Opening Day

The 2008 season marks the start of a new era for the Minnesota Twins. Mainstays Torii Hunter and Johan Santana are both gone, leaving an amalgamation of youngsters to fill their void. The team faces low expectations for the first time since before the 2001 season, but despite a foggy forecast for the '08 campaign, there are plenty of intriguing storylines surrounding this year's Minnesota Twins. Possibly the biggest headline during the season will be the Twins rotation, which turns over four starters from the start of the '07 season. Santana, Carlos Silva, Ramon Ortiz, and Sidney Ponson are all gone, leaving a group of youngsters along with free agent signing Livan Hernandez to stabilize a group that has long been a strength of the team. They have a daunting task ahead of them, but the talent is in place to silence many of the doubters.

Who Is The Staff Ace?
-Livan Hernandez is the default ace by his stature as Opening Day starter, but he is a long shot to finish the year as the Twins best starter. He is a certified innings eater, but that aspect of his game has dipped the past two years, as he has gone from 264 to 216 to 204 innings in the past three seasons. If he fails to go deep into games and save the bullpen on nights he starts he is going to lose a lot of his value. Livan's ERA has also taken a serious nosedive in the past few seasons, dipping nearly a run since he posted a solid 3.98 ERA in 2005. Throw in an ascending WHIP and you have a guy who is likely to disappoint and turn into another guy who the Twins foolishly throw millions at just because he is a veteran who has had a decent career.

Francisco Liriano stands as the Twins most talented starter but cannot be relied on in his first year back from Tommy John. He was understandably rusty during Spring Training and has yet to regain the dominating slider that really made him an elite pitcher in 2006. He'll start the year in Triple-A and likely will not be counted on for more than 25 or so starts in 2007 as they work to limit his innings.

Scott Baker has had solid big league stints in 2005 and 2007 sandwiched by a miserable run in 2006. His combination of experience and stuff make him a serious candidate to be the team's best starter this year. Baker is not overpowering, although he is far from a soft-tosser, but he has excellent command of all of his pitches and really settled in during the second half of 2007. Assuming he is over back problems that limited him during Spring Training, he could be poised for a breakout season and has a great chance to enter 2009 as the Twins #1 starter.

Is The Bullpen Still Elite?
-No, but it is probably pretty damn close. The Twins feature an elite closer, Joe Nathan, and set-up man, Pat Neshek, but they still have a few question marks in both long and middle relief. Juan Rincon, once the Twins top set-up man, has seen a rapid decline in his numbers and really has not been the same pitcher since being suspended for PED's in 2005. Jesse Crain has been a successful and sometimes dominant reliever for the Twins since entering the bigs, but he is coming off rotator cuff surgery and will have to be eased back into his role in the pen. Guerrier is a safe bet to do well in a long relief role but there is a good chance that 2007 stands as his career year. The bullpen is stocked with quality arms and should once again be a team strength, but it might be a year where plenty of arms are shuffled through as we see some familiar faces either demoted or traded.


A re-tooled lineup also takes center stage for the Twins. Delmon Young, Mike Lamb, Brendan Harris, and Carlos Gomez are new faces in the lineup and each, save Gomez, offer an upgrade from their predecessor offensively, although that is not saying much considering who many of them are replacing.

Where Does Young Fit In The Lineup?
-Young is going to bat 5th and his main job is going to be to protect Justin Morneau. Delmon is dripping with potential as a former 1st overall pick who is blessed with 5-tool ability, but has to answer questions about his character and plate discipline as he enters his 2nd big league season. Hitting 5th should provide him ample opportunities to drive in runs and he is likely the lineup's 2nd biggest power threat after Morneau, but he will need to improve his OBP if he really wants to become an elite bat. That should improve as he gets older, and he should be credited for simply holding his own as a 21-year old rookie in 2007, although his minor league numbers suggest he may never truly be a patient hitter. Young is a key piece to the future and if he puts it all together he can become one of the more dangerous hitters in baseball.

Will Brendan Harris Be The Everyday 2nd Baseman?
-I would sure hope so. Nick Punto was a massive liability as an everyday player last year. He can be a valuable asset as a utility guy but really gets exposed with consistent at-bats. Harris provides a much better bat and should be a solid bat in the order if he can duplicate his 2007 season in Tampa Bay. His defense is average at best, but playing 2nd base with Gold Glove candidate Adam Everett at short should alleviate those concerns. Despite his offensive advantage, Harris could still see himself splitting time with Ron Gardenhire's boy-toy. Punto is a Gardy favorite and he will likely see significant playing time, be it at 2nd, 3rd, short, or possibly even in center field. Harris will most certainly lose some playing time, and if he proves himself to be sub-par defensively Punto could usurp the job altogether.

Boston College Matchup

Saturday's regional semifinal in Worcester, Massachusetts features two programs who are separated by many miles, but in many ways mirror each other. Boston College stands as the most hated team on the east coast while Minnesota is the most hated team in the west. Both the Gophers and Eagles often feature high profile players, and the success and exposure that each team receives is what breeds much of the hate and envy from other fans. In most years this would be a wide open affair as both teams play an offensive minded game that emphasizes wide open play. This year looks to be a different type of game. Minnesota is short on offensive talent and depth, therefore relying on a tight-checking, defensive game combined with strong goaltending to carry them. Despite a contrast in styles this season, the matchup arguably stands as the most intriguing first round game in the field.

Boston College (Hockey East)

The Eagles: Boston College has been a dominant playoff team this decade, a run that includes a 2001 National Championship along with 2006 and 2007 runner-up finishes. Veteran Head Coach Jerry York is notorious for getting his team's to play their best at the right time and this year is no different. A preseason favorite, the Eagles slumped a bit early in the year, dropping their season opener to the Michigan Wolverines en route to an underwhelming first half. The slow start led the Eagles to an uncharacteristically low 4th place finish in Hockey East, the first time since 2001-2002 they had finished lower than 3rd. They picked up their game in March, posting a 5-1-1 record and capping it off with a Hockey East championship, a tourney that included overcoming a 3-goal deficit to regular season champion New Hampshire in a triple overtime thriller. A strong finish propelled them to a #2 seed and they get a chance to stay close to home and remain in their home state for the regional.

Key Players: Offensively, BC is led by Hobey Baker finalist Nate Gerbe. Gerbe has been a scoring machine since arriving on campus at Chestnut Hill in 2005, amassing 122 points in 3 seasons. He is complimented by Joe Whitney who leads the nation in assists with 39. The Eagles have plenty of offensive firepower but lack size up front. Five of their forwards are 5'8 or shorter and all check-in the 150-160 pound range. They possess tremendous quickness and agility, but a bigger team that plays a physical game may be able to wear them down. Goaltending was a huge question mark heading into 2007-2008. All-American Corey Schneider had signed with the Canucks and the job was going to be handed over to a freshman, either John Muse or Andrew Margolin. Muse took the job out of the gate and never looked back. He has started every game for the Eagles this year and posted solid numbers across the board: 21-11-8 record, 2.26 GAA, .919 save %. His steady play has been a key to BC's season and gives them a very balanced and dangerous squad.

To Beat Minnesota: Boston College needs to use their speedy, skilled forwards to take advantage of the young Gophers defenseman. They also need to figure out Minnesota's last line of defense, goaltender Alex Kangas, who is in the midst of a phenomenal playoff run in which he has not allowed more than 2 goals in any game. If the Eagles are firing on all cylinders offensively, they should be able to handle a low-scoring Gophers team and advance to the regional final.


Minnesota (WCHA)

The Gophers: It was a less than stellar regular season for the Gophers. They finished seventh in the WCHA, their lowest finish since the 1970's. They also suffered bad losses to Alaska-Anchorage and RIT and blew numerous third period leads. But a run to the Final Five title game along with big wins over Michigan, North Dakota, and Colorado College helped put the Gophers comfortably into the 16 team field. Head Coach Don Lucia is no stranger to the NCAA's, having led Colorado College to the tourney numerous times before arriving at Minnesota. Despite having struggled in the regular season, they Gophers are a team that nobody wants to play in the playoffs as they are riding a hot goaltender and have a coach who owns two national titles.

Key Players: Freshman goaltender Alex Kangas has seemingly saved Minnesota's season. His 12-9-9 record is mediocre, but his 1.92 GAA and .932 save percentage are both team records. He took over for a struggling Jeff Frazee in January and has been one of the nation's better goaltenders ever since. He has been helped by improved play from the defenseman in front of him. With three freshman on the blueline, there were bound to be some growing pains, but Cade Fairchild, Stu Bickel, and Kevin Wehrs have grown up as the year has gone on and provided steady play in the second half of the year. Blake Wheeler (15-19-34) has paced a weak Gopher offense. Two freshman, Mike Hoeffel (9-10-19) and Patrick White (6-4-10) have really picked up their games in recent weeks and are keys if the Gopher offense is going to get off the ground in the tournament.

To Beat Boston College: For the Gophers to beat Boston College in Massachusetts they are going to have to continue to play a blue-collar game. Some of the team's bigger players, such as Stu Bickel (6'3, 205) Blake Wheeler (6'4, 215) and Ryan Flynn (6'2, 215) are going to have to take the body on BC's smallish forwards to create some space for their teammates. They are going to have to get traffic in front of Muse and score some ugly goals. Kangas can steal a game, but getting a few goals in front of him early would aid a Gopher team that has played one goal games in its last seven contests.

Nathan Locked Up

The last bit of offseason business was wrapped up by the Twins on Monday, as they extended Joe Nathan through at least 2011. The deal will pay Nathan between 11 and 12 million annually over the course of the next 3 seasons and includes an option for a fourth year in 2012. Nathan has been one of the league's most dominating closers ever since assuming the position for the Twins in 2004, a time in which he has amassed 160 saves, posted a 1.94 ERA, and dominated hitters with a 355/80 strikeout to walk ratio. The move seemed to be a popular one in the Twins clubhouse as many were pulling for Nathan to get locked up after seeing extensions for both Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau earlier in the offseason. The signing virtually eliminates any trade deadline deal involving Nathan, a topic which was sure to surround the team had the closer not been under contract going into 2009. Nathan will once again anchor a fantastic Minnesota bullpen that enters the season as the team's strength.

It is a risky move for the Twins, a lower budget team who has to be wise in how it allocates its resources. Nathan has been dominant, a linchpin of the Twins pitching staff, but allotting about 15% of the team's payroll to a guy who pitches 70 innings a year could handcuff the organization as Joe enters his mid-30's. The Twins have taken underwhelming talents such as LaTroy Hawkins and Eddie Guardado and turned them into effective closers, begging the question of whether the club needs to spend a lot of money at the position, especially considering that Pat Neshek or Jesse Crain may both be capable of doing an admirable job in the role. But Nathan's popularity in the clubhouse seemed to win out and he is going to be a Twin heading into the new stadium. The deal comes with a lot of risk, but if it is a sign that Carl Pohlad is loosening the purse-strings it could also pay huge dividends.

Gophers Heading East

The Gophers failed to defend the Broadmoor Trophy, falling to the Denver Pioneers 2-1 on Saturday night, but their miraculous run through the WCHA playoffs earned them a spot in the national tournament as a #3 seed. Minnesota heads to Worcester, Massachusetts to play 2nd seeded Boston College in a Saturday night tilt. The team's road to the postseason was anything but smooth, with an all out battle against Minnesota State in the 1st round of the playoffs followed by two nerveracking affairs against St. Cloud State and Colorado College in the Final Five. But phenomenal goaltending from Alex Kangas anchored the team, and some puck-luck, which had gone against the Gophers for most of the year, was found as they advanced to the Final Five title game. Minnesota heads to the NCAA Tournament for the 8th straight year, although their streak of six straight #1 seeds comes to an end this year. The Worcester bracket features Miami, Boston College, and Air Force along with the Gophers and the winner of the region advances to the Frozen Four in Denver. The tournament features 6 WCHA teams, and the field sets up like this:

Albany, NY
1) Michigan vs. 4) Niagara
2) St. Cloud State vs. 3) Clarkson

Colorado Springs, CO
1) New Hampshire vs. 4) Notre Dame
2) Colorado College vs. 3) Michigan State

Madison, WI
1) North Dakota vs. 4) Princeton
2) Denver vs. 3) Wisconsin

Worcester, MA
1) Miami vs. 4) Air Force
2) Boston College vs. 3) Minnesota

The big controversy surrounded Wisconsin, a sub-.500 team who had all the chips fall in their favor in order to sneak into the tourney. Minnesota State was the odd man out, despite a better conference record and head to head record. The Badgers were aided by a better Pairwise ranking combined with the fact that Madison was a host this year, meaning more money will be pumped into the NCAA if the Badgers compete at home. It is an indictment of the system, but it does not appear the system is going to change anytime soon. The tournament kicks off Friday with the Gophers and Eagles squaring off Saturday night at 6:30.

A New Era

When Dan Monson was fired in the middle of the 2006-2007 season, a new optimism surrounded Golden Gopher basketball. Monson's 7+ year tenure had seen only one tournament berth, a 2005 appearance that saw the Gophers quickly eliminated by Iowa State. The former Gonzaga coach succeeded the long standing Clem Haskins, a coach who had very good success but was mired in a serious academic scandal. Haskins would be forced to resign and Monson was hired shortly thereafter on the heels of Gonzaga's tournament runs. His first job was to clean up a program that had been embarrassed by the scandal. To his credit, he was able to do that, overseeing an era that saw no scandals and a very good graduation rate. But the lack of wins had worn on the fans, and after year's of calling for Monson's dismissal, Athletic Director Joel Maturi bought out Monson's contract shortly into the non-conference schedule in 2006. Assistant Coach Jim Molinari took over as interim coach, but it was well known it would be a temporary gig. The Gophers needed a fresh face to give new life to a program that gone from annual tournament contender to cellar dweller in a short period of time.

Enter Tubby Smith. Smith and Kentucky had recently parted ways, mainly due to the Kentucky program's unrealistic expectations and poor grasp on reality. Tubby had already experienced success at Tulsa, Georgia, and Kentucky, a run that included a national championship in his first season at Kentucky. Smith was the big name that the team needed to make a splash in the Big 10. His stature as a coach and reputation as a great teacher and leader was a perfect fit. The buzz that surrounded the Gophers in the 80's and 90's was finally restored as Minnesota had a coach that could fill seats and rack up W's.

Smith got right to work. Kentucky fans had labeled him a poor recruiter, but he quickly silenced some of those claims as he landed two talented big men not long after he took the reigns. Athletic JUCO forward Paul Carter and South Dakotan high schooler Colton Iverson both gave their commitment to the Gophers, signaling that Minnesota had become a major player on the recruiting scene. That was only the start, however, as three more youngsters would commit in the coming months. Talented JUCO scorer Devron Bostick was the third recruit and should add a much needed scoring boost to next year's squad. The best was saved for last, as Top 100 big man Ralph Sampson III joined the program followed by Top 100 guard Devoe Joseph. It was clear that Smith intended on giving Minnesota some staying power as he has already made the University a much more desirable destination for young stars. With the program's future in taken care of, Tubby could turn his attention to the present.

Nobody knew what to expect during the 2008-2009 campaign. Tubby is a great coach but was dealt a horrible hand to start the year. The 2006-2007 squad had only won 9 games, and the only new faces were freshman Al Nolen and Blake Hoffarber. Early expectations were tempered as many anticipated a team with subpar talent taking its lumps for much of the year. The Gophers got off to a 10-2 start in the non-conference, but much of that was insulated by a horrid strength of schedule. Florida State and UNLV were the only quality opponents on the Gophers slate and both handled the Gophers with relative ease. The team showed some bark early in the Big 10 season, taking conference heavyweights Michigan State and Indiana to the wire before dropping both contests. The rest of the conference schedule saw Minnesota win most of the games they were supposed and lose in the same fashion. A Big 10 tournament stunner over Indiana would be the highlight of the season, but any sort of miracle run to the NCAA tournament would be shot down in the semis by Illinois, a team that beat the Gophers thrice.

Tubby capped off his first season with a 20-13 record and a chance to add to that in the upcoming NIT tournament. The team was fairly mediocre throughout, but sapping 20 wins out of a squad that was a little short on talent is a testament to Smith as a coach. A talent infusion in the next few years could make the Gophers a dangerous squad and they should routinely be competing for an NCAA berth with the potential to go fairly deep.

Last Men Standing

The end of March has long been a time that sports fans circle on their calendars. It signals the start of March Madness, the approach of Opening Day, and playoff pushes in the NHL and NBA. For WCHA fans, all of that pales in comparison to a three day event at the XCEL Energy. The Final Five features some of the best hockey the nation has to offer and the tournament rarely if ever disappoints. 2007's Final Five was capped off by arguably its greatest finish ever, as Blake Wheeler's diving goal in overtime propelled the Gophers over North Dakota for the Broadmoor Trophy. Fans traveling to St. Paul would be lucky to see such a dramatic and unexpected result this year, but they have already gotten a taste of intense playoff hockey. This past weekend saw heavy underdog Michigan Tech push North Dakota to 3 games before dropping a 2-1 decision in the series finale. Fans in Mankato experienced a tight, 3 game series of their own, although they did not head home with the same feeling as Sioux fans. After the Mavs won a 1-0, two overtime Game 1, they went on to drop Game 2, 2-1 in overtime to set up a Game 3 that may have ultimately decided both team's NCAA tournament fates. The final tilt also went into 2 overtimes, but this time it was the Gophers who got a tip in from Tony Lucia to advance to St. Paul and eliminate the Mavericks by a 3-2 score. Colorado College, St. Cloud, and Denver all had easier goes of it as they each swept their series, although both CC and St. Cloud were forced into Game 2 overtime's before they finally punched their ticket. Minnesota as the #7 seed was the only upset, but their win leaves many of the usual suspects in St. Paul to compete for the tournament title.

By virtue of their regular season championship, Colorado College enters as the #1 seed. North Dakota follows as the 2nd seed, with Denver, St. Cloud, and Minnesota following them in that order. The first semifinal is already set and is always good for some Friday night drama. The Fighting Sioux and Pioneers will face off in that game and both teams are similar in their styles of play. They are led by senior goaltending, as North Dakota's J.P. Lamoreux and Denver's Peter Mannino are two of the top netminders in the conference. Up front, both teams have elite top talent, with the Sioux trotting out juniors Ryan Duncan and T.J. Oshie and the Pioneers having sophomore sensations Rhett Rakhshani and Tyler Ruegsegger. The matchup is sure to be a tight one, but these are two squads who are heading in different directions, as Denver has slumped down the stretch while the Sioux have lost only once in their past 20 games.

St. Cloud State and Minnesota will battle it out in the other semifinal with the winner taking on Colorado College. The Huskies have had the better of the matchup recently, as they sported a 1-0-1 record against the Gophers this year with a 3-0-3 mark over the past two seasons. Playing on the small sheet should benefit Minnesota, as they have a significant size advantage over St. Cloud, but if the Huskies speedy forwards are given space it may be up to Alex Kangas to bail out the Gophers as he did in their 1st round series. St. Cloud is a virtual lock for NCAA play, while the Gophers are in a fairly good position, although they would benefit greatly from winning a couple games in St. Paul. Minnesota will be without senior forward Tom Pohl, who suffered a scary injury Sunday night in Mankato. Pohl's season and career are likely over, but at this point a full recovery takes precedent over any future hockey games. The Thursday night game tips off the action in what should be another eventful weekend at the X.

March To The Final Five

After a long and arduous trek through the nation's toughest college hockey conference, Colorado College held on to win the McNaughton Cup after staving off hard charging North Dakota to earn the WCHA regular season title. An impressive regular seasons gives the Tigers the #1 seed in the upcoming playoffs, but as we have seen the past few seasons, a high seed is hardly any guarantee come postseason. Low seeds St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth pulled off startling upsets in 2006 and in 2007 10th seeded Alaska-Anchorage pushed Minnesota to 3 games before ultimately failing in their upset bid. The WCHA playoffs are always surrounded by intrigue as teams push towards the Final Five in St. Paul, which stands as arguably the greatest event in college hockey. With the league being so balanced, getting a read on the outcomes of the Best of 3 series is a tall task, but the usual suspects generally are able to fight their way to the Xcel Energy Center. 2008 saw some new faces earn home ice which could change the landscape of the Final Five.

#1 Colorado College (26-9-1 Overall, 21-6-1 WCHA)

-The Tigers were the league's most consistent team all year, avoiding any long losing streaks and registering at least 1 point in every series during the year. CC is reliant on a deep lineup that can roll 4 lines effectively. Seven players have 20 points or more, led by Junior Chad Rau (27-13-40). The Tigers dominated nearly every WCHA statistic, finishing at or near the top in every offensive and defensive statistic. Their biggest question mark coming into the season was in goal, where Matt Zaba had graduated and left the Tigers with the inconsistent Drew O'Connell and Freshman Richard Bachman as the only options in net. After a couple shaky outings by O'Connell, Bachman took the job and ran with it. Bachman was the backbone of CC's success, dominating from the start of the year en route to posing a 23-6-1 record along with a .934 save percentage and a 1.77 goals against. Those numbers should make the freshman netminder a slam dunk pick for the WCHA Rookie of the Year, and also put him in the running for the title of the league's top goaltender. The Tigers have been atop the WCHA standings since the 1st weekend of the year and are a safe bet to advance to St. Paul next week.

VS.

#10 Alaska-Anchorage (7-19-8 Overall, 3-19-6 WCHA)

-The Seawolves placed last for the third straight season in 2008. Their previous two 10th place finishes left them with trips to Mariucci arena, but in 2008 they will travel further south to World Arena in Colorado Springs. Anchorage is a heavy underdog against Colorado College after having won only 3 WCHA games and having severe offensive deficiencies. They have only one player 10 goals and their team leader has only 24 points (both are Josh Lunden at 13-11-24). In net they have not been much better. Sophomore John Olthuis has a poor .886 save percentage, among the worst in the WCHA. The Seawolves have been a pesky squad for much of the year, but they are long shots to move past CC or even push the series to 3 games.

Prediction: Colorado College in 2 games.

#2 North Dakota (23-8-4 Overall, 18-7-3 WCHA)

-As is typical for Sioux teams under Dake Hakstol's guidance, UND played .500 hockey for the first half of the year before going on an absolute tear in the 2nd half. The Sioux enter the playoffs on a 17 game unbeaten streak and currently are ranked #1 in the nation. The Sioux have been carried by senior goaltender J.P. Lamoreux, who has started 34 of 35 games. He holds a 22-8-4 record with a .934 save percentage and a 1.66 GAA. He is the prohibitive favorite to be the goalie on the All-WCHA squad and his steady play has been the key to UND's success all year. Offensively North Dakota is led by last year's Hobey Baker winner Ryan Duncan (13-20-33) along with 1st round pick T.J. Oshie (14-21-35). Duncan's numbers have taken a huge hit when compared to last year, but a lot of that can be contributed to the departure of linemate Jonathan Toews, a guy who really made the offense click. The Sioux are strong on the blue-line as well, with Chay Genoway posting 22 points in only 30 games and Robbie Bina chipping in 21 assists. North Dakota is deep, balanced, and has an excellent goalie, all of which make them a heavy favorite in their 1st round series and a good bet to take home the Broadmoor Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Final Five.

VS.

#9 Michigan Tech (13-18-5 Overall, 9-15-4 WCHA)

-The Huskies were a sexy pick to jump up the standings and battle for home ice, especially after advancing the Final 5 last year and returning most of their key players from the 2006-2007 campaign. High expectations were not met as the Huskies struggled down the stretch and dipped all the way down to 9th in the standings. Tech's struggles mirrored what they have been most of the decade as they lacked guys who were capable of burying the puck. Tyler Shelast and Peter Roleau chipped in 13 and 12 goals respectively, but after that Tech could not find anyone else to pick up the scoring slack. What they do have is one of the best goalies in the league in Michael-Lee Teslak. Teslak burst onto the scene with a breakout campaign last season and built on that this year. Despite a mediocre 7-9-4 record, Teslak posted a .920 save percentage and a 2.13 GAA. His play in net is going to have to be stellar if the Huskies have any chance of knocking off the Sioux and making a return trip to St. Paul.

Prediction: North Dakota in 2 games.

#3 Denver (22-13-1 Overall, 16-11-1 WCHA)

-The Pioneers were hot out of the gate, surging to the top of the standings in October. They appeared poised to battle it out with Colorado College for the McNaughton Cup, but a slump to start 2008 set them back in the standings. Much of that can be attributed to the loss of Brock Trotter, the team's leading scorer who was expelled from the University for a violation of school rules. His loss was a blow to the team's scoring, but they are still armed with plenty of offensive firepower. Freshmen Tyler Bozak (15-15-30) and Kyle Ostrow (10-12-22) combine with sophomore's Rhett Rakhshani (13-13-26) and Tyler Ruegsegger (10-10-20) to give the Pioneers weapons up front. Senior goaltender Peter Mannino has been a key to Denver during his 4 years at Denver, including helping them win a national championship in his freshman season. The Pioneers are limping into the postseason for the 3rd straight year, but a stellar performance from Mannino can propel them into the Final Five for the first time since 2005.

VS.

#8 Minnesota-Duluth (13-15-6 Overall, 9-14-5 WCHA)

-The Bulldogs enter the playoffs with the dubious distinction of being the league's most anemic offensive squad. Duluth posted only 71 goals in 34 games, putting them at barely over 2 goals/game. In spite of offensive deficiencies the Dogs have managed to stay around .500, relying on tight defense and goaltending to keep them in the hunt for an NCAA Tournament bid. No Bulldog has over 7 goals or 17 points, leaving the heavy lifting to goaltender Alex Stalock. Stalock thrived in his sophomore season, posting a save percentage of .917 and a goals against of 2.28 despite often getting peppered with shots from the opposition. Stalock is the Bulldogs only reason for hope in the WCHA playoffs as their offense is not going to scare anyone.

Prediction: Denver in 3 games.

#4 Minnesota State (18-14-4 Overall, 12-12-4 WCHA)

-The Mavericks were the surprise team in the conference, using a hot second half to earn home ice and ward off low expectations garnered in the preseason. Minnesota State got contributions from their forwards, defenseman, and goaltenders which makes them one of the more balanced teams in the league. Junior forwards Mick Berge led the Mavs with 19 goals and eleven players notched 10 or more points. As with most teams in the league, they got stellar goalt have home ice for the ending. Junior Mike Zacharias was one of the league's best, winning 17 games and posting a .920 save percentage. He kept them above water during October and November until the rest of the squad started clicking. The Mavericks have home ice for the first time since 2003 and have a great chance to advance to St. Paul for only the second time in Troy Jutting's tenure as coach.

VS.

#7 Minnesota (15-14-9 Overall, 9-12-7 WCHA)

-It was a down year by Gopher standards, as they were sub-.500 in league play and failed to earn home ice for the first time this decade. The season got off to a tumultous start for Minnesota, as they lost their first four league games. They were also hit by two key losses. Junior forward and captain Ryan Stoa was lost for the season after suffering a knee injury against Michigan on the first weekend of the year. They then lost last season's leading scorer in Kyle Okposo when he signed with the New York Islanders in early December. The Gophers combined big wins over Michigan and North Dakota with bad losses to Alaska-Anchorage and RIT, proving that they can play at both ends of the spectrum. Known for their offensive prowess under Don Lucia, they hit a season long scoring funk. They finished near the bottom of the league in both goals per game and power play percentage, both of which are generally hallmarks of Gopher squads. They did get solid seasons from junior Blake Wheeler (15-17-32) and senior Ben Gordon (14-13-27) to pace the offense. Freshman netminder Alex Kangas took over for struggling Jeff Frazee permanently in January and never relinquished the starting job, stabilizing the team and giving tem a chance to win every night. The Gophers young defenseman and scoring troubles may hinder them in the postseason, but they have owned the all-time series with the Mavericks and always find their way to the Xcel come mid-march.

Prediction: Minnesota in 3 games.


#5 St. Cloud State (17-14-5 Overall, 12-12-4 WCHA)

-The Huskies are the antithesis of the WCHA, as they rely on a high scoring offense for most of their success. Sophomore Ryan Lasch (23-25-48) led the WCHA in points and he was complimented by freshman Garrett Roe (18-23-41) and sophomore Andreas Nodl (17-24-41). The Huskies offensive attack is potent, but they have had struggles along the blue-line. Their defenseman are small and have a tough time handling bigger, faster opponents. It is generally a track meet when the Huskies are playing, and they need their big guns to find the net if they are going to make their third striaght trip to the Final Five.

VS.

#6 Wisconsin (15-14-7 Overall, 11-12-5 WCHA)

-The Badgers defined medicority this season, as they hovered around .500 all year. They are a very dangerous team however. Led by a talented freshman class headlined by Kyle Turris (11-20-31), the Badgers have forwards who can be a threat whenever they hit the ice. Ben Street (13-26-29) and Blake Geoffrion (9-18-27) give Wisconsin a dangerous top line that can give defenders fits. Junior Shane Connelly had large shoes to fill when he took over for Brian Elliot in net, but he has performed admirably, posting a .914 save percentage, although nobody is going to mistake him for a dominant netminder at this point in his career. Wisconsin is a tough team to figure out. They have loads of potential, but have yet to realize it.

Prediction: Wisconsin in 3 games.

Ness Wins Mr. Hockey

Minnesota's most prestigious high school award was presented Sunday, and as expected it was given to Roseau defenseman Aaron Ness. Ness was the state's most dominant blue-liner all year and helped lead Roseau to an undefeated regular season. The 5'9 defenseman posted 28 goals and 44 assists for 72 points, placing him among the state's leaders in points and 1st amongst defenseman. It was the first of several accolades for Ness as on Monday he was named to the AP's 1st team All-State along with winning the AP Player of the Year. The awards came on the heals of a 4th place finish at state for the Rams, as they were unable to repeat as state champs. They blew out Blaine in the quarterfinals 8-2 but dropped a 4-1 decision to eventual state champion Hill-Murray in the semis. It was a disappointing result for the Rams, but another brilliant season has etched Ness' place among the all-time greats in Minnesota high school hockey history. The next stop for Aaron is the University of Minnesota, where he will give the Gophers a much needed boost on the blue-line.

Elusive Search For Ends Continues

For as well as the Vikings defense has played over the past two seasons, they have still lacked one key ingredient: a pass rush. Much of the blame can be placed at the feet of the defensive ends. When the team grabbed Kenechi Udeze and Erasmus James in back to back drafts, both in the 1st round, they felt they had locked up impact players at the position for the next decade. Neither player has lived up to their billing. Udeze has developed into a solid end that supports the run well, but he has not shown the same ability to get to the quarterback that he did at Southern California. His career high in sacks is 5 and in 2006 he failed to record a single, solitary sack. Last month, it was announced that that Udeze was diagnosed with leukemia. The illness likely wipes out Kenechi's 2008 season and leaves the rest of his career in jeopardy. It is sad news for a guy who has shown great character and become a fixture of the defense, but it further illustrates the Vikings need at the position.

Erasmus James dominated Big 10 play by becoming a ferocious pass rusher off the edge for the Wisconsin Badgers. He was widely considered a Top 5 talent heading into the 2005 draft, but injury concerns dropped him to the 18th pick, where the Vikings happily grabbed him. The concerns proved to be warranted as injuries have plagued his 3 year career, limiting him to only 23 games. James has shown flashes of becoming a quality player, but the team simply has not been able to rely on him on a down to down, game to game basis. The Vikings sit in the midst of the offseason without big plans for James or Udeze during the 2008 season. Unproven Jayme Mitchell and situational rusher Brian Robison are currently penciled in as the starters with Ray Edwards backing them up. Edwards is one positive drug test away from a year long suspension and both Mitchell and Robison best serve as backups or in a rotation. As such, defensive end stands as one of the team's bigger needs, one of the few they have failed to address this offseason.

It is not for lack of effort though. The Vikings have swung and missed on the two premier free agents on the market, Justin Smith and Antwan Odom, both of whom signed elsewhere before making the trek to Winter Park. Recently released Jevon Kearse is scheduled to visit with the staff on Friday, but popular opinion is that he will sign with the Titans and never make it to Minnesota. Missing on these three may prove to be a blessing, as all are getting paid well and may not be the best fits for the Vikes. But it further amplifies the team's need at the position.

That leaves the Vikings with two recourses; the draft or a trade. Rumors have placed the Vikings in talks with Carolina for Julius Peppers and Miami for Jason Taylor, but as usual with most rumors it is likely that they do not hold much weight. If they fail to acquire a veteran they will assuredly take one early in the draft. The class is fairly rich with defensive ends. Chris Long and Vernon Gholston head the class but neither is likely to be available when the Vikings pick at 17. Florida's Derrick Harvey, Auburn's Quentin Groves, and Clemson's Philip Merling all stand as more realistic options. Harvey and Groves are both tenacious speed rushers, a skill that fits perfectly and is essential within a Cover-2 defense. Both are likely to be atop the Vikings wish list, and players of their caliber are needed for the defense to become complete and take the next step towards the league's elite.

Gomez Impressive Early

Twins spring training includes many new faces, and perhaps none stick out more than Carlos Gomez. The lighting fast center fielder has already shown how electrifying he can be both in the field and on the basepaths. Gomez's range and arm have already drawn comparisons to the man he is trying to replace, Torii Hunter. Defense is a skill coveted by the Twins and is an ability that Carlos has shown in spades. However, it may not be his best attribute. Blessed with elite speed, Gomez has already swiped 2 bags this spring and has created havoc whenever he has gotten on base. He is undoubtedly one of the fastest players in baseball and 50 steal potential combined with strong defense will certainly endear him to Manager Ron Gardenhire.


At the plate Gomez is still fairly raw. His minor league numbers are rather pedestrian (.278/.339/.399), although the Mets rushed him through their system so his raw numbers should be taken with a grain of salt. He also batted .232 in 125 AB's with the Mets in 2007 as a 21 year old rookie. Despite modest production, there is still a lot to like. Gomez has a line drive swing that allows him to hit the ball to all fields and use the gaps well. He does not project as a serious power threat, but at 6'4 he has a frame to work with and could develop decent pop as he gets older and stronger. His plate discipline is less than ideal. He has only drawn 82 walks in 1,291 minor league at-bats and is a bit of a free swinger. He will have to improve in that area if he is to become the big-time leadoff hitter the Twins were looking for when they traded for him. The tools are there, it is just a matter of Gomez getting more at-bats under his belt and learning how to approach each plate appearance.

Gomez is the fan favorite to win the center field job, if only so they can see an immediate return on the Johan Santana trade. But he will have to beat out a couple other youngsters to earn the gig. 2003 1st rounder Denard Span has been a bust up to this point, but he enters Spring Training with renewed optimism after seeing a path cleared in front of him. Much like Gomez, Span has struggled with his bat, posting a .283/.350/.348 career line in the minors. Also like Gomez is a speedy and rangy player whose athleticism is an asset, although he is inferior to Gomez in both those areas. So far in his career, Span has shown nothing that suggests he can handle every duties. He will need a great spring if he wants to man the cavernous outfield at the Metrodome come Opening Day.

A more veritable option center may be Jason Pridie. He had a breakout campaign in 2007, hitting .318/.375/.539 at Triple A Durham. The organization has liked him for awhile. They selected him in the 2005 Rule-5 draft, only to send him back to Tampa Bay after he narrowly missed making the club. The Twins once again went after Pridie as part of the Matt Garza-Delmon Young trade and now view him as a serious candidate to replace Hunter. Pridie is not as physically gifted as the other two, but he has shown the most acumen with his bat thus far. The 24 year old has the most experience of the group and that may help set him at part for at least the early stages of the '08 season.

Gardenhire has already stated that whomever wins the center field job will bat leadoff, meaning they will have every chance to make an early impression. Gomez has the advantage of being right-handed. In a predominantly left-handed lineup, Gardy may be looking for more balance and Gomez offers that. Carlos would likely be overmatched at the plate initially, but the Twins have already shown a willingness to sacrifice offense for speed and defense, as evidenced during the treacherous Nick Punto experiment. The left-handed swinging Span and Pridie will have their say in the biggest position battle in camp, but as of now Gomez has the clubhouse lead.

Favre Retires

The road to an NFC North title just became that much clearer. After 17 seasons in the NFL Brett Favre has decided to hang up the cleats, at least for now. We have seen this song and dance before. Favre has toyed with this idea the past few offseasons, leaning towards retirement before ultimately deciding to return. However, this time it appears to be official. The gunslinger from Mississippi has certainly left his mark on the league. He has thrown an NFL record 442 touchdown passes, surpassing Dan Marino's previous mark of 420 on a slant pass to Greg Jennings in the Metrodome during the 2007 season. Brett also surpassed the 60,000 yard plateau and was an ironman at QB, starting 237 consecutive games. Most importantly to Packer fans, he restored the glory that had not been seen since the Vince Lombardi era. The Packers hoisted a Superbowl trophy in 1996 and managed only one losing season during #4's tenure. Brett has carved out a place amongst the league's all-time greats and in the hearts of Packer fans. His retirement does ensure no more telecasts where John Madden unzips Favre's football pants, an event that had become a staple of primetime TV. While Madden is on 24/7 suicide watch, Favre will move forward with his post-football career. Best of luck to him in his post-football plans.

Green Bay was set to enter 2008 as the favorites in the NFC North, but the loss of their Hall of Fame quarterback leaves them with a huge hole at the position. Aaron Rodgers is a former 1st Round pick who has spent most of his career holding a clipboard. He flashed some promise in the 2007 season against the Cowboys. With Favre knocked out due to a thumb injury, Rodgers led an inspired comeback effort that fell just short. His success in that game offers hope for Packer Nation, but it is really hard to get a read on his abilities given such a small sample size, especially considering the Cowboys had no game tape or time to prepare for Rodgers. The birth of the Aaron Rodgers era is sure to be one of the bigger storylines in the 2008 NFL season as the Packers move forward without Favre for the first time since 1991.

Rodgers emergence onto the scene also leaves the NFC North quarterback situation in shambles. The Vikings have had well documented issues over the past two seasons, from Brad Johnson's weak-armed throws that went straight into Metrodome turf to Tarvaris Jackson's jump passes that land safely in the arms of the opposition. Detroit has watched Jon Kitna become a turnover machine, all while taking a beating behind a pathetic Lions offensive line. Chicago has had their own issues with the wildly inconsistent Rex Grossman, who has been brought back to the windy city on a one-year deal. It is an ugly sight at the game's most important position for NFC North teams, meaning solid quarterback play from any of the four teams could propel them to a division title. Needless to say, the plot has thickened.

State Tournament Set

One of the state's greatest traditions takes stage next week as the state tournament for high school hockey gets underway. The 16 team field became set after Saturday's results rolled in and as always there should be plenty of intrigue surrounding the four day event. 2007 saw Roseau recapture its old glory, beating Grand Rapids 5-1 in the AA Championship to take home their 9th state title. In Single-A competition, Hermantown capped off an undefeated season by downing Duluth Marshall 4-1 in the title tilt. Roseau makes a return trip to St. Paul, bringing a 28-0 record with it. Hermantown was knocked off in the section tournament meaning a new Class A champion will be crowned in 2008. The tourney is always good for some upsets, but heavy favorites exist in both classes and it would be a shock if an unseeded school rose up and captured the title. The tourney kicks off Wednesday, and the brackets are set up as follows:

CLASS A

#2 Duluth Marshall (23-5) vs. Mankato West (25-2)
#3 Warroad (22-6) vs. Litchfield (12-14-2)
#1 Saint Thomas Academy (22-5-1) vs. Little Falls (25-3)
#4 Saint Cloud Cathedral (22-5-1) vs. Blake (19-8-1)

CLASS AA

#2 Edina (26-2) vs. Cloquet (15-11-2)
#3 Benilde St. Margaret's (25-3) vs. Woodbury (22-6)
#1 Roseau (28-0) vs. Blaine (20-8)
#4 Hill-Murray (24-3-1) vs. Lakeville South (14-11-3)


Class A is heavy at the top, with St. Thomas Academy and Duluth Marshall being the deepest and most talented teams. It is very possible that we see a repeat of the 2006 State Championship when the Cadets from St. Thomas topped the Hilltoppers from Marshall by a 4-3 score in a thriller. Warroad, Little Falls, and Saint Cloud Cathedral all have some top-end talent that could cause other teams problems. Little Falls is led by St. Cloud recruit Ben Hanowski, one of the state's most prolific scorer over the past two seasons. Saint Cloud Cathedral is led by defenseman Nate Schmidt who committed to the Gophers this past January. Those two are going to have to deliver big performances if they want to make noise in the tourney. If they are merely average by their standards, St. Thomas and Duluth Marshall stand as the big dogs.

Duluth Marshall

-Marshall may be one of the more motivated teams in Class A, having lost in the title game the past two seasons to St. Thomas and Hermantown. They will make their 4th straight tourney appearance and have an experienced lineup that should not be intimidated by the bright lights of the XCEL Energy Center. The Hilltoppers bring a balanced attack which includes four forwards who are over the 30 point plateau. They're led by Senior forward David Hafferty (22-23-45) who is tied for the team lead in goals while leading the Toppers in assists. A duo of junior forwards, Zach Mausolf (22-16-38) and Pat Mahoney (13-22-35) give Marshall scoring depth that makes them one of the most dangerous teams in the tourney. Duluth Marshall has beaten some good teams during the year, including fellow tournament participants St. Cloud Cathedral and St. Thomas. They shutout Cathedral 2-0 and destroyed STA in an 8-2 blowout. Even though they're the #2 seed they enter as possibly the consensus favorite.


St. Thomas Academy

-The Cadets have some of the best top-end talent in the tournament. Seniors James Saintey (23-38-61) and Conor Rooney (29-25-54) are high scoring forwards who create problems for opponents whenever they are on the ice. Sophomores Ryan Walters (30-36-66) and Christian Isackson (19-29-48) are two of the best in the state at their age level. Walters, a Gopher recruit, leads the team in scoring and is a player who does everything well. This will likely be his last taste of high school hockey, as his rights are owned by Des Moines and spending two years there before heading off to Dinkytown would be best for his development. St. Thomas has several notable victories, including wins over Blaine (7-2) and Benilde St. Margaret's (6-4), both of whom are in the AA field. There is some controversy surrounding the Cadets being awarded the #1 seed, especially considering their lopsided loss to Duluth Marshall, but they stand as a good bet to take home their 2nd title in 3 years.


In AA, Roseau and Edina stand as the two teams to beat. Both teams have elite talent and fantastic depth as evidenced by their dominating regular seasons. Despite their status, Benilde and Hill-Murray loom as teams that could make an upset bid. Assuming all teams win their opening round matchups, which is far from a certainty, BSM would face off against Edina while Roseau would take on Hill-Murray in the semifinals.

Roseau

-The Rams have not lost a hockey game since 2006. They have provided a fantastic encore to their 2007 state title by posting an undefeated regular season and then coasting to a section title. Roseau is led by defenseman and Mr. Hockey favorite Aaron Ness (23-37-60). Ness is the state's most electrifying player, using fantastic agility and excellent hands to score 60 points, great numbers for any player, let alone a defenseman. Often compared to former Gopher defenseman Mike Crowley, Ness will himself head off to the U of M next fall to continue his hockey career. Despite a small frame (5'9, 165) the senior defenseman is held in high regard by NHL scouts, a testament to his outstanding ability. The Rams are as good as they come in net as well. Junior Mike Lee (a St. Cloud State recruit) has never lost a game in his varsity career. His 2007-2008 season has seen him allow only 20 goals in 23 starts, posting a 0.87 goals against average along with a .950 save percentage. Balanced scoring is the key up front, as the Rams have five forwards with over 30 points, led by senior Ben Nelson (16-38-54). The combination of top-end talent along with terrific depth make Roseau a good bet to repeat as state champions.

Edina

-The Hornets paved their way to state by winning a tough section, 2AA, which included other heavyweights such as Burnsville, Bloomington Jefferson, and the Academy of Holy Angels. Edina is led by a phenomenal junior class. Forwards Zach Budish (24-34-58), Marshall Everson (41-23-64), and Anders Lee (32-21-53) are the keys to Edina's attack. Budish (a future Gopher) is the playmaker on the top line while Everson (a Harvard recruit) is the finisher. Lee provides mismatch problems as a 2nd-line center. Those three are able to physically dominate a game as all stand over 6 feet and close to or over 200 pounds. On defense they are anchored by senior blue-liner Joe Gleason. Gleason is a small defenseman who is a great skater with good vision and passing abilities and it was those attributes that prompted North Dakota to give him a hockey scholarship. Edina's weakness rests in goal, where Derrick Caschetta is prone to giving up soft goals that could haunt Edina in any single game. Despite their vulnerability in net, Edina is a serious contender, although not many people will be rooting for them.

Benilde St. Margaret's

-The Red Knights enter the tourney on the heals of an emotional 3-2, come from behind OT win against state power Minnetonka. It was another notable victory for a team that has made a habit of taking down top notch opposition. With wins over Class-A power Duluth Marshall, Edina, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, and hockey academy Shattuck-St. Mary's, Benilde has proven they can play with and beat the best the state has to offer. Armed with 12 seniors, the Red Knights are one of the tournament's most veteran squads. Forward Steve Zierke (23-42-65) leads the attack while fellow forward Matt Bergland (34-29-63) and defenseman Chris Student (9-49-58) are also offensive forces. BSM has already played the role of giant-killer this season, and if they bring their A game to St. Paul they are more than capable of hoisting hardware on Saturday night.

Hill-Murray

-The Pioneers bring a cast of good if not great players to St. Paul. They have a host of smallish, speedy forwards whose wheels create nightmares for opposing defenseman. Led by Dan Cecka (31-35-66), Ryan Furne (25-29-54), Isaac Kohls (19-29-48), and Tyler Zepeda (14-31-45), the Pioneers have more than enough firepower to compete. In goal, Joe Phillipi has been a steady presence and played well enough to earn the Frank Brimsek Award, given annually to the state's top senior netminder. Hill-Murray has already beaten Benilde St. Margaret's along with St. Thomas Academy (twice) and has proven that they can play with anyone. This private school power has enough talent to make some noise in St. Paul.

No matter how things shake out during the next week it is sure to be an exciting event, adding another chapter to the great history of high school hockey in Minnesota.

Berrian On Board

After spending nearly two days at Winter Park negotiating a contract, Bernard Berrian signed a 6-year deal with the Vikings on Saturday afternoon. The Vikings were his only visit and it was clear that Owner Zygi Wilf along with the rest of the team's front office was hellbent on adding Berrian to the fray. The deal will make the 27 year old wideout one of the highest paid receivers in the game and is believed to include $16 million in guaranteed money.

Ideally, Berrian becomes the deep threat that the offense sorely needs. He possesses elite speed and has approached 1,000 yards the past two seasons despite dealing with shoddy QB play from Rex Grossman and Brian Griese and fighting through less than ideal weather at Chicago's Soldier Field. It is likely he will see equally erratic QB play with the Vikings, but the Metrodome's controlled environment should make it easier to come down with balls and he should be able to utilize his speed on the Metrodome's field turf. After swinging and missing with the drafting of Troy Williamson, the Vikings hope they have acquired their first true deep threat since Randy Moss was tearing through the NFC North.

Snatching Berrian away from the Bears also leaves them without arguably their best offensive player from the past year. That is not saying much considering the state of the Bears offense, but Chicago is now in desperate need of talent at virtually every position on offense. Rex Grossman and Cedric Benson have failed to live up the hype and their #1 wide receiver now becomes return savant and converted cornerback Devin Hester.

Bernard has his fair share of critics. He occasionally comes down with a case of the dropsies and many argue he is a one-trick pony, with the home run ball being the only weapon in his arsenal. There is definitely some merit to those claims but Berrian is still a relatively young WR and his game has become more rounded as he has matured and developed as a receiver. He will become the teams most established wideout by far and will start across from Sidney Rice with Bobby Wade moving back to the slot where he is best suited. He is not a true #1 receiver, but if Sidney Rice continues to develop and build on the potential he flashed last year, the Vikings receiving core can go from laughable to pretty damn solid in a short amount of time. It also enables the team to focus on other needs in the draft. If they had missed out on Berrian and failed to acquire another veteran receiver they would have in all likelihood plucked a wideout on the first day of the draft. They can now address the defensive end position along with building depth on the offensive line.

The Vikings have once again made a splash early in free agency with the signings of Berrian and Williams. They will be relatively quiet on that front as the offseason wears on, looking to fill the roster in with reserves and guys needed for depth. There are several trade possibilities as well, including the aforementioned Sage Rosenfels deal and a potential move to net Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor. Regardless of what occurs over the next several months, the Vikings achieved many of the goals they had for the offseason. Plans for the 2009 SuperBowl parade have yet to be announced.