What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

So who will be the new beat writer for USCHO covering the WCHA?. I nominate paula weston, but I doubt she would do it.
 
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

two more WCHA/CCHA alum signings. best wishes to Wojtala and Kapalka!

09/15/2014 12:53 PM -
West Valley City, Utah – Utah Grizzlies Head Coach/General Manager Tim Branham announced today that the team has signed rookie forward Camden Wojtala and rookie goaltender Kevin Kapalka.
 
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

manurespreader said:
So who will be the new beat writer for USCHO covering the WCHA?. I nominate paula weston, but I doubt she would do it.
Click to expand...

I nominate pinkpony or any five year old with below average intelligence.
Results should be similar regardless of choice.
 
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

Well, only a couple more weeks until the start of a new season and more wins by FERRIS! I'm looking forward to the back to back series with MSU in early 2015. It should be a good couple weeks.

Ok fans....... What team is going to make the biggest gains this year?

My vote is for the Beavers. They had a young team last year, but seemed ready to make some good gains.

GO FERRIS!
 
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

golfhawkins said:
Well, only a couple more weeks until the start of a new season and more wins by FERRIS! I'm looking forward to the back to back series with MSU in early 2015. It should be a good couple weeks.

Ok fans....... What team is going to make the biggest gains this year?

My vote is for the Beavers. They had a young team last year, but seemed ready to make some good gains.

GO FERRIS!
Click to expand...

Don't know if this counts as "biggest gains," given they made the Final 5 last year, but I think UAA earns home ice for the playoffs this year.

And yes, the 4 games in January with Ferris should be great.
 
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

purpleinnebraska said:
I think UAA earns home ice for the playoffs this year.
Click to expand...
Are you trying to bankrupt the league?!? No one can afford an additional trip to AK. Most teams are already feeding their players milky-rice-like meals with tap water to make ends meet...
In order to save the league, I will predict that MTU will grab a home ice slot and keep it in the lower 48.
Ryan J
 
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

manurespreader said:
So who will be the new beat writer for USCHO covering the WCHA?. I nominate paula weston, but I doubt she would do it.
Click to expand...

We lose Matt Wellens, who'll end up covering UMD professionally, but we still have Shane Frederick from the Mankato Free Press. I just asked Freddy on Twitter

golfhawkins said:
Ok fans....... What team is going to make the biggest gains this year?
Click to expand...

Relative to last season, it has to be UAH. Will we finish any higher than 10th? Probably not, but we darn well better not be the absolute doormat we were last year.

GFM
 
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

Final 5 presale is going on now, for the 25 other people that are going. Got my tickets on the glass.
 
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

gfmorris said:
Relative to last season, it has to be UAH. Will we finish any higher than 10th? Probably not, but we darn well better not be the absolute doormat we were last year.
Click to expand...

I've been slowly going through the WCHA rosters and there's really nothing horrible or anything with UAH's roster. Do other teams have slightly more well regarded players? Yeah ... but the margin isn't big by any means. With the right attitude from the players (belief) and quality coaching (systems and motivation etc) the Mustangs/Broncos/Horses/Steeds i.e... whatever ... should be better this year for sure.
 
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

uaafanblog said:
I've been slowly going through the WCHA rosters and there's really nothing horrible or anything with UAH's roster. Do other teams have slightly more well regarded players? Yeah ... but the margin isn't big by any means. With the right attitude from the players (belief) and quality coaching (systems and motivation etc) the Mustangs/Broncos/Horses/Steeds i.e... whatever ... should be better this year for sure.
Click to expand...

The lack of scoring is what kills us. We can't keep the puck in the zone, and that means that it ends up in ours, and then Ben Reinhardt can't block all of them, and then Larose and Guerriero can't stop them all. In McHugh I trust, though. If he and Kestner can bang home some goals and our offense isn't reliant on Jack Prince's slow feet to score goals, we might just be okay. This year is about bringing in new blood and consolidating some gains.

I just voted in the WCHA media poll. In short:

01 Minnesota State University, Mankato
02 Ferris State University
03 Bowling Green State University
04 Michigan Technological University
05 University of Alaska Anchorage
06 University of Alaska
07 Northern Michigan University
08 Bemidji State University
09 Lake Superior State University
10 The University of Alabama in Huntsville

Player of the year: CJ Motte, G, FSU

Newcomer of the year: Max McHugh, F, UAH

All-WCHA Team:
G CJ Motte, FSU
D Colton Parayko, UAF
D Zach Palmquist, MSUM
F Matt Leitner, MSUM
F John-Paul Lafontaine, MSUM
F Tyler Morley, UAF

I may be screwing up by not having Huggins as the first-team goalie. MSU-M fans are probably shaking their heads at that. If Huggins plays like he did last season, well ... I may look like an idiot. [Wouldn't be the first time.]

GFM
 
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

gfmorris said:
The lack of scoring is what kills us. We can't keep the puck in the zone, and that means that it ends up in ours, and then Ben Reinhardt can't block all of them, and then Larose and Guerriero can't stop them all. In McHugh I trust, though. If he and Kestner can bang home some goals and our offense isn't reliant on Jack Prince's slow feet to score goals, we might just be okay. This year is about bringing in new blood and consolidating some gains.
Click to expand...

It's a depth issue of sorts ... what I mean by that is that the Chargers as a team have a lot of equality of talent. As you indicate, the top end scoring isn't quite there but as a group other teams really won't know if their playing against the 1st line or the 4th line due to the level of "sameness" that comes out on each shift. They'll be hard to play against. Dean Talafous had a team like that at UAA and maximized his defensive posture and when he got lucky with a hot freshman goalie they racked up a decent season.

I just voted in the WCHA media poll. In short:

01 Minnesota State University, Mankato
02 Ferris State University
03 Bowling Green State University
04 Michigan Technological University
05 University of Alaska Anchorage
06 University of Alaska
07 Northern Michigan University
08 Bemidji State University
09 Lake Superior State University
10 The University of Alabama in Huntsville

Player of the year: CJ Motte, G, FSU

Newcomer of the year: Max McHugh, F, UAH

All-WCHA Team:
G CJ Motte, FSU
D Colton Parayko, UAF
D Zach Palmquist, MSUM
F Matt Leitner, MSUM
F John-Paul Lafontaine, MSUM
F Tyler Morley, UAF

I may be screwing up by not having Huggins as the first-team goalie. MSU-M fans are probably shaking their heads at that. If Huggins plays like he did last season, well ... I may look like an idiot. [Wouldn't be the first time.]

GFM
Click to expand...

I tend to think that Parayko is THE best prospect in the league. He could have not returned and be on his way to the show after a year in the AHL. I think he's the next PK Subban with more upside offensively. If he isn't the leading scorer from the blueline this season then I'll shave my head.
 
Last edited:
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

The problem for UAH is, they can improve quite a bit, which I think they will, and still be in 10th place. As Geoff mentioned earlier, the expectation should be to be more competitive this year, but 10th place is still probably where they end up. I think everyone understands that this is a several year process for UAH, and everyone (except for BSU fans) are pulling for UAH to succeed.
 
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

From what I've read so far on various team threads, every team in the WCHA will be moving up in the standings this year due to "best incoming class ever", "underclassmen are ready to step up", "our power play and penalty kill are vastly improved", "we didn't lose any key players", "we have another year under our belt", "new coaching staff", "the ship is now headed in the right direction", "we have a new zamboni", "fan base is really fired up to support the team", "The Bauer Jackhawk 9000 sticks our team will be using has a lower kick point on the shaft resulting in a shot with 10% more energy off the blade", etc, etc.

Based on this, with everyone moving up in the standings, teams should be finishing anywhere between -2nd and 7th in the conference since even last year's top three teams will be moving up as well. I am really looking forward to this historic year because to the best of my knowledge, no one has EVER finished higher than 1st in the WCHA.
;)
Ryan J
 
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

JohnsonsJerseys said:
From what I've read so far on various team threads, every team in the WCHA will be moving up in the standings this year due to "best incoming class ever", "underclassmen are ready to step up", "our power play and penalty kill are vastly improved", "we didn't lose any key players", "we have another year under our belt", "new coaching staff", "the ship is now headed in the right direction", "we have a new zamboni", "fan base is really fired up to support the team", "The Bauer Jackhawk 9000 sticks our team will be using has a lower kick point on the shaft resulting in a shot with 10% more energy off the blade", etc, etc.

Based on this, with everyone moving up in the standings, teams should be finishing anywhere between -2nd and 7th in the conference since even last year's top three teams will be moving up as well. I am really looking forward to this historic year because to the best of my knowledge, no one has EVER finished higher than 1st in the WCHA.
;)
Ryan J
Click to expand...

Hehehehe. I don't think that Ferris can really say this, though. They were very, very good last year, and they have Motte, but I don't see them being the force they were last season.

GFM
 
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

JohnsonsJerseys said:
From what I've read so far on various team threads, every team in the WCHA will be moving up in the standings this year due to "best incoming class ever", "underclassmen are ready to step up", "our power play and penalty kill are vastly improved", "we didn't lose any key players", "we have another year under our belt", "new coaching staff", "the ship is now headed in the right direction", "we have a new zamboni", "fan base is really fired up to support the team", "The Bauer Jackhawk 9000 sticks our team will be using has a lower kick point on the shaft resulting in a shot with 10% more energy off the blade", etc, etc.

Based on this, with everyone moving up in the standings, teams should be finishing anywhere between -2nd and 7th in the conference since even last year's top three teams will be moving up as well. I am really looking forward to this historic year because to the best of my knowledge, no one has EVER finished higher than 1st in the WCHA.
;)
Ryan J
Click to expand...

Which is why I put this little statement at the end of my post: "Hey, its the beginning of the year and everyone has hopes of grandeur!" ;)
 
Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

uaafanblog said:
I tend to think that Parayko is THE best prospect in the league. If he isn't the leading scorer from the blueline this season then I'll shave my head.
Click to expand...
Parayko vs the field is a high risk bet.
Shane Hanna of MTU might get you a new hairstyle in March...
:eek:
Ryan J
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top