BEN MARSHALL TO BYPASS SENIOR YEAR AT MAHTOMEDI

[Tigers33]

Hm...bodyshots...

Have you ever thought it could be that the player peaked to early? Obviously people thought Fischer was a #1 round draft pick. Correct? Well if The Don made him go backwards than why didnt his pro team get him out of the U. It looks to me like Fischer turned out to be a flop. I think the same thing could hold true to Flynn. Pat White is another prime example. Is it Don's fault he hasnt turned out to be much. Or is it the fact that he is 20 playing against 24 year olds. High school hockey is completely different that college. The best thing for the U is to have guys like Gardiner and Holl get drafted so high, but still go play juniors.

Why not talk about positives that came from some players?
Kaufman was a blessing for the gophers team, they need more players like that. Bickel was the type of player the gophers needed. If he was there a few more years he would ve turned in to a dominant defenseman in the WCHA. Free agents dont turn down money like he got. I believe some kid did that in Denver? Does that mean he ran out on Denver. No!

Hockey is extrmely changing and will continue along this path. Players, parents, and coaches all need to realize this. Is there one kid that accelerated Minnesota hockey that it has come to be a benefit for that kid. Ness would ve been great going to juniors for a few years, lofquist too. Bjugstad wont be what everyone thinks at his age, its tough playing against kids 5-7 years older.

[h-m fan]

Hm...bodyshots...

Have you ever thought it could be that the player peaked to early? Obviously people thought Fischer was a #1 round draft pick. Correct? Well if The Don made him go backwards than why didnt his pro team get him out of the U. It looks to me like Fischer turned out to be a flop. I think the same thing could hold true to Flynn. Pat White is another prime example. Is it Don's fault he hasnt turned out to be much. Or is it the fact that he is 20 playing against 24 year olds. High school hockey is completely different that college. The best thing for the U is to have guys like Gardiner and Holl get drafted so high, but still go play juniors.

Why not talk about positives that came from some players?
Kaufman was a blessing for the gophers team, they need more players like that. Bickel was the type of player the gophers needed. If he was there a few more years he would ve turned in to a dominant defenseman in the WCHA. Free agents dont turn down money like he got. I believe some kid did that in Denver? Does that mean he ran out on Denver. No!

Hockey is extrmely changing and will continue along this path. Players, parents, and coaches all need to realize this. Is there one kid that accelerated Minnesota hockey that it has come to be a benefit for that kid. Ness would ve been great going to juniors for a few years, lofquist too. Bjugstad wont be what everyone thinks at his age, its tough playing against kids 5-7 years older.

I completely agree with you that Bickel could have definately become a premier d-man in the wcha had he not left. But the fact that the pros signed him to a minor league deal after his freshman year just shows the distrust that the organization had toward the U developing their prospect. You got to look at it from the Pro teams' standpoint... If they think their player is in a place where he can grow as a hockey player, then they can avoid having to give up a spot on their minor league squad to make room for him. Lets say, for example, that they had the rights to Mr. Bickel and 8 other Defensemen who were not in the NHL. If they only have 8 roster spots available and all their other prospects are in the minors with them already, then they have to somehow find a way to give up one of the guys to make room for Stu. Whereas if they were to keep Stu in college, knowing that he wont make an immediate impact in the pros anyways, It would be like having an extra prospect. (Not to mention the fact that it would be a free prospect because they wouldn't be puting a dime toward his development at the college level.) I dont like it one bit, but its just too obvious that this is the way that the gopher program is percieved by NHL teams. It has happened too much to the gophers with players that have no buisiness making the jump early for it to be situational type of ordeal. I agree with you that hockey is forever changing, but you dont have to delve too deep to realize that the gophers aren't getting any help from the pros and their money.

[sorno82]

Bickel was signed as a free agent-he was never drafted. Anaheim signed him so no one else would. It had nothing to do with a prospect wasting away at the U.

[Gopher Blog]

Bickel was signed as a free agent-he was never drafted. Anaheim signed him so no one else would. It had nothing to do with a prospect wasting away at the U.

Exactly! I'm not sure why some people don't grasp that. Bickel wasn't any team's prospect as he was undrafted. Anaheim signed him as a free agent for the MAXIMUM deal a rookie could get (basically, he got 1st round draft pick money) because they wanted him that badly.

[Goldy Gopher]

I saw him last week at model camp in a game and he did not impress me.Granted it was not your typical game format but he got walked twice,once by a freshmen while playing D. He also tends to want to rush the puck from his D position. Close to the end of the game was throwing punches and sat in the box.
I've seen a few other games but never have been knocked out by his play.
I think last year at state he might have been hurt when I saw him. He'll need some more size and a few years of Jr.s before going to the U or anywhere.

Did he drive in any runs?

[Tigers33]

hm...

Like everyone else said, Bickel was signed as a free agent. Nobody had his rights. If that team didnt sign him than he could have waited for someone else, or got hurt and missed out on his chances. It was a no brainer for Bickel.

Do you ever think that some of these kids are spoiled brats. Where is lofquist these days? Dorr? O'Brien? Chucko? These are all some of the kids that left because they werent getting playing time or went pro. Do you want to blame those organizations for not getting Chucko and O'Brien to the NHL.

[BodyShots]

Hm...bodyshots...

Have you ever thought it could be that the player peaked to early? Obviously people thought Fischer was a #1 round draft pick. Correct? Well if The Don made him go backwards than why didnt his pro team get him out of the U. It looks to me like Fischer turned out to be a flop. I think the same thing could hold true to Flynn. Pat White is another prime example. Is it Don's fault he hasnt turned out to be much. Or is it the fact that he is 20 playing against 24 year olds. High school hockey is completely different that college. The best thing for the U is to have guys like Gardiner and Holl get drafted so high, but still go play juniors.

Why not talk about positives that came from some players?
Kaufman was a blessing for the gophers team, they need more players like that. Bickel was the type of player the gophers needed. If he was there a few more years he would ve turned in to a dominant defenseman in the WCHA. Free agents dont turn down money like he got. I believe some kid did that in Denver? Does that mean he ran out on Denver. No!

Hockey is extrmely changing and will continue along this path. Players, parents, and coaches all need to realize this. Is there one kid that accelerated Minnesota hockey that it has come to be a benefit for that kid. Ness would ve been great going to juniors for a few years, lofquist too. Bjugstad wont be what everyone thinks at his age, its tough playing against kids 5-7 years older.

Tiger, I don't know if you're with me or against me. But, I have to agree with a lot of what you said.

Fischer a flop? Yes
Flynn and White? Yes
Gardiner and Holl play Juniors? Agree although I think their size would help them adapt to the WCHA better than small players like Ness.

You want positives. How about Matson (before injuries), Birkholz (size, skill, speed) and Leddy returning from his injury and playing well. And then there is Cepis. I hope his agressiveness and heart rub off on the other players, rather than vise versa! If you want to go back a few years (like your Kaufman), how about Ulseth or Olimb.

Yes, it will be difficult for Bjugstad. But if Don uses him correctly, I think the kid could get a lot of points playing on the wing during PP. With a shot as accurate as his, you need to feed him and let him shoot.

I think the gophers will be just fine offensively this season. I only worry about the defensive end of the game. If Ness, Wehrs, and Fairchild all make the starting six, then we will have the same issues of clearing the zone as in past seasons.

[pipes3030]

I saw him last week at model camp in a game and he did not impress me.Granted it was not your typical game format but he got walked twice,once by a freshmen while playing D. He also tends to want to rush the puck from his D position. Close to the end of the game was throwing punches and sat in the box.
I've seen a few other games but never have been knocked out by his play.
I think last year at state he might have been hurt when I saw him. He'll need some more size and a few years of Jr.s before going to the U or anywhere.

Did he drive in any runs?

[The New One]

My two cents:
1)Bickel was missed alot by MN. Losing a player of his size and aggressiveness put other players in situations that not only didnt help but might have hurt them. If Fairchild had played with Bickel for 4 years instead of playing with guys who were not great partner matches we might be talking about him being an all american. I believe Bickel not being at MN hurt Fairchild, Fischer, and Ness.
2) Maybe Kaufman was a fireplug but inside the locker room I heard he was a distraction his JR and SR year and used Tony Lucias ice time as a devisive subject.
3) Tony Lucia was an excellant colledge player and will play in the NHL at some point if he doesnt get hurt in my opinion but being on that roster created an unfortunate source of friction for many kids and maybe worst their parents. No matter what, having a kid play on a team where the father is the coach is extremely difficult. I say this while at the same time thinking that if the kids dream was to play at MN why shouldnt he have that opportunity.
4) I believe Flynn will do well in the pros and maybe get a chance to play in the NHL at some point. He is not a flashy player, he seemed to lose a little of his grittiness at MN and if he can regain that aspect of his game dont count him out.

[ACTUALFORMERPLAYER]

3) Tony Lucia was an excellant college player and will play in the NHL at some point

Not sure I understand this one. On a middle of the road Avalanche team Ryan Stoa only played 12 games. Kevin Porter from Michigan only played 20. They were studs in college yet are struggling to get a footing in the NHL. Lucia is in the Sharks organization, he will not get a sniff there. Maybe down the road, depending on where he ends up he gets a game or two like a Danny Irmin but he will not "play" in the NHL. Journey man in the AHL is nothing to sneeze at and that's what he'll be.