Will Kessel Live Up to the Hype?

[Zudnic]

What say you?

[Borderline Obese]

What say you?
nice poll
I pick option A

[jmh]

Considering how excessive the hype has been, he'd have to score 80 goals a year to live up to it.

[4four4]

I accidently voted for the wrong one. ****.

[gotaell]

Considering how excessive the hype has been, he'd have to score 80 goals a year to live up to it.

We could just set the number of goals he needs to score equal to the number of threads posted about him...

If he can score that much he deserves to be an all time great.

[KC8NIY]

50 goal scorer if he lives up to the national hype. 80 goal scorer to live up to the hype here. Anything less is a bust.

Seriously, option B.

[byualum]

B/C...how in the world could he live up to the hype. Hopefully that will be a new thread, "What numbers does Kessel have to put up to not be considered a bust?" Followed by "How soon will Kessel be on the cover of the NCAA Ice Hockey video game?"

[LordViperScorpion]

I think the answer is somewhere between A and B. I think Kessel as a Senior in College would be an all time top 5. As a one or two year player, I guess option B is more likely.

BTW, the hype that we have seen during the recruitment should die down a little, now that it is almost over, until about two weeks before the season. He will be very hyped, but I think a bunch of the hype we are seeing now is due to the fact that the decision has been dragged out and he is comitting much later than most of the other top end players in this class.

Hopefully it will die down anyway.

[MoFan]

Wasn't the last Gopher (assuming he makes this poor decision) to be this hyped Dave Spehar? :eek:

[Slap Shot]

Wasn't the last Gopher (assuming he makes this poor decision) to be this hyped Dave Spehar? :eek:

Spehar didn't get anywhere near this amount of attention, and the last "hyped" UM recruit took part in a NC his freshman season.

That said, I have refrained from making even a single comment about expectations for Kessell because he's just a kid that hasn't had one minute of ice-time in college. I look forward to watching him play though, no matter which program he eventually chooses.

[edit] btw, so far just as many Gopher fans have voted for option 2 above as option 1.

[darin]

i can't imagine him ripping up during the one year he'll be in the ncaa. if he stayed, he'd be an all-timer, but he won't live up to the hype because he won't have time to.

[I BLEED BLUE]

i can't imagine him ripping up during the one year he'll be in the ncaa. if he stayed, he'd be an all-timer, but he won't live up to the hype because he won't have time to.


Yeah, he isnt the next Kariya :D

[MoFan]

Spehar didn't get anywhere near this amount of attention
I beg your pardon. Spehar for President (http://www.mndaily.com/printfriendly.php?id=13160&year=1995) You must not have been on the board back then.

[Slap Shot]

I beg your pardon. Spehar for President (http://www.mndaily.com/printfriendly.php?id=13160&year=1995) You must not have been on the board back then.

1. I'm pretty sure I was here before Feb 2005 - your join date.
2. I don't need an old article to remind about Spehar's career - I witnessed it.
3. I attended my first Gopher hockey game in 1973 and have been an avid and active fan eve since.
4. Yes, I remember the hoopla but comparing Kessell to Spehar - on and off the ice - is hyperbole at its finest.

[TerrierByAssociation#2]

What hype?

[MoFan]

1. I'm pretty sure I was here before Feb 2005 - your join date.
2. I don't need an old article to remind about Spehar's career - I witnessed it.
3. I attended my first Gopher hockey game in 1973 and have been an avid and active fan eve since.
4. Yes, I remember the hoopla but comparing Kessell to Spehar - on and off the ice - is hyperbole at its finest.
And this would be my second log in since I switched PC's and forgot my password on my first. Active since '95, attending college hockey games since '88. I witnessed Spehar's career since I lived in MN from '97-'01. Spehar, Spehar, Spehar ... I love saying that to Goofer fans. But I did like Casey Hankinson.

[Slap Shot]

I witnessed Spehar's career since I lived in MN from '97-'01. Spehar, Spehar, Spehar ... I love saying that to Goofer fans. But I did like Casey Hankinson.

This still doesn't correct your erroneous claim that the hoopla over Spehar was anywhere near what it has been for Kessell. The Spehar brouhaha was primarily centered in Minnesota (as opposed to the entire country) as you might recall a certain team from the north working hard to land him. And if you're so up on Gophers past you'd know Spehar was never projected to be drafted anywhere near where Kessell is predicted to go. But yeah, I suppose it's easier to predict bad things for a recruit your favorite program didn't land than demonstrate an ounce of objectivity.

[MoFan]

But yeah, I suppose it's easier to predict bad things for a recruit your favorite program didn't land than demonstrate an ounce of objectivity.
Pretty much. But I just find this whole thing funny. I don't think Red is losing any sleep - they'll be able to compete with MN and Red seems to prefer solid two-way players that will stay for four years versus The Next One for 1-2 years. I don't really wish bad things about him or really care that he's going to the Gophers.....I hope he's as good as everyone thinks and is a great guy on top of it.

[Slap Shot]

Pretty much. But I just find this whole thing funny. I don't think Red is losing any sleep - they'll be able to compete with MN and Red seems to prefer solid two-way players that will stay for four years....

God Bless Michigan hockey for never having players leave early. Red is so enlightened compared with Lucia. btw, does that push by Red at the last minute to land Kessell mean anything to your argument?

[MoFan]

God Bless Michigan hockey for never having players leave early. Red is so enlightened compared with Lucia. btw, does that push by Red at the last minute to land Kessell mean anything to your argument?
I knew that they recruited him. But I do wonder how badly he wants guys that are probably gone in 1-2 years. I'm not saying that he would have gotten him or that he didn't really want him. I just don't know the truth but I have read repeatedly about how upset Red has been when guys like Comrie, Van Ryn, Hilbert, etc. have left early and how he still waxes poetically about guys like Brendan Morrison that stayed for four years. And actually, from what I've heard from a former CC player (graduated before Lucia left), Red is enlightened compared with Lucia.