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Hey, anyone here any rumors yet about were he will end up next year, or whenever he starts his college career? Or if he already has a designated place to go...Hasnt specified on any reports i've read...Aside from the more than likely gophers, were else do you think he would play, or would he even play on the gophers? <p></p><i></i>

Wasn't there something in the paper about him and his dad visiting Notre Dame? <p></p><i></i>

Yep ^^^<br><br><!--EZCODE EMOTICON START 8) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/glasses.gif ALT="8)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p>Elk River AA State Champions- 2001 Boys & 2004 Girls</p><i></i>

cc<br>nd<br>unh<br>harvard<br>umn<br><br>have all been mentioned as official or unofficial visits for Tony. <p></p><i></i>

I thought Denver was high on his list. <p></p><i></i>

And I heard he was leaning towards out East ...rumors, rumors....time will tell. <p></p><i></i>

cc is his first choice followed by nd.<br><br>no way he will choose them though, he's going to be wearing maroon and gold. <p></p><i></i>

I would be extremely surprised if he went somewhere else in the WCHA. I'd say either the Gophs or somewhere not in the WCHA.<br><br><!--EZCODE EMOTICON START 8) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/glasses.gif ALT="8)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p>Elk River AA State Champions- 2001 Boys & 2004 Girls</p><i></i>

I sure wouldn't want to play for my Dad. Look at all the problems it would cause. <br><br>I would think it would be VERY tough on Coach Lucia. With a team that gets as much press as the Gophers do, I would think it would be wise for Tony to venture elsewhere and avoid all the problems that would be likely to arise. <br><br>Best of luck in his decision though, he's a heck of a player. <p></p><i></i>

obviously playing for dad (see Woog or Talafous) in the WCHA would put you under so many microscopes... I can't imagine how that would feel.<br><br>ND... I don't know why he'd go there. Granted Dad was 'found' by the Irish, but the program is not necessarily righted just yet. Harvard sounds really good, as does UNH, and that would get him out of the WCHA headlights. Eaves' boys did well out east.<br><br>I had heard DU as well, but I also heard that he had pulled back on that interest. <br><br>CC, well, the kid spent some time there when Dad coached there, Owens is a Lucia protege <br><br>My guess is DU, CC and ND are 'blessed' by dad, UNH and Harvard are 'Mom's' Choice;-). UMN is the likely the universal '2nd' choice as well.<br><br>Now here's a question. as a 'U' employee of high stature, I would get Don's kids would get free Tuition at the 'U' (and cough, UMD;-) )... ya think that would count against the hockey program scholarship quota?<br> <p></p><i></i>

Using Dan Woog or Pete Talafous as examples wouldn't fit with Tony Lucia. Neither Dan Woog nor Pete Talafous were highly recruited nor thought of as good prospects. They were marginal players so when they got a chance to play for their dad, there were a lot of questions about nepotism in those cases. <br><br>With Tony Lucia, we are talking about a kid who is clearly thought of as an above average player that could find his way into pretty much any D-1 program. When you have some top WCHA and top Hockey East schools like UNH looking at you, it is clear that you are considered a pretty good player. If he decided to play for his dad at the U, people around Minnesota are smart enough to know that the kid has the talent to warrant it. I don't see the major problems that some are alluding to. Don Lucia is hardly one of those overbearing father/head coach kind of guys who make their kid's life miserable.<br><br>Not to mention, Tony can be had for "cheap" playing for his dad and his dad would certainly love to have the extra scholarship money to use on another top player.<br><br>I tend to agree with EREmpireStrikesBack. I think it will be the Gophers or somewhere out of the WCHA. If I were in Don's shoes, I'd either want him to play on my team or play at Harvard (can't beat that education!). <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p100.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... >Finn70</A> at: 11/5/05 5:58 pm<br></i>

I would be curious to see what the NCAA rules are with players comming into a program to get 'free' or discounted money because of parents as employess. <br><br>I also disagree with your comments on the two guys not being a players. After his Dad left Alaska, where hockeydb.com says Talafous put up 16 points in 32 as a Freshman, he was good enough to play for Wisconsin, an obvious top program. He played well after sitting out a year then rarely played after the Eaves era started.<br><br>Woog similarly put up respectable numbers and was played consistent throughout his four year career. After checking back on past Gopher stats, his numbers were slightly above average. He was not a 'great' player. I guess im just trying to say lets not slight these players as not being that good. <br><br>Unless you know otherwise as fact, I'd assume that both Dan and Pete had other colleges interested in them prior to their selection to college. That being said...<br><br>Lucia is going to be a very good hockey player and, from the sounds of it, more recruited. I still think he'd be better off going to Notre Dame. New Coach, new attitude, good school. <p></p><i></i>

To All:<br><br>Tony Lucia is a very smart hockey player. He see's the whole ice extremely well, shares the puck, gets himself into great scoring opportunity positions, and knows how to bury the puck. He is not flashy, simply productive.<br><br>It is a shame that people talk about him needing to go elsewhere to play hockey instead of experiencing his next level hockey experience in Minnesota, in which the balance of his family could enjoy watching him night in and night out! I have witnessed his play since he was a peewee and he has been fun to watch, carries himself well, and should make his parents proud! Don, take him if you know he belongs, if Tony wishes to skate for the GOPHERS, and the heck with outside influences.<br><br>Personally, I would love to see him in a Gopher uniform, however because of outside pressures (BS) he may not be able to realize that dream? I sure hope that he does and wish him well in pursuit of his hockey and academic future goals.<br><br>Regards,<br>mnhockey39<br> <p></p><i></i>

. . . maybe he just needs to hang out at the Pub in dinkytown. That appears to be how gophers get noticed. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :hat --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/pimp.gif ALT=":hat"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p></p><i></i>

Tony just verbally committed to play for the Gophers, probably in 2007 - here's the link to the story: <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.startribune.com/stories/512/5718119.html" target="top">Tony Lucia commits to the Gophers</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><br>Also, Tony wouldn't get free tuition just because his dad is an employee of the U - the U is one of the few universities that don't offer tuition benefits for family members. So either Tony would be on scholarship or Coach Lucia would pay his tuition bill. <p><a href="http://www.GopherIce.com" target="_new">GopherIce</a></p><i></i>

Lucia Family:<br><br>Congrates on this very positive and well thought out decesion! I will be exciting to see Tony in a Gopher sweater!! As long as you know that you belong, is all that matters.<br><br>Regards,<br>mnhockey39 <p></p><i></i>

Congrats to Tony and Wehrs I wish them the best of luck.<br><br>It should only be a few more weeks and I would expect to<br>hear Joey Miller's name, Laurinitis returning from OSU to play hockey and K Davis all getting a Rodent Uniform... <br><br>I like all the skill players the U is bringing in, but who does<br>the hard "role work". I think Gino said it best paraphrasing<br>"too many leaders". <br><br><br><br> <p></p><i></i>

exactly the U has to many skill players, nobody who will go in the corners and grind. <p></p><i></i>

You want some good 3rd/4th line grinders? How about bring in some guys that were 3rd and 4th liners in high school? Of course that won't happen. Every player they bring in will be a star for whatever team they played for before. It's tDon's job to put them in the right place and get some of them to be grinders even though they have always been the star. <p></p><i></i>

great point they all seem to care about style points and won't get physical like one of my favorite players ever from the U Matt Koalska he would go into the corners and hit anybody he didn't care how he looked, I think this years gopher team should take a page out of his book at start playing College hockey instead of Squirt hockey were there is no contact. <p></p><i></i>

Would the kid have to live on campus and never visit the parents while going to school? Even going home for a Sunday afternoon Dinner with the family. Could that be considered giving free stuff to one of his players? Can daddy not buy him shcool clothes anymore? lol things like that I dont' understand <p></p><i></i>