What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

Quick update on PWR and NCAAs, for what it's worth - and you all can follow along pretty easily yourselves, too.

There has been a slightly more than one-game gap develop between Minn/WestMich at 4 & 5, and BU/Lowell at 6 & 7. BU and Lowell are off this week, because the Hockey East playoffs begin, and the top 4 in their league get byes. Because of that gap, it seems a better than half chance to me that Minn will stay at either 4 or 5 for when the NCAAs begin.

That, of course, requires 'normal' results the next 3 weeks. 'Normal' in this sense probably means 3 wins and a loss in the next 2 weekends, or 2 wins and 2 ties (NCAA does not recognize shootouts.)

B1G? Well, the split was what we needed. 3 point lead with 4 to play, and our schedule looks easier than UW's.
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

Just tried to log on to GPL without success. The site is either down for maintenance (or some other reason?) or they moved to a new web address. Anyone know what's up?
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

D2D said:
Just tried to log on to GPL without success. The site is either down for maintenance (or some other reason?) or they moved to a new web address. Anyone know what's up?
Click to expand...

There is an issue with the server, per Twitter. Last I saw Jupiter said it was something to do with reaching storage capacity but that didn't seem it should be plausible to him, and he was going out of town for a few days and wouldn't be able to troubleshoot.

You can search "Gopher Puck Live Twitter" to get it straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak.
 
Last edited:
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

Numbers said:
Quick update on PWR and NCAAs, for what it's worth - and you all can follow along pretty easily yourselves, too.

There has been a slightly more than one-game gap develop between Minn/WestMich at 4 & 5, and BU/Lowell at 6 & 7. BU and Lowell are off this week, because the Hockey East playoffs begin, and the top 4 in their league get byes. Because of that gap, it seems a better than half chance to me that Minn will stay at either 4 or 5 for when the NCAAs begin.

That, of course, requires 'normal' results the next 3 weeks. 'Normal' in this sense probably means 3 wins and a loss in the next 2 weekends, or 2 wins and 2 ties (NCAA does not recognize shootouts.)

B1G? Well, the split was what we needed. 3 point lead with 4 to play, and our schedule looks easier than UW's.
Click to expand...

I think you're right on Mass-Lowell, I don't think they can move up even if the Gophers split the next two series. I think the key matchup this weekend for PWR implications is Western Mich./Duluth. According to Jim Dahl, A split for WM (nice QWB bump) and a split by the Gophers in the next two series might be enough for them to take over #4. A tie and loss and Gopher splits, and I think WM stays at #5.

UW is getting some good goaltending, special teams are good, D has good structure in front of the net, and they've got some depth up front. From what I saw from UW this past weekend, they have the some potential for a sweep and split on the road. If the Gophers do not match it, we have Co-champions of the B1G. Exciting final two weekends of hockey comin' up.:)
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

Stauber1 said:
There is an issue with the server, per Twitter. Last I saw Jupiter said it was something to do with reaching storage capacity but that didn't seem it should be plausible to him, and he was going out of town for a few days and wouldn't be able to troubleshoot.

You can search "Gopher Puck Live Twitter" to get it straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Stauber1. Just checked again and the site is still down.
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

Koho said:
Gotta move this in front of all the Chinese Hacker threads.

Hopefully I'll watch Blake McLaughlin tonight help insure you all get to see him play on TV in the tourney. He looked pretty good helping Rapids score 5 in the last 10 minutes to gt past Elk River after trailing by 2.
Click to expand...
I did my part down here last night going to Mariucci to make sure you all get to see Mittelstadt on TV in the tourney (or better yet, in person).
I looked at the rankings in the paper this morning and saw that two of the top four ranked teams (Edina and Holy Family) will not be at the X this year.
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

D2D said:
I did my part down here last night going to Mariucci to make sure you all get to see Mittelstadt on TV in the tourney (or better yet, in person).
I looked at the rankings in the paper this morning and saw that two of the top four ranked teams (Edina and Holy Family) will not be at the X this year.
Click to expand...

Nice article on Casey Mittelstadt. He's the complete package of speed, skill, and hockey sense with a high compete level. Projected to go in first round of the NHL draft. Gophers will be saying goodbye to a productive senior class, but the "reload" looks pretty exciting.
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

D2D said:
I did my part down here last night going to Mariucci to make sure you all get to see Mittelstadt on TV in the tourney (or better yet, in person).
I looked at the rankings in the paper this morning and saw that two of the top four ranked teams (Edina and Holy Family) will not be at the X this year.
Click to expand...

Stillwater also is out. For last Star Tribune rankings, Teams ranked 2-5 an 7-8 are all out of tourney. Eden Prairie has to like the field.
 
Last edited:
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

SteveO said:
Nice article on Casey Mittelstadt. He's the complete package of speed, skill, and hockey sense with a high compete level. Projected to go in first round of the NHL draft. Gophers will be saying goodbye to a productive senior class, but the "reload" looks pretty exciting.
Click to expand...

Two things that stood out to mi in CM article; 1 Parents wanted him to accelerate and leave early. 2. He was passed up on some elite type teams as recently as 8th grade.

To me, the second one is the biggest contributor to parity and why the MN's and BC's and UND's are maybe going to be less consistently a contender. Top tier teams are signing kids as Sophmores on the chance they turn into a Mittlestedt and to make sure they aren't on a competitors team. Some of these kids will reach that potential and some plateau. Meanwhile, the recruiting class is full when that occasional kid who accelerates beyond what they thought was his potential early and teams like Union, etc. are there to pick him up. A number of kids accelerate over a couple years and a few plateau and the Gophs have a struggle to make the tourney while Union is in the Final Four. I am not arguing for a change in recruiting strategies. The star kids who can single-handedly win some games will still usually come from the early recruit. I am just saying that I think it is a reality that us fans should except. A year like last year will probably happen more frequently that it did back in the years when MN would get a commit from MR. hockey after he was named Mr. hockey in his senior year. So jumping on the coaching staff, as is the standard for a few people, isn't necessarily the answer.

It will be interesting to see how next years class looks into the season. Stats don't tell the whole story, but it seems like two years ago next year's class looked very good, even without CM. Not that it isn't still good, but it seems like a number of the recruits don't have the numbers people were expecting. (Maybe they'll all be like REM and just had one adjustment year at their current level.)

But I guess, just because they had a loss against a team they should have swept, and are therefore chasing Wisconsin for the season title, I shouldn't be looking forward to next year just yet.
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

Koho said:
Two things that stood out to mi in CM article; 1 Parents wanted him to accelerate and leave early. 2. He was passed up on some elite type teams as recently as 8th grade.

To me, the second one is the biggest contributor to parity and why the MN's and BC's and UND's are maybe going to be less consistently a contender. Top tier teams are signing kids as Sophmores on the chance they turn into a Mittlestedt and to make sure they aren't on a competitors team. Some of these kids will reach that potential and some plateau. Meanwhile, the recruiting class is full when that occasional kid who accelerates beyond what they thought was his potential early and teams like Union, etc. are there to pick him up. A number of kids accelerate over a couple years and a few plateau and the Gophs have a struggle to make the tourney while Union is in the Final Four. I am not arguing for a change in recruiting strategies. The star kids who can single-handedly win some games will still usually come from the early recruit. I am just saying that I think it is a reality that us fans should except. A year like last year will probably happen more frequently that it did back in the years when MN would get a commit from MR. hockey after he was named Mr. hockey in his senior year. So jumping on the coaching staff, as is the standard for a few people, isn't necessarily the answer.

It will be interesting to see how next years class looks into the season. Stats don't tell the whole story, but it seems like two years ago next year's class looked very good, even without CM. Not that it isn't still good, but it seems like a number of the recruits don't have the numbers people were expecting. (Maybe they'll all be like REM and just had one adjustment year at their current level.)

But I guess, just because they had a loss against a team they should have swept, and are therefore chasing Wisconsin for the season title, I shouldn't be looking forward to next year just yet.
Click to expand...

To your point, recruiting has become a bit of an "arms race" in college hockey among top college hockey programs. A highly esteemed hockey tradition can be the competitive driver of a recruiting strategy that locks kids in as young as 14-15. Another reason is Major Juniors are also in hot pursuit recruiting skilled kids at that age. Indeed, trying to predict which 15-year-olds will be top players at age 18 or 19 sometimes has the probability of a crap shoot. I blame Jack Johnson. ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: D2D
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

I wouldn't necessarily have used JJ as an example of a lightning rod for this subject. That kid was locked into UMi from an early age despite the fact his dad won a NC at UW. (I worked with his dad at the time Jack committed and we had conversations on what went into his decision). But I digress...
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

To intimate that the early recruitment movement in college hockey began with JJ is a bit much. Therefore my ";)". As far as his Father (and Mother) is concerned, he should write a book entitled, "How I turned my son's multi-million dollar NHL fortune into $25 in cash". ARTICLE
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

We could have three 20 goal scorers this season.

Scoring totals Gm G A Pts Pts/Gm

Tyler Sheehy ,34 20 32 52 1.5294
Justin Kloos ...34 17 24 41 1.2059
Vinni Lettieri ..34 18 17 35 1.0294

When was the last time that happened? :)
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

SteveO said:
We could have three 20 goal scorers this season.

Scoring totals Gm G A Pts Pts/Gm

Tyler Sheehy ,34 20 32 52 1.5294
Justin Kloos ...34 17 24 41 1.2059
Vinni Lettieri ..34 18 17 35 1.0294

When was the last time that happened? :)
Click to expand...
I'm bored this morning lol!

Unless I missed one along the way, it looks like '01-'02:
Scoring totals Gm G A Pts Pts/Gm

John Pohl ,44 27 52 79 1.7955
Jeff Taffe ...43 34 24 58 1.3488
Jordan Leopold ..44 20 28 48 1.0909
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

gopher wes said:
I'm bored this morning lol!

Unless I missed one along the way, it looks like '01-'02:
Scoring totals Gm G A Pts Pts/Gm

John Pohl ,44 27 52 79 1.7955
Jeff Taffe ...43 34 24 58 1.3488
Jordan Leopold ..44 20 28 48 1.0909
Click to expand...

You win Wes!! Who do I make the check out to?
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

I know that high school hockey is huge in Minnesota with I believe two divisions. Overall, which division has the most talent and the most competition? Or is there much difference?
 
Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread - 2016-2017

Runsub5 said:
I know that high school hockey is huge in Minnesota with I believe two divisions. Overall, which division has the most talent and the most competition? Or is there much difference?
Click to expand...

Typically Class AA has more talent and the difference is significant. In fact, several schools that could play in the smaller school division opt up to the large school tourney. Among those who opt up are Hill-Murray, St. Thomas Academy, & Roseau.

The small school tourney is Wednesday (today) quarter-finals, Friday afternoon semi-finals, and Saturday afternoon final.
The large school tourney is Thursday quarter-finals, Friday evening semi-finals, and Saturday evening finals.
All the above games are at The X. Third place games are also at the X and before their classes respective title game.

Consolation games are all at Mariucci, Class A on Thursday afternoon, Class AA on Friday afternoon and both consolation finals on Saturday afternoon.
Hope this helps!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top