Big Ten | Minnesota [Image]
1995-96 Minnesota hockey outlook
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Gopher hockey preview
The players
Coaching staff
Hockey facilities
Gopher hockey players in the pros
Gopher hockey players in the Olympics
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Preview
Minnesota's Pride On Ice looks as primed as ever to once again make a
serious run in 1995-96 at both the WCHA and NCAA titles. With a returning
Hobey Baker Award finalist, the loss of just four seniors from an NCAA
=46inal Four team and an outstanding class of recruits, the Golden Gophers
hope to win the school's fourth national championship. Seventeen lettermen
return who will attempt to extend a string of 11 straight NCAA appearances,
including 10 under current Head Coach Doug Woog. In addition to having
gained NCAA berths each year of his decade in Gold Country, Woog last
season notched his 300th career win with a 5-2 win over Colorado College in
the NCAA quarterfinals. When describing his team's chances for the upcoming
season, Woog finds it difficult to not get excited about the prospects of
success that lie ahead.
"There are certain areas of our club that I feel extremely confident and
excited about at this point, particularly our experience and ability on
defense," said Woog. "Our goaltending should prove to be solid, and our
main questionmark heading into the season will be the development of some
of our new forwards. We need to find someone besides Brian Bonin to step up
and score with consistency to replace what we lost in (Scott) Bell and
(Justin) McHugh."
Headlining the solid group of upperclassmen returnees is Hobey Baker Award
candidate Bonin (32-31=3D63). In addition to winning WCHA Player of the Year
honors, the league's scoring title, and being named the team MVP in
1994-95, Bonin became the Golden Gophers' first All-American since Robb
Stauber in 1988. Defenseman Dan Trebil returns for his senior year after
leading all WCHA defensemen in scoring as a junior. If the Golden Gophers
are able to replace the steady play of graduated netminder Jeff Callinan
and find a scorer or two to complement Bonin, the potential of the 1995-96
University of Minnesota hockey team are limitless.
"Obviously, one of our goals every year is to win the WCHA and our ultimate
goal each season is to win a NCAA Championship," said Woog. "Last season,
we started out real strong, only to hit a lull in mid-season and then
recover with a strong finish. We need to get off to a fast start like last
season, but then develop more consistency during the course of the year.
"I anticipate our season developing in three stages. The first part of the
season, our defense will be looked upon to be a big factor in our success.
Toward the mid-point of the year, our forwards will need to make their
adjustments and start to become more of a factor offensively. Then,
hopefully as we get closer to playoff time, some of our first-year players
will be able to step up their games to the level we need to become a
national championship-quality team."
Along with Bonin, sophomore Ryan Kraft, junior Nick Checco and senior Dave
Larson will need to make up for the missed offensive production of Bell and
McHugh. Bell and McHugh combined for 42 goals and 37 assists in 1994-95.
Kraft, the team's second-leading scorer and the top point-producer among
WCHA freshmen last season, hopes to improve on an outstanding rookie
campaign (13-33=3D46). Kraft was honored on the WCHA all-rookie team and the
WCHA Final Five all-tournament team. Checco will also be a team leader up
front after tallying double-digits in both goals and assists in the 1994-95
campaign (14-11=3D25).
Larson nearly doubled his career goal total with nine goals (9-7=3D16) in an
improved junior season. A tough, physical player he will be looked upon to
add muscle up front. Others who stepped up with contributions last season
and will have an increased role for the upcoming season are sophomore Casey
Hankinson, junior Dan Woog, junior Dan Hendrickson and senior Bobby Dustin.
Hankinson (7-1=3D8), notched two big game-winning goals late in his freshman
season to help propel the Maroon and Gold into the NCAA Tournament. He
scored an overtime goal in the opening game of the WCHA first round
playoffs against Minnesota-Duluth, and a week later in the WCHA Final Five
provided the decisive margin late in the third period to lift Minnesota
past North Dakota (3-2). Woog (5-16=3D21) improved his point total in his
sophomore season, and will look to be even more of an offensive threat this
season. Hendrickson (4-12=3D16) enjoyed an improved second season in Gold
Country, and now has his sights set on bigger things in 1995-96. Dustin
(4-2=3D6) will look to build on his post-season success of the past two
seasons and become a permanent fixture in the lineup.
Other returnees who will look to contribute this season are senior Jesse
Bertogliat (2-3=3D5), sophomore Jason Seils (1-0=3D1), and redshirt freshman
Clint Johnson.
The Golden Gophers boast an outstanding group of incoming forwards,
including the 1995 recipient of Minnesota's "Mr. Hockey" award, Erik
Rasmussen of St. Louis Park, Minn., Mike Anderson of Bloomington, Minn.,
Reggie Berg of Anoka, Minn., and Wyatt Smith of Warroad, Minn. All have
strong chances of cracking the Golden Gopher frontline unit.
"We are much bigger physically at this position than we have been in the
past, but this is a position that concerns me in the beginning of the year
from an experience standpoint," said Woog. "We'll need someone other than
Bonin to step up and score on a consistent basis."
All of the defensive corps return giving the Golden Gophers more experience
at this position than at any other on the ice. Trebil (10-33=3D43) leads a
group of veterans who can provide offensive punch as well as a physical
presence on defense. He will be joined at the point once again by Mike
Crowley, last season's WCHA Freshman of the Year. Crowley (11-27=3D38), also
garnered all-WCHA honorable mention honors.
Seniors Greg Zwakman (0-6=3D6), Charlie Wasley (2-4=3D6), and Jay Moser (1-4=
=3D5)
bring a wealth of experience, depth, and size to the blueline.
Multi-dimensional senior Andy Brink (3-15=3D18) fills a variety of roles for
the Golden Gophers, having played defense along with center and wing.
Upperclassmen Brian LaFleur (0-10=3D10), a junior, and Jason Godbout (1-4=3D=
5),
a sophomore, round out the returnees to the defensive unit. Freshmen Brett
Abrahamson from Oakdale, Minn., and Bill Kohn from Roseville, Minn., both
look to step in and contribute immediately.
"This position is the one that should be the most solid and give us the
most leadership on the ice," said Woog. "Having the combination of the
highest point producing tandem for defensemen in the WCHA back in Trebil
and Crowley gives us reason to be excited about our play for the 1995-96
season at the point."
The Golden Gophers will miss the play of the graduated Jeff Callinan, but a
pair of gifted netminders will battle for time to fill the void. Senior
Jeff Moen has appeared in 32 games in his career, and will have the
experience factor working in his favor. Redshirt sophomore Steve DeBus from
Rochester, Minn., looked good in workouts last season and has all the tools
necessary to become a solid Division I goaltender.
"At first glance, it may appear that we have a hole to fill in the nets,"
said Woog. "But people forget that Moen is a solid, veteran goaltender with
great skills. And DeBus is 22 years old, with two years of USHL experience
under his belt. This is a position that is very good, with the potential to
be outstanding as the year goes on."
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Roster
No Player Pos Ht Wt Class Ltrs B'date Age Hometown (High
School)
2 Greg Zwakman D 6-2 220 SR 3 9/22/73 22 Edina, Minn.
4 Brian La Fleur D 5-11 192 JR 2 3/11/75 20 Bloomington,
Minn. (Jefferson)
5 Dan Trebil D 6-3 217 SR 3 4/10/74 21 Bloomington,
Minn. (Jefferson)
6 Charlie Wasley D 6-1 206 SR 3 4/4/74 21 Edina, Minn.
7 Ryan Kraft C 5-9 181 SO 1 11/7/75 19 Moorhead, Minn.
8 Brett Abrahamson D 6-0 185 FR 0 11/16/74 20 Oakdale, Minn.
(Tartan)
9 Casey Hankinson W 6-1 187 SO 1 5/8/76 19 Edina, Minn.
10 Mike Anderson W 6-1 190 FR 0 12/24/76 18 Bloomington,
Minn. (Jefferson)
11 Bobby Dustin W 5-9 188 SR 2 8/6/73 22 Roseville, Minn.
12 Jason Seils W 5-8 192 SO 0 10/24/75 19 St. Paul, Minn.
(South)
13 Jay Moser D 6-2 181 SR 0 12/26/72 22 Cottage Grove,
Minn. (Park)
14 Wyatt Smith C/W 5-11 185 FR 0 2/13/77 18 Warroad, Minn.
16 Tom Nevers W 6-1 180 JR 0 9/13/71 24 Edina, Minn
17 Dave Larson W 6-0 216 SR 3 7/10/72 23 St. Paul, Minn.
(South)
18 Andy Brink C/D 5-9 161 SR 3 1/9/74 21 Bemidji, Minn.
19 Reggie Berg W 5-10 180 FR 0 9/18/76 19 Anoka, Minn.
20 Mike Crowley D 5-11 173 SO 1 7/4/75 20 Bloomington,
Minn. (Jefferson)
21 Brian Bonin C 5-10 186 SR 3 11/28/73 21 White Bear
Lake, Minn.
22 Jesse Bertogliat W 5-8 189 SR 2 4/17/73 22 Cloquet, Minn.
23 Dan Woog W 5-10 178 JR 2 4/30/72 23 St. Paul, Minn.
(South)
24 Bill Kohn D 6-0 190 FR 0 1/16/75 20 Roseville, Minn.
26 Jason Godbout D 5-11 194 SO 1 8/5/76 19 Woodbury, Minn.
(Hill Murray)
27 Erik Rasmussen W 6-2 190 FR 0 3/28/77 18 St. Louis Park,
Minn.
28 Clint Johnson W 6-2 190 FR 0 4/7/76 19 Duluth, Minn. (E=
ast)
29 Dan Hendrickson W 5-10 185 JR 2 12/26/74 20 Richfield, Minn.
30 Jeff Moen G 6-2 191 SR 2 2/9/74 21 Roseville, Minn.
31 Willy Marvin G 5-11 160 FR 0 7/12/76 19 Warroad, Minn.
33 Nick Checco W 5-11 199 JR 2 11/18/74 20 Bloomington,
Minn. (Jefferson)
34 Steve DeBus G 5-9 175 SO 0 11/8/72 22 Rochester,
Minn. (Mayo)
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Golden Gophers by class
Seniors (10) Sophomores (6)
2 Greg Zwakman D 7 Ryan Kraft C
5 Dan Trebil D 9 Casey Hankinson W
6 Charlie Wasley D 12 Jason Seils W
11 Bobby Dustin W 20 Mike Crowley D
13 Jay Moser D 28 Jason Godbout D
17 Dave Larson W 34 Steve DeBus G
18 Andy Brink C/D
21 Brian Bonin C Freshmen (8)
22 Jesse Bertogliat W 8 Brett Abrahamson D
30 Jeff Moen G 10 Mike Anderson W
14 Wyatt Smith W
Juniors (5) 19 Reggie Berg W
4 Brian La Fleur D 24 Bill Kohn D
16 Tom Nevers W 27 Erik Rasmussen W
23 Dan Woog W 28 Clint Johnson W
29 Dan Hendrickson W 31 Willy Marvin G
33 Nick Checco W
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