Twitter
Facebook
Reddit
Digg
Tell us what you think!Send a letter to the editor about this or any other article in The Maine Campus.
The renovations that shut down Alfond Arena for most of the summer are nearing an end, and practice has resumed for the University of Maine men’s ice hockey team.
As the Black Bears gear up for the upcoming season, teams around the Hockey East Conference are taking to the ice as well.
The beauty of preseason is every team is allowed a fresh start and the chance to bury the previous season.
This season, fans can expect a tight race on top of the standings board in HEC play as there was a great deal of turnover on many rosters across the conference during the off-season.
As follows is a team-by-team outlook on the upcoming season for each squad in Hockey East, in the order of last season’s final standings:
Boston College:
BC returns to the ice with a bitter taste in their mouths after their 8-4 meltdown against Colorado College in the first round of NCAA regional play. The Eagles w atched four of their top five scorers depart this offseason, as leading scorer Cam Atkinson bolted for the NHL, choosing to forgo his senior season. Goaltender John Muse, the two-time national champion, graduated. Junior goalie Parker Milner would have been the starter last season on any other team and now that Muse is out of the picture, Milner will fill the void. BC will not improve upon last season’s 30-8-1 record, but the defending conference champs will recover like they always do with Head Coach Jerry York and finish in the top three in Hockey East.
New Hampshire:
Following another season with no hardware to show for it — music to the ears of UMaine fans — UNH is facing the need for a rebuilding season due to the departure of last year’s top four scorers. Junior Blake Kessel played a pivotal role on the defensive unit and power play for the Wild Cats. Paul Thompson, Mike Sislo, and Phil DeSimone graduated, as the trio combined for 58 goals and 88 assists a season ago. The Wildcats need to figure out where their offense is going to come from, which may take a season. They will finish in the middle of Hockey East.
Boston University:
There is no easy way to write this as a faithful UMaine hockey fan, so here it is: BU is the preseason favorite to win Hockey East this season. The Terriers recorded minimal loss this offseason, even though David Warsofsky ducked to the NHL and Joe Pereira graduated. After BU posted 19 wins last season, the Terriers return their top seven scorers. On top of the that, goalie Kieran Millan returned for his senior season between the pipes for the Terriers. Millan recorded 16 wins with a .919 save percentage and a 2.68 goals-against average last season and is expected to lead the Terriers further this season.
Merrimack:
The Warriors recorded a breakout season for their program last year and will return another competitive squad to the ice this season. Merrimack will take a small step back from their 25 wins as the team lost the top three scorers including junior Stephane Da Costa, who left for the NHL. The Warriors return goaltender Joe Cannata, who will keep them in any game that he starts. Cannata stood on his head at times last season, as he posted a .911 save percentage and a 2.48 goals against average. Cannata recorded 25 wins last season, and will be a big part in the Warriors finishing in the top four in Hockey East this season.
Maine:
If a team loses the top scorer from the season before, it’s tough to justify that team finishing stronger than it did the previous season, but this is the case for the Black Bears. Gustav Nyquist, who recorded 51 points, is headed to the big show, and this will open up the offensive flow for other players. Two of the Black Bears’ top-three scorers return in Spencer Abbott and Brian Flynn. Goaltender Dan Sullivan returns for his sophomore season following a strong finish to his freshman campaign. It may be a bit of hometown bias, and I am going from my gut like former President George W. Bush on this one, but if there was ever an ideal season for the Bears to jump back into the top tier it is this season and they will. Expect UMaine somewhere around number three in Hockey East at the end of the season.
Northeastern:
The Huskies return goaltender Chris Rawlings. That’s about it. Northeastern graduated its four top scorers on a weak offensive squad. Rawlings will need to stand on his head again and somehow improve upon 5 shutouts last seasons with a .920 save percentage and 2.68-GAA. Northeastern will be a bottom dweller this season.
Vermont:
The Catamounts will finish around the cutoff for the playoffs again this season. Vermont will improve upon the eight wins they picked up last season, but not by a lot. The Catamounts lost two seniors with considerable time under their belts, but it is hard to find a member of the roster that will step up and fill their offensive needs.
UMass:
The Minutemen (go ahead and laugh now, it’s OK) of Amherst will be a surprise team this season and should not be taken lightly. After a rough six-win season last year the Minutemen return nine of the top-10 scorers from last year’s squad. The only reason the Minutemen are not predicted to finish higher than fifth or sixth is due to the loss of goaltender Paul Dainton. Filling a goaltender spot on the roster can be tricky, and leaves a question mark for the Minutemen. UMass will be the surprise team in Hockey East this season.
Providence/Massachusetts-Lowell:
This is a bit mean, but both of these teams are awful and will be at the bottom of the standings all season. Therefore, they have been combined into one paragraph.
Bangor Daily News