Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

[willythekid]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

That sucks to hear that any kid is going to be out for the year but at least the gophers will have less diving penalties now....

 

[brianvf]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

I hope if Barriball is out we see Lucia moved up with Schroeder and Hoeffel for line one.

I would agree with this for the first line.
After watching the UAA/UMN Sun game, it looked like Tony turned a corner. He was possibly the best player on the ice IMO.

 

[Turk 77]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

I would agree with this for the first line.
After watching the UAA/UMN Sun game, it looked like Tony turned a corner. He was possibly the best player on the ice IMO.

He was on Friday too.

 

[brianvf]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

He was on Friday too.

Yeah, I would have guessed that as well with his two SHG, but I didn't watch the Fri game, so I didn't know for sure.

 

[state of hockey]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

I'll post this over here as well:

Lucia was awesome in this series. Not just the goals, but the sacrifices he was making as well. With just a few minutes left and leading 5-1 and 4-1, he was still dropping down and taking slappers to the legs/gut. I like it.

 

[Greyeagle]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

http://www.startribune.com/blogs/69...EyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUgOy9cP3DieyckcUsI

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

That sucks to hear that any kid is going to be out for the year but at least the gophers will have less diving penalties now....

 

[willythekid]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

You shouldn't eat paint chips slappy... we don't need you going out for the season with lead poisoning.

 

[gophers79]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

A guy I work with has coached hockey a long time and has had season tickets quite awhile feels that we are getting too many primadonna type players and that individually they are or were great but that collectively they struggle as a team whats your opinion ?

Agree with this statement 100%. I don't think it's a coincidence that the Gophers won with guys like Jon Waibel and Jake Flemming. The role players and grinders are perhaps the most important players on the team. The sad thing is that we HAVE a couple of really great role players in Lucia, Matson, Carman, Flynn, those grinder types... we just don't have the top-end skill guys that can put the puck in the net. So, a guy like Tony Lucia who on a great Gopher team should be a really good third line and penalty kill guy now is going to be pressed into first line duty with Barriball out and is even playing on the power play.

It seems to me that quality teams have a sprinkling of really really good skill guys (one or two or three Vanek / Oshie / Rakhshani type guys that can score) and a lot more guys that know their roles and play them really well (lock-down defensive guy, grinder type, physical player, hornet type guy that creates havoc, etc.). This team has all the underlying pieces, but I don't think it has the top-end skill guys to become a truly special team. I still have hope that Schroeder and Hoeffel (and who knows, maybe White? I know that might sound crazy given the fact that he hasn't done ANYTHING his first two years but he has looked really good so far this year) will develop into that kind of skill player that can carry a team offensively with great support from the role players.

 

[Koho]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

Agree with this statement 100%. I don't think it's a coincidence that the Gophers won with guys like Jon Waibel and Jake Flemming. The role players and grinders are perhaps the most important players on the team. The sad thing is that we HAVE a couple of really great role players in Lucia, Matson, Carman, Flynn, those grinder types... we just don't have the top-end skill guys that can put the puck in the net. So, a guy like Tony Lucia who on a great Gopher team should be a really good third line and penalty kill guy now is going to be pressed into first line duty with Barriball out and is even playing on the power play.

It seems to me that quality teams have a sprinkling of really really good skill guys (one or two or three Vanek / Oshie / Rakhshani type guys that can score) and a lot more guys that know their roles and play them really well (lock-down defensive guy, grinder type, physical player, hornet type guy that creates havoc, etc.). This team has all the underlying pieces, but I don't think it has the top-end skill guys to become a truly special team. I still have hope that Schroeder and Hoeffel (and who knows, maybe White? I know that might sound crazy given the fact that he hasn't done ANYTHING his first two years but he has looked really good so far this year) will develop into that kind of skill player that can carry a team offensively with great support from the role players.

I can't understand your logic here. You say you agree 100% with the statement there are too many prima donnas, then go on to say that this team has plenty of grinders but not the top level guys???

I think Scooby hit it right. Guys are recruited a couple years before they come to play based on projected development. In the pros this works, because a lot of players are drafted, and the ones that don't advance just don't make it. In college hockey, you have to stick with the guys you recruited and hope they develop. In recent years, the guys who really developed left early and a number of the rest didn't progress as expected. That is why there is a lot of luck in producing a team that competes for the NC. (Not to mention season ending injuries.) So when people say Lucia is a bad coach because at MN he should get most of the players he wants or get very critical of the players on the team, I respond that there is too much luck involved to be that critical.

 

[Greyeagle]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

Doesn't sound good for Bariball, at least according to Roman's latest Tweet.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

Doesn't sound good for Bariball, at least according to Roman's latest Tweet.

Just read it. Basically he's done. I'm glad he got his 100th point before it happened. Maybe he wants to be a 5th year senior and apply for a medical red shirt this year like Ben Street did last year.

Tony Lucia has stepped up. Time for some of these other guys who we've been talking about to step up.

 

[brianvf]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

Doesn't sound good for Bariball, at least according to Roman's latest Tweet.

Ouch, no good. Sorry to hear that.

 

[Slap Shot]

Just read it. Basically he's done.

 

[Koho]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

Just read it. Basically he's done. I'm glad he got his 100th point before it happened. Maybe he wants to be a 5th year senior and apply for a medical red shirt this year like Ben Street did last year.

Tony Lucia has stepped up. Time for some of these other guys who we've been talking about to step up.

Down to one drop Scooby? Or do you wait to see how they respond this weekend? I sure hope Cepis can step right in and be a significant contributor.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

Down to one drop Scooby? Or do you wait to see how they respond this weekend? I sure hope Cepis can step right in and be a significant contributor.

I'm not worried about Cepis. What I'm worried about is Cepis was going to be a net "add" to the roster. Now he becomes a crutch replacement for Barriball.

Face facts. They need to find Barriball's replacement on the current roster and not take Cepis into account at all. Hansen, Sachetti, White, somebody I'm looking at you.

 

[Stauber1]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

I'm not worried about Cepis. What I'm worried about is Cepis was going to be a net "add" to the roster. Now he becomes a crutch replacement for Barriball.

Face facts. They need to find Barriball's replacement on the current roster and not take Cepis into account at all. Hansen, Sachetti, White, somebody I'm looking at you.

I agree, I think it is crucial for someone to step up from the current roster. Partly because I'm not as convinced that Cepis will step right in and contribute from the get-go (a good chance, but not something you can bank on), but mostly because they need to start accruing some points and OOC wins before the first of the year.
I don't like the idea of moving Lucia to the first line. Certainly I think he would do well there (and may be the best choice), but all during the off season people talked about the need for a second line that can consistently contribute offensively. I really think the combination of Lucia, Carman, and Matson is exactly that type of line. So I'd like to see Lucia stay there, and look to plug another guy in to that top line. In fact if the second line has to be broken up, I'd more prefer to see Matson move up than Lucia. And that's kind of what I am expecting to be perfectly honest.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

I agree, I think it is crucial for someone to step up from the current roster. Partly because I'm not as convinced that Cepis will step right in and contribute from the get-go (a good chance, but not something you can bank on), but mostly because they need to start accruing some points and OOC wins before the first of the year.
I don't like the idea of moving Lucia to the first line. Certainly I think he would do well there (and may be the best choice), but all during the off season people talked about the need for a second line that can consistently contribute offensively. I really think the combination of Lucia, Carman, and Matson is exactly that type of line. So I'd like to see Lucia stay there, and look to plug another guy in to that top line. In fact if the second line has to be broken up, I'd more prefer to see Matson move up than Lucia. And that's kind of what I am expecting to be perfectly honest.

It just makes you wish even more that White or Hansen could find the net.

 

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

I agree, I think it is crucial for someone to step up from the current roster. Partly because I'm not as convinced that Cepis will step right in and contribute from the get-go (a good chance, but not something you can bank on), but mostly because they need to start accruing some points and OOC wins before the first of the year.
I don't like the idea of moving Lucia to the first line. Certainly I think he would do well there (and may be the best choice), but all during the off season people talked about the need for a second line that can consistently contribute offensively. I really think the combination of Lucia, Carman, and Matson is exactly that type of line. So I'd like to see Lucia stay there, and look to plug another guy in to that top line. In fact if the second line has to be broken up, I'd more prefer to see Matson move up than Lucia. And that's kind of what I am expecting to be perfectly honest.

Well, Cepis shoots left so that creates a bit of an issue replacing Barriball. I have to agree on keeping the 2nd line intact. Sacchetti was practicing in Barriball's place, so he may step in. I'm not impressed with Sacchetti's play. He's only had 8 shots in 5 games. White seems aggressive this season and might be a better choice. He's got a goal, 2 assists and 11 shots in 6 games.

Talk about a freaky accident!

The injury occurred Tuesday during what head coach Don Lucia deemed "a routine drill that you do every week or a couple times a week; guys just ran into each other."

Sad to see Jay go down in his senior year. With all the summer preparation and expectations for his last season as a Gopher, I'm sure this is a difficult pill for him to swallow at this stage in his career. He was one of the premier "go to" guys that needed a breakout season on that first line for the Gophers to do well. This is a huge blow to the team. Realistically, I think it's very tough sledding ahead for the Gophers. This makes the series with UW even more critical. Hopefully this weekend will not be a disaster or I'm afraid this team may be emotionally devastated.

Barriball scheduled for surgery.

 

[Turk 77]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers 2009-2010 the last year of the old WCHA

Well Circle the wagons and starting shooting. Im betting that somebody is gonna step up and surprise people. When we lost Leddy last Friday is when this team starting playing Gopher hockey like I know it .