Never getting beat up the ice so you don’t give up odd-man rushes. “They don’t do the little things that are the most important.

Poor Discipline – “They run around all over with no discipline,” says Gopher alum Kevin Hartzell.They’ve been raised to be the kings of the land because they’re youth hockey players that are great. Another is more succinct: “They’re arrogant little jerks. That’s left no one to do the yeoman’s work of winning hockey. It’s akin to building a football team where everyone fancies himself a star quarterback. Some were signed to scholarships as young as age 15, coated with praise since their grade school days. Hockey Brats – Watch these days, and you’ll witness less a team than a constellation of child stars.As for the players? They cited that the Gophers were getting other Minnesota team’s ‘best game,’ they were not working hard enough, they blamed a bad Thursday practice, and mental fatigue.Įverything except the dog ate our homework.Īnd once sold out Mariucci Arena is now shows open seats – as if there are better things to do in the frozen north.Īccording to Minneapolis City Pages, What happened to the University of Minnesota hockey program?, the problems facing the Gophers are deep. They’re riding a good wave right now,” Minnesota coach Don Lucia said. We should embrace that, and give them credit too. The College Hockey News published an article following the tournament loss. This is embarrassing for a program that is used to gettting the pick of the litter of Minnesota prep talent. This season, Minnesota-Duluth is not participating.

Minnesota is a permanent part of the tournament, while the other three teams rotate which one is skipped. The tournament was created in the aftermath of the breakup of the old WCHA as a way to give Minnesota’s five Division I schools an opportunity to still compete against each other.

1-12 against Minnesota schools in their last 13 gamesįor the second straight season the Gophers finished last in the North State College Cup this past weekend.

But other issues are boiling under the surface. 500 for the season with a 13-12-0 record. Sure they are tied with Michigan (8-2) in the weak, six-team Big 10 and are above. While generations of Minnesota kids could only dream of wearing the iconic maroon and gold “M” jersey, on the ice the Gophers are just another Minnesota college hockey program.

Minnesota meltdown