Fighting Sioux 23
New member
I thought I'd post my summer predictions for the upcoming season, and hopefully we can have a good discussion about it. At this point, as the past few weeks of defections up to major juniors has shown us, anything can happen, so take the rankings with a grain of salt.
#1 Denver - Denver was the obvious #1 choice prior to Brittain's injury, and despite the fact that it does not look promising for Sam to get back in the lineup until late in the season, Denver still has the tools to skate the MacNaughton around Magness Arena come March. Sophomore Jason Zucker should be the Pioneer to keep an eye on, as he tallied up 45 points as a Freshman. Also, look for Beau Bennett to put up some very good numbers, provided that he can stay healthy. Denver should be able to put up goals, so if Murray is able to provide average goaltending, look for DU to sit atop the WCHA Standings at the end of the season.
#2 Colorado College - Jaden Schwartz was arguably the best freshman (if not best player) in the country last year, despite the fact that he missed a good portion of the season. He is back, and will be my preseason pick for player of the year. He is dynamic and makes everyone around him better, and for that reason should have CC contending for some hardware in March and April. Goalie Jon Howe had a solid sophomore campaign, and will be crucial to CC's success. While their blueline had some struggles last year, they return nearly everyone from that group and should improve as a unit. I would not be surprised if CC hoists the MacNaughton this season, but right now I have them slightly behind their rival DU.
#3 Minnesota Duluth - The defending Champions will be skating with more confidence this season, and the return of leading scorer Jack Connolly will have the Bulldogs aiming to pick up a conference championship. JT Brown will look to pick up where he left off, and that was dominating the game. Brown was a critical piece for Duluth as they won the Title, picking up the Frozen Four MVP, and as a sophomore will be looked upon to help pick up some of the scoring. Given that, IMO, Aaron Crandall will be the key to the Bulldogs' success in 2011-2012. He was brilliant at times and shaky at others, but that is very common for a freshman. If he can be the solid backbone of UMD's defense, they will be neck and neck for the MacNaughton. If not, they will have a dogfight for home ice.
#4 Nebraska Omaha - Dean Blais begins his third season at Omaha, and has the Mavericks in a position as a preseason favorite. While last season they snuck up on many in the WCHA, and had a great run, this season they will have somewhat of a bullseye on their backs. UNO had a very balanced attack last season, and despite graduating their top three scorers, have 5 20+ point scorers (3 of which were freshman) coming back. Look for Matt White (25 pts) and Ryan Walters (23 pts) to lead UNO to another balanced attack this season. While I don't see the Mavericks challenging for the MacNaughton Cup, I do see them getting home ice.
#5 Minnesota - The last few seasons have not been storybook endings for the Gophers, but perhaps the biggest detriment to the team is now gone. With that being said, Minnesota has a talented group of incoming freshmen that should be able to spark Minnesota back to life. Despite losing their top three scoring forwards and top two scoring blueliners, the Gophers should have enough firepower to outscore last years team. With the hire of Mike Guentzel, Minnesota should see improvement on the defensive end, and if Kent Patterson can step up to the role of #1 goalie, don't be surprised if Minnesota finds itself in the top 3 or 4. That being said, the Gophers will struggle to score, and if they don't get the improvement that they need on the blueline, Minnesota may find itself on the road for the WCHA playoffs for the second time in three years.
#6 North Dakota - Last season was a great run and while coach Dave Hakstol has had issues at the Frozen Four, he has always put his team in contention, and should do the same this season. North Dakota brings back last year's surprise in Aaron Dell, and also second leading scorer Corban Knight. In addition, the Sioux will return much of their biggest strength, their d-corps. They will also have one of the more talented prospects coming through their doors in Rocco Grimaldi, who has impressed at every level that he's played at. North Dakota will struggle to score, but their blueline and Dell should keep the Sioux in most games. If their freshmen adjust early, and a player or two step up to fill the scoring void left by last year's seniors and early departures, North Dakota can compete for the MacNaughton. That being said, if their blueline falters and Dell has a sub-par season, the Sioux could be traveling for the playoffs, something they haven't done in ten years.
#7 Alaska Anchorage - The Seawolves surprised me last season. I thought that they would be a bottom dweller, and wound up finishing 8th and knocking off Minnesota in a sweep in the WCHA Playoffs. While they lost their top scorer, Anchorage returns two standout freshmen who put up 20+ points in Bailey and Kwas. Along with several other underclassmen, UAA should be able to improve on last seasons performance. They lost only 1 blueliner, and have two sophomore goalies that have proven they can steal a game or two if need be. If the Seawolves can get continued improvement out of their juniors and sophomores, they will surprise me again, and perhaps many of you as well and get home ice. However, if they have let downs defensively, they might surprise in a different way and find themselves back in the cellar.
#8 Wisconsin - Last year, I felt that Colorado College was a team that could finish just about anywhere from about 3rd through 9th and it wouldn't surprise me. This year, Wisconsin is that team. They lost a lot through graduation and early departures, but Mike Eaves typically has the Badgers competing for NCAA bids and home ice. There is room for optimism, as leading scorer Justin Schultz returns back to the blueline, and sophomore to be Mark Zengerle looks to improve on his 36 point freshman campaign. The Badger blueline should be solid again despite losing Jake Gardiner, but Wisconsin will be looking to unproven netminders to shore up any errant blueline mistakes. It will be a trying season for Mike Eaves, and I wouldn't be surprised if he righted the ship and had the Badgers skating come late March and April. For now, there are too many question marks for me to put them higher.
#9 St Cloud State - SCSU is similar to Wisconsin, in that I wouldn't be surprised if they finished in a variety of different positions. I do think that 9th is the lowest that they will finish, but I also think they have a lot of question marks that prevent me from placing them much higher. Another thing is that the WCHA is loaded with talent this year, and it will be difficult to pick up points on just about any given weekend. That being said, SCSU does have some positives coming into the season. Leading scorer Drew Leblanc is back, along with Cam Reid and Ben Hanowski. The Huskies will rely heavily on them to put pucks in the net. Perhaps the biggest question mark for St Cloud is in net. While Lee has been solid more often than not, he has not be as consistent and has not stolen as many games as many would like. This year, he is a junior, and should put up much better numbers. If he does, St Cloud will be in the hunt for home ice and NCAA bids. If he does not, SCSU will finish as low as 9th.
#10 Bemidji State - The Beavers struggled in their first year in the WCHA. They also lost perhaps the best player in the WCHA in Matt Read, along with three other seniors who were top-7 scorers on the team. That being said, Bemidji returns Brad Hunt and Shea Walters, along with perhaps their most important piece of the puzzle, Dan Bakala. It will be on Bakala's shoulders that Bemidji's hopes will ride. He has shown that he can steal a game, but also struggled at times. Almost the entire Bemidji blueline is back, so that should take a little of the pressure off the netminder, but I feel that Bemidji's success rides with Bakala. If he puts up an amazing senior season, Bemidji could get home ice, and find themselves back in the NCAA Tournament. If he struggles, Bemidji will struggle to win games.
#11 Michigan Tech - New coach Mel Pearson leads his alma mater into the 2011-2012 season. There is hope that Pearson will be able to turn things around in Houghton, and perhaps he will, but it will take more than just one season. Pearson is a master recruiter, and the future looks bright in that regard for Tech. However, this season looks like it will be a struggle. Tech was arguably one of the worst teams in college hockey last season, despite getting off to a solid start. The Huskies will improve this season, and should reach double-digit win totals that has eluded the program for the past few seasons. They do return 9 of their top 10 scorers from a season ago, and if they can get stellar seasons out of either Genoe or Robinson, perhaps the Huskies will surprise a few people and finish a few spots higher.
#12 Minnesota State Mankato - Last is Mankato. The Mavericks are coming off a disappointing campaign, and behind head coach Troy Jutting, are not inspiring their fans. They lost arguably their top three defensemen, which will put a lot of pressure on Junior Phil Cook. If scorers like Dorr and Hayes can light up the lamp, it will keep the Mavs in games, but unless they get a resounding effort out of everyone else, Mankato will struggle. If Cook has an amazing season and the Mavericks put up plenty of goals, they can finish perhaps as high as 7th or 8th, but I see them finishing in the bottom three.
#1 Denver - Denver was the obvious #1 choice prior to Brittain's injury, and despite the fact that it does not look promising for Sam to get back in the lineup until late in the season, Denver still has the tools to skate the MacNaughton around Magness Arena come March. Sophomore Jason Zucker should be the Pioneer to keep an eye on, as he tallied up 45 points as a Freshman. Also, look for Beau Bennett to put up some very good numbers, provided that he can stay healthy. Denver should be able to put up goals, so if Murray is able to provide average goaltending, look for DU to sit atop the WCHA Standings at the end of the season.
#2 Colorado College - Jaden Schwartz was arguably the best freshman (if not best player) in the country last year, despite the fact that he missed a good portion of the season. He is back, and will be my preseason pick for player of the year. He is dynamic and makes everyone around him better, and for that reason should have CC contending for some hardware in March and April. Goalie Jon Howe had a solid sophomore campaign, and will be crucial to CC's success. While their blueline had some struggles last year, they return nearly everyone from that group and should improve as a unit. I would not be surprised if CC hoists the MacNaughton this season, but right now I have them slightly behind their rival DU.
#3 Minnesota Duluth - The defending Champions will be skating with more confidence this season, and the return of leading scorer Jack Connolly will have the Bulldogs aiming to pick up a conference championship. JT Brown will look to pick up where he left off, and that was dominating the game. Brown was a critical piece for Duluth as they won the Title, picking up the Frozen Four MVP, and as a sophomore will be looked upon to help pick up some of the scoring. Given that, IMO, Aaron Crandall will be the key to the Bulldogs' success in 2011-2012. He was brilliant at times and shaky at others, but that is very common for a freshman. If he can be the solid backbone of UMD's defense, they will be neck and neck for the MacNaughton. If not, they will have a dogfight for home ice.
#4 Nebraska Omaha - Dean Blais begins his third season at Omaha, and has the Mavericks in a position as a preseason favorite. While last season they snuck up on many in the WCHA, and had a great run, this season they will have somewhat of a bullseye on their backs. UNO had a very balanced attack last season, and despite graduating their top three scorers, have 5 20+ point scorers (3 of which were freshman) coming back. Look for Matt White (25 pts) and Ryan Walters (23 pts) to lead UNO to another balanced attack this season. While I don't see the Mavericks challenging for the MacNaughton Cup, I do see them getting home ice.
#5 Minnesota - The last few seasons have not been storybook endings for the Gophers, but perhaps the biggest detriment to the team is now gone. With that being said, Minnesota has a talented group of incoming freshmen that should be able to spark Minnesota back to life. Despite losing their top three scoring forwards and top two scoring blueliners, the Gophers should have enough firepower to outscore last years team. With the hire of Mike Guentzel, Minnesota should see improvement on the defensive end, and if Kent Patterson can step up to the role of #1 goalie, don't be surprised if Minnesota finds itself in the top 3 or 4. That being said, the Gophers will struggle to score, and if they don't get the improvement that they need on the blueline, Minnesota may find itself on the road for the WCHA playoffs for the second time in three years.
#6 North Dakota - Last season was a great run and while coach Dave Hakstol has had issues at the Frozen Four, he has always put his team in contention, and should do the same this season. North Dakota brings back last year's surprise in Aaron Dell, and also second leading scorer Corban Knight. In addition, the Sioux will return much of their biggest strength, their d-corps. They will also have one of the more talented prospects coming through their doors in Rocco Grimaldi, who has impressed at every level that he's played at. North Dakota will struggle to score, but their blueline and Dell should keep the Sioux in most games. If their freshmen adjust early, and a player or two step up to fill the scoring void left by last year's seniors and early departures, North Dakota can compete for the MacNaughton. That being said, if their blueline falters and Dell has a sub-par season, the Sioux could be traveling for the playoffs, something they haven't done in ten years.
#7 Alaska Anchorage - The Seawolves surprised me last season. I thought that they would be a bottom dweller, and wound up finishing 8th and knocking off Minnesota in a sweep in the WCHA Playoffs. While they lost their top scorer, Anchorage returns two standout freshmen who put up 20+ points in Bailey and Kwas. Along with several other underclassmen, UAA should be able to improve on last seasons performance. They lost only 1 blueliner, and have two sophomore goalies that have proven they can steal a game or two if need be. If the Seawolves can get continued improvement out of their juniors and sophomores, they will surprise me again, and perhaps many of you as well and get home ice. However, if they have let downs defensively, they might surprise in a different way and find themselves back in the cellar.
#8 Wisconsin - Last year, I felt that Colorado College was a team that could finish just about anywhere from about 3rd through 9th and it wouldn't surprise me. This year, Wisconsin is that team. They lost a lot through graduation and early departures, but Mike Eaves typically has the Badgers competing for NCAA bids and home ice. There is room for optimism, as leading scorer Justin Schultz returns back to the blueline, and sophomore to be Mark Zengerle looks to improve on his 36 point freshman campaign. The Badger blueline should be solid again despite losing Jake Gardiner, but Wisconsin will be looking to unproven netminders to shore up any errant blueline mistakes. It will be a trying season for Mike Eaves, and I wouldn't be surprised if he righted the ship and had the Badgers skating come late March and April. For now, there are too many question marks for me to put them higher.
#9 St Cloud State - SCSU is similar to Wisconsin, in that I wouldn't be surprised if they finished in a variety of different positions. I do think that 9th is the lowest that they will finish, but I also think they have a lot of question marks that prevent me from placing them much higher. Another thing is that the WCHA is loaded with talent this year, and it will be difficult to pick up points on just about any given weekend. That being said, SCSU does have some positives coming into the season. Leading scorer Drew Leblanc is back, along with Cam Reid and Ben Hanowski. The Huskies will rely heavily on them to put pucks in the net. Perhaps the biggest question mark for St Cloud is in net. While Lee has been solid more often than not, he has not be as consistent and has not stolen as many games as many would like. This year, he is a junior, and should put up much better numbers. If he does, St Cloud will be in the hunt for home ice and NCAA bids. If he does not, SCSU will finish as low as 9th.
#10 Bemidji State - The Beavers struggled in their first year in the WCHA. They also lost perhaps the best player in the WCHA in Matt Read, along with three other seniors who were top-7 scorers on the team. That being said, Bemidji returns Brad Hunt and Shea Walters, along with perhaps their most important piece of the puzzle, Dan Bakala. It will be on Bakala's shoulders that Bemidji's hopes will ride. He has shown that he can steal a game, but also struggled at times. Almost the entire Bemidji blueline is back, so that should take a little of the pressure off the netminder, but I feel that Bemidji's success rides with Bakala. If he puts up an amazing senior season, Bemidji could get home ice, and find themselves back in the NCAA Tournament. If he struggles, Bemidji will struggle to win games.
#11 Michigan Tech - New coach Mel Pearson leads his alma mater into the 2011-2012 season. There is hope that Pearson will be able to turn things around in Houghton, and perhaps he will, but it will take more than just one season. Pearson is a master recruiter, and the future looks bright in that regard for Tech. However, this season looks like it will be a struggle. Tech was arguably one of the worst teams in college hockey last season, despite getting off to a solid start. The Huskies will improve this season, and should reach double-digit win totals that has eluded the program for the past few seasons. They do return 9 of their top 10 scorers from a season ago, and if they can get stellar seasons out of either Genoe or Robinson, perhaps the Huskies will surprise a few people and finish a few spots higher.
#12 Minnesota State Mankato - Last is Mankato. The Mavericks are coming off a disappointing campaign, and behind head coach Troy Jutting, are not inspiring their fans. They lost arguably their top three defensemen, which will put a lot of pressure on Junior Phil Cook. If scorers like Dorr and Hayes can light up the lamp, it will keep the Mavs in games, but unless they get a resounding effort out of everyone else, Mankato will struggle. If Cook has an amazing season and the Mavericks put up plenty of goals, they can finish perhaps as high as 7th or 8th, but I see them finishing in the bottom three.
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