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Ok you got me Gopher Blog. Guys like Flynn are better off coming in as 18 yr olds having played in any league with older players leading up to their fr yr. He probably wouldn't have benefited playing in 100 USHL games.
I see Flynn had the lowest pt totals of any Gopher his first year for guys who played regularly. 1 goal every 9 games (or month of the season if you want to look at that way)out of a highly touted recruit is exactly what the gophers needed.

BBB wrote:Ok you got me Gopher Blog. Guys like Flynn are better off coming in as 18 yr olds having played in any league with older players leading up to their fr yr. He probably wouldn't have benefited playing in 100 USHL games.
I see Flynn had the lowest pt totals of any Gopher his first year for guys who played regularly. 1 goal every 9 games (or month of the season if you want to look at that way)out of a highly touted recruit is exactly what the gophers needed.

Obviously playing USHL as opposed to NAHL would have been better. However, it is highly debatable if it significantly better and would have done all that much more than what he already got. That's all I am saying

Gopher Blog wrote:

BBB wrote:Ok you got me Gopher Blog. Guys like Flynn are better off coming in as 18 yr olds having played in any league with older players leading up to their fr yr. He probably wouldn't have benefited playing in 100 USHL games.
I see Flynn had the lowest pt totals of any Gopher his first year for guys who played regularly. 1 goal every 9 games (or month of the season if you want to look at that way)out of a highly touted recruit is exactly what the gophers needed.

Obviously playing USHL as opposed to NAHL would have been better. However, it is highly debatable if it significantly better and would have done all that much more than what he already got. That's all I am saying

That, and the fact that you are probably not going to get kids who have played 2 years at NTDP to go play juniors before going to college, especially if they have done well in Ann Arbor. Look at their roster this year (or any year), most move straight from the U-18 team to college rosters. If the U doesn't let them come as 18 year olds, someone else will.

Danny Kristo??

The Gophers need to start getting kids that play in the juniors beyond their 4 year eligibility of high school. Meaning a kid that goes to the juniors his senior season in high school will not be as good as someone who went a year or two after high school. Age is a big reason the Gophers are falling off. A highly recruited 18 year old evens things out when you are playing against 20 year old freshmen.

Danny Kristo was a senior last year. He was to old for Ann Arbor and played in Omaha. Nick Mattson from Chaska is playing for Indiana as a senior this year. If Schreoder wouldn't have accelerated he would have been in USHL last year.

I'm assuming if Walters got told he couldn't come in this year, Youso was told the same thing. Anyone know what the deal with him is?

If you guys are interested in reading another side of the Walters decommittment check out this article:

http://noalibisnoregrets.blogspot.com/2 ... esota.html

Obviously playing USHL as opposed to NAHL would have been better. However, it is highly debatable if it significantly better and would have done all that much more than what he already got. That's all I am saying

Ill agree with you there but what I am saying is have guys like this play a yr after high school wherever they played. If they don't want to and they you're going to be better off with a 20 yr old guy who played 2-3 yrs of juniors, let him go to another team and score 3 or 4 goals.

If the U doesn't let them come as 18 year olds, someone else will

Great. In the case of flynn he came in as an 18 yr old and just finished up his sr year with a whopping 2 goals in 40 games. Look at a little guy like Cepis who probably didn't even get a whiff of Ann Arbor but played Juniors for 4 years and was a point a game guy for the gophers. Take guys like Vandervelde from Moorhead who went to the USHL and then scored 120 points at UND. Look at Roe from SCSU. he is a 3 yr USHL guy and just scores 20 goals a year for the Huskies. There are plenty of guys out there like this and you think the U could have a pretty good advantage recruiting them.

BBB wrote:Great. In the case of flynn he came in as an 18 yr old and just finished up his sr year with a whopping 2 goals in 40 games. Look at a little guy like Cepis who probably didn't even get a whiff of Ann Arbor but played Juniors for 4 years and was a point a game guy for the gophers. Take guys like Vandervelde from Moorhead who went to the USHL and then scored 120 points at UND. Look at Roe from SCSU. he is a 3 yr USHL guy and just scores 20 goals a year for the Huskies. There are plenty of guys out there like this and you think the U could have a pretty good advantage recruiting them.

Not every guy is being brought in to play a top line scoring role. You need grinding, physical guys like Flynn too. He is meant to play a different style/role than a Roe or a Cepis. He was unlikely to score a ton even if he had an extra year of junior play. You act as if extra juniors time is some sort of road to certain scoring success. To act as if he was going to suddenly score a lot more because of an extra year of junior is very simplistic thinking. If that we the case, he would have scored a lot more after playing a few years of college... which he didn't.

Gopher Blog wrote:

BBB wrote:Great. In the case of flynn he came in as an 18 yr old and just finished up his sr year with a whopping 2 goals in 40 games. Look at a little guy like Cepis who probably didn't even get a whiff of Ann Arbor but played Juniors for 4 years and was a point a game guy for the gophers. Take guys like Vandervelde from Moorhead who went to the USHL and then scored 120 points at UND. Look at Roe from SCSU. he is a 3 yr USHL guy and just scores 20 goals a year for the Huskies. There are plenty of guys out there like this and you think the U could have a pretty good advantage recruiting them.

Not every guy is being brought in to play a top line scoring role. You need grinding, physical guys like Flynn too. He is meant to play a different style/role than a Roe or a Cepis. He was unlikely to score a ton even if he had an extra year of junior play. You act as if extra juniors time is some sort of road to certain scoring success. To act as if he was going to suddenly score a lot more because of an extra year of junior is very simplistic thinking. If that we the case, he would have scored a lot more after playing a few years of college... which he didn't.

That's funny I don't care what team you cheer for.

JSR wrote:If you guys are interested in reading another side of the Walters decommittment check out this article:

http://noalibisnoregrets.blogspot.com/2 ... esota.html

When a guy does that well in the USHL, why jack with him? Makes me wonder if there is more to the story.

breakout wrote:

JSR wrote:If you guys are interested in reading another side of the Walters decommittment check out this article:

http://noalibisnoregrets.blogspot.com/2 ... esota.html

When a guy does that well in the USHL, why jack with him? Makes me wonder if there is more to the story.

Exactly!! I mean the kid was a point per game guy in the USHL and was the USHL All-Star MVP. It's not like he's some bench guy who is in danger of being sent to the NAHL he is one of the best players in the entire USHL, not H.S., not NAHL, but USHL. Makes you wonder? That said other top programs sometimes over recruit certain positions as well, either intentionally or unintentionally and when that happens you expect to lose some guys, but IMHO they let the wrong guy loose, this guy is too proven at this point and you let him go in favor of some guys who have yet to prove it beyond H.S., JMHO

BBB wrote:

Obviously playing USHL as opposed to NAHL would have been better. However, it is highly debatable if it significantly better and would have done all that much more than what he already got. That's all I am saying

Ill agree with you there but what I am saying is have guys like this play a yr after high school wherever they played. If they don't want to and they you're going to be better off with a 20 yr old guy who played 2-3 yrs of juniors, let him go to another team and score 3 or 4 goals.

If the U doesn't let them come as 18 year olds, someone else will

Great. In the case of flynn he came in as an 18 yr old and just finished up his sr year with a whopping 2 goals in 40 games. Look at a little guy like Cepis who probably didn't even get a whiff of Ann Arbor but played Juniors for 4 years and was a point a game guy for the gophers. Take guys like Vandervelde from Moorhead who went to the USHL and then scored 120 points at UND. Look at Roe from SCSU. he is a 3 yr USHL guy and just scores 20 goals a year for the Huskies. There are plenty of guys out there like this and you think the U could have a pretty good advantage recruiting them.

My records show no Vanderveldes ever playing for Moorhead. Much less any Vanderveldes that have scored 120 points at UND. Check again.

Goldy Gopher wrote:

BBB wrote:

Obviously playing USHL as opposed to NAHL would have been better. However, it is highly debatable if it significantly better and would have done all that much more than what he already got. That's all I am saying

Ill agree with you there but what I am saying is have guys like this play a yr after high school wherever they played. If they don't want to and they you're going to be better off with a 20 yr old guy who played 2-3 yrs of juniors, let him go to another team and score 3 or 4 goals.

If the U doesn't let them come as 18 year olds, someone else will

Great. In the case of flynn he came in as an 18 yr old and just finished up his sr year with a whopping 2 goals in 40 games. Look at a little guy like Cepis who probably didn't even get a whiff of Ann Arbor but played Juniors for 4 years and was a point a game guy for the gophers. Take guys like Vandervelde from Moorhead who went to the USHL and then scored 120 points at UND. Look at Roe from SCSU. he is a 3 yr USHL guy and just scores 20 goals a year for the Huskies. There are plenty of guys out there like this and you think the U could have a pretty good advantage recruiting them.

My records show no Vanderveldes ever playing for Moorhead. Much less any Vanderveldes that have scored 120 points at UND. Check again.

You must be a only a Gopher fan. Chris VandeVelde, 2005 Moorhead graduate, 4th round pick of Oilers.

mulefarm wrote:

Goldy Gopher wrote:

BBB wrote: Ill agree with you there but what I am saying is have guys like this play a yr after high school wherever they played. If they don't want to and they you're going to be better off with a 20 yr old guy who played 2-3 yrs of juniors, let him go to another team and score 3 or 4 goals. Great. In the case of flynn he came in as an 18 yr old and just finished up his sr year with a whopping 2 goals in 40 games. Look at a little guy like Cepis who probably didn't even get a whiff of Ann Arbor but played Juniors for 4 years and was a point a game guy for the gophers. Take guys like Vandervelde from Moorhead who went to the USHL and then scored 120 points at UND. Look at Roe from SCSU. he is a 3 yr USHL guy and just scores 20 goals a year for the Huskies. There are plenty of guys out there like this and you think the U could have a pretty good advantage recruiting them.

My records show no Vanderveldes ever playing for Moorhead. Much less any Vanderveldes that have scored 120 points at UND. Check again.

You must be a only a Gopher fan. Chris VandeVelde, 2005 Moorhead graduate, 4th round pick of Oilers.

I think it was a joke....

mulefarm wrote:

Goldy Gopher wrote:

BBB wrote: Ill agree with you there but what I am saying is have guys like this play a yr after high school wherever they played. If they don't want to and they you're going to be better off with a 20 yr old guy who played 2-3 yrs of juniors, let him go to another team and score 3 or 4 goals. Great. In the case of flynn he came in as an 18 yr old and just finished up his sr year with a whopping 2 goals in 40 games. Look at a little guy like Cepis who probably didn't even get a whiff of Ann Arbor but played Juniors for 4 years and was a point a game guy for the gophers. Take guys like Vandervelde from Moorhead who went to the USHL and then scored 120 points at UND. Look at Roe from SCSU. he is a 3 yr USHL guy and just scores 20 goals a year for the Huskies. There are plenty of guys out there like this and you think the U could have a pretty good advantage recruiting them.

My records show no Vanderveldes ever playing for Moorhead. Much less any Vanderveldes that have scored 120 points at UND. Check again.

You must be a only a Gopher fan. Chris VandeVelde, 2005 Moorhead graduate, 4th round pick of Oilers.

I found him but no Vanderveldes.

Ok you Gopher guys are right. Taking 'blue chip' guys at 18 and bring them in right away is the way to go versus 19 or 20 guys who are more physically mature and have proven they can score or do whatever there role is in the USHL. Heaven forbid you might lose an Ann Arbor kid to a rival team! The Ann Arbor pipeline and being loaded up with basically an entire team of NHL draft picks is looking like its really the way to go.
Playing in the USHL or recruiting from there isn't a big deal either. I would hate to see the gophers take a risk on a 20 year old kid who just scored 60-70 points in Jrs.
Lets also keep passing or losing 6-3 defensemen like McDonagh or Gardiner to rival teams like UW and forwards like Stepan who chipped in 50 some points for the badgers or Kristo who scored like 100 points for Omaha and UND over the past two seasons....This year is the year. I can feel it.

BBB wrote:Ok you Gopher guys are right. Taking 'blue chip' guys at 18 and bring them in right away is the way to go versus 19 or 20 guys who are more physically mature and have proven they can score or do whatever there role is in the USHL. Heaven forbid you might lose an Ann Arbor kid to a rival team! The Ann Arbor pipeline and being loaded up with basically an entire team of NHL draft picks is looking like its really the way to go.
Playing in the USHL or recruiting from there isn't a big deal either. I would hate to see the gophers take a risk on a 20 year old kid who just scored 60-70 points in Jrs.
Lets also keep passing or losing 6-3 defensemen like McDonagh or Gardiner to rival teams like UW and forwards like Stepan who chipped in 50 some points for the badgers or Kristo who scored like 100 points for Omaha and UND over the past two seasons....This year is the year. I can feel it.

Those kids were all brought in as 18 year olds. Bottom line is, there needs to be a better balance of 18 year old NHL draft picks and 20-21 year old men who will play with some grit for 4 years. Having a team full of one or the other is not the way to go.

Looking at numbers alone, it appears as though Walters was ready. Anyone know where he'll end up?

Walters was not 20 this past year he was only 18.

i agree with the mix idea. Take those real blue chip guys like the 4 mentioned above based on their ability and not guys just because they played in the prestigious NTDP program.
I am not saying pass on guys like that at 18. More so that your depth should be filled with USHLers and 19 or 20 yr old freshmen vs these guys the gophers chase around with scholarships who cant benchpress the bar.

Update on the Walters situation:

http://noalibisnoregrets.blogspot.com/2 ... rious.html

BBB wrote:i agree with the mix idea. Take those real blue chip guys like the 4 mentioned above based on their ability and not guys just because they played in the prestigious NTDP program.
I am not saying pass on guys like that at 18. More so that your depth should be filled with USHLers and 19 or 20 yr old freshmen vs these guys the gophers chase around with scholarships who cant benchpress the bar.

I agree with the "mix" idea. I think Mike Eaves has finally learned that lesson. Here is the incoming class for UW next season:



Name - Pos. - Ht. - Wt. - Age - Hometown - Current Team
Jason Clark - F - 6-2 - 183 - 18 - Eden Prairie, MN. - Shattuck St. Mary's
Tyler Barnes - F - 6-0 - 165 - 20 - Eagan, Minn. Waterloo (USHL)
Jefferson Dahl - F - 5-9 - 175 - 20 - Eau Claire, WI - Youngstown (USHL)
Chase Drake - D - 6-1 - 170 - 20 - Mosinee, WI - Sioux City (USHL)
Sean Little - F - 5-11 - 185 - 19 - Fond du Lac, WI - Green Bay (USHL)
Michael Mersch - F - 6-1 - 195 - 17 - Park Ridge, Ill. - U.S. NTDP
Frankie Simonelli - D - 5-10 - 189 - 17 - Bensenville, Ill. - U.S. NTDP
Mark Zengerle - F - 5-11 - 178 - 20 - Rochester, NY - Salmon Arm (BCHL)

BBB wrote:i agree with the mix idea. Take those real blue chip guys like the 4 mentioned above based on their ability and not guys just because they played in the prestigious NTDP program.
I am not saying pass on guys like that at 18. More so that your depth should be filled with USHLers and 19 or 20 yr old freshmen vs these guys the gophers chase around with scholarships who cant benchpress the bar.

HAHA I love it!! No kidding regarding the Gophers. Can you get anymore runts to defend the blueline?!

It's official that Ryan Walters has committed to Nebraska-Omaha.

According to the Star Tribunes Roman Augustoviz, his final three came down to UNO, Colorado College, and Wisconsin. Augustoviz also mentions 16 schools were in contact with Walters for the upcoming season and five more for 2011.

JSR wrote:It's official that Ryan Walters has committed to Nebraska-Omaha.

According to the Star Tribunes Roman Augustoviz, his final three came down to UNO, Colorado College, and Wisconsin. Augustoviz also mentions 16 schools were in contact with Walters for the upcoming season and five more for 2011.

I heard there were 216 schools inquiring ....... guess I was off