John Mariucci believed in Minnesota's hockey players. He started what has become a decades long tradition of the Gopher hockey teams roster being almost exclusively filled with Minnesota hockey players. I think many Minnesota hockey fans take a lot of pride in this tradition. I believe it's time for this tradition to end!
I don't say this because I believe the Minnesota hockey player isn't good enough anymore. Quite to the contrary, Minnesota still produces many great hockey players. However, hockey has changed since John Mariucci's days. There are more D1 college hockey teams now. More teams competing for Minnesota's top talent with scholarships. States that never use to produce top hockey talent now do. Missouri recently produced 5 first round NHL draft picks in a year where Minnesota only produced 1. Last years number 1 pick in the NHL was Arizona born and bred. Europe now produces tons of hockey talent.
Bottom line, I think it's time for the Gophers to go after more non-Minnesota hockey players. No other college hockey team's roster is filled primarily with players from their home state. Not Michigan, not BU,not Boston college. All other D1 college hockey teams go after the best talent they can find, regardless of where they hail from. Times have changed, the Gophers need to change.
I don't say this because I believe the Minnesota hockey player isn't good enough anymore. Quite to the contrary, Minnesota still produces many great hockey players. However, hockey has changed since John Mariucci's days. There are more D1 college hockey teams now. More teams competing for Minnesota's top talent with scholarships. States that never use to produce top hockey talent now do. Missouri recently produced 5 first round NHL draft picks in a year where Minnesota only produced 1. Last years number 1 pick in the NHL was Arizona born and bred. Europe now produces tons of hockey talent.
Bottom line, I think it's time for the Gophers to go after more non-Minnesota hockey players. No other college hockey team's roster is filled primarily with players from their home state. Not Michigan, not BU,not Boston college. All other D1 college hockey teams go after the best talent they can find, regardless of where they hail from. Times have changed, the Gophers need to change.