Gopher Season Preview
Reasons the Gophers will finish in the WCHA top 3
1. Don Lucia’s Health- The last couple years Don Lucia has had Sarcoidosis. It was well documented during the 2008 season as he missed 2 games because of the sickness. It is not as well known that he continued to receive treatment last season. Sarcoidosis is an illness of the liver that causes fatigue and can even cause moody behavior as well as depression. Don is completely off all medications this year and has said he is feeling great. This is good news for his family as well as Gopher fans the team has not played with the same swagger the last couple seasons. A fully healthy and engaged Lucia should lead the team to comeback with some confidence and edge.
2. Depth- It’s been clear watching this team get pushed around and beat up that some of the talent brought into the program is not what we thought it was when it arrived. There are a couple of players who have lacked energy during the games. Lucia saw this and recruited 3 older walk on players, Seratore, Larson and Parenteau. These guys are simply here to bust their butts in practice and light a fire under some of the underperforming players. Hopefully they can play a couple shifts like their Hair is on fire. I would also love to see one of them take it on their shoulders to show the Fighting Sioux and Matt Fratin why you don’t want to take any more cheap shots in Grand Forks.
3. Anger- as a Gopher fan I am angry watching what has happened the last couple years. The players have to be even more pissed. If I was the Captain I would have initiated project Jailbreak at the end of last season. This project comes in 3 phases:
Phase one- Tattoos…lots of them, I don’t care what they say but every player’s arms must be covered in ink. Grenades, knives, flames, wolves it doesn’t matter but this is an absolute must.
Phase two- Prison weight room- No machines just iron, dirty rusty old weights! No shirts, heat cranked up to 100 degrees and heavy metal music blaring! Squats, Bench presses and dead lifts, that’s it all day everyday for your 4 month sentence.
Phase three- Every player has to wear a North Dakota jersey one practice, during that practice the other players can hit him with no rhyme or reason, shoots pucks at him, slash, hook, kick, whatever you would want to do to an actual member of the Sioux.
We all know this isn’t going to happen but I would hope some of the guys decided to pack on a little mass and get pissed. When we go up to North Dakota this year I want to see us finish our checks, I want to see the swagger, the anger, Irman pulling his jersey, Kessel shushing the crowd, Potulney jumping into the glass. Let’s get after it.
3 Reasons the Gophers will Finish in the bottom 3 of the WCHA
1. Pat White- Ok I get it these are college kids and should be given a break. That applies to everyone but Pat White! Can someone tell him he was a 1st round pick! That he is allowed to try and take the puck from the other team! News flash: You’re a senior now…in a program that can’t keep anyone for 4 years! Unless you want to get an apartment with Ryan Flynn when this is all over Step it up! By me listing him as a reason we will have another bad year in dinky town it shows you that I don’t believe he will be the reason for a positive Gopher turn around.
2. Speed- I have noticed the last couple years the Gopher cannot fore-check anyone. It even seems this has lead Lucia to play a boring non attacking game. Even when it seems we have the will to get in there bang some bodies and attack the other team It may simply come down to the fact that we don’t have the speed to get to the puck in time. It should help that we don’t have Ryan Flynn tripping on his skate laces any longer.
3. Attitude- This team has had a very week mentality the last couple years. You could see them give up if they were down, settle for a tie, be ok with getting run out of buildings. Unless this team can develop some toughness and some fight it could be another long year in the WCHA. It may take a statement in an early game to turn around the mentality for good. A huge hit, big comeback, pounding a better team.
3 Random observations about the WCHA
1. Dave Hakstol is a manbird…seriously has any one watched that guy? He looks like a bird, moves like a bird, talks like a bird, but has a man’s body. He is a new breed, a man Bird.
2. BCTC and UMD will open new arena this season. UMD will be known as the house that Hull built. Bemidji Community and Technical College will be known as the house that….Ahhhh who the hell ever played for BCTC?!
3. Nebraska-Omaha has a hockey team?! Nebraska-Omaha has a hockey team that plays in the WCHA? Mens Hockey? Really?! Who would have thunk it! Michigan tech may have something to say about it before UNO pencils itself in as last in the league.
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