Season Preview

Season previews for teams

2000-01 NCHA Season Preview

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Check your calendars, because it might be a little hard to tell this year from last in the NCHA, where the top teams have a similar look to the 1999-2000 season. Tim Somers rounds up the conference’s outlook for 2000-01.

2000-01 ECAC Women’s Season Preview

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With several traditional powers losing key players, Dartmouth enters the 2000-01 season as the favorite in the ECAC women’s race. Don’t expect a walkover for the Big Green, however, as there’s still plenty left in the tank elsewhere. Zevi Gutfreund profiles the new year.

Season Preview: ECAC West

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With expansion on the horizon for next season, the ECAC West prepares for battle, with RIT and Elmira again expected to fight things out for the top spot. Meanwhile, Hobart, under new coach Mark Taylor, and second-year Manhattenville, look to make an impression.

Season Preview: SUNYAC

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Optimism is the word of the day before a new sports season starts, and on the eve of the 2000-2001 SUNYAC campaign, that’s exactly what every team has.

Season Preview: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

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Last year, the Irish advanced to The Joe for the first time since head coach Dave Poulin was a senior (1981-82). After struggling early on, Notre Dame finished up strong-ish, going 7-5-5 after the mid-season break and beating Ferris State in three games in South Bend to advance to the CCHA Semifinals. Poulin thinks that … Read more

Season Preview: Ferris State Bulldogs

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Bob Daniels is a nice guy. The Ferris State Bulldogs are a nice team. Nice guys don’t always have to finish last–or even close to last. “Going into this year and probably every year, I’m always optimistic, maybe a little bit more so this year than in the past,” says Daniels. “Two players that we … Read more

2000-01 CCHA Season Preview

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It started out 30 years ago with little respect after forming from the ashes of the old MCHA. But in short order, the CCHA grew into a powerhouse. Last season marked the first since 1991 that the CCHA had no teams in the Frozen Four. This season, the league’s 12 teams try to re-assert themselves, while also trying to fend off each other. USCHO’s resident CCHA insider, Paula C. Weston, breaks down the always-competitive conference.

Season Preview: Miami RedHawks

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Miami head coach Enrico Blasi is a man of few words. “We return 19 letterwinners from a year ago, including offensively our leading scorer Pat Leahy, and two gentlemen who missed the bulk of the season due to injury, Jason Deskins and Gregor Krajnc. “Defensively we return six starters. We add three freshmen to that … Read more

Season Preview: Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks

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You’ll pardon Mike Kemp if he seems effusive. In their first year of league play, the Mavericks–then a program just three years old–defeated or tied every team in the CCHA at least once, and finished second to Michigan State in the tourney’s Championship game. “Our experience at this point in time in the CCHA has … Read more

Season Preview: Western Michigan Broncos

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Another second-year coach, Jim Culhane, is pleased with the progress his Broncos made last season. “Last year was a very exciting year for us in that we finally made it back to the CCHA tournament with a young team and a young staff. It was the first time in three years that we made it … Read more

Season Preview: Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks

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Entering his second year as head coach, Guy Gadowski says, “I’m very excited–as I think everybody in Fairbanks is–to see which of these freshmen are going to come in and step up.” It’s not that the Nanooks lack veteran talent, but some freshmen are bound to “step up” for UAF this season; there are 13 … Read more

Season Preview: Michigan State Spartans

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OSU head coach John Markell recently quipped, “Michigan State lost their best goaltender last season–Mike Weaver.” Gone from the Spartan ranks is Weaver (0-8–8, +17), the last of a long line of great stay-at-home defenders that included Jeff Kozakowski and Tyler Harlton. Even head coach Ron Mason can read some of this writing on the … Read more

Season Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes

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“I’m looking forward to this season after such a disappointing season last year,” says John Markell. “It’s definitely a rebuilding year for us, one in which you might see 10 freshmen on the ice.” Rebuilding? Ohio State’s season could be further subtitled, “Oh, How the Mighty with the New Rink Have Fallen.” It was just … Read more

Season Preview: Northern Michigan Wildcats

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Rick Comley is a happy man. He’s no longer Athletic Director at Northern Michigan University. “It’s like a rebirth for me–25th year of the program, silver anniversary, and I’m back to being a full-time coach again. I can’t tell you how much that means to me, how much better I feel. “It’s great to go … Read more

Season Preview: Michigan Wolverines

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“There’s not much new in Michigan,” says head coach Red Berenson. Wouldn’t every team in the league love to have Berenson’s brand of same old, same old? The Wolverines, ranked No. 2 in the preseason USCHO.com poll behind defending national champion North Dakota, return a tremendous senior class and a stellar goaltender, with minor losses … Read more

Season Preview: Bowling Green Falcons

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Buddy Powers has a way with words. “I feel overall in the league…goaltending, staying healthy, and getting a break here and there is going to determine an awful lot of the final standings. Depending on those three categories, [especially] who stays healthy, and who gets the hot guy in the net.” If those are the … Read more

Season Preview: Merrimack Warriors

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On the face of it, the Warriors lost a lot of players at key positions. No doubt that led to their distant dead-last position in the Hockey East Coaches’ Preseason Poll. Nonetheless, there’s still room for optimism. Countering a lack of experience — particularly on defense — will be an upgrade in team speed as … Read more

Season Preview: Providence Friars

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The Friars displayed pronounced schizo tendencies last year. They opened with only two wins in their first eight games, then won nine out of 10. They followed that hot streak with a 1-6-1 stretch only to turn things around yet again and win six of eight. “It was a roller coaster year for us emotionally,” … Read more