Minnesota Gophers 2022-23

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Which in this case means being just slightly too candid, in terms of self-interest.

Coach Muzzerall will make the minor adjustment soon enough, and her pressers will be just as vanilla and boring as everyone else's.

Hopefully that won't be the case. I'd have to look elsewhere for material...

 

[ARM]

Coach Muzzerall will make the minor adjustment soon enough, and her pressers will be just as vanilla and boring as everyone else's.

I'm not sure how true this is. How long was Shannon Miller at UMD, and she'd had experience being on a national stage before that; her statements to the media never became vanilla. With some, you have to work hard to find a question that will induce an answer that you haven't heard a dozen times before, but others are more open to talking about their team/players/games.

 

[pgb-ohio]

I'm not sure how true this is. How long was Shannon Miller at UMD, and she'd had experience being on a national stage before that; her statements to the media never became vanilla.

Well, you made me smile!

Can't really say I'd rely on the behavior of one to predict the behavior of the other. But they are both originals, I'll give you that.

With some, you have to work hard to find a question that will induce an answer that you haven't heard a dozen times before, but others are more open to talking about their team/players/games.

Yes; although even the best questions aren't asked in a vacuum.

 

[ARM]

Can't really say I'd rely on the behavior of one to predict the behavior of the other.

That's true. However, I don't ever see Coach Muzerall becoming another Mark Johnson ("We were able to generate some opportunities, and when we scored, it gave our bench energy,") or Brad Frost ("I like the way our team battled and competed.") She is more likely to settle around the level of a Brian Idalski or Greg Fargo, where you still might actually learn something via an answer.

 

[pgb-ohio]

That's true. However, I don't ever see Coach Muzerall becoming another Mark Johnson ("We were able to generate some opportunities, and when we scored, it gave our bench energy,") or Brad Frost ("I like the way our team battled and competed.") She is more likely to settle around the level of a Brian Idalski or Greg Fargo, where you still might actually learn something via an answer.

Learning is good, and of course that's how it's supposed to work.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

What is the goalie situation now with Olivia King in the Portal? Is Sophia Johnson and Skylar Vetter the only rostered goalies for next year?

 

[ARM]

What is the goalie situation now with Olivia King in the Portal? Is Sophia Johnson and Skylar Vetter the only rostered goalies for next year?

Wasn't King honored on Senior Day, or am I remembering wrong? Anyway, I thought her departure was expected, but I didn't know if she planned to transfer or just be done. We can be too quick to dismiss the contributions that she made, but it sure sounded like she was someone who was valued in the locker room.

Anyway, it sure would seem that they need to add a couple of goaltenders, or at least one, via uncommitted preps or the portal.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Wasn't King honored on Senior Day, or am I remembering wrong? Anyway, I thought her departure was expected, but I didn't know if she planned to transfer or just be done. We can be too quick to dismiss the contributions that she made, but it sure sounded like she was someone who was valued in the locker room.

Anyway, it sure would seem that they need to add a couple of goaltenders, or at least one, via uncommitted preps or the portal.

King was a Jr this past year. She is shown in the portal as having 2 years of eligibility, which given the extra Covid year eligibilty makes sense. Mikayla Pahl was honored on senior day, correct?

 

[ARM]

King was a Jr this past year. She is shown in the portal as having 2 years of eligibility, which given the extra Covid year eligibilty makes sense. Mikayla Pahl was honored on senior day, correct?

Don't trust anything I say on this, as I struggled to keep all 27 of the seniors straight in my mind. However, King was in the same class as Pahl and Wethington, she just never played in 2019-20, thus the extra year of eligibility. So she could have gone through senior day if she'd wanted.

 

[ARM]

So, where are we as a program? On the one hand, it feels like forever a go since we've won THE title. Then I look at the Gopher men, and it has been 20 years for them, and the pressure to win is even greater there. Although with the small number of teams that actually do win on the women's side, 7 years is plenty long.

There are discussions on the Transfer thread about muzzinating or not, but I'm actually okay with not trying to become Team Transfer. I realize that means there are some years where you're going to be at a disadvantage against teams that make more hay via that route. I was fine with not getting Watts (she was never my type of player), we didn't seem to have a shot at Giguere, and Frosty was never going to remake his rosters with RMU players+ as tOSU did. I think I'm fine with that.

However, they need to get back to winning recruiting battles on the players that they do want out of HS. Part of the problem is that it isn't like MN HS hockey is churning out the next Brandt or Stecklein on a regular basis. Frosty has shown that he can win a high percentage of time when he has the best roster, but he hasn't shown an ability to win with a bunch of underdogs beyond the 2018 WCHA Tourney.

 

[robertearle]

So, where are we as a program? On the one hand, it feels like forever a go since we've won THE title. Then I look at the Gopher men, and it has been 20 years for them, and the pressure to win is even greater there. Although with the small number of teams that actually do win on the women's side, 7 years is plenty long.

There are discussions on the Transfer thread about muzzinating or not, but I'm actually okay with not trying to become Team Transfer. I realize that means there are some years where you're going to be at a disadvantage against teams that make more hay via that route. I was fine with not getting Watts (she was never my type of player), we didn't seem to have a shot at Giguere, and Frosty was never going to remake his rosters with RMU players+ as tOSU did. I think I'm fine with that.

However, they need to get back to winning recruiting battles on the players that they do want out of HS. Part of the problem is that it isn't like MN HS hockey is churning out the next Brandt or Stecklein on a regular basis. Frosty has shown that he can win a high percentage of time when he has the best roster, but he hasn't shown an ability to win with a bunch of underdogs beyond the 2018 WCHA Tourney.

When you try to answer that "where are we" question, keep in mind that you could *easily* have won this year's semi in OT, and have had at least a 50-50 chance of beating OSU in the final. And I'm guessing the answer would look very different had that happened. "Seven years" is quite similar to the stretch that UW was going through from 2012 to 2018 while the Gophers were winning four championships.

 

[ARM]

And I'm guessing the answer would look very different had that happened.

Had Minnesota won, it would have started the clock again, but it wouldn't have changed where the program was by much. Next year will start with UW and tOSU in some order (likely with the Badgers on top), and UM in a long list of teams that would like to emerge as the third-best team. I'm not sure what is on the horizon for the Gophers that gets them back to the same level as those two. They are fine in net but currently have nothing beyond Vetter. The D isn't in terrible shape for having graduated four, but it won't be an overall strength. Last year they had ~ 13 forwards who were candidates for the top 3 lines; they won't be that deep next year. It's an arms race, and right now, UM isn't winning it.

 

[Still Eeyore]

Had Minnesota won, it would have started the clock again, but it wouldn't have changed where the program was by much. Next year will start with UW and tOSU in some order (likely with the Badgers on top), and UM in a long list of teams that would like to emerge as the third-best team. I'm not sure what is on the horizon for the Gophers that gets them back to the same level as those two. They are fine in net but currently have nothing beyond Vetter. The D isn't in terrible shape for having graduated four, but it won't be an overall strength. Last year they had ~ 13 forwards who were candidates for the top 3 lines; they won't be that deep next year. It's an arms race, and right now, UM isn't winning it.

Winning wouldn't change where the program actually is much, but it would have significantly changed how people perceive where the program is. That change in perception may or ma not have been accurate, but it's trying to estimate something that is inherently unknowable. To a large extent, your results are where your program really is.

 

[Timothy A]

To a large extent, your results are where your program really is.

Which is right where you want them to be, right? Fighting for the top of the wcha. If you are doing that, anything is possible.

 

[Still Eeyore]

Which is right where you want them to be, right? Fighting for the top of the wcha. If you are doing that, anything is possible.

That's my take on it. Success and failure in the playoffs is such a small sample size that drawing conclusions from it, beyond who did, in fact, win, is a good way to arrive at bad conclusions.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Wasn't King honored on Senior Day, or am I remembering wrong? Anyway, I thought her departure was expected, but I didn't know if she planned to transfer or just be done. We can be too quick to dismiss the contributions that she made, but it sure sounded like she was someone who was valued in the locker room.

Anyway, it sure would seem that they need to add a couple of goaltenders, or at least one, via uncommitted preps or the portal.

Over on GPL, there is a posted rumor (unsubstantiated as far as I know) that Lucy Morgan will become a Tunneler. Anywho...That could be an option to add a goaltender.

Just listened to the podcast myself that was referenced...Doesn't exactly breed confidence in what they are saying when they mention that Kelsey King (and Anna Wilgren) are going to the Sinners...Swing and miss for sure on King.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

With the recruiting class that is coming in, which is frankly underwhelming and getting your rear end handed to you by your rivals as far as the transfer portal. I'm wondering what's with the Tunneler brain trust... something like what Vince Lombardi said many years ago...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyRSV9eqTUY

 

[Timothy A]

With the recruiting class that is coming in, which is frankly underwhelming and getting your rear end handed to you by your rivals as far as the transfer portal. I'm wondering what's with the Tunneler brain trust... something like what Vince Lombardi said many years ago...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyRSV9eqTUY

A strong WI sports reference in the tunneler thread. Interesting. This is how Mr. Freeze feels lately.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UUeqvquXZI&pp=ygUZZmF2cmUgaW50ZXJjZXB0aW9uIHNhaW50cw==

 

[Steamboat]

For all the flak which some posters have dished on Abbey Murphy, she put on a great performance in the IIHF games. The Canadian and national viewers commented on that also. Say what you like about her personality, I am glad she is playing for my team.

 

[Timothy A]

For all the flak which some posters have dished on Abbey Murphy, she put on a great performance in the IIHF games. The Canadian and national viewers commented on that also. Say what you like about her personality, I am glad she is playing for my team.

It's not a personality issue, it's a chippiness issue. You can be a great player and not play like a jerk, which does lead to some dumb penalties, but I'm okay with that.