Re: Minnesota Gophers Off Season thread - 2016
Not looking too good right now for four Gophers to get their name on the cup....
Not looking too good right now for four Gophers to get their name on the cup....
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Minnesota Gophers Off Season thread - 2016
- Thread starter SteveO
- Start date
Re: Minnesota Gophers Off Season thread - 2016
Duh. The headline is stating the Gophers are "showcasing the most talent". Three of the twelve players haven't been showcased, so we are tied with the other schools. I like being the best not tied for the best so I hope to see Reilly or Vanek in the next game.
Duh. The headline is stating the Gophers are "showcasing the most talent". Three of the twelve players haven't been showcased, so we are tied with the other schools. I like being the best not tied for the best so I hope to see Reilly or Vanek in the next game.
Re: Minnesota Gophers Off Season thread - 2016
I think the team has reached the end of the road with Vanek. With the spot they're in they should play Reilly just for the experience.
Re: Minnesota Gophers Off Season thread - 2016
Looking forward to seeing what Mike Szmatula (smuh-tu-la
) will bring to the offense. After sitting out and practicing for a year, I'm sure he's ready to unleash the beast. So we have at center: Kloos, Novak, Lettieri, and Romanko. Who moves for Szmatula? Mittelstadt and Pitlick are both centers as well. No wonder Pitlick decided not to come in. He's found success at center, so where would he fit in next season to meet his own expectations?
Looking forward to seeing what Mike Szmatula (smuh-tu-la
) will bring to the offense. After sitting out and practicing for a year, I'm sure he's ready to unleash the beast. So we have at center: Kloos, Novak, Lettieri, and Romanko. Who moves for Szmatula? Mittelstadt and Pitlick are both centers as well. No wonder Pitlick decided not to come in. He's found success at center, so where would he fit in next season to meet his own expectations?Re: Minnesota Gophers Off Season thread - 2016
And had a very good game. His speed was a much needed asset in keeping Dallas on their heels when the Wild had the puck.
Re: Minnesota Gophers Off Season thread - 2016
I know teams 'make there own luck", but it seems like Dallas has had more than that happen. Two goals that deflected off upper bodies of Wild players, one off own skates and one off skates, over the net, and only goes in because goalie lifts net off moorings with back. Seems like disproportionate amount of luck compared to skill differential.
And while Vanek leaves something to be desired in speed dept., would still be nice to see him back for his scoring and to see another Gopher.
I know teams 'make there own luck", but it seems like Dallas has had more than that happen. Two goals that deflected off upper bodies of Wild players, one off own skates and one off skates, over the net, and only goes in because goalie lifts net off moorings with back. Seems like disproportionate amount of luck compared to skill differential.
And while Vanek leaves something to be desired in speed dept., would still be nice to see him back for his scoring and to see another Gopher.
Re: Minnesota Gophers Off Season thread - 2016
That crazy Goligoski goal was one of those where guys skate up afterwards and jokingly ask you if you planned it that way. Been impressed with the Wild's tenacity to hang in there for this series though. It's their turn to get some of those bounces on Sunday. Home crowd (7th man) will be rockin'.
That crazy Goligoski goal was one of those where guys skate up afterwards and jokingly ask you if you planned it that way.
Been impressed with the Wild's tenacity to hang in there for this series though. It's their turn to get some of those bounces on Sunday. Home crowd (7th man) will be rockin'.Re: Minnesota Gophers Off Season thread - 2016
Looks like it's on the NHL Network at 3:00pm CT:
http://www.usahockey.com/news_article/show/640374?referrer_id=1093254
Looks like it's on the NHL Network at 3:00pm CT:
http://www.usahockey.com/news_article/show/640374?referrer_id=1093254
Re: Minnesota Gophers Off Season thread - 2016
Awesome performance by USA earlier today, whipping Canada 10-3. Too bad they had an off-game against Finland in the semi, their only blemish in the tourney in which they outscored their opponents 50-11 in their seven games. Clearly they should have won this tournament.
Both future Gophers acquitted themselves very well. After watching every game I do believe some here are underestimating what Ryan Lindgren will bring to the team, even in his freshman year. Can't wait to see him in action, wearing the Maroon and Gold.
I'm a little more up-in-the-air about Middlestedt. Very gifted offensively - obviously - he's truly a special talent. But I'm thinking that one season in the USHL (coupled with a year's worth of weight training) would make him a more complete player. I don't think he will ever evolve into a "gritty" type player, but if he could add a little more "feistiness" to his game it would serve him well at the D1 level.
Other random thoughts:
> The Gophers clearly missed a great talent in Joey Anderson. He was a real key on the USA's top line all tournament long.
> Kieffer Bellows has a great shot, but about half the time he would be better off looking to make a play instead of shooting every time he gets the puck.
> Of the 20 forwards and defensemen on the roster, 5 of them (25%) are committed to Michigan. They should add a lot of depth to the Wolverines' already deep roster.
> BU seems to have recruited the very top players (Keller, Bellows, Oettinger + Krys (if can learn to control himself) from the USA team.
Questions:
> Does Lucia and company need to step up their recruiting efforts to land more of the top-end talent from the USA U18 team?
> Or are they already doing everything they can, or choose to do?
> Also, are they at a competitive disadvantage to Michigan due to the Ann Arbor location of the USA U18 team?
> If so, what can be done to overcome it?
Awesome performance by USA earlier today, whipping Canada 10-3. Too bad they had an off-game against Finland in the semi, their only blemish in the tourney in which they outscored their opponents 50-11 in their seven games. Clearly they should have won this tournament.
Both future Gophers acquitted themselves very well. After watching every game I do believe some here are underestimating what Ryan Lindgren will bring to the team, even in his freshman year. Can't wait to see him in action, wearing the Maroon and Gold.
I'm a little more up-in-the-air about Middlestedt. Very gifted offensively - obviously - he's truly a special talent. But I'm thinking that one season in the USHL (coupled with a year's worth of weight training) would make him a more complete player. I don't think he will ever evolve into a "gritty" type player, but if he could add a little more "feistiness" to his game it would serve him well at the D1 level.
Other random thoughts:
> The Gophers clearly missed a great talent in Joey Anderson. He was a real key on the USA's top line all tournament long.
> Kieffer Bellows has a great shot, but about half the time he would be better off looking to make a play instead of shooting every time he gets the puck.
> Of the 20 forwards and defensemen on the roster, 5 of them (25%) are committed to Michigan. They should add a lot of depth to the Wolverines' already deep roster.
> BU seems to have recruited the very top players (Keller, Bellows, Oettinger + Krys (if can learn to control himself) from the USA team.
Questions:
> Does Lucia and company need to step up their recruiting efforts to land more of the top-end talent from the USA U18 team?
> Or are they already doing everything they can, or choose to do?
> Also, are they at a competitive disadvantage to Michigan due to the Ann Arbor location of the USA U18 team?
> If so, what can be done to overcome it?
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Re: Minnesota Gophers Off Season thread - 2016
And another lucky bounce (Goli again) wins it for the Stars. One lucky bounce like that the other way and we are looking at game 7.
That crazy Goligoski goal was one of those where guys skate up afterwards and jokingly ask you if you planned it that way.
And another lucky bounce (Goli again) wins it for the Stars. One lucky bounce like that the other way and we are looking at game 7.
Re: Minnesota Gophers Off Season thread - 2016
Goli with the shot but Dubnyk actually kicked it in. Can't recall ever seeing an NHL playoff team with THAT much puck luck like Dallas. The Wild fought like hell for every goal and left everything on the ice. They deserved a better outcome.
Goli with the shot but Dubnyk actually kicked it in. Can't recall ever seeing an NHL playoff team with THAT much puck luck like Dallas. The Wild fought like hell for every goal and left everything on the ice. They deserved a better outcome.
Re: Minnesota Gophers Off Season thread - 2016
Couple of thoughts. Good to hear about Lindgren. I would add that MN is used to bringing in top tier D talent. We usually bring in the top player in MN (which is usually some of the tops in the country - see Goligoski, Schmidt) and a bevy of U18 players. But Glover was seen as an above average U18 player - and it has taken him some time to get to D1. Maybe Lindgren is right there...but not even Reilly, a two time first team all American, was a world beater in his frosh year.
I have seen very little of Middelstadt. But he has excelled at every level he's been introduced to...including moving from high school to these international U18 teams. If Middelstadt comes in this year and it means he's with the team an extra year (no way of knowing), it would be in the team's best interest to bring him in.
Couple of thoughts. Good to hear about Lindgren. I would add that MN is used to bringing in top tier D talent. We usually bring in the top player in MN (which is usually some of the tops in the country - see Goligoski, Schmidt) and a bevy of U18 players. But Glover was seen as an above average U18 player - and it has taken him some time to get to D1. Maybe Lindgren is right there...but not even Reilly, a two time first team all American, was a world beater in his frosh year.
I have seen very little of Middelstadt. But he has excelled at every level he's been introduced to...including moving from high school to these international U18 teams. If Middelstadt comes in this year and it means he's with the team an extra year (no way of knowing), it would be in the team's best interest to bring him in.
Re: Minnesota Gophers Off Season thread - 2016
All good points. Can't disagree.
If it means an extra year, by all means bring him. But I don't know if it would be possible to know that in advance.