Minnesota-Duluth and new member Bemidji State are among the WCHA teams already planning on debuting new arenas in 2010-11. Nebraska-Omaha may have arena news of its own soon. Mavericks coach Dean Blais said on Tuesday’s WCHA preseason teleconference with media members that the school is hoping to break ground in the spring on a 7,500-to-8,000-seat … Read more
When St. Cloud State beat Northern Michigan in the first round of the West Regional in March, the Huskies accomplished a feat that had eluded them since their birth as a Division I program in 1989. SCSU won its first national tournament game in eight tries. But Huskies coach Bob Motzko makes a simple point: … Read more
In years past, this space has been used to recap the previous year a bit. In other words, mention how Denver won the MacNaughton Cup, how North Dakota captured the Broadmoor Trophy, how the league got back to the Frozen Four thanks to Wisconsin, etc. Justin Fontaine and Minnesota-Duluth have a lot of expectations to … Read more
Last season, things were starting to look up for Alaska-Anchorage. The Seawolves had seven seniors, the most in six years, and it appeared as if they might have the necessary tools to get over the hump to finally get out of the league basement and join up with the middle of the pack. They got … Read more
Colorado College was in an underdog role last season, and it stuck. The Tigers finished in the bottom half of the league for the first time in six years. It didn’t appear as if they would end up that way, however, getting off to a good start thanks to some surprising play from freshman goaltender … Read more
A new arena and the migration to one of the nation’s most prestigious college hockey conferences is enough to create a buzz surrounding Bemidji State. Not to mention that the Beavers are coming off back-to-back national tournament appearances, including a run to the Frozen Four in 2009, and that’s enough to get Tom Serratore excited … Read more
The pieces are in place for Minnesota-Duluth to meet expectations and finish near the top of the WCHA standings in 2010-11. The Bulldogs return three 40-plus-point scorers — Jack Connolly, Mike Connolly and Justin Fontaine — that anchored a UMD power play that ranked third in Division I at the end of last season. The … Read more
The seniors on the Minnesota State roster have fallen one score short of their goal twice in the past three years. It’s the Mavericks’ goal to reach the WCHA Final Five each year, and the past two seasons, MSU was a goal away from a trip to St. Paul. The Mavericks couldn’t get a goal … Read more
The resume Dean Blais has put together would make one think it would be an easy transition when he takes his Nebraska-Omaha team from the CCHA to the WCHA. The former North Dakota coach won five MacNaughton Cups and a pair of Broadmoor Trophies in his 10 years at North Dakota, but Blais — now … Read more
After being shut out of the NCAA tournament in 2008-09, last year Wisconsin team was determined to get back on to the national scene. The Badgers accomplished that in fine form by not only making the tournament, but by going all the way to Detroit and the Frozen Four as the league’s sole representative. This … Read more
Denver was the unanimous preseason pick to win the league last season. The Pioneers succeeded in this feat by being consistently good throughout the early part of the year before going on an 11-1 tear (9-1 in conference) to finish out the season. However, it may have been too much, as the team ran out … Read more
Just by looking at their results from last season, one might think that North Dakota did its same old song and dance — start slow-ish, surge late and end up in the mix at the end of the season. Results, though, don’t tell the whole story. The Fighting Sioux started off well, but then lost … Read more
The story of Michigan Tech’s 2009-10 season was the much of the same as it has been the past few years: Enter the season with low external expectations. Live up to them, finishing dead last (and with fewer points than the year before). Get a few wins here and there, keep a few games close … Read more
It happens all over college sports. Players leave before their senior seasons to try an make it as a professional. Perhaps no college hockey coach knows this better than Don Lucia. Since Phil Kessel left Minnesota in 2006 after his freshman season, six other Gophers taken in the NHL entry draft have also signed pro … Read more
North Dakota forward Danny Kristo has been suspended for one game for violating team rules, the school announced Friday. Kristo will miss Sunday’s exhibition game against Manitoba. The school did not specify the nature of the violation.
Alaska-Anchorage defenseman Kane Lafranchise is academically ineligible for the first semester, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Lafranchise is the Seawolves’ top returning defenseman in terms of last season’s offensive production. He had three goals and 12 assists. “It’s definitely going to hurt us,” Seawolves coach Dave Shyiak told the newspaper. “The second half of last … Read more
North Dakota is the nearly unanimous choice of WCHA coaches and media members to win that league’s regular season title. The Fighting Sioux took 10 of 12 first-place votes in the coaches poll, organized by the Grand Forks Herald and 28 of 29 first-place votes in the media poll, conducted by KZIO-FM of Duluth, Minn. … Read more
USCHO writers share their thoughts on the anticipated announcement that Penn State will add a Division I men’s program, and its ramifications on the college hockey landscape.
The apparent upcoming addition of Penn State to the Division I men’s picture could be a good thing for college hockey, but that would be if it joins the CCHA, Dave Starman writes.
Seventeen teams have won a Division I men’s national championship, but there hasn’t been a name added to that list since 1993. The USCHO staff picks five teams that could be newcomers to the champions club in 2010-11.