Fire Lucia

[scsavre]

I know we have talked about this before, but hey what else do I have to do.

I want him gone, what has he done in the last few years. How much longer do we put up with this? They said they are keeping him another season. At what point is he gone then? Remember this is the UofM, this is a business, a very profitable one at that.

He just put up 3 horrendous seasons in a row. Woog was fired after 2.

Season W L T Coach RS LT NCAAs

Minnesota Golden Gophers • Division I • Conference: WCHA

2009-10 18 19 2 Lucia, Don

2008-09 17 13 7 Lucia, Don

2007-08 19 17 9 Lucia, Don

2006-07 31 10 3 Lucia, Don

2005-06 27 9 5 Lucia, Don

2004-05 28 15 1 Lucia, Don

2003-04 27 14 3 Lucia, Don

2002-03 28 8 9 Lucia, Don

2001-02 32 8 4 Lucia, Don

2000-01 27 13 2 Lucia, Don

1999-00 20 19 2 Lucia, Don

1998-99 15 19 9 Woog, Doug

1997-98 17 22 0 Woog, Doug

1996-97 28 13 1 Woog, Doug

1995-96 30 10 2 Woog, Doug

1994-95 25 14 5 Woog, Doug

1993-94 25 13 4 Woog, Doug

1992-93 22 12 8 Woog, Doug

1991-92 33 11 0 Woog, Doug

1990-91 30 10 5 Woog, Doug

1989-90 28 16 2 Woog, Doug

1988-89 34 11 3 Woog, Doug

1987-88 34 10 0 Woog, Doug

1986-87 34 14 1 Woog, Doug

1985-86 35 13 0 Woog, Doug

I would also add that i didnt see him do much to develope our young players.

Birkholtz who has a ton of talent didnt seem to get any better. Budish was lucky to be on a decent line, but i really didnt see alot out of him. Helgeson and Leddy got positioned better, but came up short.

Then look at Fairchild and Ness, ahh they both got worse. All our sophmores but Hansen and Larsen got worse. Hoefell and Schroeder were total busts.

\Our power play was terrible, Our positioning was terrible, our passes were similar to a JV team.

Can someone find me something good about this team.

NHL teams are going to advise their players to not come here, or stay.

Link

[OnAFly]

I can't say I disagree. We've been horrible three years straight. It's been downright embarrassing. I've seen no heart in this team lately and apparently he's just not getting through to the players. It's time to move in a different direction...upwards.

[zepman]

What's Guentzel doing these days???

[setterguy]

Two words

Dean Blais.

[tjbassmaster]

hahahaha Angry Gopher Fans hahaha

[cbrooks]

I'm convince that Dean Blais will be the next head coach of the Gophers. I think he wants to coach the Gophers and Minnesota would be nuts not to take him. I wonder if Dean is lock in with Omaha-Nebraska, thats why Don wasn't fired, maybe.

Who doesn't think or want Dean Blais(besides UND fans)to be the next Gopher head coach?

[SneakAttack]

Don Lucia at the UofM is the same as Gino Gasparini at UND

Gino had three National Champs and had three final years of not very good, Don had two National Champs and should have been a third(Holy Cross) but had three bad years

If Gino could be let go, then the Don can be to, Dean Blais was the answer at UND and is at the UofM, and bring back Geuntzel to please

[Quackaddict9]

What's Guentzel doing these days???

Assistant Coach at Colorado College, his kid plays on the team as well.

[PierBridge]

We know he's not going to be fired this year for certain that's just plain crazy. Who would fire him Maturi? Yeah right uh huh!

So really your only hope is if T-Don decides to step down on his own free will. And that isn't very likely to happen. So you are stuck with him for at-least one more year and probably beyond!

[SneakAttack]

Originally Posted By: zepman

What's Guentzel doing these days???

Assistant Coach at Colorado College, his kid plays on the team as well.

Head Coach at Des Moines Bucs of the USHL, was at CC in 08-09'

[Bear55]

We know he's not going to be fired this year for certain that's just plain crazy. Who would fire him Maturi? Yeah right uh huh!

So really your only hope is if T-Don decides to step down on his own free will. And that isn't very likely to happen. So you are stuck with him for at-least one more year and probably beyond!

Pier is right, Lucia will likely be here next year. I really feel this is the make or break year for him, at least I hope so.

There will be immense pressure on Lucia to make the Frozen 4 in St. Paul this year, if he or the team is not up for the challenge I think we see a new coach.

Now the real question, is it even possibly for this group to turn their games around and become a title contender? I honestly don't know. Schroeder is as good as gone which is fine because the only time we say him put in an effort was at the world jrs. I also fear we might lose another player or two, I have no inside info on this but it always seems like there is a surprise or two in the off season. There is talent on this team, and a very good recruiting class coming in so I think there is a glimmer of hope. The big questions right now is will our D figure out how to play solid D and who is going to score goals, a lot of players are going to have to step up and step up big time.

[solbes]

I agree with most of what you are saying Bear, but I think hoping for an appearance in the F4 might be too much to hope for. It would be one thing to shoot for that if you were a top 3 or 4 WCHA team this year and you had something to build on.

They finished 7th this year behind 3 other Minnesota teams (BSU included). So I think an attainable goal for them next year would be to return to the top of the WCHA where they belong, say top 3 finish. If you do play well in the NCAA's great, but they have lot of things to fix first before gunning for the final ascent to the top.

I'm with SC on this, I don't understand why Lucia will be given yet another chance. I think THIS YEAR was his make or break year, and the team squandered it. It's not like their game plan is poor, or the players are poor. It's that the team motivation that seemed to be lacking. It showed up sometimes, but there were SO many games of disinterest from the players.

[scsavre]

I think Guentzel is positioning himself to become a college coach again. Head coach I would assume. Hastings left the Gophs to assist Omaha, He will be their coach in 2 years. We get Blais.

Getting to the frozen 4 is a perfect goal. We finished 3 games out of 4th. We have most of the players to do it. We just need some coaching. Bjugsted should make a pretty good impact next year. I am not sure who we will loose. Schroeder and maybe Hoeffel. I dont know why Hoeffel would leave though, unless his NHL team feels he could develop better else where.

I hope we dont loose Helgeson, like we did Taylor and Bickel after 1 year.

Lucia just put up the 3 worst seasons since 1970-73, where we had 3 different coaches. Without really digging in, you might be able to say, Lucia just put up the 3 worse consecutive seasons of any gopher coach.

[Bear55]

I agree with most of what you are saying Bear, but I think hoping for an appearance in the F4 might be too much to hope for. It would be one thing to shoot for that if you were a top 3 or 4 WCHA team this year and you had something to build on.

They finished 7th this year behind 3 other Minnesota teams (BSU included). So I think an attainable goal for them next year would be to return to the top of the WCHA where they belong, say top 3 finish. If you do play well in the NCAA's great, but they have lot of things to fix first before gunning for the final ascent to the top.

I'm with SC on this, I don't understand why Lucia will be given yet another chance. I think THIS YEAR was his make or break year, and the team squandered it. It's not like their game plan is poor, or the players are poor. It's that the team motivation that seemed to be lacking. It showed up sometimes, but there were SO many games of disinterest from the players.

Ya hoping for an appearance is probably a pipe dream but we need to at least compete, like you said top three finish in the WCHA and a top 10-12 in the PWR are must haves if Lucia wants to survive.

You really won't see me upset if they happen to dump Lucia for Blais, I just don't think it will happen so we have to play the cards we are dealt and hope for the best.

[pleasebecomeasponsor]

I love the size and skill of both Bjugsted and Ambroze but I think they will need some time to adjust. I'm really looking forward to the Finish kid (Haula) I think he is going to come in and be one of our better offensive players from the start.

[scsavre]

Yah, I am excited about those guys. I think we just might be able to get 15 goals out of Bjugstedt and a good season out of Ambroze. If Lucia and Budish can get 7 their rookie years. I think it can be done. It is exactly what we need.

I want to see Haula as well. I have seen some bad press in his nhl prospect file, which I think can be a good thing. Maybe we will get a few years out of him. The Euros dont last long in college hockey.

Also don forget about Baribal next year. I think he is good for 20 goals again. Him and Cepis? Not bad. I tell you right now, if schroeder was a goal scorer he would have had 20 goals this year. Man Cepis got him the puck in some good spots.

[PierBridge]

I don't think in today's game it matters where you finished the year before at all. This is a whole new era where just about any team can compete. Look at last year with the Beavers and dogs 2 perennial door-mats and poof there in the dance and making a run.

Lucia is about as deserving to be fired as Parker, York or Berenson. It's fun banter but silly none the less.

Lucia's done when he wants to be done...sorry!

[bucketmouth64]

If none of these people were available to coach Gophs what do you think of Curt Giles or Phil Housley? Good MN ties and have successful teams. With their NHL experience they could tell these kids what it takes to be in the NHL and what are their realistic chances of making it to the next level are. Maybe they could be more successful in keeping these kids longer rather than jumping to the pros.

[PierBridge]

Good one!

Coaching is so fickle.

Funny how winning cures all it wasn't long ago that they were calling for Gile's head at EDINA and now he's the man!

That is one heck of a coaching staff at Edina with 3 former Pro's!

Might work at the U!

[Bear55]

Getting Barribal back and having Cepis for a full season will be huge next year! If we can hang onto everyone else (especially Hoeffel) we might just have a chance to turn this things around. Potentially 3 guys who could flirt with 20 goals.

Ok I better calm down a little, we haven't had 3 20 goal scorers since 01-02 so maybe I better hope for a whole pile of 10-15 goal guys.

[zepman]

I don't think in today's game it matters where you finished the year before at all. This is a whole new era where just about any team can compete. Look at last year with the Beavers and dogs 2 perennial door-mats and poof there in the dance and making a run.

Lucia is about as deserving to be fired as Parker, York or Berenson. It's fun banter but silly none the less.

Lucia's done when he wants to be done...sorry!

I don' think that's the case anymore Pier...heard Maturi on DB's show (KFAN) this afternoon and it sounded like there are some real concerns over the hockey program. One more year like this year and he's gone. Lucia has earned the right to try and turn things around, no doubt, but he hasn't earned an all- expenses paid lifetime contract either. He's not untouchable...not any more.

[setterguy]

I have a know in the Omaha program, a former player and someone who is still tied into the team quite tightly and his information says that Dean agreed to stay for two years minimum. And after that the only job he would leave his contract for early is the MN job. I think one more year with Don and then we will have a new coach.

My problem with Lucias recruits are that they all do the same things. They were all stars on their prospective High School teams and don't know what it takes to make the stars, well, stars.

I see Denver, Wisconsin and ND recruit role players better than anyone else in the WCHA. I think they recruit guys to play on the 3rd line, where as at MN every kid thinks they should be on the first.

We have a couple nice recruiting classes coming in, it should be interesting to see what happens.

Who ever we get has got to be able to lock down Hudson Fasching from Apple Valley. As a freshmen he stood out with his size 6'3" and play making ability. Reminded me of Lindros, when he was good.

[cbrooks]

I have a know in the Omaha program, a former player and someone who is still tied into the team quite tightly and his information says that Dean agreed to stay for two years minimum. And after that the only job he would leave his contract for early is the MN job. I think one more year with Don and then we will have a new coach.

.

That makes sense why Minnesota extended Lucia to another year.

[scsavre]

I know that in Blais contract he can leave to become the Goph coach. Supposedly it is in it. I know Hastings the long time Omaha Lancer coach will be taking over the head job there soon.

[scsavre]

By the way we all saw that Schroeder left the Gophs, no surprise, good residence.

I hear Ness is trying to leave, if his team will take him.

Also sounds like Hoeffel is getting a little pressure from NJ to leave and develop else where.

Any of the UMD guys leaving early.

[Shorelunch]

From Patrick Ruesse's Twitter . . .

am1500_reusse: E-mail from Fargo: “Plugged-in” UND sources say the Gophers have already called Dean Blais in Omaha about replacing Don Lucia.

am1500_reusse: Blais has told Minnesota, “I don’t want any open job search, I just want the job if you are going to give it to me. None of the B.S.”

Shoot, I was hoping the Gopher's keep Lucia - or for sure, Hill!