The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

[Freddie]

Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

Yes, I know this isn't really WCHA related, but:

I predict that before the mid-season break our "friends" at Miami will be under the NCAA microscope for some sort of recruiting/improper benefits violation.

***DISCLAIMER***
I have ZERO first hand information on which to base this belief, only a gut feeling that something down there doesn't smell right.

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

For Bemidji State, gone are the three seniors, Jeff Jubinville, Radoslav Illo and Matt Hartmann. Also not showing up on the roster from last year are D.J Jones, Danny Mattson and Brad Robbins.

Also gone is assistant coach Bert Gilling who took a college head coaching job at Mount Royal University in Calgary. Up until that departure, the BSU coaching staff had the longest tenure of that in NCAA Hockey, something like 10 or 11 years together.

Showing up as the incoming freshmen class are Michael Bitzer (G), Kyle Bauman (F), Jordan Heller (F), Leo Fitzgerald (F), Gerry Fitzgerald (F), Myles Fitzgerald (F), Brett Beauvais (D) and Jay Dickman (F).

Not sure what to make of this year's team as of yet. The top four scorers are back this year (Ward, Gerbrandt, Prapavessis, Harms) so that should bode well as they all will be a year older. The Beavers started out more wide open offensively last year, putting up decent numbers early on. That offense then declined in the second half of the year.

I think if I had to pick one area where I was disappointed last year was goaltending. Not very often you can say that about a BSU team. The job was Andrew Walsh's to run with last year, but there were times it seemed like his focus was someplace else. That opened the door for Jesse Wilkins to make an impact as a freshman, and he did well in his early starts and then struggled some at the end. Those two, along with Reid Mimmick and Michael Bitzer are going to be battling for time as I don't think Walsh really did anything last year to solidify himself as the go to guy (even if he is a senior).

As for the incoming freshmen, everyone in Bemidji is looking forward to the Fitzgerald triplets and seeing if their production in the BCHL will continue over to NCAA play. I think most fans realize that it is a huge jump from Juniors to NCAA Hockey and that defense tends to be a lot stiffer in the NCAA ranks. Jay Dickman is generating some buzz as well, being 6'6" and 225 pounds. He put up good numbers in the NAHL with Austin this past year.

Schedule wise, the Beavers don't get a break early on. They start off with a home and home with North Dakota and then play at Minnesota. They then have Fairbanks at home to open up WCHA play. Rounding out non-conference play is St. Cloud State in Bemidji, and then the North Star Cup, taking on Duluth in the first game and then either Minnesota or Mankato. In conference play, they will have Mankato, Michigan Tech, Bowling Green, Anchorage and Northern Michigan for four games, play Huntsville, Fairbanks and in Bemidji, and will be on the road at Ferris and Lake Superior.

I do think the Beavers will improve on their 10-21-7 (10-14-3 WCHA) record. I think a .500 record in league play is doable, .500 overall would be a great season, but a stretch looking at the non-conference schedule.

Hey, its the beginning of the year and everyone has hopes of grandeur!

[Slap Shot]

Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

Yes, I know this isn't really WCHA related, but:

I predict that before the mid-season break our "friends" at Miami will be under the NCAA microscope for some sort of recruiting/improper benefits violation.

***DISCLAIMER***
I have ZERO first hand information on which to base this belief, only a gut feeling that something down there doesn't smell right.

Kind of a bizarre thing to have a "gut feeling about". Care to elaborate?

[UAHStatman]

Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

Geof will probably add to this, but here's what I have for UAH:

As one might expect from a squad that went 2-35-1, there is a bit of turnover on the roster. Gone are four graduates (Alex Allan, Brice Geoffrion, Mat Hagen, and CJ Groh) and six more cut.

Sixteen players return, including our goaltending tandem of Matt Larose and Carmine Guerriero, each of whom showed signs of brightness in their freshmen campaigns as well as growing pains. They were easily our co-MVPs last season. You may recall that Guerriero made a school D-I record 61 saves at Minnesota State back in February.

UAH's offense was almost nonexistent, to put it mildly, scoring only 41 goals in 38 games. Only four players had double-digit points on the season, led by Jack Prince (8-5-13), Matt Salhany (5-7-12), and Chad Brears (6-4-10). Salhany was impressive with his speed as a freshman. The other 10-point scorer was defenseman Steve Koshey, who was one of those cut.

Eight freshmen join the Chargers, along with junior Alex Carpenter, who sat out a year after transferring from Western Michigan. The newcomer I'm particularly most interested in is Max McHugh, who signed with UAH during the early period and scored 21 goals for Dubuque of the USHL last season.

This is the first time in four years or so that the entire staff has stayed intact, which is crucial if this program is to find the stability and growth it desperately needs.

We play 36 regular season games plus two home exhibitions against the U.S. Under-18 squad. All 14 regular-season home games are WCHA contests. Our non-conference series are at Colorado College to open the season, at Northern Michigan (we had a contract with them before joining the WCHA), at Air Force (Coach Corbett's homecoming), and at Nebraska-Omaha.

Geof and I are hoping for about eight wins this season, which sounds silly without context but for us represents actual growth, and we'll take anything we can get at this point. Last year's experience, however painful, was necessary for the returning players to realize what it takes to be a true Division I program again.

LET'S GO CHARGERS!!!

[davyd83]

Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

Geof will probably add to this, but here's what I have for UAH:

As one might expect from a squad that went 2-35-1, there is a bit of turnover on the roster. Gone are four graduates (Alex Allan, Brice Geoffrion, Mat Hagen, and CJ Groh) and six more cut.

Sixteen players return, including our goaltending tandem of Matt Larose and Carmine Guerriero, each of whom showed signs of brightness in their freshmen campaigns as well as growing pains. They were easily our co-MVPs last season. You may recall that Guerriero made a school D-I record 61 saves at Minnesota State back in February.

UAH's offense was almost nonexistent, to put it mildly, scoring only 41 goals in 38 games. Only four players had double-digit points on the season, led by Jack Prince (8-5-13), Matt Salhany (5-7-12), and Chad Brears (6-4-10). Salhany was impressive with his speed as a freshman. The other 10-point scorer was defenseman Steve Koshey, who was one of those cut.

Eight freshmen join the Chargers, along with junior Alex Carpenter, who sat out a year after transferring from Western Michigan. The newcomer I'm particularly most interested in is Max McHugh, who signed with UAH during the early period and scored 21 goals for Dubuque of the USHL last season.

This is the first time in four years or so that the entire staff has stayed intact, which is crucial if this program is to find the stability and growth it desperately needs.

We play 36 regular season games plus two home exhibitions against the U.S. Under-18 squad. All 14 regular-season home games are WCHA contests. Our non-conference series are at Colorado College to open the season, at Northern Michigan (we had a contract with them before joining the WCHA), at Air Force (Coach Corbett's homecoming), and at Nebraska-Omaha.

Geof and I are hoping for about eight wins this season, which sounds silly without context but for us represents actual growth, and we'll take anything we can get at this point. Last year's experience, however painful, was necessary for the returning players to realize what it takes to be a true Division I program again.

LET'S GO CHARGERS!!!

Call the series at NMU a homecoming for Corbett as well. He played Midget AAA for the Marquette Electricians, his wife is a Marquette native and his son was born there too.

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

Our non-conference series are at Colorado College to open the season, at Northern Michigan (we had a contract with them before joining the WCHA), at Air Force (Coach Corbett's homecoming), and at Nebraska-Omaha.

I just went and looked at the dates - @ CC Oct 10/11 and then @ AF Nov 07/08. The Chargers are going to have some bus legs that month. Of course for the kids on the roster that lived through the "Independent Era" I'm sure they are just glad to have a very solid D-I schedule with good teams every weekend. That's a very solid non-conference schedule.
Ryan J

[uaafanblog]

Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

Here's my preview of the Seawolves ...

http://uaafan.blogspot.com/2014/09/2...y-preview.html

[davyd83]

Here's my preview of the Seawolves ...

http://uaafan.blogspot.com/2014/09/2...y-preview.html

Nice piece. Thanks for sharing.

[uaafanblog]

Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

Nice piece. Thanks for sharing.

Honestly, it was rushed, lacking and devoid of analysis.

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

Honestly, it was rushed, lacking and devoid of analysis.

Oh, you mean the same way they decided to create the NCHC.
Ryan J

[uaafanblog]

Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

Oh, you mean the same way they decided to create the NCHC.
Ryan J

Zactly that way.

[Jimjamesak]

Oh, you mean the same way they decided to create the NCHC.
Ryan J

Double Bazinga?

[Critical Thinker]

Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

Oh, you mean the same way they decided to create the NCHC.
Ryan J

http://funny-lover.com/wp-content/up...got-burned.png

[aparch]

Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

WCHA makes it official, Edina is the new home of the WCHA.

http://wcha.com/men/wcha/contact.php

Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Suite C
Minnesota State University, Mankato at Edina
7700 France Avenue South, Suite 360
Edina, MN 55431

Mankato is the host school for the league office. Cue rumors of them leaving the WCHA causing the league to look for a new home office soon.

[Critical Thinker]

Re: The New WCHA, 2014 Offseason: See-ya, Bruce

Mankato is the host school for the league office. Cue rumors of them leaving the WCHA causing the league to look for a new home office soon.

So that's why there's WCHA officials walking around our campus right now.