MNState0fHockey

Wow do you love drama. Not sure what "moral high ground" has to do with a DISCUSSION about a hockey rivalry. Are you always like this when people don't agree with you Eric?

I can only speak for me, but it's hard to hate BC because we don't play them enough and we don't play in a conference with them. It's easy to start hating a team when your team battles with them 4 times during the regular season, then in the post season conference tourney, then possibly in the national tourney. Seriously, I used to HATE Michigan. Not as much anymore. I used to HATE the Blackhawks. Still don't like them, but not nearly on the same level. I feel both of those hatreds returning now that the Gophers and Wild are in the same conference/division as those teams. I also already don't hate UND as much. When the Gophers play UND in the future, I'll be excited because it will be two power house programs competing. But I won't feel the same hatred because the games won't mean as much from a conference standpoint.

I said the same thing about Michigan when they left to go to the CCHA. Lots of great UMN vs Michigan tourney battles in the 1990's, but the rivalry faded. Soon enough, you'll hate other teams much more.

Absolutely. The games will still be a blast. It's two great programs going against each other. It will be like Minnesota and Boston College playing this weekend. Great games, just not a lot of hate. The hate and bitterness will fade, the quality of the games will always be high.

Hope people aren't taking my comments to mean I don't appreciate the rivalry, or that I don't respect UND's program. I'm just old enough to have seen what realignment does to rivalries. The rivalries evolve. When the teams play, it will still be fun (especially for those of us who have lived thru this rivalry as it has been the past few decades). But just like many Gopher fans look at me funny when I say I remember when Michigan was a HUGE rival, there will come a day when people will look at us funny when we say UMN vs UND was a huge rivalry in college hockey. It's unfortunately an inevitability.

Just facts man. If you disagree with a point, make a point.

UND recruited fine before this rivalry became as great as it was, and they will recruit just fine after.

It's hilarious that you can't argue points on their own merits, you have to try and discredit posters. If you disagree with the points made, the explain why. Simple fact is, you can't. I get a long with quite a few UND fans. It's nothing personal, it's a matter of opinion. Take a chill pill and engage in adult discussion.

I'm sure they will. The media tried to pump the tires on numerous "rivalries" for the Wild. Doesn't mean the fans bought in. Look at the North Stars vs Blackhawks rivalry. I used to HATE the. Blackhawks with the hate of a thousand suns. After the North Stars left and Wild came to town, just wasn't the same. Yeah, it's fun playing a great franchise like the Hawks, but the rivalry wasn't the same. Now that they are in the same division and they can competing more regularly, I have no doubt that rivalry will heat back up. It's just unrealistic to think that the UMN vs UND rivalry won't diminish. It already has for a lot of fans.

Great post! Rivalries evolve. The games will always be fun, but the rivalry won't be the same.

Both programs will (and have already started) moving on. These programs won't play every year (there will be breaks in between scheduling agreements), and they aren't going to be competing for conference hardware. As a fan that has watched Gopher Hockey for over three decades, I have seen rivalries heat up and cool off. In the 70's Michigan Tech was one of the Gopher's biggest rivals. Not so much now. The Badgers were unequivocally the Gophers biggest rival in the 1970's. Not so much the last few decades. I also remember when Michigan moved to the CCHA. People swore up and down that the. Michigan rivalry would never change. After a few decades of just playing showcase games, that rivalry became a shell of what it was. Watching these two teams will still be fun. They are two great programs. But it won't be a series I circle every year when they play any longer. Conference rivalries will mean much more and I anticipate the rivalries with UW and Michigan are going to heat up again really quick. We've got 4 conference games with Michigan at the end of the season, and if the conference championship is on the line, those games will be a blast. Same with UND. I think it won't take long before rivalries with DU and Miami heat up and become the marquee series UND fans look forwards too.

Just shaking my head laughing at the original post. Don't need to read the rest. Pure garbage.

I agree. He had a shaky start on Friday, but looked really good in the 2nd and 3rd periods of that game.

Not from me Hopefully we get to see this Gopher class play the class you guys are bringing in next season. If they all hang around long enough, those games could be epic.

Pretty hard to deny this freshman class is special

I don't know, Demko played pretty well on Friday. And hard to completely fault Billett for the goals on Saturday. If anything, I think BC's defenders were more to blame. Lots of grade A chances for the Gophers. I mean, Ambroz was left all alone in front of BC's net. Not a defender within 10 feet.

Yeah, there are those types in every fan base. Maybe I should rephrase. Every logical thinking Gopher fan out there is cautiously optimistic. They are off to a much better start than anyone could have expected, but they are so young. I'll wait and see where they are at in a few months before I start predicting outcomes for this season. I'm just happy they are in the discussion of contenders at this point.

No kidding. If anything, it's the opposite. Every Gopher fan I have interacted with is very cautiously optimistic because of their youth. The Gophers started 7 freshmen on Sunday. The young kids are playing really well right now (better than even the most optimistic Gopher fans expected), but will that last the whole season is the question. I will say this - Lots to be excited about for the future

Problem is, to play a BC, BU, UNH, etc...you have to return the favor and visit them. And with only 4 available non-conference games, that becomes tough. Which is why I don't see UMN locking into an every year type of deal. So no, not just in our barn. We played in Vermont last season, are playing at Notre Dame this season, and will be visiting BC/Northeastern next year. All part of the new Big Ten/Hockey East Challenge. Gophers also gave up two games at Mariucci to play in the North Star Cup, where revenue will be split. So 18 homes games probably isn't to different than what UND plays.

You might be right. It is an interesting thought though.

Well, besides gobs of $$$, and media exposure, and brand recognition, having UND and let's say DU or Miami in the Big Ten would undoubtedly make it the strongest conference in college hockey. Disagree? Just an interesting thought, and would forever solve this scheduling debacle.

As an interesting and somewhat related aside to this discussion. There was an interesting comment in a recent NY Times article. "The Big Ten associate commissioner Jennifer Heppel, who oversees hockey, said she would not rule out adding associate members for hockey alone, as the conference did for Johns Hopkins in lacrosse, though not soon." Thoughts on UND perhaps becoming an associate member school for hockey in the Big ten one day?

As a Gopher fan, I want to see UND on the schedule, but I'd also like to see teams from out East, DU, CC, etc.. on the schedule as well. I'm pretty sure most Gopher fans feel the same way.

I've heard it won't be an anual thing. Minnesota only has 4 available non-conference games a season and I think they are hesitant to lock down 2 of those on the same opponent every season. Which is understandable, because fans will want to see some variety too. I'm guessing we'll see UND on the schedule more than other opponents (outside the other MN schools) though. I'd like to see at least something like this: YEAR 1: AT UMN YEAR 2: AT UND YEAR 3: OFF YEAR 4: OFF REPEAT That way each class should get to experience the rivalry.

It will be a two-year deal. I'm guessing the teams won't play every year, but I'm hoping they can figure out a deal where they play at least on a 2-year on 2-year off rotation. “@SchlossmanGF: @MNState0fHockey 2 year. 16-17 in MSP, 17-18 in GFK.”