Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

[Driftryder]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

Hey, Gophs.

What are you guys hearing on your end (if anything) about why Nick Seeler bailed here and transferred there about 3 weeks ago? I couldn't find a single mention that it had even happened here in this thread or on Gopher Puck Live.

I've asked around about this here and its almost like when Coach Blais kicked team captain Alex Hudson off the team a couple seasons ago midway through his senior season. Nobody seems to want to discuss it and won't look you in the eye when you ask about it.

Here is the thread about Seeler's departure at Mavpuck:

http://www.mavpuck.com/mpboard/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9692

I was at the game mentioned in this thread. Seeler's behavior in this "incident" (whatever it was) was on the bizarre side, to say the least. He just took off and wasn't seen from, again. And he was suspended the following night, as mentioned in the Mavpuck thread, so that was effectively the end of his career at UNO since our season ended the night of his suspension.

This is concerning to me because this seems to be becoming kind of a recurring theme around here. Guys disappearing for what have turned out to be odd or just plain BS reasons once all the facts have come out, like the aforementioned Alex Hudson matter, as well as the Matt White/Preston Hodge headscratcher the following season after Hudson's. I know, definitively, the ridiculous reason why Hudson got booted and the White/Hodge thing played out in the papers here after they got tossed from school in a gross overreaction by the school to the entire matter.

Anybody have any skinny?

This is the only thing I saw on it.

From Star Trib - Russo's Rants section

-- Nick Seeler, a fifth-round pick by the Wild in 2011 and former Eden Prairie High defenseman, has transferred from the University of Nebraska-Omaha to the University of Minnesota, according to sources. @hammyhockey on Twitter was the first to report the news last week.

Seeler left UNO last month. He will have to sit out this season for the Gophers but will be allowed to practice. Not playing for a year obviously isn’t the most ideal scenario for his development, but it is what it is and he’ll at least be able to practice daily with one of the best college programs in the country and work with Don Lucia, Mike Guentzel and Grant Potulny.

Seeler is 21, so he is too old to play junior. So his options were to sign with the Wild and play in Iowa, play in Europe or transfer schools and sit out a year. From talking to the Wild, it was pretty clear early on that getting his education was very important to Seeler and his family, so this route makes sense.

Gopher fans should like Seeler next year. Real good player and brings a nastiness that intrigues that Wild and should make him a fan and coaching favorite at the U. Here's his bio.

 

[Hammy]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

Warning is a guy that can produce with the best of them when he is on his game... it is a matter of finding that consistency. Hence, I can see looking at him as a key "X factor" of sorts.

 

[Koho]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

I don't know how Warning is a player to watch over Kloos and Fasching.

Exactly. Not like the guy is a Senior, was 2nd in pts last year, tied for 2nd in goals, had the highest shot percentage or the highest plus minus on the team and Big-10 honorable mention honeree. Oh.....wait.......never mind.

 

[Bonin21]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

Exactly. Not like the guy is a Senior, was 2nd in pts last year, tied for 2nd in goals, had the highest shot percentage or the highest plus minus on the team and Big-10 honorable mention honeree. Oh.....wait.......never mind.

Fasching was an honorable mention as a freshman. Kloos was first in goals and had two fewer points as a freshman. Both had more conference points. +/- is rarely ever taken seriously. These two are almost as good or better overall than Warning already. But ya, they're not seniors.

 

[Koho]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

Thanks FSN for picking up a couple more games. Still need someone to pick up BC.

And while mid-summer I had that 'can't-lose' confidence for this team, I am a little tempered as season approaches. For one thing, While the forward firepower should improve on an already good product, I think D might have occasional slips. Marshall, Reilly and Skjai obviously will be potent. (I'm not a Marshall hater.) But while the freshman D did well last year, it's not like they were as good as the two freshman D before them. Brodzinski was still making freshman mistakes at the end of the year. And the freshman D this year obviously have talent, but will be freshman playing D. I am not predicting problems, so don't jump all over me. I realize there is a ton of potential and they should be fine. Just that between Forward, D and G, D is the least strong and probably the most susceptible if a player went down for awhile. I just think they are a little less mature than last year, where the sophomores were essentially like Upperclassmen.

And the team would have been a sure NC champ this year if only Bridstedt had been drafted!

 

[Koho]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

Fasching was an honorable mention as a freshman. Kloos was first in goals and had two fewer points as a freshman. Both had more conference points. +/- is rarely ever taken seriously. These two are almost as good or better overall than Warning already. But ya, they're not seniors.

They will (hopefully) have plenty of time to be picked as 'players to watch". This is the last gig for Warning.

And I understand that Kloos and Fasching have more of the 'Wow' factor, but Warning deserves more credit than most give him too. And not only is this his last chance, senior year is when you often see guys get very consistent and that maturity shows over most of the other players. So I would not be surprised to see a big year from him. I'm fine with him getting the credit too. If he could start the way he did last year and continue on, no doubt he'll have earned it.

On the other hand, he isn't from MN.

 

[mnstate0fhockey]

Thanks FSN for picking up a couple more games. Still need someone to pick up BC.

And while mid-summer I had that 'can't-lose' confidence for this team, I am a little tempered as season approaches. For one thing, While the forward firepower should improve on an already good product, I think D might have occasional slips. Marshall, Reilly and Skjai obviously will be potent. (I'm not a Marshall hater.) But while the freshman D did well last year, it's not like they were as good as the two freshman D before them. Brodzinski was still making freshman mistakes at the end of the year. And the freshman D this year obviously have talent, but will be freshman playing D. I am not predicting problems, so don't jump all over me. I realize there is a ton of potential and they should be fine. Just that between Forward, D and G, D is the least strong and probably the most susceptible if a player went down for awhile. I just think they are a little less mature than last year, where the sophomores were essentially like Upperclassmen.

And the team would have been a sure NC champ this year if only Bridstedt had been drafted!

Gophers will be incredibly strong up the middle this season with Wilcox in net and Rau, Kloos, and Boyd centering the top three lines. I think we'll be as strong defensively.

 

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

Gophers will be incredibly strong up the middle this season with Wilcox in net and Rau, Kloos, and Boyd centering the top three lines. I think we'll be as strong defensively.

I agree. They should be very fun to watch. Can't wait for the season to begin.

 

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

Casey Mittelstadt Commits to Minnesota
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/col...847347/casey-mittelstadt-commits-to-minnesota

 

[Red Cows]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

This is the only thing I saw on it.

From Star Trib - Russo's Rants section:

- Nick Seeler, a fifth-round pick by the Wild in 2011 and former Eden Prairie High defenseman, has transferred from the University of Nebraska-Omaha to the University of Minnesota, according to sources. @hammyhockey on Twitter was the first to report the news last week.

Seeler left UNO last month. He will have to sit out this season for the Gophers but will be allowed to practice. Not playing for a year obviously isn’t the most ideal scenario for his development, but it is what it is and he’ll at least be able to practice daily with one of the best college programs in the country and work with Don Lucia, Mike Guentzel and Grant Potulny.

Seeler is 21, so he is too old to play junior. So his options were to sign with the Wild and play in Iowa, play in Europe or transfer schools and sit out a year. From talking to the Wild, it was pretty clear early on that getting his education was very important to Seeler and his family, so this route makes sense.

Gopher fans should like Seeler next year. Real good player and brings a nastiness that intrigues that Wild and should make him a fan and coaching favorite at the U. Here's his bio.

Yeah, I saw this, too.

Who quits 2 weeks before school starts?

And, there was also this from Russo:

-- Nick Seeler, a junior defenseman at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, has stunningly left college at this late juncture. It seems to have caught the Wild off guard, too, the team that drafted the former Eden Prairie High defenseman in the fifth round in 2011. There are apparently no off-ice issues and just a decision made by the family to leave the program.

The problem is his choices are limited now. He is 21, so he is too old to play junior. He can go to Europe. He can transfer colleges, but he couldn’t play next season. So that may leave the only option as turning pro with the Wild.

“We’ll have some conversations with Nick and his family,” Fletcher said. “[Director of Player Development] Brad Bombardir has already had a lot of conversations with Nick and his family and we’ll just continue that dialogue. We’ll try to figure out the best path for him and his career, whether that’s going to a different college or turning pro. I think every option is on the table. We’ll just try to sit down and decide what ultimately makes sense for Nick and the organization. This just kind of happened. The timing, the middle of August, isn’t what you’d normally expect, but it is what it is, and we’ll just kind of deal with it and make the best decisions we can for his development. At this point, nothing’s been decided. We’ll take a little time. Ultimately, Nick will have to decide what he desires to do and then we’ll have to make the decision for everybody.”

Nothing like blindsiding the team that drafted you, adding to the oddity of this whole thing.

 

[SanTropez]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

Casey Mittelstadt Commits to Minnesota
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/col...847347/casey-mittelstadt-commits-to-minnesota

I hear there are a group of squirts that are very talented, commitments coming soon I'm sure.

 

[Hammy]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

Thanks FSN for picking up a couple more games. Still need someone to pick up BC.

And while mid-summer I had that 'can't-lose' confidence for this team, I am a little tempered as season approaches. For one thing, While the forward firepower should improve on an already good product, I think D might have occasional slips. Marshall, Reilly and Skjai obviously will be potent. (I'm not a Marshall hater.) But while the freshman D did well last year, it's not like they were as good as the two freshman D before them. Brodzinski was still making freshman mistakes at the end of the year. And the freshman D this year obviously have talent, but will be freshman playing D. I am not predicting problems, so don't jump all over me. I realize there is a ton of potential and they should be fine. Just that between Forward, D and G, D is the least strong and probably the most susceptible if a player went down for awhile. I just think they are a little less mature than last year, where the sophomores were essentially like Upperclassmen.

And the team would have been a sure NC champ this year if only Bridstedt had been drafted!

It is tough for me to be overly concerned of the play/depth at a position that has 8 NHL draft picks on it (not to say those types of guys never fail) and a defensive coach known for being among the best in the college game in terms of teaching/developing defensemen. Hard for me to say the depth isn't there. Of course, you aren't going to easily replace a Reilly but the depth players are pretty good if called on. The young guys just need to make sure they have the defensive end covered and I am sure MG will have them focused on that. The offensive part of their game will come as they mature and we don't need that much offense out of them with guys like Marshall and Reilly out there.

If anything, they need Wilcox to stay healthy. Not that we'd be totally screwed without him but he's the least replaceable guy on the team.

 

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

If anything, they need Wilcox to stay healthy. Not that we'd be totally screwed without him but he's the least replaceable guy on the team.

That same thought crossed my mind earlier in the day as I was reading Lucia's comments in the article linked in the new Big Ten thread.

 

[Koho]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

It is tough for me to be overly concerned of the play/depth at a position that has 8 NHL draft picks on it (not to say those types of guys never fail) and a defensive coach known for being among the best in the college game in terms of teaching/developing defensemen. Hard for me to say the depth isn't there. Of course, you aren't going to easily replace a Reilly but the depth players are pretty good if called on. The young guys just need to make sure they have the defensive end covered and I am sure MG will have them focused on that. The offensive part of their game will come as they mature and we don't need that much offense out of them with guys like Marshall and Reilly out there.

If anything, they need Wilcox to stay healthy. Not that we'd be totally screwed without him but he's the least replaceable guy on the team.

Goes without saying that Wilcox is most difficult to replace. (Just don't want to entertain idea of him going down.)

Guess I just meant between forward and D, a D going down could have a bigger difference. I think the D corp will be very good relative to the other teams in the country. But I wouldn't be surprised if at least in the first half, they are less consistent than last years corp. (Of course having Wilcox behind you when you make a freshman mistake isn't a luxury a lot of players have on other teams.) Or do most people think the D corp will be better than last? (Not that I think it is out of question. Last years team exceeded my expectations for such a young team.) Just man to man, I feel like it is a less mature D corp than last year, and D is where maturity matters most.

Just trying to temper expectations. Two years ago, before the season, I thought they had all the pieces to win it all. We know what happened. This year the feel is similar. So if they aren't quite up to expectations (which for me, is top 3 all year, with much of it as 1), just trying to see where they could have a few slips.

 

[Koho]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

It is tough for me to be overly concerned of the play/depth at a position that has 8 NHL draft picks on it (not to say those types of guys never fail) and a defensive coach known for being among the best in the college game in terms of teaching/developing defensemen. Hard for me to say the depth isn't there. Of course, you aren't going to easily replace a Reilly but the depth players are pretty good if called on. The young guys just need to make sure they have the defensive end covered and I am sure MG will have them focused on that. The offensive part of their game will come as they mature and we don't need that much offense out of them with guys like Marshall and Reilly out there.

If anything, they need Wilcox to stay healthy. Not that we'd be totally screwed without him but he's the least replaceable guy on the team.

Not sure what the pairings are going to be, but last year we had 3 guys who could play pretty consistent stay at home D (Parenteau, Holl and Skjai with Bischoff showing signs of being pretty consistent for a freshman.) This allows the more freewheeling D to take more chances. With two of those guys gone, we have two Sophomores who , based on experience, I would argue aren't as consistent as Parenteau and Holl, and then freshman D, who will typically need some time to adjust, regardless of if they are a top NHL pick. That is what I am looking at. I think we have tons of talent at D, I feel with a little less experience as a whole, they might be taking a slight step backwards from a very good Corp last year.

Once again, not anticipating any problems. Just saying that going into this year I have higher expectations for the F than I had going into last year, but had higher expectations for the D going into last season.

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

The possibilities have turned from having a D play F to now lacking depth at the position.

Enjoy the season.

 

[Koho]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

The possibilities have turned from having a D play F to now lacking depth at the position.

Enjoy the season.

Lacking depth????

 

[Slap Shot]

Lacking depth????

You think they're going to take a step back at the position. You can nitpick how I label the opinion, I'll still call it into question.

 

[Koho]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

You think they're going to take a step back at the position. You can nitpick how I label the opinion, I'll still call it into question.

Not worth arguing, since I am not predicting much difference. Not worried at all, especially depth-wise. But if this team is truly better at every position, they shouldn't lose. I think they will still be one of the better D corps in the country. But do you think they will be better than last year?

I look at the NC game last year and argue that Union didn't have more talent, just maturity. Maturity matters most in defensive play. The more situations an individual has seen, the less likely they get beat. I think offensively, this year's D has at least as much ability as last year's. But last year they had two seniors who were very consistent defensively, a Junior, and two sophomores that played like a typical Junior, and only two freshman, only one of which could be looked at as a stay-at-home type. This year three upperclassmen and the rest younger. (I contend the Sophomores this year are not projected to be as good as last year's.) None of the D are liabilities, so depth is not an issue. And even if I am correct that we see a few more mistakes, the coaches have the forwards playing pretty good D and Wilcox is outstanding.

If you watch the Wild and have seen Dumba play you would see an example of what I am talking about. Adjusting to the next level at D is more difficult than F. Dumba has tons of offensive talent, but still makes the occasional miscue. He will probably be a very good player, but just needs time to adjust. Most College D need a couple years to adjust to the D part of the game. Not predicting Gophs d will be bad. Not saying they lack depth. Not saying the difference from last year is even very noticeable. But I am curious. Do you disagree that they are less experienced than last year and that experience is most important at D?

 

[Bonin21]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Offseason Thread 2014 - Quick, Reload!

Do you disagree that they are less experienced than last year and that experience is most important at D?

Everyone that returns has a year more experience than last year... That could be five out of six starters. We lost Jake Parenteau and Justin Holl. We have Mike Reilly and Brady Skjei...

I know you're looking at it from the defensive lens, but we have at least two for sure NHLers with a year more development.