As somebody else has suggested, one of the reasons why the polls are
disagreeing is that, with the possible exception of Michigan, there are
no clearly dominant teams. Some of the voting is being done on the basis
of success history and past reputation. (In this respect I'm glad
voters are finally giving Lowell its due. Lowell is a good hockey team.)
 
This lack of dominance by any one team is particularly obvious in the
ECAC. Harvard really isn't better than the other top-ranked
teams. In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that,
whatever their current records may be, the two most talented
teams in the league are Clarkson and RPI, followed
followed by Brown, Harvard and Vermont. Maybe Clarkson and RPI
aren't doing as well as they should because they play under so much
scrutiny by their fans. (Advice to Clarkson and, particularly, to RPI
students: get a social life and get off the teams' backs.)
 
Incidentally, a team with some potential is Dartmouth. The Big Green would
probably be doing better if the players carried their sticks a little
lower and concentrated on passing and shooting the puck, rather than
trying to intimidate opponents. And if Coach Roger Demment would drop
that big chip on his shoulder...
 
Good night,
Luiz Valente