The Hockey News recently came out with its "1991 Yearbook", which was
devoted mainly to previewing the NHL teams, but also had some notes on the
minors, junior leagues, and (here's the relevance) college teams. Oh yes,
they also had another article on former Lake Superior State coach Frank
Anzalone, now the head coach for the Newmarket Saints, a Toronto Maple Leafs
affiliate in the American Hockey League. THN summarized some of the events
surrounding Anzalone's dismissal from LSSU last May, although they did not
mention his attempt to sue the university. One quote from the article:
"Anzalone, who replaces Paul Gardner, is a proven winner but he makes Mike
Keenan seem like a nice guy." Hmm, that would take some doing. Actually,
Mike Keenan *is* a pretty nice guy -- he's just not a nice coach. Anyway,
I've summarized below an article in the Yearbook in which THN gives their
predictions about who the top teams and players in Division I are likely to
be for the 1990-91 season.
First of all, the two finalists from 1989-90, Wisconsin and Colgate, will
probably not be strong playoff contenders this season. The Badgers have
lost seven seniors from their championship team, while the Red Raiders have
lost eight, as well as goalie Dave Gagnon. Here are THN's ten teams most
likely to win it all in St. Paul this season:
1. Boston University. Two-thirds of the Commonwealth Line, sophomore Tony
Amonte and junior Shawn McEachern, return for a Terrier team that made
the NCAA semifinals last season. Amonte and McEachern were the team's
top two scorers in 1989-90. In addition, sophomore Scott Cashman is
one of the best goaltenders in college hockey.
2. Cornell. Head coach Brian McCutcheon describes this year's team as
"mature". The Big Red lost only two seniors from last season's squad
and boast a standout group of defensemen (including six NHL draftees),
led by top blue-liner Dan Ratushny.
3. Maine. The Black Bears should not have any trouble on offense, what
with the return of their top eight scorers from 1989-90, including
Jean-Yves Roy, whose 39 goals was the most by a Hockey East player.
The defense lost three players to graduation, but Keith Carney (41
assists, also the most in Hockey East) returns. Goaltending may be a
bit of a problem. {Note: This article was written before Matt
DelGuidice signed with the Boston Bruins. I don't know whether the
loss of DelGuidice would remove Maine from "Top 10" consideration -- I
understand that freshman Mike Dunham is a good one. -- Bill}
4. Northern Michigan. The Wildcats are hoping that a couple of key
players return to form. Goalie Bill Pye did not play anywhere near as
well as expected in 1989-90 (4.39 GAA, .860 save percentage), and
potential all-America defenseman Brad Werenka missed all but the first
five games last season with a pulled stomach muscle.
5. Michigan State. Still plenty of talent for head coach Ron Mason, even
though the Spartans lost Hobey Baker winner Kip Miller and team captain
Don Gibson. Jason Muzzatti, the CCHA's top goalie, returns for his
senior season, along with defenseman Michael Stewart and forward Bryan
Smolinski (both of whom were 1990 first-round NHL draft picks). Also
returning are forwards Pat Murray (whose 84 points ranked third in the
CCHA), Peter White, and Shawn Heaphy.
6. Boston College. They can't replace two-time Hockey East MVP Greg
Brown, but the Eagles are pretty much set on offense with the HEM line
of Steve Heinze, David Emma, and Marty McInnis. BC's defense is young
but not incapable, and the Eagles are solid between the pipes with
sophomore Scott LaGrand.
7. Minnesota. Their top two scorers from last season, Peter Hankinson and
Scott Bloom, are gone, but senior Ken Gernander and junior Tom Pederson
lead a group of forwards that are capable of making up the difference.
8. Clarkson. Five of the Golden Knights' top six scorers in 1989-90 are
returning this season, including seniors Mike Casselman and Dave
Trombley and sophomores Hugo Belanger and Scott Thomas. Goaltending is
a different story; standout John Fletcher has graduated, and sophomores
Chris Rogles and Phil Comtois have a combined 11 games of collegiate
experience in goal. {THN also mentioned freshman netminder "Dan"
Currie, but I have seen him previously referred to on this list as
"Jason" Currie. I wouldn't be surprised if THN screwed up on this
one -- I've seen quite a few little inaccuracies in their coverage of
college hockey, including *several* in this issue. -- Bill}
9. Michigan. The Wolverines have a lot of depth, which they will need
because they lost nine seniors from last season's team. Still, forward
David Roberts, who was last season's CCHA Rookie of the Year, is
returning, as is forward Danny Felsner.
10. North Dakota. Defenseman Russ Parent has graduated, but junior Jason
Herter, a 1989 NHL first round draft choice (by Vancouver), should be
ready to step in. The Fighting Sioux also return forwards Dixon Ward
and Greg Johnson, both of whom may challenge for the WCHA scoring
title.
THN's "Ten players any coach would love to have" (and perhaps the top ten
contenders for the Hobey Baker Award):
1. David Emma, C, Boston College. A dynamic college hockey player, he was
the top scorer in Hockey East last season (72 points in 41 games). He
is a gifted playmaker and has excellent speed.
2. Jim Dowd, C, Lake Superior State. The second-leading scorer in the
CCHA last season (92 points), Dowd was not named as a Hobey Baker
finalist last March, which made ex-Laker coach Frank Anzalone "livid".
Dowd will probably not be passed over again.
3. Joey Juneau, C, RPI. May be college hockey's top playmaker. In all of
Division I last season, only Michigan State's Kip Miller had a higher
points-per-game average (2.24) than Juneau's 2.06.
4. Tony Amonte, RW, Boston University. Impressed a lot of scouts in his
freshman year last season with his raw ability. Scored 58 points in 41
games.
5. Chad Erickson, G, Minnesota-Duluth. Many college coaches feel that
Erickson is the top goaltender in Division I. He may not get much
consideration for the Hobey Baker Award because the Bulldogs probably
will not be among the nation's top-ranked teams.
6. Dan Ratushny, D, Cornell. May be the strongest player in the ECAC, or
even all of college hockey. A physical force on the ice whose work in
the corners and near the net does not go unnoticed.
7. Rob Cowie, D, Northeastern. A gifted and underrated two-way player.
Was a Hockey East first-team all-star last season. Like Chad Erickson,
he may be overlooked for postseason honors, as the Huskies do not
figure to be one of the elite teams.
8. Steve Heinze, RW, Boston College. Playing on David Emma's right wing,
Heinze finished second in scoring in Hockey East last season with 63
points and should rack up a lot of points this season as well.
9. Bill Pye, G, Northern Michigan. Despite his subpar statistics, Pye had
a 20-14-1 record last season, and the Wildcats were 0-3 without him.
He gained a lot of experience playing for the US team at the World
Championships last April and appears ready for a strong senior year.
10. Shawn McEachern, C, Boston University. Excellent speed. He was an
integral part of the Terriers' Commonwealth Line last season, with 56
points.
THN's ten freshmen who should have an immediate impact:
1. Mike Dunham, G, Maine. THN says Dunham "has the potential to make the
greatest impact of the incoming class", and that's probably even more
true with the departure of Matt DelGuidice. Scouts have said that
Dunham has all the tools needed to be a top quality college hockey
goaltender.
2. Nicholas Perreault, D, Michigan State. Highly skilled and plays with a
lot of emotion. Perreault was a second-round choice (by Calgary) in
the 1990 NHL entry draft.
3. Scott LaChance, D, Boston University. Projected by many scouts as a
top-five pick in the 1991 NHL draft.
4. Jason Zent, LW, Wisconsin. At 5-11, 190 pounds, Zent plays a very
tough, aggressive game. Also has a tremendous wrist shot.
5. Chris Gotziamann, RW, North Dakota. Strong, hard-working forward. A
second-round pick in 1990 by the New Jersey Devils.
6. Brian Farrell, C, Harvard. The six-footer is said to be as far along
as any of the incoming collegiate players. Has terrific skating
ability. {Oh great, the Crimson pick up ANOTHER one! -- Bill}
7. Keith Tkachuk, LW, Boston University. Tkachuk has suffered a number of
injuries over the past couple of years, which has kept him from being
as highly rated as he should be. He's 6-2, 212 pounds and could make
an immediate impact if he stays healthy.
8. Mike Muller, D, Minnesota. Has all the attributes to be a great
player: size (6-2, 205 pounds), strength, quick feet, and quick hands.
Was selected by Winnipeg in the second round of the 1990 NHL draft.
9. Patrice Tardif, C, Maine. May be a sleeper. Tardif broke all of Black
Bear sophomore star Jean-Yves Roy's records in the Quebec junior
college league last season.
10. Cam Stewart, C, Michigan. Hard-working and physical. Appears ready to
make the transition to the college game.
A couple of other magazines have put out preview issues which mention
college hockey. Hockey Digest's preview lists "College Hockey's Best of the
1980s", the ten teams in Division I college hockey which had winning
percentages of over .600 from 1980-81 through 1990:
Team W L T Pct NCAA Champions Other Final 4 Berths
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michigan State 306 116 16 .717 1986 1984, 1987, 1989
Minnesota 310 124 14 .708 None 1981, 1983, 1986-1989
Wisconsin 282 140 16 .662 1981, 1983, 1990 1982
Harvard 196 103 12 .650 1989 1983, 1986, 1987
North Dakota 267 143 15 .646 1982, 1987 1984
Boston College 231 123 18 .645 None 1985, 1990
Bowling Green 265 146 19 .638 1984 None
Clarkson 202 110 24 .637 None None
Colgate 195 115 16 .623 None 1990
St. Lawrence 204 122 10 .622 None 1988
Other NCAA Champions: Other teams appearing in the Final 4:
RPI 1985 Michigan Tech. 1981
Lake Superior State 1988 Northern Michigan 1981
Northeastern 1982
New Hampshire 1982
Providence 1983, 1985
Minnesota-Duluth 1984, 1985
Denver 1986
Maine 1988, 1989
Boston University 1990
Hockey Digest also mentions that St. Cloud State will soon be joining the
WCHA, and that Kent State is looking to improve and perhaps join the CCHA in
a few years. They also have tabbed Notre Dame and Alabama-Huntsville as
programs that may look to join conferences in the next decade, and they
predict that North Dakota State, Iowa State, and Wisconsin-Green Bay might
field Division I hockey teams by the year 2000.
I was also surprised to learn that there are a few ECAC Division I schools
which provide athletic scholarships in hockey. I was under the mistaken
impression that there weren't any, but apparently Clarkson, RPI, and Vermont
do offer them.
One other note: While for most schools, on-ice practice starts on October
1, the Ivy League has traditionally not allowed its teams to begin
practicing on the ice until the week before the ECAC's first games (the ECAC
season begins on the last weekend in October). However, this year, in what
is perhaps a small step toward reality, the Ivies will begin on-ice practice
two weeks before the ECAC season begins, which means they'll start skating
on October 15 instead of October 22. This doesn't affect the non-Ivies in
the ECAC -- as Jeremy mentioned, Clarkson starts/has started practice on
October 1.
And another college hockey season dawns...
Bill Fenwick
Cornell '86
LET'S GO RED!!
Opus: "We were watching a Sylvester Stallone movie last night and she was
salivating. I asked her if MY body turned her on...and do you know what
she said?"
Narrator: "What?"
O: "She said all she wants out of a lover physically are 'lips to kiss and a
shoulder to cry on'."
N: "That's very sweet."
O: "I'M SHORT ON BOTH COUNTS!!"
-- "Bloom County"
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