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Funny how all you gopher fans have come up with a new reason the gophers are just a middle of the road team. Ya, your right, the U has long been considered the Harvard of the midwest!!!!

Why don't you face it, the days of everyone wants to be a gopher are long gone. There are many places a quality player can go, and unfortunately for you they are taking advantage of their opportunities.

I am wondering, how does it feel to be getting Huskie, Bulldog, Maverick rejects to wear the M. Keep recruiting the pretty players that dangle, the rest of us will take the kids that will work there tails off.

can't skate a lick wrote:Keep recruiting the pretty players that dangle, the rest of us will take the kids that will work there tails off.

If you mean "pretty players" like Ambroz, Bjugstad, and Gardiner… I think we’ll take them.

Fellas,

All the Gophs have to do is win a first round best of three series on the road. After that they can go to the final five and run off three more wins against the winners of the first round at the X. Winning those three will put us in a Regional at our home rink at the X. Once we get to the X for the regional, all we have to do is win 2 games and they will be off too Detroit for the Frozen four. Once we get to the Frozen Four, we will only have to win two games, and the Gophs are the 2010 National champs! Sounds pretty simple to me.

newsguy35 wrote:

The Exiled One wrote:

Gopher Blog wrote: Your statement overlooks that many kids don't really care about right now. Especially when they still have a good year or two before they even hit campus. Most high end players tend to go where they feel they can comfortably rely on a team to be able to be a contender on a year in and year out basis (something St. Cloud has never done). Which is why you tend to see the big name programs continue to land the best players more often than not.

Of course... I can't say the Gophers are really consistently doing anything other than underachieve at the moment. But a change at the helm would probably turn that around relatively quickly.

Everything after my first comma was pretty much snark.

By the comments, it looks like ppl are saying the gophers have the best players... My question is: If Rau lands in maroon and gold, does that change the gophers? I do not believe the question is whether he will play D1 hockey, but what fit and style team would he end up on? Will be interesting to see if MN loses another quality player to Wisco, UND, Mankato, Duluth, etc... Rau is a stud, he will have many options. CC landed Toby Peterson due to a package deal due to his twin. I would not overlook a "package" deal making it difficult on THEM.

LOL... assuming you're talking about his brother Ian - who is 3yrs (thinking) older...

FREDFLINTSTONE wrote:Fellas,

All the Gophs have to do is win a first round best of three series on the road. After that they can go to the final five and run off three more wins against the winners of the first round at the X. Winning those three will put us in a Regional at our home rink at the X. Once we get to the X for the regional, all we have to do is win 2 games and they will be off too Detroit for the Frozen four. Once we get to the Frozen Four, we will only have to win two games, and the Gophs are the 2010 National champs! Sounds pretty simple to me.

Fred..... I like your thinking.. Might be worth the fodder to go watch an upcoming Gophers tilt and have a beer and brontosaurus burger, eh?

[quote="StillAnEagle"][quote="newsguy35"][quote="The Exiled One"][quote="Gopher Blog"][quote="The Exiled One"]My understanding is that SCSU offered the Rau twins a package deal, but they apparently weren't interested in playing for the 4th best* team in the nation**.

*currently
**KRACH/overall record[/quote]

Your statement overlooks that many kids don't really care about right now. Especially when they still have a good year or two before they even hit campus. Most high end players tend to go where they feel they can comfortably rely on a team to be able to be a contender on a year in and year out basis (something St. Cloud has never done). Which is why you tend to see the big name programs continue to land the best players more often than not.

Of course... I can't say the Gophers are really consistently doing anything other than underachieve at the moment. But a change at the helm would probably turn that around relatively quickly.[/quote]
Everything after my first comma was pretty much snark. [/quote]

By the comments, it looks like ppl are saying the gophers have the best players... My question is: If Rau lands in maroon and gold, does that change the gophers? I do not believe the question is whether he will play D1 hockey, but what fit and style team would he end up on? Will be interesting to see if MN loses another quality player to Wisco, UND, Mankato, Duluth, etc... Rau is a stud, he will have many options. CC landed Toby Peterson due to a package deal due to his twin. I would not overlook a "package" deal making it difficult on THEM.[/quote]LOL... assuming you're talking about his brother Ian - who is 3yrs (thinking) older...[/quote]

Never called him a twin, just mentioned that it may become a package deal. I also have seen many other situations where it has happened... SCSU with the Parrish's as well as Zajac's (UND)

newsguy35 wrote:

StillAnEagle wrote:

newsguy35 wrote: By the comments, it looks like ppl are saying the gophers have the best players... My question is: If Rau lands in maroon and gold, does that change the gophers? I do not believe the question is whether he will play D1 hockey, but what fit and style team would he end up on? Will be interesting to see if MN loses another quality player to Wisco, UND, Mankato, Duluth, etc... Rau is a stud, he will have many options. CC landed Toby Peterson due to a package deal due to his twin. I would not overlook a "package" deal making it difficult on THEM.

LOL... assuming you're talking about his brother Ian - who is 3yrs (thinking) older...

Never called him a twin, just mentioned that it may become a package deal. I also have seen many other situations where it has happened... SCSU with the Parrish's as well as Zajac's (UND)

So by that logic you think both Kyle and Curt will end up in Colorado Springs where his brother played for CC?

FREDFLINTSTONE wrote:Fellas,

All the Gophs have to do is win a first round best of three series on the road. After that they can go to the final five and run off three more wins against the winners of the first round at the X. Winning those three will put us in a Regional at our home rink at the X. Once we get to the X for the regional, all we have to do is win 2 games and they will be off too Detroit for the Frozen four. Once we get to the Frozen Four, we will only have to win two games, and the Gophs are the 2010 National champs! Sounds pretty simple to me.

lol, you would think more teams would take this tactful approach, it really is a fool proof game plan!

Over the past seasons and watching a number of player leaving the program. What gives?? The Don can't keep trying to rebuild a program of kids that play only two years. He needs to recruit kids that will play four years and mature as seniors to compete on a national level. If he keeping giving into the the 1-2 year wonders, leaves no fourth year leadership. It seems the Gopher recruiting program needs to supply a balanced level of players and assume the loss of several players a year. Again, the U of M is a stepping stone to the professional level, but as Gopher's follower's it is sad when the true talented players leave to the pro's. I would rather watch kids playing on the U of M team, competing in the WCHA to bring a Final Four or a College Hockey Championship to Minnesota rather to watch a couple of years highly recuited players bow out after their junior season. Just my thought.

HockeyMN1 wrote:

newsguy35 wrote:

StillAnEagle wrote:LOL... assuming you're talking about his brother Ian - who is 3yrs (thinking) older...

Never called him a twin, just mentioned that it may become a package deal. I also have seen many other situations where it has happened... SCSU with the Parrish's as well as Zajac's (UND)

So by that logic you think both Kyle and Curt will end up in Colorado Springs where his brother played for CC?

can't skate a lick wrote:Funny how all you gopher fans have come up with a new reason the gophers are just a middle of the road team. Ya, your right, the U has long been considered the Harvard of the midwest!!!!

Why don't you face it, the days of everyone wants to be a gopher are long gone.

Keep recruiting the pretty players that dangle, the rest of us will take the kids that will work there tails off.

Harvard of the Midwest? Perhaps not, but you've clearly demonstrated whatever school you're at doesn't value grammar skills as much as the U.

Lakeviewing wrote:Over the past seasons and watching a number of player leaving the program. What gives?? The Don can't keep trying to rebuild a program of kids that play only two years. He needs to recruit kids that will play four years and mature as seniors to compete on a national level. If he keeping giving into the the 1-2 year wonders, leaves no fourth year leadership. It seems the Gopher recruiting program needs to supply a balanced level of players and assume the loss of several players a year. Again, the U of M is a stepping stone to the professional level, but as Gopher's follower's it is sad when the true talented players leave to the pro's. I would rather watch kids playing on the U of M team, competing in the WCHA to bring a Final Four or a College Hockey Championship to Minnesota rather to watch a couple of years highly recuited players bow out after their junior season. Just my thought.

The good ones leave (Okposo, Stoa, Bickel), and the bad ones stick around for the 4 years (Fischer, Flynn, Schack). The coach just needs to quit recruiting bad players. It looks like all four recruits in this years freshman class are quality (Birkholz, Buddish, Helgeson, and Leddy).

[quote="HockeyMN1"][quote="newsguy35"][quote="StillAnEagle"][quote="newsguy35"][quote="The Exiled One"][quote="Gopher Blog"][quote="The Exiled One"]My understanding is that SCSU offered the Rau twins a package deal, but they apparently weren't interested in playing for the 4th best* team in the nation**.

*currently
**KRACH/overall record[/quote]

Your statement overlooks that many kids don't really care about right now. Especially when they still have a good year or two before they even hit campus. Most high end players tend to go where they feel they can comfortably rely on a team to be able to be a contender on a year in and year out basis (something St. Cloud has never done). Which is why you tend to see the big name programs continue to land the best players more often than not.

Of course... I can't say the Gophers are really consistently doing anything other than underachieve at the moment. But a change at the helm would probably turn that around relatively quickly.[/quote]
Everything after my first comma was pretty much snark. [/quote]

By the comments, it looks like ppl are saying the gophers have the best players... My question is: If Rau lands in maroon and gold, does that change the gophers? I do not believe the question is whether he will play D1 hockey, but what fit and style team would he end up on? Will be interesting to see if MN loses another quality player to Wisco, UND, Mankato, Duluth, etc... Rau is a stud, he will have many options. CC landed Toby Peterson due to a package deal due to his twin. I would not overlook a "package" deal making it difficult on THEM.[/quote]LOL... assuming you're talking about his brother Ian - who is 3yrs (thinking) older...[/quote]

Never called him a twin, just mentioned that it may become a package deal. I also have seen many other situations where it has happened... SCSU with the Parrish's as well as Zajac's (UND)[/quote]

So by that logic you think both Kyle and Curt will end up in Colorado Springs where his brother played for CC?[/quote]

I may be wrong, but is his brother playing for CC? I may be right then... I also believe that UND got the better of the goalies as well... Gothberg will make gophs fans queazy for 4 years...

newsguy35 wrote:

HockeyMN1 wrote:

newsguy35 wrote: Never called him a twin, just mentioned that it may become a package deal. I also have seen many other situations where it has happened... SCSU with the Parrish's as well as Zajac's (UND)

So by that logic you think both Kyle and Curt will end up in Colorado Springs where his brother played for CC?

I may be wrong, but is his brother playing for CC? I may be right then... I also believe that UND got the better of the goalies as well... Gothberg will make gophs fans queazy for 4 years...

No I'm almost positive Chad Rau is playing for the Houston Aeros now. He graduated from CC last year for sure, he was a Hobey Baker finalist.

I am confident the Gophers are going to pull it together. I think the freshmen this year are great - and playing well. Good players coming in like those mentioned earlier(with a few notable exceptions that may never show up) - They will be fine - but I do hope the good ones stick around awhile! Go Gophers. Almost forgot to add (staying on topic) I'd love to see Rau play for them too!! He's having an amazing season and I am not an EP fan.

HockeyMN1 wrote:

newsguy35 wrote:

HockeyMN1 wrote: So by that logic you think both Kyle and Curt will end up in Colorado Springs where his brother played for CC?

I may be wrong, but is his brother playing for CC? I may be right then... I also believe that UND got the better of the goalies as well... Gothberg will make gophs fans queazy for 4 years...

No I'm almost positive Chad Rau is playing for the Houston Aeros now. He graduated from CC last year for sure, he was a Hobey Baker finalist.

I think the Gophers are just fine at the goaltender permission. Adam Wilcox ring a bell? And am I the only one who doesn't see Curt Rau as a Division one recruit? Obviously Kyle is the cream of the crop when it comes to MN hockey, but Curt? Please he's not even the top Defenseman on his team, and I don't hear people saying Chase Loken should be wearing Maroon and Gold next year.

If the Rau's want a package deal I hope Curt can settle for the club team at a major D1 college. Four year starter at the U easy now the Gophs aren't that desperate...

Papa Bergundy wrote:

HockeyMN1 wrote:

newsguy35 wrote: I may be wrong, but is his brother playing for CC? I may be right then... I also believe that UND got the better of the goalies as well... Gothberg will make gophs fans queazy for 4 years...

No I'm almost positive Chad Rau is playing for the Houston Aeros now. He graduated from CC last year for sure, he was a Hobey Baker finalist.

I think the Gophers are just fine at the goaltender permission. Adam Wilcox ring a bell? And am I the only one who doesn't see Curt Rau as a Division one recruit? Obviously Kyle is the cream of the crop when it comes to MN hockey, but Curt? Please he's not even the top Defenseman on his team, and I don't hear people saying Chase Loken should be wearing Maroon and Gold next year.

If the Rau's want a package deal I hope Curt can settle for the club team at a major D1 college. Four year starter at the U easy now the Gophs aren't that desperate...

I agree with you but that's just not all that goes into it. If the gophs want Kyle they probably are gonna have to take Curt too, and they might also view this as an inside track to landing Dan Molenaar, one of the top Junior defensemen in the country, who also plays for the Eagles.

What I see is Kyle Rau lighting up the WCHA and Curt Rau getting he's legs under him and being a solid and a four year contributing defenisive player in the WCHA. What coach wouldn't take these odds??? Just wondering, Leddy and Curt Rau teaming up as a pair from a State of Minnesota High School Tournament winning in 2009 team at EP. Teaming Curt with Leddy again?? Botton line, both of these kids need to be in maroon and gold. CC has an edge with Chad having a pretty good career at CC. The DON has lost a number of top Minnesota High School kids to Colorado, St.Cloud, No.Dak and Wisconsin. Please look in to this.

quote="HockeyMN1"]

newsguy35 wrote:

HockeyMN1 wrote:

newsguy35 wrote: Never called him a twin, just mentioned that it may become a package deal. I also have seen many other situations where it has happened... SCSU with the Parrish's as well as Zajac's (UND)

So by that logic you think both Kyle and Curt will end up in Colorado Springs where his brother played for CC?

I may be wrong, but is his brother playing for CC? I may be right then... I also believe that UND got the better of the goalies as well... Gothberg will make gophs fans queazy for 4 years...

No I'm almost positive Chad Rau is playing for the Houston Aeros now. He graduated from CC last year for sure, he was a Hobey Baker finalist.[/quote]

Gopher Blog wrote:

can't skate a lick wrote:Keep recruiting the pretty players that dangle, the rest of us will take the kids that will work there tails off.

If you mean "pretty players" like Ambroz, Bjugstad, and Gardiner… I think we’ll take them.

You forget a Ryan Wolters that will be a member of the gophers next year. A true player.

It's Walters.

Lakeviewing wrote:The DON has lost a number of top Minnesota High School kids to Colorado, St.Cloud, No.Dak and Wisconsin. Please look in to this.

Someone should call the president and demand an investigation.

Believe it or not, not every kid grows up wanting to be a Gopher, there are now 5 Div I schools in MN when there used to be only 2, and 4 of the 5 have good recruiters to compete against. Lucia still gets the majority of who he's gone after, the problem has been:

1. Not enough grit
2. Early departures/injuries
3. Lousy defensive defensemen
4. Lack of finishers
5. Too many kids in at too early of an age.

The current Gophers squad has 20 NHL draft picks so they're getting the supposed cream of the crop, but like the end of the Woog era something has slipped. The Gophers need to get rid of Hill, I think Don might get back to being harder on his players once Tony is gone, and if they can weather the injury/early departure storm this off-season this incoming class will help a great deal.

Whether or not Don survives the off-season is another story.

Lakeviewing wrote:The DON has lost a number of top Minnesota High School kids to Colorado, St.Cloud, No.Dak and Wisconsin. Please look in to this.

How many scholarships do you think the guy has to give out? He has 18 to dole out for every season just like everybody else. Not to mention, you have to consider what a team's needs are at any one moment in time.

Given how many D1 players this state produces, it isn't feasible to get every prospect out there.

As far as Rau goes, I could maybe see the argument for the Gophers going for the package deal stuff IF Curt is offered a walk on opportunity (or very low partial scholarship). If I recall correctly, that is what Lucia did with the aforementioned Petersen brothers out of Jefferson.

Gopher Blog wrote:

Lakeviewing wrote:The DON has lost a number of top Minnesota High School kids to Colorado, St.Cloud, No.Dak and Wisconsin. Please look in to this.

How many scholarships do you think the guy has to give out? He has 18 to dole out for every season just like everybody else. Not to mention, you have to consider what a team's needs are at any one moment in time.

Given how many D1 players this state produces, it isn't feasible to get every prospect out there.

As far as Rau goes, I could maybe see the argument for the Gophers going for the package deal stuff IF Curt is offered a walk on opportunity (or very low partial scholarship). If I recall correctly, that is what Lucia did with the aforementioned Petersen brothers out of Jefferson.

I agree on the prospects...the Gophs are doing fine in the recruiting wars...and always will. Who exactly have we truly missed out on? Were we always recruiting the right ones? Good question..but it's not an exact science. But I'm sure we get most everyone we want.

Hoops wrote:

Gopher Blog wrote:

Lakeviewing wrote:The DON has lost a number of top Minnesota High School kids to Colorado, St.Cloud, No.Dak and Wisconsin. Please look in to this.

How many scholarships do you think the guy has to give out? He has 18 to dole out for every season just like everybody else. Not to mention, you have to consider what a team's needs are at any one moment in time.

Given how many D1 players this state produces, it isn't feasible to get every prospect out there.

As far as Rau goes, I could maybe see the argument for the Gophers going for the package deal stuff IF Curt is offered a walk on opportunity (or very low partial scholarship). If I recall correctly, that is what Lucia did with the aforementioned Petersen brothers out of Jefferson.

I agree on the prospects...the Gophs are doing fine in the recruiting wars...and always will. Who exactly have we truly missed out on? Were we always recruiting the right ones? Good question..but it's not an exact science. But I'm sure we get most everyone we want.

I think there were a couple of Minnesotan's on the World Junior Championship team that would have looked nice in Maroon and Gold.

[quote="Hoops"][quote="Gopher Blog"][quote="Lakeviewing"]The DON has lost a number of top Minnesota High School kids to Colorado, St.Cloud, No.Dak and Wisconsin. Please look in to this. [/quote]

How many scholarships do you think the guy has to give out? He has 18 to dole out for every season just like everybody else. Not to mention, you have to consider what a team's needs are at any one moment in time.

Given how many D1 players this state produces, it isn't feasible to get every prospect out there.

As far as Rau goes, I could maybe see the argument for the Gophers going for the package deal stuff IF Curt is offered a walk on opportunity (or very low partial scholarship). If I recall correctly, that is what Lucia did with the aforementioned Petersen brothers out of Jefferson.[/quote]


I agree on the prospects...the Gophs are doing fine in the recruiting wars...and always will. [b]Who exactly have we truly missed out on?[/b] Were we always recruiting the right ones? Good question..but it's not an exact science. But I'm sure we get most everyone we want.[/quote]

Recently a certain Kasto is tearing up the WCHA...
Among the needs, we took a gamble on some D that were big. I dont have a problem on that but if you are going to do that then you better make sure you get the best big guys... Fisher has not been that good, Helgeson is gonna be good but is not seasoned... I dont see any other D that are "defensive" defensemen.

Rau bros will be together when all is said and done. Remember the Millers? May be a deal like that.

BodyShots wrote:

Hoops wrote:

Gopher Blog wrote: How many scholarships do you think the guy has to give out? He has 18 to dole out for every season just like everybody else. Not to mention, you have to consider what a team's needs are at any one moment in time.

Given how many D1 players this state produces, it isn't feasible to get every prospect out there.

As far as Rau goes, I could maybe see the argument for the Gophers going for the package deal stuff IF Curt is offered a walk on opportunity (or very low partial scholarship). If I recall correctly, that is what Lucia did with the aforementioned Petersen brothers out of Jefferson.

I agree on the prospects...the Gophs are doing fine in the recruiting wars...and always will. Who exactly have we truly missed out on? Were we always recruiting the right ones? Good question..but it's not an exact science. But I'm sure we get most everyone we want.

I think there were a couple of Minnesotan's on the World Junior Championship team that would have looked nice in Maroon and Gold.

So were Stephan, Kastro, and Gardiner all offered full rides and they turned down the Gophers?? I doubt it...

Hoops wrote:

BodyShots wrote:

Hoops wrote:
I agree on the prospects...the Gophs are doing fine in the recruiting wars...and always will. Who exactly have we truly missed out on? Were we always recruiting the right ones? Good question..but it's not an exact science. But I'm sure we get most everyone we want.

I think there were a couple of Minnesotan's on the World Junior Championship team that would have looked nice in Maroon and Gold.

So were Stephan, Kastro, and Gardiner all offered full rides and they turned down the Gophers?? I doubt it...

If they weren't offered scholarships Lucia should be instantly fired.

Forget that. Give him a ten year extension if he's that stupid.