Five Mr. Hockey finalists among Gopher recruits

The five Gophers recruits who are finalists for Mr. Hockey are:

D Justin Holl, 6-2, 170, Minnetonka. .. He has a big slap shot. Could be headed for a season of juniors first.

D Mark Alt, 6-3, 200, Cretin-Derham Hall ... QB for Raiders in football. Could be tempted to play that sport in college. Didn't sign with anybody in football, though, earlier this month.

F Christian Isackson, 6-0, 175, St. Thomas Academy ... Another good forward for the Cadets. Probably going to play juniors a season.

F Nick Bjugstad, 6-4, 190, Blaine ... Projected to be a first round pick in NHL draft this year. Accelerated to finish high school in three years. Going to join Gophers next season.

F Max Gardiner, 6-2, 205, Minnetonka ... Younger brother of Jake Gardiner, who is an elite sophomore defenseman for Wisconsin. ... Seems like he could make jump to college hockey, but U has at least four other forwards coming in next season.

Two other Mr. Hockey finalists are UMD recruits:

F Caleb herbert, 5-10, 180, Bloomington Jefferson

Other three and their college choices:

Joey Benik, 5-9, 150, St. Francis ... Going to St. Cloud State

Brock Nelson, 6-3, 205, Warroad ... North Dakota

Cal Decowski, 5-7, 160, Andover ... Has visited UMD and there are conficting reports on whether h has committed there

LARSON IN DEMAND

Fairbanks Ice Dogs coach Josh Hauge said the Gophers we among 25 or so college who called him among forward Jared Larson.

The 6-3, 180-pound Larson committed to the U of M earlier this week.

"He is a strong skater and at 6-3 he can skate with great speed," Hauge said. "He has great scoring touch, is good on the power play, has good hands in tight areas."

Of Larson's 41 points (20 goals, 21 assists) almost half, or 20 points have come on power plays.

He can play center or left wing. "We like him on wing, he's so fast," Hauge said. "He plays hard and he finishes hits."

Usually a heavily recruited player in the NAHL, the league the Ice Dogs belong to, is contacted by seven to 10 schools. "I had about 25 schools call me at one point about him," Hauge said. "It's a big honor for me he is going to play for the Gophers. I grew up watching them."

Hauge, in his second year as head coach of the Ice Dogs, played for Rosemount High School and Bethel College.

"[The Gophers] saw him in the [NAHL] Showcase," Hauge said, referring to a fall tournament in Blaine. "And then they just poppsed up in some places we were at."

Among other schools who reportedly showed interest in larson were UMD, Minnesota State Mankato and Colorado College of the WCHA; Bemidji State, which will join the WCHA next season, and UMass-Lowell.

A look at how players joining the Gophers next season are doing:

F Jared Larson Fairbanks Ice Dogs, NAHL 20-21-41 Ice Dogs plays Texas in Alaska on Fri., Sat.

QUOTES FROM THE DON