2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

[MCgrad07]

Re: 2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

1. BC
2. Miami
3. Michigan
4. Notre Dame
5. Colorado College
6. Minnesota- Duluth
7. Yale
8.Denver
9. Union
10. Merrimack

[SteveF]

In

After giving some thought to the upcoming season, I came up with these teams as the top 10 teams in the country to start the season. Also, I am putting together a fairly simple college hockey website to supplement the websites that we all know and love. The purpose of the site is not to compete with the "big boys", but rather to give extra reading material to people who love the sport. Part of the website will have our own rankings, and I would like to have a group of 10-12 that votes on this on a weekly basis. If you would be interested in being part of that panel of voters, please respond here, and I will comprise the list. The rankings will be released on the website each Monday, so it will require you to have your rankings done by Monday morning. Anyway, here are my preseason rankings for the upcoming season. Please feel free to post your own rankings, and enjoy!

1. Notre Dame - The Fighting Irish have nearly everyone back from a very successful run to the Frozen Four last season. If they can play to their potential and shrug off any potential conference affiliation distractions, Notre Dame should be one of the top seeds in the NCAA Tournament, and is my pre-season favorite to win it all.

2. Denver - While the Pioneers lost freshmen phenom Sam Brittain over the offseason, Denver should have plenty of firepower on the offensive side to make up for the loss. Another loaded freshman class, combined with seasoned scoring should make the Pioneers a favorite in the WCHA.

3. Miami - The Redhawks are a team with a chip on their shoulder. They have been arguably the best (or at least most consistent) program over the past five seasons, and that should not change this season. Miami figures to be in the running for their first ever National Championship this coming April in Tampa.

4. Colorado College - Nobody thought CC would pound Boston College last season in the NCAA Tournament, but the Tigers will not fly under the radar this season. Led by Hobey Candidate Jaden Schwartz, CC will look to outscore their opponents this season. If Joe Howe can put up a solid season in nets for CC, expect the Tigers to play deep into the post season.

5. Boston University - Last season was not what Jack Parker was hoping for, but this year he has another squad capable of winning it all. The Terriers have depth in scoring, a solid blue line and goaltending, and should be the top team out east.

6. Yale - I did not think that Yale was as good as they were last season, but I was proved wrong as the Bulldogs continued to win games. While they made a disappointing exit against the eventual National Champions, Yale had a great run last year. They should be the class of the ECAC once again, and don't be surprised if the Bulldogs are able to make a run to the Frozen Four this season.

7. Minnesota Duluth - These bulldogs lost quite a bit from last year's National Champions. Given that, Duluth should be rock solid once again as Jack Connolly and JT Brown come back for another campaign. Scott Sandelin will have the Bulldogs ready for another run in the WCHA, and will be chomping at the bit to defend their national title.

8. Michigan - The runner-up from last season, Michigan looks to take home the hardware. Led by Shawn Hunwick, Michigan will need to replace plenty from last season's squad, but if Hunwick can play anything like he did in the NCAA Tournament last season, the Wolverines will be in position to give Red Berenson his third National Title.

9. Boston College - The Eagles were shocked last year in the NCAA Tournament, but reload for another shot at glory. No team has been better over the past decade than BC, and if Jerry York can manage the incoming talent BC will be a team to be reckoned with.

10. Nebraska Omaha - The Mavericks surprised many by coming into the WCHA and nearly winning the league title. While they ran into buzzsaw's in Bemidji and Michigan to end their season, Dean Blais has molded this team into a winner. If UNO can escape injuries to key players, they should be able to make another trip to the NCAA Tournament, and this time win a game.

Honorable Mention:
Union
Western Michigan
North Dakota

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: 2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

Anyone else find it funny that Duluth had 10 first place votes in the national poll, third most of any team and right behind Miami and Notre Dame's 12 and 11, but gone none in the WCHA poll? Does this mean it was a bunch of Easterners who voted for them?

Dare I say... Western Bias? Or is that Eastern Bias of a Western team?

Well, I don't believe the coaches vote in the USCHO poll (I could be wrong), but there are a number of people who feel the first poll should reflect last year's results. I don't agree with that philosophy, but I feel that 8th is about right for Duluth overall.

[SCSU Euro]

Re: 2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

Anyone else find it funny that Duluth had 10 first place votes in the national poll, third most of any team and right behind Miami and Notre Dame's 12 and 11, but gone none in the WCHA poll? Does this mean it was a bunch of Easterners who voted for them?

Dare I say... Western Bias? Or is that Eastern Bias of a Western team?

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: 2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

College Hockey Weekly has put together their "Team of the Week" for the preseason. It is their predictions for Preseason All-Americans. Take a look!

http://collegehockeyweekly.com/Team-of-the-Week.html

[darker98]

Re: 2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

Wow. Thank you for a definitive response.

This guy will always give you one.

[Osorojo]

Re: 2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

Wow. Thank you for a definitive response.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: 2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

Here's another way to look at it...

#1 Seed: (10 Teams due to tie in '06-'07)
Best Finish: National Champion (Minnesota '02-'03)
Worst Finish: Did not make tournament (3 times)
Mode Finish: Did not make tournament and Regional Semifinalist (3 times each)
Mean Finish: 8.49

#2 Seed: (8 Teams due to tie in '06-'07)
Best Finish: National Champion (Boston College '07-'08)
Worst Finish: Did not make tournament (2 times)
Mode Finish: Regional Semifinalist (3 times)
Mean Finish: 8.74

#3 Seed: (all the rest have 9 teams each)
Best Finish: National Runner-up (Boston College '05-'06)
Worst Finish: Did not make tournament (Colorado College '08-'09)
Mode Finish: Regional Finalist (4 times)
Mean Finish: 6.0

#4 Seed:
Best Finish: National Runner-up (New Hampshire '02-'03)
Worst Finish: Did not make tournament (2 times)
Mode Finish: Regional Semifinalist (3 times)
Mean Finish: 8.44

#5 Seed:
Best Finish: National Champion (Michigan State '06-'07)
Worst Finish: Did not make tournament (2 times)
Mode Finish: Regional Finalist, Regional Semifinalist, National Runner-up, Did Not make tournament (2 times each)
Mean Finish: 7.44

#6 Seed:
Best Finish: National Semifinalist (Minnesota '04-'05, North Dakota '06-'07)
Worst Finish: Did not make tournament (Boston University '03-'04)
Mode Finish: Regional Semifinalist (5 times)
Mean Finish: 8.11

#7 Seed:
Best Finish: National Champion (Denver '04-'05)
Worst Finish: Did not make tournament (2 times)
Mode Finish: Regional Semifinalist (3 times)
Mean Finish: 8.33

#8 Seed:
Best Finish: National Champion (Minnesota Duluth '10-'11)
Worst Finish: Did not make tournament (Ferris State '03-'04)
Mode Finish: Regional Finalist and National Runner-up (2 times each)
Mean Finish: 5.88

#9 Seed:
Best Finish: National Champion (Boston University '08-'09)
Worst Finish: Did not make tournament (5 times)
Mode Finish: Did not make tournament (5 times)
Mean Finish: 11.66

#10 Seed:
Best Finish: National Champion (Wisconsin '05-'06)
Worst Finish: Did not make tournament (2 times)
Mode Finish: Regional Finalist (3 times)
Mean Finish: 7.88

Outside of Top 10:
2 National Champions
2 National Runner-ups
8 National Semifinalists

What that tells me?
Most likely (~78% chance) that the National Champion is ranked in the preseason top 10
At least 1 Frozen Four participant is not ranked in the preseason top 10
At least 2 teams in the preseason top 10 will not make the tournament

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: 2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

2010-2011 Preseason Top 10:
1. Boston College (#1 Seed, Regional Semifinalist)
2. North Dakota (#1 Seed, National Semifinalist)
3. Miami (#1 Seed, Regional Semifinalist)
4. St. Cloud State (Did not make tournament)
5. Michigan (National Runner Up)
6. Yale (#1 Seed, Regional Finalist)
7. Maine (Did not make tournament)
8. Minnesota Duluth (National Champion)
9. Denver (Regional Finalist)
10. New Hampshire (Regional Finalist)

Notre Dame was ranked 17th

2009-2010 Preseason Top 10
1. Denver (#1 Seed, Regional Semifinalist)
2. Boston University (Did not make tournament)
3. Michigan (Regional Finalist)
4. Miami (#1 Seed, National Semifinalist)
5. Notre Dame (Did not make tournament)
6. North Dakota (Regional Semifinalist)
7. Cornell (Regional Semifinalist)
8. Yale (Regional Finalist)
9. Minnesota (Did not make tournament)
10. Princeton (Did not make tournament)

Boston College was ranked #12, Wisconsin #13 and RIT was unranked with 10 votes (29th overall)

2008-2009 Preseason Top 10
1. Boston College (Did not make tournament)
2. Michigan (#1 Seed, Regional Semifinalist)
3. Colorado College (Did not make tournament)
4. Notre Dame (#1 Seed, Regional Semifinalist)
5. North Dakota (Regional Semifinalist)
6. Denver (#1 Seed, Regional Semifinalist)
7. New Hampshire (Regional Finalist)
8. Miami (National Runner-up)
9. Boston University (#1 Seed, National Champion)
10. Minnesota (Did not make tournament)

Vermont was ranked #20, Bemidji State was unranked with 2 votes (36th overall)

2007-2008 Preseason Top 10
1. North Dakota (#1 Seed, National Semifinalist)
2. Boston College (National Champion)
3. Michigan State (Regional Finalist)
4. Miami (#1 Seed, Regional Finalist)
5. Minnesota (Regional Semifinalist)
6. New Hampshire (#1 Seed, Regional Semifinalist)
7. Clarkson (Regional Finalist)
8. Notre Dame (National Runner-up)
9. Boston University (Did not make tournament)
10. Michigan (#1 Seed, National Semifinalist)

2006-2007 Preseason Top 10
1. Wisconsin (Did not make tournament)
1. Boston College (National Runner-up)
3. Minnesota (#1 Seed, Regional Finalist)
4. Boston University (Regional Semifinalist)
5. Michigan State (National Champion)
6. North Dakota (National Semifinalist)
7. Michigan (Regional Semifinalist)
8. Miami (Regional Finalist)
9. Denver (Did not make tournament)
10. New Hampshire (#1 Seed, Regional Semifinalist)

Maine was ranked #11

2005-2006 Preseason Top 10
1. Denver (Did not make tournament)
2. Minnesota (#1 Seed, Regional Semifinalist)
3. Boston College (National Runner-up)
4. Cornell (Regional Finalist)
5. Ohio State (Did not make tournament)
6. Colorado College (Regional Semifinalist)
7. North Dakota (National Semifinalist)
8. Michigan (Regional Semifinalist)
9. New Hampshire (Regional Semifinalist)
10. Wisconsin (#1 Seed, National Champion)

Maine was ranked #11

2004-2005 Preseason Top 10
1. Michigan (Regional Finalist)
2. Maine (Regional Semifinalist)
3. Boston College (#1 Seed, Regional Finalist)
4. Minnesota-Duluth (Did not make tournament)
5. North Dakota (National Runner-up)
6. Minnesota (#1 Seed, National Semifinalist)
7. Denver (#1 Seed, National Champion)
8. Wisconsin (Regional Semifinalist)
9. Michigan State (Did not make tournament)
10. New Hampshire (Regional Finalist)

Colorado College was #14

2003-2004 Preseason Top 10
1. Minnesota (#1 Seed, Regional Finalist)
2. Michigan (Regional Finalist)
3. Boston College (#1 Seed, National Semifinalist)
4. New Hampshire (Regional Semifinalist)
5. North Dakota (#1 Seed, Regional Finalist)
6. Boston University (Did not make tournament)
7. Harvard (Regional Semifinalist)
8. Ferris State (Did not make tournament)
9. Cornell (Did not make tournament)
10. Michigan State (Regional Semifinalist)

Maine was ranked #12, Denver #13, and Minnesota Duluth #15

2002-2003 Preseason Top 10
1. Minnesota (#1 Seed, National Champion)
2. Denver (Did not make tournament)
3. Michigan (National Semifinalist)
4. New Hampshire (#1 Seed, National Runner-up)
5. Boston University (Regional Finalist)
6. Maine (Regional Semifinalist)
7. Michigan State (Did not make tournament)
8. Cornell (#1 Seed, National Semifinalist)
9. Boston College (Regional Finalist)
10. Colorado College (#1 Seed, Regional Finalist)

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: 2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

How well have USCHO's pre-season top DI picks predicted the final standings over the last decade or so?

Not very well. I'll post a historical look here in a few minutes.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: 2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

And the ECAC has released their media and coaches polls...

The polls
(First-place votes in parentheses)
Coaches
1. Yale (9) 117 points
2. Union (2) 107
3. Cornell 97
4. RPI 281
5 Dartmouth 76
6. Quinnipiac (1) 70
7. Harvard 65
8. Princeton 51
9. St. Lawrence 45
10. Colgate 31
11. Clarkson 28
12. Brown 22

Media
1. Yale (23) 432 points
2. Union (11) 397
3. Cornell (3) 356.
4 Dartmouth (1) 308
5. RPI 281
6. Quinnipiac 239
7. Princeton 205
8. St. Lawrence 173
9. Clarkson 164
10. Colgate 152
11. Brown 134
12. Harvard 129

[Osorojo]

Re: 2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

How well have USCHO's pre-season top DI picks predicted the final standings over the last decade or so?

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: 2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

The WCHA, Hockey East and Atlantic Hockey have released their preseason polls, so I thought I would include them here.

WCHA
41st annual Herald poll
(first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Denver (7) 115
2. UND (4) 110
3. Colorado College (1) 105
4. Nebraska-Omaha 89
5. Minn.-Duluth 75
6. Minnesota 74
7. St. Cloud State 61
8. Wisconsin 54
9. Alaska-Anchorage 36
10. Bemidji State 30
11. MSU-Mankato 29
12. Michigan Tech 14

Hockey East
1. Boston College (7) 88
2. Boston University (3) 83
3. New Hampshire 72
4. Maine 64
5. Merrimack 61
6. Vermont 44
7. Massachusetts 42
8. Northeastern 33
9. UMass Lowell 27
10. Providence 26

Atlantic Hockey
1. RIT (113 points, five first-place votes)
2. Air Force (112, 5)
3. Holy Cross (103, 2)
4. Niagara (89)
5. Connecticut (79)
6. Robert Morris (70)
7. Mercyhurst (59)
8. Army (51)
9. Canisius (42)
10. Bentley (41)
11. Sacred Heart (20)
12. American International (13)

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: 2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

Here is my preseason top 10
1. Notre Dame
2. Denver
3. Boston College
4. Colorado College
5. Miami (OH)
6. Yale
7. Boston University
8. Minnesota Duluth
9. Michigan
10. North Dakota

I would like to be part of this panal and can be one of your eastern reps. I am a Merrimack college alum and season ticket holder. I also plan on going to about 5 road games and seeing them play Vermont, northeastern, u mass Lowell, Colgate and St. Lawrence in the tournament up at Dartmouth. I have been to the regional about five times in Worcester, hockey east finals four times and the beanpot three times.

Awesome. I'll be posting a weekly thread starting the first week of October for you to vote in, so just find that thread (will be labeled something along the lines of "2011-2012 Week 1 Rankings") and vote. I'll typically post the thread on Saturday, and voting will need to be in by Monday.

[MCgrad07]

Re: 2011-2012 NCAA Preseason Rankings

Here is my preseason top 10
1. Notre Dame
2. Denver
3. Boston College
4. Colorado College
5. Miami (OH)
6. Yale
7. Boston University
8. Minnesota Duluth
9. Michigan
10. North Dakota

I would like to be part of this panal and can be one of your eastern reps. I am a Merrimack college alum and season ticket holder. I also plan on going to about 5 road games and seeing them play Vermont, northeastern, u mass Lowell, Colgate and St. Lawrence in the tournament up at Dartmouth. I have been to the regional about five times in Worcester, hockey east finals four times and the beanpot three times.