Bye Sam, wish you would have stayed a while

There is supposed to be an offical announcement on Tuesday. But this is the instant news age and word leaked out Monday: Sam Lofquist has quit the Gophers team and dropped out of school.

Tried to contact him, his parents, and Don Lucia without luck. But did confirm the news with someone close to the program.

Lofquist is only 19. He accelerate his high school education, graduating in three years, to play at he U last season and returned again for his sophomore season..

Last season he played in 35 of 37 games but only had one goal and three assists. He took 41 shots, had 12 penalties and was a minus-6.

This year he was only playing every other game:

1st game vs. North Dakota: paired with Aaron Ness on third defensive pair

2nd game vs. North Dakota: out

3rd game vs. Denver: bruised foot

4th game vs. Denver: bruised foot

5th game vs. Alaska Anchorage: out

6th game vs. Alaska Anchorage: paried with Ness on second defensive pair

7th game vs. Wisconsin: paired witrh Ness on second pair

8th game vs. Wisconsin: out

He was one of the first players on the bus after the second Wisconsin game. He is from Somerset, Wis. And last year he scored his only goal in a 2-2 tie in Madison and then he put his glove to his ear, mimicking what ex-Gopher Phil Kessel, another Wisconsin native, did after one of his goals at the Kohl Center. His coaches did not like that too much.

As a freshman, he said, "I wanted to come here all my life" and "I watched the Gophers on TV all the time." But something obviously changed.

His departure is bad timing for the Gophers. They only have six healthy defensemen until mid-December when Nick Leddy (broken jaw) is healthy again to play. Wonder who the emergency D-man will be?

I also remember Sam, after one of the Alaska Anchorage games, leaving early with a pizza box in his hand. He was alone. Was he starting to distance himself from his teammates already?

The fall signing period for Division I hockey starts Wednesday. Looks like Lucia will have to sign another defenseman.

This season Lofquist was a zero when it comes to plus-minus numbers. He had taken five shots on goal but had no goals or assists. He had three minor penalties.