My NCHA Preview

I know conference predictions should be made BEFORE the season starts, but I wanted to let the NCHA non-conference schedule ride, and see how teams performed the first couple weeks before making my predictions.

Here is the way I think the NCHA will shake out this year:

1. Wisconsin-Stout Blue Devils
Lots of returning faces on this team, as well as a key offensive addition with Joel Gaulrupp transferring in from UWS. If they keep up this early season pace, they will be the NCHA champs. That is iffy though, as they have been known to fade through the second half of the hockey season. They may be 7-0-0 right now, but come the end of the NCHA season, they could be anywhere from #1 to #5 in my mind. It all depends on which Stout team shows up this year. For the time being though, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and place them at number one.

2. Wisconsin-River Falls Falcons
The Falcons return all their major players (Dahl, Hansberry, etc.) from last year on the offensive/defensive side of things, and are an overall strong team on both sides of the ice. The only problem entering conference play is their goaltending situation, which keeps them from winning the NCHA in my eyes. If the transfer from Providence gets the nod in the second-half of the season though, watch out. The Falcons could be dangerous.

3. St. Norbert Green Knights
SNC lost some players last year to graduation, and is returning with a rather young team this season. Kyle Jones, starting goalie for the Green Knights returns to help the young defensive corps for SNC, which is an added plus. However, with all the new faces, SNC has its run of consecutive NCHA Championships in jeopardy, as this new team is learning how to mesh and play together as a unit still. They may not win the NCHA this year, but I expect them to do well in the coming years once these underclassmen mature.

4. Wisconsin-Stevens Point Pointers
A team that has surprised me thus far this year is the Pointers. Off to a 3-1 start, they have several returning faces, and could turn some heads this year in the NCHA. So far goalie Marcus Paulson has been having a solid season, and if he goes on to have an outstanding year between the pipes for the Pointers, this team could do some damage in the NCHA.

5. Wisconsin-Superior Yellow Jackets
The Jackets are not off to the stellar start many envisioned, posting a 1-1-3 record thus far. With star forward Braden Desmet rumored to be injured for a couple of weeks, and the fact UWS team has not been putting up good offensive numbers so far, I will have to place them 5th in my predictions. I will say though that I see UWS getting better as a club during NCHA play and come playoff time, they could do what St. Scholastica did last year in making a run to the Peters Cup Final.

6. St. Scholastica Saints
The Saints are a team that is a “mixed bag” in my eyes. They have the talent and experience to go places, but have yet to take that step. Sure they had one heck of a great run in the playoffs last season, but going up against the big boys of the NCHA this year will wear on them, as I see them putting together another 15-12 style of year. Maybe another surge in the playoffs, but I do not see them cracking the top five in the regular season standings.

7. Wisconsin-Eau Claire Bluegolds
This team has done the past two seasons under the coaching of Luke Strand, but with Strand gone, I see nothing but for the Bluegolds to go downhill this year. I will say they may show up on any given night and give NCHA opponents a run for their money.

8. Lake Forest Forresters
Not much to be said about this team that the Forresters are putting on ice this year. Sure they have a couple of returning players that put up descent numbers, but the D is lacking at Lake Forest, and until that is fixed, they will remain cellar dwellers of the NCHA.