.

Thanks for taking the time to sketch it out. That makes sense to a degree (Except for worrying about seats on the glass--just because I think seats along the glass are the worst in the house, and plenty of arenas have awkward seating down low, but to each his own). Reading up on it, it looks like the NHL sheet is actually longer than the international dimensions, despite being much narrower --I can see why significant construction would be needed to meet NHL length if the arena wasn't already built to have a flexible surface.

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Thanks for taking the time to sketch it out. That makes sense to a degree (Except for worrying about seats on the glass--just because I think seats along the glass are the worst in the house, and plenty of arenas have awkward seating down low, but to each his own). Reading up on it, it looks like the NHL sheet is actually longer than the international dimensions, despite being much narrower --I can see why significant construction would be needed to meet NHL length if the arena wasn't already built to have a flexible surface.

From my understanding the planning was never to alter the sheet enough to match 100% an NHL sized sheet, but instead to shrink closer than what the current dimensions are.

 

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

From my understanding the planning was never to alter the sheet enough to match 100% an NHL sized sheet, but instead to shrink closer than what the current dimensions are.

I believe they've settled on a 92.5 foot width, halfway between current (100') and NHL (85'). But to the best of my knowledge there is no definite timetable as to when.

 

[4four4]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Can you be more specific as to what your friend(s) in the athletic department told you? You said "shrink the arena". Does that mean the entire building's footprint? Or leave the structure itself unchanged but reduce the number of seats?

And are you sure your friend(s) were not simply referring to shrinking the ice surface, which has been in the works for years but with no definite timetable?

I was told the school was going to shrink the rink and discontinue 1,500 hundred seats. I told them this was a bad idea but this person said, the Wild have hurt their ticket sales.

 

[4four4]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

From my understanding the planning was never to alter the sheet enough to match 100% an NHL sized sheet, but instead to shrink closer than what the current dimensions are.

Correct, I do remember this person saying this to me.

 

[4four4]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Another reason why Minnesota wants to shrink the capacity they would like to add more suites to the arena.

 

[Bonin21]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Seamus Donohue transfering and eligible immediately. Gophers could use him, and maybe give Faber or Koster another year.

My prediction is he'll go to UMD with Perunovich, Wolff, and probably Samberg gone.

 

[Koho]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Seamus Donohue transfering and eligible immediately. Gophers could use him, and maybe give Faber or Koster another year.

My prediction is he'll go to UMD with Perunovich, Wolff, and probably Samberg gone.

Recognize the name, but no recall about him. Can you tell us a little about him? I've got time.

 

[burd]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

If only 3M could somehow add screens around the rink so fans could watch the things they usually watch instead of Gopher hockey.

 

[Bonin21]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Recognize the name, but no recall about him. Can you tell us a little about him? I've got time.

I won't act like I've watched him a ton. But I know this:

+ Local kid, HS teammate of Stucker, essentially a one year rental which is a growing thing in college hockey
+ 55 points in his first three years. Here are the depressing career totals of all the Gopher D since Reilly left (68 (Bischoff), 48, 43, 40, 37, 31, 23, 22, 16, 13, 11, 10, 10, 10, 10, 8, 6, 2)
+ 21 points last year
+ 28 power play points in his career. We could use any PP help at the point we can get just in case.

- Shoots left, which is not ideal for the roster
- Faber would likely have to agree to play a year in the USHL

 

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Anyone disagree with the answers to some good questions?

http://www.startribune.com/mailbag-...y-team-contend-and-draw-well-again/569063572/

 

[SteveO]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Anyone disagree with the answers to some good questions?

https://www.startribune.com/mailbag...y-team-contend-and-draw-well-again/569063572/

A return to the NCAA tournament -- and making an impact in it -- should be the expectation next season, and this team has the personnel to do so.

Reedy had a breakout season and gets my vote for "most improved player", doubling his point totals from 2018-19. His SH% was off the charts at 23.1%. Sampo Ranta doubled his goal scoring from the previous season as well.

Sammy Walker and Blake McLaughlin didn't make huge strides from the previous season. Ben Meyers far eclipsed all freshman in scoring and if he gets off to a better start next season I can see him having a 20 G season.

I'm not at a place where I can see making an "impact" in the NCAAs should be "expected". The Gophers need more consistent scoring for that to happen. The PP was pretty bad this season too.

I think there's increasing fan pressure on Motzko to make the NCAAs next season. He won't have "they're young" mantra anymore. He's got to get it done or IMO he's in the hot seat.

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Reedy had a breakout season and gets my vote for "most improved player", doubling his point totals from 2018-19. His SH% was off the charts at 23.1%. Sampo Ranta doubled his goal scoring from the previous season as well.

Sammy Walker and Blake McLaughlin didn't make huge strides from the previous season. Ben Meyers far eclipsed all freshman in scoring and if he gets off to a better start next season I can see him having a 20 G season.

I'm not at a place where I can see making an "impact" in the NCAAs should be "expected". The Gophers need more consistent scoring for that to happen. The PP was pretty bad this season too.

I think there's increasing fan pressure on Motzko to make the NCAAs next season. He won't have "they're young" mantra anymore. He's got to get it done or IMO he's in the hot seat.

I think this a fair assessment. Now if they can get marginally better GAA% (which was not horrible but spotty at times) combined with more scoring they should take a step. And you're right the PP was abysmal and has to improve. That they return so many key players should help if the progression doesn't stagnate.

 

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Reedy had a breakout season and gets my vote for "most improved player", doubling his point totals from 2018-19. His SH% was off the charts at 23.1%. Sampo Ranta doubled his goal scoring from the previous season as well.

Sammy Walker and Blake McLaughlin didn't make huge strides from the previous season. Ben Meyers far eclipsed all freshman in scoring and if he gets off to a better start next season I can see him having a 20 G season.

I'm not at a place where I can see making an "impact" in the NCAAs should be "expected". The Gophers need more consistent scoring for that to happen. The PP was pretty bad this season too.

I think there's increasing fan pressure on Motzko to make the NCAAs next season. He won't have "they're young" mantra anymore. He's got to get it done or IMO he's in the hot seat.

I guess it depends on how you define "impact". While I don't expect them to make the Frozen Four, I think a reasonable expectation would be to not only qualify for the NCAA tournament, but to:

a) Be seeded high enough to be considered a favorite to win their first game - and win it, and
b) Play their opponent in the Regional Final even. I think winning that game and advancing to the Frozen Four would exceed any reasonable expectation.

 

[Bonin21]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Since I'm banned from GPL lol...
For years people give me crap about suggesting some kind of cross conference setup. Over and over they say it will never happen and we have to accept the way things are. And now Vegoe tweets something like this.
https://twitter.com/evegoe/status/1242883539449896960

Gopher hockey needs the old rivalries in meaningful games. The fans are not just gonna get over it. When it finally happens all the people that said it will never happen will be silent.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Why did they ban you?.

Also, I'm very much on board with that setup.

 

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Questions:

When was the last time an end-of-season conference playoff included teams from two different conferences?
How exactly would this ever become a thing - who would have to approve it? The coaches, the AD's, Big Ten and other conference officials, and finally the NCAA?

I give it a snowballs chance in hell.

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gopher Season 2019-2020: Motzko 2.0

Since I'm banned from GPL lol...
For years people give me crap about suggesting some kind of cross conference setup. Over and over they say it will never happen and we have to accept the way things are. And now Vegoe tweets something like this.
https://twitter.com/evegoe/status/1242883539449896960

Gopher hockey needs the old rivalries in meaningful games. The fans are not just gonna get over it. When it finally happens all the people that said it will never happen will be silent.

He did it for fun and it's not going to happen so yeah, it's still time to get over it. Also pretty sure you weren't banned.