The annual 94X WCHA Preseason Media Poll was released Tuesday morning by Duluth's Bruce Ciskie, and the 26 people who cover all 12 WCHA school tabbed Minnesota State to finish 11th in the league.
Here are the results of the poll:
1. Denver (16 first-place votes)
2. Colorado College (7)
3. North Dakota (2)
4. Nebraska-Omaha (1)
5. Minnesota Duluth
6. Minnesota
7. tie-Wisconsin
7. tie-St. Cloud State
9. Alaska-Anchorage
10. Bemidji State
11. Minnesota State
12. Michigan Tech
Preseason player of the year: Jason Zucker, F, DU (10 votes); Jaden Schwartz, F, CC (8). Others receiving votes: Jack Connolly, F, UMD; Justin Schultz, D, Wisconsin; Drew Shore, F, DU.
Preseason rookie of the year: Rocco Grimaldi, F, UND (17 votes). Others receiving votes: Seth Ambroz, F, UM; Scott Mayfield, D, DU; Sam Mellor, F, UAA; Kyle Rau, F, UM.
Preseason coach of the year: Scott Owens, CC (9 votes); Mel Pearson, MTU (5). Others receiving votes: Dean Blais, UNO; George Gwozdecky, DU; Don Lucia, UM; Dave Shyiak, UAA.
Preseason all-conference team: F-Jack Connolly, UMD; F-Jaden Schwartz, CC*; F-Jason Zucker, DU; D-Ben Blood, UND; Justin Schultz, UW*; G-Aaron Dell, UND.
* = unanimous selection
Other players receiving votes: Forwards: J.T. Brown, UMD; Rocco Grimaldi, UND; Corban Knight, UND; Danny Kristo, UND; Drew Shore, DU. Defensemen: Gabe Guentzel, CC; Brad Hunt, BSU; Nick Jensen, SCSU; Brady Lamb, UMD; David Makowski, DU. Goalies: John Faulkner, UNO; Kent Patterson, UM.
I voted in the poll and here was my ballot. I'll do more on my picks later, but one thing I'll mention is that I thought there were three pretty distinct clumps of teams where I thought any of those teams could be pulled out of a hat for those spots. I have lines separating those clumps. What do you think?
1. Colorado College
2. Denver
3. North Dakota
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4. Minnesota Duluth
5. Nebraska-Omaha
6. Minnesota
7. St. Cloud State
8. Wisconsin
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9. Minnesota State
10. Bemidji State
11. Alaska-Anchorage
12. Michigan Tech
Player of the Year: Zucker ... Rookie of the Year: Grimaldi ... Coach of the Year: Owens
All WCHA: F-Zucker, F-Schwartz, F-Connolly, D-Blood, D-Schultz, G-Dell
4 comments:
I agree with your clumps for the most part Shane. But I do beleive you could add one or maybe even 2 teams from the middle clump and place them in the lower one.
So, another bottom half prediction for MSU. Have the coaches ever picked them to finish in the top half since they became members in the WCHA? I'm not sure if I ever remember a top half predition, even the year they tied for 1st. But I may be wrong.
I think all of the predictions are relatively on the mark.
At the same time, I certainly think MSU has a lot more potential than their preseason #11 spot would have one believe.
Chase Grant and Michael Dorr are both great players. Our goalie situation is very experienced, and I really believe that Matt Leitner and JP Lafontaine are going to have sneaky good freshman campaigns.
MSU could easily finish in the middle of the pack.
SAM,
Thank you for your positive post as it just seems that everything has been doom and gloom lately.
Is it just me, but is it a little far-fetched to nominate a preseason coach of the year? I am sure many would have picked the Twins' Gardenhire for manager of the year before the start of the season, too.
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