Junior Jake Bischoff, a 6-foot, 180-pound defenseman for Grand Rapids, has committed to the Gophers. Also in his final three choices were Minnesota Duluth and Notre Dame.

Bischoff had five goals and 24 assists for 29 points last season in 27 games.

Grant Bischoff, his father, was a Gophers forward from 1988-91. He had 80 goals and 81 assists for 161 points in 180 games.

"He wasn't pressured by his dad," Grant Bischoff said. "I had gone through this. I played at the 'U' and had a great experience there.

"The 'U' had the inside track. Jake grew up being a Gophers fans. I have been taking him to Gophers games all his life. He is real comfortable there."

Grant Bischoff said the plan as of now for Jake is for him to stay at Grand Rapids his senior year, then possibly play one season of junior hockey before joining the Gophers for the 2014-15 season.

Bischoff marveled at how fast the news of his son's commitment traveled compared to his. "In 1986 or '87, Doug Woog was at my living room table one day and I called him the next day," Bischoff said. "Three days later, Charley Hallman [of the St. Paul Pioneer Press] or someone would call me.

"Today Jake's younger brother told me the news was on Twitter two hours later."

Grand Rapids opened its hockey season with a 4-1 victory over Cloquet-Esko-Carlton on Tuesday. Bischoff had two assists in the game.

"He is going to have a fun high school team," his father said.

Jake Bischoff is the third prominent Grand Rapids player that Don Lucia has been able to successfully recruit since becoming the Gophers coach in 1999-2000. The other two were defenseman Alex Goligoski (2005-07) and forward Patrick White (2008-11).

Lucia is a Grand Rapids alum.