Final 8 who will they be?

[NorthernHockeyDad]

MODERATOR'S NOTE: This post refers to the 2004-05 season

I have read this fan forum for the past 2 years and have found it very interesting,and have found members to be up to date and have there finger on the pulse of college and womens hockey in general.I have seen games at North Dakota(the nicest facility I have ever seen)Niagara Falls NY.Mercyhurst,and the Hockey East Finals in Boston last year.In 2003 I watched games in Polar Bear Tourney,which I enjoyed very much.The Canada Winter Games in New Brunswick.Ontario Provincial Championships from 1997 to 2003.Also numerous tournaments in Ontario.Prospects Tournament in 2001 ,2002.IT would be awesome if some forum members would make their prediction for the final 8,who they will be.And in the spring when the final 8 are named we can go back and see who Knows what their talking about.I realize this is not an easy chore but it would be fun to participate.I will be adding my own picks to this thread next week.Good Luck!

[Crossbar44]

MODERATOR'S NOTE: This post refers to the 2004-05 season

My final 8 List

1) Minnesota
2) Dartmouth
3) Harvard
4) Wisconsin
5) UMD
6) St. Lawrence
7) Providence
8) Mercyhurst

(Sorry UNH fans)

[Avalanche33]

MODERATOR'S NOTE: This post refers to the 2004-05 season

Youre close...but i think UNH will take provindence's spot in 04/05

[ARM]

MODERATOR'S NOTE: This post refers to the 2004-05 season

In addition to the UNH or PC question, I could see St. Lawrence losing out to Princeton or Brown.

[dave1381]

MODERATOR'S NOTE: This post refers to the 2004-05 season

The way I'd break out down is, I'd be shocked if any of Minnesota, Dartmouth, Harvard, Wisconsin, UMD didn't make it, given the rosters they have. Aside from that, Hockey East could go either way between UNH and Providence.

Four teams is within reach for the ECAC - key is the league will have to win its head-to-head games against Mercyhurst. The Lakers are playing two games against all the ECAC teams that are projected to finish 3rd to 9th place in the league, plus one against Dartmouth. They're almost like a psuedo-ECAC member this season. I'm guessing those last two bids will come down to Mercyhurst, Brown, and St. Lawrence. Mercyhurst has the fewest question marks of those three and the most balanced team in terms of experience I feel, but Brown will be the best of them all if they actually get some help in net, but that's obviously a big IF.

[brookyone]

Originally posted 10/04...a little belated but the award goes toMy final 8 List

1) Minnesota
2) Dartmouth
3) Harvard
4) Wisconsin
5) UMD
6) St. Lawrence
7) Providence
8) Mercyhurst

(Sorry UNH fans)

May be a mite tougher task in 2005-06.

[lovetowatch]

The way I'd break out down is, I'd be shocked if any of Minnesota, Dartmouth, Harvard, Wisconsin, UMD didn't make it, given the rosters they have. Aside from that, Hockey East could go either way between UNH and Providence.

Four teams is within reach for the ECAC - key is the league will have to win its head-to-head games against Mercyhurst. The Lakers are playing two games against all the ECAC teams that are projected to finish 3rd to 9th place in the league, plus one against Dartmouth. They're almost like a psuedo-ECAC member this season. I'm guessing those last two bids will come down to Mercyhurst, Brown, and St. Lawrence. Mercyhurst has the fewest question marks of those three and the most balanced team in terms of experience I feel, but Brown will be the best of them all if they actually get some help in net, but that's obviously a big IF.


Dave,

Could you explain your comment concerning Brown and the goalie comment. Seems to me that you mentioned in another post that Brown's goaltending exceeded expectations this year. This view seems to be shared by Brown's coaching staff in several on air and published comments through out they year. Perhaps I misunderstood your post.

[ARM]

Dave's post in this thread was before the 2004-2005 season started, when Brown's frosh goalies were unproven.

[dave1381]

yup, and the same could have been said for St. Lawrence at the time too. I think both teams' goaltending exceeded expectations, esp. SLU's down the stretch. You never know what you're going to get with frosh goalies, althought Moffat was no frosh - she was a CHA tourney MVP - but it took her a little while to find her place. Of course, injuries and other stuff, esp with the vets, kept that Brown team from meeting the overall expectations I conveyed back in October. Sometimes those disruptions just come out of nowhere. Also, big props to Emilie Berlinguette and Rebecca Russell for how they stepped up for SLU more than probably most of us here expected.

[lovetowatch]

Arm,

Actually Dave made the following comment this week on the ECAC
Predication Thread that is why I am confused by his post on this thread.


(Partial Quote by Dave1381 from the ECAC Predication Thread

.. . As for Brown, who knows, team fell far short of expectations this season, and while their goaltending was one area that exceeded expectations I don't think it's that much better than any of the top four teams except Dartmouth at this point.

[zam88]

My 8:

1) Dartmouth
2) Wisconsin
3) Minnesota
4) Harvard
5) Providence
6) UMD
7) St. Lawrence
8) Mercyhurst



Sorry Minn.. your time is up. MC will be missing a lot of key players, so I'd expect them to hold out the top stop... PC has a strong incoming class that should be key their season...Although Wisc and Minn has strong classes coming in as well, its about time wisc takes that jump into the two spot, and minn should take a drop this season.

[dave1381]

Arm,

Actually Dave made the following comment this week on the ECAC
Predication Thread that is why I am confused by his post on this thread.


(Partial Quote by Dave1381 from the ECAC Predication Thread

.. . As for Brown, who knows, team fell far short of expectations this season, and while their goaltending was one area that exceeded expectations I don't think it's that much better than any of the top four teams except Dartmouth at this point.
Prior to the start of 2004-05 when that first post of mine in this thread was made, I said Brown's goaltending was an obvious question mark, simply because they'd be relying on freshmen goalies - you'd say that about most any team relying on freshmen unless someone named Chartier or DeCosta is stepping into your program. In that ECAC thread, I said it turned out Brown's goaltending did pretty well, but the team as a whole didn't do as well as expected because other things didn't go so well. Understood? The confusion results from this thread mixing 2004-05 predictions and 05-06 predictions.

[Anonymous1980]

My 8:

1) Dartmouth
2) Wisconsin
3) Minnesota
4) Harvard
5) Providence
6) UMD
7) St. Lawrence
8) Mercyhurst



Sorry Minn.. your time is up. MC will be missing a lot of key players, so I'd expect them to hold out the top stop... PC has a strong incoming class that should be key their season...Although Wisc and Minn has strong classes coming in as well, its about time wisc takes that jump into the two spot, and minn should take a drop this season.


I am surprised that Harvard and Minnesota are being rated so highly for next year...With what there losing, is it not reasonable to think that they have very little left (depth wise) and will maybe need a year to rebuild? Even Dartmouth for that matter.

[dave1381]

I am surprised that Harvard and Minnesota are being rated so highly for next year...With what there losing, is it not reasonable to think that they have very little left (depth wise) and will maybe need a year to rebuild? Even Dartmouth for that matter.
Yes and no. I think those teams will need time to rebuild. But it might not take a year - it could be more like a few months or weeks. 2002 was expected to be somewhat of a rebuilding year for the Gophers too and they ended up as the No. 1 seed in the Frozen Four. There's not nearly as much variance in teams' scoring depth as there was in 2006, so I think it'll be a lot more about who has the best team D and special teams. In an Olympic year, it's a lot easier to make up ground, and you'll see a lot more movement in the rankings through the course of the season. Teams like Minnesota, Niagara, Brown, Northeastern, UNH, Wisconsin and Dartmouth bounced all over the rankings and most of them had far different second halves than first halves. While I don't think Harvard, Dartmouth, and Minnesota getting back to the Frozen Four in 2006 is the most likely outcome, I would not consider it out of the realm of possibility. It's going to be pretty wide open at the national level.

[5mn_Major]

I agree with Dave here. Darmouth has to be considered at the top of the favorites. But what I've been reading WI will be as loaded as they've ever been. I also expect MN to be competing at the top. Championship caliber teams, rarely take down camp and retire quietly. Different team entirely, but the men's Gopher team brought in 9 frosh, lost the majority of their scoring/leadership and still made the Froz4. Lastly, Harvard will be in the mix.

Dartmouth - slight fav.
WI and MN - dead heat for second
Harvard - close third

[ARM]

We can't have this discussion without including St. Lawrence. They finished 3rd at the FF, and they likely lose the least of any of the four teams. UMD will be a factor, but I think they need to get some star power out of their recruiting class, someone to replace some of the sizzle they lose without Ouellette.

[camman15]

[QUOTE=Anonymous1980]I am surprised that Harvard and Minnesota are being rated so highly for next year...With what there losing, is it not reasonable to think that they have very little left (depth wise) and will maybe need a year to rebuild? Even Dartmouth for that matter.[/QUOTE


Yes and no because there are too many ways teams can survive or take a free fall in stature,.....look, the teams that are losing the olympians will have a different look and confidence level in their lockerooms,.....the key is just how they compete early on next year; if they falter, it gives every opponent hope (something many opponents haven't had against these teams) and if there's no leadership in the lockerooms, it could mean long and trying seasons,..... it'll certainly test the metal of the coaching staffs,.....and the team(s) that prepared for this (by using the bench consistently this past season) will most likely survive and have the best chance to be in the mix for a final 4 spot,.....it would be healthly for women's hockey if there were some new "faces" in the final 4, and this could be the year,.....it'll get crazy enough come this september, so why not just enjoy the summer and not get too "nuts" about this stuff; time will tell,.....

[dave1381]

the key is just how they compete early on next year; if they falter, it gives every opponent hope (something many opponents haven't had against these teams) and if there's no leadership in the lockerooms, it could mean long and trying seasons
Certainly you need leadership in the locker room, but I'd never put too much weight on the first month of the season. Teams who've fallen short of the Frozen Four will be hopeful from the get-go, because they know full well there's no Darwitz or Wendell types to kick them around - I think those teams are going to be hungry all season win or lose in October and November. In any Olympic year, you're capable of jumping a lot more teams in the standings just by getting the most out of your roster than you are in a non-Olympic year. You look at the Frozen Four teams from 2002, Minnesota had an early 7-1 loss to UMD, Brown was mediocre until January but made the final, kind of like Harvard this past season. Teams like Northeastern and Dartmouth that started strong in 02 were nowhere to be found come March. How teams develop through the course of the season will be orders of magnitude more important towards success than how much game time 4th lines saw in 04-05, IMO.

[camman15]

Certainly you need leadership in the locker room, but I'd never put too much weight on the first month of the season. Teams who've fallen short of the Frozen Four will be hopeful from the get-go, because they know full well there's no Darwitz or Wendell types to kick them around - I think those teams are going to be hungry all season win or lose in October and November. In any Olympic year, you're capable of jumping a lot more teams in the standings just by getting the most out of your roster than you are in a non-Olympic year. You look at the Frozen Four teams from 2002, Minnesota had an early 7-1 loss to UMD, Brown was mediocre until January but made the final, kind of like Harvard this past season. Teams like Northeastern and Dartmouth that started strong in 02 were nowhere to be found come March. How teams develop through the course of the season will be orders of magnitude more important towards success than how much game time 4th lines saw in 04-05, IMO.

It's obvious that with the loss of seniors and olympians, somebody down the food chain (in ability) has to play,....it's not like any of these teams have a closet full of olympian type players coming in to fill the void,.....Let's see how some of the "didn't see much playing time last year/had a specific role") players respond to having to play in "crunch time" situations during next year's journey,.....your best coaches have the kind of vision that in some ways prepare an in-season team for the following year,.....you're not going to tell me that Laura Halldorson wasn't (in some situations) preparing her team for the upcoming season based on the idea that key players would not be available,.....like I said before, the key to the success of the Harvards and the Minnesotas of the world depends on how some of these "role" players responding to these opponents who have hope because they don't see a Wendell or Chu on the ice,.....if these teams are successful without the "pros" early on, they set themselves up for continued success; if they struggle, they'll potentially end up just like Duluth losing more than everyone expects after 3 NCAA crowns in a row,.....

[ARM]

...if they struggle, they'll potentially end up just like Duluth losing more than everyone expects after 3 NCAA crowns in a row,.....
I think a lot of UMD's struggles in 2003-2004 was having two freshmen goaltenders who were inconsistant. In 2004-2005, they had better play in net, plus better team D, and they moved back up to their usual spot in the rankings, despite only having one real star player.