2025-2026 Little East

[MilkUniversity]

Utica hasn't lost since this btw...and Utica has always gotten a rough hand from this poll...even when they were the #1 seed in the tourney the never happened in 2020, the lovely voters at the USCHO wouldn't put them #1

Think at this point it’s fine that Utica is ranked now. Their OOC schedule is always tough and the team has the firepower to compete. That and they’ve rebounded well… but also against weaker teams. losing 5 games that early and staying ranked was a bit absurd, even if the losses were to Adrian and Hobart. Poll means nothing besides bragging rights, but I don’t even know how the voters thought a 1-5 record was deserving of a spot.

 

[Tom Coughlin]

Think at this point it’s fine that Utica is ranked now. Their OOC schedule is always tough and the team has the firepower to compete. That and they’ve rebounded well… but also against weaker teams. losing 5 games that early and staying ranked was a bit absurd, even if the losses were to Adrian and Hobart. Poll means nothing besides bragging rights, but I don’t even know how the voters thought a 1-5 record was deserving of a spot.

Also...nobody cares about the poll. The only ranking that matters for Utica is #15 which is their current NPI ranking.

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Utica hasn't lost since this btw...and Utica has always gotten a rough hand from this poll...even when they were the #1 seed in the tourney the never happened in 2020, the lovely voters at the USCHO wouldn't put them #1

That's because the No. 1 team in the country was Norwich that year.

 

[Pioneer247]

That's because the No. 1 team in the country was Norwich that year.

But Utica was the #1 overall seed in the draw, y'know, in the rankings that matter

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

But Utica was the #1 overall seed in the draw, y'know, in the rankings that matter

Because they played one extra game in the playoffs to give them the jump they needed in the PWR to pass Norwich late.

I'm sorry to tell you that wasn't going to be Utica's year either. Norwich wasn't losing that season. The only thing that stopped them from winning was a worldwide pandemic.

 

[Lord_Zubin]

Ah the great Utica Norwich Geneseo debate of 2020, it always comes back and refuses to die.

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Ah the great Utica Norwich Geneseo debate of 2020, it always comes back and refuses to die.

What else do we have to argue about these days? The NPI makes everything else so simple. Who wouldn't want to argue what if scenarios?

 

[Lord_Zubin]

Well since they have 0 fans on here, Id argue to throw UW Eau Claire into that debate. 22-4-2 ranked 4th in the polls and lets not forget the west teams kicked ass for over a decade until Hobart decided to start a dynasty.

 

[Tom Coughlin]

Wesleyan and Lake Forest arguably lost the most when the tournament was cancelled. It was Wesleyan's first and only bid. For Lake Forest, it was their second bid but first since 1991.

 

[Irish Eamon]

Have to write that the LEC championship is going to be up for grabs. Keep watching the fav’s, Babson, PSU, SMU, Norwich, UMB all look good but all have big flaws that leave them very vulnerable and leave the door wide open. Babson, great coach, teams plays system to a “t” until they fall behind and then the boat takes on leaks. PSU, can beat anyone, also can lose to anyone. No discipline, selfish team, goaltending problems. Norwich, great work ethic, team comes first, not a speedy team. SMU, good goaltending, have a few snipers, do not get the respect they deserve, but run around, D is average. UMB is well coached, play hard, not going to give any game away, but talent level is light and have problems on third and fourth line. Rest of season and playoffs is going to be fun and a bit of a head scratcher er as well. Looking forward to UMB vs Babson, also Norwich vs Middlebury.

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Well since they have 0 fans on here, Id argue to throw UW Eau Claire into that debate. 22-4-2 ranked 4th in the polls and lets not forget the west teams kicked ass for over a decade until Hobart decided to start a dynasty.

Eau Claire had some dynamite teams in the early 2010s..including a team that won the whole thing in 2013.

I simply go back to Norwich not allowing a goal in nine straight games including two shutout wins over Hobart in there. That team was absolutely dialed and I firmly believe was going to go and not only win three more games, but potentially get three more shutouts. Coach Ellsworth's defensive system, Aubrun in goal, ability to roll four lines and three pairs of D every night for the whole game.

They just kept coming at you in waves and on any given night it could be a new forward that could score or goal or two to sink you even if you did shut down Coby Downs and Felix Brassard, they still had Braedyn Aubin, Taeron Lewis, Jordan Hall, Ryan Boucher, Max Borduas, Brett Ouderkirk, Noah Williams, Phil Elgstam and Gabe Chicoine you had to deal with.