Recruiting Update Tommies > Gophers?

[PhunnsieMcHockeyDad]

UST picks up Boerger, Brown, Devries and Hause from the local class of 2023. U of M still has Lindsay and Klepinger but the pool is getting shallower. Joel Johnson is moving quickly to secure top skaters at the expense of his former employer!

[massalsa]

This place is dead. I think that it is interesting that JJ is signing those girls. I think that it is great for girls HS hockey that UST is D1 and is great that MN girls present and future will have a chance to play in front of parents/family/friends over in St Paul.

How is Elite League going?

Who are the best 10-15 girls that are 2023's that are not committed?

Who are the best of the 2022's that are uncommitted?

Is the 2019/2020 season the end of a long era of girls hockey at Breck? Are there any above average girls hockey players left at Breck?

Is the end near for Blake too? Is the end of the long era the 2022/2023 season or have/will they reload at all?

Will Tonka be the best team on the west side this year?

[j4241]

Tommies - taking advantage of a relatively clean roster (not clogged up by COVID and extra eligibility), grabbing top end kids that normally would be going to a school like the U (or an Ivy). Could be relevant in the WCHA a lot sooner than some expected (especially if the rink gets built).

Elite League - par for the course - spotty attendance, mixed bag on team play, but very good hockey. Shattuck is down from their very strong teams of a couple years ago. Tradition Black and White - the best seniors (mostly committed). Tradition Vegas and MSP Grey - the best juniors (plus 6 of the best sophomores on grey).

Uncommitted 22's - seems reasonable to start with white and black (don't know the northern kids as well):

F
Mortenson (black)
Niccum (white)
Wright (white)
Winters (regular sub) (not sure if she's a forward or D)

D
Blum (black)
Maxwell (black)

G
Rimstad (black)
Johnson (white)

I think the path ahead for uncommitted 22s is tight. There are some good players on this list, though - definitely capable of playing D1 hockey.

In the '23 class, things are tight - there are 17 kids currently committed (not counting '22s reclassing - which is a topic by itself and a likely more popular path in the future), and will likely be only room for 30 or so given bloated rosters and COVID (versus 45+ in a normal year). There are many schools who say they have room for 0 '23s. Uncommitted 23's (from grey and Vegas, and Weiser from white) -

F
Broz (Vegas)
Goettl (Vegas)
Limke (Vegas)
Helmstetter (Vegas)
Agerter (Vegas)
Koeppl (Vegas)
Retrum (Grey)
Sadura (Grey)
O'Hara (Grey)
Zawoyski (Grey)
Wurm (Grey)
Leonard (Grey)

D
Eikos (Vegas)
Hemp (Vegas)
Paidosh (Vegas)
Wethington (Vegas)
Reeves (Grey)

G
Weiser (white)
Blair (Grey)
Peterson (Vegas)
Stagmann (Vegas)

Strongest from this list and most likely to be next up, in my opinion:
F
Broz
O'Hara
Retrum
Sadura

D
Hemp

G
Blair

Breck - Peterson stayed, and she is a legit very good goaltender. She will keep Breck in games they otherwise wouldn't be. But it will be a major down year. There are a few solid kids that stayed, but it will be a tough year. Not sure what's ahead for their program.

Blake - Should be two good years built around the '23 class, which is very strong by any AA school standard, including what could be the top line in the state or at least in the conversation. After '23 - who knows.

The Minnetonka super team assembled from destroying Breck, hobbling Andover (and previously gutting Burnsville), and a very good youth program is rarely going to be challenged. The hardest coaching task will be managing egos, people jockeying for points as the lopsided wins add up, roles/lines, etc. - and that's just from the parents! But that's just par for the course for high school hockey. It is a very talented group that will be fun to watch. There are some holes in the games of their top end kids, but it's the rare team good enough to even have a chance to expose them. Is Holy Family one of them in a section final? Would take some phenomenal goaltending by Blair, but possible.

[massalsa]

Tommies - taking advantage of a relatively clean roster (not clogged up by COVID and extra eligibility), grabbing top end kids that normally would be going to a school like the U (or an Ivy). Could be relevant in the WCHA a lot sooner than some expected (especially if the rink gets built).

<<<LOTS OF GOOD STUFF>>>

The Minnetonka super team assembled from destroying Breck, hobbling Andover (and previously gutting Burnsville), and a very good youth program is rarely going to be challenged. The hardest coaching task will be managing egos, people jockeying for points as the lopsided wins add up, roles/lines, etc. - and that's just from the parents! But that's just par for the course for high school hockey. It is a very talented group that will be fun to watch. There are some holes in the games of their top end kids, but it's the rare team good enough to even have a chance to expose them. Is Holy Family one of them in a section final? Would take some phenomenal goaltending by Blair, but possible.

Thank you for the great update j4241!! I appreciate the time you took to answer my questions so thoroughly and I will now have more to watch. Its amazing how out of touch one can be after your favorite girls hockey player is beyond HS.

Its interesting how Tonka has become what it is today...a top 3 or better team with a likely easy path to the state quarter finals and championship game. I remember year 1 with the current HC and there was MAJOR drama with that team and I believe that the coach was close to being let go in the middle of the season.

Interesting that over the weekend there was a notable decommit from THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY to a nice little Catholic school in on the east side of town. She may have heard some of the many horror stories of great kids that have left Columbus voluntarily or non-voluntarily. HM is a nice player according to my favorite ex-HS player and it was confusing to her when she committed there. The HC's at OSU and UST could not be more opposite in the way that they do a lot of things from coaching kids that they would never recruit at Prospects to talking to random people about girls hockey. I am an unabashed fan of JJ as he was kind to me a couple of times when we spoke over the years...not so much a fan of NM as she did some kids I know pretty dirty.

[j4241]

My pleasure!

I hope not, because it would be bad for the kids, but I wouldn't be surprised if a similar level of drama played out at Tonka this year. Wins will pile up, but there is only so much ice time to go around, and there are more kids whose dads are expecting them kids to play starring roles than there are starring roles.

The things I've heard about what the Ohio State coaching staff has done to kids with commitments and scholarships is not good. I'm not sure what they are thinking - trust seems important in the recruiting part of the job.

[jg2112]

My pleasure!

I hope not, because it would be bad for the kids, but I wouldn't be surprised if a similar level of drama played out at Tonka this year. Wins will pile up, but there is only so much ice time to go around, and there are more kids whose dads are expecting them kids to play starring roles than there are starring roles.

The things I've heard about what the Ohio State coaching staff has done to kids with commitments and scholarships is not good. I'm not sure what they are thinking - trust seems important in the recruiting part of the job.

Ohio State wants to win, pure and simple. Bringing in 5 upperclass transfers a year leads to more victories than bringing in 5 freshmen.

If I was NM I think I'd do the same thing. There will ALWAYS be 5-6 skaters a year who want to leave a bad college hockey team and / or play a final year with a good team at a Big Ten school. In those instances, NM doesn't have to teach kids how to adapt to college - they're already 22 year old veterans of the process.

Think also about quality of life issues. NM never has to leave Columbus to recruit. She just needs to monitor the transfer portal. I find the approach hard to argue with.

[Slap Shot]

UST picks up Boerger, Brown, Devries and Hause from the local class of 2023. U of M still has Lindsay and Klepinger but the pool is getting shallower. Joel Johnson is moving quickly to secure top skaters at the expense of his former employer!

Are those 4 considered losses for Minnesota? Were they recruiting them?

[BSUBeaver]

My pleasure!

I hope not, because it would be bad for the kids, but I wouldn't be surprised if a similar level of drama played out at Tonka this year. Wins will pile up, but there is only so much ice time to go around, and there are more kids whose dads are expecting them kids to play starring roles than there are starring roles.

The things I've heard about what the Ohio State coaching staff has done to kids with commitments and scholarships is not good. I'm not sure what they are thinking - trust seems important in the recruiting part of the job.

Ohio State wants to win, pure and simple. Bringing in 5 upperclass transfers a year leads to more victories than bringing in 5 freshmen.

If I was NM I think I'd do the same thing. There will ALWAYS be 5-6 skaters a year who want to leave a bad college hockey team and / or play a final year with a good team at a Big Ten school. In those instances, NM doesn't have to teach kids how to adapt to college - they're already 22 year old veterans of the process.

Think also about quality of life issues. NM never has to leave Columbus to recruit. She just needs to monitor the transfer portal. I find the approach hard to argue with.

This could bite the Buckeyes in the future if that trend continues. Schools will weaponize that policy of bringing in 5 or 6 transfers every year on the recruiting trail. Also, it won't take long for recruits to see that policy either.

"Why would you want to go to Ohio State where you have a chance of being dumped for the flavor of the day in the transfer portal?" is all a recruiter would have to bring up.

[PhunnsieMcHockeyDad]

UST picks up Boerger, Brown, Devries and Hause from the local class of 2023. U of M still has Lindsay and Klepinger but the pool is getting shallower. Joel Johnson is moving quickly to secure top skaters at the expense of his former employer!

Are those 4 considered losses for Minnesota? Were they recruiting them?

I don't know who was recruiting who - would echo what others have said about these 4 (plus Sajevic from Gentry who has also committed to UST) being in the top group of MN '23's that would normally be steering towards Ridder or other top programs. UST Women's Hockey is off to a fast start with this class.

FYI O'Hara from Centennial commits to the U yesterday.

[jg2112]

UST picks up Boerger, Brown, Devries and Hause from the local class of 2023. U of M still has Lindsay and Klepinger but the pool is getting shallower. Joel Johnson is moving quickly to secure top skaters at the expense of his former employer!

Are those 4 considered losses for Minnesota? Were they recruiting them?

I don't know who was recruiting who - would echo what others have said about these 4 (plus Sajevic from Gentry who has also committed to UST) being in the top group of MN '23's that would normally be steering towards Ridder or other top programs. UST Women's Hockey is off to a fast start with this class.

FYI O'Hara from Centennial commits to the U yesterday.

So the Gopher '23 class currently consists of Lindsay, O'Hara and Klepinger. I suspect they're still in the game for Dunne, Gorbatenko and numerous other high end '23s. Plus, M. Wethington and S. Shearen could be on the roster in 2023-24 as 5th years because of COVID.

Yeah, I think the Gophers will be happy with their haul, just as Johnson is happy with his.

My opinion - St. Thomas' recruiting success doesn't hurt the Gophers. It hurts the other in-state schools and could potentially drive one of them out of D1.

[PhunnsieMcHockeyDad]

Are those 4 considered losses for Minnesota? Were they recruiting them?

I don't know who was recruiting who - would echo what others have said about these 4 (plus Sajevic from Gentry who has also committed to UST) being in the top group of MN '23's that would normally be steering towards Ridder or other top programs. UST Women's Hockey is off to a fast start with this class.

FYI O'Hara from Centennial commits to the U yesterday.

So the Gopher '23 class currently consists of Lindsay, O'Hara and Klepinger. I suspect they're still in the game for Dunne, Gorbatenko and numerous other high end '23s. Plus, M. Wethington and S. Shearen could be on the roster in 2023-24 as 5th years because of COVID.

Yeah, I think the Gophers will be happy with their haul, just as Johnson is happy with his.

My opinion - St. Thomas' recruiting success doesn't hurt the Gophers. It hurts the other in-state schools and could potentially drive one of them out of D1.

And I wonder if UST isn't leaning too hard on the MN Girls....

[jg2112]

I don't know who was recruiting who - would echo what others have said about these 4 (plus Sajevic from Gentry who has also committed to UST) being in the top group of MN '23's that would normally be steering towards Ridder or other top programs. UST Women's Hockey is off to a fast start with this class.

FYI O'Hara from Centennial commits to the U yesterday.

So the Gopher '23 class currently consists of Lindsay, O'Hara and Klepinger. I suspect they're still in the game for Dunne, Gorbatenko and numerous other high end '23s. Plus, M. Wethington and S. Shearen could be on the roster in 2023-24 as 5th years because of COVID.

Yeah, I think the Gophers will be happy with their haul, just as Johnson is happy with his.

My opinion - St. Thomas' recruiting success doesn't hurt the Gophers. It hurts the other in-state schools and could potentially drive one of them out of D1.

And I wonder if UST isn't leaning too hard on the MN Girls....

Come on now, there is a North Dakotan in the 2023 class.

[BSUBeaver]

My pleasure!

I hope not, because it would be bad for the kids, but I wouldn't be surprised if a similar level of drama played out at Tonka this year. Wins will pile up, but there is only so much ice time to go around, and there are more kids whose dads are expecting them kids to play starring roles than there are starring roles.

The things I've heard about what the Ohio State coaching staff has done to kids with commitments and scholarships is not good. I'm not sure what they are thinking - trust seems important in the recruiting part of the job.

Ohio State wants to win, pure and simple. Bringing in 5 upperclass transfers a year leads to more victories than bringing in 5 freshmen.

If I was NM I think I'd do the same thing. There will ALWAYS be 5-6 skaters a year who want to leave a bad college hockey team and / or play a final year with a good team at a Big Ten school. In those instances, NM doesn't have to teach kids how to adapt to college - they're already 22 year old veterans of the process.

Think also about quality of life issues. NM never has to leave Columbus to recruit. She just needs to monitor the transfer portal. I find the approach hard to argue with.

Heard a college coach speak the other night and Ohio State brought in 8 transfers and 2 freshmen for this season.

[PhunnsieMcHockeyDad]

So the Gopher '23 class currently consists of Lindsay, O'Hara and Klepinger. I suspect they're still in the game for Dunne, Gorbatenko and numerous other high end '23s. Plus, M. Wethington and S. Shearen could be on the roster in 2023-24 as 5th years because of COVID.

Yeah, I think the Gophers will be happy with their haul, just as Johnson is happy with his.

My opinion - St. Thomas' recruiting success doesn't hurt the Gophers. It hurts the other in-state schools and could potentially drive one of them out of D1.

And I wonder if UST isn't leaning too hard on the MN Girls....

Come on now, there is a North Dakotan in the 2023 class.

"Starting for Andover - by way of <fill in the blank>...."

[jg2112]

And I wonder if UST isn't leaning too hard on the MN Girls....

Come on now, there is a North Dakotan in the 2023 class.

"Starting for Andover - by way of <fill in the blank>...."

Imagine how long the intros would take on 11/13 (Minnetonka v. Andover) if the announcer did this for each player, on each team.

[PhunnsieMcHockeyDad]

Grace Sadura (Minnetonka) to UMD. Great get for the Bulldogs, thought she might head East.

[massalsa]

I know of at least 2 schools out east who were very interested and she recently visited. Mixed feelings post visit...wish her the and all of these pandemic commits congratulations and great luck going forward.

[massalsa]

Gophers to Badgers?!?

Vivian Jungles to Wisconsin.

I am guessing it is complicated but might not be as complicated as one would think...

Appears to have been several unhappy girls leaving the Gophers over the last 2 seasons. Very likely some should have never been there in the first place.