2022-23 Gopher Hockey Season

[bonin21]

Nope, maybe they just like to use my research/ideas

 

[Gophers1992]

Good weekend to extend our conference point lead. We should sweep MSU, and I can't see any worse than a split. Meanwhile PSU has to go to Ann Arbor where a split is probably best case scenario for them. OSU is off this weekend. Not that I see either of them threatening us, but PSU seems the more likely to catch us since we still have to travel out there for two games, whereas there's no way OSU sweeps us in our own barn.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Didn't realize bonin runs that twitter account. While we're at it imagine if Ben Meyers and Sampo Ranta had stayed for all of their eligibility!

Bonin doesn’t run the Twitter account, but he mentions on gopher hole of what could have been had a couple of players stayed.

 

[Gophers1992]

Bonin doesn’t run the Twitter account, but he mentions on gopher hole of what could have been had a couple of players stayed.

I know, I was making a joke about how bonin obsesses over former players like a jealous ex-girlfriend.

 

[bonin21]

Forward depth is going to be the biggest risk to this team, so really it's just frustration about what easily could have been. People love to talk about locker room cancer but you won't hear any of that about them from their new teammates.

 

[DinkyTownDawg]

I feel ya Bonin but I think at some point you gotta move forward and hope for development from our our bottom 6. If we're being honest they probably didn't enjoy playing under Motzko which probably has happened with a lot of players. I still want Motzko as a coach but have accepted that we are gonna lose some players cuz of him

 

[Gophers1992]

I feel ya Bonin but I think at some point you gotta move forward and hope for development from our our bottom 6. If we're being honest they probably didn't enjoy playing under Motzko which probably has happened with a lot of players. I still want Motzko as a coach but have accepted that we are gonna lose some players cuz of him

Look around college sports. Everyone is going to lose players now that they can transfer willy nilly.

 

[bonin21]

Career save percentage leaders:

.924​	Robson, Mathew	2018-2019
.922​	Wilcox, Adam	2013-2015
.920​	LaFontaine, Jack	2020-2022
.919​	Close, Justen	2020-
.913​	Patterson, Kent	2009-2012

If Close goes .920 the rest of the way, we can't ask for anything more realistically. So by the end of this season let's hope his career stat is .920 or more.

 

[Gophers1992]

Career save percentage leaders:

.924​	Robson, Mathew	2018-2019
.922​	Wilcox, Adam	2013-2015
.920​	LaFontaine, Jack	2020-2022
.919​	Close, Justen	2020-
.913​	Patterson, Kent	2009-2012

If Close goes .920 the rest of the way, we can't ask for anything more realistically. So by the end of this season let's hope his career stat is .920 or more.

Is college hockey scoring down in general from the 2000's? I find it interesting all these guys played in the last 10ish years.

 

[bonin21]

Is college hockey scoring down in general from the 2000's? I find it interesting all these guys played in the last 10ish years.

Goaltending is getting better (and of course the pads grew a lot over time).

So yes I'd reckon scoring is definitely down.

 

[DarrenTheGreek]

Tonight's game has 208 tickets remaining.
Tomorrow's game is a sellout.

I'll be there tonight.....hope the atmosphere is like last weekend. That was really fun.

 

[DarrenTheGreek]

Tonight's game is officially sold out. Let's go Gophers!

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Colin Schmidt back into the lineup again

 

[Gophers1992]

Gophers pick up another 3 points on PSU tonight after their loss to Michigan. Someone smarter than me will have to do the math, but it would be fun to clinch the B1G title in Madison.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Don’t look now but Michigan might be awaken from their slumber.

 

[Gophers1992]

Michigan will be a factor nationally when it's all said and done. They're the only team who I think might be as good as us when they're at their best.

 

[GopherPete]

Michigan will be a factor nationally when it's all said and done. They're the only team who I think might be as good as us when they're at their best.

I don't think they are very good on the back end.

 

[gopherlaney]

Forward depth is going to be the biggest risk to this team, so really it's just frustration about what easily could have been. People love to talk about locker room cancer but you won't hear any of that about them from their new teammates.

How can you be sure? That being said the only guys I have heard about contributing negatively to culture were the Lucius brothers. Regardless I was disappointed to see their decisions to leave the program.

My read on Broz was he was partying too much and needed a change of scenery.

Cruikshank’s performance this year is a surprise as he had very poor stretches last year. I wasn’t disappointed when he announced his transfer.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Career save percentage leaders:

.924​	Robson, Mathew	2018-2019
.922​	Wilcox, Adam	2013-2015
.920​	LaFontaine, Jack	2020-2022
.919​	Close, Justen	2020-
.913​	Patterson, Kent	2009-2012

If Close goes .920 the rest of the way, we can't ask for anything more realistically. So by the end of this season let's hope his career stat is .920 or more.

In great Gopher company on this list.

 

[bonin21]

The most probable Big Ten championship is a rematch of last year at Mariucci. By that time it's very possible it's a 1 vs 2 matchup in the polls, too. Michigan will likely have Frank Nazar back for a few weeks prior to that.

Start gathering your friends, it could be a crazy one if it happens.

 

[gopherlaney]

The most probable Big Ten championship is a rematch of last year at Mariucci. By that time it's very possible it's a 1 vs 2 matchup in the polls, too.

Start gathering your friends, it could be a crazy one if it happens.

Completely agree. Michigan is only 1 game back from Ohio State due to byes. If they sweep Wisconsin they control their own destiny.

 

[Gophers1992]

I want another Gopher-Wolverine matchup because for one it will be extremely entertaining and intense, and I think would serve as a great tuneup for the NCAA's.

 

[Gophers1992]

To @bonin21 or anyone more knowledgeable than me when it comes to PWR, I see we have a healthy lead over #2, and in fact #8 is about as close to #2 as #2 is to #1. Realistically would we have to really poop the bed to lose that #1 spot?

 

[bonin21]

I don't dive too much into the math. There will be a pairwise probability matrix in the coming weeks.

Let's sweep the bottom feeders in two weeks and then we'll check.

 

[bonin21]

Get Mittelstadt back and lose Koster. Frustrating. Just waiting to hear if he's okay, if it's short term, or longer. Even if it's a concussion imagine he can be back this year.

 

[Gophers1992]

Get Mittelstadt back and lose Koster. Frustrating. Just waiting to hear if he's okay, if it's short term, or longer. Even if it's a concussion imagine he can be back this year.

That sucks as he's been steadily very good this year. Glass half full thinking is we can afford to have him rest up but obviously concussions are always tricky.

 

[DinkyTownDawg]

Anyone else wish that they let the #1 seed from each region be the host then have Frozen Four be neutral site. From what I remember last year there was a huge lack of crowd presence in the opening round. I know they couldn't have it at Mariucci but could still host at the X. Worcester seemed like a snooze fest last year.

 

[bonin21]

Anyone else wish that they let the #1 seed from each region be the host then have Frozen Four be neutral site. From what I remember last year there was a huge lack of crowd presence in the opening round. I know they couldn't have it at Mariucci but could still host at the X. Worcester seemed like a snooze fest last year.

Everyone...

First round best of three at host
+
Second round best of three at higher seed
+
Frozen Four

But the small schools are scared and will never let it happen.

Other option

East super regional with eastern 8 (wherever, don't care)
West super regional in St. Paul or Chicago with western 8
Frozen Four

Super regional plays Thurs-Sunday, day off between games

 

[TNGophfan]

Everyone...

First round best of three at host
+
Second round best of three at higher seed
+
Frozen Four

But the small schools are scared and will never let it happen.

Other option

East super regional with eastern 8 (wherever, don't care)
West super regional in St. Paul or Chicago with western 8
Frozen Four

Super regional plays Thurs-Sunday, day off between games

I like that idea but don't see it happening any time soon. Would probably throw Denver in there too as possible Western host city.

 

[bonin21]

I like that idea but don't see it happening any time soon. Would probably throw Denver in there too as possible Western host city.

Why not? You will sell more tickets overall with the super regional idea than the trash we have today.

Maybe the bottom two or four teams are forced to travel to maintain bracket integrity.