Minnesota Golden Gophers Season Thread 2017-18 Part II

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers Season Thread 2017-18 Part II

Potulny is change for the sake of change.

In other words, a bad idea

[trixR4kids]

Potulny is change for the sake of change.

In other words, a bad idea

Yeah I certainly wouldn’t do that.

[trixR4kids]

There is plenty of blame for them too. The games in which they looked their worst, they were clearly not giving the effort, getting beat to most pucks. Not just after dumps in the offensive end, but in their own end as well. Doesn't matter what system you have in those situations. What they need most coming out of this long break (and I am not confident a long break is the best way to produce this) is to step up the effort and realize that only way they win games is by outworking the opponent.

I mean those games happen (that one PSU game was abysmal obviously) but I’m more concerned with the longer term trends like our 40’s ranked goals scored per game. And there are specific things you can point to in terms of coaching imo that explain some of it. The effort stuff is something you need to assess on a per game basis but i don’t think it explains most of a team’s success (or lack thereof) for a given year.

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers Season Thread 2017-18 Part II

Yeah I certainly wouldn’t do that.

Potulny might be a good option in five years.

It’s like an Alabama fan seeing a Saban assistant do well at some MAC school or Minnesota. Promising, but I’m not going to trust him with the aircraft carrier just yet.

[trixR4kids]

Potulny might be a good option in five years.

It’s like an Alabama fan seeing a Saban assistant do well at some MAC school or Minnesota. Promising, but I’m not going to trust him with the aircraft carrier just yet.

Yeah exactly, I like what he’s done so far but he’s not coming here now.

[SteveO]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers Season Thread 2017-18 Part II

There is plenty of blame for them too. The games in which they looked their worst, they were clearly not giving the effort, getting beat to most pucks. Not just after dumps in the offensive end, but in their own end as well. Doesn't matter what system you have in those situations. What they need most coming out of this long break (and I am not confident a long break is the best way to produce this) is to step up the effort and realize that only way they win games is by outworking the opponent.

Spot on Koho. If you've been around this game long enough it's not difficult to tell which players are 100% engaged in winning puck battles and making a play, and which guys are going for a primadonna skate on their shift. It's not a coach's responsibility to motivate players, they better show up motivated or stay home we don't need you.

I saw so much standing around, bend over slightly and poke a little here and poke a little there while letting a guy dance around near the net and score, particularly with the D this season it's uncanny. And the offense dumping it in, playing the walls ad infinitum instead of entering the zone, controlling play, going to the net, and being smart and precise with the puck. That's not traditional Gopher Hockey, that's BORING hockey. And the guys that do give 100% each game should be vocal in the locker room about what that means.

"What else does that "M" on your sweater mean other than you're a student here?" Gophers have one shot to prove they're better than their record indicates. They better seriously bring it and win. #relentless #fierce #fast #smart

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers Season Thread 2017-18 Part II

Do Gopher fans really think that Potulny is even going to be much of a change from Lucia? He came up through Lucia and his sole coaching experience until this year was under Lucia.

Some people do, I'm sure. I would agree with those who are saying he is probably too raw as a head coach. I'm not sure how much I'd put into him being too much like Lucia, though. I don't doubt that he does some things based on experiences and advice he's gotten from Lucia over the years, but most coaches want to put their own stamp on things when they get their shot at the helm.

That's the reason I'm not 100% out on Guentzel if they do make a move this offsesaon. I know everyone is down on Guentzel's defense this year. But I'm not sure how much of that is on him and how much is on recruiting. I'm intrigued to see what Guentzel would do if he got to run the show, I'm guessing it would have a much different feel than it did with Lucia. JMO.

[ThePowerConference]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers Season Thread 2017-18 Part II

Its seems like Guentzel is basically running the team already because he's the only one that gets on the players behind the bench. Old Don just stands there with this forlorn look on his face like he's lost interest. I would be for giving Guentzel a chance to be top dog.

Potulny has done a nice job at NMU this season but a bigger sample size is needed before he gets promoted to head coach for Goldy. Plus the level of competition NMU faced is not nearly as good as that the Gophers face every season, both in the Big 10 and non-conference.

[trixR4kids]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers Season Thread 2017-18 Part II

IDK about that, if anything Lucia is too busy yelling at the refs

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers Season Thread 2017-18 Part II

Some people do, I'm sure. I would agree with those who are saying he is probably too raw as a head coach.

A former 3 year captain at the U, with professional experience as a player, then having served 8 years as an assistant and now one year as a very successful head coach at the D1 level, I wouldn't characterize him as being "too raw". He's known to be a great recruiter, a big plus. And at a very mature 38 years old, is still young enough to relate very well to the players. I'm not arguing that he would necessarily be the best choice if Lucia should step down, but I do think he's got lots of promise to be a very successful head coach at Minnesota. If Mark Coyle decides to keep tDon for another year, and Northern Michigan has another good season in 2018-19, maybe that would be the more appropriate time for Potulny to take over the head coaching job at Minnesota.

That's the reason I'm not 100% out on Guentzel if they do make a move this offsesaon. I know everyone is down on Guentzel's defense this year. But I'm not sure how much of that is on him and how much is on recruiting.

Which begs the question: how much is the recruiting (and selection of the recruits) and the play of his defensemen on him? IMO Guentzel is one of those guys who's destined to be a career assistant coach. He does not possess what I would call a charismatic or positive personality, two traits that are very important for the program's lead spokesman to have. If the Gophers do decide to make a change I think it's important to start with a clean slate, one with fresh ideas and a new direction, and let the new coach build his own team.

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers Season Thread 2017-18 Part II

Old Don just stands there with this forlorn look on his face like he's lost interest.

100% disagree and I'm so sick of hearing people say that. You can say whatever you want about tDon and the (lack of) results on the ice, but I don't think it's because he doesn't care.

[gopher wes]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers Season Thread 2017-18 Part II

A former 3 year captain at the U, with professional experience as a player, then having served 8 years as an assistant and now one year as a very successful head coach at the D1 level, I wouldn't characterize him as being "too raw". He's known to be a great recruiter, a big plus. And at a very mature 38 years old, is still young enough to relate very well to the players. I'm not arguing that he would necessarily be the best choice if Lucia should step down, but I do think he's got lots of promise to be a very successful head coach at Minnesota. If Mark Coyle decides to keep tDon for another year, and Northern Michigan has another good season in 2018-19, maybe that would be the more appropriate time for Potulny to take over the head coaching job at Minnesota.


Which begs the question: how much is the recruiting (and selection of the recruits) and the play of his defensemen on him? IMO Guentzel is one of those guys who's destined to be a career assistant coach. He does not possess what I would call a charismatic or positive personality, two traits that are very important for the program's lead spokesman to have. If the Gophers do decide to make a change I think it's important to start with a clean slate, one with fresh ideas and a new direction, and let the new coach build his own team.

All good points, we'll see how Coyle plays it if Lucia gets the boot.


I disagree. I feel like Guentzel is usually pretty engaging and sometimes very blunt in interviews. In his between period interviews he has kind of let the team have it a couple times when they were playing poorly that I remember. And I thought he did a good job on the weekly radio show filling in for tDon a few times. I feel like Guentzel is a lot of the things that people say Lucia isn't, especially in his demeanor on the bench. Like I said, I think I'd be intrigued to see what kind of stamp Guentzel would put on the program if it was his to run.

[Slap Shot]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers Season Thread 2017-18 Part II

I don't get the impression from following things at NMU that Potulny is approaching all that much in the same way that tDon has, but you could do worse either way. Never mind the fact Lucia was a golden child for years (including his tenure pre-Minnesota) so borrowing some of that isn't exactly a terrible idea. I think like with many coaches Lucia has finally run his course, but there's no reason to believe Potulny would co-op the latter over the former.

That said he's possibly a bit too green for that spotlight right now, but despite that I'd put him over a lot of others on the list of possibilities. He's hungry, driven, passionate, gritty and exudes energy. Something the program has lacked for years.

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers Season Thread 2017-18 Part II

Glad to see UND lose!

[D2D]

Re: Minnesota Golden Gophers Season Thread 2017-18 Part II

Glad to see UND lose!

But not so glad to see #21 Princeton knock off #2 Cornell. Go Clarkson!