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Wow is he ever having a fantastic year. THIRTY goals in 13 games and is third in points in class AA playing a Lake Conference schedule. The question is, is he the best player in High School Hockey right now and what kind of future does he have at the next level and beyond with his small size?

Yes, what a year. Hopefully he can help carry his team to state again but it will be a battle to get out of Section 6. If he keeps getting stronger and faster I think he has a bright future. I'll take a small guy like him over a similar big guy any day.

Best player right now in state is Justin Holl. He's scored 15 goals playing defense for the #1 ranked skippers.

Rau was shut down in the Tonka game....

blueblood wrote:Best player right now in state is Justin Holl. He's scored 15 goals playing defense for the #1 ranked skippers.

Rau was shut down in the Tonka game....

Totally agree with you. Very impressed with Holl

Good call on Holl, I believe he is the best defensemen I've seen, Rau is the best forward I've seen.

The Don needs to heavily recruit this kid, he is a true finisher.

HockeyMN1 wrote:Wow is he ever having a fantastic year. THIRTY goals in 13 games and is third in points in class AA playing a Lake Conference schedule. The question is, is he the best player in High School Hockey right now and what kind of future does he have at the next level and beyond with his small size?

Lakeviewing wrote:The Don needs to heavily recruit this kid, he is a true finisher.

HockeyMN1 wrote:Wow is he ever having a fantastic year. THIRTY goals in 13 games and is third in points in class AA playing a Lake Conference schedule. The question is, is he the best player in High School Hockey right now and what kind of future does he have at the next level and beyond with his small size?

I am beginning to sense, that as many people rant on this forum that Lucia doesn't recruit the right kids, that many of these kids that move on have issues in qualifying to get into the U of M.

I don't know remember this for a fact, but, even though Tyler Pitlick had a past connection with the staff at Minnesota State, I believe his father told me it was easier to get into Minnesota State. The U of M has some pretty rigid standards, from what I understand. How that correlates to the baketball teams is beyond me, as we can read in the papers daily!!

I am not saying if this is Rau's case, because I don't know.

It's also a numbers game. The Don may only have 6 scholarships, and if he feels Rau is 7th-10th recruit, he may wait to see if any of his top 6 go elsewhere.

But the kid sure has good instincts and skills!!!

Goldfishdude wrote:

Lakeviewing wrote:The Don needs to heavily recruit this kid, he is a true finisher.

HockeyMN1 wrote:Wow is he ever having a fantastic year. THIRTY goals in 13 games and is third in points in class AA playing a Lake Conference schedule. The question is, is he the best player in High School Hockey right now and what kind of future does he have at the next level and beyond with his small size?

I am beginning to sense, that as many people rant on this forum that Lucia doesn't recruit the right kids, that many of these kids that move on have issues in qualifying to get into the U of M.

I don't know remember this for a fact, but, even though Tyler Pitlick had a past connection with the staff at Minnesota State, I believe his father told me it was easier to get into Minnesota State. The U of M has some pretty rigid standards, from what I understand. How that correlates to the baketball teams is beyond me, as we can read in the papers daily!!

I am not saying if this is Rau's case, because I don't know.

It's also a numbers game. The Don may only have 6 scholarships, and if he feels Rau is 7th-10th recruit, he may wait to see if any of his top 6 go elsewhere.

But the kid sure has good instincts and skills!!!

I heard Rau is on the A honor roll and possibly even a 4.0. Shouldn't be a problem. As far as the U having rigid standards... That's funny!!!

Eagle........ as to why I added "how that correlates to the basketball team!!!!"

I have actually talked to some non-athletes that getting into specific schools - like the Business School - are hard... I have no idea if they still have a general ed, Liberal Arts college, that they have to ONLY qualify to get in, or how it works.

Good to know Rau is a 4.0 student.... All I know is that you could have taken my GPA over each of my four year's in a private school and add them together and it wouldn't equal 4.0. For those of you who may have forgotten, I am the only person I know that graduated college with a blood alcohol level higher than my GPA.

StillAnEagle wrote:I heard Rau is on the A honor roll and possibly even a 4.0. Shouldn't be a problem. As far as the U having rigid standards... That's funny!!!

Even if Lucia doesn't recruit him, if Rau's a 4.0 and has an ACT test score in the 30's, he would probably get accepted right away. But I can tell you that the U of M DOES have much tougher standards and it gets tougher every year for non-D1 recruits. Our daughter - with excellent grades and an ACT score of 31 - was accepted right away at both Wisconsin and Michigan, plus a couple of the "elite" private schools, but was initially wait-listed at the U! I believe the recession has had an impact, with more kids and their parents not able (or wanting) to pay 2-3 times what it costs to go to the U.

If Rau gets on Lucia's top recruits list and is offered a scholarship, I assume the standards change quite a bit - for reference just look at the basketball team! Unfortunate but apparently true...

Good to know Rau is a 4.0 student.... All I know is that you could have taken my GPA over each of my four year's in a private school and add them together and it wouldn't equal 4.0. For those of you who may have forgotten, I am the only person I know that graduated college with a blood alcohol level higher than my GPA.

Goldy is that something to be proud of?!?

Saywhat?03 wrote:

Good to know Rau is a 4.0 student.... All I know is that you could have taken my GPA over each of my four year's in a private school and add them together and it wouldn't equal 4.0. For those of you who may have forgotten, I am the only person I know that graduated college with a blood alcohol level higher than my GPA.

Goldy is that something to be proud of?!?

Of course graduating from college is something to be proud of!!!! You know is was joking, don't you??

if rumors are true, the Rau twins are a "package" deal, which is what they tried to pull with the Elite league

Best player maker and scorer I have seen since Neal Broten. Doesn't look any thing special but he is a true rink rat, knows how to play the game.

I don't care what the Elite league sees. The Elite teams is a dicatorship. How does average players make this Elite team?? Past EP kids like Ericson should have never made the Elite 1 Teams. This shoud not be a factor. Kyle Rau needs to play at the U of Minnesota and his brother Curt is really a good defenseman both kids will probabaly four year skaters at the U of M on a team that needs some senior presents. It appears to win in the WHCA level, is to have a lot senior players, that the current U of M doesn't have.

dzonecoverage wrote:if rumors are true, the Rau twins are a "package" deal, which is what they tried to pull with the Elite league

My understanding is that SCSU offered the Rau twins a package deal, but they apparently weren't interested in playing for the 4th best* team in the nation**.

*currently
**KRACH/overall record

The Exiled One wrote:My understanding is that SCSU offered the Rau twins a package deal, but they apparently weren't interested in playing for the 4th best* team in the nation**.

*currently
**KRACH/overall record

Your statement overlooks that many kids don't really care about right now. Especially when they still have a good year or two before they even hit campus. Most high end players tend to go where they feel they can comfortably rely on a team to be able to be a contender on a year in and year out basis (something St. Cloud has never done). Which is why you tend to see the big name programs continue to land the best players more often than not.

Of course... I can't say the Gophers are really consistently doing anything other than underachieve at the moment. But a change at the helm would probably turn that around relatively quickly.

Goldfishdude wrote:I am beginning to sense, that as many people rant on this forum that Lucia doesn't recruit the right kids, that many of these kids that move on have issues in qualifying to get into the U of M.

From what I hear, the one example you gave is very accurate. I also hear they didn't get another recruit because he didn't have the ACT score to get and didn't want to risk losing an offer at another school (whose admissions are easier) by retaking the ACT... so he went with the offer he had in hand. Granted, it remains to be seen what kind of college player the individual in question will be over the long run... but the qualifying stuff can play a role in a few cases.

Gopher Blog wrote:

The Exiled One wrote:My understanding is that SCSU offered the Rau twins a package deal, but they apparently weren't interested in playing for the 4th best* team in the nation**.

*currently
**KRACH/overall record

Your statement overlooks that many kids don't really care about right now. Especially when they still have a good year or two before they even hit campus. Most high end players tend to go where they feel they can comfortably rely on a team to be able to be a contender on a year in and year out basis (something St. Cloud has never done). Which is why you tend to see the big name programs continue to land the best players more often than not.

Of course... I can't say the Gophers are really consistently doing anything other than underachieve at the moment. But a change at the helm would probably turn that around relatively quickly.

Everything after my first comma was pretty much snark.

[quote="The Exiled One"][quote="Gopher Blog"][quote="The Exiled One"]My understanding is that SCSU offered the Rau twins a package deal, but they apparently weren't interested in playing for the 4th best* team in the nation**.

*currently
**KRACH/overall record[/quote]

Your statement overlooks that many kids don't really care about right now. Especially when they still have a good year or two before they even hit campus. Most high end players tend to go where they feel they can comfortably rely on a team to be able to be a contender on a year in and year out basis (something St. Cloud has never done). Which is why you tend to see the big name programs continue to land the best players more often than not.

Of course... I can't say the Gophers are really consistently doing anything other than underachieve at the moment. But a change at the helm would probably turn that around relatively quickly.[/quote]
Everything after my first comma was pretty much snark. [/quote]

By the comments, it looks like ppl are saying the gophers have the best players... My question is: If Rau lands in maroon and gold, does that change the gophers? I do not believe the question is whether he will play D1 hockey, but what fit and style team would he end up on? Will be interesting to see if MN loses another quality player to Wisco, UND, Mankato, Duluth, etc... Rau is a stud, he will have many options. CC landed Toby Peterson due to a package deal due to his twin. I would not overlook a "package" deal making it difficult on THEM.

Play a Lake conference schedule, then we will talk. quote="keepyourheadup"]Good call on Holl, I believe he is the best defensemen I've seen, Rau is the best forward I've seen.[/quote]

I like his game! The next Nathan Gerbe?

blueblood wrote:Best player right now in state is Justin Holl. He's scored 15 goals playing defense for the #1 ranked skippers.

Rau was shut down in the Tonka game....

I'll take Rau. And from my view it seems as Holl was shut down......

Goldfishdude wrote:

Lakeviewing wrote:The Don needs to heavily recruit this kid, he is a true finisher.

HockeyMN1 wrote:Wow is he ever having a fantastic year. THIRTY goals in 13 games and is third in points in class AA playing a Lake Conference schedule. The question is, is he the best player in High School Hockey right now and what kind of future does he have at the next level and beyond with his small size?

I am beginning to sense, that as many people rant on this forum that Lucia doesn't recruit the right kids, that many of these kids that move on have issues in qualifying to get into the U of M.

I don't know remember this for a fact, but, even though Tyler Pitlick had a past connection with the staff at Minnesota State, I believe his father told me it was easier to get into Minnesota State. The U of M has some pretty rigid standards, from what I understand. How that correlates to the baketball teams is beyond me, as we can read in the papers daily!!

I am not saying if this is Rau's case, because I don't know.

It's also a numbers game. The Don may only have 6 scholarships, and if he feels Rau is 7th-10th recruit, he may wait to see if any of his top 6 go elsewhere.

But the kid sure has good instincts and skills!!!

At this point no kid should want to go to the Gophers, that program is absolutely dreadful and will not improve until the coach and his assistants are FIRED.

northwoods oldtimer wrote:At this point no kid should want to go to the Gophers, that program is absolutely dreadful and will not improve until the coach and his assistants are FIRED.

I think the odds are pretty good that by the time a kid like Rau would hit college, he'll be playing for a new (and more energized) coaching staff. At this rate, it shouldn't be long.