Potential Recruits

[Sid]

Westin Michaud going to UND

[The_Exiled_One]

Pretty sure Huskies have talked with at least two of these guys...

https://www.minnesotahockey.org/page/sh ... ional-camp

...though now they have to be hands off for a while.

[The_Exiled_One]

Always fun to speculate about recruiting based on comments from the coaches.

Larsen was on PA and said he "worked" the Pittsburgh Penguins development camp. Not sure if that means anything though, because recruiting it would be weird as everybody was ineligible or already committed.

He'll be scouting the 16U Development Camp this week, but so will everybody else. He may offer somebody from that camp in August, but he warned against offering somebody based off of a summer camp performance.

[The_Exiled_One]

Looks like former St. Cloud Tech forward Nick Portz is off to a hot start in Tri-City with a four point weekend. He was acquired from the MN Wilderness after a super hot start there. He was a decent player for the Wilderness last year and it looks like he's taken his game up another notch. I'd wager he's already fielding offers. Huskies would be wise to gauge his interest ASAP.

[FalcoBro8]

Looks like former St. Cloud Tech forward Nick Portz is off to a hot start in Tri-City with a four point weekend. He was acquired from the MN Wilderness after a super hot start there. He was a decent player for the Wilderness last year and it looks like he's taken his game up another notch. I'd wager he's already fielding offers. Huskies would be wise to gauge his interest ASAP.

Committed to UND today.

[The_Exiled_One]

Committed to UND today.

Saw that. Not sure why he'd pick UND over SCSU, but if it's because SCSU didn't pay any attention to him, that's a major fail.

I'll be honest, I'm still very suspect about Larson's recruiting chops. Duluth hasn't missed a beat since he left. SCSU has the best team going into the tournament two years running, which should have American kids begging to play here. Miettinen is great but he's clearly a Gibbons recruit and SCSU isn't going to be as well known as a top hockey program in Finland. I'm talking about the true American blue chippers. No reason we shouldn't be in the running for Maddox Flemming or Scott Morrow.

[Husky1]

Committed to UND today.

Saw that. Not sure why he'd pick UND over SCSU, but if it's because SCSU didn't pay any attention to him, that's a major fail.

I'll be honest, I'm still very suspect about Larson's recruiting chops. Duluth hasn't missed a beat since he left. SCSU has the best team going into the tournament two years running, which should have American kids begging to play here. Miettinen is great but he's clearly a Gibbons recruit and SCSU isn't going to be as well known as a top hockey program in Finland. I'm talking about the true American blue chippers. No reason we shouldn't be in the running for Maddox Flemming or Scott Morrow.

I feel a lot better about the D recruits than the forwards for the most part, which is basically the opposite of how I've felt since I can remember following the Huskies. There certainly seem to be a few that aren't panning out (yet?) which as you pointed out earlier may be the result of taking some chances to stock the cupboard.

Larson strikes me as the kind of guy who could win someone over if he got a chance to talk to them, but that's just me observing from a far. Gibbons is a huge asset to the team on the recruiting front; not sure how much Oliver does.

I don't know that being good in the regular season does that much for recruiting. Should we be in the mix for more players? Sure, but facilities, etc. will probably play a bigger role IMO.

[The_Exiled_One]

I feel a lot better about the D recruits than the forwards for the most part, which is basically the opposite of how I've felt since I can remember following the Huskies. There certainly seem to be a few that aren't panning out (yet?) which as you pointed out earlier may be the result of taking some chances to stock the cupboard.

Larson strikes me as the kind of guy who could win someone over if he got a chance to talk to them, but that's just me observing from a far. Gibbons is a huge asset to the team on the recruiting front; not sure how much Oliver does.

I don't know that being good in the regular season does that much for recruiting. Should we be in the mix for more players? Sure, but facilities, etc. will probably play a bigger role IMO.

Gibbons is a fantastic talent scout but he can't be perfect 100%. Also, the assistant who identifies a kid will always be overly optimistic of their chances due to the fact that they're the one who's reputation is on the line. The head coach's responsibilities are to close the deals and make the tough decisions in regards to cutting ties despite positive assurances from the assistant coaches. I don't know about his ability to close the deal, but the fact that he talked to, yet lost, four recruits to Moztko doesn't inspire confidence. Also, Motzko was never reluctant to make tough decisions about cutting ties. Based on what I'm seeing in the pipeline at the moment, I don't have the same faith in Larson.

Another kid who I think is almost certain to get a D1 offer is Nick's cousin Blake Perbix. I know the Cathedral kids have a history of burning SCSU, but just like Nick Portz, it's still going to sting when a local kid commits elsewhere. It's just a bad look in general.

As far as facilities, we might not be top of the heap, but since the renovations were completed to the HBNHC in 2013 the Huskies have made the tourney five of six seasons. That was without the brand new weight room too. Clearly it has been "good enough" up to this point so I don't think that can really be used as an excuse for Larson.

[FalcoBro8]

Regarding Oliver, its only one time but he was at the Blizzard game the other night watching Ben Ward id assume, from what Ive seen from Ward he doesnt strike me as a guy who has what it takes to play a role here.

[Husky1]

Sounds like Portz visited BSU and UND. He looked up to Austin Poganski so that makes the UND move a bit more logical.

I wonder what the over/under is on the number of guys who end up on campus amongst the forward recruits given the lack of production among several (I'll fully admit to not knowing their specific circumstances).

[FalcoBro8]

Looks like Carter Randklev is back on the market.