No. |
Team |
Of
Note |
1. |
 North
Dakota |
2004-05
record: 29-16-1
Key returnees: F T.J. Oshie; G Jordan
Parise; F Drew Stafford
Key losses: F Mike Prpich; D Matt Smaby;
F Travis Zajac |
| The
Fighting Sioux have already lost forward Travis Zajac
and defenseman Matt Smaby to the pros, and forward Drew
Stafford could be headed in that direction as well. Even
if Stafford leaves, North Dakota welcomes back all but
four players in the lineup for this month's Frozen Four
loss against Boston College, including forwards T.J. Oshie
and Jonathan Toews, defenseman Brian Lee and goaltender
Jordan Parise. Mike Forney, who'll be a freshman forward
for the Sioux next season, is a likely first-round pick
in June's NHL entry draft. |
2. |
 Wisconsin |
2004-05
record: 30-10-3
Key returnees: G Brian Elliott; F Joe
Pavelski; F Jack Skille
Key losses: F Adam Burish; F Robbie Earl;
D Tom Gilbert |
| Three
of the team's top five scorers, including All-American
defenseman Tom Gilbert, graduate. Forward Jack Skille
will be counted on to improve on the 21 points he scored
during his freshman season. Hobey Baker Award finalist
Brian Elliott should be back, and among the team's incoming
recruits is 6-foot-4 blueliner Nigel Williams, a potential
top-10 pick in the upcoming NHL draft. |
3. |
 Michigan
State |
2004-05
record: 25-12-8
Key returnees: F Bryan Lerg; G Jeff Lerg;
F Drew Miller
Key losses: F David Booth; F Colton Fretter;
D Corey Potter |
| Only
North Dakota's freshmen were better than Michigan State's
down the stretch, and with goaltender Jeff Lerg leading
the way for the Spartans, even that distinction is debatable.
What impressed us most about MSU at the East Regional
was the all-rookie line, led by Tim Crowder, that head
coach Rick Comley sent over the boards seemingly every
other shift. What had been a tumultuous tenure for Comley
now seems to have some stability, and with only a handful
of contributors graduating (defenseman Corey Potter being
the best of them), the Spartans may take a big stride
next year. |
4. |
 Boston
College |
2004-05
record: 26-13-3
Key returnees: F Brian Boyle; D Brett
Motherwell; G Cory Schneider
Key losses: F Chris Collins; F Stephen
Gionta; D Peter Harrold |
| Boston
College was blessed with the youngest team in the nation
as it made its unlikely run to the NCAA championship game
in Milwaukee. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the best players
on that team -- Chris Collins, Brian Boyle, Cory Schneider
and Peter Harrold -- are all either graduating or are
prime candidates to sign with NHL teams. Head coach Jerry
York will look to players like Benn Ferriero, Dan Bertram
and Brock Bradford to make a leap in productivity similar
to the one Collins made this season. If Boyle or Schneider
decide to return, it will be a big boost for a club that
welcomes back five of its six defensemen. |
5. |
 Minnesota |
2004-05
record: 27-9-5
Key returnees: G Kellen Briggs; D Alex
Goligoski; F Phil Kessel
Key losses: D Chris Harrington; F Danny
Irmen; F Ryan Potulny |
| What
do you make of a team that waltzed through the second
half of the season on the way to a WCHA title, only to
lose to Holy Cross in the NCAA Tournament? Uncertainty
remains as we gaze to the future for the Gophers, who
could field three top-five NHL draft picks, but still
be picked third -- or lower -- in their ultra-competitive
conference. The losses of Ryan Potulny (Philadelphia Flyers)
and Danny Irmen (Minnesota Wild) certainly hurt, but with
the talent that the Gophers return, with or without potential
No. 1 pick Phil Kessel, they will have the opportunity
to challenge for a Frozen Four berth. |
6. |
 Miami |
2004-05
record: 26-9-4
Key returnees: F Nathan Davis; G Charlie
Effinger; D Mitch Ganzak
Key losses: F Matt Davis; D Andy Greene |
| If
the goaltending duo of Charlie Effinger and Jeff Zatkoff
repeat this season's performance, and forwards Matt Christie
and Marty Guerin regain the form that allowed them to
combine for 138 points as freshmen and sophomores -- they
totaled just 40 points last season -- the RedHawks won't
skip a beat despite the loss of defenseman Andy Greene.
|
7. |
 Michigan |
2004-05
record: 21-15-5
Key returnees: F Andrew Cogliano; F T.J.
Hensick; D Jack Johnson
Key losses: F Andrew Ebbett; F Brandon
Kaleniecki; G Noah Ruden |
| Barring
offseason defections, the Wolverines -- led by forwards
T.J. Hensick and Andrew Cogliano and defensemen Jack Johnson
and Matt Hunwick -- will boast a group of skaters as talented
as any team in the nation, save North Dakota. But can
anyone stop the puck? Despite an 11-6-4 record, goalie
Billy Sauer had a rough freshman season (3.04 GAA, .898
save percentage). |
8. |
 New
Hampshire |
2004-05
record: 20-13-7
Key returnees: F Brett Hemingway; F Jacob
Micflikier; G Kevin Regan
Key losses: G Jeff Pietrasiak; F Daniel
Winnik; D Brian Yandle |
| The
Wildcats will score goals, despite the loss of Daniel
Winnik (Phoenix Coyotes) and the potential departure of
Brett Hemingway (a Colorado draft pick). What will concern
New Hampshire fans next season will be preventing opponents
from scoring. Will Kevin Regan assume the full-time goaltending
mantle for the first time? If he fits easily into that
role -- and he was a national champion at the junior level
for the USHL's Waterloo Black Hawks -- he'll have a relatively
experienced group of defensemen supporting him. |
9. |
 Denver |
2004-05
record: 21-15-3
Key returnees: F Ryan Dingle; G Peter
Mannino; F Paul Stastny
Key losses: D Matt Carle; F Gabe Gauthier |
| Losing
Hobey Baker Award winner Matt Carle is huge, and centerman
Gabe Gauthier also graduates. But everyone else is back,
including goaltenders Glenn Fisher and Peter Mannino and
high-scoring forwards Paul Stastny and Ryan Dingle. The
Pioneers will also regain the services of wing Brock Trotter,
who had five points in five games before suffering a season-ending
Achilles tendon injury in late October. |
10. |
 Harvard |
2004-05
record: 21-12-2
Key returnees: F Kevin Du; F Jon Pelle,
D Dylan Reese
Key losses: G John Daigneau, F Charlie
Johnson, F Dan Murphy |
| Harvard
flew under the radar a little bit in the 2005-06 season,
but won't have that luxury in the fall. After winning
the ECACHL playoff title, people expect bigger things
from the Crimson and a returning group of players, which
will include the team's leading scorer in Kevin Du and
standout defenseman Dylan Reese. If there's a question
mark, then it's probably in the goal, but Justin Tobe
played well in spot duty behind John Daigneau last year. |
| Poised
for a Breakout: Clarkson, Alaska-Fairbanks |