2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

[TonyTheTiger20]

Looks like SOME people at USCHO haven't been paying attention this offseason...

Preseason USCHO.com Division I Women's Poll
September 19, 2016

Team	(First Place Votes)	Record	Points	Last Poll
1	Wisconsin	(10)	37- 4-1	143	3
2	Minnesota	( 3)	35- 4-1	135	1
3	Boston College	( 2)	41- 1-0	121	2
4	Quinnipiac		31- 3-5	93	5
5	Clarkson		30- 5-5	82	4
6	North Dakota		18-12-5	60	9
7	Princeton		22- 9-2	44	7
8	Colgate		        22- 9-7	43	8
9	Northeastern		28- 9-1	40	6
10	Boston University	23-14-2	24	NR
Others receiving votes: Bemidji State 15, Minnesota-Duluth 9, Cornell 5, Harvard 5, Mercyhurst 5, Syracuse 1.

My thoughts on this:

(1) I agree with this tweet: https://twitter.com/TitleIXHockey/status/778019134982324224
(2) The two people who gave BC a first place vote should be stripped of their voting power. This poll should only be for people who actually follow women's hockey.
(3) I get giving the Gophers some preseason love for winning the title. Champion until knocked off the perch etc. But the Badgers should be #1.
(4) My initial reaction to NU being 9th was amazement that they moved UP after losing Coyne, until I remembered they were actually good last year. Years and years of expecting NU to finally crack the poll/NCAA tournament conditioned me to think it didn't actually happen once it did.
(5) BU lost more players than BC did but getting Rogers from UMTC and Parker from HU will soften the blow a ton. I am inclined to rank them above Northeastern.
(6) If there really are three WHEA teams in the top 10, maybe BC will actually be above the NCAA tournament bubble after all.

It feels like an Olympic year with how strong the graduating class was. With the exception of Wisconsin, and to a lesser extent the Gophers, I think you might see a bit of a free-for-all.

Welcome back to hockey season everyone. I'm out of mourning and ready to go.

 

[KTDC]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

Welcome back TTT, glad to hear mourning period is over! We could use some energy here on the board!

I think Minnesota looks extremely strong with depth of forwards.
Defense also could be solid depending on the contribution of the freshmen.

Potential problems are the unknown quantity in goal, and the ramifications of the loss at the very high end..i.e. Brandt and Kessel.

 

[pokechecker]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

The two people who gave BC a first place vote should be stripped of their voting power. This poll should only be for people who actually follow women's hockey.

I would have bet the farm one of them was you.

"Again, just looking at the percentages is a terrible way to predict the final standing."

I fully concur, total goals returning is a much better way of assessing a teams offense for the coming year. Percentage of goals returning sounds like something a political hack would cook up to make their candidate look better than they really are.

I am tempted to let all this underestimating of MN slide, but ...
I recall last year after MSU-Mankato lost 2-1 to MN everyone was wondering "what's wrong with MN?" ... well, at least until MN drubbed WI 4-1 in Minneapolis.

We’ve been thru this before: Who and how can they replace Räty? Can the Gophers score without Kessel?
Leveille had one year to prepare her, Peters has had three. True, she has not played in a big game, but the Gopher blueline is in much better shape to help her out than they were to help out Leveille in 2013/14.
I am going to make a prediction: Kippen Keller will not be pressed into service as a defenseman.
Not that trying out freshman forwards to fill in the holes at D is a bad idea. Just look at what a wonderful defenseman Megan Wolfe has turned out to be. There just ain’t any holes in the Gopher D. In fact Frost will have trouble finding enough ice time for all the talent.
The same situation exists at forward, the Gopher 3rd line will be able to skate with everybody else’s 1st line. And outscore most.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

(1) I agree with this tweet: https://twitter.com/TitleIXHockey/status/778019134982324224
.

I don't think UW will run the table. They have 5 freshmen that will be playing regular shifts and in a tight game against a top opponent they may be more likely to screw up and it will cost them a win. They are playing 6 of their first 8 games on the road, including @ 5 Clarkson and @ 6 Sue the 3rd and 4th series. There could be a loss in there somewhere with the youth factor, though I have no idea what the challenges Clarkson and the Sue have roster-wise to start the year.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

I recall last year after MSU-Mankato lost 2-1 to MN everyone was wondering "what's wrong with MN?" ... well, at least until MN drubbed WI 4-1 in Minneapolis.

ARD had a serious bout of the flu that weekend, especially the first game. Plus the rodents brought in a ringer.

 

[ZedLeppelin]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

They spelled "Penn State" wrong.

 

[Rhett Hot]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

Looks like SOME people at USCHO haven't been paying attention this offseason...

(5) BU lost more players than BC did but getting Rogers from UMTC and Parker from HU will soften the blow a ton. I am inclined to rank them above Northeastern.

Idk Grant, I'm a bit nervous for my Terriers this season - mostly due to our OOC, and what we lost from last season.


.............but alas I tend to be more pessimistic than I should be so, let's the games begin!

 

[TonyTheTiger20]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

Idk Grant, I'm a bit nervous for my Terriers this season - mostly due to our OOC, and what we lost from last season.


.............but alas I tend to be more pessimistic than I should be so, let's the games begin!

I initially thought that BC might run away with the conference this year just because of what BU and NU lost**... but BU does get a significant boost because of the transfers of Rogers and Parker. Parker in particular is quite the pickup.

**I also felt BC would be on the NCAA tournament bubble so that tells you what I think of WHEA this year

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

ARD had a serious bout of the flu that weekend, especially the first game. Plus the rodents brought in a ringer.

ARD must of had a relapse of the flu in the semi-final against Minnesota as well...

 

[Puckdrop14]

ARD must of had a relapse of the flu in the semi-final against Minnesota as well...

She's a good goalie but faces 10-15 shots a game more often than not. It will be interesting to see if she is able to repeat last season's exceptional performance. There is no question the offense is there however the jury is out the defensive corps.

 

[TonyTheTiger20]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

She's a good goalie but faces 10-15 shots a game more often than not. It will be interesting to see if she is able to repeat last season's exceptional performance. There is no question the offense is there however the jury is out the defensive corps.

The best defense is having the puck in your opponent's end for 55 minutes of a game.

 

[TonyTheTiger20]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

Can I just say how excited I am that we are just one year away from being able to look at BU's roster and see "Sammy Davis -- Junior"

 

[ARM]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

Can I just say how excited I am that we are just one year away from being able to look at BU's roster and see "Sammy Davis -- Junior"

Now you've jinxed her. "Sammy Davis -- red-shirt junior" doesn't have the same ring.

 

[DC78-82]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

I initially thought that BC might run away with the conference this year just because of what BU and NU lost**... but BU does get a significant boost because of the transfers of Rogers and Parker. Parker in particular is quite the pickup.

**I also felt BC would be on the NCAA tournament bubble so that tells you what I think of WHEA this year

I could see the mid to bottom level HE teams getting excited about Rogers, but aside from practicing against the best, her career has been fairly quiet - 81 games, 15 points.
I don't see that as a replacement fro Russo, Lefort, Tutino. It will be interesting to see if she flourishes in the cupcake league

 

[TonyTheTiger20]

It will be interesting to see if she flourishes in the cupcake league

Given how successful Cava was going from UConn to Duluth, perhaps Rogers will have to ride the bench in this league

Ah, it is good to be back, folks.

 

[zoofer]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

Good to see you back with that Maroon and Gold enthusiasm TTT! And yes I concur, thank G-d the season is here! Only so much WTA and LPGA a guy can watch......If you're looking for a reason to rate BU a bit higher I'd give the nod to Captain Cross! Alexis has long deserved such a spotlight and I know she is psyched beyond being ready......so yea, BU lost much but I know that Cross will have them playing steady and tough right out of the gate!
As for my Wildcats, it'll be interesting to see what Coach Witt's first recruiting class can do.......Kyra Smith was strong last year and she'll need to be that x2 at least......what we saw of Hilary Cashin was good but not enough for an eval yet........I guess it boils down to what puckchecker said above, it'll depend on returning goal production, and aside from Jonna Curtis, there's plenty of room for someone to step up and prove themselves! Defense with MJ Pelletier, Jenna Rheault, Schlagel, Fedeski and Forster provide some earned stability given their time together so hopefully the D-zone will be stable, and Coach will have to find some help for JC to balance out the team......we will get home ice this year for the playoffs!!

 

[pokechecker]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

I could see the mid to bottom level HE teams getting excited about Rogers, but aside from practicing against the best, her career has been fairly quiet - 81 games, 15 points.

I don't recall her appearing in the NCAA final or semi, nor do I recall her appearing in a number of regular season games, so the number of games played must reflect the number of times she suited up
considering most of the games she appeared she only played a couple shifts, those stats are deceiving
I'm not even sure why she was on the 4th line rather than the 3rd
BU has picked up a good player

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

I could see the mid to bottom level HE teams getting excited about Rogers, but aside from practicing against the best, her career has been fairly quiet - 81 games, 15 points.
I don't see that as a replacement fro Russo, Lefort, Tutino. It will be interesting to see if she flourishes in the cupcake league

Rogers can score goals if given opportunities. The depth of the Gopher lineup prohibited that for sure but I think that fitness and conditioning factored in as well. If she has put some work in on that aspect over the summer than BU will see some production from her.

 

[KTDC]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

I could see the mid to bottom level HE teams getting excited about Rogers, but aside from practicing against the best, her career has been fairly quiet - 81 games, 15 points.
I don't see that as a replacement fro Russo, Lefort, Tutino. It will be interesting to see if she flourishes in the cupcake league

You're baiting the Gopher fans

As my fellows have said, she didn't play very much. My impression was she was a bit of a soloist when she was on the ice. Didn't really blend with linemates that well. But that could certainly change with regular play. I did think she was an excellent shooter, and her .156 shooting percentage last year was 5th on the Gophers and would have been tops on the Terriers. She shot .114 as a freshman.

I think she'll score for BU, but I'm not claiming she's LeFort!

 

[Timothy A]

Re: 2016-2017 Division 1 Polls

She's a good goalie but faces 10-15 shots a game more often than not. It will be interesting to see if she is able to repeat last season's exceptional performance. There is no question the offense is there however the jury is out the defensive corps.

She's better than good, give me a break (should have won the PK last year). Enough said.