According to Gopher hockey fan
Hammy's twitter rumor has it another Gopher hockey player is going to leave early.
Don't be surprised if you hear about a player departure soon. Not good news.
Over on Sioux Sports a few have posted they think it's Nick Leddy who was traded by the Wild to Chicago in the Kim "Yawnson" Johnsson trade. This is one problem with recruiting players that are number one draft choices, teams love to get them into their system as soon as possible. I getting a little tired of watching these college players leave after one season. No offense to Leddy but he didn't exactly light the WCHA up last year in thirty games he had (
3g-8a-11pts)and was hardly what I would call a dominating player.
Among those that participated, Bowman specifically singled out several for their play -- including 19-year old center Brandon Pirri and 19-year old offensive college defenseman Nick Leddy -- both taken early in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Pirri was the Hawks' second pick of the draft (No. 59), while Leddy was taken with the 16th pick by Minnesota and then traded to the Hawks during the past season along with veteran Kim Johnsson.
Leddy, who said he had to discuss with his parents whether he should return to the University of Minnesota for his sophomore season, was the first player Bowman mentioned on Monday.
"Nick Leddy was excellent," he said. "This is the first time we've seen him here in Chicago. (We) saw him perform during the (college) season, but boy he's really smooth out there. I think he's going to be with the Blackhawks for many years. It's exciting to see that [www.NHL.com]
Honestly, I hope he stays in Minnesota. Let him improve a bit more (hopefully).
ReplyDeleteOn second thought... Hill works with the defenseman. So I'd sign him and assign him to a major junior team.
Just like Aaron Ness, another VERY overrated kid who everyone said would take the WCHA by storm, instead was just another average player on a team not living up to their potential.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to be a NHL blue liner, minnesota is not the place. Wisconsin, North Dakota, Denver, all much better stops to actually improve as a player, not stagnate.
Gandalf, if you think he's an overrated player like Ness, you obviously haven't seen him play, and/or don't know what the defensive position is about. The young man is the real deal with a bright future in front of him as long as he stay's healthy...he'll be a top pairing dman, and power guy for many years in the NHL. The 2nd half of last season, he was one of the best if not the best defenseman in college hockey, which isn't too bad considering he was a true freshman. He's about as close to a sure thing (again, if he stays healthy) as you get due to his intelligence with the puck and unlike most defenders he's great on both ends of the ice. After his injury (missed 1/4th of the season) He played so well the last half of the year, he made David Fisher look good (that's a hell of a feat in itself). I hope the gophers don't lose him, but if they do, you can put a fork in Lucia. With Hill as defensive coach, I'd jump ship. I'll definately take Stan Bowman's opinion about Leddy over Gandalf. Good luck to Nick whatever he decides...he has a bright future!
ReplyDeleteMplsPuckguy,
ReplyDeleteWhile I think Leddy is a good defender, was hardly one of the best if not the best defenseman in college hockey, that is a pretty bold statemenet based on some of the defensive players in the WCHA alone.
You're right John Hill is a moron as well, I think he is ruining the Minnesota Gophers defensively.
I'm not sure you can call ANY freshman overrated. He's played one year at the NCAA level. I'm ok with looking back on a 2-4 year NCAA career after it is over and then making an opinion on it, but that's about it. Oh, and to be clear, the year range specifies when the NCAA career ended. So, if the player bolts after 2 years, you can judge then.
ReplyDeleteGoon - You're wrong. I'm pretty sure that Hill is pretty much THE reason (coaching wise) that Minnesota has faltered. When Hill came to UMN, there was still previous structure in place (whether it was from the guy Hill replaced or from Lucia I don't know) but as Lucia has thrown Hill countless top tier talent, it's become quite clear that Hill can't cut it. Maybe D isn't Hill's thing. Maybe offense is.
In any case, Fischer was merely one player whose career was ruined by Hill (at least partially). He won't be the last. To be honest, the next Gopher whose career with Minnesota will mar him because of Hill will be Don Lucia, who will surely lose his job because of Hill's incredible ineptitude. And if Hill replaces Lucia... whooo... how the mighty will fall.
Redwing,
ReplyDeleteI am not sure how I am wrong when I agree with you on Hill the Buffoon?
So maybe very overrated was a little too much (probably not for Ness though), but saying that he was the best dman during the 2nd half of last season is equally fool hardy and laughable.
ReplyDeleteTrue, I didn't watch many gopher games during the second half last season, because a) I hate them and b) I don't have time to watch a bottom half team limp home and squander a talent laden roster for a 2nd season in a row.
I think John Hill is doing great things for the gophers. Making them worse makes the rest of the WCHA happy, and maybe part of the problem is that some of these MN kids aren't as good as they are billed to begin w/, and Lucia is letting the best of them (McDonagh and Gardiner as two examples) slip through his fingers.
Goon- How you're wrong is semantics. You said "ruining the gophers defensively." You're wrong.
ReplyDeleteHe's ruining the Gophers in EVERY category, even the ones he's not responsible for.
I mean... take away the defensive woes the last few years and would anyone be really talking about firing Lucia?
No because the Gophers would undoubtedly have finished higher than they had.
Would they be losing recruits to the pros early or being criticized by NHL GMs and scouts as much as they have? Well, take away the Okposo thing (as it would be the exception to this rule) and the answer is no.
It is amazing to no end how people blame the coaches for the failures of players in today's sports and refuse to hold them accountable. It's equally amazing to see the problem being coaching related and having people take it out on the WRONG coach!
Admirable to the point of foolishness is what Lucia is doing. Defending Hill to the last at the cost of his job at Minnesota. Trust me, this is a make or break year for Lucia. And Hill will undermine him in the end.
Will Maturi then follow it up by naming Hill the replacement for Lucia? If so, wow.... look out basement here the Gophers come!
So, Goon, you're not entirely wrong... just not completely right. :)