The Wake

I wandered into what was unknown territory for me — I’m not really a hockey fan. As I walked downstairs to the basement of Mariucci Arena I thought to myself, “Damn, you should have worn a short skirt and high heels or have had Craig, my editor, do this part.” I watched as hockey players took turns talking to various media reps. Mariucci is once again buzzing with the anticipation of another record-breaking season.

The Maroon and Gold finished last year’s season with a 27-9-5 record, earning a number one seat in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season. The Gophers finished last season with its fewest losses since the 2002-03 season, when the Gophers were national champs.

This year might be a different story. The Gophers graduated six seniors and lost four players to the NHL, leaving them with 10 empty spots on the ice. On top of that, an ongoing shoulder injury recently caused defenseman Nate Hagemo to hang up his skates. Also, goalie Kellen Briggs was suspended for his first three games.

“We only have seven [on] D now,” Alex Goligoski, the Gophers’ top defensive player, said about the loss of Hagemo. “It is definitely going to hurt us in the sense that we won’t have that depth and security at the blue line.”

Hagemo played in 30 games his freshman year and three games last season before deciding to take a medical red shirt. Having not recuperated 100 percent as he and his coaches had wished, he decided to end his hockey career. The way these guys check, I don’t blame him.

With Goligoski on the Gophers’ side, however, I don’t think the U of M has much to worry about. Goligoski was one of eight players to play all 31 games last season. He ranked third on the team for scoring with 11-28-39 and is currently ranked fifth in the nation for defenseman scoring. Goligoski, a junior assistant captain, was also awarded first team honors to the 2006-07 Inside College Hockey News Preseason All-American Team, as well as being awarded second team honors to the College Hockey News Preseason All-America Team. In addition, he has already been drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He did say, however, that he plans on staying all four years with the Gophers before moving on to the NHL.

The power of the Gopher defense doesn’t stop there. Freshman Erik Johnson will be joining Goligoski on the blue line. Johnson spent the last two seasons of high school hockey with the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. He was also named a 2006-07 Inside College Hockey Preseason Third-Team All-American.

But Johnson may not be staying long since he was the first overall pick by the St. Louis Blues in this year’s NHL draft. Jumping from the high school level to the college level can be difficult enough, let alone going right from high school to the pros.

Luckily for the Gophers, his parents are alumni of the U and, although Johnson made this decision for himself, it seems his parents were a part of him putting off the NHL for the college life. Johnson told the Star Tribune he wasn’t ready yet.

“Johnson is a great, great player,” Brit Terry, a recent U of M graduate said. “College hockey is a different level than high school, not just the game but the level of maturity.”

Before starting the season, the five-time NCAA champion U of M men’s hockey team was the second-ranked team in the nation, according to the preseason USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll. The team was also picked to finish first in the 36th annual Grand Forks Herald WCHA Preseason Coaches Poll.

“I don’t think that really means a lot,” said defenseman Alex Goligoski. “It might make teams play harder against us.”

With nine freshmen, the Gophers, lead by Head Coach Don Lucia, are gearing up for their upcoming series against Ohio State. Then the Gophers will face Colorado College at Mariucci Arena Oct. 27 and 28.

“Everyone is really excited,” Goligolski said of the team this year. “At practice we’ve been plugging away. We’re just ready to play games.”