Ryan Walters, a high-scoring forward for Des Moines of the USHL, has de-committed to the Gophers.
Walters met with the Gophers coaches on Friday and was asked to play a third year of junior hockey and to be less of an agitator, according to his father.
 
Walters decided on Saturday that he will play college hockey somewhere else.
 
Walters, 18, committed to the Gophers in October of 2007 when he was a sophomore at St. Thomas Academy. He has played for Des Moines the past two seasons.
 
He had 21 goals and 40 assists for 61 points this season, which puts him 12th in the league in scoring.
 
But the Gophers apparently did not have room on their 2010-11 roster for him.
 
They had 11 forwards returning, with Jay Barriball coming back after getting an extra year. He applied for a medical hardship because he missed almost all of last season after knee surgery.
 
The Gophers also have at least six forwards coming in, four from the USHL: Seth Ambroz and Erik Haula of Omaha and Nate Condon of Fargo and Tom Serratore of Youngstown. Nick Bjugstad of Blaine High School and Jared Larson of the Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the NAHL are the other two.
 
Ambroz and Nick Bjugstad of Blaine accelerated their high school education to start college a year early.
Gophers coach Don Lucia has said he does not expect anyone else besides sophomore center Jordan Schroeder -- who signed with Vancouver -- to leave early.
 
So that's 17 forwards. Only 12 can play a night.
 
After three disappointing seasons in a row, which included several key injuries, Lucia has said he wants more players next season in case of injuries, and also so he has more roster flexibility. If someone is not playing well, he can sit them out.
 
Looks as if Lucia will have that option this coming season.