Gophers Men's Hockey Is On Pace For One Of The Worst Seasons In Program History

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Gophers men's lucky forced overtime connected Saturday nighttime against No. 1 Michigan, but yet fell short to get swept for nan 2nd consecutive bid aft nan vacation break. Now 8-14-1 pinch only six regular-season bid left, Minnesota's NCAA Tournament at-large chances are each but dead. Where do they spell from here?

NCAA Tournament at-large chances are apt gone

The Gophers hired caput coach Bob Motzko earlier nan 2018-19 season. They grounded to make nan tourney that season, and nan pursuing twelvemonth was trim short owed to COVID-19. They proceeded to make 5 consecutive NCAA tournaments aft that. This twelvemonth would beryllium their first clip not successful nan section since Motzko's first season.

They could ever spell connected a magical tally successful nan Big Ten Tournament astatine nan extremity of nan play and declare nan conference's automatic bid into nan NCAA Tournament, but, presently classed No. 37 successful nan NCAA Percentage Index (NPI), their chances of receiving an at-large invitation are fundamentally zero.

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Worst Gophers squad since _____?

The past clip Minnesota vanished beneath .500 was the 2009-10 season, erstwhile they had an 18-19-2 record. The past clip earlier that came successful 1998-99, erstwhile they went 15-19-9 successful Doug Woog's past play arsenic caput coach. That was his 2nd consecutive run beneath .500.

With only 12 regular-season games near this year, it will not beryllium easy to get complete .500. This year's squad is making a beardown statement to beryllium among nan astir disappointing successful programme history since they moved into nan aged Mariucci Arena successful 1985. They've only had 3 years beneath .500 since that season.

Pressure mounting for 2026-27

Motzko has built capable goodwill to person occupation information done 1 bad season. He has led Minnesota to a brace of Frozen Fours and 5 consecutive seasons pinch 20 aliases much wins. A coaching alteration would consciousness for illustration a rash determination that a programme only makes pinch a clear replacement waiting, and that doesn't look to beryllium nan case.

With that being said, this year's squad isn't conscionable having a down year; it's a historically bad season. The modular astatine a programme for illustration Minnesota is not to rebuild, but to reload. Motzko is afloat alert of those standards, which puts moreover much unit connected nan 2026-27 team.

Minnesota has an awesome recruiting people connected nan way, and young players for illustration LJ Mooney and Javon Moore will person different twelvemonth of development. Programs for illustration Minnesota do not person 2 down years successful a row, truthful location is already a ton of unit for a overmuch amended play successful 2026-27.