Your Preseason WCHA Awards

MNHockey75 · Post by **MNHockey75** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:33 am

MacNaughton Cup: Colorado College
Broadmoor Trophy: North Dakota

Player of the Year: Chad Rau, Colorado College
Rookie of the Year: Aaron Ness, Minnesota
Defensive Player of the Year: Chay Genoway, North Dakota
Coach of the Year: Scott Owens, Colorado College
Scoring Champion: Chad Rau, Colorado College
Goaltending Champion: Richard Bachman, Colorado College

Team with best chance at a national championship: Colorado College

Bash Brother · Post by **Bash Brother** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:08 am

You aren't a CC fan are you?

MNHockey75 · Post by **MNHockey75** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 3:02 pm

Bash Brother wrote:You aren't a CC fan are you?

No. I'm a Sioux fan. But I think they're gonna look good with Bachman and Rau back. You add Gannon, Fredheim, Connelly, Prosser, Tyler Johnson, Vlassopoulos, Sweatt, Walsky, Testwuide, and McCulloch, and you've got yourself a team. They won it last year, and now Bachman and Rau are going to be older and better.

Denver, North Dakota, and Wisconsin will be down from last year. St. Cloud State should be about the same and Minnesota should be a little better. So I predict Colorado College will repeat, and do better in the national tournament.

sinbin006 · Post by **sinbin006** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 8:22 pm

From WCHA.com

Colorado College Picked to Repeat as WCHA Champions in 2008-09 in Annual Grand Forks Herald WCHA Coaches' Poll
by Brad Elliott Schlossman, Grand Forks Herald

Oct. 1, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The opinions of Western Collegiate Hockey Association coaches varied greatly when it came to picking a preseason rookie of the year and a preseason player of the year. There's one thing the coaches can pretty much agree on, though: Colorado College is still the team to beat.

The defending MacNaughton Cup champion Tigers received eight first-place votes and are picked to finish first in the 38th annual Grand Forks Herald WCHA preseason Coaches' Poll. UND received two first-places and is projected to finish second, followed by Denver. Minnesota and Wisconsin are tied for fourth.

"I think a lot of it is based on last year," Colorado College coach Scott Owens said. "I think the strength for us is going to be in our quality depth at forward. We also have five of the six guys who played regularly for us on defense back and all three goalies.

"I think everyone is excited to get back at it. It's an older team with good leadership."

The bottom five projected teams, in order, are St. Cloud State, Minnesota State, Mankato, Minnesota Duluth, Michigan Tech and Alaska Anchorage.

"I think CC is an improved team from last year, and they were a great team last year," UND coach Dave Hakstol said. "I think every team in the league can say they've found ways improve. What a heck of a league we have."

What perhaps best demonstrates the league's outstanding talent level this year is the coaches' votes for player of the year and rookie of the year.

UND's Ryan Duncan has a Hobey Baker Memorial Award sitting in his attic, but he didn't receive a single vote for preseason player of the year. Denver's Joe Colborne was the Canadian Junior A Player of the Year and the highest-drafted freshman in the country (first round, 16th overall), but he didn't receive a single vote for preseason rookie of the year.

Those honors went elsewhere.

Colorado College sophomore goaltender Richard Bachman is the preseason player of the year, getting three votes. St. Cloud State forward Ryan Lasch got two, as did Minnesota Duluth goalie Alex Stalock and Denver forward Tyler Bozak. CC's Chad Rau got one vote.

North Dakota's Jason Gregoire and Minnesota Duluth's Jack Connolly are the co-preseason rookies of the year. Both players received three votes, while Minnesota rookies Aaron Ness and Jordan Schroeder each got two.

MNHockey75 · Post by **MNHockey75** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 2:06 pm

sinbin006 wrote:From WCHA.com

Colorado College Picked to Repeat as WCHA Champions in 2008-09 in Annual Grand Forks Herald WCHA Coaches' Poll
by Brad Elliott Schlossman, Grand Forks Herald

Oct. 1, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The opinions of Western Collegiate Hockey Association coaches varied greatly when it came to picking a preseason rookie of the year and a preseason player of the year. There's one thing the coaches can pretty much agree on, though: Colorado College is still the team to beat.

The defending MacNaughton Cup champion Tigers received eight first-place votes and are picked to finish first in the 38th annual Grand Forks Herald WCHA preseason Coaches' Poll. UND received two first-places and is projected to finish second, followed by Denver. Minnesota and Wisconsin are tied for fourth.

"I think a lot of it is based on last year," Colorado College coach Scott Owens said. "I think the strength for us is going to be in our quality depth at forward. We also have five of the six guys who played regularly for us on defense back and all three goalies.

"I think everyone is excited to get back at it. It's an older team with good leadership."

The bottom five projected teams, in order, are St. Cloud State, Minnesota State, Mankato, Minnesota Duluth, Michigan Tech and Alaska Anchorage.

"I think CC is an improved team from last year, and they were a great team last year," UND coach Dave Hakstol said. "I think every team in the league can say they've found ways improve. What a heck of a league we have."

What perhaps best demonstrates the league's outstanding talent level this year is the coaches' votes for player of the year and rookie of the year.

UND's Ryan Duncan has a Hobey Baker Memorial Award sitting in his attic, but he didn't receive a single vote for preseason player of the year. Denver's Joe Colborne was the Canadian Junior A Player of the Year and the highest-drafted freshman in the country (first round, 16th overall), but he didn't receive a single vote for preseason rookie of the year.

Those honors went elsewhere.

Colorado College sophomore goaltender Richard Bachman is the preseason player of the year, getting three votes. St. Cloud State forward Ryan Lasch got two, as did Minnesota Duluth goalie Alex Stalock and Denver forward Tyler Bozak. CC's Chad Rau got one vote.

North Dakota's Jason Gregoire and Minnesota Duluth's Jack Connolly are the co-preseason rookies of the year. Both players received three votes, while Minnesota rookies Aaron Ness and Jordan Schroeder each got two.

I think it's funny how Ryan Duncan gets no respect. And he really shouldn't, he looked lost without Toews last year, and I can't imagine how lost he's gonna look without Oshie. VandeVelde and Duncan will probably be on the same line, so at least he's got someone to pass the puck to him.

I agree with Gregoire, Ness, and Schroeder, but I don't think Connelly will do as well as expected. I know he had a great year in the USHL but I've seen these four players play and the other three are better. And play for better teams.

Bash Brother · Post by **Bash Brother** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:59 am

Its funny that Duncan isnt respected and then you go on to say he shouldnt be respected anyways? Where is the humor?

taco27 · Post by **taco27** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 10:14 am

yeah i agree, UND wont be as good they have been in their past.

MNHockey75 · Post by **MNHockey75** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:49 pm

Bash Brother wrote:Its funny that Duncan isnt respected and then you go on to say he shouldnt be respected anyways? Where is the humor?

It's funny because the guy won the hobey and nobody respects his game. I didn't say it's a shame...it's funny. Like hahaha. Get it? When did funny mean something else?

breakout · Post by **breakout** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:25 pm

Bash Brother wrote:You aren't a CC fan are you?

Hardly a CC fan, he can only come up with twelve CC players in his post.

Because he is a NoDak fan I would assume he can come up with the entire Sioux roster without reasearch.

Bash Brother · Post by **Bash Brother** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:45 pm

MNHockey75 wrote:
Bash Brother wrote:Its funny that Duncan isnt respected and then you go on to say he shouldnt be respected anyways? Where is the humor?
It's funny because the guy won the hobey and nobody respects his game. I didn't say it's a shame...it's funny. Like hahaha. Get it? When did funny mean something else?

You say he doesnt deserve respect. You say he doesnt get respect.

Where in the boof is that funny?

MNHockey75 · Post by **MNHockey75** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 12:39 pm

Bash Brother wrote:
MNHockey75 wrote:
Bash Brother wrote:Its funny that Duncan isnt respected and then you go on to say he shouldnt be respected anyways? Where is the humor?
It's funny because the guy won the hobey and nobody respects his game. I didn't say it's a shame...it's funny. Like hahaha. Get it? When did funny mean something else?
You say he doesnt deserve respect. You say he doesnt get respect.

Where in the boof is that funny?

Sorry. I just think it's laughable how a guy can go from the Hobey Baker award (best player in college hockey), to not even getting one vote for preseason player of the year in his conference. I'm not a big Duncan fan so I can only laugh how far he has fallen in less than two years. I'm not sure why your making such a big deal out of this.

MNHockey75 · Post by **MNHockey75** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 12:42 pm

breakout wrote:
Bash Brother wrote:You aren't a CC fan are you?
Hardly a CC fan, he can only come up with twelve CC players in his post.

Because he is a NoDak fan I would assume he can come up with the entire Sioux roster without reasearch.

Reasearch? What's that? I looked at CC's loaded roster and named a few returning players that can have a big impact this season. They were picked to win it again by the coaches, they're going to be very good.

DmanDad1980 · Post by **DmanDad1980** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 2:46 pm

On WCHA Rookie of the Year...

I think the U of M freshman class of 2008 will be phenominal, so much so, that they will take votes away from each other in the "Rookie" voting at the end of the season... thus watering down the Gopher freshman chances...

So, the "Rookie" award will likely go to another team's freshman... IMO

Bash Brother · Post by **Bash Brother** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 10:47 pm

MNHockey75 wrote:
Bash Brother wrote:
MNHockey75 wrote: It's funny because the guy won the hobey and nobody respects his game. I didn't say it's a shame...it's funny. Like hahaha. Get it? When did funny mean something else?
You say he doesnt deserve respect. You say he doesnt get respect.

Where in the boof is that funny?
Sorry. I just think it's laughable how a guy can go from the Hobey Baker award (best player in college hockey), to not even getting one vote for preseason player of the year in his conference. I'm not a big Duncan fan so I can only laugh how far he has fallen in less than two years. I'm not sure why your making such a big deal out of this.

Because it isnt humorous. Its just the way it is. Feel free to point funny things when they are actually funny.

Love4Hockey · Post by **Love4Hockey** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 10:49 pm

how about garrett roe for player of the year from SCSU
freshmen of the year in my opinion might just be jake gardiner of UW
goalie of the year might be jase weslosky of SCSU
regular season champ might not be CC or ND maybe denver
final 5 winner will be a suprise team like SCSU or DU
a suprise team will be UMD
and a dissapointing team will be ND and MIN
thats just what i think

Goldy Gopher · Post by **Goldy Gopher** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 12:42 am

Love4Hockey wrote:how about garrett roe for player of the year from SCSU
freshmen of the year in my opinion might just be jake gardiner of UW
goalie of the year might be jase weslosky of SCSU
regular season champ might not be CC or ND maybe denver
final 5 winner will be a suprise team like SCSU or DU
a suprise team will be UMD
and a dissapointing team will be ND and MIN
thats just what i think

If I've deciphered this correctly (and there's a good chance I haven't) you have Denver winning the regular season and then you call them a "surprise" pick to win the final five? How does that work?

EREmpireStrikesBack · Post by **EREmpireStrikesBack** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:07 pm

Goldy Gopher wrote:
Love4Hockey wrote:how about garrett roe for player of the year from SCSU
freshmen of the year in my opinion might just be jake gardiner of UW
goalie of the year might be jase weslosky of SCSU
regular season champ might not be CC or ND maybe denver
final 5 winner will be a suprise team like SCSU or DU
a suprise team will be UMD
and a dissapointing team will be ND and MIN
thats just what i think
If I've deciphered this correctly (and there's a good chance I haven't) you have Denver winning the regular season and then you call them a "surprise" pick to win the final five? How does that work?

Pretty sure surprise team like SCSU or DU (as in they are expected, not a surprise). Either way, I wouldn't take what he says for much.

Goldy Gopher · Post by **Goldy Gopher** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:17 pm

EREmpireStrikesBack wrote:
Goldy Gopher wrote:
Love4Hockey wrote:how about garrett roe for player of the year from SCSU
freshmen of the year in my opinion might just be jake gardiner of UW
goalie of the year might be jase weslosky of SCSU
regular season champ might not be CC or ND maybe denver
final 5 winner will be a suprise team like SCSU or DU
a suprise team will be UMD
and a dissapointing team will be ND and MIN
thats just what i think
If I've deciphered this correctly (and there's a good chance I haven't) you have Denver winning the regular season and then you call them a "surprise" pick to win the final five? How does that work?
Pretty sure surprise team like SCSU or DU (as in they are expected, not a surprise). Either way, I wouldn't take what he says for much.

I wasn't planning on taking it for anything, just trying to amuse myself in class.

EREmpireStrikesBack · Post by **EREmpireStrikesBack** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:51 pm

Goldy Gopher wrote:
EREmpireStrikesBack wrote:
Goldy Gopher wrote: If I've deciphered this correctly (and there's a good chance I haven't) you have Denver winning the regular season and then you call them a "surprise" pick to win the final five? How does that work?
Pretty sure surprise team like SCSU or DU (as in they are expected, not a surprise). Either way, I wouldn't take what he says for much.

I wasn't planning on taking it for anything, just trying to amuse myself in class.

Figured you were smart enough for that. But then again you did move to Hawaii...

Love4Hockey · Post by **Love4Hockey** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:59 pm

they arent a favorite team and they have questions so i though idcall them a suprise to win it
its just my opinion

EREmpireStrikesBack · Post by **EREmpireStrikesBack** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:06 pm

Love4Hockey wrote:they arent a favorite team and they have questions so i though idcall them a suprise to win it
its just my bad opinion

Love4Hockey · Post by **Love4Hockey** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 11:35 pm

top teams
-CC
-UND
-DU

mid pack
-SCSU
-UM
-UW
-MSU

lower teams
-UMD
-MTU
-UAA

alot of peoples top 10

1-CC
2-UND
3-DU
4-UM
5-UW
6-SCSU
7-MSU
8-UMD
9-MTU
10-UAA

my top 10

1-CC
2-SCSU
3-DU
4-UND
5-UW
6-MSU
7-UM
8-UMD
9-MTU
10-UAA

CC-have to be the returning favorite with all the players they have returning espically Bachman in goal

SCSU-as we have all seen in the Motzko era this is never a team to count out cause they will bite you and will be there with the young hungry team lead by Roe and Lasch

DU-have a few question marks espically in goal but with Bozek and Rhakshani returning they have to be considered to contend heavly

UND-losing Oshie and Lamiroux will hurt deeply but with the strong depth they have they should be able to linger in this area

UW-strong returning class except Turris but losing him might not be as bad as it seems with the class this team has comming in

UM-the way this team will go depends on Kangas and his play...if hes consistant and healthy they will do fine...and dont forget 12 freshmen

MSU-Zacharias is the hope of this team...he leads this team and will need to have numbers like he had last year for this team to contend with home ice

UMD-this is a very young but talented team and is always a spoiler if they arent in it at the end and with Stalock top 5 isnt out of the question but will need more than just him

MTU-other than the team they had 2 years ago nothing has gone too well for these guys...positives are Nolan and Teslak and thats about it

UAA-what dont they need really..positive thing is that the signed Shyiak to an extension through 2013 so maybe they can geta a good class sometime with that stability

Final 5

Play in game-MSU vs Um---MSU winner
1st vs play in game
CC vs MSU---CC winner
2nd vs 3rd
SCSU vs DU---DU winner
3rd place game
SCSU vs MSU---SCSU winner
championship game
CC vs DU---DU winner

I think that there will be 4 WCHA teams that make the NCAAS and they are CC, SCSU, DU, and UND

this is more indepth from me and again its only my opinion so id like to see what all you have to say

MNHockey75 · Post by **MNHockey75** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:35 am

1. Colorado College - Rau, Bachman and Co.
2. Denver - 5-2 win over Notre Dame is all I need to hear
3. North Dakota - A little hesitant to put them this high. Outshot UMass 42-16 and lost
4. St. Cloud State - If the goaltending can hold up, they should be A-OK
5. Minnesota - Very young but very talented. I could see them sneaking into the #3 spot
6. Wisconsin - Connelly scares me
7. Minnesota State - Despite having a lot back, I think last year was a fluke
8. Minnesota-Duluth - Unfortunately they're just one step behind the top 7
9. Michigan Tech - Coming off a decent year (for Tech) but same old story
10. Alaska-Anchorage - yuck

Six could make it in but at the same time only two might. Four sounds about right. All you have to do is go 16-17, right Wisconsin.

Colorado College and Denver should be shoe-in's. It comes down to UND, SCSU, UM, WIS, and MANK to fight over the next two spots. I'll take UND and SCSU right now.

FINAL FIVE

play-in
SCSU over MINN

final 4
CC over SCSU
DEN over UND

3rd
SCSU over UND

1st
CC over DEN

Love4Hockey · Post by **Love4Hockey** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 10:26 pm

sounds like were kinda agreeing on most things
so glad someone kinda agrees with me

grindiangrad-80 · Post by **grindiangrad-80** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:59 pm

Sachetti, Hoeffel, and White to play together in the 1st game. I like it. I am predicting big things from these 3 for the next couple of years.
Go Gophers.