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.

Strong February cements USCHO Rookie of the Year award for Boston College’s Newhook

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Last June, the name Alex Newhook became internationally-known in the world of hockey when the 18-year-old was selected in the first round (16th overall) by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2019 NHL Draft. To say that Newhook entered Boston College with high expectations on his shoulders as part of a highly-touted freshman class would be an understatement (photo: Rich Gagnon).

Cancelling the NCAA tournament, Detroit as a future host, eligibility, future protocols with men’s D-I chair Steve Metcalf: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast season 2 episode 25

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A conversation with incoming Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast season 2 episode 20

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger are joined by Steve Metcalf, chair of the NCAA men’s D-I ice hockey committee, deputy director of athletics at New Hampshire, and incoming commissioner of Hockey East.

Metcalf discusses the whirlwind of decisions that were made as news changed very quickly last week. Also discussed are the future of Detroit hosting a Frozen Four, the possibility of providing additional eligibility to hockey players, the impact of contagion on future protocols, and Metcalf’s retrospective on serving on the committee.

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D-I men’s conference tournaments canceled; the implications, what comes next? USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast season 2 episode 24

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A conversation with incoming Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast season 2 episode 20

Just hours after deciding that league playoffs would be played with no spectators in attendance, five of the six men’s D-I hockey conferences announced that they were canceling their postseason tournaments altogether.

With this news, hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger sat down to discuss the news and its implications, as well as what might come next.

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PairWise analysis: who’s in, who could be, plus what might be the effects of COVID-19: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast season 2 episode 23

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A conversation with incoming Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast season 2 episode 20

Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger look at the PairWise Rankings, who’s in and who could be in, and answer listener questions.

And they weigh in on the effects COVID-19 might have – although with breaking news, these comments may not be completely up to date as the show was recorded at about 2 p.m. EDT on March 11, 2020. Harvard’s cancellation of the remainder of its season broke after this was recorded.

USCHO PairWise Rankings: https://www.uscho.com/rankings/pairwise-rankings/d-i-men/

USCHO PairWise Explanation: https://www.uscho.com/faq/pairwise-rankings-explanation/

USCHO RPI and Explanation: https://www.uscho.com/rankings/rpi/d-i-men/

This episode is sponsored by the 2020 NCAA Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Detroit. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour for tickets.

This episode of USCHO Spotlight is sponsored by the 2020 NCAA Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Detroit. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour for tickets.

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

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Four conferences finish playoff first round; NCHC, Hockey East wrap regular seasons: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 2 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 and Ed Trefzger look back at the weekend of March 5-8, which saw four conferences begin playoffs and two others wrap up their regular seasons.

In ECAC Hockey, Princeton’s two overtime wins advanced the Tigers past Dartmouth, while it took two overtimes for Yale to advance past Union in the league’s only game three.

The big surprise in Atlantic Hockey was that there were no surprises; all three higher seeds advanced, though only Robert Morris needed three to move past Holy Cross, including a game two overtime win.

In the Big Ten, the higher seeds all won as well. Notre Dame will miss the NCAA tournament after a disappointing second semester, while Wisconsin will await decisions by three first-round draft picks who might turn pro.

The WCHA saw two lower seeds advance. Bowling Green swept Alaska and Michigan Tech downed rival Northern Michigan in a three-overtime thriller.

Hockey East settled its playoff lineup and home ice as did the NCHC, which decided everything on Friday except whether North Dakota would be alone in first place. The Fighting Hawks’ win over Omaha gave them sole possession of the Penrose Cup.

Arizona State continues to watch the PairWise, which Bemidji State showed over the weekend still has some volatility.

Plus we weigh in on the impact of the coronavirus as Rensselaer announced its series against Harvard will be played at an empty Houston Field House.

This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Frozen Four, April 9-11 in Detroit. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour to get your tickets today.

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D-I men’s hockey playoff preview, including Canisius at Bentley with Falcons’ Ryan Soderquist: Game of the Week college hockey podcast Season 2 Episode 22

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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

Our first Game of the Week this season between two Atlantic Hockey teams features a first-round match up sending Canisius to Bentley for a best-of-three series. Falcons head coach Ryan Soderquist joins hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger for a preview.

We also look at every other playoff matchup in D-I men’s hockey, taking note of Wisconsin at No. 11 Ohio State – especially after the Badgers took five of six points from the Buckeyes last weekend – in the Big Ten and which series may lead to an upset in ECAC Hockey. Plus No. 3 Minnesota State and No. 10 Bemidji State and their home series in the WCHA vs. Alaska Anchorage and Lake Superior State respectively, as well as Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan and Bowling Green at Alaska.

Meanwhile, it’s still the regular season in two conferences. St. Cloud State, No. 6 Denver, and No. 17 Western Michigan all look to sew up home ice in the NCHC, though it’s a tall order for the Huskies at No. 5 Minnesota Duluth. And in Hockey East, Boston University, Providence, Northeastern, and New Hampshire are four teams trying to find one of three chairs when the music stops playing.

This episode is sponsored by the 2020 NCAA Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Detroit. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour for tickets.

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

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Hockey East picks: Mar. 5-7

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The final weekend of the regular season with plenty of positioning on the line. My positioning against Dave? Well, it’s improved (how about calling one of those UVM wins last week!?), but time is so short a comeback seems highly unlikely. Jim last week: 6-2-1 Dave last week: 4-4-1 Jim to date: 122-81-26 Dave to … Read more

This Week in Hockey East: New Hampshire needs execution ‘where it needs to be’ if conference playoffs in the cards

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New Hampshire is not too far removed from a 7-3-1 stretch that took the Wildcats from a club with no postseason hopes up to a spot where earning home ice seemed realistic. But back-to-back losses to Boston University followed by a series a week ago against UMass Lowell where the Wildcats probably played well enough to take more than the single point that they did, and suddenly, it is the midnight hour for this UNH team (photo: Rich Gagnon).

Cornell’s Mike Schafer talks Big Red and ECAC Hockey: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast season 2 episode 22

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A conversation with incoming Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf: USCHO Spotlight college hockey podcast season 2 episode 20

Cornell completed its regular season with just two losses and won ECAC Hockey’s Cleary Cup for the regular season championship. Big Red head coach Mike Schafer joins hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger to look at this year’s season, the preparation for upcoming playoffs, historic Lynah Rink and Cornell’s great fan support, ECAC Hockey, the Ivy League, and his service on the NCAA men’s D-I Ice Hockey committee.

This episode of USCHO Spotlight is sponsored by the 2020 NCAA Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Detroit. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour for tickets.

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

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Hockey East, NCHC still have things to decide; other conference playoffs set: Weekend Review college hockey podcast Season 2 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

Playoff fields are set in four conferences after last weekend, while two conferences still have a final week left in their regular season. Hosts Jim Connelly and Ed Trefzger look at the results of February 27-29, 2020.

In Hockey East, Boston College has clinched the regular season and UMass has locked up home ice, but four teams are still battling for the last three playoff spots.

In the NCHC, North Dakota has won a share of the regular-season Penrose Cup, but Minnesota Duluth could share that title, while St. Cloud still has a shot at home ice.

Cornell’s highly-anticipated Saturday contest with Clarkson was a bit anticlimactic after the Golden Knights’ tie with Colgate on Friday clinched the Cleary Cup for the Big Red, but the surprise team in ECAC Hockey is Rensselaer, which earned a first-round playoff bye.

With its season completed last week, Penn State had to await the results of the weekend to see whether it would hold onto first place in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions won their first Big Ten regular-season title after Minnesota and Ohio State managed just one point each on the weekend.

In the WCHA, Minnesota State clinched sole possession of first place with a weekend split with Bemidji State, while Alaska’s sweep of Alaska Anchorage gave the Nanooks home ice in the first round of the playoffs.

Atlantic Hockey’s repeat regular season champion American International had already clinched the league, but three teams competed over the weekend for the first-round bye, which Niagara won with a sweep of Robert Morris.

And Arizona State’s PairWise position was shored up by the weekend’s results, with the Sun Devils at No. 12.

This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Frozen Four, April 9-11 in Detroit. Visit ncaa.com/frozenfour to get your tickets today.

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

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Hockey East picks – Feb. 27-29

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Well, I think we can officially forget about the race for first in the picks battle – Dave will take it when all is said in done. I can’t with integrity even pick opposite of him enough to gain much ground. So I give a hat’s off. Last week was awful. Some upsets combined with … Read more