Re: D1 Final eight
Olympic year Frozen Four fields tend to be a little different than the norm, but I find the composition of the 2010 FF odd in that on paper all four teams figure to be improved next season.
Cornell loses Jue, Zorn, Danforth, and McGinty, but none have 20 points this year, and only Zorn's 55 points exceeds 40 in a career. They return Johnston (77 pts in 2 years) and a freshman class including Jenner and Can U18 Cudmore.
Mercyhurst has but one senior, a low-scoring D. They get back Agosta and add 2 recruits, with Bestland having Can. U18 experience.
Minnesota-Duluth takes a pretty big graduation hit, losing Blais and Touminen, who have 141 and 136 points respectively in their careers, and 3D, including a WCHA 1st-teamer in Rasmussen. They return Irwin and Homlov, both in triple digits for career points, Winberg, Martin, and Asserholt, plus a 5-player recruit class, 4 of whom have played for their country's U-18 teams.
Minnesota graduates 6, 2D and 4F, highlighted by Francis, Jones, and Blankenship, with 129, 79, and 61 career points respectively. They return Schoullis from a medical redshirt with 60 points in her two seasons, and add a deep class, 5 of whom have been on U18s for Canada and the 6th was just named Minnesota's Ms. Hockey.
Given the returns/additions at programs such as Wisconsin, BC, BU, Clarkson, Harvard, UNH, etc., it doesn't mean we'll see the same teams back, but it does promise to be a loaded field in Erie.