Zulgad: Experienced Motzko will be expected to get Gophers hockey back on track

[BleedGopher]

per Judd:

Coyle’s decision to go with Motzko sends a clear message about his expectations for Gophers hockey.

The Gophers AD decided to go with youth when he hired then 36-year-old P.J. Fleck as his football coach in January 2017. That made Fleck the youngest head football coach among NCAA Division I programs. This was after Coyle had inherited Richard Pitino, who is still only 35 years old, as his men’s basketball coach.

Perhaps Coyle sees those programs – especially football – as being in a rebuilding phase that requires an energetic, young coach like Fleck. Considering where Gophers football is at right now, it’s pretty clear there will be plenty of patience and coming off a very disappointing season Pitino still has time to turn around things.

Motzko likely will have no such luxury.

The Gophers have what long has been considered to be one of the premier hockey programs in the country. Only that hasn’t felt like the case of late.

Starting Thursday, the pressure will be on Motzko to make sure that changes.

http://www.1500espn.com/gophers-2/2...expected-get-gophers-hockey-back-track-hurry/

Go Gophers!!

 

[#2Gopher]

I would agree that with our program, we're not interested in up and down years as pointed out by a few. I'm trusting that at the U, the standards are different especially when it comes to hockey as we are the State of Hockey. We want more consistency as to being competitive every week. Motzko will have no such luxury as pointed out. The clock starts ticking on Thursday for improvements.

 

[Taji34]

I would agree that with our program, we're not interested in up and down years as pointed out by a few. I'm trusting that at the U, the standards are different especially when it comes to hockey as we are the State of Hockey. We want more consistency as to being competitive every week. Motzko will have no such luxury as pointed out. The clock starts ticking on Thursday for improvements.

Agreed. If he can consistently get the team playing at their best every game (something that eluded Lucia in the last years of his time here), and continue getting the top recruits to come here, he'll be golden.

EDIT: IMO it basically we have some of the best talent in DI hockey, but they don't always coalesce as a team well. That's the biggest problem he has facing him, and hopefully he has the solution.