Minnesota Women's Hockey 2025-26

[thirdtime's . . .]

Those of you at Ridder would not have heard Dan Hamann's description of the first two Gopher periods as a "microchasm" of their late season woes. A great coinage, whether intended or not!

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

Interesting that you don’t mention Muzzerall as a possibility should Frost leave. Curious as to why.

I'm glad they don't!

 

[KTDC]

No one likes Muzzy but her current fan base. She's a poacher. That one Natty she won her team was basically an all star team of other teams best players. Obviously she is a fantastic coach and the only call I would make if I was the MN AD, except maybe to to Madison to see if Dan Koch or Jackie Crum would want to be a traitor.

I like Muzzy. The Gophers 4 nat’l championships in 5 years coincides exactly with her 5 years as an assistant. And turning Ohio State into the second best program in the country is amazing to me. I also think her team plays really hard.

On the other hand, I don’t like Murphy, so I suppose I should think twice about what I think (and say) about Muzzy.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

No one likes Muzzy but her current fan base. She's a poacher. That one Natty she won her team was basically an all star team of other teams best players. Obviously she is a fantastic coach and the only call I would make if I was the MN AD, except maybe to to Madison to see if Dan Koch or Jackie Crum would want to be a traitor.

Apparently you have discounted the very real possibility that those players reached out to her, not the other way around and taking players who have entered the portal is not "poaching" or did that mean MJ poached Watts?

 

[ARM]

Speaking of Dan Hamann, he has said multiple times over the last year or so that Abbey Murphy was the best Gopher player that he has watched in his years being the voice of the Gophers. I understand why he says this, as especially as a finisher, she is a great talent. The best Gopher I've seen? I can't go that far. It's interesting that she broke Muzzy's career goals record, because in some ways, she reminds me a bit of Muzerall as a player. I think they are similar in terms of team impact, but Muzzy was better at being able to produce with a game on the line. Overall, I'd slot those two quite close and give Muzzy a very slight nod.

If I was picking people to fill up a Gopher roster, off the top of my head, I wouldn't pick the most recent #18 over any of the following: Krissy Wendell; Natalie Darwitz; Noora Räty; Megan Bozek; Amanda Kessel; Hannah Brandt; Lee Stecklein; and Taylor Heise. There are likely a few others, but these are people I'm sure of. Murphy may not even be the top #18 on my list, because I'd likely pick Kelly Stephens over her.

Still, a great career though. At some point, I hope some coach is able to help her get the nonsense out of her game, because that isn't benefiting her, no matter how competitive she may be.

 

[robertearle]

Apparently you have discounted the very real possibility that those players reached out to her, not the other way around and taking players who have entered the portal is not "poaching" or did that mean MJ poached Watts?

Grant, aka TonyTheTiger, reported on May 7th, 2019 that Watts was entering or had entered the transfer portal. Nicole Haase reported on June 10, 2019 that Watts was transferring to Wisconsin.

"Poaching" to me implies the kinds of improper contacts inducing a player to enter the portal and then transfer. Watts has talked in interviews about how unhappy she was at BC. And having already won a Patty Kaz, she certainly didn't have the anxiety that some of you have mentioned with the uncertainties inherent most players would have entering the portal (absent any improper contacts.)

Spending over a month in the portal before committing to a new school doesn't translate to "poaching' to me.

Now, should we look at the timelines relating to other high-profile transfers?

 

[ManBehindTheCurtain]

Speaking of Dan Hamann, he has said multiple times over the last year or so that Abbey Murphy was the best Gopher player that he has watched in his years being the voice of the Gophers. I understand why he says this, as especially as a finisher, she is a great talent. The best Gopher I've seen? I can't go that far. It's interesting that she broke Muzzy's career goals record, because in some ways, she reminds me a bit of Muzerall as a player. I think they are similar in terms of team impact, but Muzzy was better at being able to produce with a game on the line. Overall, I'd slot those two quite close and give Muzzy a very slight nod.

If I was picking people to fill up a Gopher roster, off the top of my head, I wouldn't pick the most recent #18 over any of the following: Krissy Wendell; Natalie Darwitz; Noora Räty; Megan Bozek; Amanda Kessel; Hannah Brandt; Lee Stecklein; and Taylor Heise. There are likely a few others, but these are people I'm sure of. Murphy may not even be the top #18 on my list, because I'd likely pick Kelly Stephens over her.

Still, a great career though. At some point, I hope some coach is able to help her get the nonsense out of her game, because that isn't benefiting her, no matter how competitive she may be.

I appreciate you taking the time (even if it wasn't a lot of time) to formulate your list of great Gopher women's hockey players. You were here before me but I have been here long enough to have seen everyone on your list play. I would add Anne Schlepper.

 

[BuckyB]

Grant, aka TonyTheTiger, reported on May 7th, 2019 that Watts was entering or had entered the transfer portal. Nicole Haase reported on June 10, 2019 that Watts was transferring to Wisconsin.

"Poaching" to me implies the kinds of improper contacts inducing a player to enter the portal and then transfer. Watts has talked in interviews about how unhappy she was at BC. And having already won a Patty Kaz, she certainly didn't have the anxiety that some of you have mentioned with the uncertainties inherent most players would have entering the portal (absent any improper contacts.)

Spending over a month in the portal before committing to a new school doesn't translate to "poaching' to me.

Now, should we look at the timelines relating to other high-profile transfers?

The high profile transfers have deals made long before they enter the portal.
Time in the portal means nothing … a player can sit there for months before the official announcement is made despite the deal having been completed long before.
It’s just the way it goes down … it’s all a joke.
Rules mean nothing

 

[Bonzo]

Grant, aka TonyTheTiger, reported on May 7th, 2019 that Watts was entering or had entered the transfer portal. Nicole Haase reported on June 10, 2019 that Watts was transferring to Wisconsin.

"Poaching" to me implies the kinds of improper contacts inducing a player to enter the portal and then transfer. Watts has talked in interviews about how unhappy she was at BC. And having already won a Patty Kaz, she certainly didn't have the anxiety that some of you have mentioned with the uncertainties inherent most players would have entering the portal (absent any improper contacts.)

Spending over a month in the portal before committing to a new school doesn't translate to "poaching' to me.

Now, should we look at the timelines relating to other high-profile transfers?

But even if a player commits right after going into the portal it doesn't mean she was poached. All the top players know the other top players on other teams through U18 teams, high school academies etc. So for example, if Tessa Janecke wanted to transfer to Wisconsin in the last few years all she would have had to do is text Gorbatenko, Simms, McNaughton, Edwards, Hall, or Potter all of which were teammates on the U18 team. They could then drop a hint to the coaching staff and the coaching staff could do some homework without ever reaching out to the player.

Then when the portal opens the coaches could reach out and if the player wanted to go to Wisconsin it could all be wrapped up quickly with no coaching poaching being done.

 

[robertearle]

Rules mean nothing

They do to me. They should to everyone.

 

[robertearle]

But even if a player commits right after going into the portal it doesn't mean she was poached. All the top players know the other top players on other teams through U18 teams, high school academies etc. So for example, if Tessa Janecke wanted to transfer to Wisconsin in the last few years all she would have had to do is text Gorbatenko, Simms, McNaughton, Edwards, Hall, or Potter all of which were teammates on the U18 team. They could then drop a hint to the coaching staff and the coaching staff could do some homework without ever reaching out to the player.

Then when the portal opens the coaches could reach out and if the player wanted to go to Wisconsin it could all be wrapped up quickly with no coaching poaching being done.

Yes, I understand that is how it all might happen, and there is no way to police that.

But what you describe here are violations of the rules.

 

[BuckyB]

Yes, I understand that is how it all might happen, and there is no way to police that.

But what you describe here are violations of the rules.

And it happens everyday.

 

[robertearle]

And it happens everyday.

And that should not ba acceptable, and should not be accepted.

Lobby to change the rules all you want. But play by the rules while they are the rules.

 

[Bonzo]

Yes, I understand that is how it all might happen, and there is no way to police that.

But what you describe here are violations of the rules.

I will admit I don't know the ins and outs of the rules. But I don't see how what I described is a violation. If say Simms mentioned it in passing to the coaches that Janecke would be entering the portal, but the coaches told Simms they can't comment on players not in the portal and they don't reach out until the portal is open, how is that a violation?

 

[robertearle]

I will admit I don't know the ins and outs of the rules. But I don't see how what I described is a violation. If say Simms mentioned it in passing to the coaches that Janecke would be entering the portal, but the coaches told Simms they can't comment on players not in the portal and they don't reach out until the portal is open, how is that a violation?

If a player not in the portal contacts ANYONE at another school about the possibility of transferring, that contact violates the rules. If ANY person at a school is contacted by ANY person acting in the interests of a player at another school not currently in the portal, and says anything more that "I cannot talk to you about this", that contact violates the rules.

 

[BuckyB]

If a player not in the portal contacts ANYONE at another school about the possibility of transferring, that contact violates the rules. If ANY person at a school is contacted by ANY person acting in the interests of a player at another school not currently in the portal, and says anything more that "I cannot talk to you about this", that contact violates the rules.

All year every year…. There are no rule followers

 

[robertearle]

All year every year…. There are no rule followers

And that should not be acceptable, and should not be accepted.

 

[ARM]

I would add Anne Schlepper.

The D were harder for me to compare to a forward. I erred on the conservative side, and only put the two that I was certain about. With C. Kennedy, Curtin, Ramsey, and Schleper, it's safe to say that I'm missing some. She is certainly tops of the list of best Gopher hockey players who married Twins players. It also gave me unlimited amusement to listen to visiting announcers trying to navigate the names Schleper, Schoullis, and Seeler while their careers overlapped.

 

[eastcoastgopher]

Speaking of Dan Hamann, he has said multiple times over the last year or so that Abbey Murphy was the best Gopher player that he has watched in his years being the voice of the Gophers. I understand why he says this, as especially as a finisher, she is a great talent. The best Gopher I've seen? I can't go that far. It's interesting that she broke Muzzy's career goals record, because in some ways, she reminds me a bit of Muzerall as a player. I think they are similar in terms of team impact, but Muzzy was better at being able to produce with a game on the line. Overall, I'd slot those two quite close and give Muzzy a very slight nod.

If I was picking people to fill up a Gopher roster, off the top of my head, I wouldn't pick the most recent #18 over any of the following: Krissy Wendell; Natalie Darwitz; Noora Räty; Megan Bozek; Amanda Kessel; Hannah Brandt; Lee Stecklein; and Taylor Heise. There are likely a few others, but these are people I'm sure of. Murphy may not even be the top #18 on my list, because I'd likely pick Kelly Stephens over her.

Still, a great career though. At some point, I hope some coach is able to help her get the nonsense out of her game, because that isn't benefiting her, no matter how competitive she may be.

More to it than that, but "produced with a game on the line" is not a line I'd use about Heise's college career. Yes, she has done it at the international level. But usually when only one is the case, it's the reverse (see Brandt).