Being a hockey fan in the state of Minnesota it would seem natural that I'd be a big fan of the University of Minnesota hockey team, when in fact the opposite is true. Growing up in Duluth, watching the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, I came to hate the southern campus with a passion. They got all the top-notch in-state recruits, they had the best facility and they got all the TV time on FSN. In recent years the Gophers have landed most of the top recruits in the Country, namely Erik Johnson (pictured above), Peter Mueller and Phil "no pass" Kessel.
The Gophers are now the Yankees of college hockey. Unfortunately this will bite them in the ass in the years to come. Johnson and Mueller will be "one and done" players and Kessel may, and I stress MAY, come back for a second year. Shuttling different skaters in and out of the lineup year after year will prove to be a detriment for Coach Don Lucia and they will not be able to develop as a unit. Players that don't play together for more than a year have no chance to develop into a team. Watch in the coming years as teams such as Holy Cross upset the Gophers and their team of all stars. I know I'll be watching with a big smile on my face.
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