Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

[Bonin21]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

Probably true but Hoglund can't be any worse than Isackson is at times IMO.

They're both bad but Isackson is a senior and can pretend to be a center so he gets in there.

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

It was St. Lawrence's second game of the weekend...and the ladies teams' first. That was the same scenario under which the men's team lost to Northeastern. Still must have been a solid effort and St. Lawrence is a good team.

ANY team should be able to play two games in two successive days! And if it had gone the other way, say the Gophers would have lost, I suppose the team could blame it on "rust" as that was their first game after a month of inactivity. I don't think it was a case of St. Lawrence being tired (after their light tuneup the day before in Mankato) because the Gophers jumped all over them from the opening faceoff, scoring three goals in the first period. But regardless my original point was that the women found ways to score from in close, whether it be rebounds, tip-ins or quick passes to players fighting for position in and around the paint. For the most part men's team is not doing those things, and instead is mostly relying on perfectly timed and placed one-timers from the perimeter. Having seen both teams play - and generating very similar numbers of shots on goal - I found the contrast in styles to be very telling, and it showed up on the scoreboard.

[JoeGopher]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

Pretty much every year, he has been a bust imo. I would rather play R Reilly or Hogland on the 4th line and have him sit in the stands.

Yeah, I commented to the guy sitting next to me that not only should he lose his scholarship (if applicable), but should be kicked out of school and black-balled from campus. A little extreme I know, since he may be a really good kid and great student, but his playing days should be over.

I like R. Reilly when he is out there. I think Hoglund has at least looked like he was giving effort when on the ice. A lot of players on this team could take a lesson from that.

[Stauber1]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

Again, I really have to shake my head when I see so much vitriol for Isackson and the guys waffling between the 3rd/4th lines. Those bottom 3-4 forwards are not what is causing this team to struggle.

When looking at guys like Isackson your assessment has to be tempered against expectations. He is not a "go-to" type player, he is a role player. And he has been playing his role fairly well. His passing has been better this year than any year previously. His positional and defensive play has been better than any year previously. He is even in +/-, one behind Rau, Marshall and Ambroz and better than C Reilly.

Similar to after the MSU series...Isackson was a +1 this past weekend and involved on an important goal at the start of the game on Saturday. At the same time, Cammarata had 1 assist on the weekend and was a -2; Kloos had no points and was a -3; Marshall was a -2 and M Reilly was on the ice for 3 of the 5 goals against.

I realize I come off as a total Isackson apologist. That's really not the case, as I agree he has never lived up to his potential. But to point the finger at him, or other 3rd/4th line guys, when week after week there are poor performances from guys that get a lot more ice time and that the team expects much more from....it just seems crazy.

[mnstate0fhockey]

Again, I really have to shake my head when I see so much vitriol for Isackson and the guys waffling between the 3rd/4th lines. Those bottom 3-4 forwards are not what is causing this team to struggle.

When looking at guys like Isackson your assessment has to be tempered against expectations. He is not a "go-to" type player, he is a role player. And he has been playing his role fairly well. His passing has been better this year than any year previously. His positional and defensive play has been better than any year previously. He is even in +/-, one behind Rau, Marshall and Ambroz and better than C Reilly.

Similar to after the MSU series...Isackson was a +1 this past weekend and involved on an important goal at the start of the game on Saturday. At the same time, Cammarata had 1 assist on the weekend and was a -2; Kloos had no points and was a -3; Marshall was a -2 and M Reilly was on the ice for 3 of the 5 goals against.

I realize I come off as a total Isackson apologist. That's really not the case, as I agree he has never lived up to his potential. But to point the finger at him, or other 3rd/4th line guys, when week after week there are poor performances from guys that get a lot more ice time and that the team expects much more from....it just seems crazy.

Well said. I was pretty critical of Mike Reilly on Twitter Friday. Didn't think he had a good game at all. He's a big piece to this team (as are some of the others you mentioned). Can't imagine some of these guys came back just to let this season slip away. It takes commitment and attention to detail to win at this level. Talent isn't enough. Hope they figure that out.

[JoeGopher]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

Agreed on Cammarata. Also made points about Sam "Houdini" Warning as well as Rau being silent.

I get your point about Isackson, and I will stop harping. There are a lot of 1st and 2nd line guys that need to decide what they want to do with this season, and do it in a hurry before it slips away. Maybe the high expectations at the beginning were way off, or they are feeling the pressure?

[HarleyMC]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

Again, I really have to shake my head when I see so much vitriol for Isackson and the guys waffling between the 3rd/4th lines. Those bottom 3-4 forwards are not what is causing this team to struggle.

When looking at guys like Isackson your assessment has to be tempered against expectations. He is not a "go-to" type player, he is a role player.

I tend to agree Stauber, it was only a couple seasons ago when he was skating with Bjugs, Rau and Haula at times on the first line (2012-13) and that was his best season so far. But you're exactly right, he's a role player with some decent stick handling skills who seems to thrive with a strong supporting cast that taps into his potential. But being where he's at now on the 4th he's never going to come close to putting up those 2012-13 numbers again. But I don't see him improving his game enough this season to land anywhere else.

[Slap Shot]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

I'm not sure he ever thrived power see, but the right he was the lucky recipient of sine quantity talent on the ice. However, I think he was eventually relegated because he wasn't able to sufficiently reciprocate. Dazzling stick handling at times that far too often resulted with him losing possession before either he or his linemates could benefit. But I'll never foo SO far as to bash him, he is what he is.

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

Agreed on Cammarata. Also made points about Sam "Houdini" Warning as well as Rau being silent.

I get your point about Isackson, and I will stop harping. There are a lot of 1st and 2nd line guys that need to decide what they want to do with this season, and do it in a hurry before it slips away. Maybe the high expectations at the beginning were way off, or they are feeling the pressure?

Agree with you on #11. He has always kinda been that way IMO. More consistency out of him would definitely be desirable.

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

I'm not sure he ever thrived power see, but the right he was the lucky recipient of sine quantity talent on the ice. However, I think he was eventually relegated because he wasn't able to sufficiently reciprocate. Dazzling stick handling at times that far too often resulted with him losing possession before either he or his linemates could benefit. But I'll never foo SO far as to bash him, he is what he is.

Agree, I didn't think he thrived with the big boys and still think back to how the heck he ended up skating with that line. I don't bash him I guess, but I get a little frustrated with him at times and mixing up the lineup isn't a bad thing.

Never said that Isackson (or anyone on the 3rd or 4th lines) is necessarily the reason for the team's struggles as others have said though.

[SanTropez]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

Isackson isn't the reason we have struggled, but that doesn't mean he isn't terrible. I think our 4th line is worse with him playing on it, imo he adds nothing to the lineup. Well he does add hanging onto the puck too long and losing it frequently, especially when he has other guys open in the offensive zone. So he has that going for him.

Our top guys need to bury the puck and quit shooting wide or into the goalies belly or glove when they have a wide open net.

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

Our top guys need to bury the puck and quit shooting wide or into the goalies belly or glove when they have a wide open net.

When it comes to the team's lack of production lately this is way more of an issue than Isackson or anyone else on the 4th line. One contributing factor is that most of the forwards simply do not have an NHL-quality shot at this stage of their development.

[ski]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

Wow, I remembered my log in info!!! Been a long time. Need help, wth is going on this year, do I need to panic? Really havent followed what's going on so far this year for several reasons... Slow start, weird game times and channels and busy with all other Gopher teams breaking my heart.

Is there hope? What's the problem?

Thanks.

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

Is there hope?

No.

Signed,
Scooby

[ski]

Re: Minnesota Gophers Season Thread: 2014-2015

No.

Signed,
Scooby

That's what I was afraid of.

Thanks, see ya all next year.