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Blake Wheeler verbally committed to the Gophers today. It is great to see the best player in the state play at home. It will be sweet to see him lighting it up for the U in the coming years. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :D --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /happy.gif ALT=":D"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p></p><i></i>

WOW! Blake Wheeler tops an amazing list of future gophers.... After a less than stellar (according to some people) freshman class coming in next year, the gophers have recieved verbal or written commitments for the 2005 season from GREAT players such as....<br><br>Nate Hagemo, Edina (Ann Arbor)<br>RJ Anderson, Centennial<br>Blake Wheeler, Breck<br>Alex Goligoski, Grand Rapids (assuming he doesnt play in 04)<br>Jeff Frazee, Holy Angels (Ann Arbor)<br><br>WOW what a recruiting class... I know there are others that I missed that have given verbal commitments, if anyone knows of them, post them, this could be the best recruiting class in Gopher history.<br> <p></p><i></i>

Hagemo is playing for the Gophers this coming year. He accelerated his schooling. <p></p><i></i>

Add to that Ryan Stoa, Justin Bostrom and Peter Mueller. <p></p><i></i>

I didnt know that about Hagemo, but if he is ready, thats great, get him in there ASAP! Bostrom is a great player that I forgot in my last post, and I don't know much about Stoa... But man, what a recruiting class.<br><br>Also, I thought Peter Mueller was a sophomore. Am I wrong? Or did he accelerate his schooling like Hagemo? <p></p><i></i>

He'll be here in 2005, so he must have accelerated things. <p></p><i></i>

he really must have accelerated, he was only a freshman this year. How is that even possible? <p></p><i></i>

That is amazing, is this kid really that good?<br><br>Why are kids accelerating their educations to get to college faster? How does everyone think they will do right away at the U?<br><br>I think they will all do great after a few years. I would definately expect a national championship or 2 out of this class of 2005. <p></p><i></i>

I know Mueller personally and he accelerated one year and is now a sophomore at huron high school in Ann Arbor he will be here in 2006 he was going to come in 2005 but only decided to skip one grade. <p></p><i></i>

that is an incredable recruting class, is there anyone left out who would be a good gopher. i am sure many people would say Rau, but consider the size. <p></p><i></i>

I think this is the best recruiting class in a long time for the Gophers... But back to the subject of Blake Wheeler... Anyone know his plans for next year? <p></p><i></i>

Jon Ammerman would be a great addition to these other great players. He plays great defense day in and day out. To bad the gophers couldn't get his buddy Brian Lee as well, but where would North Dakota be without MN kids. <p></p><i></i>

At the selects festival i was talking to my friend from Centennial and he said Soph. Eric Johnson from Holy Angels will be making his visit to the Gophers today. I am not 100% sure, just helping out. <p></p><i></i>

Funny you should say that about ND. Where would the gophers be without the Potulny's? Irmen?<br><br>Now as i dont doubt wheeler will play at the gophers, havent we all learned that a verbal commitment really is not "official" get his herby hancock...than its official. <p></p><i></i>

Yes Dons, it is only a verbal. But when is the last time you remember a local kid backing out on a verbal commitment to the Gopher hockey team? I can't recall it ever happening. <p></p><i></i>

oh hey you are right. i just recall everyone discrediting Niskanens commitment to the 'dogs cause "its only verbal." <br><br>i think that this class is full of elite high school hockey players, i think that dubbing them as an elite recruiting class has to be done in 2 years. See if they come out of juniors cleanly (if they go there) See how that transition goes, and finally just how they fit with the team. <br><br>Yes, on paper this does look like one of the best though in years. Too bad they didnt nab Gorowsky...Not often do the gophers not get mr hockey, but even less often, i think, do they lose him to wisconsin. <p></p><i></i>

I don't think the Gophers are upset about Gorowsky. According to the Star Tribune, the Gophers stopped recruiting him pretty early on so they probably weren't as high on him as they were on other players. <p></p><i></i>

That is 100% true Finn. <p></p><i></i>

Yea the gophers didn't want Gorowsky. Dons just stop trying to make up excuses.....the gophers will be good and i will garantee you that all of those verbal commitments will be there in a couple years. <br><br> Where do you think the Sioux would be without the Parise's, Stafford, Bochenski and even their coach the trader that went to the U of M. <p></p><i></i>

I dont care where they would be. im proud of the fact that they are from minnesota. Where did stafford go before Shattuck? im just wondering..as they will pull kids from all over the U.S. <br>and what are you talking about making up excuses? all i said is that i think that the gophers missed an opportunity with gorowsky. and that of course they will act as though they didnt recruit him heavily when they dont sign him...<br><br>And you guarantee that ALL the verbal commitments will be there in a few years? im sure if it were up to the player..of course they would be...but did it ever occur to you that Juniors can be a drastic change from the high school scene..and that it can actually affect a players performance?think about that.. <p></p><i></i>

I don't agree with Jon Ammerman looking good as a gopher. I have watched Jon this past fall as well as this winter and Jon is a bit over rated at this time. He had a horrible weekend at the select 17 festival. It appeared as if he was a step off all weekend. He also struggled last fall in the HS Elite League. I think Jon is out of place at defence and would look better as a winger. <p></p><i></i>

Stafford grew up in Faribault. <p></p><i></i>

I believe Stafford came to Shattuck from the Milwaukee area. <p></p><i></i>

The Gophers didn't have to "act" like they stopped recruiting Gorowsky. The article I read never quoted anybody from the Gophers and if anything, the info seemed to come from Gorowsky himself. <br><br>The Gophers are loaded in the coming years. Gorowsky won't be missed. They got the best player on Centennial anyway in RJ. <p></p><i></i>

hockeyscout<br>you made the same comment about RJ about not being a good defensemen and should move to wing. Matter of fact the only good defensemen you have talked about is Phillipi- think there is a connection. RJ, Connley, Ammerman, Niskinen, Lee, ect are players that try a few creative things. Yes they get out of position and every creative pass or move doesn't always work but I have also seen Phillipi quite often and he is very solid defensively, but just sits back and plays not to get beat where the others will take chances. ....in the eye of the beholder <p></p><i></i>