The Gophers roster came out last week. With the season still two months off -- UMass visits Oct. 8-9 -- it's time to study what we can. None of the 17 returning players changed jersey numbers or grew taller. But 14 gained weight, two lost pounds.
A look at the Gophers' 2010-11 roster by heights/weights:
Returning players who gained most weight
Up 10 pounds
F Patrick White, 6-1, 200 ... Hopefully it's all muscle
Up 9 pounds
F Jake Hansen, 6-2, 191 ... Has frame to add even more
F Jay Barriball, 5-9, 179 ... Sat out most of last season after knee surgery. Lots of rehab.
Up 8 pounds
F Mike Hoeffel, 6-2, 205 ... Gotta be more physical, could be force around net
Up 7 pounds
D Kevin Wehrs, 5-9, 182 ... Needs to step up his senior year
D Aaron Ness, 5-10, 177 ... Showed a few flashes of his offensive skills at end of last season
F Nico Sacchetti, 6-0, 193 ... Could have breakout year as junior
Up 6 pounds
F Joe Miller, 5-11, 201 ... Has played little first two seasons
Up 4 pounds
D Cade Fairchild, 5-11, 190 ... With Nick Leddy gone, Fairchild has to have big year as senior
G Jake Kremer, 6-1, 194 ... Nobody sees Jake. He is the practice goalie who toils in obscurity
Up 2 pounds
F Nick Larson, 6-1, 188 ... Junior has talent, maybe this will be his year
Up 1 pound ... hardly worth listing, a big meal can add a pound
F Taylor Marson, 6-0, 186 ... Can he stay injury-free this season?
F Zach Budish, 6-3, 221 ... Still looks like a linebacker
G Kent Patterson, 6-1, 193 ... Will he push Alex Kangas for starting job in nets?
Down 5 pounds
F Jacob Cepis, 5-8, 170 ... Size might still be exaggerated, feisty for little guy
Down 3 pounds
D Seth Helgeson, 6-5, 217 ... Needs to throw weight around more as sophomore
WEIGHTY MATTERS
Gophers have six players who weigh 200 pounds or more and nine players who are 6-2 or taller.
AGE WHEN SEASON OPENS (months rounded off)
Jay Barriball, 23 years, 4 months ... got extra season for medical hardship
Alex Kangas, 23 yrs., 4 mo. ... still remember him as freshman when he stood on head in playoffs
Joe Miller, 23 yrs., 1 mo. ... plays with energy
Jacob Cepis, 22 yrs, 10 mo. ... Papa Chirp is not oldest player on team
Kevin Wehrs, 22 yrs., 6 mo. ... one season left to impress
Jake Kremer, 22 yrs., 5 mo. ... stuck in practice role as third goalie
Taylor Matson, 22 yrs., 1 mo. ... will ankle surgery last season cost him speed?
Patrick White, 21 yrs., 9 mo. ... first round draft pick has yet to play like one
Nick Larson, 21 yrs., 9 mo. ... sat out first year in college with back issues
Cade Fairchild, 21 yrs., 9 mo. ... had all-america hype before junior year, not this season
Mike Hoeffel, 21 yrs., 6 mo. ... soft-spoken, needs to carry big stick
Jake Parenteau, 21 yrs., 4 mo. ... recruited frosh walk-on
Tom Serratore, 21 yrs., 3 mo. ... recruited frosh walk-on, son of Air Force coach
Nico Sacchetti, 21 yrs., 2 mo. ... goal-scorer's time to produce
Jake Hansen, 21 yrs., 2 mo. ... showed flashes as sophomore
Jared Larson, 21 yrs., 1 mo. ... recruited fosh walk-on
Kent Patterson, 21 yrs., 1 mo. ... second fiddle to Kangas in nets for two seasons
Key stat: 17 of the Gophers players, including three incoming freshmen -- Parenteau, Serratore and Larson -- will be 21 when season starts. This is an old team.
Aaron Ness, 20 yrs., 5 mo. ... promise turns to results this season?
Nate Condon, 20 yrs., 4 mo. ... frosh from Wisconsin via Fargo of USHL
Seth Helgeson, 20 yrs. ... Seth's 20th B-Day will be on the day the Gophers open, Oct. 8.
Erik Haula, 19 yrs., 6 mo. ... Flying Finn, probably will get first shot at centering top line
Zach Budish, 19 yrs., 5 mo. ... Size to scare you
Nate Schmidt, 19 yrs., 3 mo. ... D-man with rocket for shot, could help on power play
Mark Alt, 18 yrs., 11 mo. ... turns 19 on Oct. 18 ... big D-man
Justin Holl, 18 yrs., 9 mo. ... late addition to team after Nick Leddy turned pro, scholar in classroom
Max Gardiner, 18 yrs., 5 mo. ... teammate of Holl's at Minnetonka
Nick Bjugstad, 18 yrs., 3 mo. ... impressed at USA Hockey's nat'l jr. evaluation camp
Average age of Gophers: 20 years, 11 months, 2 weeks
The ''Dark Side'' defense carried Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks to a Lombardi Trophy.
