Eric Maiwald writes:
>Just my 2 cents but:
>
>Don't count RPI out.  If Neil Little returns and stays healthy they will
>be a force to be recond with.  My vote for preseason No. 1 goes with LSSU
>followed by Michigan, Miami, MSU and RPI.
 
I am not even sure RPI is the best team returning from the ECAC.  Harvard
looks to be pretty good, too.  Little will do a lot for RPI's chances,
but if they aren't able to get a few guys to put some pucks in the net,
whether they be recruits or current underclassmen, they might not fare
much better than they did this season.  By that, I mean that they could
again post 20 wins or so but without consistent scoring, they will again
face trouble in the playoffs.
 
With exceptions, defense does not usually win for you in college hockey...
it can keep you close and with a shot, but you REALLY need those big guns
to get you over the hump.  Look at each of the last 9 national champions -
93 Maine, 92 LSSU, 91 NMU, 90 Wisconsin, 89 Harvard, 88 LSSU, 87 North
Dakota, 86 MSU, 85 RPI - every one of them had at least one and usually
several big scorers who could be counted on.  RPI has not proven that they
have that type of scoring, at least not yet - it will be a key to their
hopes.  Experience will help as will confidence, and maybe this will
allow some of the quieter players to finally break out - they do have
immense talent and quickness.  They just need some finishers.  I'm looking
forward to Merrimack's Oct 29th game in Troy, it will be an early test
for the Warriors.  The 3-3 tie in North Andover on 11/8/93 was one of the
most entertaining games I saw all year - up and down action, great goal-
tending.  I'm expecting more of the same next season, as both teams play a
similar style.  News I have on Merrimack recruits is that Ron Anderson
has gone for even more speed than the Warriors have had in recent years,
and they should be one of the fastest teams in DivI.  RPI also will be
one of the fastest teams, and that will make for a very exciting game.
---
Mike Machnik           [log in to unmask]    [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                  *HMN* 11/13/93