I tend to think the difference from top to bottom in Div. 1 is not as
great this year as in years past.  I don't know if the top is lower
(certainly Michigan does not appear lower) or the bottom is higher.
Being from Cornell I have spent a lot of time the last two seasons
studying the bottom and I think the bottom may have improved.
Earlier this season I watched bottom 10 rated Cornell play current
poll listed #2 BU and #3 Harvard and they were close games.
Harvard did impress me more than BU with better team speed,
shooting and more physical play although BU's stick skills in
passing, controlling and getting the puck were impressive.  I can
imagine how Harvard's speed and hitting could disrupt BU's
excellent although somewhat deliberate passing game.
 
Enough about the top.  Back to my real love the bottom.  I think
several weak teams from last year are considerably improved (you
can make up your own list) and they may have landed some players
that in other years would be Harvard's or BU's 3rd or 4th lines or
defense pairings.  I think the same could be said for mediocre teams
since the bottom teams do not seem to be moving up in the standing
very far or very fast.
 
Perhaps more dispersion?  Perhaps the talent pool is actually bigger
so that there are enough good players for even the bottom teams?
Perhaps there is no significant difference?  I can not recall any
season with more than 3 or 4 really elite teams.  Off the top of my
head I can remember one years where there were only two.  I bet
there has been some other year where there has been only one elite
team.  Yet another possibility is that Harvard or some other team
will emerge as a lot better than we now think.  Generally elite teams
have some really eye popping players (like apparently Michigan
has) but you can assemble a great team without a super star--sort of
imagine a team where none of the players could be on Michigan's
1st line or will make the NHL but all the players are better than
Michigan 2nd line.
 
 
Steven Rockey
Mathematics Librarian
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