Jim Connelly

Jim Connelly is the USCHO Executive Editor. He has been with USCHO since 1999 and previously covered Atlantic Hockey and Hockey East. He also serves as a color analyst for Hockey East on NESN.

TMQ: Recapping the thrilling weekend in college hockey, discussing Hobey Baker, Mike Richter award candidates

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Each week during the season, we look at the big events and big games around Division I men’s college hockey in Tuesday Morning Quarterback. Jim: I don’t remember, Ed, a weekend as crazy as this past one was. A Hockey East regular season that went down to the last seconds, a co-championship in the NCHC … Read more

A wild finish in Hockey East, NCHC; drama in the first round of conference playoffs: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 22

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Hockey East selects Metcalf, conference races stay hot, PairWise odds: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 19

Hosts Jim Connelly, Derek Schooley, and Ed Trefzger look at this past weekend’s games and news.

This podcast is sponsored by DCU – Digital Federal Credit Union – at dcu.org

Topics include:

• The wildest finish ever in Hockey East

• NCHC finish was a close second for drama

• First round of playoffs provided a lot of excitement, but few upsets

• PairWise: What are Ohio State’s hopes? What are the chances of more than three eastern teams?

• And revisiting the old “Colorado College” rule: Do criteria need to change so that a team winning 25 games isn’t left out?

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Previewing No. 4 North Dakota at No. 20 Omaha with Fighting Hawks’ head coach Brad Berry: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 18

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No. 8 UMass home-and-home vs. No. 14 UMass Lowell preview with Minutemen head coach Greg Carvel: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 20

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by North Dakota head coach Brad Berry to preview the No. 4 Fighting Hawks at No. 20 Omaha.

Also previewed are four other matchups to be featured in USCHO’s Bettor’s Edge column this week:

• No. 10 St. Cloud State at No. 11 Minnesota Duluth

• No. 9 UMass at Boston College

• No. 16 UMass Lowell at New Hampshire

• Penn State at No. 12 Ohio State

This podcast is sponsored by DCU – Digital Federal Credit Union – at dcu.org.

Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, in your favorite podcast app, or on Spreaker.

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Bracketology: With postseason starting, two spots maximum up for grabs for upcoming NCAA hockey tournament

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As we approach the home stretch of the college hockey season, we’re seeing some teams really solidify their NCAA tournament positions. We can say certainly that Minnesota State, Michigan and Minnesota all have punched their NCAA tickets and Denver, North Dakota, Western Michigan Notre Dame and St. Cloud State are all virtual locks (though my … Read more

Outgoing NCHC commissioner Josh Fenton on the conference, college hockey: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 21

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USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by NCHC commissioner Josh Fenton. The conversation includes the conference’s position as college hockey’s top league, his departure to the Summit League, three-on-three overtime, realignment, and working with the other five conferences.

This podcast is sponsored by DCU – Digital Federal Credit Union – at dcu.org.

Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, in your favorite podcast app, or on Spreaker.

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Minnesota, Quinnipiac win conferences, North Dakota is close; Bubble teams? Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 21

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Hockey East selects Metcalf, conference races stay hot, PairWise odds: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 19

Hosts Jim Connelly, Derek Schooley, and Ed Trefzger look at this past weekend’s games and news.

This podcast is sponsored by DCU – Digital Federal Credit Union – at dcu.org

Topics include:

• What did we learn about Minnesota, the Big Ten champ?

• North Dakota’s sweep puts them on the edge of clinching the NCHC

• ECAC champ Quinnipiac continues to fall in PairWise, but barely allows goals

• With Notre Dame’s sweep of Michigan, how good are the Fighting Irish?

• What’s the outlook for teams on the PairWise bubble: Ohio State, Northeastern, UMass Lowell, Boston University, Clarkson, Providence?

• And it’s the first weekend of playoffs in four conferences

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USCHO BETTOR’S EDGE: Can underdogs really be this juicy? It feels like the week to go with a monster pick

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Let’s face it. Monsters are difficult to grab. Last week, we had two underdogs win but it was Providence at +115 and Denver at +110. This week, we have some monster underdogs, most notably Cornell at +220 traveling to Quinnipiac and Michigan Tech at +225 hosting Minnesota State. I don’t want to offer advice, but … Read more

Previewing No. 2 Michigan at No. 9 Notre Dame with voice of the Irish Darin Pritchett: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 17

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No. 8 UMass home-and-home vs. No. 14 UMass Lowell preview with Minutemen head coach Greg Carvel: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 20

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by radio voice of the Irish Darin Pritchett to preview No. 2 Michigan at No. 9 Notre Dame.

Also previewed are four other matchups to be featured in USCHO’s Bettor’s Edge column this week:

• No. 1 Minnesota State at No. 14 Michigan Tech

• No. 6 Western Michigan at No. 7 North Dakota

• No. 18 Cornell at No. 5 Quinnipiac

• No. 19 Connecticut at No. 15 Northeastern

This podcast is sponsored by DCU – Digital Federal Credit Union – at dcu.org.

Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, in your favorite podcast app, or on Spreaker.

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Bracketology: The first set of predictions on which college hockey teams crack the field of 16 for the 2022 NCAA tournament

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It’s finally that time of year where everyone is wondering what teams will make the NCAA men’s Division I ice hockey tournament and, more so, where their favorite teams will likely be playing. Thus, we’ll dust off the old column called Bracketology. Each week until selection Sunday, Jayson Moy and I try to give you … Read more

Boston University’s Albie O’Connell talks Terriers, Hockey East, evolution of the game: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 20

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USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by Boston University head coach Albie O’Connell. The conversation includes this season’s Terriers and their great run since December, the evolution of the game and coaching, transfers, overtime rules, and the Hockey East playoff race.

This podcast is sponsored by DCU – Digital Federal Credit Union – at dcu.org.

Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, in your favorite podcast app, or on Spreaker.

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Sweeps hard to come by, four conferences up for grabs: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 20

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Hockey East selects Metcalf, conference races stay hot, PairWise odds: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 19

Hosts Jim Connelly, Derek Schooley, and Ed Trefzger look at this past weekend’s games and news.

This podcast is sponsored by DCU – Digital Federal Credit Union – at dcu.org

Topics include:

• Sweeps were hard to come by this past weekend for top-20 teams

• Quinnipiac’s loss to Harvard probably keeps them from top four in PairWise

• AIC, Minnesota State clinch their respective regular-season titles, but no other conference is close to a clinch

• What team feels best poised for a late-season run?

• Can special teams be the magic formula?

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USCHO BETTOR’S EDGE: Might this finally be the week where betting the road underdog pays dividends?

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As we head towards the end of the season, it feels like the sports books are finally beginning to figure out college hockey. Let’s all understand: nationwide sports betting is still very new, particularly to companies like DraftKinds and FanDuel. Even experienced sportsbooks like Caesars, if they run college hockey odds, likely don’t have an … Read more

Previewing No. 9 North Dakota at No. 7 Minnesota Duluth with CBS Sports Networks’s Dave Starman: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 16

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No. 8 UMass home-and-home vs. No. 14 UMass Lowell preview with Minutemen head coach Greg Carvel: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 20

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by CBS Sports Network hockey analyst Dave Starman to preview No. 9 North Dakota at No. 7 Minnesota Duluth.

Also previewed are four other matchups to be featured in USCHO’s Bettor’s Edge column this week:

• No. 11 Ohio State at No. 2 Michigan

• No. 19 Providence at No. 16 UMass Lowell

• No. 3 Denver at No. 6 Western Michigan

• Bemidji at No. 1 Minnesota State

This podcast is sponsored by DCU – Digital Federal Credit Union – at dcu.org.

Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, in your favorite podcast app, or on Spreaker.

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Mercyhurst’s Rick Gotkin talks Lakers, Atlantic Hockey, D-I committee: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 19

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USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by Mercyhurst head coach Rick Gotkin. The conversation includes this season’s Lakers, the regular-season race in Atlantic Hockey, transfers, and serving on the NCAA D-I men’s ice hockey committee.

This podcast is sponsored by DCU – Digital Federal Credit Union – at dcu.org.

Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, in your favorite podcast app, or on Spreaker.

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Boston University captures Beanpot title, but result has notable PairWise implications for Terriers, Northeastern

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I am an interested observer who lives in Beanpot land and to be honest, the Beanpot seems like such a meaningless tournament to much of the country every year. And as someone who has lived in Massachusetts his whole life, why should anyone care about a Beanpot? I will tell you why: The Beanpot is … Read more

Is Big Ten the best this season? Plus winners, losers, Beanpot, Olympics, standings outlook: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 19

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Hockey East selects Metcalf, conference races stay hot, PairWise odds: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 19

Hosts Jim Connelly, Derek Schooley, and Ed Trefzger look at this past weekend’s games and news.

This podcast is sponsored by DCU – Digital Federal Credit Union – at dcu.org

Topics include:

• Is the Big Ten the best conference in college hockey this season?

• Which teams slipped up this past week

• Which teams are heading the other direction

• Looking at the Beanpot, and the performances of Duplessis and Semptimphelter

• Can this U.S. Olympic team win the gold?

• And a survey of standings across the six conferences

Subscribe to this podcast on Apple podcasts, in your favorite podcast app, or on Spreaker.

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USCHO BETTOR’S EDGE: Plenty of battles between nationally-ranked opponents as the college hockey season begins to wind down

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One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. That’s a pretty good cliche that is used in everyday life, but it also can apply to sports wagering. It’s just as easy for someone to hate a team and avoid wagering on them as it is for another to see the ultimate value. This being Super Bowl … Read more

Previewing Beanpot final with NESN’s Billy Jaffe: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 4 Episode 15

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No. 8 UMass home-and-home vs. No. 14 UMass Lowell preview with Minutemen head coach Greg Carvel: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 20

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by NESN hockey analyst Billy Jaffe to preview No. 20 Boston University vs. No. 15 Northeastern in Monday’s Beanpot final.

Also previewed are four other matchups to be featured in USCHO’s Bettor’s Edge column this week:

• No. 7 Minnesota at No. 8 Ohio State

• No. 20 Boston University at No. 7 Providence

• No. 15 Northeastern at No. 13 UMass Lowell

• No. 6 Minnesota Duluth at No. 3 Denver

This podcast is sponsored by DCU – Digital Federal Credit Union – at dcu.org.

Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, in your favorite podcast app, or on Spreaker.

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