Jake Gardiner

[Hockeyguy_27]

Predictable -a high end player that doesn't come to UM because there was no room for him.

Nobody said he was unworthy. I could understand your whining if that had been said. I know you are poor with facts but let's point out something so you can get it.

Gardiner committed at a time (June) when the Gophers projected this group for 2008:

RJ
Fischer
Shack
O'Brien
Wehrs
Fairchild
Bickel
Lofquist
Ness

The above doesn't even list Grant Scott as he could play either forward or defense in college. Of that group at the time, they did not expect to lose much for 2009 (other than RJ to graduation and maybe David Fischer and/or O'Brien to the pros). That would have left them with them with seven to eight defensemen returning and two already recruited for 2009 (Helgeson and Martell). In other words at that time, they already had nine d-men scheduled for 2008 and projected at least nine d-men for 2009. Most teams carry eight to nine defensemen on their roster in college. Maybe you aren't very good with numbers but do you see the room?

Of course, O'Brien left unexpectedly late in the summer so that opened a potential spot for 2009/2010. Nick Leddy gets recruited as a 2009 or 2010 guy.

Look around college hockey and you'll see it is rare for teams to carry more than eight or nine d-men on their roster.

Try taking a look at projected rosters some time and then open your mouth. You'll look far less ignorant than you usually do.

Did this guy's post really deserve this kind of demeaning response? Quit being such a pr!ck.

[Gopher Blog]

Did this guy's post really deserve this kind of demeaning response? Quit being such a pr!ck.

Actually, yes it did.

Ironic that you tell somebody else to not be demeaning and then call them a name.

Look in the mirror.

[Hockeyguy_27]

Did this guy's post really deserve this kind of demeaning response? Quit being such a pr!ck.

Actually, yes it did.

Ironic that you tell somebody else to not be demeaning and then call them a name.

Look in the mirror.

Well, I call it as I see it. I'm a Gopher fan too but try to be a little more tolerant of those who have different opinions as long as they are polite.

[Gopher Blog]

Well, I call it as I see it. I'm a Gopher fan too but try to be a little more tolerant of those who have different opinions as long as they are polite.

And I call it as I see it too. You tell somebody else not to be too harsh and then call them a childish name in the process. That defines hypocrite.

He deserved to be put in his place. If you don't like it, don't read it.

[Gopher Blog]

Yes, how dare he or anyone say something incongruent with what you think!

People are free to disagree. I'd just prefer it is done with some knowledge and not blind ignorance simply because he cheers for another college team. The guy I responded to fits that description to a "T".

[stickboy1956]

Predictable -a high end player that doesn't come to UM because there was no room for him.

Nobody said he was unworthy. I could understand your whining if that had been said. I know you are poor with facts but let's point out something so you can get it.

Gardiner committed at a time (June) when the Gophers projected this group for 2008:

RJ
Fischer
Shack
O'Brien
Wehrs
Fairchild
Bickel
Lofquist
Ness

The above doesn't even list Grant Scott as he could play either forward or defense in college. Of that group at the time, they did not expect to lose much for 2009 (other than RJ to graduation and maybe David Fischer and/or O'Brien to the pros). That would have left them with them with seven to eight defensemen returning and two already recruited for 2009 (Helgeson and Martell). In other words at that time, they already had nine d-men scheduled for 2008 and projected at least nine d-men for 2009. Most teams carry eight to nine defensemen on their roster in college. Maybe you aren't very good with numbers but do you see the room?

Of course, O'Brien left unexpectedly late in the summer so that opened a potential spot for 2009/2010. Nick Leddy gets recruited as a 2009 or 2010 guy.

Look around college hockey and you'll see it is rare for teams to carry more than eight or nine d-men on their roster.

Try taking a look at projected rosters some time and then open your mouth. You'll look far less ignorant than you usually do.

1. No one said that you said he was unworthy.
2. Did Lucia tell you that they didn't have room for him?
3. If so, could it be they made a mistake on their previous commitments?
4. If Gardner called DL and said I want to be a Gopher, I bet he would have been a Gopher. Did they turn him down?
5. No one roots harder for their team on this board than you do.

.. and I did this without calling you any names.

[Gopher Blog]

1. No one said that you said he was unworthy.
2. Did Lucia tell you that they didn't have room for him?
3. If so, could it be they made a mistake on their previous commitments?
4. If Gardner called DL and said I want to be a Gopher, I bet he would have been a Gopher. Did they turn him down?
5. No one roots harder for their team on this board than you do.

1. You acted as if I was giving a reason that was invalid but backed it up with nothing. I stated that it wasn't because he isn't a good player. He is. But you can't fit every talented player in the state onto one college roster. Not with only 18 scholarships to give out every year. I would think you are capable of grasping that fact.

2. On good authority. Not the head man but close enough. Besides, projecting rosters and seeing need is not difficult.

3. I guess we'll see how things work in college. Pretty difficult to say when none of them have skated a second at that level. Pros favor certain factors that aren't as significant in college (such as size). Even guys at the top of a draft have turned out to be a bust at times. Which just goes to show that even the people who spend oodles of hours watching these guys can get it wrong.

I know this much.... I am plenty happy with Ness, Lofquist, and Co.

4. Most players aren't going to call up a team that isn't pursuing them and say they want to commit. Let's try to stay in the real world here.

5. The difference is I don't go trolling like you do.

I'd think you'd be more concerned with why he turned down the Sioux in favor of UW as opposed to what the Gophers do with their roster.

[stickboy1956]

1. No one said that you said he was unworthy.
2. Did Lucia tell you that they didn't have room for him?
3. If so, could it be they made a mistake on their previous commitments?
4. If Gardner called DL and said I want to be a Gopher, I bet he would have been a Gopher. Did they turn him down?
5. No one roots harder for their team on this board than you do.

1. You acted as if I was giving a reason that was invalid but backed it up with nothing. I stated that it wasn't because he isn't a good player. He is. But you can't fit every talented player in the state onto one college roster. Not with only 18 scholarships to give out every year. I would think you are capable of grasping that fact.

2. On good authority. Not the head man but close enough. Besides, projecting rosters and seeing need is not difficult.

3. I guess we'll see how things work in college. Pretty difficult to say when none of them have skated a second at that level. Pros favor certain factors that aren't as significant in college (such as size). Even guys at the top of a draft have turned out to be a bust at times. Which just goes to show that even the people who spend oodles of hours watching these guys can get it wrong.

I know this much.... I am plenty happy with Ness, Lofquist, and Co.

4. Most players aren't going to call up a team that isn't pursuing them and say they want to commit. Let's try to stay in the real world here.

5. The difference is I don't go trolling like you do.

I'd think you'd be more concerned with why he turned down the Sioux in favor of UW as opposed to what the Gophers do with their roster.

4. Most players aren't going to call up a team that isn't pursuing them

So they didn't recruit him?

I didn't know this board was only for Gopher fans.

[Gopher Blog]

So they didn't recruit him?

Depends on what you consider "recruit"? Offer a scholly? No.

[Ed37]

Gardiner was considered a 2009 recruit before his stock went up so the claim that there wasn't any room holds no water.

You may think that because you were unaware of him. But I can guarantee you people who watch these kids knew he wasn't going to end up a 2009 guy.

When Gardiner verballed to Wisconsin which was prior to the Elite League he was told he'd only be a 2008 depending how he played, otherwise he would be a 2009. That's a fact.

Your projected list of D for 2008 is a little sketchy because there's no way the coaching staff thought O'Brien would still be around for 2008, hell he didn't even make 2007. Not only that, if he were still here Lucia could have moved him to forward where he played his freshman year to make room for a player like Gardiner.

Ness is a small risk because he still needs to graduate from hs early. So his spot on the roster is not etched in stone. If you take a look at recent history, early defections are common place for the big programs now, especially the Gophers. The only guy from your list that might be gone is Fischer. We all know coaches are over-recruiting in case of any Okposo-esque situations arise so for the above reasons I think your "no room" argument is a little flimsy.

[Gopher Blog]

Your projected list of D for 2008 is a little sketchy because there's no way the coaching staff thought O'Brien would still be around for 2008, hell he didn't even make 2007.

They did not expect O'B to leave at the time you are stating. Especially after the freshman year he had (mixed results) and his age (remember, he was a year younger than your average freshman so they were thinking that would keep him around a year longer).

Not only that, if he were still here Lucia could have moved him to forward where he played his freshman year to make room for a player like Gardiner.

Moving O'B to forward doesn't change the fact they still had eight (or nine depending on the year) other guys allocated. In Lucia's tenure, he has generally carried eight defensemen on his roster. Go look for yourself (excluding guys who occasionally filled in at defense such as Westrum, Andy Sertich, or MacKinnon).

We all know coaches are over-recruiting

They already had "over recruited" at that time he committed if you would take the time to look. Before Gardiner committed last June, they had already had five d-men recruited for 2008 and 2009 and they graduate only TWO d-men during the next two years (Peltier after this year, RJ Anderson after next year). I think it is fair to say they were not expecting any more than one player (Fischer) to possibly leave early (as you pointed out). Do the math. Your remarks simply validate what I had been saying. They already had their needs covered.

[hockey59]

As I educate myself more and more on recruiting, I'm starting to find out that straight forward recruiting battles are extremely rare. The school that any particular player ends up at is almost ALWAYS a matter of situation, as it was in Gardiner's case.

That being said, the Gophers have won their share of true battles (ie; Schmidt). They've also lost a few (ie; Mattson, Fink).

As an SCSU fan, it's a reality to face that the Huskies won't win many battles straight up, so they have to maximize their situational opportunities when the come up

What Exiled One said above is very accurate.

While their are some straight up battles...Budish (ND & MN)...Danny Mattson (actually a 3 way between ND, WI & MN)...Ness...(MN & ND)..Nick Mattson (ND & MN)...Schmidt (MN, ND & CC).....MOST are based on a matter of situation.

Another factor is the kind of impact a recruit feels they can make in their 1st and 2nd years at a D1 program...especially when they aspire to play beyond college...an example...Nisky and Raymond from UMD.

Jake Gardiner didn't switch to D until the Gopher State Festival in March 07 (and I don't believe any college scouts saw him play D their)...so he didn't explode onto the scene until (at the earliest) the Adv 17 Spring Festival in mid April and/or the Adv 17 Final 51 try-out in early May 07. Shortly after...his stock went through the roof and offers quickly came from MSU-Mankato...UMD.....WI (for sure) and maybe a couple others. He committed to WI shortly after.

Incidentally, I heard from a very reliable source...that it was the MSU-Mankato Head Coach...who first suggested (during last years HS season) that Jake might want to consider switching to D...it turned out to be the tip of a lifetime...Good Luck to Jake...he is certainly a GREAT DEFENSEMAN!

[The Exiled One]

What Exiled One said above is very accurate.

While their are some straight up battles...Budish (ND & MN)...Danny Mattson (actually a 3 way between ND, WI & MN)...Ness...(MN & ND)..Nick Mattson (ND & MN)...Schmidt (MN, ND & CC).....MOST are based on a matter of situation.

Thanks. One clarification though, Schmidt had an offer from St. Cloud, he did NOT have an offer from North Dakota.

[flatontheice]

Any truth to the rumor that he is backing out on his verbal to Wisconsin and will be going to UND? Anyone out there know anything about this?

[The Exiled One]

Any truth to the rumor that he is backing out on his verbal to Wisconsin and will be going to UND? Anyone out there know anything about this?

If true...

[hwkfan]

i have heard from a reliable source he HAS backed out of his verbal to UW and is going on an official visit to Holy Cross this weekend, skipping the skippers game against BSM on saturday night. He has also completed the application to RIT and is waiting to hear back from the coaches to see if he could be given a fair shot if he walks on as a freshmen

[nonskipper2]

The real question is: How bad were last year's coaches when they used everybody else on the squad for penalty kill and power play except Gardiner.

[bardown012]

anyone else hear anything about this?

[wingmaster]

Nope, he is going to wisconsin.

[tshockey2]

I talked to his dad yesterday, he told me that Jake is going next year for sure. He also said that Derek Stepan from Hastings, and Jordy Murray of Shattuck will also report there as true Freshman. This is not easy to do. Congrats to all three.

[hwkfan]

no holy cross visit?

[wbmd]

http://www.letsplayhockey.com/938HS.html

[BSM99]

[quote="nonskipper2"]The real question is: How bad were last year's coaches when they used everybody else on the squad for penalty kill and power play except Gardiner.[/quote]

Just one more thing the "NonSkipper" has gotten wrong. Gardiner quarterbacked the power play at DEFENSE the second half of the season - which led to the move to defense at the select camp - and was on the first unit the entire season. He didn't kill penalties which will kill your theory that his dad was calling the shots.

The coaches are alot better then your "intel"

[black sheep]

he is the real deal........GO TO THE GOPHERS!

great skater.

[Can't Never Tried]

he is the real deal........GO TO THE GOPHERS!

great skater.

Heard he got training up north