Next years WCHA predictions

[Guest souixrock]

How do you think the league shakes out next year? Here's my prediciton

1) Wisconsin

2) Minnesota

3) ND

4) St. Cloud

5) Denver

6) Mankato St

7) CC

8) UMD

9) MTU

10)AA

Sconi looses only Gilbert and Burish. Goofers reload and grow with the #1 and #2 pick in the draft. UND continues to be bad, then great, then bad due to age but hopefully makes the FF again. I suppose I will get ripped b/c I have not picked the Sioux to go undefeated and win every game by 10 goals. But I tried to look at it without my green glasses on.

[PCM]

I can't make any meaningful predictions until I know what each team loses to the pros.

[SiouxTupa]

I'm pretty sure The Earl of Dive is gone. Who wouldn't sign after a great season and ending like that...especially when they've been drafted.

[Walsh Hall]

Impossible to make a guess until the defections shake out. If there are mass defections from Wisc., UND and U of M one of the bottom tier teams with more seasoned upperclassmen could be a big surprise.

[CoteauRinkRat]

I can't make any meaningful predictions until I know what each team loses to the pros.

I agree, its way too early to make a prediction.

[Southernmn]

How do you think the league shakes out next year? Here's my prediciton

1) Wisconsin

2) Minnesota

3) ND

4) St. Cloud

5) Denver

6) Mankato St

7) CC

8) UMD

9) MTU

10)AA

Sconi looses only Gilbert and Burish. Goofers reload and grow with the #1 and #2 pick in the draft. UND continues to be bad, then great, then bad due to age but hopefully makes the FF again. I suppose I will get ripped b/c I have not picked the Sioux to go undefeated and win every game by 10 goals. But I tried to look at it without my green glasses on.

Depends on who else leaves early how much it effect the teams on the top.

Denver & CC look to be 2 teams that will slide a bit, and who knows whats going on in Duluth ??

St. Cloud will get out of the gate quicker next year.

Mankato will still have big issues on defense.

Minnesota going to have to find someone to score goals, and the defense and goaltending has to get better, because they aren't going to able to just outscore teams like this year.

Wisconsin stands a very good chance of losing Elliott and Earl (at least), will have to wait and see.

North Dakota should be stronger up front with guys like Toews and Oshie knowing what is expected of them next year. Defense depends if everyone stays or not (ie Smaby)......still not convenced the goaltending will be strong game in and game out.

AA & MTU will still be AA & MTU..lots of work to do there.

[sprig]

Sconi looses only Gilbert and Burish.

Also seniors, Degenhardt and Licari.

[Let'sGoHawks!]

Any word on the Sioux schedule for next year?

[The Sicatoka]

My 2006-2007 WCHA season predictions:

A team will have a returning player on their roster that no one expected would return.

A team will be missing a player from their roster that no one expected would leave.

Robbie Bina will redefine "untouchable" in a manner that not even Elliott Ness could imagine.

[Runninwiththedogs]

Robbie Bina will redefine "untouchable" in a manner that not even Elliott Ness could imagine.

I can't wait for Robbie to return, but of course every time someone comes near him I'll nearly have a heart attack. Good thing I don't watch a lot of the games on TV.

The Bulldogs have a similar situation, with Ryan Geris considering returning. I'll have to be personally restrained from kicking the crap out of anyone who goes after him. Even clean checks are going to scare the heck out of me.

It's scary because it can take just one dirty player to hit either one of those guys the wrong way and end their careers or worse.

[dagies]

I can't make any meaningful predictions.

There, now you spoke for me.

[dagies]

I can't wait for Robbie to return, but of course every time someone comes near him I'll nearly have a heart attack. Good thing I don't watch a lot of the games on TV.

The Bulldogs have a similar situation, with Ryan Geris considering returning. I'll have to be personally restrained from kicking the crap out of anyone who goes after him. Even clean checks are going to scare the heck out of me.

It's scary because it can take just one dirty player to hit either one of those guys the wrong way and end their careers or worse.

I hadn't heard that about Geris, but I'm pulling for him. I work with his aunt.

[PeterLeeGoalie]

Depends on who else leaves early how much it effect the teams on the top.

Denver & CC look to be 2 teams that will slide a bit, and who knows whats going on in Duluth ??

St. Cloud will get out of the gate quicker next year.

Mankato will still have big issues on defense.

Minnesota going to have to find someone to score goals, and the defense and goaltending has to get better, because they aren't going to able to just outscore teams like this year.

Wisconsin stands a very good chance of losing Elliott and Earl (at least), will have to wait and see.

North Dakota should be stronger up front with guys like Toews and Oshie knowing what is expected of them next year. Defense depends if everyone stays or not (ie Smaby)......still not convenced the goaltending will be strong game in and game out.

AA & MTU will still be AA & MTU..lots of work to do there.

For several reasons I am fairly certain Elliott will be back at UW next season.

[Sioux]

How do you think the league shakes out next year? Here's my prediciton

1) Wisconsin

2) Minnesota

3) ND

4) St. Cloud

5) Denver

6) Mankato St

7) CC

8) UMD

9) MTU

10)AA

Sconi looses only Gilbert and Burish. Goofers reload and grow with the #1 and #2 pick in the draft. UND continues to be bad, then great, then bad due to age but hopefully makes the FF again. I suppose I will get ripped b/c I have not picked the Sioux to go undefeated and win every game by 10 goals. But I tried to look at it without my green glasses on.

I think its a little early to make guesses on the league next year... there are a lot of players that will leave probably... Earl and elliot(maybe even pavelski but i doubt it), minne could lose kessel, johnson, wheeler(but i think all will stay), DU could lose stastny, CC prolly wont lose anybody(i dont know though), St. Cloud could lose goepfert, UND we all know of(most likely just stafford and smaby) and the other teams i dont think will lose anybody. The biggest in my opinion are the ?? of elliot and goepfert. if either of those leave the team will have lost the reason why they succeeded IMO.

[stafford_rules]

I think its a little early to make guesses on the league next year... there are a lot of players that will leave probably... Earl and elliot(maybe even pavelski but i doubt it), minne could lose kessel, johnson, wheeler(but i think all will stay), DU could lose stastny, CC prolly wont lose anybody(i dont know though), St. Cloud could lose goepfert, UND we all know of(most likely just stafford and smaby) and the other teams i dont think will lose anybody. The biggest in my opinion are the ?? of elliot and goepfert. if either of those leave the team will have lost the reason why they succeeded IMO.

i honestly thought we would have back-to-back titles these 2 years, but i pick UND to win it all next season.

[Goon]

How do you think the league shakes out next year? Here's my prediciton

1) Wisconsin

2) Minnesota

3) ND

4) St. Cloud

5) Denver

6) Mankato St

7) CC

8) UMD

9) MTU

10)AA

Sconi looses only Gilbert and Burish. Goofers reload and grow with the #1 and #2 pick in the draft. UND continues to be bad, then great, then bad due to age but hopefully makes the FF again. I suppose I will get ripped b/c I have not picked the Sioux to go undefeated and win every game by 10 goals. But I tried to look at it without my green glasses on.

I would say this is a little pre-mature wouldn't you? The season is only over for 2 days.

[FIRE HELMET GUY #26]

I would say this is a little pre-mature wouldn't you? The season is only over for 2 days.

It's the off-season, a guys gotta do something to keep the mind occupied.

Pretty good prediction, I don't think I would change a thing!

[Goon]

It's the off-season, a guys gotta do something to keep the mind occupied.

Pretty good prediction, I don't think I would change a thing!

I can see why you like the predictions. I think Minnesota is going to be decent but it will hurt not having the two nd boys on the team next season.

[Slap Shot]

I can see why you like the predictions. I think Minnesota is going to be decent but it will hurt not having the two nd boys on the team next season.

This is true, but I haven't been this jazzed about a set of forward recruits coming into the Gophers since I can remember. And even without Potulny and Irmen the Gophers return an awful lot of points assuming Kessel returns. The Gophers main issue next season imho is getting their forwards to be more aggressive and getting more consistency from Briggs/Frazee.

[Siouxdonyms]

This is true, but I haven't been this jazzed about a set of forward recruits coming into the Gophers since I can remember. And even without Potulny and Irmen the Gophers return an awful lot of points assuming Kessel returns. The Gophers main issue next season imho is getting their forwards to be more aggressive and getting more consistency from Briggs/Frazee.

IMO, they'd be better off to drop Frazee and bring in Kangas.

[Bet3go]

Also seniors, Degenhardt and Licari.

And let's not forget about Ryan MacMurchy.

[siouxrunner]

It will be an exciting season next year, no doubt. In another week or so, we should be able to put down some more educated predictions, based on who leaves early...then again, it is the WCHA, and as we have seen many times before, anyone can win on any given night. Picking a conference champion this early is about as easy as... (fill in your favorite cliche here)

I agree that it will be really great to see Bina back in the Sioux uniform next year. I was fortunate enough to skate with him on a defensive pairing earlier this season at the GFC alumni (Redskins) vs. GFC current team (Knights). He really is one of the best skaters I have seen, and during the game he definitely made me look good a couple times when I was out of position.

[wakeboarding_crazed]

It's hard to make predictions for next season. Minnesota is hurting from early defections, with two of there top three players gone. Danny Irmen and Ryan Potulny, the two ND boys have signed pro contracts leaving Phil Kessel, Blake Wheeler and Erik Johnson as the only unknowns for early Minnesota defections.

North Dakota hasn't lost anyone, but it's still too early to say what'll happen. I think Smaby leaves just about for sure, Stafford is a high-risk defection, and possibly Zajac but I think he sticks around to play with Darcy for one year. Parise could have signed as an undrafted free agent this summer, but with the performance against Boston College will really hurt his stock. I believe he stays around, so I think UND will be ok.

I don't know much about possible early defections for Wisconsin other then I wouldn't be surprised to see Robbie Earl sign a pro contract. He had an unbelievable season, earned MVP honors of the Frozen Four and scored the momentum-building game-tying goal to send Wisconsin on to win the national championship. The seniors obviously are done, but I don't know enough about the returning players to predict anything.

I just hope to see UND in the top three next year. Denver and Colorado College will battle St. Cloud State for the final two home ice spots. Minnesota State, Michigan Tech and Alaska-Anchorage will battle for the last three spots in the WCHA next year. I've grouped my predictions into three classifications. The first tier group should be between UND, UMN and UW. The next tier group is DU, CC and SCSU State for the middle of the pack, and the last tier group is UAA, MTU and MNST for the rear of the pack.

[Goon]

It's hard to make predictions for next season. Minnesota is hurting from early defections, with two of there top three players gone. Danny Irmen and Ryan Potulny, the two ND boys have signed pro contracts leaving Phil Kessel, Blake Wheeler and Erik Johnson as the only unknowns for early Minnesota defections.

North Dakota hasn't lost anyone, but it's still too early to say what'll happen. I think Smaby leaves just about for sure, Stafford is a high-risk defection, and possibly Zajac but I think he sticks around to play with Darcy for one year. Parise could have signed as an undrafted free agent this summer, but with the performance against Boston College will really hurt his stock. I believe he stays around, so I think UND will be ok.

I don't know much about possible early defections for Wisconsin other then I wouldn't be surprised to see Robbie Earl sign a pro contract. He had an unbelievable season, earned MVP honors of the Frozen Four and scored the momentum-building game-tying goal to send Wisconsin on to win the national championship. The seniors obviously are done, but I don't know enough about the returning players to predict anything.

I just hope to see UND in the top three next year. Denver and Colorado College will battle St. Cloud State for the final two home ice spots. Minnesota State, Michigan Tech and Alaska-Anchorage will battle for the last three spots in the WCHA next year. I've grouped my predictions into three classifications. The first tier group should be between UND, UMN and UW. The next tier group is DU, CC and SCSU State for the middle of the pack, and the last tier group is UAA, MTU and MNST for the rear of the pack.

Cool headed logic, I like it.

[iceberg]

I just hope to see UND in the top three next year. Denver and Colorado College will battle St. Cloud State for the final two home ice spots. Minnesota State, Michigan Tech and Alaska-Anchorage will battle for the last three spots in the WCHA next year. I've grouped my predictions into three classifications. The first tier group should be between UND, UMN and UW. The next tier group is DU, CC and SCSU State for the middle of the pack, and the last tier group is UAA, MTU and MNST for the rear of the pack.

um, you're forgetting one team.....my beloved Bulldogs

What about UMD?