Jack McNeely commits to UNO

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agate88
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Post by agate88 » Tue Mar 18, 2014 10:06 pm

I guess my point is this: After watching both Wolfe and McNeely play multiple times this year, McNeely is a much better skater, passer and hockey player at this point in time. The person saying Wolfe is a better skater right now is just plain wrong. I think Wolfe may have more upside than McNeely due to his 'getting by' on raw talent and strength...but that begs the question why didn't Wolfe work to improve his game and is his heart truly in it.

Bottom line...I trust Dean Blais.

Sats81
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Post by Sats81 » Tue Mar 18, 2014 11:08 pm

agate88 wrote:I guess my point is this: After watching both Wolfe and McNeely play multiple times this year, McNeely is a much better skater, passer and hockey player at this point in time. The person saying Wolfe is a better skater right now is just plain wrong. I think Wolfe may have more upside than McNeely due to his 'getting by' on raw talent and strength...but that begs the question why didn't Wolfe work to improve his game and is his heart truly in it.

Bottom line...I trust Dean Blais.
I agree with what you are saying about McNeely (pretty much have said same thing this entire thread) and it's pretty clear Wolffs biggest weakness is his skating. However, i definitely don't question wolfs "heart" or work ethic or anything like that. Kids a warrior. Anyone who questions that just needed to watch him at the tourney. Wolf and Mcneely are very different players. I think both will prove to be very good college players.

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Post by puckbreath » Wed Mar 19, 2014 2:28 am

agate88 wrote:I guess my point is this: After watching both Wolfe and McNeely play multiple times this year, McNeely is a much better skater, passer and hockey player at this point in time. The person saying Wolfe is a better skater right now is just plain wrong. I think Wolfe may have more upside than McNeely due to his 'getting by' on raw talent and strength...but that begs the question why didn't Wolfe work to improve his game and is his heart truly in it.

Bottom line...I trust Dean Blais.
Ain't opinions great ? :wink:

observer
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Post by observer » Wed Mar 19, 2014 8:12 am

Sadek seemed like the top Lakeville D to me. Where's he going?

Sats81
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Post by Sats81 » Wed Mar 19, 2014 9:06 am

observer wrote:Sadek seemed like the top Lakeville D to me. Where's he going?
Likely somewhere eventually. He's a long way off at this point though. He needs to learn to be more physical first. He's got the size and skates very well, has all the physical tools to play at the next level. Needs to get better defensively and use his frame to his advantage better.

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Post by nahc » Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:22 am

Tournament Games Only:

Lakeville North is not a physical team. They, as a team got beat up my Rosseau, Edin Prarie, and Edina. By the Edina game the team was very tired and Edina's players were blowing by the North defenders. In front of the net, ie being able to move out players, does not appear to be a strong point either.

McNeely has some good hands and makes good decisions with the puck even when pressure is being applied.

The North D puked the puck up a lot in the tourney albeit against some darn good teams.

Again though, these are all young players who will continue to grow throughout this year and into the future. Will be very interesting to be able to compare these players a year from now!!! Which of course we will be doing!!!
:D

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Post by Gopher Blog » Wed Mar 19, 2014 6:45 pm

The big question is whether Blais will be around to coach the kid. He's not exactly a spring chicken and I believe his UNO contract is running out in a season or so.

Some people like to praise Blais but they also seem to ignore the recent past in the process. His UNO teams have mostly been a disappointment. With him as head coach, they never made the WCHA Final Five, they missed the NCHC tourney finals this year, and they only have one NCAAs appearance (a first round loss back in 2011). They've been pretty bad on defense/goal under his leadership too. I'm not sure if I was a defensive prospect that UNO would be the best choice considering it doesn't seem to be a place where defensive players are making great strides (the numbers don't lie).

He did some great things at UND but that was also a long time ago too.

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Post by Sats81 » Wed Mar 19, 2014 7:06 pm

Gopher Blog wrote:The big question is whether Blais will be around to coach the kid. He's not exactly a spring chicken and I believe his UNO contract is running out in a season or so.

Some people like to praise Blais but they also seem to ignore the recent past in the process. His UNO teams have mostly been a disappointment. With him as head coach, they never made the WCHA Final Five, they missed the NCHC tourney finals this year, and they only have one NCAAs appearance (a first round loss back in 2011). They've been pretty bad on defense/goal under his leadership too. I'm not sure if I was a defensive prospect that UNO would be the best choice considering it doesn't seem to be a place where defensive players are making great strides (the numbers don't lie).

He did some great things at UND but that was also a long time ago too.
Tell that to Snuggerud and Beaulieu. Regardless of your opinion of him as a coach you can't deny his ability to recruit as his recent commits have to be up there with the best in the country (Snuggerud, Spinner, Beaulieu, Avery Peterson) Plus I would say Jake Guentzel has had quite the freshman year and with the season Jake Randolph is having in the USHL it is likely he will continue to produce offensively as he has done at every level.

A lot of people like to praise Lucia too, but the last time I checked he hasn't had a season that ended with a win since 2003. With all the talent that he continually has that willingly comes to the U, I don't think there is an excuse, regardless of how difficult it is to win a natty title. Sure they have won the last 3 regular season titles and that is nice and all, but you won't see people getting excited about Duke Basketball for winning the ACC during the season, or Alabama Football and Saban winning the SEC title. Banners are nice but the only ones that count are national championships.

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Post by Gopher Blog » Thu Mar 20, 2014 12:16 am

Sats81 wrote: Regardless of your opinion of him as a coach you can't deny his ability to recruit as his recent commits have to be up there with the best in the country (Snuggerud, Spinner, Beaulieu, Avery Peterson) Plus I would say Jake Guentzel has had quite the freshman year and with the season Jake Randolph is having in the USHL it is likely he will continue to produce offensively as he has done at every level.
Go back and read some of what I said earlier in this thread to you. I never denied he has been able to recruit guys that can score. His problem has been getting players to perform on D and in net. I gave you facts showing it. Which is why I'm not sure a top end D should really go there. (Then again, you think Blais develops D men better than just about anywhere... which I quickly debunked).
A lot of people like to praise Lucia too, but the last time I checked he hasn't had a season that ended with a win since 2003. With all the talent that he continually has that willingly comes to the U, I don't think there is an excuse, regardless of how difficult it is to win a natty title. Sure they have won the last 3 regular season titles and that is nice and all, but you won't see people getting excited about Duke Basketball for winning the ACC during the season, or Alabama Football and Saban winning the SEC title. Banners are nice but the only ones that count are national championships.
LOL... At least Lucia is winning SOMETHING. Sure as hell beats your boy Blais who isn't winning anything. He hasn't sniffed any CCHA/WCHA/NCHC or NCAA hardware in his 5 seasons there. That fact hasn't stopped you from kissing Blaiser's butt.

Ask any former player what is a tougher feat and they'll tell you winning the old WCHA was. It took 28 games against (mostly) high caliber competition over the course of many months. It was a grind and a major test. You don't fluke your way into a WCHA title.

The national title can be won by a team that gets hot in a four game stretch of time over a couple of weeks. Sometimes the best team wins it, other times it isn't the best team. Do you really believe Yale was the best team in college hockey last year? They probably would have finished in the middle of the pack in the WCHA. But they got hot at the right time.

I don't disagree that the ultimate goal is the NCAA title. But your somewhat casual dismissal of other trophies that come before the NCAAs doesn't change the focus off of my original point... which is Blaiser's UNO teams have been underachievers despite what you attempt to laud.

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Post by Sats81 » Thu Mar 20, 2014 9:40 am

Gopher Blog wrote:
Sats81 wrote: Regardless of your opinion of him as a coach you can't deny his ability to recruit as his recent commits have to be up there with the best in the country (Snuggerud, Spinner, Beaulieu, Avery Peterson) Plus I would say Jake Guentzel has had quite the freshman year and with the season Jake Randolph is having in the USHL it is likely he will continue to produce offensively as he has done at every level.
Go back and read some of what I said earlier in this thread to you. I never denied he has been able to recruit guys that can score. His problem has been getting players to perform on D and in net. I gave you facts showing it. Which is why I'm not sure a top end D should really go there. (Then again, you think Blais develops D men better than just about anywhere... which I quickly debunked). You really didn't "debunk" anything other than throw out a stat over the course of the last few years. His ability to develop pro level d-men at Nodak was very impressive and will likely prove the same with time at UNO.
A lot of people like to praise Lucia too, but the last time I checked he hasn't had a season that ended with a win since 2003. With all the talent that he continually has that willingly comes to the U, I don't think there is an excuse, regardless of how difficult it is to win a natty title. Sure they have won the last 3 regular season titles and that is nice and all, but you won't see people getting excited about Duke Basketball for winning the ACC during the season, or Alabama Football and Saban winning the SEC title. Banners are nice but the only ones that count are national championships.
LOL... At least Lucia is winning SOMETHING. Sure as hell beats your boy Blais who isn't winning anything. He hasn't sniffed any CCHA/WCHA/NCHC or NCAA hardware in his 5 seasons there. That fact hasn't stopped you from kissing Blaiser's butt.

Ask any former player what is a tougher feat and they'll tell you winning the old WCHA was. It took 28 games against (mostly) high caliber competition over the course of many months. It was a grind and a major test. You don't fluke your way into a WCHA title.

The national title can be won by a team that gets hot in a four game stretch of time over a couple of weeks. Sometimes the best team wins it, other times it isn't the best team. Do you really believe Yale was the best team in college hockey last year? They probably would have finished in the middle of the pack in the WCHA. But they got hot at the right time.

I don't disagree that the ultimate goal is the NCAA title. But your somewhat casual dismissal of other trophies that come before the NCAAs doesn't change the focus off of my original point... which is Blaiser's UNO teams have been underachievers despite what you attempt to laud.
"My boy Blais"? How is that Hammy?! Because I think he's a good coach, suddenly he's "my boy"! Look, I would like to see the gophers win just as bad as anyone else does. I just don't think Lucia is the second coming of Toe Blake or Scotty Bowman like you seem to think.

Lucia's national titles were primarily with WOOG's recruits. Sure he had to coach them but he has typically surrounded himself with a very good supporting cast (Guentzel, Motzko, Hastings). Lets point to the years of 2004-2007 when Lucia was bringing in TOP LEVEL college talent on the heels of their natty title wins....R. Potulny, Irmen, Erik Johnson, Okposo, Wheeler, Kessel and they could never get past Nodak when it counted, or should I mention HOLY CROSS? You point out that Blais hasn't touched any hardware in the 5 years he has been at UNO....it takes time to build a program. Give him some. I think everyone quickly forgets HOW BAD Nodak was in the early 90s before Blais took over. How about the disasterous years of 2008-2011 in Gopherville? Should we ignore that? Funny that those were the years that Guentzel was gone....my point is before you get so excited about Lucia and his regular season success, just realize that he has EVERY advantage at his immediate disposal.

Did I say Yale was the best team in college hockey last year? No. They won when it COUNTED though and in 20 years when people look back at 2013 the only thing they will remember is they won the national title. Other than the banner hanging at Mariucci I doubt anyone will recall the Gophers Mcnaughton cup.

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Post by The Exiled One » Thu Mar 20, 2014 9:49 am

Gopher Blog wrote:The national title can be won by a team that gets hot in a four game stretch of time over a couple of weeks. Sometimes the best team wins it, other times it isn't the best team. Do you really believe Yale was the best team in college hockey last year? They probably would have finished in the middle of the pack in the WCHA. But they got hot at the right time.
I can appreciate the passion for your team, but from an outsider's perspective, this paragraph is rather funny. If the Gophers won the title, then the best team won. Yale actually wins the title, and they just "got hot" at the right time.

Although, as co-champion of the WCHA and a Frozen Four participant, I appreciate that you consider last year's SCSU team at least on par with the Gophers. :)

At the end of the day, you're a homer, I'm a homer, we're all homers! Yay college hockey!

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Post by xy » Thu Mar 20, 2014 9:54 am

I'm not getting into the middle of this other than to point out that the thing about Lucia winning with Woog's players isn't really borne out by the facts. Since Leopold and Pohl were so important in '01-'02 you can sort of make that argument, although they were hardly the whole team. But it's absolutely false for '02-'03; that was Lucia's 4th year, so the team had pretty much turned over to his recruits, and if you look at their roster for that year there was not a single key player who predated him in the program.

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Post by Sats81 » Thu Mar 20, 2014 10:06 am

xy wrote:I'm not getting into the middle of this other than to point out that the thing about Lucia winning with Woog's players isn't really borne out by the facts. Since Leopold and Pohl were so important in '01-'02 you can sort of make that argument, although they were hardly the whole team. But it's absolutely false for '02-'03; that was Lucia's 4th year, so the team had pretty much turned over to his recruits, and if you look at their roster for that year there was not a single key player who predated him in the program.
Other than Pohl and Leopold there was Adam Hauser, Pat O'Leary, Erik Wendell, Nick Angell, Dan Welch, Jeff Taffe, Matt Demarchi, Nick Anthony,etc. All who were very important in their 2002 natty title. Not "sort of" making that argument. 2003 there was still Nick Anthony and Matt Demarchi who were key players in that run. Not 100% sure but I believe Joey Martin and Matt Koalska may have both been Woog recruits too who just came in later than originally expected.

xy
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Post by xy » Thu Mar 20, 2014 10:30 am

In '01-'02 it's something of a semantic debate about "primarily", the term you used; no one would argue that the Woog recruits weren't still a crucial part of the team, but there's also no chance they win without Riddle, Martin, Potulny, and Ballard. We agree in principle although perhaps not as to degree.

But in '02-'03, there's not really an argument. There's not a single Woog recruit of import other than DeMarchi and Koalska, and Demarchi, according to this (http://www.gophersports.com/genrel/030102aaa.html), was actually going to CC until Lucia got the UM job. Plus the most important guy offensively was Vanek, someone Woog would never have recruited.

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Post by Sats81 » Thu Mar 20, 2014 2:37 pm

Hammy-

Here is a quote from Kyle Rau last friday night after beating Michigan to win reg season Big Ten Championship:

"When you come here, you don't come to win conference championships. You come for something else." -Kyle Rau

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Post by BlueLineSpecial » Thu Mar 20, 2014 2:39 pm

Sats81 wrote:Hammy-

Here is a quote from Kyle Rau last friday night after beating Michigan to win reg season Big Ten Championship:

"When you come here, you don't come to win conference championships. You come for something else." -Kyle Rau
The weather?
The City of Hill Murray is beautiful this time of year

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Post by mnhockfan99 » Thu Mar 20, 2014 10:46 pm

[quote="Gopher Blog"]The big question is whether Blais will be around to coach the kid. He's not exactly a spring chicken and I believe his UNO contract is running out in a season or so.

Some people like to praise Blais but they also seem to ignore the recent past in the process. His UNO teams have mostly been a disappointment. With him as head coach, they never made the WCHA Final Five, they missed the NCHC tourney finals this year, and they only have one NCAAs appearance (a first round loss back in 2011). They've been pretty bad on defense/goal under his leadership too. I'm not sure if I was a defensive prospect that UNO would be the best choice considering it doesn't seem to be a place where defensive players are making great strides (the numbers don't lie).

He did some great things at UND but that was also a long time ago too.[/quote]


Have a lot of respect for Blais and his accomplishments in college and with USA hockey but the program is under .500 last three years as a whole, 2 of last 3 seasons team was under .500 - In his 5 years there has grand total of 2 more wins than his predecessor Kemp did in his final 5 seasons at the helm...

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Post by Gopher Blog » Sat Mar 22, 2014 6:11 pm

Sats81 wrote:Hammy-

Here is a quote from Kyle Rau last friday night after beating Michigan to win reg season Big Ten Championship:

"When you come here, you don't come to win conference championships. You come for something else." -Kyle Rau
I said that the NCAA title was the most important. But it is also a two week event in which one bounce, one great goalie performance or things of that nature can knock out the best team. The old WCHA season was a better measure of a team because it required a high level of performance over months.

I'd also suggest you take a history lesson on Lucia's title teams because you are showing some of your ignorance above. No doubt the 2002 team had some Woog guys that were stars and helped drive the club to a title (Pohl, Leopold, Taffe).

However, you are woefully inaccurate about the 2003 team. That team had a grand total of ONE Woog player on it (Nick Anthony) and he didn't even play during their NCAA run. The 2003 was essentially all Lucia recruited players. (BTW, DeMarchi was a Lucia recruit, NOT a Woog recruit. DeMarchi originally committed to Lucia at CC and changed once Lucia was hired by MN).

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Post by Gopher Blog » Sat Mar 22, 2014 6:17 pm

The Exiled One wrote:I can appreciate the passion for your team, but from an outsider's perspective, this paragraph is rather funny. If the Gophers won the title, then the best team won. Yale actually wins the title, and they just "got hot" at the right time.
Well... there is a difference between being a team that is at or near the top most of the season and winning it as compared to a team that really wasn't and simply got hot at the right time.

Would you dispute the idea that Yale probably would have been a middle of the pack team in the WCHA last year? 3rd place in the ECAC is not going to be any better than middle of the pack in the old WCHA (and that might be generous).

I recognize an argument of "best" could be among more than one team even in the year's the Gophers won it all. But there are some years where it is more obvious than others that the "best" team wasn't the NCAA winner.

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Post by Gopher Blog » Sat Mar 22, 2014 6:21 pm

xy wrote:But in '02-'03, there's not really an argument. There's not a single Woog recruit of import other than DeMarchi and Koalska, and Demarchi, according to this (http://www.gophersports.com/genrel/030102aaa.html), was actually going to CC until Lucia got the UM job. Plus the most important guy offensively was Vanek, someone Woog would never have recruited.
As I said above, Nick Anthony was the only Woog player on the team at the end of that season (and he didn't play at all in the NCAAs). Anthony's last game played that season was the first game of the WCHA playoffs vs. MTU. He didn't play another game for the rest of the season (nothing at the Final 5 and not one NCAA game). For anybody to say Anthony was a "key player" to that team's title is simply showing ignorance. The guy had 5 pts. the whole year and didn't even play in their NCAA run. :roll:

Dan Welch (a Woog recruit) had started the 2002-2003 season on the team but was off the team at mid-season because of academics.

Koalska committed to Lucia's staff in November 1999 (Lucia took over April 1999). DeMarchi came to the U with Lucia. DeMarchi had committed to Lucia when he was at CC but then changed his decision to the Gophers after Lucia was hired by the U.

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Post by goldy313 » Sat Mar 22, 2014 11:15 pm

UNO sold their soul to the devil for their hockey program, it's pretty clear to date that was a bad deal, Blais hasn't delivered. Times can change but to give up your football program for this probably wasn't what was in visioned when they went D1 in hockey, probably thanks to the B1G Mistake, but different none the less.

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Post by Sats81 » Sun Mar 23, 2014 8:12 am

Gee Hammy thanks for the history lessons!!

Now let's see if your smoke in mirrors, Lucia led gophers can muster a win over Robert Morris next week. Hopefully unlike you, they aren't just satisfied with their regular season big ten title. Time to win when it counts.

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Post by Gopher Blog » Sun Mar 23, 2014 12:10 pm

Sats81 wrote:Gee Hammy thanks for the history lessons!!
I'm more of a Guentzel fan than a Lucia fan but I appreciate what the man has accomplished. I don't like seeing the man's achievements tarnished by inaccuracies like the ones you spouted on the 2003 team.

I just think it is hilarious how much you praise Blais when he has accomplished no more than Lucia has in their college coaching careers (and Lucia has done it in more than one place). Each with 2 NCAA titles, Lucia has won 3 more regular season league titles, and also has won more league playoff titles. Consistency on how you judge guys apparently isn't a strong suit for you. :lol:
Now let's see if your smoke in mirrors, Lucia led gophers can muster a win over Robert Morris next week. Hopefully unlike you, they aren't just satisfied with their regular season big ten title. Time to win when it counts.
Maybe they will, maybe they won't. I want NCAA titles as much as anybody. But I can also appreciate their other accomplishments.

I know one thing... Blais won't be in the hunt. :!:

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Post by Sats81 » Wed Mar 26, 2014 4:07 pm

Gopher Blog wrote:
Sats81 wrote:Gee Hammy thanks for the history lessons!!
I'm more of a Guentzel fan than a Lucia fan but I appreciate what the man has accomplished. I don't like seeing the man's achievements tarnished by inaccuracies like the ones you spouted on the 2003 team.

I just think it is hilarious how much you praise Blais when he has accomplished no more than Lucia has in their college coaching careers (and Lucia has done it in more than one place). Each with 2 NCAA titles, Lucia has won 3 more regular season league titles, and also has won more league playoff titles. Consistency on how you judge guys apparently isn't a strong suit for you. :lol:
Now let's see if your smoke in mirrors, Lucia led gophers can muster a win over Robert Morris next week. Hopefully unlike you, they aren't just satisfied with their regular season big ten title. Time to win when it counts.
Maybe they will, maybe they won't. I want NCAA titles as much as anybody. But I can also appreciate their other accomplishments.

I know one thing... Blais won't be in the hunt. :!:

Bottom line is I just think Blais is a better hockey coach than tDon.

Regular season titles mean little to nothing when you get bounced first round of NCAA's. Only thing that matters is the natty.

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Post by MNHockeyFan » Wed Mar 26, 2014 7:58 pm

Sats81 wrote:Bottom line is I just think Blais is a better hockey coach than tDon.

Regular season titles mean little to nothing when you get bounced first round of NCAA's. Only thing that matters is the natty.
Gotta make the field of 16 before you can win the "natty"!

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