Ohio State vs Minnesota-Duluth 12/11 - 12/12

[Puckdrop14]

Less margin for error, OSU got a committ from a kid from the Iron Range though. I like some of the kids UMD has coming in. Where does this put SCSU and Mankato on the pecking order with OSU having a strong presence in Minny. And they all will need goalies.

Games went as I thought they would. UMD looked good but really like OSU's potential. If the Dunne's and Sauve get healthy and the recruits prove out as they should, look for some exciting hockey in Columbus.

 

[ne7minder]

Re: Ohio State vs Minnesota-Duluth 12/11 - 12/12

Less margin for error, OSU got a committ from a kid from the Iron Range though. I like some of the kids UMD has coming in. Where does this put SCSU and Mankato on the pecking order with OSU having a strong presence in Minny. And they all will need goalies.

There is not enough talent in Minnesota, Canada will always be the mother load and even then the numbers are just not there. The hockey factories (SSM, Chi Mission et al) will produce smaller numbers but top quality. BTW factories are becoming more popular, one popped up in St Paul that is open about its role but years ago when enrollment was in serious decline many private schools discovered what colleges did years ago, winning teams generate donations and also are great advertisement. The amount of money spent far outstrips anything a public school (with a couple of exceptions) can hope to afford. They are barred from formal recruiting but who needs to when they can proved top notch facilities and staff?

SCSU has better facilities but a poor reputation for campus life. MSU moved to play in the downtown arena this year but I bet they still get the poorer facilities. At one time MSU had a pipe to South St. Paul when they were producing a string of state championships but that was a couple coaches ago and they were never enough to get them into the top tier. Without the facilities of an UND, the passion some have for UMD or the educational credentials of an OSU winning is the only path they have to becoming a 1st choice program. The best hope is about twice as many girls picking up the game so that the talent is more evenly distributed. One thing that could happen is more wooing starting earlier, it's tough to predict how much upside a 15 year old has and if coaches do more of that they will also miss later bloomers or misjudge.

 

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Ohio State vs Minnesota-Duluth 12/11 - 12/12

Full write-up is forthcoming on the WCHA Thread. But unfortunately I won't be able to get back to my computer until sometime this evening, meaning Sunday.

Posted. Sorry for the delay.