Re: Div-3 Hockey 2011-2012
I'm looking for the Valiants to have a decent year. They have over recruited again which tells me that Lang is desperately searching to find the right players and team chemistry to make a run for it all. RIT's meltown at the FF's last year can't sit well with any of the returning players and they should be there again this year with a mind to exact some revenge. I think Norwich has already replaced the Leclerc leadership with Fortier with the only question being goaltending. Middlebury...well who knows? Amherst have had their day in the sun and will need to spend a few years recruiting to get back to being a National contender. I agree with OnMAA & the Prez about Platty however it will be interesting to see how things pan out after Houle's D1 transfer experiment from last year and of course there is the "Curse of the Clock". EC has rebuilt nicely through 10/11 and have some really solid incoming freshmen. Look for a couple of surprise announcements out of the EC camp prior to the beginning of this years campaign as Fargo's recruiting continues through the dog days of August. I look for the perennial favorites to be back duking it out for the top spots in the East and West of the ECAC and my dark horse pick again this year will be Paulsen's Fighting Pilgrims. Should be a great year.
Let's start with returning goalies. RIT and Elmira are the only two quality teams that have starters coming back (can't talk about M'ville, never saw them last year). Norwich, Amherst, Plattsburgh and Middlebury all graduated senior goalies. Even Oswego will have a big hole to fill in net. It will be interesting to see a new crop of tenders in the league.
The most motivated teams should be RIT and Platty. Just ask how motivated Norwich was this year after losing in NC last year. Tigers should be ready to go right from the start. I'm throwing Platty in there b/c of how their season ended. Losing in the ECACW final and not getting an at-large bid, and then watching the team that got the at-large bid win it all, probably didn't sit to well with them during the summer.
Norwich will be there again, regardless of who they graduated. They have enough experience from the last three years.
And I love how 54F is talking about Mville over recruiting. EC graduated 1, bringing in 7 with more to come? Last time i checked Mville was in the NCAA's and EC lost to Utica in the quarters of the ECACW. Hopefully Fargo gets this team back to where they should be. And honestly I could care less about over recruiting, just busting your balls. Coaches should get the best players, regardless of roster size.
Norwich, Platty RIT and a sacrificial lamb from the West will be in the FF. Hosted by Norwich.
Elmira, Middlebury and Amherst will make the NCAA tournament but lose in the first round.
NEC - sorry girls, not this year.