Minnesota head coach Don Lucia was on KFAN in Minneapolis yesterday morning, and he was surprisingly honest and candid about Erik Johnson's interview with ESPN.
Lucia said he talked with Johnson about the interview, and Johnson basically said that in the give and take of the interview, things kind of got misconstrued and ended up sounding worse than he meant. Lucia also talked with him about his comments about not being happy with the way he is used in Minnesota's system, and Lucia said that basically boiled down to Johnson wishing they could set him up for the one-timer a little more often on the powerplay.
Lucia went on to say that in the future, he may think of restricting media access to players to just people associated with college hockey, because of the distraction caused by people asking about the NHL. I can understand that, but at the same time, I know most college hockey fans aren't as interested in the nuances and details of junior and high school hockey, so much as they are interested in hearing about the guys that are going to be moving on to the next level, so it works both ways with college hockey.
Later in the interview, Lucia said that he talked to his team in practice about how at this time of year, he wants his players to stay away their "advisors" and be focused solely on college hockey, and not worrying about moving on to the next level. I thought it was surprising that Lucia directly addressed that with his team, and even more surprising that he publicly said that he talked to his team about it.
Once again, it's clear that there were some problems with the Gopher team last year, and this season, instead of hoping his team will play through them, Don Lucia is confronting them head on this year. Will that be the difference for the Gophers in the NCAA tournament this year? Only time will tell.
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19 comments:
it doesn't matter anyways, they'll lose the first game of NCAA's without or without the media. Overrated......
Ah......Overrated..........The final cry from lesser programs. Just when I'm starting to doubt my favorite team's dominance over the college hockey world, I can always count on a schmuck like you for some uncalled-for, unrequited hatred for reaffirmation. Thank you, kind sir.
overrated..hmm...who has won back to back McNaughton Cups...hmmm....Must be another Sioux Fan that found the college library
2 words- Sacred Heart
Lucia has closed practice this week, turned the clocks off in the arena, and may bench Johnson tonight.
Ahh, another sioux fan favorite team that swept the gophers in their own barn and a couple weeks later watched SCSU do the same thing to your favorite team. The gophers will not only win it but not make it to the frozen four because the terrible goalies and the inexperience/youth of the team. Watch and see.
All you have to do is put a story about the Golden Gophers in the blog and all the Trolls come out from under their rocks. Put a story about SCSU or UND and all you get is the sound of crickets
Crikets?? Am I at Mariucci again
Stoa-Okposo-Kaufmann
Gordon-Wheeler-Barriball
Lucia-Carman-Howe
Flynn-O'Brien-Bostrom
Goligoski-Vannelli
Peltier-Johnson
Anderson-Fischer
Briggs
You are just jealous because you were beat by freshman
Anon 541..
I think you meant to say they are jealous because a team of freshman were able to accomplish what teams of upperclassman couldn't...LOL
Don Lucia is a farce as coach. He has talent talent talent and will occassionally get lucky. But ask folks like Kessel and Vanek what they think of Lucia. My guess is Johnson isn't real fond of him either. The sooner Lucia leaves Minnesota the better off the program will be.
WOW!!!!!!!!
GO BLUE!!!!
when faced with adversity what do the gopher players do?
they get their hair done. TFF you can't make this shit up.
"Nancy, Nancy .... Nancy boys"
Hey No Dak Fans:
At least we don't have to go to Canada to get all our players.
I suppose you do get the Minnesota kids that Lucia passes on, and kids from Moorehead, but we don't consider that Minnesota anyways.
Here we have Chris writing an outstanding observation and all people can talk about is nothing.
Like somebody earlier said, if this would have been anybody else nobody would have a comment.
Keep in mind that he's still just a kid, and known for being a hockey player and not a media relations expert. It probably is Lucia's fault for not going over media-ettiquete with him before this happened as opposed to after, but it's not that big of a deal.
Gophers will need a better effort than they showed last night if they want to beat a quality team in the final 5 / ncaa. They out lasted UAA down the stretch, and should UW win in the play in game - will have a tough game on their hands.
The F5 don't matter to the Goofies...it is so below them to have to mingle with some peasants trying to play their way into the big dance. I heard they were all going blonde..err golden for the NCAA tourney and might be too busy to even play in the F5 as they are all getting matching manicures with alternating maroon and gold fingernail polish with rodent logos. Lucy and hill have even agreed to go golden hairdodoed, but will not be getting their nails done.
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