No Blais

[gorilla1]

Gopher Blog,

I'll take your non answer on the incomes as a "I don't know." Do you know Mike Eaves total compensation, or Dabe Hakstol, or Jerry York (to name a few)? All of them have extra income that is earned (as do most other coaches). I would be curious as to where your information comes from regarding the incomes--otherwise I will assume it's just speculation.

Some is some. Alot is alot. If I meant to say alot, I would have said alot. As to high school kids playing right away, at least for Alt the Star Tribune this morning had an interesting article on Alt. you can come to your own conclusion regarding that. Lucia hasn't learned his lesson on bringing in high school kids. As for Bjugstad, I never said he isn't highly regarded. Alt is highly regarded as well. I questioned the jump directly from high school to the WCHA and whether it is a smart move.

Keep in mind that programs like UND and UW have many other options to recruit from that they actually use. As for not getting the top Minnesota kids--UND got the top rated skater and top rated goalie from Minnesota. UW got Minnesota's top rated skater last year. UMD got Minnesota's 2nd rated Minnesota skater this year. If programs like UND or UW really want a Minnesota kid, they are just as likely to land them as Minnesota. And it's just getting easier with the other programs given the recent history of the Gophers.I agree with you that no program gets every kid they want.

[Gopher Blog]

I'll take your non answer on the incomes as a "I don't know." Do you know Mike Eaves total compensation, or Dabe Hakstol, or Jerry York (to name a few)? All of them have extra income that is earned (as do most other coaches). I would be curious as to where your information comes from regarding the incomes--otherwise I will assume it's just speculation.

Sorry.... it took me a bit to recall where I had seen it. But here you go: http://ww3.startribune.com/dynamic/sala ... _code=UMTC

Like I said, half or more of it is not salary but other parts of the package.

As for other coaches, you are kidding yourself if you think the overall package of a Dave Hakstol (who coaches in a city with 30,000 less people in it than just Bloomington, MN alone) is even close to a guy who coaches in a media market of over 3 million people. Particularly when it comes from compensation to media deals, etc.

Once again... the Minnesota job is the highest paid gig in college hockey. If you want a reference point, Gwozdecky's annual overall package was reported as being a little over $350,000 by the Denver Post last summer... and I can pretty much guarantee you he is more on the high end in the WCHA given his success. Yet that is still at least $150,000 less than Lucia.

Some is some. Alot is alot.

The problem is you are taking a small sample and acting like it into a bigger issue than it is. At the start of last year, 75% or so of the roster had at least one full year of junior hockey prior to coming to Minnesota. In other words, it isn't even an issue with the vast majority of the players brought in. When you say somebody hasn't learned a lesson, the attitude that remark seems to convey is that it happens frequently and he does it a lot. That really isn't the case.

Besides, I wouldn't want him to go too far in the other extreme. Occasionally, a coach needs to bring in a kid he really wants a little sooner than he might like because he'll probably end up losing him to another program that won't make them wait. As long as it doesn't happen a ton, I see no issue with it.

I don't disagree that a kid like Ness or Fischer would have been better served with a year of USHL. But that was more because they could have used the time to add some size/muscle... something a kid like Alt won't have to worry much about.

Keep in mind that programs like UND and UW have many other options to recruit from that they actually use. As for not getting the top Minnesota kids--UND got the top rated skater and top rated goalie from Minnesota. UW got Minnesota's top rated skater last year. UMD got Minnesota's 2nd rated Minnesota skater this year. If programs like UND or UW really want a Minnesota kid, they are just as likely to land them as Minnesota. And it's just getting easier with the other programs given the recent history of the Gophers.I agree with you that no program gets every kid they want

As for who brings in what... you have to remember that guys are committed at different times. It isn't really a head to head battle in a number of instances. For instance, you allude to Jake Gardiner going to UW as an example. The only problem with that is the Gophers didn't make a push for him as you seem to think because they had already filled their needs on defense for the following season when he was committing (which happened in the summer of 2007). You can argue that maybe they went with the wrong guy on occasion and I wouldn't necessarily disagree in a few cases. Of course, with the way this state produces talent, nobody is going to hit it perfect at the U anyway so I wouldn't hold any coach to that expectation. But you are woefully misinformed if you don't think they don't get the healthy majority of the kids they pursue here.

[BodyShots]

Its been rather apparent that the defense has been terrible over the past few years. The lack of size and strength of the de core has been a glaring weakness. I don't know who to blame more. Lucia for not bringing in the right kids (Wehrs, Schack) or the de coach for not developing the kids brought in (Fisher, Fairchild, Ness).

[DubCHAGuy]

Keep in mind that programs like UND and UW have many other options to recruit from that they actually use. As for not getting the top Minnesota kids--UND got the top rated skater and top rated goalie from Minnesota. UW got Minnesota's top rated skater last year. UMD got Minnesota's 2nd rated Minnesota skater this year. If programs like UND or UW really want a Minnesota kid, they are just as likely to land them as Minnesota. And it's just getting easier with the other programs given the recent history of the Gophers.I agree with you that no program gets every kid they want.

All true. And I agree they open their borders and bring in players from other areas. However back to my point of recruiting the top 15 year olds assuming they'll be the best 18-20 year olds. I know in the case of Gardiner, the U had no room for him last year since they accelerated Ness. Now they have opted for Wilcox over Gothberg, and it appears they opted for Alt over Forbort or Faulk. I don't think it has been a case of UMD/UND/UW taking away the best MN kids as it has been the U choosing the wrong ones.

Look at their current recruits, I believe everyone on this list was committed before they started the 11th grade:

Christian Isackson (St. Thomas Academy)
Max Gardiner (Minnetonka)
Mark Alt (Cretin-Derham Hall)
Justin Holl (Minnetonka)
Connor Reilly (Holy Angels)
Ryan Reilly (Holy Angels)
Nick Bjugstad (Blaine)
Ben Marshall (Mahometdi)
Adam Wilcox (South St. Paul)
Travis Boyd (Hopkins/ USDP)
Seth Ambroz (New Prague/Omaha-USHL)

[ACTUALFORMERPLAYER]

Keep in mind that programs like UND and UW have many other options to recruit from that they actually use. As for not getting the top Minnesota kids--UND got the top rated skater and top rated goalie from Minnesota. UW got Minnesota's top rated skater last year. UMD got Minnesota's 2nd rated Minnesota skater this year. If programs like UND or UW really want a Minnesota kid, they are just as likely to land them as Minnesota. And it's just getting easier with the other programs given the recent history of the Gophers.I agree with you that no program gets every kid they want.

All true. And I agree they open their borders and bring in players from other areas. However back to my point of recruiting the top 15 year olds assuming they'll be the best 18-20 year olds. I know in the case of Gardiner, the U had no room for him last year since they accelerated Ness. Now they have opted for Wilcox over Gothberg, and it appears they opted for Alt over Forbort or Faulk. I don't think it has been a case of UMD/UND/UW taking away the best MN kids as it has been the U choosing the wrong ones.

Look at their current recruits, I believe everyone on this list was committed before they started the 11th grade:

Christian Isackson (St. Thomas Academy)
Max Gardiner (Minnetonka)
Mark Alt (Cretin-Derham Hall)
Justin Holl (Minnetonka)
Connor Reilly (Holy Angels)
Ryan Reilly (Holy Angels)
Nick Bjugstad (Blaine)
Ben Marshall (Mahometdi)
Adam Wilcox (South St. Paul)
Travis Boyd (Hopkins/ USDP)
Seth Ambroz (New Prague/Omaha-USHL)

Nice list, it puts a smile on my face. Of course I am a UND fan.
Example; Bjugstad is coming in accelerated. Should slide a few spots since he is committed to the US No-development Team. Plays OK next year, better as a Sophomore and the NHL team with his rights grows impatience with his lack of development and signs him before the U gets any noticable production. I couldn't have planned it any better.

[Gopher Blog]

I know in the case of Gardiner, the U had no room for him last year since they accelerated Ness. Now they have opted for Wilcox over Gothberg, and it appears they opted for Alt over Forbort or Faulk. I don't think it has been a case of UMD/UND/UW taking away the best MN kids as it has been the U choosing the wrong ones.

You are right about Ness and Gardiner. But incorrect on Alt over Forbort. They tried to get Forbort even though they already had Alt. They just didn't get it done in the end. Faulk wasn't offered by the U.

The Gophers also did not chose Wilcox over Gothberg. Gothberg committed before Wilcox did.

Look at their current recruits, I believe everyone on this list was committed before they started the 11th grade:

Christian Isackson (St. Thomas Academy)
Max Gardiner (Minnetonka)
Mark Alt (Cretin-Derham Hall)
Justin Holl (Minnetonka)
Connor Reilly (Holy Angels)
Ryan Reilly (Holy Angels)
Nick Bjugstad (Blaine)
Ben Marshall (Mahometdi)
Adam Wilcox (South St. Paul)
Travis Boyd (Hopkins/ USDP)
Seth Ambroz (New Prague/Omaha-USHL)

Incorrect assumption on some of these guys. Isackson, Gardiner, Alt, and Wilcox all committed during their junior year (not before it). The Reillys and Holl committed last summer which was before their senior year in HS.

Most top players (here and elsewhere) commit before they hit their senior year so I really don't see that big of a problem in the above list. The guys they did grab before their 11th grade year are very talented players. Ambroz and Bjugstad are going to be 1st round picks. Boyd is one of the better players for the USA Team and Marshall is an exceptional player that a lot of schools tried to lock up early. I don't see a problem in those cases.

No coach is going to hit a home run with every recruit. That is just the reality of it.

[DubCHAGuy]

I'm pretty sure Wilcox and Alt were before their junior seasons, you're probably right on the others. Too bad they missed on Forbort.

Any idea if they went after Basaraba or Jason Clark from Shattuck? I've always wondered why the U has never established the pipeline to Shattuck that UW and UND have.

[Gopher Blog]

I'm pretty sure Wilcox and Alt were before their junior seasons, you're probably right on the others. Too bad they missed on Forbort.

Alt was mid year in 2008 so I suppose you'd be right by a bit. Wilcox was last fall in November. Which is after his junior year started.

[DmanDad1980]

Coach Blais has shown why he is a great hockey coach again this weekend.

He can take lesser talent, make them fundamentally sound, disciplined hockey team, and beat more talented teams... such as our Gopher squad... UNO looked and played as the better team this weekend...

Blais, Geuntzel & Hastings have done a great job. In my humble opinion would make an major upgrade to the Gopher coaching group. Hill has not instilled any sense of defensive coverage since he has taken that role from Guentzel, it has definitely taken a couple steps back from the brand of hockey this U of M team used to play. That lies with the head coach. Hill is not getting it done, get someone who can, if you don't, you are taking ownership of it yourself.

Look at this weekends display by our Gophers: Poor backchecking, defenseman coverage in front of net was very weak, terrible at taking the body, and we did not go to the net like UNO... Did Lucia/Hill have them ready? From what I saw, no... The defensive breakdowns were horrible, from the neutral zone to our net... They looked out of shape as well...

Again, Blais is showing why he a top coach in college hockey

The Gophers have phenominal talent. I am tired of watching them not produce... It is time to make a change, and Blais is the right guy to get the most from our talented group of kids...

[BeerBibleBullets]

This is unacceptable for the premier sport at Minnesota.

[Goldy Gopher]

Thanks for the info GB. With respect to the recruiting by the Gophers, my post specifically states it looks like the Gophers are going to bring in SOME players again straight out of high school. And, you confirmed, they are bringing SOME players right out of high school.

The problem is "some" in your original post seemed to allude to a lot. As if that was the bulk of the class and Lucia "hadn't learned". Take a closer look and that is hardly the case. 2 players out of around 9 or 10 is hardly a whopping amount of straight from HS guys.

Ness was morely highly touted than either Bjugstad or Alt.

Yeah... not like Bjugstad isn't considered a mid first rounder or anything.

With regard to the money, let me ask where your figures come from. Blais' current base salary is higher than Lucia's. Hakstol's is basically the same, as is the Miami Coaches' base salary.

On base salary, you are correct. They are roughly the same. But you vastly overrate what the others makes outside of that in comparison. For instance, Gwoz makes mid $300,000 in total compensation. Something the Denver beat writer acknowledged in his blog last year that was far surpassed by Lucia. You add in the other aspects and Lucia makes around $500,000.

the U doesn't get their first pick of Minnesota kids.

Do they get every kid they go after? Of course not. Nobody does. But they didn't even land every kid they wanted during the days of Herb Brooks. Like anything in life, there are going to be a percentage of exceptions... but the Gophers beat out programs like UND and UW on a rather regular basis for the best MN kids.

I'm glad to see that GB has remained rational.

[Gopher Blog]

The Gophers have phenominal talent. I am tired of watching them not produce... It is time to make a change, and Blais is the right guy to get the most from our talented group of kids...

No doubt the Gophers need to make a complete change in the staff. I wanted it to happen earlier than this but it is what it is. I really don't see how Maturi will be able to keep Lucia if the recent play continues throughout the rest of the season.

As for the next staff, it is a tough call. If Blais did become the head coach, I really hope he brings Guentzel back and I'd love it if he hired former Gopher Tom Ward as well. But there are certainly some other good possibilities out there. It will get rectified and they will be major contenders again... it is just a matter of pulling the trigger on the current guys.

[DmanDad1980]

The Gophers have phenominal talent. I am tired of watching them not produce... It is time to make a change, and Blais is the right guy to get the most from our talented group of kids...

No doubt the Gophers need to make a complete change in the staff. I wanted it to happen earlier than this but it is what it is. I really don't see how Maturi will be able to keep Lucia if the recent play continues throughout the rest of the season.

As for the next staff, it is a tough call. If Blais did become the head coach, I really hope he brings Guentzel back and I'd love it if he hired former Gopher Tom Ward as well. But there are certainly some other good possibilities out there. It will get rectified and they will be major contenders again... it is just a matter of pulling the trigger on the current guys.

Like your thoughts... our D zone coverage system and play was much better under Guentzel's watch... We have talented kids, smart hockey kids...