Coach Lucia, Here are your four lines for the season opener:

If nothing changes -- a big if -- Gophers coach Don Lucia will have 17 forwards to move around and interchange. He might need help setting up his lines at the start of the season. So I'm going to offer it.

Here is my first stab at a line-up for the season opener at home against Nebraska-Omaha sometime in early or mid-October:

First line

LW C RW

Jacob Cepis Erik Haula Seth Ambroz

Comments: Cepis gave the U a spark when he came in second half of last season. Haula is highly skilled with international experience. Ambroz is young, but big and strong and played on Haula's line this season at Omaha, why split them?

Second line

Comments: Hoeffel should have a breakout year. Had 12 goals last season. Bjugstad is a freshman, but he was Mr. Hockey and will be a first round pick in NHL draft; he has talent. Barriball is a sniper who should have a lot of room with teams worrying about Hoeffel and Bjugstad.

Third line

Jared Larson Nate Condon Zach Budish

Comments: If you are bringing in older players who hit, you have to play them. So Larson needs to be in lineup. Condon is coming off strong season at Fargo. Budish should be better after playing in WCHA one year.

Fourth line

Comments: Serratore is another older grinder who could have a spot in line-up. White is a player who underachieved last season as did many others. Matson was hurt much of the season but has speed.

I plugged six new players into the top 12 forwards because the forwards last season were so inconsistent. They drove the coaches crazy, sometimes not playing hard, sometimes not being able to score no matter what.

They have to earn spots in the lineup -- and maybe they can. But to start I wanted to take a look at all the new guys, especially the talented centers coming in -- Haula, Bjugstad and Condon.

So who is up in the press box? Five returning forwards:

LW C RW

Nico Sacchetti Josh Birkholz

Joe Miller

Nick Larson can also play both wings, Sacchetti can play right wing. .... Hansen, Birkholz and Miller all shoot right-handed but can play left wing. All of these veterans showed flashes of talent, except Miller who barely played, but were inconsistent.

Four of the six forwards coming in shoot left-handed: Jared Larson, Serratore, Haula and Condon. The Gophers needed some lefties because of the 11 forwards returning, the only lefties were Cepis and Hoeffel.

Five spare forwards seems a bit much, but the Gophers have been losing several each year in recent seasons to knee injuries, illness such as mono or mid-season departures.