WCHA Season Preview Final Edition

University of Minnesota-Duluth:
WCHA: 16-11-1, Overall: 22-17-1 (6-5-0 NC)
Key Losses: Rob Bordson, F, Jr (12-28-40); Drew Akins, F, Sr (6-11-17); Jordan Fulton, F, Sr (4-13-17); Brady Hjelle, G, So (9-7-1, 2.85 GAA, .898 SV)
Key Returners: Jack Connolly, F, Jr; Justin Fontaine, F, Sr; Mike Connolly, F, Jr; Brady Lamb, D, Jr; Mike Montgomery, D, Sr; Kenny Reiter, G, Sr
Key Recruits: Justin Faulk, D; Joe Basaraba, F

The Bulldogs come into the season not having lost a whole lot. Their biggest loss was 40 point scorer Rob Bordson, and the next biggest was sophomore goalie Brady Hjelle. Overall, though, the Bulldogs retain nearly 90% of their scoring from last season, and only lost six total games on defense.

They need to have a solid year out of goalie Kenny Reiter, and also need to find a mediocre backup for his nights off. This league is too tough for one goalie to play every night. Their biggest problem could be coaching. I’m not big on Scott Sandelin; never have been. Yes, he got his team to the Frozen Four earlier in the decade, but his teams have under achieved, for the most part, much of his tenure, including last year’s team.

I can see them pushing the Huskies for the number two spot, but don’t see them pushing the Sioux for the top spot. Strong defense and good goaltending are the keys to finishing here.

Predicted finish – 3rd

St. Cloud State University:
WCHA: 15-9-4, Overall: 24-14-5 (9-5-1 NC)
Key Losses: Ryan Lasch, F, Sr (20-29-49); Garrett Raboin, D, Sr (8-16-24); Craig Gaudet, D, Sr (3-7-10)
Key Returners: Garrett Raboin, F, Sr; Tony Mosey, F, Sr; Drew LeBlanc, F, Jr; Chris Hepp, D, Sr; Oliver Lauridsen, D, Jr; Mike Lee, G, So
Key Recruits: Kevin Gravel, D; Mitch MacMillan, F; Nic Dowd

The Huskies have one of the best returning scoring groups in the league. They did lose leading scorer Ryan Lasch and their top scoring defenseman in Garrett Raboin, but that’s pretty much it. The Huskies get back Garrett Roe (who tied Lasch for the scoring lead last year), Tony Mosey (who quietly put up 42 points), and one of the best one-two goalie tandems in the league.

The big question for SCSU is defense. Even though they only lost two defensemen from last year’s team, the defense wasn’t the best. Things should be ok, though. The Huskies have some size on the blue line in Oliver Lauridsen and some grit in Chris Hepp. The key for the Huskies is going to be finding offense from the blue line. Raboin led the D with 24 points last year, and I’m curious to see who’s going to step up. Sam Zabkowicz, Taylor Johnson, and Lauridsen all had 12 points from the blue line last year, with the latter’s coming mostly in the second half of the season.

Special teams will also be a key for the Huskies this season. They were very much middle of the pack last season on the PP, but their PK was in the bottom four of the league. They need to find more hustle and make sure that their spacing is consistent.

I can really see the Huskies challenging for the top spot in league most of the year, but think that the solidity the Sioux has will be too much for them to overcome.

Predicted finish – 2nd

University of North Dakota:
WCHA: 15-10-3, Overall: 25-13-5 (10-3-2 NC)
Key Losses: Chris Vande Velde, F, Sr (16-25-41); Darcy Zajac, F, Sr (8-11-19); David Toews, F, So (4-11-15)
Key Returners: Jason Gregoire, F, Jr; Danny Kristo, F, So; Evan Trupp, F, Sr; Chay Genoway, D, Sr; Derrick LaPoint, D, Sr; Brad Eidsness, G, Jr
Key Recruits:  Derek Forbort, D; Dillon Simpson, D; Brock Nelson, F

The Sioux, as always, are stacked. They lost only three forwards from last year’s team and ZERO defensemen. Hands down, the Sioux should have no problem being the best defensive team in the league. They return all of their defensemen and get a first round pick on defense in Derek Forbort. I didn’t think Eidsness was that great of a goalie going into last season, and still don’t think he’s the best. However, he has one of the best defenses in the country playing in front of him and that makes such a tremendous difference.

In addition to that, they get Chay Genoway back for this season. Chay could be the most dynamic defenseman in the country. In fact, I’m sure he is. It’s very rare that one player can make such a huge impact on a team, but we all saw what happened to the Sioux last season when he left. They went from unbeatable, to beatable. They were, in no way, pushovers, though, and still had one heckuva team.

I am hoping that all of you Fighting Sioux fans out there can finally let go of the hit that cost Chay his season. I am in no way saying that it wasn’t a hit from behind, but it wasn’t malicious and wasn’t dirty as all of you people say it was. Heck, CHAY even said it wasn’t a dirty hit! (I’m hoping this is the only time I have to talk about this this season.)

With all of the returning players, and the addition of Genoway, I can’t see the Sioux finishing lower that number one.

Predicted finish – 1st

WCHA Season Preview Part Three

Colorado College:
WCHA: 12-13-3, Overall: 19-17-3 (7-4-0 NC)
Key Losses: Bill Sweatt, F, Sr (15-18-33); Mike Testwuide, F, Sr (21-10-31); Nate Prosser, D, Sr (4-24-28)
Key Returners: Rylan Schwartz, F, So; Tyler Johnson, F, Sr; Stephen Schultz, F, Sr; Gabe Guentzel, D, Jr; Ryan Lowery, D, Sr; Joe Howe, G, So
Key Recruits: Jaden Schwartz, F; Dakota Eveland, F; Eamon, McDermott, D

Things weren’t great for CC last year. Joe Howe had a great start to the season, but eventually joined us back here on earth. The good news is that CC has the coaches pick for the rookie of the year in Jaden Schwartz. He’s considered to be an offensive threat already, and could help bring some of the scoring back to CC.

CC needs to have more than Jaden Schwartz carry this team. They need to have players like Rylan Schwartz build on his great freshman season, and senior’s like Tyler Johnson continue to lead this team.

Either way, they’re going to be a competitive team, as always. Scott Owens won’t let them falter too much. I suspect we’ll see them in the middle of the pack.

Predicted finish – 6th

Denver University:
WCHA: 19-5-4, Overall: 27-10-4 (8-5-0 NC)
Key Losses: Rhett Rakhshani, F, Sr (21-29-50); Joe Colborne, F, So (22-19-41); Tyler Ruegsegger, F, Sr (16-25-41); Patrick Wiercoich, D, So (6-21-27); Marc Cheverie, G, Jr (24-6-3, 2.08 GAA, .932 SV)
Key Returners: Anthony Maiani, F, Sr; Kyle Ostrow, F, Sr; Jesse Martin, F, Sr; John Lee, D, Jr; Matt Donovan, D, So; Adam Murray, G, So
Key Recruits: Sam Brittain, G; Beau Bennett, F; Nick Shore, F; Jason Zucker, F

Denver was also hit hard with key losses from last year’s team. Three of their top five scorers are gone, as is one of the best goalies in the league in Marc Cheverie. Defensively, they’re still going to be one of the best, and that is going to help out their young goalies tremendously.

The Gwoz seems to always have his teams ready to play, and that goes a long way in this league. Offensively, they should be able to hang in there as they have one of best scorers from the BCHL coming in this year in Sam Brittain (2nd in the league to SCSU’s Mitch MacMillan).

The Pioneers could finish anywhere in the top half of the league, but with goaltending a question, I can’t place them any higher.

Predicted finish – 5th

University of Minnesota:
WCHA: 12-14-2, Overall: 18-19-2 (6-5-0 NC)
Key Losses: Tony Lucia, F, Sr (11-17-28); Jordan Schroeder, F, So (9-19-28); Mike Carman, F, Sr (8-10-18); Nick Leddy, D, Fr (3-8-11)
Key Returners: Jay Barriball, F, Sr; Jacob Cepis, F, Sr; Mike Hoeffel, F, Sr; Aaron Ness, D, Jr; Cade Farichild, D, Sr; Alex Kangas, G, Sr
Key Recruits: Nick Bjugstad, F; Tom Serratore, F

The Gophers are somewhat of a question mark this year, but they shouldn’t be. They certainly have the talent to be a tremendous hockey team. It’s going to come down to whether or not the players want to play for Don Lucia. For the past two seasons I’ve watched Gopher teams take the ice and play uninspired hockey. The intensity seems to have left the team, and I believe it falls squarely on Don Lucia’s shoulders.

The Don does have some pretty good recruits coming in this year in Nick Bjugstad and Tom Serratore, and they will get Jay Barriball back from injury to help Jason Cepis carry this team. They have one of the better WCHA goalies between the pipes in Alex Kangas. Their Achilles heel will be on defense, as they have a pretty young D-corps.

I have a feeling that the Gophers are going to be much tougher than people are giving them credit for. They could finish anywhere from 7th to 4th. I think they’re going to bounce back this year.

Predicted finish – 4th

WCHA Season Preview Part Two

Bemidji State University:
CHA: 14-3-1, Overall: 23-10-4 (9-7-3 NC)
Key Losses: Tyler Lehrke, F, Sr (9-15-24); Chris McKelvie, F, Sr (8-10-18); Chris Peluso, D, Sr (1-8-9)
Key Returners: Matt Read, F, Sr; Jordan George, F, So; Ian Low, F, Sr; Brad Hunt, D, Jr; Brady Wacker, D, So; Dan Bakala, G, Jr
Key Recruits: Radislov Illo, F; Drew Fischer, F

The Beavers have finally made it to the WCHA. For many of you Beaver fans, this is something that you have been waiting for for a very long time. I’m sorry to tell you, though, that it’s not going to be the cake walk you may think it’s going to be. It’s one thing to be competitive in the CHA, but the WCHA is a whole new ball game. Yes, I understand that you’ve had success against the WCHA in the past, but you have to remember that those were non-conference games. When teams play non-conference games, they typically don’t play all of their top guys. Let us not forget that it’s not always easy to get up for those non-conference games against schools that aren’t going to do much for, like Bemdji typically is (last year was the exception to the rule).

With all that said, I think the Beavers are going to be fairly competitive. They have all of their top scorers back, including a possible Hobey Candidate in Matt Read. Overall, they had the second highest goals per game average of all the WCHA teams, but they also played six games each against teams like Niagra, Robert Morris, and Alabama-Huntsville. I’m not saying it’s easy to score a lot against any team, but come on folks…

They also have one of the better coaches in college hockey, and they play a very rough, in your face style of hockey that should help them win a few games. However, being physical doesn’t always beat talent, and there are a LOT of talented teams in this league. Additionally, the grind of the WCHA will be like nothing they’ve ever seen. I touched on teams not getting up for non-conference games prior. It’s going to be tough for them, now, when their opponents are playing for two points each game instead of nothing.

Predicted finish – 9th

University of Nebraska-Omaha:
CCHA: 13-12-3, Overall: 20-16-6 (7-4-3 NC)
Key Losses: Eddie Del Grosso, D, Sr (7-23-30); Nick Fanto, F, Sr (9-17-26); Jeric Agosto, F, Sr (15-10-25); Jeremie Dupont, G, Sr (7-6-2, 2.73 GAA, .895 SV)
Key Returners: John Kemp, F, Jr; Rich Purslow, F, Sr; Joey Martin, F, Sr; Eric Olimb, D, Sr; Kyle Ensign, D, Jr; John Faulkner, G, Jr (13-10-4, 2.60 GAA, .905 SV)
Key Recruits: Matt White, F; Tony Turgeon, D; Brock Montpetit, F

Well, Dean Blais has made his way back to the WCHA. In my mind, Blais is one of the best coaches in the game. His teams are always competitive and never seem to have an off night. Their biggest problem last year seemed to be lack of scoring. Heck, their leading scorer had a whopping 30 points. Goaltending could also be an issue for the Mavericks this season. It sounds like consistency may be an issue, and you need to be consistent to win in this league.

I need to give UNO the benefit of the doubt here over Bemidji. The Mavs know how play a long, tough season having been in the CCHA. Also, they have the reigning USHL Player of the Year joining the team in Matt White and forward Brock Montpetit who also averaged more than a point per game in the USHL last year. Add that to the 6’4” incoming defenseman Tony Turgeon and you have makings of a decent class.

Bottom line, Blais’ familiarity with the WCHA, and his team’s familiarity with a tough schedule should put them ahead of Bemidji this season. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them finish higher than 8th either. Only time will tell.

Predicted finish – 8th

University of Wisconsin:
WCHA: 17-8-3, Overall: 28-11-4 (11-3-1 NC)
Key Losses: Derek Stepan, F, So (12-42-54); Michael Davies, F, Sr (20-32-52); Brendan Smith, D, Jr (15-37-52); Blake Geoffrion, F, Sr (28-22-50); Ben Street, F, Sr (14-16-30)
Key Returners: Craig Smith, F, So; Jordy Murray, F, Jr; Derek Lee, F, So; Justin Schultz, D, So; Jake Gardiner, D, Jr; Scott Gudmandson, G, Sr
Key Recruits: Jason Clark, F; Frank Simonelli, D; Chase Drake, D; Mark Zengerle, F

Where to start… The Badgers lost more than any team in the WCHA, and probably the country this offseason. Their top four points scorers had more than 50 points EACH, and they’re ALL GONE. That’s 208 points that they lost in just four players. They lost another EIGHT on top of that. In all, they lost nearly 75% of their total scoring from last season’s team.

Others seem to think that the Badgers are going to be fine this year. They certainly have a decent goaltender in Scott Gudmandson, but it’s tough to win if you can’t put the puck in the net, and that’s something that could be a problem.

What else is there to say? Unless they get a lot of guys stepping up, I don’t see them finishing much higher than this.

Predicted finish – 7th

WCHA Season Preview Part One

Well, as promised, here's the start of the season previews. I would've liked to get them all out today, but I've been pretty busy as of late and just flat haven't had time to do it. I'm going to release them three teams at a time, and will get the other nine teams done before the season starts with games that count next Friday.

University of Alaska Anchorage:
WCHA: 9-17-2, Overall: 11-23-2 (2-6-0 NC)
Key Losses: Kevin Clark, F, Sr (23-14-37); Josh Lunden, F, Sr (8-8-16); Jon Olthuis, G, Sr (8-15-2, 3.59 GAA, .871 SV); Bryce Christianson, G, Jr (3-8-0, 4.37 GAA, .848 SV)
Key Returners: Tommy Grant, F, Sr; Sean Wiles, F, Sr; Daniel Naslund, F, So; Kane Lafranchise, D, Sr; Curtis Leinweber, D, Jr; Dusan Sidor, G, Jr
Key Recruits: Rob Gunderson, G; Chris Kamal, G; Jordan Kwas, F

What a mess Anchorage has here. They lost two goalies last year. One to graduation and the other because he was unhappy. That leaves UAA with one goalie who has played one game in his career. This is not looking good for Anchorage. Their incoming goalies numbers are ok, but not great. Oh yeah, this is also D-I and not the AJHL or NAHL. The competition level is so much higher at this level than either of those, but I digress…

Let’s not overlook the loss of freshman (would’ve been a sophomore this season) Lee Baldwin to the pros. He was a pretty good defenseman for the Seawolves, and it’s going to hurt them. Their goal differential isn’t as high as MTU’s (-2), but it’s pretty close.

Offensively, they really don’t have anything. Their top returning scorer put up 26 points last year. The departure of Kevin Clark is going to hurt this team, and it doesn’t look like they have much offensive talent coming in.

Unless the Seawolves find a number one goalie, can get their D-corps in order, and can find some scoring up front, they’re not going to go far.

Predicted finish – 12th

Michigan Tech University:
WCHA: 4-24-0, Overall: 5-30-1 (1-6-1 NC)
Key Losses: Malcom Gwilliam, F, Sr (18-12-30); Drew Dobson, D, Sr (4-12-16); John Kivisto, D/F, Sr (4-8-12)
Key Returners: Brett Olson, F, Jr; Jordan Baker, F, Sr; Bennett Royer, F, Sr; Steven Seigo, D, So; Deron Cousens, D, Sr; Kevin Genoe, G, So
Key Recruits: Brad Stebner, D; Daniel Holmberg, F; Dennis Rix, F

Tech comes into this season having lost only two of their top five scorers. However, that’s not saying a whole lot since those two players combined for a whopping 46 points… Bottom line, they’re going to need some help.

This is a team that, perennially, cannot score and doesn’t have the best goaltending. Heck, they gave up two goals more per game than they scored last year. Now, I know that this is a new season, but c’mon folks. They’re not going to close that gap over night.

They do have some ok recruits coming in. Most notably is forward Dennis Rix, who had 32g, 67a for 99 points in 60 games last year for Grand Prairie of the AJHL. Decent numbers, but a lot of those points were assists which tells me he’s much better at setting them up than he is at burying them.

If they can get their special team numbers up this year (15% PP and 71% PK), they may get themselves out of the cellar (possibly into 10th!)…although, I wouldn’t count on it.

Predicted finish – 11th

Minnesota State University, Mankato:
WCHA: 9-17-2, Overall: 16-20-3 (7-3-1 NC)
Key Losses: Kael Mouillierat, F, Sr (13-12-25); Jerad Stewart, F, Sr (13-12-25); Zach Harrison, F, Sr (8-16-24); Geoff Irwin, F, Sr (8-16-24)
Key Returners: Rylan Galiardi, F, Sr; Mike Louwerse, F, So; Michael Dorr, F, Jr; Kurt Davis, D, Sr; Ben Youds, D, Sr; Channing Boe, D, Sr
Key Recruits: John McInnis, F; Matt Leitner, F

When a defenseman is leading your team in scoring with 26 points, you have a problem. Such is life for Mankato. They come into this season having lost some talent last year. Most notably, Tyler Pitlick to major juniors and Kevin Murdock to the USHL. They don’t have a whole lot coming in this season, though. Matt Leitner could be their “biggest” recruit this year. He put up just over a point per game last year in the USHL. Not huge, but at least it’s something, right?

Expect to see a hard working, hard hitting team out of Mankato, but not one that’s going to put up a ton of goals on you. Uunless their upperclassmen can put it together I don’t see a whole lot of upside to this team. However, they will not be as bad as Anchorage or Tech, so you can take solace in that.

Predicted finish – 10th

WCHA Pre-season Polls

The coaches and media polls have been released. UND is almost unanimously first in both. SCSU is the only other school to receive first play votes.

It's interesting to see some of these picks. For instance, the Badgers were picked fifth in the media poll and seventh in the coached poll. It's interesting because of the number of players they lost from last years team (12), and the percentage of scoring they lost from last years team (nearly 75%). It could be tough for them.

I'll have my picks out before the teams play meaningful games next weekend, along with team capsules and why they'll finish where I picked them. I have the numbers compiled. Now it's time to analyze them and get my picks out to you.

Coaches Poll:
Team (first-place votes) Points
1. North Dakota (10)    120
2. St. Cloud State (2)    105
3. Minnesota-Duluth      100
4. Denver                      88
5. Minnesota                 82
6. Colorado College      67
7. Wisconsin                 64
8. Nebraska-Omaha     55
9. Bemidji State            46
10. Minnesota State      31
11. Alaska-Anchorage  19
12. Michigan Tech        15

Media Poll:

Team (first-place votes) Points
1. North Dakota (28)        347
2. Minnesota-Duluth          300
3. St. Cloud State (1)        295
4. Denver                          242
5. Wisconsin                     218
6. Minnesota                     203
7. Colorado College         182
8. Bemidji State                156
9. Nebraska-Omaha         125
10. Minnesota State          97
11. Alaska-Anchorage      51
12. Michigan Tech            46

 

Thoughts on the Big Ten and Penn State

The more I think about a Big Ten Conference, the more I think it's a horrible idea. You're talking about ripping apart not one, but two conferences full of rivalries to create one conference with a few.

Penn State isn't going to enter the hockey world as a highly competitive program, and anyone who thinks they'll be competitive out of the gate is sorely mistaken. It'll take them five or more years to get to that level. They need to establish themselves first before they get all of those top end recruits.

I am truly hoping that the CCHA and WCHA put up a fight to keep their current membership. Sadly, I doubt McLeod will do so. He seems to think that losing Minnesota and Wisconsin will have no effect on the league. I've always thought that man was an idiot, and this is just another piece of evidence to prove my point.

As hurt as the WCHA would be, the CCHA would be even more hurt. Three of the top four schools in that league would be missing then, giving them eight teams to try and rebuild from. How very tough would that be.

If Penn State were smart, they'd apply for membership in the CCHA. First, location wise it would work out well for them. Second, they'll have three of the five Big Ten schools in their conference already, and it wouldn't be a big deal to get the Gophers and/or Badgers on their schedule every year. Third, it would be so much better for the game to wait until other Big Ten schools join the mix to make a more competitive and viable league. Fourth, it keeps the CCHA viable and adds the potential for some more good rivalries to form.

Furthermore, I think these six team leagues are ridiculous. In my opinion, the NCAA shouldn't allow an auto-bid until a league has eight members. Six is just too few to prove anything and takes away another at-large bid. With that said, the team coming out of a Big Ten Conference would, most likely, actually deserve to be there, though. However, can you imagine if Penn State won the tournament in one of its first years when they're obviously going to suck? I know I'd be pretty upset if my team were left out because another undeserving team made it in. There just isn't enough competition to prove your worth with those few members.

Also, let us not forget, there will be three teams with losing conference records each year. With the exception of Ohio State, and Minnesota's most recent struggles (which they'll turn around soon enough), which of these perennial top-half finishers is going to want to be on the bottom each year? Can you imagine being a Michigan or Michigan State fan and finishing perennially at the bottom of your league in hockey after finishing at the top of your previous league every year?

Can you imagine not making the NCAA tourney each year because of your league too? I can't. I'd rather have the variety in my schedule with those other teams to be able to make it on my own merits. Yes, they'll be able to win a lot of non-conference games, but they're still going to need help in conference play to make the tourney as an at-large bid. We all know how difficult it is to make it, and how much the PWR rankings change on a weekly basis to know that it will be difficult to put all of those teams into the NCAA's every year.

Bottom line, it's better for hockey as a whole if Penn State joins the CCHA. The Big Ten Network will still get its Big Ten match-ups and they'll still make their money.

Statements from McLeod and Anastos

WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod:

“Any time we receive news like this we are all excited, and on behalf of the entire membership of the WCHA, we welcome Penn State to the world of college hockey and wish them all the best.

“It is an affirmation of the strength of our game that such a prestigious institution would choose to add a program at this time and it is indeed a great day for hockey. The institutions that make up the WCHA are committed to the future of college hockey and the addition of Penn State is another positive step in that direction.”

CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos:

“We are excited to hear that Penn State has decided to launch Division I men’s and women’s hockey and will be making such a substantial commitment to the sport. The CCHA and our entire membership welcome them to the college hockey family and look forward to supporting their transition into Division I hockey over the next several years.

“The CCHA’s formation 40 years ago was based on the development of emerging programs and, as we set our sights on our next 40 years, we look forward to working with programs such as Penn State and hopefully others, in providing leadership that will increase the profile of college hockey and foster continued growth.”

SCSU Season Ticket Holder Appreciation Night

SCSU will be hosting a season ticket holder appreciation night on Sunday, September 19th from 6:00-7:30pm at the National Hockey Center. You will be able to get autographs from all of the men's and women's hockey players and enjoy Kemp's ice cream.

Note: This event is open to all SCSU corporate sponsors, season ticket holders and their families only.

Big Ten Official Press Release Regarding Penn State

This is the official announcement from the Big Ten:
Sept. 17, 2010

The Big Ten Conference released the following statement today regarding Penn State’s plans to establish NCAA Division I men’s and women’s ice hockey programs.

The Big Ten Conference is excited about Penn State’s recent announcement regarding the establishment of NCAA Division I men’s and women’s ice hockey programs set to begin competition in the 2012-13 academic year. Our institutions have longstanding relationships with Division I, Division II, and Division III college hockey programs that have benefitted both our institutions and the entire national hockey community.

For many years, we have had five institutions sponsoring Division I men’s ice hockey programs – Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Wisconsin. Big Ten rules allow for a championship whenever there are six institutions sponsoring a program in any given sport. This leads to the presumption that there will be a Big Ten Men’s Ice Hockey Championship at some point in the future. A decision of that nature, however, cannot be made without a significant amount of discussion both internally with conference chancellors, presidents, administrators and coaches, and externally with the hockey community as a whole. Whatever we do, we will communicate in a respectful and responsible way as we endeavor to balance all of the unique interests in play.

We congratulate Penn State and wish them well as they continue to provide the most broad-based opportunities possible for their student-athletes.

Penn State Makes it Official

Penn State University made it official. They will be adding men's and women's hockey at the Division I level for the start of the 2012-2013 season.

Penn State Alumnus, Terry Pegula, has donated $88 million dollars to build a new arena and help launch the men's hockey program.

Now it's just a waiting game to see when the Big Ten Hockey Conference will be formed and officially begin play. Sources have said that it could be as early as the 2013-2014 season. Currently, we're looking at the 2014-2015 season. Also, it has been rumored the Illinois and Indiana could be looking at adding varsity hockey.

WCHA New Logo and Slogan

The WCHA has released a "new" logo and a slogan to go along with it. They did it in recognition of Bemidji and Omaha joining the league. Personally, I think the old logo looks better than this one. A more prominent W does nothing for me. As for the slogan, what are they going to do if/when the Gophers and Badgers leave? Change it to "Just got easier"?

Here's the official release from the WCHA:
MADISON, Wis. – The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) is pleased to release a new-look logo and campaign slogan for the upcoming men's 2010-11 season.

Produced in conjunction with Adrenalin, Inc. of Denver, Colo., the WCHA logo features a more prominent 'W' to emphasize 'Western' as well as a new silver outline of the traditional black logo.

"As we enter into a new era in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, one that will feature new men's member teams, new member team arenas, a new format for our Final Five, and the all-new WCHA.com, we are thrilled to also unveil this newly modernized version of the Association logo as well as an exciting campaign theme for 2010-11," said Commissioner Bruce M. McLeod.

"Our slogan for the new season – 'Just Got Tougher' – is a reflection on how we feel about the addition of new league members Bemidji State University and University of Nebraska Omaha. Those two programs not only make us (WCHA) bigger and better but they also make us even more competitive. If you thought we were good at 10, just try 12."

"In the rapidly changing landscape of college sports, the WCHA remains the premier college hockey league, so the need for a refined logo and positioning tag line was imperative," said Dan Price, Principal/President of Adrenalin, Inc. "Our team analyzed the current logo and made modifications that are representative of the league's direction. More emphasis was placed on the 'W' to pay homage to the league's name, new colors were introduced to encapsulate the talent, toughness and power of the league's teams, and the player graphic was refined for more clarity in all applications."

The 12-team men's WCHA consists of University of Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State University, Colorado College, University of Denver, Michigan Technological University, University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State University, University of Nebraska Omaha, University of North Dakota, St. Cloud State University and University of Wisconsin.

Penn State to Add Hockey?

Many of you have already seen reports that Penn State will be announcing its addition of D-I ice hockey (Insidecollegehockey.com first reported it on September 13th). There has been speculation about this for years, but more than one source has now said that an announcement will be made on Friday, September 17th.

According to an article in the Altoona Mirror, the school is close to securing funding for a new 6,000-8,000 seat arena the is expected to cost $60 to $80 million.

What does that mean for the WCHA? Well, it could mean one of two things. One, there could be no change. There is an opening in the CCHA right now, and Penn State would be a good fit for that league. It'd be another big time school and would probably fairly competitive shortly after their transition. Two, it could mean the defection of Minnesota and Wisconsin to a newly formed Big Ten Conference. They would be joined by Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State from the CCHA.

As you probably already know, the NCAA minimum for the NCAA auto bid is six teams. Penn State makes six. I don't like the thought of losing the U or Wisconsin from the league. They have such long, storied programs in this league, and it would be a shame to lose them for something as silly as a six team league. With that said, there is speculation that Indiana will be adding D-I hockey, but nothing I've read has been more than that.

Further speculation is pointing to the 2014-15 season as the first season of a potential Big Ten Conference.

Overall, adding a 59th team to the college hockey ranks is good for the sport. We all know that we can't get much smaller or we run the risk of dropping back to a 12 team tourney. I've heard rumors surfacing after last season. That would not be good for the sport. Personally, if it breaks up two leagues, though, I don't like it. However, capitalism is capitalism, and it all comes down to money.

These six schools would be able to play each other 4 times per year and could create some tense rivals. On the flip side, other rivalries will be hurt. Think SCSU/UMN, UMD/UMN, UND/UMN, UND/UW, and now even the SCSU/UW series is pretty tense. I did read a report that said that some of those would be preserved. There would be enough room on their schedules to travel to these schools each year (they'd have 20 league game and 14 non-conference), but would they want to continuously schedule the same non-conference teams? I doubt it. There is a real possibility that we may only play the Gophers two out of every four years, or worse. Heck, if you're Michigan Tech or Anchorage fans, you'll probably never see either team again!

Not only will it mess with the rivalries, think of what it will do to the Final Five. You saw how empty it was last year without the Gophers. It would be even worse with them in another league. There were quite a few Gopher fans there still last year without them. I wouldn't count on seeing any of them there with the Gophers out of the league.

It's a tough thing to look at, but it sounds like it's becoming a reality soon. Personally, I'm hoping Penn State joins the CCHA and it's over, but my instincts are telling me otherwise. I hate to say it, but so long Gophers and Badgers. I hope you like your new league...

Offseason Updates and Other Information

Hello all,

I hope you have all had a great summer. I know I have. For those of you keep up on college hockey year round, most of what I'm writing about here is old news for you. If you don't follow other sites throughout the summer, much of this will be news to you. I'm just warning you now, this is pretty much SCSU hockey here. I'll get further in depth with the others closer to the season.

Welcome to the WCHA!

I'd like to welcome Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha to the WCHA family. Although I'm not thrilled about the expansion, I am looking forward to seeing you both beat up thoroughly this season! I don't know any Omaha fans, but do know a few Beaver fans. I'd like to say to all of you Beaver fans out there looking for your team to finish in the top 6, good luck. It's one thing to have success against WCHA schools during non-conference play. It's a whole new ball game now that there's 2 points on the line for every game. Teams will take you seriously now, and this won't be the cake walk you all think it's going to be. Stay tuned for my analysis and predictions for the upcoming season as we get closer to the opening weekend.

A new assistant for SCSU

Assistant Coach Eric Rud left the team on August 24th to become the Head Coach and GM of the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers. Rud has been with the Huskies since 2005 and worked with the defensemen while he was with us.

"It was by far, the hardest decision of my life," said Rud. "My family absolutely loved St. Cloud, I loved working at St. Cloud State and all the people we've met. It was a hard few days to make the decision. But you know you're going to a good spot when you pick up and leave a  great spot, but we made the decision together."

On August 9th, the Gamblers began their search, and despite not putting an ad out for the position, they had 50+ applicants. In the end, they chose Rud for the position. He was one of the people contacted by Green Bay.

"He's well-respected in USA Hockey, having been the head coach of two national select teams," Gamblers President Brendan Bruss said. "Everyone at our level was aware of his experience working with players in an international setting."

On September 7th, the Huskies announced the hiring of Steve Johnson, a long-time USHL coach. His most recent experience in the USHL was with the Fargo Force. His team finished the season with a 45-22 overall record and were the 2010 Clark Cup Finals (USHL post-season championship) runner-up.

Head Coach Bob Motzko on Steve Johnson, "Steve has been one of the most successful coaches in the history of the USHL and he is one of the great players in the history of the WCHA. His experiences as a player and a coach will be a huge asset for our program."

Steve Johnson on coming to SCSU: "I am very excited to be coming to St. Cloud State and getting back into the WCHA. I've gotten to know Coach Motzko and Coach Gibbons very well over the years, and I am looking forward to becoming a part of the program at St. Cloud State."

Believe it or not, Motzko and Johnson have somewhat of a rocky history with one another. They both were head coached in the USHL from 1998-2001. Johnson with the Lincoln Stars and Motzko with the Sioux Falls Stampede.

"We both had some great teams and if I had had a head (college) coaching job, and there was an opening (for assistant), I wouldn't have hired him back then because we were rivals," Motzko said. "When I got back into college hockey, I had to recruit some of his players and we became friends and I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and what he's been able to accomplish."

"We both had good teams and high-end players and we were real competitive," Johnson said. "I didn't have a friendship with him back in the United States Hockey League, but we've become friends and I've had many players play for him (since)." Those players include: Garrett Raboin, John Swanson, Brent Borgen, Dave Carlisle and Andy Lundbohm.

Johnson began his USHL coaching career with Fargo-Moorhead in 1995-96, and was named the head coach of the Lincoln Stars the next season. Johnson's team achieved a 40-13-1 record his first year and went on to win the Clark Cup Championship.

His USHL career record is 470-223-54. His 470 career victories rank 4th on the all-time list and his .665 winning percentage is fifth. He was named USHL Coach of the Year in 1996, 2000, and 2001. He led the Stars to the Clark Cup title in 2003, and also guided the Stars to 3 Anderson Cups (regular season titles) in 2000, 2001, and 2003.

Johnson played college hockey at UND from 1984-88 where he was named All-WCHA and All-America status during his career. He was part of the 1987 Sioux team that won the national title as well. He was a Hobey Baker finalist in 1987 and was named the WCHA Student-Athlete of the Year in 1988.

In his four season with the Sioux, Johnson posted 70 goals and 121 assists in 153 games. During his senior season, he had 34 goals and 51 assists for the Sioux.

He played two seasons in the minor leages in the late '80's as wells.

Johnson will coach the forwards at SCSU while Mike Gibbons will be coaching the defense.

Huskies add another recruit

The Huskies have also added another recruit for the upcoming season in forward Mitch MacMillan, a recruit of Northeastern University (Mass.). MacMillan de-committed from NU at the beginning of August because of "...scholarship and paperwork issues...". The coaching staff at SCSU was up in the air early on about bringing in another forward before they finally decided not to. Then, out of the blue, MacMillan called and answered their needs.

He played in the BCHL for the Alberni Valley Bulldogs where he led the league in goals with 61 and power play goals with 33. He was also third in the league in points with 93 in 53 games. His next closest challenger in goals was Penticton's Beau Bennett and Westside's Trevor Bailey who each finished the season with 41 goals, 20 behind MacMillan.

"Obviously, he's got a great stick," Motzko said of MacMillan's goal scoring. "Sixty goals doesn't lie. That tells a story in itself. He's a quality young man and comes with a work ethic."

"I'm a hardworking forward. I like to go to the net and take the body," MacMillan said. "I like the sound of the program. I talked to other people in the hockey world and they said that (Motzko) is one of the best coaches in the college hockey."

His younger brother, Mark, has committed to play at UND beginning in the 2011-2012 season.

To put him in some kind of perspective, Mark Hartigan was also a product of the BCHL and was also one of the top scorers in that league. I think we all remember the 165 points he produced in three seasons as a Husky, including the 75 he put up his last year here. I don't want to build this kid up to Hartigan levels, but it sure would be nice to have someone who could step in and produce like Lasch and Roe both did early on.

Other Husky news and notes

The Huskies will be without sophomore forward David Eddy for the first half of the season due to academic ineligibility. He had 12 goals and 11 assists in 35 games for the Huskies last year.

Aaron Marvin has been named captain for the upcoming season. Garrett Roe and Chris Hepp have been named alternate captains.

The Huskies will have their first official team practice on Saturday, October 1st, and then will play an exhibition game against the University of Manitoba at 7:07 pm at the NHC.

Fargo Force Head Coach Steve Johnson to Join SCSU Coaching Staff

Head Coach Steve Johnson of the USHL's Fargo Force is set to leave the team and join the Huskies coaching staff. Assistant Coach Eric Rud left the team on August 24th to become the head coach and general manager of the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers.

Check out the official press release from the Force on Coach Johnson.

A New Season is Upon Us

Well folks, a new season is approaching quickly. In the coming weeks I will be previewing all 12 of the WCHA member schools. I will include their key losses, their key additions, and what I expect to see out of each including my prediction.

Much has happened over the summer, and I'll do my best to get you all up to speed on everything.

Sorry for the delay. It's great to be back online!