NCAA stuff

Don Lucia stepping down for the Gofers

 

Should have stepped down last year. What a miserable season he endured, probably 8 yrs on his life.

 

This makes it slightly more likely that Casey Mittlestadt leaves the Gophers for the Sabres org. He's not ready for the NHL (IMO), not due to skill but physical and mental maturity. I could see them bringing him to Buffalo for the remainder of this season, and also have him get some AHL playoff experience in Rochester. My personal preference - and Jason Botterill's style dictates - that he take more time developing.

My hunch is that Casey decides to stay at U MN for another year, but he sure can dazzle at any level.

 

Are we picking brackets this year? I have a title to defend! haha

 

Cat, it’s in there. Separate thread.
1st Anal Frozen Fuck Fest Tourney... or something like that.

 

Good point that the coaching change will affect Mittlestadt’s season next year. Any idea how he and Lucia got along? I would personally want him to go back to UM another year or even two before going pro. As you mentioned his body could use some more development and you could possibly use those ELC years more to your advantage later on. I think a long slow play on his development will really help him in the long run. You wait a couple years and he might not even need AHL seasoning.

wonder if Guentzal’s Dad gets actual consideration for the Minnesota job. Gonna be tough I’d think with the number and quality of candidates and hiring an assistant from teams that didn’t meet expectations very often.

 

I really like Mittlestadt, but I agree a couple of pull-ups before the nhl is probably prudent.

 

Ryan Lindgren signs with NYR, Mittelstadt declined comment.

http://www.startribune.com/with-rya...urns-to-casey-mittelstadt-s-status/477580903/

 

A lot of players grow up rooting for an NHL team. Casey grew up a huge Univ. of Minnesota Gophers fan and his lifelong ambition was to play for them. My hunch is that he's staying for another season.

I think Jason Botterill will like that decision. But - well if - he signs with Buffalo I'll be happy because he is one of the more charismatic players to come along in a while.

 

I grew up hating and loving my team, still said

 

Casey Mittlestadt signed his ELC and will report to Buffalo. There are rather arcane rules regarding the first year of the ELC and how that's treated. The fact that he has a late birthday (Nov.) also limits the Sabres options. The bottom line is Casey is a Sabre and not an Amerk (he'd have to have signed an ATO contract to be AHL playoff eligible). He will burn one year off his ELC (o.k. with me for someone with his talent). However, he probably will not have to be protected in the presumptive expansion draft for Seattle in a couple of years.

Both Will Borgen and Judd Peterson signed ATO's after their St. Cloud State season ended abruptly. They'll bot go to Rochester and skate in the Calder Cup playoffs.

Jason Botterill made good on his stated objective to start things by bringing a winning environment to the org.; farm teams first. The Amerks are poised for a potential run at the Calder, especially when a bunch of young guys coming back down the day the season ends.

 

Adam Gaudette signs with Vancouver.
Jordan Greenway with Minnesota.

 

St. Cloud head coach Bob Motzko was just named head coach at the University of Minnesota.

 

I'm not sure of what really happened there, but it seems like the Gophers were overdue for a change. They got a good one from about 52 miles up the road.

The funny thing is that during the conference tourney finals the Univ. of Minn. had their eye on six games. If any one of those six went their way then they were in the NCAA tournament. All six went against them and they were out, and their coach was told to quit. Their star frosh, Casey Mittlestadt, decided it was time to try his hand at professional hockey. (In the span of about 24 hours, their odds for making the NCAA tourney went from over 98% to 0%.) Who knows how different things may have been if one of those games had finished differently.

 

BC was in a similar boat to UofM. They were in a spot to make it as long as every game didn’t go against them. Thankfully the BC coach wasn’t given the same ultimatum as the Minnesota one.

 

Not surprisingly, Adam Gaudette (VAN) of Northeastern won the Hobey Baker.

Henrik Borgstrom (FLA), U. Denver, and Ryan Donato (BOS), some shithole, were finalists. This is the first time that I can remember when all three finalists were all skating in the NHL when the trophy was handed out.

 

Thumbs up for some shit hole lol

 

Congrats Minnesota Duluth on the National Title. It was a great game.

 

BU job will be a big job, doesnt come up often anyway.
Id think Joe Sacco and Jay Pandolfo would be favorites. Maybe Steve Greeley?

 

Sacco will get the job. Cant believe you PuckHeads actually have a college hockey thread. How is it bigger than Basketball here? We definitely need some black dudes before we get acused of being sagatarious.