BLOG: Don Lucia on Gopher Alums Making NHL Debuts

On Tuesday, Nick Seeler became the fifth Gopher alum in 2017-18 to make his NHL debut when he skated for the Minnesota Wild. He also played in Thursday's 5-2 loss to Washington at Xcel Energy Center.

A fifth round pick drafted by the Wild out of Eden Prairie HS, he joins a growing list of Minnesota players in the NHL. Seeler is the 23rd alum to play in an NHL game this season. No NCAA team has had more.

"I thought we didn't develop anyone in our program. That's the word," head coach Don Lucia said sarcastically when a reporter brought up that fact.

Along with Seeler, alums Justin Kloos, Travis Boyd, Justin Holl and Vinni Lettieri, who was on the ice with the New York Rangers against Seeler's Wild, have all debuted.

Puck Dynasty Podcast: The Autopsy of the 2016-17 Gopher Men's Hockey Team (Episode 20)

Puck Dynasty is a weekly in-season podcast covering the University of Minnesota men’s hockey team and college hockey. Nathan Wells (SB Nation College Hockey/various outlets), Declan Goff (1500 ESPN/GoMN Sports) and Drew Cove (Minnesota Daily) discuss the latest news, analysis and give their opinions about the Gophers and sport as a whole.

This week Declan, Drew and Nate open the show dissecting the Gophers’ loss to Notre Dame at the opening round of the NCAA Tournament; the first wave of players signing NHL contracts; the impact of next year’s incoming freshman class, plus a ton of Twitter questions!

The guys close the show previewing the Frozen Four and their most-improved Gopher players. Thank you to everyone who listen/subscribed to the Puck Dynasty podcast this season.

Those trying to explain Megabus to Lou Nanne can directly download at 1500 ESPN, Podcast One or subscribe on iTunes.


Follow Nate (@gopherstate), Declan (@dexstweets) and Drew (@drewcove48) on Twitter. If you like what you hear, be sure to give it a five star review on whatever platform you consume podcasts.

Vinni Lettieri signs ELC with New York Rangers

Photo: Daniel Mick

The New York Rangers announced Monday that the team signed University of Minnesota senior forward Vinni Lettieri to a two year, entry-level contract.

Lettieri's four years at Minnesota came to an Saturday when the Gophers lost to Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament. The 22 year-old went undrafted. He chose to sign with the Rangers over Chicago, according to Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, who was first to report Lettieri's signing.

“Being a Gopher is something I will be proud of for the rest of my life, and I am so thankful I had the opportunity to play here at the University of Minnesota,” Lettieri said in a statement released by the University. “It’s bittersweet to be moving on from a place you love so much, but this has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, and I’m thrilled to be signing with the Rangers organization.”

Minnesota sees two goal lead, season disappear against Notre Dame

Three years ago in the visiting locker room of Wells Fargo Center, Minnesota's freshman class experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows.

Their team had defeated its biggest rival with a final second buzzer-beater win. Then two days later they fell short to Union in the 2014 national championship game.

They - Jake Bischoff, Taylor Cammarata, Justin Kloos, Vinni Lettieri and Connor Reilly (Mitch Rogge joined later) - spent three years trying to get that feeling back.

Several came back this season for an opportunity to change the past. They turned down NHL offers in order to be the one team of 60 who doesn't conclude their year with a loss. In the process they earned a #1 seed and fourth straight regular season title.

Nearly tasting ultimate success as freshmen, that's the closest they'll get.

Manchester, NH marks the end for the second time in three years. They leave SNHU Center short of the Frozen Four with Minnesota's season and, for the seniors, their college careers over, losing 3-2 to Notre Dame at the NCAA Northeast Regional semifinal.

Pregame Blog: Minnesota-MSU Senior Night Line Combinations

Saturday's Game Info

Michigan State at #5 Minnesota

Date: March 11, 2017
Time: 7:00 pm CT (8:00 pm ET)
Place: Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis, MN
TV: Fox Sports North Plus (Doug McLeod and Ben Clymer)
Stream: Fox Sports Go (Free for cable subscribers)
Radio: 1500 ESPN (Wally Shaver and Frank Mazzocco)
Nate is covering for tonight: St. Paul Pioneer Press

Puck Dynasty Podcast: Vinni Lettieri: A Goalie's Second-Best Friend (Episode 16)

Puck Dynasty is a weekly podcast covering the University of Minnesota men’s hockey team and college hockey. Nathan Wells (SB Nation College Hockey/various outlets), Declan Goff (1500 ESPN/GoMN Sports) and Drew Cove (Minnesota Daily) discuss the latest news, analysis and give their opinions about the Gophers and sport as a whole.

This week Nate and Declan trudge ahead without an under the weather Drew for a packed episode. They open with answering a number of Twitter questions before moving on to discussing Vinni Lettieri's improved senior season and play in Minnesota's series split against the Badgers. Other weekend topics include a lack of puck luck from those not named Lettieri, Wisconsin's defense, the crowd at Mariucci, Eric Schierhorn's play, and Justin Kloos scoring timely goals

In the second half of the show this weekend's series against Michigan is previewed before ending with a look at the Pairwise rankings and where the Gophers may end up playing a NCAA Tournament regional.

Those whose names Nate butchered can directly download at 1500 ESPN, Podcast One or subscribe on iTunes.


Follow Nate (@gopherstate), Declan (@dexstweets) and Drew (@drewcove48) on Twitter. If you like what you hear, be sure to give it a five star review on whatever platform you consume podcasts.

Radio: WCCO Radio on Sports Sunday with Steve Thomson (February 26, 2017)

Once again I was on WCCO Radio with Steve Thomson for what is becoming a weekly segment during the hockey season on The Good Neighbor.

Calling in prior to covering Minnesota's Game 3 with Bemidji State,
topics include the Gopher women losing Saturday and how it affects the team's NCAA bid, goaltending, the differences between this year's team and the past two national championships, the Minnesota men splitting with Wisconsin, why it puts the Gophers in the driver's seat for the Big Ten championship, Vinni Lettieri and Minnesota's forward depth, and the play of Eric Schierhorn of late.

I also plug this site at the end. If anyone found their way here from that, congrats!

Direct: http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/audio/steve-thomson-and-eric-nelson/

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/steve-thomson-and-eric-nelson/id403228796?mt=2

My segment begins at the 18:30 mark of the 3 pm hour on Sunday February 26th.

Pregame Blog: On Friday's loss, Saturday game times & more Minnesota-Wisconsin notes

Saturday game info:

#19 Wisconsin at #4 Minnesota

Date: February 24, 2017
Time: 7:00 p.m. CT
Place: Mariucci Arena
TV: Fox Sports North Plus (Fox Sports Wisconsin for our friends in Madison)
Stream: BTN2Go/Fox Sports Go (Free for cable subscribers)
Radio: 1500 ESPN
Nate is covering for tonight: St. Paul Pioneer Press

Game Story: No rally this time as "U" falls to Wisconsin (St. Paul Pioneer Press)

2/24/2017 Game Story

Wisconsin 3
Minnesota 2
FINAL

MINNEAPOLIS- Minnesota began Friday’s game believing the bounces would be going the way of the home team with an opening-shift lead that came from a shot from behind the Wisconsin goal line. The Gophers ended the night getting many more over the remaining 59 minutes that went any other way but inside the net.

Playing from behind and trying to get yet another come-from-behind win, Minnesota’s latest attempt was one comeback too many.

Despite a third-period rush and 38 total shots on net, the Gophers, who came from two goals or more down in three of the past four games, came up short in a 3-2 loss at Mariucci Arena.

“We lost to a good team tonight. It was a hard-fought game,” said Minnesota coach Don Lucia. “Now our goal is to try and win tomorrow.”

Freshman goaltender Jack Berry made 36 saves for Wisconsin, which bookended a pair of Vinni Lettieri goals Friday with three in the second period on six shots.

Click here to read the rest!

Feature: Gopher Hockey preps for Badgers without Tommy Novak (St. Paul Pioneer Press)

(This article originally appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press)

Connor Reilly has an idea what Gophers hockey teammate Tommy Novak is going through.

Twice Reilly, a redshirt senior and alternate captain, had his season end early because of lower-body injury, just like Novak, who was hurt in Minnesota’s 4-2 victory over Michigan on Saturday and is out for the season.

He pulled Novak aside and talked with him for a little bit.

“There will be some good days. There will be some bad days,” Reilly said he told Novak. “It’s not easy. It’s a difficult process, but I told him to treat it as an opportunity to learn a lot about yourself as a person. Hopefully you grow more as a person because it is an interesting process. You can’t look too far ahead; you can’t look too far behind.”

Just as quickly, attention turned to how seventh-ranked Minnesota (13-5-2, 5-1-0-0 Big Ten), currently on a six-game winning streak, will replace the sophomore center’s playmaking abilities in the lineup beginning with this weekend’s road series against top rival Wisconsin (10-7-1, 3-1-0-0).

Click here to read the rest!

Leftovers From The Michigan Series

No, this wasn't the same Michigan team.

That much was apparent early and often during Minnesota's 5-2 and 4-2 wins over the Wolverines to extend its winning streak to six games.

(You can read both of my game stories in the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Friday here. Saturday here.)

Michigan's goals Friday came off of two turnovers in the defensive zone (the second being about as easy of a giveaway that Leon Bristedt could have given up to Brendan Warren). The offensive juggernaut from last season had barely any offense this time around.

By the time head coach Red Berenson spoke Friday he said what we all knew.

"We have to be better defensively as a group. We're not a gifted team. We're not last year's team. We're not going to lead the country in scoring," said Berenson, who has seen it all in a 30+ year coaching career with the Wolverines. "In fact it's hard for us to score. How many games have we scored three goals? "

Lose as many dynamic players as Berenson's team has over the past two seasons and trying to replace becomes a steeper and steeper task. (It's something Minnesota fans can relate to after the string of one-and-dones from 2004-2007.) Not every class contains a Dylan Larkin or Kyle Connor. Getting an upperclassmen resurgence from Zach Hyman or Tyler Motte takes time.

This year, however, the Wolverines - without top freshman forward Will Lockwood last weekend - have gone back to square one. Michigan led the nation in goals per game a season ago. Without the CCM line and Zach Werenski the shooting gallery is gone in Ann Arbor. Only three teams in the country have a worse Corsi close (42.5%) than the Wolverines.

Minnesota focused on shot suppression this weekend, holding Michigan to 42 shots in 2 games. Putting the pressure on the Wolverines defense and goaltending, the road team was more conservative and Minnesota controlled possession almost at will.

"Too many shots. Too many chances. We weren't good enough with the puck or without the puck," said Berenson after Friday's loss.

Berenson, for what it's worth, did have praise for the Gophers.

"They're as good of a team as any team in the country on any given night," he said.

Five more leftover thoughts after the jump: