How Don Lucia killed the Minnesota Gopher's hockey dynasty

Quote:The Gophers had not just become an afterthought across the nation. They weren’t even close to being the best team in Minnesota. Over the last four years they went 5-18 against Duluth, Mankato, and St. Cloud, despite a roster loaded with the state’s most glimmering talents.

This year’s squad held 13 NHL draft picks. It still managed to finish just fifth in the Big 10. Out of seven schools.

http://www.citypages.com/news/how-don-lu.../477582963

Not the only midwestern blublood to fall. Wisconsin has gone 4 straight years without an NCAA appearance. Both schools would be considered in college hockey’s Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, North Carolina.

Lucia never seemed to know how to a build team.

His only Gopher championship teams were passed on to him, and he never built one. His players seem to a prima donnas that don't do the less fancy things well. The other four DI Minnesota teams purposely have a lot of blue collar players that aren't afraid of doing forechecking and being teammates etc, which the Minnesota players don't do well. Heard several time that the NHL scouts don't like their draft picks to become a Gopher as they don't develop well. Thank you for some top line players over the years, Mr Lucia.

(03-22-2018 05:33 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  Not the only midwestern blublood to fall. Wisconsin has gone 4 straight years without an NCAA appearance. Both schools would be considered in college hockey’s Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, North Carolina.

That's unacceptable for Badger Hockey. They made a coaching change 2 years ago and things are looking up considering it was kind of a mess. Give Granato another year and they'll be back.

(03-23-2018 08:54 AM)BadgerMJ Wrote:  

(03-22-2018 05:33 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  Not the only midwestern blublood to fall. Wisconsin has gone 4 straight years without an NCAA appearance. Both schools would be considered in college hockey’s Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, North Carolina.

That's unacceptable for Badger Hockey. They made a coaching change 2 years ago and things are looking up considering it was kind of a mess. Give Granato another year and they'll be back.

I agree they’ll be back starting next year. I know a handful of ex-players at UW and they all don’t like Eaves to this day.

Eaves won. 1 title and another runner-up. But he had a really grating personality that wore thin from what I heard.

Season tix are available for Minnesota? Id snatch them up if I lived there