Union College: 2022-2023

[Dutchman]

This thread is the Union College "Dutchmen" hockey thread for 2022-2023. We will have a new Coach. We have graduated our senior defensemen, and transfers have hurt our experience in scoring. In terms of top returning players, the cupboard is bare. We have an excellent goalie, but he will need body armor. It is unclear what other overall talent we have this year. Given all the transfers, the team's success may be a big challenge for the new coaching staff. Here is hoping we can fill the stands again and be respectable. Going to be some lean years.

[Dutchman]

The Dutchmen are playing RIT for the NCAA D-III Lacrosse National Championship Sunday at 1:00 pm in Hartford, Connecticut. It looks like the Liberty League this year is running away, the best D-III Lacrosse league in the country. Back in the 1960's Union Played Syracuse and other D-I lacrosse teams, and in 1966 defeated Syracuse 12-2. However, our overall record against Syracuse was only 4 - 25.

[Dutchman]

The Savannah Ghost Pirates have announced an NHL/AHL affiliation with the Vegas Golden Knights and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights when they make their ECHL debut in October 2022. Rick Bennett has been named the first Head Coach for the Ghost Pirates.

[Dutchman]

Dutchmen lost to RIT 12-10 in the NCAA DIII Lacrosse National Championship. At one time the Dutchmen lead 7-2. The game has certainly changed over the years. There was a lot more physicality 40 years ago but I guess that was true in most college sports. The big winner this year was the Liberty league with many outstanding teams and perhaps the most competitive league in D-III college lacrosse. RPI, Hobart, St. Lawrence, RIT, and Union all had outstanding teams.

[Dutchman]

Expectations cannot be any lower for the Dutchmen for next year. I wish I knew what our non-conference looked like. Whoops, just posted. UMASS (2). UCONN (2) RIT (2), NU (1). Definitely staying close to home. We could be embarrassed if we square off against some top teams. Thank God we have Connor Murphy in goal.

[Dutchman]

Time to remember our glory days and what once was but will not likely be again for some time. I am really glad to have followed the team so intently in 2012 and 2013.

2014 Article: "The Unstoppable Rise Of Union College Hockey - Just how, exactly, did a tiny Division III school become an NCAA powerhouse on ice?"

https://the-cauldron.com/the-unstopp...y-fbb78652f0ca

[Dutchman]

Heading down memory lane
NCAA Hockey Selection Show 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLPrnxlxIhU

[Dutchman]

Union College vs. Boston College - 2014 NCAA Division I Hockey Semifinals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpPlvh2PBso

[Dutchman]

Looks like 11 non-conference for 2022
4 Atlantic Conference

RIT(2)
Bently(1)
Army(1)

7 Hockey East

UCONN (2)
UMASS (2)
UNH (2)
Northeastern (1)

[Dutchman]

Union College Hockey: Banner Night (Oct. 10, 2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThGs9aMRWIY

[Dutchman]

Looks like 11 non-conference for 2022
4 Atlantic Conference

RIT(2)
Bently(1)
Army(1)

7 Hockey East

UCONN (2)
UMASS (2)
UNH (2)
Northeastern (1)

Not a whole lot of distant traveling here. Does not look like any need for airfare.

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Not a whole lot of distant traveling here. Does not look like any need for airfare.

Gotta save money for that new rink ??....

[rpi82]

Looks like 11 non-conference for 2022
4 Atlantic Conference

RIT(2)
Bently(1)
Army(1)

7 Hockey East

UCONN (2)
UMASS (2)
UNH (2)
Northeastern (1)

The 12th is, of course, the Mayor's Trophy game.

[Dutchman]

While Union has not posted a roster for 2022-2023, College Hockey News has https://www.collegehockeynews.com/re...oster/Union/54 Looks like seven freshmen? I cannot make heads or tails of what I see. We lost defensemen (a lot), retained a very good goalie and lost most of our offense, which was not that good, to begin with. I am really glad that I dropped everything in 2013-2014 to follow the team as I figured they would never be back that way again. Hoping our new coach can recruit.

[ADK11]

While Union has not posted a roster for 2022-2023, College Hockey News has https://www.collegehockeynews.com/re...oster/Union/54 Looks like seven freshmen? I cannot make heads or tails of what I see. We lost defensemen (a lot), retained a very good goalie and lost most of our offense, which was not that good, to begin with. I am really glad that I dropped everything in 2013-2014 to follow the team as I figured they would never be back that way again. Hoping our new coach can recruit.

Heisenberg has one of the best websites for recruits, though none are perfect https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...5rro/htmlview#

Hauge & company have been working hard and there is a huge recruiting class coming in. Looks like 5-6 D-men, 6 forwards, and at least one goalie. Included are four transfers, the bigger names being Chris Theodore a 5th year who was a leading scorer for AIC & was Atlantic POTY last season, and Josh Nixon a forward who had 20 points for Lake State last season as a freshman. There is also a d-man from Penn State & a big forward from Cornell. The freshman recruits aren’t exactly blue chippers, but a few look promising.

Theodore and Nixon should help replace the loss of Seger & Graf, and if the returning forwards improve the offense could actually be better than last season. Goaltending should be good with Murphy and hopefully a true backup can be found that can share the workload or step-in if Murphy gets hurt. The weak link in the chain will likely be on the blueline where there won’t be anyone with more than one-year’s experience. Overall I would expect a season pretty similar to last year with 10-15 wins and anywhere from 6th-10th in the league. The main things that will help is having the four games with AHC teams and the fact that the bottom 6-7 teams in ECAC (including Union) will once again uniformally suck. I’m hoping that whatever change in coaching style happens reinvigorates some of the returning players and the team can gel quickly and maybe surprise a bit. However my brain is saying that it is likely to be a long season and it will take a couple years for Hauge to build the kind of team that he wants.