WCHA early departures

[scsavre]

Not MVP, but second in the league in scoring. 76 points. What the heck happened.

[scsavre]

Im not thrilled about this. I wonder if we had a different coach if this would be happening.

bjugs press

Hopefully Bjugs stays.

Word is the Florida Panthers have been hoping Gophers freshman forward Nick Bjugstad, last year's Mr. Hockey Minnesota, would sign rather than return to school.

The Panthers rate Bjugstad the third-best prospect in their system, according to The Hockey News, and are not thrilled about him remaining at Minnesota because they believe he's "being misused by playing wing instead of center. That's not his fault," Panthers assistant general manager Mike Santos said.

[cbrooks]

I don't want to sound like the UND fan slamming Minnesota program but yeah...Minnesota may have an issue with pro teams trusting there prospects develop in there program. Example Kyle Oskposo leaving halfway through the season to play with the Islanders raise some questions. Rumor was the Islanders weren't happy with his development at the U. I didn't read too much into that because I thought the Islanders didn't respect college hockey as much. I could be wrong alot of this stuff is from chatter on the internet. I just know what I see every year. I'm hearing opinions from some of the sports writers that Bjugstad is staying also for atleast another year. My opinion is if he didn't sign back in March he will be back next season.

[scsavre]

Not telling us anything new Brooks. The NHL GM's do not trust their players with Lucia and they are right not too. Look at all the first and second rounders that have flopped under him. Is it all his fault? no, but he shares the blame. Some of it is the teams drafting players that shouldn't have gone that high. Some of the teams were drafting MN kids because they were going to the Gophs. Figured why not let Guentzel do the scouting and all the work research hing these kids.

I am not even kidding you that defense man that have wanted to come here have been advised not to come to the Gophs, due to Hill and Lucia. I dont like all these advisors out there, but we have flopped on our D-development in the past 6 years.

I just thought of something, Maybe Don is advising Mario Lucia against being a Gopher, He doesnt trust his staff to develop his kid.

[Bear55]

Ok I didn't see every gopher game this year but I don't ever recall Bjugs playing wing. Heck I think he was our best faceoff man.

While its no secret NHL gm's don't care for Lucia I really think it gets overblown, you never heard any of this stuff when guys were putting up point and the gophers were winning NC's. A lot of times college coaches are just scapegoats for bad picks. Winning will change just about everything, those NHL guys want to see their prospects put up the numbers, win games and get into the playoffs.

From what I hear about the Okposo deal is he wanted to go pro after one year, the Isles sent him back. You could see he didn't want to be there and it really showed in his play, sure Lucia had him at center because we didn't have anyone else to put there but you don't suck in college and then put up very good numbers in the AHL in the very same year.

[Shorelunch]

So now Cichy is transferring to another (to be named) school. Neither Bruno or Cichy were second or even third line guys, but both had "potential" to be there, especially Cichy.

Must have saw the writing on the wall with some incoming freshmen. Still would like to know what happened to Cichy's game . . .

[Bear55]

So now Cichy is transferring to another (to be named) school. Neither Bruno or Cichy were second or even third line guys, but both had "potential" to be there, especially Cichy.

Must have saw the writing on the wall with some incoming freshmen. Still would like to know what happened to Cichy's game . . .

Poor development, coaches fault for sure. Montreal/NHL not happy with the way UND and Hakstol are developing players. I'm only kidding of course but this is how this stuff starts.

It use to be that college players worked their tails off to get more playing time, now they just move on. Now the best part, if you aren't good enough to crack your college team really where do you think you are going to move on to?

[cbrooks]

haha. Bear still work up about the the bjustad articles written about him being misused in Minnesota.

[Bear55]

I am still trying to figure that one out, heck I still don't remember him playing wing plus he was one of our best players during the 2nd half and got all kinds of ice time and pp time.

[Shorelunch]

Son of a . . . UND's Gregoire leaves after his Jr. season. His absence will definitely be felt this upcoming season.

[scsavre]

Wish I could say I was sad. Nope, not sad. As long as they stay 3 years I'm ok.

[solbes]

Son of a . . . UND's Gregoire leaves after his Jr. season. His absence will definitely be felt this upcoming season.

Yup, that one hurts. I thought we were all done with kids leaving early?

[solbes]

Max Gardiner is headed to USHL and leaving the Gophers. Probably didn't see a lot of ice time in his future looking at next years roster.

[scsavre]

Max gardiner leaves the gopher program. 17 games played. 3 points. Perfect example of why u need to play a year of juniors. He was a last minute roster addition and now he is gone.

He is going to the ushl.

This is actually a good thing, makes room for anew player with some ushl experience.

[yakfisher]

I bet Gardiner shows up at Sconi after his one year in the USHL.

[mulefarm]

He'll end up with the Sioux.

[Bear55]

He is going to have to step up his game big time to end up at one of those schools. Hey in time he could be an NHL regular but he wasn't ready for the WCHA last year.

[cbrooks]

Wisconsin coach Mike Eaves a finalist for the headcoaching job for the Devils. Rumors floating around that he has it and will make an annoucement tomorrow. Guess we'll see.

[cbrooks]

I figured this can count as a departure. Sioux recruit JT Smith has decommitted from UND and will be playing Canadian Jrs. Yep...kind of stinks

[Bear55]

Just saw that, he probably wants no part of the Super Conference. That or he wished he had gone with a Big Ten school and decided to skip the NCAA all together.

[cbrooks]

Just saw that, he probably wants no part of the Super Conference. That or he wished he had gone with a Big Ten school and decided to skip the NCAA all together.

No, I'm pretty sure he didn't want any part of the big ten

[solbes]

They continue to fall. Looks like Wisconsin has been ravaged this off season. I thought they'd be better next year, but they now have 3 early departures.

Craig Smith Departs for NHL

"MADISON, Wis. – With two years of collegiate eligibility remaining for the Wisconsin Badgers, forward Craig Smith will become a professional hockey player. The Madison, Wis., native is a 2009 fourth-round pick (98th overall) of the NHL’s Nashville Predators, the team of former Badgers Ryan Suter and Blake Geoffrion.

“We’re excited for Craig,” said Head Coach Mike Eaves. “The window of opportunity to make a move like this is sometimes small. The landscape has changed with Nashville in that the team has changed somewhat with free agency. Smitty had every thought after a successful senior men’s World Championship to come back and play here at Wisconsin, but he feels like there is an opportunity now and he feels in his heart it is the right time to go.”

Smith, who was slated to be one of Wisconsin’s co-captains for the upcoming season, finished last year as the Badgers’ team leader with 19 goals. He ranked second on the team with 43 points in 41 games, while leading the squad with five game-winning tallies and 153 shots. He also took 31 penalties for 87 minutes. For his career, Smith finishes with 27 goals, 76 points and 159 penalty minutes in 82 games.

Smith skated for Team USA in the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship where he posted three goals and six points in seven games, ranking second behind former Badger Derek Stepan for the team lead in scoring. His team-leading plus-2 helped the Americans reach the quarterfinals, where they fell to the Czech Republic.

Smith joins defenseman Jake Gardiner, who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and forward Jordy Murray, who left for Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of the Swiss National League A (NLA), as early departures. Both Gardiner and Murray gave up one year of eligibility."

[solbes]

I figured this can count as a departure. Sioux recruit JT Smith has decommitted from UND and will be playing Canadian Jrs. Yep...kind of stinks

Ohh, you meant JT Miller right? I wasn't putting two and two together. This guy was the 3rd highest forward draft pick ever for the Sioux. That is terrible news for the program. He kind of left the team out to dry on that one, though I suppose he would have stayed only 1 year.

[Shorelunch]

Ohh, you meant JT Miller right? I wasn't putting two and two together. This guy was the 3rd highest forward draft pick ever for the Sioux. That is terrible news for the program. He kind of left the team out to dry on that one, though I suppose he would have stayed only 1 year.

Sucks for UND and really sucks for college hockey. Same as the Sconny departure. Both programs are very NHL-friendly, but it seems the NHL ruitinely bites the hand that feeds them.

Unfortunately, there's nothing top end programs can do. The age old question: do you continue to recruit top end talent that is a flight risk after a year or two (or in this case zero years) - or do you recruit lunch pale players who will be play a minimum of three years?

[cbrooks]

Yes I did mean Miller Solbes. thanks for the correction