2023-24 Gopher Hockey Season

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upnorthkid said:
They will always have a favorable draw given they play an autobid in the first round and will draw a lower 2 seed. Hoping we can get up to the 6 and draw BU as I like that matchup much better for the Gophers but the Gophs can beat anyone this year and are going to have to put a full weekend of great hockey together to get to St Paul. Going to be the case regardless of how the bracket breaks
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100 percent correct. I don't recall a year where there were so many really good teams in college hockey. I'd say 1-8 are all serious contenders. And 9-12 are at least capable of winning it all as well.
 

Crosby said:
100 percent correct. I don't recall a year where there were so many really good teams in college hockey. I'd say 1-8 are all serious contenders. And 9-12 are at least capable of winning it all as well.
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Last year the there were 7 going into the tournament that looked like they could win. Of those 7, DU and Harvard completely choked in the first round.
 

bonin21 said:
It's no point to look at bracketology until the last week.

UND will likely be a 1 or 2 overall. If the Gophers are any of 7 through 10 they will do everything they can to put them in Sioux Falls.

If the Gophers are 6 (unlikely), they would have a hard time putting 6 overall in the same region as 2 overall and definitely not in 1 overall's region.
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Minnesota was 1 & St Cloud was 6 last year. I realize Penn State (8) was a host, but they definitely could have swapped SCSU with (7) Harvard if they had wanted to....
 

True... That reminds me how pissed about that I was on selection Sunday
 

Gophers are now 9th in the PW and uw drops to 7th leaving MSU as the only Big Ten hope for a one seed.
 


bonin21 said:
Gophers are now 9th in the PW and uw drops to 7th leaving MSU as the only Big Ten hope for a one seed.
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wisconsin is now 6th and still has a ~18% chance at a 1 seed, MSU over 50% chance and even the Gophs with about a 5% chance.

Luckily the Gophs have a pretty large RPI span between them and WMU (over 0.01) which means they'd really have to shit the bed or have absolute insanity happen to miss out at this point.
 


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MICHIGAN | FRIDAY, MAR. 1 | BUY NOW
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Can't help but feel BC is the best team of the 2020s. Ugh. They haven't lost a game by two goals other than ENGs. And looking like the Gophers will have to go through them at the region closest to their school. Well, at least there's a little less stress as the underdog and the two other teams in the same tier (UND in Covid year and UMN last year) didn't win it all. I don't think UND was probably as good as the other two, but they were definitely favorite going into the canceled tournament.
 
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bonin21 said:
Can't help but feel BC is the best team of the 2020s. Ugh. They haven't lost a game by two goals other than ENGs. And looking like the Gophers will have to go through them at the region closest to their school. Well, at least there's a little less stress as the underdog and the two other teams in the same tier (UND in Covid year and UMN last year) didn't win it all. I don't think UND was probably as good as the other two, but they were definitely favorite going into the canceled tournament.
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They’re within 0.003 of Quinny for the likely BU regional and a sweep this weekend would likely and they could easily catch Mich st (or Wisconsin if Mich st sweeps them) and/or Denver pending the results they have this weekend. Odds are actually pretty decent they will not have to play in BCs regional as were about 37% likely to end on the 8/9 seed line that would entail.
 

upnorthkid said:
They’re within 0.003 of Quinny for the likely BU regional and a sweep this weekend would likely and they could easily catch Mich st (or Wisconsin if Mich st sweeps them) and/or Denver pending the results they have this weekend. Odds are actually pretty decent they will not have to play in BCs regional as were about 37% likely to end on the 8/9 seed line that would entail.
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Stated another way: 8 and 9 seeds are the most likely seeds for the Gophers, but yes overall they are just 37%.

I just can't see this team sweeping a Michigan that needs wins but let's see.
 

bonin21 said:
Stated another way: 8 and 9 seeds are the most likely seeds for the Gophers, but yes overall they are just 37%.

I just can't see this team sweeping a Michigan that needs wins but let's see.
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I don’t see them sweeping either (it’s tough to do in the B10 this year to anyone), but I don’t see Quinny holding their spot either. Either they run the table and will move up or lose a single game and they’ll drop (and I’d favor the latter). Same as someone from the B10 is going to rocket up due to the postseason play. Happily we’re just talking seeding at this point but then again, who knows how “chalk” the selection committee will make anything anyway when the bracket comes out in terms of seeds against each other outside of pairing the AQs appropriately
 

Wisconsin with the new coach is a big story. Minnesota is atop Michigan.

 



upnorthkid said:
They’re within 0.003 of Quinny for the likely BU regional and a sweep this weekend would likely and they could easily catch Mich st (or Wisconsin if Mich st sweeps them) and/or Denver pending the results they have this weekend. Odds are actually pretty decent they will not have to play in BCs regional as were about 37% likely to end on the 8/9 seed line that would entail.
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So if I am interpreting the odds correctly, the Gophers have a 63% chance to not finish 8 or 9. Right?

I am thinking we'll play really well this weekend. I'll call it a sweep. And we'll be headed to play in BUs bracket out east or to play in the ND bracket in Sioux Falls.

Lots of hockey to be played though... Beat Michigan.
 

Crosby said:
So if I am interpreting the odds correctly, the Gophers have a 63% chance to not finish 8 or 9. Right?

I am thinking we'll play really well this weekend. I'll call it a sweep. And we'll be headed to play in BUs bracket out east or to play in the ND bracket in Sioux Falls.

Lots of hockey to be played though... Beat Michigan.
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That’s correct, which could mean in either direction. Probably need to win one game left to be a lock for the postseason, but a run to the conference tourney title means an outside shot at a one or at least the highest 2
 

I was talking to an NHL guy who is all about the NHL and nothing about college, and even he was saying how Motzko is so well respected in the hockey community and turned around Minnesota. A great coach like Bob Motzko makes a huge difference.
 

SHGopher said:
I was talking to an NHL guy who is all about the NHL and nothing about college, and even he was saying how Motzko is so well respected in the hockey community and turned around Minnesota. A great coach like Bob Motzko makes a huge difference.
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People love to nitpick and rip on Motzko but the reality is he took a program that was going nowhere and losing fan interest and turned them back into an elite program in pretty short time. Not to mention he's arguably the biggest reason SCSU is even on the map in the college hockey world.
 

The program was allowed to fall to a place it should never have been. There are probably 10-15 coaches at least that could take a program with the advantages the Gophers have and get them to a solid spot.

Now we really see what he's made of after having the best roster he'll likely ever have last year and losing Eiserman for next year.

This is the U. Success is ultimately decided by those gold banners and not the maroon ones. He needs one in the next five seasons, max. My leash is obviously shorter.
 

bonin21 said:
The program was allowed to fall to a place it should never have been. There are probably 10-15 coaches at least that could take a program with the advantages the Gophers have and get them to a solid spot.

Now we really see what he's made of after having the best roster he'll likely ever have last year and losing Eiserman for next year.

This is the U. Success is ultimately decided by those gold banners and not the maroon ones. He needs one in the next five seasons, max. My leash is obviously shorter.
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All true statements, but none of that disputes the fact that we have a damn good coach, and people who know hockey realize that. Our fan base has no shortage of lunatics who will call for his head after every loss, but the guy can coach.
 

Gophers1992 said:
All true statements, but none of that disputes the fact that we have a damn good coach, and people who know hockey realize that. Our fan base has no shortage of lunatics who will call for his head after every loss, but the guy can coach.
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Absolutely. And you sure don't have to look very far...
 

I felt a let down the way the last season ended but past that now. There is nothing else to complain about.

Related, pretty amazing how Faber went straight into the NHL.
 



Current team rankings:

G/GP: 10th
GA/GP: 15th
SH/G: 9th
SHA/G: T37th - Ouch
PIM/G: 1st - Woo
PP%: 14th
PK%: 40th - Ouch
SHG: T55th
SHGA: T31st
SH%: 17th
SV%: 9th
FO%: T36th
Top scorer: T47th in the country
 

bonin21 said:
Current team rankings:

G/GP: 10th
GA/GP: 15th
SH/G: 9th
SHA/G: T37th - Ouch
PIM/G: 1st - Woo
PP%: 14th
PK%: 40th - Ouch
SHG: T55th
SHGA: T31st
SH%: 17th
SV%: 9th
FO%: T36th
Top scorer: T47th in the country
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eh who cares. 3rd in the b10 (bet you'd definitely have guessed PSU is #1). Numbers get inflated based on what teams do. The entire conference as a whole (outside ND) plays a much more wide open style. There are 5 big ten teams in the top 10 in shot attempts per Corsi and ND is 12 and OSU is 19.

The PK% worries me. You can get killed in the postseason from ST. Luckily we don't take many penalties, but it (ST both directions) could be something that knocks this team out.
 

bonin21 said:
By the end of the next two series it's time to start rolling 5 D more and more as that will be necessary against good teams when games are tight.

Also time for Close to step up and get his save percentage to at least .920 going into the postseason.
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Despite a shaky couple weeks, Close did exactly the above the got to .920 on the dot. If he has a good postseason he will be the all time leader in save percentage for the Gophers. Robson = .924 and he is at .923.
 

bonin21 said:
Despite a shaky couple weeks, Close did exactly the above the got to .920 on the dot. If he has a good postseason he will be the all time leader in save percentage for the Gophers. Robson = .924 and he is at .923.
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I agree with your point on rolling 5D in the postseason. Fish was brutal, even by his own standards, on Saturday night.
 

bonin21 said:
The program was allowed to fall to a place it should never have been. There are probably 10-15 coaches at least that could take a program with the advantages the Gophers have and get them to a solid spot.

Now we really see what he's made of after having the best roster he'll likely ever have last year and losing Eiserman for next year.

This is the U. Success is ultimately decided by those gold banners and not the maroon ones. He needs one in the next five seasons, max. My leash is obviously shorter.
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I wish there wasn't this narrative of Lucia driving the program down. Why people don't like him, I'll never understand.
2012: WCHA Champs and Frozen Four ... lost to eventual national champs
2013: WCHA Champs and #1 seed ... lost to eventual national champs on a bad bounce in the first round
2014: Big Ten Champs and National Runner-Up
2015: Big Ten Regular Season and Tournament Champs ... First Round loss but they were doomed by about a 5-minute stretch where Duluth scored 3 straight goals
2016: Big Ten Champs ... Conference was down and a one-bid league this year ... lost Big Ten Championship to Michigan by a goal (plus an empty netter)
2017: Big Ten champs and #1 seed ... drop a 1-goal game to eventual Frozen Four team in Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament
2018: Miss the NCAA Tournament, but not cause it was a bad year. They finished higher in the pairwise than 4 auto-bids that made the tourney. Also, the Pairwise was so close that year, their 13th place finish was closer to the tea ranked 8th, than it was to the team right behind them in 14th.

Lucia ended his career on a seven year run with six conference titles, five NCAA tournament berths, 2 frozen fours and a berth in the Championship game. If that's a place the program "never should have been" I'd hate to see the opposite.
 

CheapSkate said:
I wish there wasn't this narrative of Lucia driving the program down. Why people don't like him, I'll never understand.
2012: WCHA Champs and Frozen Four ... lost to eventual national champs
2013: WCHA Champs and #1 seed ... lost to eventual national champs on a bad bounce in the first round
2014: Big Ten Champs and National Runner-Up
2015: Big Ten Regular Season and Tournament Champs ... First Round loss but they were doomed by about a 5-minute stretch where Duluth scored 3 straight goals
2016: Big Ten Champs ... Conference was down and a one-bid league this year ... lost Big Ten Championship to Michigan by a goal (plus an empty netter)
2017: Big Ten champs and #1 seed ... drop a 1-goal game to eventual Frozen Four team in Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament
2018: Miss the NCAA Tournament, but not cause it was a bad year. They finished higher in the pairwise than 4 auto-bids that made the tourney. Also, the Pairwise was so close that year, their 13th place finish was closer to the tea ranked 8th, than it was to the team right behind them in 14th.

Lucia ended his career on a seven year run with six conference titles, five NCAA tournament berths, 2 frozen fours and a berth in the Championship game. If that's a place the program "never should have been" I'd hate to see the opposite.
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Come on... Were you watching during those years? It was clear he didn't have the fire and it reflected in the team's not caring play so much of the time. Recruiting on the D end also got to a bad place at the end.

2008-09 - 2010-11: The teams sucked
2011-12: Great, overachieving year
2012-13: Disappointed based on expectations
2013-14: Great, overachieving year
2014-15: Disappointed based on expectations
Every year after that they were not great

All those Big Ten championships at the start of the conference? The conference was brutal during those years. Then Notre Dame joined and immediately jumped near the top, which says a lot.
 

bonin21 said:
Come on... Were you watching during those years? It was clear he didn't have the fire and it reflected in the team's not caring play so much of the time. Recruiting on the D end also got to a bad place at the end.

2008-09 - 2010-11: The teams sucked
2011-12: Great, overachieving year
2012-13: Disappointed based on expectations
2013-14: Great, overachieving year
2014-15: Disappointed based on expectations
Every year after that they were not great

All those Big Ten championships at the start of the conference? The conference was brutal during those years. Then Notre Dame joined and immediately jumped near the top, which says a lot.
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This is what I don't get. What are the expectations. National Championship every year? Tell me who has done that. He is one of two men ever, to lead Minnesota to a title. One of two, but he's always put down.

2008-09 - 2010-11: down years as he's fighting an illness. Maybe some know how bad it was, but I don't. I think we can extend a little grace here. Plus he led the team back out of those days. He was allowed to work though the rough years and led the team back to national prominence. he doesn't get nearly enough credit for that.

2012-13: They lost in OT to the National Champion. Yale beat UND on the next round by multiple goals and I think won the title by shutout. I suppose it would be better if they lost in the championship, but you play teams when you play them, and they gave them arguably their best game.

2014-15 (and beyond): Back to that expectation thing. If being the best team in your conference and among the best in the country doesn't qualify as success, then what does? What else do we hold to that standard?

The guy was one of the best in the country at his job for over 15 years, and led Gopher hockey to more wins than anyone else, 5 frozen fours while while played in a far more expanded tournament than his predecessors, and recruited players when they had more options than ever. He had to fight against more opponents in College hockey and against NHL $$ in the kids' sights.

I'm sorry I don't mean to be the Don Lucia apologist, but it's always bothered me the bad rap he seems to have to carry around. It's seems fans want to wash away all the good, and nitpick the little bit of bad. I've never understood it.
 

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