Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

[brianvf]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

So who do you WCHAers think will make the top 16 from your conference? If you list any fewer than 5 or 6 teams, you're sandbagging.

UND, SCSU, UMD for sure

UMN, CC, UNO, BSU are wildcards...I have no clue

DU, UW both lost a ton, they could go way down, but wouldn't be surprised if they had a good season and rebounded from their offseason losses

UAA, MSUM, MTU probably not

 

[HoosierBBall_GopherHockey]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

So who do you WCHAers think will make the top 16 from your conference? If you list any fewer than 5 or 6 teams, you're sandbagging. HE will again not be very strong, and ECAC will be lucky to get two in the top 16.

UND
SCSU
UMD
---massive drop-off---
UW, Denver, UMN, BSU possibly, but UW/DU lost the most out of the WCHA talentwise, the Gophers and BSU are both wildcards seeing as BSU will have their first year in the grind of the WCHA and Minnesota clearly has been a shell of its former self the past few years.

Edit: Exactly what brianvf said.

 

[bottomdweller]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

I think I know the teams I'd put in the top 16. Just not sure about the order. Going by league (teams within leagues aren't ranked, they're alphabetical):

HE
BC
BU
Maine
UNH

I think the issues in net for both of these teams is enough to cause alarm. With that said, I think Maine has a better overall team and would leave them in the top 16 and I think you'd have to put UVM over UNH. Madore may not be a Fallon or the almighty Tim Thomas, but you know what you're going to get with him, unlike UNH.

 

[Rich]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

So who do you WCHAers think will make the top 16 from your conference? If you list any fewer than 5 or 6 teams, you're sandbagging. HE will again not be very strong, and ECAC will be lucky to get two in the top 16.

UND, SCSU, and UMD should all be very good. I expect each of those teams to stay in the top 10 all year.
I think CC and DU will both be good, despite significant losses for each team. Both lost star players, but both bring in some of the top recruits in the country. There are some seriously good players coming into both programs. I think they're going to be strong again, but certainly a step behind the top 3.
Minnesota is going to be better than people think, and I think they'll squeak into the tournament this year.

I think UW, Mankato, MTU, and UAA are going to struggle. The Badgers will have more talent than the other three, but they're just going to be so young. I wouldn't be surprised to see them dress 8 or 9 underclassmen forwards. Even if they're very talented players, they'll take a while to adjust to playing D-I hockey.

UNO and BSU are unknowns. I doubt they'll jump in immediately at the level of SCSU, UMD and UND, but based on what they did last year and what they return I bet they'll finish ahead of the bottom 4. They're in the killer cluster as I mentioned before, so they'll take their lumps.

My very early guess:
Top 3 - UND, UMD, SCSU
Middle 5 - CC, DU, MN, UNO, BSU
Bottom 4 - UW, Mankato, MTU, UAA

If you want 5 or 6 for the pre-season top 16 I'd guess that the top 3 plus BSU and DU will be ranked, UNO and MN will not be, and CC is the question mark.

Wisconsin may be ranked on their results from last season and their reputation, but I think it'll be January before they really pull it together.

 

[Rich]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

DU, UW both lost a ton, they could go way down, but wouldn't be surprised if they had a good season and rebounded from their offseason losses

You're correct, but Denver lost about 1/3 of their regular skaters (7 players who played 36 or more games), while UW lost almost 2/3 (11 players who played more htan 39 games). I'm betting on DU absorbing their losses a lot easier than UW will. You could be right though - both bring in some great recruits that could have them bouncing back more than expected.

 

[sterlippo1]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

After BC does it matter? They are by far the best team once again.

i think that NoDak,Mich,BC and Miami are a cut above. throw 'em in a hat and pick one

 

[Onion Man]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

1.) North Dakota
2.) Brown
3.) Michigan
4.) BC
5.) Maine

 

[komey1]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

I'd like to see it - not saying it could or SHOULD happen, but RIT being in the top preseason poll would be nice since they made the Frozen Four.

 

[moose97]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

As for preseason polls, here are my top 5:

1. AIC
2. Bentley
3. WMU
4. LSSU
5. UAA

Scoff if you will, but my rankings are just as meaningful as the analysts.

Darn it - you stole my idea (so I'm stealing yours for my sig )

 

[Dirty]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

Speaking of AIC, WHERE THE **** IS MY JERSEY?

 

[Gandalf the Red]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

UND, SCSU, and UMD should all be very good. I expect each of those teams to stay in the top 10 all year.
I think CC and DU will both be good, despite significant losses for each team. Both lost star players, but both bring in some of the top recruits in the country. There are some seriously good players coming into both programs. I think they're going to be strong again, but certainly a step behind the top 3.
Minnesota is going to be better than people think, and I think they'll squeak into the tournament this year.

I think UW, Mankato, MTU, and UAA are going to struggle. The Badgers will have more talent than the other three, but they're just going to be so young. I wouldn't be surprised to see them dress 8 or 9 underclassmen forwards. Even if they're very talented players, they'll take a while to adjust to playing D-I hockey.

UNO and BSU are unknowns. I doubt they'll jump in immediately at the level of SCSU, UMD and UND, but based on what they did last year and what they return I bet they'll finish ahead of the bottom 4. They're in the killer cluster as I mentioned before, so they'll take their lumps.

My very early guess:
Top 3 - UND, UMD, SCSU
Middle 5 - CC, DU, MN, UNO, BSU
Bottom 4 - UW, Mankato, MTU, UAA

If you want 5 or 6 for the pre-season top 16 I'd guess that the top 3 plus BSU and DU will be ranked, UNO and MN will not be, and CC is the question mark.

Wisconsin may be ranked on their results from last season and their reputation, but I think it'll be January before they really pull it together.

Actually, the Badgers aren't that young, they are inexperienced, a HUGE difference. Below being the average team age as of October 1st the given season:

2005/06: 20.97 years
2006/07: 20.81 years
2007/08: 20.49 years
2008/09: 20.69 years
2009/10: 21.04 years
2010/11: 20.85 years

I'm not going to argue that UW has a shot at the top 3, because they shouldn't. North Dakota and St Cloud should battle for the MacNaughton and Duluth should be right behind them. I still think the Badgers finish 6th. Despite all the losses they still have a fine blue line, 3 studs in Gardiner, Schultz & Ramage, and three guys who didn't play much last season, but have two or three seasons of work in the system and played a lot in 08/09. Plus two senior goalies, who need to be much more consistent and be difference makers, but despite the offensive woes that follow such a dismantling of a team to graduation adn early departures, I don't see them being scored on at will either. Bottom 4, no way.

I don't see how everyone has DU so high. They don't have ANY goaltender experience, and while Brittan sure looks like a good on, and Murray can't do any worse, there defense is still young, and was the weakness of last year's team. Sure they have a lot of young forward talent, but Rakhshani and Colbourne were head and shoulders above the rest of their teammates along w/ Ruegsegger, all three now gone. CC in the top 5? I don't see that happening, some of the best talent they had graduated, and the freshman will have to be super for at top 5 finish.

minnesota can't suck forever w/ all the talent, otherwise Lucia will be unemployed sometime during March 2011.

My only solid prediction at this point is that UAA will finish last and give Tech a breather next season.

 

[SCSU Euro]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

I think that everyone is selling DU, and I'll go on record as buying. They've got a really talented incoming class, they've got a lot of forwards that weren't Rueggs, Rahk or Big Joe but that could step up in their absence, and I think a couple on the blueline could really shine. That, and I believe Murray will be one of the surprises of the season.

1.) North Dakota
2.) Brown
3.) Michigan
4.) BC
5.) Maine

You guys are a college team? I assumed when we mopped the floor with you last year that Brown just meant you were one of the local high school's split squads, and this year we were gonna beat up on Gold.

 

[huskiesfan1990]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

So who do you WCHAers think will make the top 16 from your conference? If you list any fewer than 5 or 6 teams, you're sandbagging. HE will again not be very strong, and ECAC will be lucky to get two in the top 16.

UND, SCSU and UMD for sure, probably DU and BSU as well. UW and Minnesota will be on the outside looking in.

 

[Dude Love]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

You guys are a college team? I assumed when we mopped the floor with you last year that Brown just meant you were one of the local high school's split squads, and this year we were gonna beat up on Gold.

I thought Brown folded.

 

[umassfan49]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

I think I know the teams I'd put in the top 16. Just not sure about the order. Going by league (teams within leagues aren't ranked, they're alphabetical):

HE
BC
BU
Maine
UNH

ECAC
RPI
Yale

CCHA
Alaska
Miami
Michigan
MSU

WCHA
Denver
Minnesota
UMD
UND
St. Cloud
Wisconsin

I would think Northern Michigan will push to make the NCAAs again. Also why no love for CC?

 

[BeaverFan]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

WCHA: UND, SCSU, or UMD should come out on top. It's going to be a battle between those three. I honestly think BSU has enough talent and experience now to be #5 or #6 next year in the league.

 

[SCSU Euro]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

I would think Northern Michigan will push to make the NCAAs again. Also why no love for CC?

Northern didn't lose a ton numbers-wise, but Olver, Kaunisto, Stewart and Gustafsson knock them out of the top 16 for now. And for CC, they were mediocre last year, and a good incoming class isn't gonna replace Sweatt, Testwuide and Fredheim. They'll be respectable, but unless Howe really steps up, probably get lost in the WCHA shuffle.

WCHA: UND, SCSU, or UMD should come out on top. It's going to be a battle between those three. I honestly think BSU has enough talent and experience now to be #5 or #6 next year in the league.

I think Bemidji is around 5-6 in the WCHA talent-wise (arguably one of if not their best incoming class ever), but going from the CHA to the grind of the WCHA, I'd say they'll finish two slots lower, 7-8 area.

 

[Slasher7]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

I thought Brown folded.

Ain't that cute. St. Cloud has found a program THEY can make fun of. Goes to show that a bad as someone's team is, there's always someone worse.

I could be wrong, but I think Brown has been to the Frozen Four in its history. They certainly have more than one NCAA victory to show for.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

Ain't that cute. St. Cloud has found a program THEY can make fun of. Goes to show that a bad as someone's team is, there's always someone worse.

I could be wrong, but I think Brown has been to the Frozen Four in its history. They certainly have more than one NCAA victory to show for.

They certainly do. They have two NCAA victories; a first round win over CC in 1951 and a consolation game win over BU in 1976.

They have been to the FF 3 times, all of which were when only four teams made the tourney.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Preseason Poll: 2010-2011

I know you said top 16, but just for the heck of it, can we throw in #26 Union?