EDINA, Minn. – If the league's coaches and media are correct, Bowling Green will end the 2016-17 regular season by hoisting its first MacNaughton Cup as champion of the men's Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). The Falcons were tabbed as the league favorite in both the Mankato Free Press WCHA Coaches' and the Bemidji Pioneer WCHA Media preseason polls.
The four schools that made the WCHA one of just two Division I conferences (along with Hockey East) to have at least four, 20-win teams in 2015-16 sit atop both polls in identical order: Bowling Green, followed by reigning MacNaughton Cup co-champions Michigan Tech and Minnesota State, and defending Broadmoor Trophy winner Ferris State. The four programs picked to hold home ice as the league's new, on-campus postseason tournament begins next March are all among the top-15 nationally for wins since opening night of the 2013-14 season, with the Mavericks (76 victories) ranking fourth, the Bulldogs (67) tied for 10th, the Huskies (66) in 12th and the Falcons (63) placing 15th.
Demonstrating the competitiveness that is a WCHA hallmark, all four programs received first-place votes in the media poll, while Bowling Green (8) and Michigan Tech (2) earned the coaches' nods.
Bill Robertson, commissioner of the WCHA, echoed that sentiment during the preseason coaches and media teleconference on Tuesday, "I expect another fantastic season with so much talent from top to bottom in the league. We have, throughout the league, strong coaches that are committed to continuing the success of the league."
Spots five through seven were also the same in both polls, with Northern Michigan, Bemidji State and Lake Superior State, respectively, expected to be vying for playoff positioning. Last season, the Wildcats posted their highest conference win total and finish (12 victories and fifth place) since the 2009-10 season, the Beavers won their most games (17) since 2011-12, and the Lakers enjoyed a six-win improvement behind one of the nation's top-scoring freshmen classes.
WCHA coaches picked Alaska Anchorage to grab the league's eighth and final playoff spot, ahead of Alabama Huntsville and Alaska. The media poll has the Nanooks finishing eighth and the Seawolves 10th, with the Chargers again ninth.
Lakers head coach Damon Whitten began the teleconference with the league's media by taking a time out to honor former LSSU coach Ron Mason who passed away in June. Mason built the program to varsity status with the help of legendary athletic director Bud Cooper in 1966-67.
Whitten followed up with expectations for the coming season saying that the Lakers plan to surprise the coaches and media, which picked them to finish seventh in the league. "We believe we can finish a lot higher than that and want to be one of the teams competing for a home playoff spot."
"We feel like in front of Gordon Defiel we have the pieces to be really good from the goal line out and that starts with a group of four junior defensemen that have combined for nearly 300 collegiate games."
"It's no secret we were challenged offensively last season and we need to be better in that aspect," continued Whitten. We're returning over 80 percent of our scoring from last year but just because guys like [Gage] Torrel, [Mitch] Hults, and Josh Henke had good years last year, they're not guaranteed to have a good season this year so we need to be able to take that next step."
Ferris State senior forward Gerald Mayhew was the coaches' and media's choice as preseason Player of the Year. The Wyandotte, Mich. native ranked third in the league scoring race with 25 points (9g-16a) in WCHA play last year, while his 41 points overall (16g-25a) paced the conference. He ended his campaign by recording a point in five of six postseason contests (10 total), helping the Bulldogs to the NCAA West Regional final with five goals (including two game-winners) and five assists.
Minnesota State forward Parker Tuomie (coaches' choice) and Ferris State defensemen Cameron Clarke (media pick) split the preseason Rookie of the Year votes. Tuomie, a native of Germany, finished 11th in the United States Hockey League (USHL) scoring race last season, scoring 54 points (30g-24a) for the Sioux Falls Stampede. Clarke was selected by the Boston Bruins in the fifth round (136th pick overall) of the 2016 National Hockey League (NHL) Draft. He was named the 2015-16 North American Hockey League (NAHL) Defenseman of the Year following a standout season in which he tallied 50 points (9g-41a) in 59 games for the Lone Star Brahmas.
The historic league launches its 65th campaign with several initiatives to enhance the overall student-athlete and fan experience, including a new overtime, shootout and points structure. The 2016-17 WCHA season gets underway with games Oct. 1-2, as Ferris State hosts Alabama Huntsville in the first league series and Michigan Tech visits Minnesota Duluth for a nonconference set.
"I believe that we've added some exciting and postive changes that have already proven to be successful in college hockey and at the NHL level," Robertson said discussing the new overtime and shootout rules. "Every league game will produce a winner, something our fans want to see, and it improves player development if players are interested in continuing on to professional careers in their future."
Following the regular season, the WCHA will debut its new, on-campus postseason tournament. Bringing the singular intensity and passion of playoff college hockey directly to its member institution fans, the "2017 WCHA Playoffs" will consist of four (4) best-of-three, quarterfinal round series hosted by the league's top four regular-season finishers the weekend of March 3-5, followed by two (2) best-of-three semifinal round series hosted by the highest remaining seeds the weekend of March 10-12. The "2017 WCHA Championship" will be a single game, hosted by the highest remaining seed, Saturday, March 18.
2016-17 Mankato Freepress WCHA Men's Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
Preseason WCHA Player of the Year
Gerald Mayhew, Sr. F, Ferris State (7 votes)
Others receiving votes: Mark Friedman, Jr. D, Bowling Green (1); Brandon Hawkins, Jr. F, Bowling Green (1); Chris Nell, Jr. F, Bowling Green (1)
Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year
Parker Tuomie, F, Minnesota State (4 votes)
Others receiving votes: Cam Clarke, D, Ferris State (2); Colton Leiter, F, Alaska (1); Marc Michaelis, F, Minnesota State (1); Collin Peters, F, Northern Michigan (1); Angus Redmond, G, Michigan Tech (1)
Preseason All-WCHA Team
Forwards
Gerald Mayhew, Sr., Ferris State; Dominik Shine, Sr., Northern Michigan; Brandon Hawkins, Jr., Bowling Green (tie); Corey Mackin, So., Ferris State (tie)
Defensemen
Mark Friedman, Jr., Bowling Green; Matt Roy, Jr., Michigan Tech
Goaltender
Chris Nell, Jr., Bowling Green
Others receiving votes (listed alphabetically by position): Forwards—Gerry Fitzgerald, Jr., Bemidji State; C.J. Franklin, Jr., Minnesota State; Brendan Harms, Tyler Heinonen, Sr., Michigan Tech; Sr., BSU; Joel L'Esperance, Jr., Michigan Tech. Defensemen—Mark Auk, Jr., Michigan Tech; Daniel Brickley, So., Minnesota State; Shane Hanna, Sr., Michigan Tech; Sean Walker, Sr., Bowling Green. Goaltenders—Michael Bitzer, Jr., Bemidji State; Gordon Defiel, Jr., Lake Superior State; Cole Huggins, Sr., Minnesota State; Darren Smith, So., Ferris State.
About Mankato Free Press WCHA Men's Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
The 2016-17 Mankato Free Press WCHA Men's Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll was conducted by Shane Frederick, staff writer, The Free Press Media. (www.mankatofreepress.com;www.mankatofreepresshockey.blogspot.com; Twitter/@puckato)
2016-17 Bemidji Pioneer WCHA Men's Hockey Preseason Media Poll
Rk Team (1st place votes) Points
1. Bowling Green (15) 251
2. Michigan Tech (6) 239
3. Minnesota State (5) 236
4. Ferris State (2) 218
5. Northern Michigan 161
6. Bemidji State 44
7. Lake Superior State 106
8. Alaska 68
9. Alabama Huntsville 66
10. Alaska Anchorage 50
Predicted order of finish. Based on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale.
Preseason WCHA Player of the Year
Gerald Mayhew, Sr., F, Ferris State
Others receiving votes: Dominik Shine, Sr., F, Northern Michigan; Sean Walker, Sr., D, Bowling Green; Cameron Clarke, Fr., D, Ferris State; Mason Mitchell, So., F, Alaska Anchorage; Corey Mackin, So., F, Ferris State; Max McHugh, Jr., F, Alabama Huntsville; Chris Nell, Jr., G, Bowling Green; Cole Huggins, Sr., G, Minnesota State; Tyler Heinonen, Sr., F, Michigan Tech.
Preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year
Cameron Clarke, D, Ferris State
Others receiving votes: Parker Tuomie, F, Minnesota State; Hampus Sjodahl, F, Bemidji State; Alec Rauhauser, D, Bowling Green; Frederic Letourneau, F, Bowling Green; Max Humitz, F, Lake Superior State; Brayden Gelsinger, F, Lake Superior State; Thomas Beretta, F, Michigan Tech; Mitch Reinke, D, Michigan Tech; Casey Linkenheld, F, Bowling Green; Adam Brady, F, Bemidji State; Connor James, D, Alabama Huntsville; Austin Beaulieu, F, Alabama Huntsville.
Preseason All-WCHA Team
Forwards
Gerald Mayhew, Sr., Ferris State; Dominik Shine, Sr., Northern Michigan; Tyler Heinonen, Sr., Michigan Tech
Defensemen
Mark Friedman, Jr., Bowling Green; Matt Roy, Jr., Michigan Tech
Goaltender
Chris Nell, Jr., Bowling Green
About Bemidji Pioneer WCHA Men's Hockey Preseason Media Poll
The 2016-17 Bemidji Pioneer WCHA Men's Hockey Preseason Media Poll was conducted by Jack Hittinger, staff writer. (www.bemidjipioneer.com; www.bemidjipioneer.com/users/jhitt; Twitter/@jackhitts)