Jim ConnellyAfter season upon season of seeming youth, Connecticut returns a lineup where veterans outweigh the inexperienced. Still, for this year’s edition of UConn, that’s not enough to earn complete respect. UConn returns the top player in Atlantic Hockey, last year’s leading scorer and MVP Tim Olsen, and graduated only one significant player in Eric Nelson. … Read more
“I think we were happy with our team last year.” That may sound crazy coming from a coach whose team finished in seventh place despite the feeling the club could compete for a top-four spot, but Ryan Soderquist means it. Okay, so maybe “happy” wasn’t the right term. There was plenty for Soderquist to pick … Read more
“We’d like to be a pleasant surprise,” were the words from Canisius head coach Brian Cavanaugh. Now in his 24th season behind the Griffs’ bench, Cavanaugh has learned that it’s better to be cautiously optimistic than to set expectations that are hard to meet. “I think the players have their expectations,” said Cavanaugh, the dean … Read more
Defending regular-season champ Boston College is tabbed to repeat that feat this season, that according to the Hockey East coaches’ poll announced Thursday at the annual media day held at the FleetCenter. Boston College received five first-place votes and 68 total points, edging out second-place Maine, which received three first-place votes and totaled 66 points. … Read more
Brian Riley, who took the head coaching reins from his brother Rob at Army this summer, is not the only new thing at West Point this year. No, half the locker room is brand new to the U.S. Military Academy — all freshmen — after Riley cleaned house upon arrival this summer. Talk about the … Read more
Depending on where you’ve been for the past five or six months, a lot has changed in Atlantic Hockey. In essence, it became known that the league was somewhat a home for the “wannabes” of the college hockey world, though those who know the league well won’t find that a strange discovery. The summer brought … Read more
Just score more goals. That’s what American International coach Gary Wright wants his team to accomplish this season. A year ago, the AIC offense scored what Wright called an “anemic” 2.04 goals per game in league play, which easily ranked dead last. Combine that with a league-worst 4.04 goals against per game and there’s no … Read more
Mercyhurst College is the top team once again in Atlantic Hockey, according to the preseason coaches poll unveiled Tuesday morning at Atlantic Hockey’s media day. The Lakers received six first-place votes and 85 points total to take the top spot. Mercyhurst was the preseason No. 1 last year in the inaugural edition of Atlantic Hockey … Read more
There’s a good chance that when the New York Rangers selected Michigan goaltender Al Montoya with the sixth pick in Saturday’s NHL Entry Draft, they realized that they got more than simply a hockey player. Sure he’s a solid goaltender whose numbers have gotten better in his two seasons at Michigan. And his performance in … Read more
If there’s anything you can say about the NHL selecting Raleigh, N.C., as the location for this year’s Entry Draft, the city has some pretty passionate fans. That was extremely obvious on day one. Beginning at 10:30 in the morning, fans were flocking into the RBC Center in its general admission sections. Around the arena … Read more
If the NHL Entry Draft were the Olympics, you might once again hear Al Michaels asking, “Do you believe in miracles?” In a shocker of a first round, a total of seven college or college-bound players were selected, punctuated by Phoenix’s fifth overall selection of Blake Wheeler, who still has another year of high school … Read more
In terms of college hockey’s place at this year’s National Hockey League Entry Draft, right now we’re looking at the power of three. In a year that might be one of the weakest for collegiate first-rounders, three prospects stand head and shoulders above the rest. Michigan goaltender Al Montoya — the top-rated North American goaltender … Read more
Talent floods in from across the seas, and other Friday notes from the NHL Draft in Raleigh, N.C.
Less than 24 hours after USCHO.com first reported that North Dakota head coach Dean Blais was headed to the NHL, the news is official. The Columbus Blue Jackets announced Blais as their associate head coach under newly-appointed head coach Gerard Gallant Friday, one day before this year’s NHL Entry Draft begins in Raleigh, N.C. Blais … Read more
I can remember my first exposure to the NHL Entry Draft. It was 1993 in the hockey hotbed of Old France — Quebec City. I was in Quebec with my godparents, whose son was earmarked as a potential first-round pick. He had just come out of high school having attended one of the better-known prep … Read more
Al Montoya is set to become the highest-selected college goaltender in the NHL Draft in four years.
After a day of meeting among the athletic directors from Atlantic Hockey, there remains little in terms of news to report. The reason: what impact the anticipated expansion of the ECAC might have on Atlantic Hockey. Four Atlantic Hockey teams — Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart — all made presentations for membership to … Read more
We spoke in depth with two Atlantic Hockey coaches about their application for acceptance into the ECAC. Five schools — Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Niagara, Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart — are making proposals today, and the ECAC will decide whether to add a school, and which one or ones, by July 1. (Also see full story: … Read more
Though the winds of change are blowing for Atlantic Hockey, for the present time things will stay the same. Commissioner Bob DeGregorio confirmed today that the league has chosen not to make any increase in scholarship monies given by member schools for the 2004-05 season. This comes after the athletic directors voted against the increase … Read more
Jim Connelly tells us that it’s quite all right for the Black Bears to feel the sorrow of losing in the title game.