Underclassmen

[Hansonbrother]

I don't think he said Rapids has 7 D1 seniors this year. He said 7 potential D1 players on the team. They only have 5 seniors on the team. Hard to believe Stillwater and Roseville don't have any seniors who have signed D1 or least no one has listed them as having any. They both are loaded with young talent.

This is correct. I said GRG has 7 POTENTIAL D1 players. Only one of the seven is a senior, and she is committed to BSU.

OK, if you have 7 "potential" D-1 players, you should have no problem winning state. Do you know how many good teams have none? And to think you're a Co-op...if this was golf, they'd call you sandbaggers!!

[boblee]

I don't think he said Rapids has 7 D1 seniors this year. He said 7 potential D1 players on the team. They only have 5 seniors on the team. Hard to believe Stillwater and Roseville don't have any seniors who have signed D1 or least no one has listed them as having any. They both are loaded with young talent.

This is correct. I said GRG has 7 POTENTIAL D1 players. Only one of the seven is a senior, and she is committed to BSU.

OK, if you have 7 "potential" D-1 players, you should have no problem winning state. Do you know how many good teams have none? And to think you're a Co-op...if this was golf, they'd call you sandbaggers!!

Potential refers to the future. They simply do not have seven girls that could go play D1 hockey right now. They have one. If the other 6 progress like they have been, they will hopefully be in similar shoes their senior years.

[Hansonbrother]

This is correct. I said GRG has 7 POTENTIAL D1 players. Only one of the seven is a senior, and she is committed to BSU.

OK, if you have 7 "potential" D-1 players, you should have no problem winning state. Do you know how many good teams have none? And to think you're a Co-op...if this was golf, they'd call you sandbaggers!!

couldn't most teams say that about alot of their underclass that have some talent? I'd love to hear who your "Potential" 7 are, and see if I agree.

Potential refers to the future. They simply do not have seven girls that could go play D1 hockey right now. They have one. If the other 6 progress like they have been, they will hopefully be in similar shoes their senior years.

[boblee]

OK, if you have 7 "potential" D-1 players, you should have no problem winning state. Do you know how many good teams have none? And to think you're a Co-op...if this was golf, they'd call you sandbaggers!!

couldn't most teams say that about alot of their underclass that have some talent? I'd love to hear who your "Potential" 7 are, and see if I agree.

Potential refers to the future. They simply do not have seven girls that could go play D1 hockey right now. They have one. If the other 6 progress like they have been, they will hopefully be in similar shoes their senior years.

I know I put this somewhere else...

Emily Erickson
Molly Arola
Jessica Havel
Morgan Illikainen
Molly Illikainen
JoHanna Kohorst
Dana Gallop

I am not the only one that feels this way. Many scouts do also.

[State Champ 97]

couldn't most teams say that about alot of their underclass that have some talent? I'd love to hear who your "Potential" 7 are, and see if I agree.

Potential refers to the future. They simply do not have seven girls that could go play D1 hockey right now. They have one. If the other 6 progress like they have been, they will hopefully be in similar shoes their senior years.

I know I put this somewhere else...

Emily Erickson
Molly Arola
Jessica Havel
Morgan Illikainen
Molly Illikainen
JoHanna Kohorst
Dana Gallop

I am not the only one that feels this way. Many scouts do also.

I would agree with most if not all of those boblee.

[Hansonbrother]

outside of Erickson, I'd be surprised if 3 of those go D-1

[State Champ 97]

outside of Erickson, I'd be surprised if 3 of those go D-1

Have you seen any of them play?

[Hansonbrother]

outside of Erickson, I'd be surprised if 3 of those go D-1

Have you seen any of them play?

All of them. I didn't mean it as a knock on your players, it was purely an opinion based on what i've seen go D-1. Do I think they are talented players, absolutely. Are they D-1? Maybe 1 or 2, time will tell

[State Champ 97]

outside of Erickson, I'd be surprised if 3 of those go D-1

Have you seen any of them play?

All of them. I didn't mean it as a knock on your players, it was purely an opinion based on what i've seen go D-1. Do I think they are talented players, absolutely. Are they D-1? Maybe 1 or 2, time will tell

Ok I can respect that arguement. But they aren't my players. I live in Bemidji. I actually thought Gallop was the best of the bunch. Arola is a great player and Illakainen, and 8th grader notched a hat-trick against Bemidji a week ago.

[Hansonbrother]

heres my thing, Boblee is always spouting off on all this young talent. Thats great. The key really seems to be this with GR/G...when you have a finisher like Erickson, everyone is going to look good. Its easy to have 30 assists when you have a 30 goal scorer on your line. Granted, Erickson doesn't do all the work, but, 95% of the time when she's in on a goalie, she converts. When she's gone next year, we'll see how the others pick up the slack.

[boblee]

heres my thing, Boblee is always spouting off on all this young talent. Thats great. The key really seems to be this with GR/G...when you have a finisher like Erickson, everyone is going to look good. Its easy to have 30 assists when you have a 30 goal scorer on your line. Granted, Erickson doesn't do all the work, but, 95% of the time when she's in on a goalie, she converts. When she's gone next year, we'll see how the others pick up the slack.

Molly Arola has 19 goals this season and doesn't even play on Erickson's line. Morgan Illikainen and Hannah Kohorst are probably the two best skaters on the team. Like I said earlier, scouts have said the same thing...

[GR3343]

Agreed with boblee. I've seen many of the girls he's referred to and believe also there's potentially 6-7 D-1 players. As also stated, time will tell. I'm not a huge fan of the girls game, but after watching last night's replay, I'm a little more sold. Gallop in my opinion is the best player on their team. Have seen her play for many years, and she keeps getting better. Honed her craft with the boys at the early ages and it shows. She plays an agressive, smooth skating style that should take her where she wants to go. Erickson can play as well as the others, but Gallop looked like the more solid two-way player.
Should be a fun finish to their year and hopefully a return trip to state is in order. As for the poster that said if they have 7 D1 players they should win state easily, I'll offer this. Anything can happen and on any given night, even the best teams can be beat. Just ask Eden Prairie about their section loss last season ending a two year unbeaten string. It's a crap shoot once you hit the playoffs.

[Hansonbrother]

i've always said the same thing about EP, they have great individual talent that never quite seems to play well together. If they did, ohhh what a whooping they'd put on really good teams.
I'll agree on Gallop, the others, we'll see

[boblee]

i've always said the same thing about EP, they have great individual talent that never quite seems to play well together. If they did, ohhh what a whooping they'd put on really good teams.
I'll agree on Gallop, the others, we'll see

You mean to tell me you are only sold on Erickson and Gallop? Get a clue.

[Hansonbrother]

i've always said the same thing about EP, they have great individual talent that never quite seems to play well together. If they did, ohhh what a whooping they'd put on really good teams.
I'll agree on Gallop, the others, we'll see

You mean to tell me you are only sold on Erickson and Gallop? Get a clue.

Bob, I have a clue, you my friend need a reality check. Are you telling me that Havel is as good as Grogan? I've seen both goalies and the comparison isn't close. How many Goalies go D-1, not many. There are many down in the city that are better than Havel. Sorry to say it, but its true. As for the others, one of them is a JV call up, and you're willing to stake your reputation on that player already? The others, like I said, time will tell...

[boblee]

i've always said the same thing about EP, they have great individual talent that never quite seems to play well together. If they did, ohhh what a whooping they'd put on really good teams.
I'll agree on Gallop, the others, we'll see

You mean to tell me you are only sold on Erickson and Gallop? Get a clue.

Bob, I have a clue, you my friend need a reality check. Are you telling me that Havel is as good as Grogan? I've seen both goalies and the comparison isn't close. How many Goalies go D-1, not many. There are many down in the city that are better than Havel. Sorry to say it, but its true. As for the others, one of them is a JV call up, and you're willing to stake your reputation on that player already? The others, like I said, time will tell...

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Those names have come out of D1 and D3 scouts mouths. i didn't just make this up. Here is what I have for you.

A. Who is this "JV call-up"?
B. 29-3-1, that is all I need to say about Havel's career.
C. I know D1 teams have shown a lot of interest in 4 of those girls, the other 3 are in 8th, 9th, and 9th grade, so D1 teams wouldn't talk to them yet anyways. I am not far off here. I would be really surprised if all 7 of these didn't get serious D1 looks. As would many others.

[Hansonbrother]

Bob, just because a guy from Dartmouth comes into town and asks to set up files on players doesn't mean anything. He did it with alot of schools over the holiday tournaments. Most players won't pan out. Nothing against the player, its just the reality of it.

I won't mention any names on your JV call up in fairness to your player and Goalie records don't mean anything. If that were the case, many quality goalie pads would have been hung up long before they needed to be, and alot of D-1 schools would have some pretty suspect cuts of Swiss between the pipes.

[Hupman]

Hansonbrother...for so new....why so bitter?

[GR3343]

Bob, just because a guy from Dartmouth comes into town and asks to set up files on players doesn't mean anything. He did it with alot of schools over the holiday tournaments. Most players won't pan out. Nothing against the player, its just the reality of it.

I won't mention any names on your JV call up in fairness to your player and Goalie records don't mean anything. If that were the case, many quality goalie pads would have been hung up long before they needed to be, and alot of D-1 schools would have some pretty suspect cuts of Swiss between the pipes.

To the best of my knowledge, GR has only two tenders in their program. One the aforementioned Havel, the other a 9th grader who's in her second season with the pads on. Havel is a 2nd year starter and has another full season to start every game. Setting up files on players is one of the first steps in their recruitment. Not to say that she's being actively recruited as of yet, but when you have posted the numbers she has, she's bound to get a look. And you can't say it's because of the great defense in front of her because people have already tried to rip them down. I don't think anyone was saying these 6 or 7 from GRG aregoing D1, but that they were potentiallyD1 recruits. Not sure who Grogan is, and I'm sure she's a fine tender. But up here in the North, not sure we've seen someone putting up numbers like Havel is. It's not an inflated win total vs lesser opponents either. GRG has played one of the tougher schedules in the state, and a gaa under 2 with over a 90% save percentage is pretty darn well worth looking at. Especially for an underclassman(underclasswoman?)Check your facts before coming after someone on the "bored", or at least have a few to support your opinions.

[chiefofmedicine]

Christina Monsour- sophomore- St. Paul Saints

[Hansonbrother]

Hansonbrother...for so new....why so bitter?

I apologize if I've come off as bitter, not at all. I'm simply looking for a good debate and a reason to change my mind on some of the players in question. I've never once said that they are not talented players, because they are. I've only refuted the D-1 status of them.

[Hansonbrother]

Bob, just because a guy from Dartmouth comes into town and asks to set up files on players doesn't mean anything. He did it with alot of schools over the holiday tournaments. Most players won't pan out. Nothing against the player, its just the reality of it.

I won't mention any names on your JV call up in fairness to your player and Goalie records don't mean anything. If that were the case, many quality goalie pads would have been hung up long before they needed to be, and alot of D-1 schools would have some pretty suspect cuts of Swiss between the pipes.

To the best of my knowledge, GR has only two tenders in their program. One the aforementioned Havel, the other a 9th grader who's in her second season with the pads on. Havel is a 2nd year starter and has another full season to start every game. Setting up files on players is one of the first steps in their recruitment. Not to say that she's being actively recruited as of yet, but when you have posted the numbers she has, she's bound to get a look. And you can't say it's because of the great defense in front of her because people have already tried to rip them down. I don't think anyone was saying these 6 or 7 from GRG aregoing D1, but that they were potentiallyD1 recruits. Not sure who Grogan is, and I'm sure she's a fine tender. But up here in the North, not sure we've seen someone putting up numbers like Havel is. It's not an inflated win total vs lesser opponents either. GRG has played one of the tougher schedules in the state, and a gaa under 2 with over a 90% save percentage is pretty darn well worth looking at. Especially for an underclassman(underclasswoman?)Check your facts before coming after someone on the "bored", or at least have a few to support your opinions.

Grogan is the goalie that signed with the U of M for next year. She plays for Eagan. I've only seen Havel play a couple of games, and I'm not going to say it's impossible for her to be D-1, but highly unlikely. I'm not saying she's not a very good goalie, because she is. I'm stating the fact that there are alot of very talented goalies in this state that are probably as good that aren't going anywhere but to the MIAC or to D-3 somewhere.

[boblee]

Ok, I didn't want to have to do this...

-You are the fourth person this hockey season to come on here and use their posts to attack me and my thoughts. Of the other three, none of them lasted for more than a couple weeks here. You have made 13 posts in about a day on here and 11 of them respond to me and attack me.
-You stated that someone is a JV fill in, and Ms. Kohorst is certainly not that. She has played in every game this season. So have 5 of the other 6 girls. Molly Illikainen missed two games because she was still swimming. No one is injured, no one is suspended, and no one quit. Thus, your "JV fill in" does not hold wait.

-On the topic of JV, she is a 9th grader. Patrick White a no doubt D1 player didn't even play in every varsity game his freshman year. He played some JV. Not ever player will be like an Emily Erickson and play varsity since 7th grade and have a fantastic 6 year career.
-You need to look at the big picture. You stated that a lof of these girls look better because Erickson is on the ice with her. Molly Arola has 19 goals and 14 assists for 33 points and does not play on Erickson's line. Molly Illikainen has 19 points in eighth grade and doesn't play on Erickson's line and missed two games.

-As for the Dartmouth comment: there have been more school than just Dartmouth and when a team takes the time to get your information and talk to your head coach when you are in 11th grade, well, that is a big step. That is how everything begins.

-The statement about goaltenders not making it in D1 hockey as much: this is not boys, many girls play D1 hockey. Johanna Ellison was a local great who had a fantastic college career. I know that is only one example, but this isn't like boys hockey, a lot more girls goalies go play D1.

-When a goalie is 29-3-1 in girls hockey, with that schedule, she is good. Plain and simple. Danielle Justice...is she good? Absolutely. Havel sees .44 shots per minute while Justice sees .39 per minute. That means Havel sees 22.44 shots per game while Justice sees only 19.89. I don't see you, or anyone else dogging Justice, do not dog Havel.

Now for the players themselves:

1. Emily Erickson-Committed to BSU. Done.

2. Molly Arola-37 points as a freshman, 27 points as a sophomore, so far 33 as a junior. 97 points in 2.5 season. Not to mention she scored the GWG in OT of the section finals. Good skater, great shooter, very aggressive.

3. Jessica Havel-29-3-1 in two years. 13-2 last year, 16-1-1 this year. save % of 91.4 and GAA of 1.92 against a very tough schedule. The most fundamentally sound girls goalie I have seen to date. That includes the likes of Johanna Ellison and Paige Thunder. (Talking about in their HS days only)

4. Dana Gallop-31 points in 8th grade, 29 points in 9th grade, already 38 points. That is 98 with over two seasons to go. She is a very strong, physical player. Great skater. Has a great shot. Can stickhandle better than anyone on the Lightning, including Erickson. Great two way hockey player.

5. Morgan Illikainen-No points in eight grade, but played a regular shift most of the season for a state tournament team. 1 goal and 4 assists so far in her 9th grade year. Great skater, second best skater on the team at worst. Very good with the puck and excellent vision. Fun fact: Her dad played D1 hockey.

6. JoHanna Kohorst-First year on varsity as a freshman and playing fantastic. Best skater on the team. 1 goal and 4 assists on the season. Great penalty killer and awesome with the stick defensively. Her puck skills aren't awesome, but she is a defensive defenseman and is very, very solid. I had the opportunity to coach her in spring hockey and she was my best player as an 8th grader. She was playing with girls from her age to seniors and against the same. She was very flexible as she can play forward if need be. Very smart hockey player.

7. Molly Illikainen-1 point as a 7th grader for a state tournament team last season. so far this year is 4th on the team in goals with 10 and has 9 assists to put her 4th on the team in points with 19. Great skater and really another physical forward. Molly has a great shot, but her best trait may be her vision and her passing. Looks awesome on the ice with the second power play unit. Keep in mind, 8th grade.

Now seriously, with the age of these girls, the skills they already have, and with the way the Ericksons, Arolas, Gallops, and Newtons have improved in this system, it is hard for me to say that these 7 are not POTENTIAL D1 players. I think if you watched as much hockey as a guy like me, both boys and girls, you would see this too. I believe most people on here do as well. No one seems to be arguing and complaining like you are.

[Hansonbrother]

geez is it easy to get your buttons going. And for the record, not once did I dog your players. You yourself took it personal. I said they were talented and good players. Bob, Breeeaaaattthhhhhh!!

[boblee]

You said you were looking for a reason to think these girls could play D1. No one can give you that reason. You need to go watch and look for hockey talent. Only you can decide what you think.