Minnesota Gophers Men's Hockey Captain Ryan Stoa Turns Pro, Signs With NHL's Avalanch

[doniceage]

By Bruce Brothers, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.

Mar. 28--Ryan Stoa was ready to get on with his hockey life.

His dad: not so eager.

"Everything ended so quick," Kevin Stoa said Friday after his son Ryan signed a two-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche, ending his career with the Gophers after his junior season. "I still deep down kind of wish he would have come back."

After his son missed a season with a knee injury, the elder Stoa knew the dangers of sticking around, however.

"If he would have gotten hurt again, he may have lost the chance to do this," he said.

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/yb/128149388

[Prime B]

I am excited to see this kid develop, I think he'll help the Av's a lot along with guys like Hensick, Stastny, Wolski. Svatos and whoever they get in this year's draft.

The Avalanche are ready to rebuild and will be a good team once they start the process instead of trying to continually plug holes with older vets.