Gophers Checkup

While Minnesota is succeeding at the collegiate level, so are two former Gophers reunited in the pros.
The Gophers (10-3-5) won the Dodge Holiday Classic and moved up in the rankings released Monday to No. 3 nationally. Phil Kessel and Blake Wheeler, meanwhile, are enjoying teaming up on the resurgent Boston Bruins, the second-best offense in terms of goals per game in in the NHL.
Kessel, a one-and-done star with the Gophers in 2005-06, is putting together his finest season yet, ranking fourth in the NHL with 24 goals. Overall, he has 40 points in 39 games.
Wheeler is thriving after making the jump to the professional level this past summer. League-wide, his plus-22 plus/minus rating ranks third. Among rookies, Wheeler is fourth in points (24) and tied for first in goals (13).
Success for these two shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, considering they both were lottery picks. How they came to be teammates (twice) is an entirely different matter.
The first encounter: From Madison, Wis., it seemed the Wisconsin Badgers would be the natural choice for Kessel to play a season of college hockey; the Badgers long have had a history of recruiting and producing NHL-talent. Instead, Kessel went to Minnesota, teaming with Wheeler.
Reunited: Enter the 2008 offseason.
Wheeler was drafted fifth overall by Phoenix in the 2004 NHL-entry draft, but could not come to terms on a contract.
So much for joining fellow top prospect and rookie Kyle Turris to become the face of the Coyotes’ franchise, that picture had been put to rest.
Free agency it was.
More than 20 teams expressed interest in the 6-foot-5, 220 pound winger. Boston seemed like the best fit.
A season ago, the Bruins sneaked into the playoffs as the eight-seed, a win ahead of the Hurricanes of Carolina. This, Boston is sitting atop the Eastern Conference at 29-6-4, ahead of second place Washington by seven points.
Wheeler made the roster out of training camp, which doesn't often happen to prospects coming from the college game, and then notched a goal in his first career NHL game.
Wheeler, Kessel and the Bruins have been rolling since.