Gopher Hockey Recruiting

[LesBolstad]

So... we are going with "Bob's an idiot" or "our staff doesn't care" or something like that. Seems way too simple.

Kraft and family told Gopher staff early on he was following his brother and going to MSU, so it makes sense they didn't recruit him

The Kraft family was a bit upset Luke Mason was recruited "lightly" by the U- maybe some payback for that?

 

[upnorthkid]

Would take those two over Nevers and Katz 10 times out of 10.

could see the argument over Nevers, but I'll take Katz scoring and production as the USHL level over Kraft. Maybe Zimmerman gets there but he's also a guy that matured super early so I'll be curious to see if he plateaus out.

it also depends what role some of these kids are comfortable playing. Nevers I'd assume is very aware he's coming to play 4th line/healthy scratch as a legacy. the Kraft stuff has already been discussed by other poster and makes sense. Zimmerman is a little interesting as he's definitely going to need Jr hockey after this year (Moorhead should steamroll this year, which isn't going to be as good for dev as would playing Jrs for the older guys) before making the jump unless he wants to go straight to college. Could have played a role in the decision making process.

 

[bonin21]

The star Cullen is looking like a potential Mittelstadt level recruit. Zero guarantees the family deal is enough for a player like that. Going to have to actually recruit.

 

[upnorthkid]

The star Cullen is looking like a potential Mittelstadt level recruit. Zero guarantees the family deal is enough for a player like that. Going to have to actually recruit.

very impressed watching him. does a lot of things few do even as upperclassmen players with his spacing and movement off the puck. Can see why many are saying he's a first round pick talent and looking like the best kid in his class in the US (if not moreso). Agree that we need to recruit him just as hard. Cullen has said his kids are all making their own decisions and even if we're the leaders based on having his brothers, can't be lazy in assuming you're landing him too as everyone will be after him.
Nice part is that NIL/money shouldn't really be a swaying factor given the family, but you still can't take that for granted.

 

[upnorthkid]

Per Wheeler on the Prospects Challenge

They’ve also been waiting for a player to really step up and become The Guy for them offensively, and Wyatt Cullen has looked like that player through his first seven games of the year with the U18s since returning from injury. He left Game 2 with an injury with five minutes left in the second period, but before that, he looked like their best NHL prospect for 2026 through almost five periods. Victor Plante and Michael Berchild were both noticeable on the puck, with Plante scoring the overtime winner to decide the series, but they’re undersized wingers. Cullen, a Minnesota commit, is one of the youngest players in the draft. He has had a huge growth spurt since arriving at the program and was very noticeable on the puck, cutting laterally and finding inside ice. He looks like a second-rounder for me, and scouts will be watching him closely in the second half, presuming he can stay healthy.

 

[Crosby]

I watched Moorhead vs Warroad last night online. That's the first time I have seen Joey Cullen play (other than highlights). Hands are unreal. The Spuds have a lot of talent, but Joey is the most skilled one and he's a youngster. While I think it's likely that he is a Gopher, I won't rest easy until he signs.

 

[bonin21]

Frankly with each passing performance I'm less confident

 

[upnorthkid]

Frankly with each passing performance I'm less confident

Every team is going to be after him and that’s been the case. Was one of the first things that came up on msu boards when Brooks decommitted

Matt made over 35mil. It’s going to be about development and situation more than anything (much less about NIL and hockey “brands” are still not a thing for college players) and clearly we still develop a ton of NHL talent, including superstar level talent. Clearly they trust Bob enough to send 2 kids there who have both already signed their NLIs

Wyatt has improved a ton (I’ll be curious to see how high he rises in the draft but is optimistic Wheeler is discussing him as a 2nd rounder as he wasn’t viewed that way last year) and clearly is a big pull recruiting himself, but I can’t imagine staff isn’t going to show how they can showcase him even as a freshman (similar to what Mooney is doing this year running the PP, which is the exact same Cullen runs the PP for Moorhead)

 

[bonin21]

For a guy like that it's also about winning a title in your one year in college hockey and the Gophers likely won't be the best option for that

 

[upnorthkid]

For a guy like that it's also about winning a title in your one year in college hockey and the Gophers likely won't be the best option for that

For a guy like that, he thinks he can carry a team to a title and MN will be a team full of draft picks like they always are.

 

[bonin21]

For a guy like that, he thinks he can carry a team to a title and MN will be a team full of draft picks like they always are.

Will they be? They are way down on draft picks compared to usual especially with CHL available and you've ALREADY got undrafted guys lined up in Katz, Nevers, Cullen, Grimes... Especially high end. And it shows.