Re: LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread
WCHA holds coaches teleconference, announce preseason media and coaches polls
Sept. 21, 2015
EDINA, Minn. - The Western Collegiate Hockey Association held its annual media teleconference on Monday, featuring the coaches from all 10 member institutions. The conference call also featured comments WCHA Commissioner Bill Robertson and the league's supervisor of officials, Greg Shepherd. The results of the Mankato Free Press pre-season coaches poll and Bemidji Pioneer preseason media poll were also announced.
Robertson opened the teleconference boasting the quality of the league.
"Top to bottom, I think we have the strongest league in college hockey," he said. "I do believe we'll have several teams representing the league in the national tournament again this season."
Shepherd briefly explained a new policy regarding goaltender interference. He mentioned that when a goaltender comes out of the crease and initiates contact with an opposing player, a goal will count. On the other hand, if an opposing player is in the crease and hinders the goaltender's movement or vision in any way, the goal will not count. Shepherd was clear that the emphasis will be to allow more goals and said of video-review, "When in doubt, the goal must count."
Not so much of a rule change, as much as a point of emphasis this season, league officials are tasked with being more consistent in their decisions in 2015-16. Shepherd stressed, "To ensure the best player safety, an emphasis will be made on standards of enforcement, not just throughout a game but also throughout the weekend series."
During his segment, LSSU head coach Damon Whitten spoke about the different look his team will have this year and the expectations they have as a group.
"For us, our success will be determined on the back end and how well Gordie Defiel comes prepared for this season," said Whitten.
Whitten also stressed the importance of the growth his defensive corps experienced last season. The Lakers return every defenseman from last year's squad, and a group that featured four freshmen per night throughout the majority of the season and as many as five freshmen in many of their games. Whitten fondly views it as "an extremely competitive situation."
After finishing ninth in the standings and making their first-ever trip to the WCHA quarterfinals in 2014-15, the Lakers were chosen to finish 10th in the 2015-16 standings by the coaches in a poll conducted by Shane Frederick of the Mankato Free Press.
Affiliated media members throughout the league chose the Lakers to repeat as the ninth-placed team in the league via the Bemidji Pioneer's media poll conducted by Jack Hittinger.
LSSU players were snubbed in both the coaches and media All-WCHA Pre-Season Teams and WCHA Pre-Season Player of the Year categories.
A trio of freshmen Lakers were recognized by the league's coaches and media as vote-getters for the Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year award, which was awarded to Corey Mackin of Ferris State by the coaches and Stephen Bayliss from Bowling Green by the media.
Lakers Owen Headrick (Garden River, Ont.) and Anthony Nellis (Breakeyville, Que.) each received media votes.
Prior to joining the Lakers, Headrick spent two seasons with the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. During his first season (2013-14), Headrick amassed 8-23--31 in 56 games en route to winning the NOJHL Rookie of the Year Award. He accumulated 2-11--13 in 15 playoff games that season. In 2014-15, an injury limited him to 13 regular-season games, during which he totaled 4-9--13. Returning in time for the postseason, Headrick was named the NOJHL Playoffs MVP after posting 12-8--20 in 14 playoff appearances. The Thunderbirds won both the NOJHL regular-season and playoff championships. In four Dudley Hewitt Cup games, Headrick posted 0-5--5 and the Thunderbirds claimed the title while going 4-0-0. Headrick also claimed the Dudley Hewitt Cup's Most Sportsmanlike Player Award.
Nellis finished third in the Central Canadian Hockey League scoring after posting 32-48--80 during 2014-15. He also led the CCHL in playoff scoring with 8-17--25 in 16 games, and led the Pembroke Lumber Kings to a second-place finish at the Bogart Cup Championship series.
Mitch Hults (Stoughton, Wisc.) received a pre-season vote from WCHA coaches. Hults appeared in 55 games for the Madison Capitols of the United States Hockey League during the 2014-15 season and scored 13-21--34. He appeared in 36 games for the dormant Indiana Ice (USHL) during the 2013-14 season and scored 5-6--11. Hults appeared in eight playoff games for the Ice, scoring 5-0--5, and helped the team capture the USHL's Clark Cup. In 119 USHL games, Hults compiled 23-35--58.
The Lakers open the 2015-16 season with a Blue vs. Gold scrimmage on Oct. 3 at 3:07 p.m. On Oct. 4 the Lakers will host an exhibition contest at 5:07 p.m. against the U.S. National Team Development Program's under-18 squad. The first regular-season contest for the Lakers will be an Oct. 9 non-conference matchup against North Dakota at the Ice Breaker Tournament held in Portland, Maine.
Full results from the Mankato Free Press Coaches' Poll and Bemidji Pioneer Media Poll
2015-16 Mankato Free Press WCHA Men's Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Minnesota State 89 (8)
2. Bowling Green 79 (1)
3. Michigan Tech 78 (1)
4. Bemidji State 61
5. Alaska 55
6. Ferris State 51
7. Northern Michigan 49
8. Alabama Huntsville 29
9. Alaska Anchorage 27
10. Lake Superior State 22
Preseason Player of the Year: Tyler Morley, sr. forward, Alaska (7); Bryce Gervais, sr. forward, Minnesota State (2); Alex Petan, sr. forward, Michigan Tech (1)
Preseason Rookie of the Year: Corey Mackin, forward, Ferris State (6); Stephen Baylis, forward, Bowling Green (2); Max Coatta, forward, Minnesota State (1); Mitch Hults, forward, Lake Superior State
Preseason All-WCHA Team
Forward—Tyler Morely, Sr., Alaska
Forward—Bryce Gervais, Sr., Minnesota State
Forward—Alex Petan, Sr. Michigan Tech
Defenseman—Shane Hanna, Jr., Michigan Tech
Defenseman—Casey Nelson, Jr., Minnesota State
Goaltender—Jamie Phillips, Sr., Michigan Tech
Others receiving votes: Forwards—Brandon Hawkins, so., Bowling Green. Defensemen—Mark Friedman, so., Bowling Green; Brock Maschmeyer, jr., Northern Michigan. Goaltenders—Carmine Guerriero, jr., Alabama Huntsville; Olivier Mantha, so., Alaska Anchorage; Mathias Dahlstrom, jr., Northern Michigan; Michael Bitzer, so., Bemidji State.
2015-16 Bemidji Pioneer WCHA Men's Hockey Preseason Media Poll
1. Minnesota State (12), 265
2. Michigan Tech (9), 263
3. Bowling Green (8), 250
4. Bemidji State, 184
5. Alaska, 164
6. Ferris State, 142
7. Northern Michigan, 138
8. Alabama Huntsville, 88
9. Lake Superior State, 54
10. Alaska Anchorage, 47
Preseason Player Of The Year
Bryce Gervais, Sr., F, Minnesota State (9 votes)
Others receiving votes: Alex Petan, Sr., F, Michigan Tech (8 votes); Tyler Morley, Sr., F, Alaska (7); Jamie Phillips, Sr., G, Michigan Tech (1); Carmine Guerriero, Jr., G, Alabama-Huntsville (1); Brad McClure, So., F, Minnesota State (1).
Newcomer of the Year
Stephen Baylis, Fr., F, Bowling Green (5 votes)
Others receiving votes: Corey Mackin, Fr., F, Ferris State (4); Jake Jackson, Fr., F, Michigan Tech (2); Troy Loggins, Fr., F, Northern Michigan (2); Brett Boeing, Fr., F, Michigan Tech (1); Dillon Eichstadt, Fr., D, Bemidji State (1); Owen Headrick, Fr., D, Lake Superior State (1); Jetlan Houcher, Fr., F, Alabama-Huntsville (1); Nikolas Koberstein, Fr., D, Alaska (1); Jake Lucchini, Fr., F, Michigan Tech (1); Chandler Madry, Fr., F, Minnesota State (1); Jimmy Mullin, Sr. (Transfer), F, Minnesota State (1); Anthony Nellis, Fr., F, Lake Superior State (1); Chad Staley, Fr., F, Alaska (1).
Preseason All-WCHA Team
Goaltender - Jamie Phillips, Sr., Michigan Tech
Defensemen - Casey Nelson, Jr., Minnesota State and Shane Hanna, Jr., Michigan Tech
Forwards - Alex Petan, Sr., Michigan Tech; Bryce Gervais, Sr., Minnesota State and Tyler Morley, Sr., Alaska
Others receiving votes:Goaltender -- Michael Bitzer, So., Bemidji State; Carmine Guerriero, Jr., Alabama-Huntsville; Mathias Dahlstrom, Jr., Northern Michigan.
Defensemen -- Mark Friedman, So., Bowling Green; Brock Maschmeyer, Jr., Northern Michigan; Matt Roy, So., Michigan Tech; Sean Walker, Jr., Bowling Green; Cliff Watson, Jr., Michigan Tech.
Forwards -- Marcus Basara, Jr., Alaska; Teddy Blueger, Sr., Minnesota State; CJ Franklin, So., Minnesota State; Malcolm Gould, Sr., Michigan Tech; Brendan Harms, Jr., Bemidji State; Brandon Hawkins, So., Bowling Green; Brad McClure, So., Minnesota State; Max McHugh, So., Alabama Huntsville; Matt Robertson, Sr. Ferris State; Blake Tatchell, Sr., Alaska Anchorage
