Peter Mueller, a Minnesota 2006 recruit, and possibly a top 5 draft pick in the 2006 entry draft is now looking less and less likely to ever wear a Gopher uniform.
Mueller spent the last two years in Ann Arbor with the NTDP program. He had made plans to leave the NTDP program and play for Sioux City in the USHL next season. The only problem was that Mueller didn't show up to Sioux City's tryouts this past weekend. Mueller didn't really need to tryout, but it doesn't exactly show that is committed to playing in Sioux City next year.
That would mean the only options he has left would be returning to the NTDP, which some people are very confident that he won't. (A poster with connections close to the NTDP program stated Mueller didn't like being with the program.)
The other option would be playing for Everett of the WHL. Everett seemed confident in their ability to sign Mueller this past season. Of course, playing in the WHL would cost Mueller his college eligibility.
Nothing is decided yet, but all signs are starting to point towards Mueller going the WHL route. This would be a relatively minor blow for the Gophers because they still have some top notch players for 2006 like Kyle Okposo and Erik Johnson, but it is nice to finally see Minnesota lose some of their players to major junior like many CCHA schools have to deal with the OHL in their backyard.
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7 comments:
Maize,
Hatred is set in jealousy. You must really hate it that in the last several years, the Gophers really have taken it to Michigan in a lot of ways.
Peter Mueller will be wearing Maroon and Gold in October of 2006. Trust me...it will happen. Just because Red Berenson can't hold on to players in his system, doesn't mean you should relate any questions about where Peter is playing this season to him going pro.
GO4HCKY
Ok, so if Mueller doesn't want to play for the NTDP, and doesn't want to play for Sioux City, where exactly is he going to be playing next year?
What makes you so sure he won't be in Sioux City next season?
I'm not sure, but at this point, the fact that he didn't bother to show up for their tryout camp doesn't bode well for him playing in Sioux City and eventually Minnesota.
Mueller is definitely good enough to play for Sioux City despite making their camp, but him not showing up certainly indicates that he's not all that committed to playing there next year.
Personally, I think it's a dumb move unless he already has a deal in place with Everett, because it removes one of his potential bargaining chips. If Mueller doesn't play in the USHL next year, he'll almost be forced to play in the WHL.
Maize,
Well...let me just say that Peter doesn't have much of an interest in playing in either Sioux City or for the US team. However, don't let him not showing up at their camp lead you to believe that he won't play there.
My opinion is that Peter is very close to being ready to play for the 'U', and not just a USHL team. He's 'dreamt' of playing for the Gophers for some time now...and while it's possible that he could join Everett, he knows that his development would be severely hindered going that route.
His folks are smart people. They know what's best...and even though the next year may be frustrating for Peter, it almost assuredly will end with him signing a L.O.I. and playing for the Gophers in 2006.
GO4HCKY
A Michigoon fan that is worried about what goes on with Minnesota. Anybody surprised by this development? Considering the name of this blog, you would think the genius who writes it would want top players to be in college hockey because it makes the overall college game better. Instead, he says it would be nice to see this kid not go to college hockey. We all know the reason he is saying it is because of where the kid would have been attending school. Anybody see a pattern?
I think the writer has now been exposed. He isn't much of a college fan based on his own words.
So maybe he has a dislike of the other U (which is not exclusive to Michigan fans, we all hate Minnesota), but he didn't really say that he didn't want Peter to play college hockey. It just seems fair that the WCHA is losing some players like the CCHA has had so much of. I like reading this blog, but get to the WCHA stuff already!!
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