Re: 2019-20 DIII Polls, Rankings
I know most about MIAC, so here's a preview before the coaches poll (should come tomorrow)
1) Hamline - I don't think they'll be as good as last year because the leadership they lost with the graduating seniors was huge. Still there's silly offensive talent, and the defense and goaltending are good enough. They recruited some serious scorers as well, so they're restocking
2) I like coaching better at St. Thomas - and they're going to start gearing up to go D1 in a couple years, so I expect this team to be REALLY good next year. They'll also be good this year and it's a tossup at the top of this pile. The defense at St. Thomas is a precision machine, but we need to see how the goaltending shapes up without the otherworldly Torpy around.
3) There's a dropoff,but I think Augsburg is next. They might have some issues scoring, but they have in the last couple years as well, however, their defense and goaltending are just a little better than...
4) Gustavus - where everyone's favorite coach Carroll has absolutely loaded up on Freshman scoring. Gustavus also graduated a top goalie, and their defense is thinner. If the first years gel quickly, this team could bump up a notch.
5) The Gusties edge Bethel who have a talented first line and first set of D. Depth is the question, as is goaltending, but the experience is there, and I like the Royals for the last playoff spot.
6) Getting tougher to separate here, let's make Concordia #6. They added a couple good scorers, and their coaching is improved. I like their top 5 and the goalie. They just need to get deeper
7) Up next is St. Mary who I might have bumped higher if I knew more about their goaltending. They have more balanced and deeper scoring, but graduation hurt them. They have 4 outstate recruits people here don't know much about, if they come through right away, the Cardinals could go higher.
8) I love how St. Benedict jumped up last year, everyone who thought they would roll over on the Bennies got a surprise when they played people close and won more games than anyone thought they might. That's all Coach Nick Thibault. The team plays hard, but their element of surprise is gone and I don't they'll sneak up on people this year.
9) Nobody recruited more scoring power this year than St. Catherine's. That's good, because the Wildcats' returning roster scored less than anyone else in the league. Their veterans are sound, and if the freshman adapt early, they might surprise. In any case, you'd probably rather play St. Kate's early.
10) It's tough to say that one of the teams hurt most by graduation was St. Olaf when they didn't win a game last year, but it's probably true. Their top offensive and defensive players have moved on, and they have new coaching. Tracy Johnson won immediately at Stevenson, but it's a tougher league and I expect she'll use that awesome new rink at St. Olaf to start getting the top Minnesota kids starting next year. They did get one - an all-state freshman goalie enters and joins the team's best returning player to maybe give the Oles the best goaltending in the league.