NCAA: On Golden Gopher Pond

Despite being the No. 1 seed in the West, Erik Johnson and the University of Minnesota failed to reach the Frozen Four in the NCAA Tournament losing to the University of North Dakota - 3-2 in overtime in the West Regional final. Regardless of the loss, the Golden Gophers boast a wealth of great prospects. McKeen's reviews several Gophers who have made an impact this season.

Blake Wheeler (Phx), C, Minnesota

He is soft for a 6-foot-5, 215-pound center .. holds up in the corners instead of driving through people and does not like to be hit .. a great skater with soft hands but still gives the impression that there is a lot more under the hood than we are seeing .. not a top-end finisher or playmaker, Wheeler might struggle to produce if rushed into the NHL.

Erik Johnson (StL), D, Minnesota

Did not have his best performance at the NCAA Tournament but even on his off days, he shows he can be a force at both ends .. turned his game up a notch in the third period against Air Force when his team was down 3-1 .. started skating with the puck up the ice on his own and noticeably became more physically aggressive .. a complete defenseman with every attribute you look for in a player to build around .. can be a physical force in his own end, or a prominent player in the offensive zone with a bone-rattling shooting arsenal and exceptional mobility .. overall, his decision-making with the puck has improved this season to the point where it is no longer an issue .. did an excellent job with gap control and shut down his man one-on-one every time .. ready for the NHL.

Kyle Okposo (NYI), RW, Minnesota

Had a brilliant start to the season but began to cool off after the World Junior Championships .. is the definition of an offensive power forward in the mold of a Jarome Iginla .. has a commanding stride with soft hands and is strong on the puck .. possesses a great release with a heavy shot, as he is a natural finisher, but is equally good at creating, as he sees the ice well and distributes the puck crisply .. very good on the defensive side of the puck and sees key minutes killing penalties.

Mike Vannelli (Atl), D, Minnesota

The senior captain is a bit puzzling, as he has the size to be a force in his own end but is actually better in the offensive end .. his heavy feat is still an issue and must improve his skating while moving forward .. sees the ice well and is a solid distributor of the puck .. has a tendency to make a better pass while on the point during the powerplay compared to breaking out of the zone where he'll brain cramp at times .. has a heavy and low slapshot that he gets through .. does not cover the area around his net well and can be complacent or down right lost in his own zone.

Ryan Stoa (Col), C, Minnesota

Big two-way centerman with a decent physical edge and a strong stride .. is difficult to contain down low and can cycle the puck all day .. does a good job screening the goalie and is difficult to move from the front of the net.

Derek Peltier (Col), D, Minnesota

Not the type of defenseman that will jump out at you with any in particular quality, but he does everything well and will play in the NHL one day, as a third-pairing, reliable two-way defenseman .. blessed with impressive vision .. moves the puck quickly and maturely .. makes a great first pass and is tremendously poised with the puck .. is a swift skater in all directions .. smart defender with superb gap control and body positioning, as he does a fine job funneling his man to the outside .. competes hard and a lack of size does not factor in, as he is very strong .. NHL-caliber puck distributor, although he is not a creative powerplay quarterback.

James O'Brien (2007), C, Minnesota

Has a great motor and a powerful, long stride with a great first step for a big man .. uses his size well and drives hard through checks .. has a developing mean streak as he finishes his checks with vigor .. hands are adequately soft and he has a long reach with the knowledge of how to protect the puck .. defensively he is excellent, as he never misses an assignment and never stops working away from the puck .. the only question is his ultimate offensive upside, as he may just top out as a third line center.

Tony Lucia (SJ), C, Minnesota

Son of head coach Don Lucia .. skating has improved vastly throughout the season, as his stride is now smoother and his quickness has been upgraded .. bulky and sturdy on his feet, Lucia excels in traffic areas .. competes hard and gets his nose dirty bringing a solid physical presence to the Gophers third line .. pursues the puck with vigor and finishes all of his checks .. tireless worker that is a strong two-way player thanks to his exceptional defensive awareness and work ethic .. a top-notch penalty killer at this level .. lacks top-end offensive upside, but he has come up with some timely production throughout the year .. his hands along with his poise with the puck have seemingly improved during the season .. was not that impressive early in the season but he is coming along nicely.

Alex Goligoski (Pit), D, Minnesota

One of the more underrated defenseman prospects outside of the NHL .. has always had an impressive offensive element to his game, but his play on the defensive side of the puck has really solidified this season .. great all-compass skater with an effortless and powerful stride .. blessed with exceptional vision and creativity, Goligoski can quarterback the powerplay .. a decent one-on-one defender with a developing physical edge and his gap control is impressive .. is very poised with the puck and does a good job making the first pass even in the face of a stiff forecheck.

David Fischer (Mtl), D, Minnesota

Good skater for a big man with decent skill .. despite limited icetime, he does show you some glimpses of his upside however, he makes some bad mistakes to .. has not progressed throughout the season .. needs to bulk up his lower and upper body, as for a tall player he can get pushed around .. at times, he will go to stand up his man at the blueline but lacks the strength to push him off the puck .. bends but does not break often in the defensive zone .. next year he will need to display some improvement in his game, as he did not over the course of this season.

Ryan Flynn (Nsh), RW, Minnesota

Using his size more and is working harder away from the puck but his heavy feet have really hindered his once evident, offensive game.

Mike Carman (Col), C, Minnesota

Small but stocky, Carman is a spark plug .. a grinder with a good work ethic .. a swift skater with a heavy but sometimes inaccurate shot, as he mostly scores from in close .. a fine two-way player who sees icetime on the penalty kill.

Jay Barriball (StL), LW, Minnesota

Had his rights traded from the San Jose Sharks to the St.Louis Blues at the trade deadline in the Bill Guerin trade .. makes too many soft plays in his own end, as his defensive commitment must improve despite having adequate awareness without the puck .. possesses a fine shooting arsenal with a quick release, good velocity, and precise accuracy .. his howitzer slapshot is especially impressive .. possesses soft hands and fluid mobility, making him elusive one-on-one .. owns plenty of offensive instincts, but needs to work on his defensive game and his skating is just okay .. seems to disappear in physical contests.