Gopher Hockey Recruiting

Seven additional Gophers about to hit the portal.
 


The team fucking sucked. I hope it doesn't stop at 8. Plus the dead weight in the pipeline.
 

Exciting stuff, Larson kept saying it’s only gonna be a tweak but this is a rebuild. Keep Mooney, Ziemer, and Moore and who cares about the rest.
I would add Whipple not because he's necessarily anything special but he was fairly competent on an overall terrible blue line. Hendrickson, Townsend, and Moe I am good with in bottom 6 roles but yeah even them I wouldn't lose my mind if they left.
 

Also if the rumored names on GPL are the guys hitting the portal we should all be quite happy.
 



Ludkte
Hendrickson
Ziemer
Pritchard
Moore
Moe
Mooney
Townsend
(8)

Humphreys
Burnevik
Hall
Roed
Kvasnicka
Cullen
Cullen
(15)
Above could use some help at center, still.


Smith (L -6'2") - Henricks (R - 6'4")
Whipple (L - 6'2") - Rombach (L - 6'6")
Lofgren (L - 6'4") - Huff (R - 6'2")
7th D = Harper or Laylin?
8th D = McLaughlin
 

Almost certain the names are correct. Honestly if McLaughlin wants to stay I’m fine with him as a 7th or 8th D.
 





8th D. I don't want him seeing the ice.
While I agree based on this year, players still develop. To a lesser extent, Whipple was awful his freshman year and looked pretty good the end of this year. But still think Finn should leave as he seemed like just a Motzko guy more than a Gopher guy
 

McLaughlin was a panic commitment to try to fill a poorly managed roster.

Below is a borderline tournament team, but not a contender. 12 drafted forwards and essentially 5 drafted D if you bring in Harper or Laylin. Center a massive issue.


Mooney - Humphreys - Ziemer
W Cullen - Ludtke - Kvasnicka
Hendrickson - Moe - Moore
Hall - Roed - Burnevik
Townsend - B Cullen - Pritchard

Smith (L - 6'2") - Henricks (R - 6'4")
Whipple (L - 6'2") - Rombach (L - 6'6")
Lofgren (L - 6'4") - Huff (R - 6'2")
7th D = Harper or Laylin?
8th D = McLaughlin
 

McLaughlin was a panic commitment to try to fill a poorly managed roster.

Below is a borderline tournament team, but not a contender. 12 drafted forwards and essentially 5 drafted D if you bring in Harper or Laylin. Center a massive issue.


Mooney - Humphreys - Ziemer
W Cullen - Ludtke - Kvasnicka
Hendrickson - Moe - Moore
Hall - Roed - Burnevik
Townsend - B Cullen - Pritchard

Smith (L - 6'2") - Henricks (R - 6'4")
Whipple (L - 6'2") - Rombach (L - 6'6")
Lofgren (L - 6'4") - Huff (R - 6'2")
7th D = Harper or Laylin?
8th D = McLaughlin
Borderline? I’d expect that roster to make the tournament at minimum. If you put Burnevik with W Cullen I think he could be a monster. Centers are only a problem if Humphreys and Roed aren’t ready to step up, and/or Ludtke doesn’t bounce back. Which is up to the staff to assess
 



Borderline? I’d expect that roster to make the tournament at minimum. If you put Burnevik with W Cullen I think he could be a monster. Centers are only a problem if Humphreys and Roed aren’t ready to step up, and/or Ludtke doesn’t bounce back. Which is up to the staff to assess
Above team is half made up of the worst Gopher team in 50 years. Saying tournament at minimum is unrealistic with the tough conference the Gophers play in.
 

While I agree based on this year, players still develop. To a lesser extent, Whipple was awful his freshman year and looked pretty good the end of this year. But still think Finn should leave as he seemed like just a Motzko guy more than a Gopher guy
I don't think Whipple was nearly as bad as Mclaughlin as a freshman, but I agree I would be ok with him as a 7/8 project guy.
 

Ludkte
Hendrickson
Ziemer
Pritchard
Moore
Moe
Mooney
Townsend
(8)

Humphreys
Burnevik
Hall
Roed
Kvasnicka
Cullen
Cullen
(15)
Above could use some help at center, still.


Smith (L -6'2") - Henricks (R - 6'4")
Whipple (L - 6'2") - Rombach (L - 6'6")
Lofgren (L - 6'4") - Huff (R - 6'2")
7th D = Harper or Laylin?
8th D = McLaughlin
The good thing with this returning forward group, as bad as the team was last year I'd say:

Ludtke based on his history almost certainly can be expected to be better next year.
Hendrickson I could see making a big jump in productivity.
Ziemer pretty much is what he is at this point, which is a damn good player.

Pritchard should be better, though TBD how much better.
Moore made huge strides from the beginning to end of year last year, let's hope for a similar jump next year.
Mooney should be a bona fide superstar in year 2.
Townsend showed some promise, should be a very effective bottom 6 guy.

Is Moe assumed to be leaving? I don't know that he will ever be a star but another guy I could see being a very solid bottom 6 guy in time.
 

Above team is half made up of the worst Gopher team in 50 years. Saying tournament at minimum is unrealistic with the tough conference the Gophers play in.
Yeah, and if you keep the half that was either good or had potential, get rid of the bad half, and add firepower where needed, it’s a good roster. This team also beat every team in the frozen four and dismantled the Badgers.

I’m not scared of the Big Ten. We are the standard of the Big Ten and one year doesn’t change that. Tournament at minimum is in no way “unrealistic”
 

Yeah, and if you keep the half that was either good or had potential, get rid of the bad half, and add firepower where needed, it’s a good roster. This team also beat every team in the frozen four and dismantled the Badgers.

I’m not scared of the Big Ten. We are the standard of the Big Ten and one year doesn’t change that. Tournament at minimum is in no way “unrealistic”
Are you new to watching college hockey? It's not that easy to make the tournament.
 


Mooney should be a bona fide superstar in year 2.


Is Moe assumed to be leaving? I don't know that he will ever be a star but another guy I could see being a very solid bottom 6 guy in time.
Think you're massively overestimating Mooney. He's a power play merchant and will get lots of points there next year. But in no way a "bona fide superstar". Ziemer will be a better overall hockey player than him next year and even he is not a superstar like that.
 

No one said it’s easy, but we’re also not Notre Dame. Tournament is always an expectation for a blue blood lol
Expectation vs probabilistic expected outcome. What probability do you give that team to make the tournament?

I'll say 50%.
 

Looks like UMN will announce Smith today. Or the Ziemer back tweet.

No one else deserves a coming back tweet and I hope they don't go overboard with that.
 

Expectation vs probabilistic expected outcome. What probability do you give that team to make the tournament?

I'll say 50%.
And I’d say higher. You’re lower on some guys and I’m higher on some guys. There’s gonna be lots of turnover in the conference next year, rosters will look different.
 

And I’d say higher. You’re lower on some guys and I’m higher on some guys. There’s gonna be lots of turnover in the conference next year, rosters will look different.
But you're not saying 100%. So ya sounds fair I was thinking you were guaranteeing it.
 

But you're not saying 100%. So ya sounds fair I was thinking you were guaranteeing it.
Lol my point was that I expect them to make the tournament, not be a borderline team. Thats not crazy to say. No need to deeply analyze my words
 

Think you're massively overestimating Mooney. He's a power play merchant and will get lots of points there next year. But in no way a "bona fide superstar". Ziemer will be a better overall hockey player than him next year and even he is not a superstar like that.
Ziemer is a legit preseason candidate for BTPOY.
 


Ziemer is a legit preseason candidate for BTPOY.
And a likely top 10 Hobey finalist. So yes he's dang good. He's a star. Bona fide superstar are the guys that make you hit the edge of your seat every shift, like Cooley. It's just my personal interpretation. My point is he's dang good and better than Mooney.

And there's the Mooney back tweet after hyping up all of Twitter.
 
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