GROAN!
Quote:NCHC Preseason Poll
1. Minnesota Duluth – 208 points (17 first-place votes)
2. Denver – 187 (7)
3. North Dakota – 183 (4)
4. Omaha – 148
5. Miami – 142 (2)
6. St. Cloud State – 117
7. Western Michigan – 60
8. Colorado College – 35
How did Miami get 2 1st place votes?
i mean, that is where our play put us last year.
We got under ranked but I'm not surprised. Expect our team this year to have a major impact from its freshman and players who haven't played to their potential yet. If voters were well read on WMU I feel we would've gotten put in the 4-6 range.
(09-23-2015 04:11 PM)JSB3 Wrote: [ -> ]We got under ranked but I'm not surprised. Expect our team this year to have a major impact from its freshman and players who haven't played to their potential yet. If voters were well read on WMU I feel we would've gotten put in the 4-6 range.
Agreed. I'm not expecting much for this season but I haven't been paying much attention and this is a very western conference so the media isn't paying attention either. I'm surprised Miami is low. Did they lose a lot of players?
I'm ready for college hockey at this point.
(09-23-2015 02:22 PM)SilentStryk09 Wrote: [ -> ]i mean, that is where our play put us last year.
yeah, not surprised we are here, have to prove we are better than we showed last year. I think we have the pieces to have a really nice year. Losing hargrove and kovacs but bringing back some serious talent, and Colt Conrad looks like he'll be a good scorer right out of the gate.
(09-23-2015 04:33 PM)Bronco14 Wrote: [ -> ]I'm surprised Miami is low. Did they lose a lot of players?
I'm ready for college hockey at this point.
Riley barber and Austin Czarnik are the big departures
Still giddy Czarnik is gone. Man he could fly.
(09-23-2015 04:11 PM)JSB3 Wrote: [ -> ]We got under ranked but I'm not surprised. Expect our team this year to have a major impact from its freshman and players who haven't played to their potential yet. If voters were well read on WMU I feel we would've gotten put in the 4-6 range.
Preseason rankings are tough to make. So much speculation on the impact of incomming freshman. It is interesting the team picked to win it all really struggled against the Broncos the last two years
If true, Broncos should do very well
I think the Broncos will be a top 4 team this year and should compete for home ice come playoffs. If healthy and we will make a run at conference titles.
I happy with flying below the radar for a while
Just take care of the non-conference games and home games vs CC
Is it last season, or our overall performance over the past two seasons or more, combined with an assessment of the quality of players on this year's squad, as compared to the current rosters of the other teams in our league which led to our ranking?
I'm not sure I buy into the west coast bias theory, but I do suspect that the media and even the coaches factor the relative strength of a program with pre season rankings. They understand that certain schools very rarely have multi year slumps, and typically those teams manage to put excellent teams on the ice as a result of the history of those programs, and the commitment to quality that those schools maintain.
We absolutely need to have an outstanding season this year. And this is a very tough conference to do that. No gimmy games ever.
.....I know, I know, this league is the best thing that could have ever happened to WMU, and our hockey program is going to take off any day now and challenge for national championships. ......like ferris, Minnesota state, and mich tech. ..,.oh no, sorry, wrong league.
(09-24-2015 06:30 AM)brovol Wrote: [ -> ]Is it last season, or our overall performance over the past two seasons or more, combined with an assessment of the quality of players on this year's squad, as compared to the current rosters of the other teams in our league which led to our ranking?
I'm not sure I buy into the west coast bias theory, but I do suspect that the media and even the coaches factor the relative strength of a program with pre season rankings. They understand that certain schools very rarely have multi year slumps, and typically those teams manage to put excellent teams on the ice as a result of the history of those programs, and the commitment to quality that those schools maintain.
We absolutely need to have an outstanding season this year. And this is a very tough conference to do that. No gimmy games ever.
.....I know, I know, this league is the best thing that could have ever happened to WMU, and our hockey program is going to take off any day now and challenge for national championships. ......like ferris, Minnesota state, and mich tech. ..,.oh no, sorry, wrong league.
Ferris challenged for the ncaa championship when they were in the ccha, made the 2nd round two years ago in the 1st year of the new conferences and finished behind the Broncos last year. Minnesota state and Michigan tech haven't made it out of the first round since the leagues switched up.
(09-24-2015 06:30 AM)brovol Wrote: [ -> ]Is it last season, or our overall performance over the past two seasons or more, combined with an assessment of the quality of players on this year's squad, as compared to the current rosters of the other teams in our league which led to our ranking?
I'm not sure I buy into the west coast bias theory, but I do suspect that the media and even the coaches factor the relative strength of a program with pre season rankings. They understand that certain schools very rarely have multi year slumps, and typically those teams manage to put excellent teams on the ice as a result of the history of those programs, and the commitment to quality that those schools maintain.
We absolutely need to have an outstanding season this year. And this is a very tough conference to do that. No gimmy games ever.
.....I know, I know, this league is the best thing that could have ever happened to WMU, and our hockey program is going to take off any day now and challenge for national championships. ......like ferris, Minnesota state, and mich tech. ..,.oh no, sorry, wrong league.
No no no, hockey gets a pass until next year. We're big on passes around here.
I guess now just making it to the 16 is "challenging for national championships"?
You DO get that the 16 best don't always make it, right?
(09-24-2015 06:30 AM)brovol Wrote: [ -> ]our hockey program is going to take off any day now and challenge for national championships. ......like ferris, Minnesota state, and mich tech. ..,.oh no, sorry, wrong league.
Please tell me you didn't just say Minn State, Ferris and Tech are playing for national titles. I hope your legal judgment isn't as poor as your hockey judgment.
I'm sure his ankles touched the ice.
Those schools have had the opportunities to play for a championship. So did WMU not too long ago. At the same time those other schools were not as solid as we were. But things have changed; and not in a positive way for the Broncos. We will continue to assess progress, and I continue to hope one of these days you guys are right about something. My recollection was that our last few years in the CCHA western was an up and coming on the rise program. Are we still?
You all can giggle about my prognostications a few years ago, and ACT as if you are winning the argument, even in the face of reality. You aren't the only ones giggling though. Ferris, Minnesota St, tech, and the others continue to love the fact that we are in the nchc.
I recall we destroyed the other leagues we played last year and it was only the NCHC ----- with pretty much 5-6 teams in it making the 16 teams that go to the to National Tournament ----- where we struggled.
(09-24-2015 03:33 PM)brovol Wrote: [ -> ]You all can giggle about my prognostications a few years ago, and ACT as if you are winning the argument, even in the face of reality.
I don't think either side can make a definitive case that they're "winning" the argument at this point. I still think it will take at least a decade before a "winning" side emerges.
(09-24-2015 06:45 PM)The Colonel Wrote: [ -> ] (09-24-2015 03:33 PM)brovol Wrote: [ -> ]You all can giggle about my prognostications a few years ago, and ACT as if you are winning the argument, even in the face of reality.
I don't think either side can make a definitive case that they're "winning" the argument at this point. I still think it will take at least a decade before a "winning" side emerges.
I think you are correct. ....and I hope I lose the argument.
(09-24-2015 04:28 PM)Bronco14 Wrote: [ -> ]I recall we destroyed the other leagues we played last year and it was only the NCHC ----- with pretty much 5-6 teams in it making the 16 teams that go to the to National Tournament ----- where we struggled.
Your facts are a little off, but basically your points support what I am saying. The league is packed full of powerful hockey programs.
Interestingly, until last year though the nchc produced far fewer NCAA tournament bids than most expected. I agree that the nchc will always get more tourney bids than the wcha, who will likely only get about two each season. But I do believe that it would be easier most years to make the NCAA tournament in the wcha than in the nchc. And unfortunately, unless we put together consistent good seasons we risk becoming a doormat in a great league, which kills the momentum of a program, lessens interest, hurts recruiting, and makes brovol look clairvoyant. I think, on the other hand, we would be consistently competitive in the wcha, and would effectively be the big man on campus in that league; even if it wasn't as sexy at the nchc. .....but I digress.