U. of Minnesota - 1st team with 3 top ten picks?

Gophers

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Nov 23, 2004
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they really didn't miss Okposo, he was picked before Minnesota had a chance, as an Islanders fan i am happy Gopher games are on Fox Sports North.
Yeah, I know, they just missed the opportunity to draft him.
 

PuckFan01

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And how was Fischer for a guy who was playing high school hockey last season? I know he's a project, but do you think he can be a good one?

He has become more steady and is starting to make more plays and you can tell he is gaining more confidence as time goes along. He started off slow in the first few weeks of the season but he is definitely making steps in the right direction. I would suspect he will have a strong second half. He played well against Michigan on Saturday and that is a good sign considering Michigan is the best offensive team Minnesota has faced this year.
 

Hunter Gathers

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Really? From what I saw he didn't seem very interested in playing hard. Maybe thats just deceptive because of his size and the slower pace of college hockey. Okposo looked like a total stud in comparison.

That's what I see when I watch Wheeler play as well. I'm very underwhelmed so far. Hope to see him turn it around, though.
 

Gopher_Nut

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Dec 8, 2005
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Interesting. I think Wheeler's looked pretty darn good this year.

I agree, Wheeler has become a force so far this yr. Centering the #1 line on the #1 team in the nation (I hate being #1, often it's the kiss of death). Are you sure you aren't watching games from last yr?????????
:dunno: :dunno:
 

Gopher_Nut

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He has become more steady and is starting to make more plays and you can tell he is gaining more confidence as time goes along. He started off slow in the first few weeks of the season but he is definitely making steps in the right direction. I would suspect he will have a strong second half. He played well against Michigan on Saturday and that is a good sign considering Michigan is the best offensive team Minnesota has faced this year.

Took the words right out of my mouth...I 2nd this comment!
:yo: :yo:
 

Bryzga lol*

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He has become more steady and is starting to make more plays and you can tell he is gaining more confidence as time goes along. He started off slow in the first few weeks of the season but he is definitely making steps in the right direction. I would suspect he will have a strong second half. He played well against Michigan on Saturday and that is a good sign considering Michigan is the best offensive team Minnesota has faced this year.

Really nice to hear. Drafting a player out of highschool like Fisher or Okposo can sometimes be a risk (not so much Okposo), you can never be sure if they'll make the jump into a higher league. But it looks like both of them will do well.
 

5mn Major

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Jan 14, 2006
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Wheeler is the second leading scorer in top four conferences (HE, CCHA, WCHA, ECHA) among underclassmen.

Wheeler as a sophmore leads the Gophers in scoring (tied with a senior).

As is often the case, its not a player's performance that is off...but posters' expectations.
 

Hunter Gathers

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To me, Wheeler looks like he shows up for every other game.

His skills against college level players can kind of negate that, but once he gets to the pros it won't cut it. I'd love to see a high level of intensity over the course of the season from him.
 

Hunter Gathers

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Wheeler is the second leading scorer in top four conferences (HE, CCHA, WCHA, ECHA) among underclassmen.

Wheeler as a sophmore leads the Gophers in scoring (tied with a senior).

As is often the case, its not a player's performance that is off...but posters' expectations.

Just because he's scoring a lot doesn't mean he is playing all-world hockey. If he had been playing more inspired hockey so far he'd have more points.

It's early in the season. I think he'll eventually turn it on all cylanders every game. He's just left me a bit unimpressed in the games I've seen him so far. That's all.
 

5mn Major

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To me, Wheeler looks like he shows up for every other game.

His skills against college level players can kind of negate that, but once he gets to the pros it won't cut it. I'd love to see a high level of intensity over the course of the season from him.

An opinion with which I disagree (the last 10 games he's reached a new level)...but with the amazing set of open-ice skills the guy's got, I'll say anything to keep him in a college uniform another year. :yo:
 

Hunter Gathers

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An opinion with which I disagree (the last 10 games he's reached a new level)...but with the amazing set of open-ice skills the guy's got, I'll say anything to keep him in a college uniform another year. :yo:

I think you need to take off a bit of those homer glasses. The guy is certainly one of the better college players right now, he just needs to keep it going every game. His skills can take him as far as he wants in college and I think he'll get used to that and get lazy. Just hoping that he doesn't do that, though. He's damn fun to watch as a player.
 

PuckFan01

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Just because he's scoring a lot doesn't mean he is playing all-world hockey. If he had been playing more inspired hockey so far he'd have more points.

The Gophers roll all four lines consistently so its not as if he gets as much ice time as he may on another college team that plays its top line more often. Besides, being the leading point producer on the second best scoring team in the nation is not exactly playing uninspired either.

Beyond just the offensive stats, Wheeler has created a lot more havoc for opponents this year in front of the net and in the corners. He is much improved in the physical part of the game. He is also a +10 on the year so he is doing his share on both ends of the rink. All of this while playing center as opposed to what he was used to playing at winger.

You may accuse the other poster of being a homer but it doesn't appear to me like you are exactly being entirely fair in your accessment either.
 

5mn Major

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The guy is certainly one of the better college players right now.

OK...now your talking.

Blake Wheeler has always been behind the development curve. But given time...he's always had a high top end at every level he's been at. Even now, Blake's caught Toews and Oshie who combined don't have the goals that Wheeler has. Also, Toews and Oshie have been unable to get it done against Anchorage and at home against a leaderless CC team. There are few with the raw tool box that Blake Wheeler has...and every game he's getting better and more consistent.
 

IronMarshal

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As I was watching the U.of Minnesota beat Wisconsin yesterday, I was wondering if any college hockey team, or any junior team for that matter, ever had 3 NHL top ten draft picks as the Gophers have, with Johnson, Wheeler and Okposo. Anyone know of another?

The Brandon Wheat Kings in 1979 had four, Laurie Boschman, Brian Propp, Ray Allison and Brad McCrimmon go in the first round. That was the first year of today's underage draft style. They drafted 18 and 19 year olds and the WHA carrying underagers like Wayne Gretzky merged with the NHL.
 

Hunter Gathers

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OK...now your talking.

Blake Wheeler has always been behind the development curve. But given time...he's always had a high top end at every level he's been at. Even now, Blake's caught Toews and Oshie who combined don't have the goals that Wheeler has. Also, Toews and Oshie have been unable to get it done against Anchorage and at home against a leaderless CC team. There are few with the raw tool box that Blake Wheeler has...and every game he's getting better and more consistent.

I've never really knocked Wheeler, rather questioned whether he can translate his skills to the pro game. His skills are undeniable and anyone who questions them is a fool. I think the jump from the NCAA to the pros is going to be a bigger jump for him than other prospects, unfortunately and I have doubts on whether or not he will have a smooth transition.

I'd love for him to find the consistency (and I think anyone who is a fan of USA hockey and the NCAA in general would) to dominate game in, game out. I think he lacks a killer instinct and that will hurt him in the future.
 

Bookman

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The Brandon Wheat Kings in 1979 had four, Laurie Boschman, Brian Propp, Ray Allison and Brad McCrimmon go in the first round. That was the first year of today's underage draft style. They drafted 18 and 19 year olds and the WHA carrying underagers like Wayne Gretzky merged with the NHL.

Well, I did say top 10 - the Gophers also have 4 first rounders.

I do remember that Wheat Kings team though. They were awesome.
 

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