Lucia opens up about recruiting class coming to U in 2010-11

The Gophers signed five players during the early signing period earlier this month. Coach Don Lucia said he is unsure if all of them will be on the roster next season, while confessing an earlier signee, forward Nate Condon of the Fargo Force in the USHL, will definitely join the team for the 2010-11 season.

A news release on the signings did not have any Lucia comments on this interesting class, so I had to ask him about the new recruits.

Maybe the two best are center Erik Haula and winger Seth Ambroz of the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. They play on the top line of the best team in that junior league.

"Those two are completely different types of players," Lucia said. "Erik is very highly skilled. He is having a great year in the USHL. He and Seth are actually playing together on a line. Seth is a prototypical power forward. He is really good in front of the net. He is very tough. He certainly is not afraid to get in his fair share of scraps for a young kid still in the USHL. He is only 16 years old but he is already a man.

"They are both going to be added addition based on bringing different things to the table. But Erik's skill will really -- he will be able to come in and certainly be a top six forward for us next year."

Then there are the two Nates playing for the Force. Condon and defenseman Nate Schmidt, who signed this month.

"Nate [Condon] is starting to really come on. Nate is a good example of a guy who is getting to play that second year of junior hockey and all of a sudden he seems to, from an offensive standpoint, is coming together. He is a good size guy, he can skate well. He has got good skills. But last year he did not score a lot in his first year of junior hockey. We always felt he was a skilled player and now he is learning to do it night in and night out.

"Nate Schmidt is still only a senior in high school. He is going to bring something we really don't have a lot of right now. It is somebody who can really the hammer the puck from the point. He has got a heavy shot. And he is going to really help us on the power play and down the line. He is also 200 pounds. He is a thick kid. He is not afraid to make the big hit and he can bring a little of that physical element to our back line which we need as well."

Two other signees are teammates at Minnetonka High School, forward Max Gardiner -- wonder if anyone ever calls him Mad Max? -- and defenseman Justin Holl.

It almost seemed as if the Gophers were saving on their recruiting budget by plucking two players from Omaha, two from Fargo and two from Tonka. A lot less traveled needed to see and recruit them all.

"Gardiner has got a really good top end," Lucia said. "He is a big kid, still growing into his body. He still needs to fill out physically and get stronger, especially his lower body strength which will help his skating. He thinks the game really well and he has really good hands for a big guy. Justin is -- he has great feet for a defenseman. He is a little over 6-2. He is going to bring some size. He is a right-hander. His skating ability is one of his great assets. He can pass the puck well and he will play on the power play at Minnetonka. This will be a really nice growth year for him.

"Again we will make that decision [on Noll] next spring or summer whether he will come in next year or play a year of juniors in Omaha."

ADDED COMMENTS

Ambroz of New Prague started playing in the USHL as a sophomore. Few players that young play in that league but he showed he belonged. He is accelerating his high school education, so he can graduate in three years.

Ambroz already has enough credits for senior status, so that's why he could sign with the U.

Haula is from Finland. He played for Shattuck-St. Mary's last season. This is his first season in the USHL. He had four goals in one game this season. He has played on Finland's national team for his age group.

Schmidt played at St. Cloud Cathedral, Condon at Wausau West in Wisconsin before joining the Force.

Gardiner is the younger brother of Jake Gardiner, an outstanding sophomore defenseman for Wisconsin.

One other player coming in next season is 6-5 Blaine center Nick Bjugstad, who is also accelerating. He is still a junior, though, so he can't sign until spring when he has more credits.

This Gophers class seems to have a lot of size and skill. Ambroz and Bjugstad are both potential first-round NHL draft picks. Bjugstad told me the U asked him to accelerate and he couldn't turn the coaches down. That's where he has always wanted to play. His uncle Scott Bjugstad played there.