ECH Regular Season Preview: BIG TEN

written By Alex Berger - October 5th, 2023

For the second-straight year the Big Ten was represented by two teams in the NCAA Frozen Four, and for the second-straight year the conference went home empty-handed. Despite Hobey Baker winners and NHL stars, the Big Ten is still searching for it's first title nearly ten seasons after it was founded.

This season it appears that the two Frozen Four teams from last year, Michigan and Minnesota, will be right back in the thick of things despite losing a lot of talent. At the other end of the spectrum, Wisconsin made a big splash after finishing last in the conference by bringing in new head coach Mike Hastings from Minnesota-State. The Badgers hope to turn the ship around after two-straight years at the bottom of the conference.

ECH Preseason Poll (First Place Votes)

1. Minnesota (3)

2. Michigan (2)

3. Michigan State (1)

4. Penn State (1)

T-5th. Ohio State

T-5th. Wisconsin

7. Notre Dame

Pick for Postseason Champion: Michigan/Minnesota (3)

Others Receiving Votes: Michigan State (2)

- Michigan Wolverines

Record/Conference Finish: 26-12-3; 2nd in Regular Season, 1st in Postseason

Goals/Game: 4.17/game (T-1st in NCAA)

Goals Against/Game: 3.12/game (T-42nd)

Power Play: 23.4% (T-12th)

Penalty Kill: 77.7% (T-45th)

Three Biggest Returners: Rutger McGroarty (Forward; 18 goals - 21 assists - 39 points, six PPG), Gavin Brindley (Forward; 12-26-38, +21 plus/minus rating), and Seamus Casey (Defenseman; 8-21-29, +16)

Three Biggest Departures: Adam Fantilli (Forward; 30-35-65, led NCAA in points, Hobey Baker Award winner), Luke Hughes (Defenseman; 10-38-48, led team in assists, +24), and Mackie Samoskevich (Forward; 20-23-43)

Top Offseason Acquisition: Transfer Graduate Senior Jacob Barczewski (Goalie; 16-15-1, 2.64 GAA in 32 games at Canisius in 2022-'23)

Season Outlook -

After back-to-back Frozen Four appearances, the Michigan Wolverines will need to find a way to replace the best player in college hockey this season if they want to make another run and win their first title since 1998. Freshman forward Adam Fantilli won the Hobey Baker Award last season after tying for the NCAA lead in goals and leading the nation in assists and points. The now Columbus Blue Jacket helped lead Michigan to a Big Ten Postseason Title "upset" on the road against Minnesota, and was one of the most exciting college hockey players we've ever had the privilege of watching.

Alongside Fantilli were other now-NHL players, including forward Mackie Samoskecich and defenseman Luke Hughes. That kind of talent will be tough to replace, but not impossible. Sophomore forwards Rutger McGroarty and Gavin Brindley combined for 77 total points last season, rivaling some other team's top returning point duos (including Graf/Lipkin at Quinnipiac with 92, and Gaber/Blake at North Dakota with 79). They'll look to improve on those numbers from last year with more opportunities on the top line and first unit of the Wolverines' power play.

In net, Michigan replaces an often inconsistent Erik Portillo (25-11-2, 3.00 GAA) with one of the best goaltenders from the Atlantic in Canisius transfer Jacob Barczewski (16-15-1, 2.64 GAA). There's an argument to be made that if they had Barczewski last season, Michigan could have won it all. Instead, they'll just have to settle for his play this year where he should be a top-three goaltender in the Big Ten.

Despite losing a large portion of their talent, Michigan will still be one of the electric teams in college hockey this season. This year's sophomore core of forwards alone combined for over 125 total points last season, and should only get better with a year under their belts. It would be a shock if the Wolverines aren't playing in late March again at the end of this season.

- Michigan State Spartans

Record/Conference Finish: 18-18-2; T-5th in Regular Season, T-3rd in Postseason

Goals/Game: 2.82/game (T-28th)

Goals Against/Game: 3.03/game (T-38th)

Power Play: 19.2% (33rd)

Penalty Kill: 79.1% (T-38th)

Three Biggest Returners: Nicolas Muller (Forward; 9-25-34, led team in points), Daniel Russell (Forward; 8 goals - 22 assists - 30 points), and Karsen Dorwart (Forward; 10-17-27, +10 plus/minus rating)

Three Biggest Departures: Cole Krygier (Defenseman; 10-6-16, led D-men in goals), Miroslav Mucha (Forward; 7-10-17, captain), and Jagger Joshua (Forward; 13-11-24, led team in goals and power play goals)

Top Offseason Acquisition: Incoming Freshman Trey Augustine (Goalie; 29-1-2, 2.13 GAA in 33 games with USNTDP in 2022-'23)

Season Outlook -

Michigan State has a chance to continue one of the best three-year turnarounds in recent college-hockey memory. Under first-year coach Adam Nightingale, the Spartans posed their first .500 season since 2015 and increased their season win total by five for the second-straight year. The next step now is to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, something Michigan State has not done since joining the Big Ten.

Luckily for Spartan fans, the team is bringing in some of the best talent from the transfer portal anywhere in the country. That includes forwards Joey Larson from Northern Michigan, Reed Lebster from Massachusetts, Isaac Howard from Minnesota-Duluth, and Red Savage from Miami. All four student-athletes combined for 80 total points last year and played well at their respective schools, but could certainly increase their production in East Lansing.

One of the biggest gets of the offseason, however, is in goaltender Trey Augustine. The former U.S. Under-18 team product was drafted 41st overall by the Detroit Red Wings after posting a ridiculous statline of 29-1-2, 2.13 GAA, and .926 SV% last season. Augustine flipped his commitment to Michigan State from the Spartans rivals, Michigan, and is one of the most talented incoming freshman that Michigan State has had in years.

Combining all of the returning talent and the incoming players, Michigan State has been tabbed as a sexy underrated team heading into this season. They may not put all of the pieces together for a title run, but they definitely have a roster built for an NCAA appearance. If they're able to build a roster around Augustine, they could turn into the team to beat in the Big Ten while he's on campus.

- Minnesota Golden Gophers

Record/Conference Finish: 29-10-1; 1st in Regular Season, 2nd in Postseason

Goals/Game: 4.20/game (T-1st in NCAA)

Goals Against/Game: 2.25 (T-6th)

Power Play: 26.6% (3rd)

Penalty Kill: 83.5% (13th)

Three Biggest Returners: Jimmy Snuggerud (Forward; 21 goals - 29 assists - 50 points, +35 plus/minus rating), Bryce Brodzinski (Forward; 19-12-31), and Justen Close (Goalie; 26-10-1, 2.02 GAA, .927 SV% in 37 games)

Three Biggest Departures: Logan Cooley (Forward; 22-38-60, led team in points, Hobey Hat Trick), Matthew Knies (Forward; 21-21-42, Hobey Hat Trick), and Brock Faber (Defenseman; 4-23-27, +29, Big Ten Defenseman of the Year)

Top Offseason Acquisition: Incoming Freshman Oliver Moore (Forward; 31-44-75 in 61 games for USTNDP in 2022-'23)

Season Outlook -

Every decade or so, each team in college hockey has "their year." From Air Force to Yale, every program has their chance, their banners, and their legends. You just have to wait for that year to get here. And as tough of a pill as it is to swallow for Gophers' fans, last year's Minnesota team was "the year" for them to end their 20-year title drought. Not only did they have high-end talent throughout the lineup, but head coach Bob Motzko had every player on the roster buy-in to the system. Whether that meant making the extra pass when needed, getting the puck in deep, or first-liners choosing to backcheck, Minnesota combined their elite skill with making the right play, a deadly combination.

Sadly, after basically a full season as the #1 team in college hockey, the Gophers came up just one game short of their ultimate goal, watching their season slip away 10 seconds into overtime in the NCAA Title game against Quinnipiac. Even worse, the Gophers lost some of the most talent out of any team in college hockey over the offseason, including Hobey Hat Trick finalists Logan Cooley and Matthew Knies, Brock Faber, and Jackson LaCombe. It will be an uphill battle to make it back.

However, it won't be an impossible task. For starters, sophomore forward Jimmy Snuggerud chose to return. As one of just two returning 50-point scorers in college hockey, he'll be on the short list for the preseason Hobey Baker Award favorites. Even more important to this team’s success in March is the returning starting goaltender, Justen Close. The fifth-year player was one of the most underrated pieces of the Golden Gophers' team last season, and returns as one of the best goaltenders in college hockey. Other returners include graduate senior forwards Jaxon Nelson and Bryce Brodzinski, and depth defensemen Mike Koster and Carl Fish. Plus, they're welcoming Oliver Moore to Dinkytown this season. The #19 overall pick in this year's NHL Draft should bring an immediate contribution to Minnesota's offense right away after putting up 75 points for the U.S. Under-18 Team last season.

After five seasons behind the bench, the Golden Gophers are finally seeing a the Bob Motzko effect. The long-time St. Cloud State coach has led Minnesota to back-to-back Frozen Fours for the first time since the early 2000's, but his goal now needs to be to get over the hump and win a title, something Minnesota hasn't done since 2003. If they can make it back this season, they'll have a bit of "home ice" advantage with the Frozen Four being held at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Following last year's heartbreaking loss, the storyline is there for the Gophers' to take this season.

- Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Record/Conference Finish: 16-16-5; 4th in Regular Season, T-5th in Postseason

Goals/Game: 2.30/game (53rd)

Goals Against/Game: 2.62/game (T-16th)

Power Play: 20.3% (T-26th)

Penalty Kill: 75.4% (59th)

Three Biggest Returners: Ryan Bischel (Goalie; 16-16-4, 2.39 GAA, .931 SV% in 37 games), Drew Bavaro (Defenseman; 6 goals - 13 assists - 19 points), and Trevor Janicke (Forward; 8-14-22, assistant captain),

Three Biggest Departures: Chayse Primeau (Forward; 8-15-23, led team in points), Ryder Rolston (Forward; 7-13-20) and Nick Leivermann (Defenseman; 6-14-20, captain)

Top Offseason Acquisition: Transfer Graduate Senior Ryan Siedem (Defenseman; 1-16-17 in 34 games at Harvard in 2022-'23)

Season Outlook -

After back-to-back seasons with NCAA Tournament appearances, the Fighting Irish took a step back in 2022, finishing with a .500 record for just the second time in the last eight years. A big reason for their 16-16-5 record was a large core of goal scorers, but no real star. Notre Dame had ten different players who scored between five and ten goals last season. A possible issue heading into this season is that just five of those ten are back for 2023.

Trevor and Justin Janicke return with a combined 15 goals last season along with defenseman Drew Bavaro (6-13-19), forward Hunter Strand and Assistant Captain Landon Slaggert (7-6-13). Each of these players will need to provide upperclassmen leadership both on the bench and the scoresheet if they wish to improve their offense from last year, which ranked 53rd in the country in goals/game.

The Fighting Irish's biggest strength is in net with returning goaltender Ryan Bischel. He's spent four seasons at Notre Dame now, and finally got a chance in the starting role after 32 total games in his first three years. During his first season as a starter, Bischel posted great numbers, including a 2.39 GAA and .931 SV%. The latter tied the mark of Mike Richter Award finalist Yaniv Perets for second-best in the country, and only trailed the winner of the award Devon Levi. If you were to make a list of the ten most important players for their respective teams, Bischel would probably be on it. He's absolutely crucial to the success (or failure) of Notre Dame this season.

- Ohio State Buckeyes

Record/Conference Finish: 21-16-2; 3rd in Regular Season, T-3rd in Postseason

Goals/Game: 3.28/game (T-9th)

Goals Against/Game: 2.53 (T-14th)

Power Play: 21.4% (18th)

Penalty Kill: 88.7% (1st)

Three Biggest Returners: Stephen Halliday (Forward; 9 goals - 32 assist - 41 points, led team in points), Cam Thiesing (Forward; 15-5-20, led team in goals), and Davis Burnside (Forward; 14-7-21, two SHG)

Three Biggest Departures: Jake Wise (Forward; 12-27-39, nine PPG, captain), Mason Lohrei (Defenseman; 4-28-32), and Jakub Dobes (Goalie; 21-16-2, 2.31 GAA, .918 SV% in 40 games)

Top Offseason Acquisition: Incoming Freshman Max Montes (Forward; 23-21-44 in 59 games in USHL in 2022-'23)

Season Outlook -

Because of Minnesota and Michigan, Ohio State was often overlooked in the Big Ten last season, leading to them being one of the most underrated teams in college hockey. A big part of that was due to their balanced roster and elite special teams, which didn't produce a lot of highlights but helped them string together wins. Leading the way was the Buckeyes' penalty kill, which led the country in kill percentage (88.7%) and shorthanded goals (10).

They were on full display in the NCAA Tournament, blowing out Harvard 8-1 in their opening-round game before losing to Quinnipiac in the regional final. They kept it close against the eventual national champions and even took the lead 90 seconds into the game, but couldn't quite finish it out in the third period, losing 4-1 to the Bobcats.

Ohio State's biggest returning player this season is Stephen Halliday. His playmaking was on full display during his freshmen season, as he tallied 32 assists (8th-most in NCAA) and led the Buckeyes in points. He'll have plenty of talent to pass to again this season, as the top-three goal scorers from last season (Cam Thiesing, Davis Burnside, and Joe Dunlap) are also returning to Ohio State this season.

The loss of goaltender Jakub Dobes will sting. The Czech Republic native left for the Montreal Canadiens organization after two solid years as the Buckeyes' starter. As a replacement, Ohio State is bringing in senior Logan Terness from Connecticut and incoming freshman Kristoffer Eberly. Both posted decent numbers with their prior respective teams, which should make for an interesting goaltending battle right away in the season. Based on roster construction, it looks like Ohio State is setting up for another third-place finish in the Big Ten behind Minnesota and Michigan.

- Penn State Nittany Lions

Record/Conference Finish: 22-16-1; T-5th in Regular Season, T-5th in Postseason

Goals/Game: 3.31/game (T-9th in NCAA)

Goals Against/Game: 2.72/game (T-23rd)

Power Play: 15.9% (T-46th)

Penalty Kill: 76.6% (53rd)

Three Biggest Returners: Christian Berger (Defenseman; 5 goals - 15 assists - 20 points), Jimmy Dowd Jr. (Defenseman; 4-15-19, two GWG), and Liam Souliere (Goalie; 19-15-1, 2.43 GAA, .917 SV% in 36 games)

Three Biggest Departures: Kevin Wall (Forward; 17-14-31; led team in goals/points, +20 plus/minus rating, assistant captain), Connor MacEachern (Forward; 12-15-27, +10, assistant captain), and Ture Linden (Forward; 11-18-29, led team in assists, three PPG)

Top Offseason Acquisition: Transfer Graduate Senior Jacques Bouquot (Forward; 6-10-16 in 29 games at Vermont in 2022-'23)

Season Outlook -

After a ridiculously hot start to the season, which included a 11-2-0 record and wins against Michigan and Minnesota, Penn State "cooled off" to a 22-16-1 season. That was the tied for the second most wins in a season ever and led to the fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. However, despite an undefeated non-conference record (10-0-0), Penn State finished tied for fifth in the Big Ten and failed to advance to the postseason semifinals.

Like Notre Dame, Penn State will have a lot of depth scoring to replace this season. That includes seniors Kevin Wall, Ture Linden, Connor MacEachern, Connor McMenamin, and Ashton Calder. However, and no offense to the Fighting Irish, those five forwards had a bit more skill than the Notre Dame core. They were the top five goal scorers last season, each scored at least nine goals each, and combined for 128 total points.

The Nittany Lions will build on this years team with their returning defenseman and goaltender; senior defenders Christian Berger and Jimmy Dowd Jr. and starting netminder Liam Souliere. Those three were a main part of the core that played above-average defensively last season, and should most likely improve. However, they will still have to work on their penalty kill (76.6%, 53rd in NCAA) and shots allowed per game (29.6, T-32nd). If they can do that and turn into a true shut-down team, they'll be one of the most difficult teams to play against in the Big Ten on any given night.

- Wisconsin Badgers

Record/Conference Finish: 13-23-0; 7th in Regular Season, T-5th in Postseason

Goals/Game: 2.61/game (T-37th in NCAA)

Goals Against/Game: 3.50/game (T-53rd)

Power Play: 21.2% (T-19th)

Penalty Kill: 78.9% (41st)

Three Biggest Returners: Cruz Lucius (Forward; 11 goals - 23 assists - 34 points, led team in points), Mathieu De St. Phalle (Forward; 13-17-30, led team in goals), and Charlie Stramel (Forward; 5-7-12, 1st-Rd. Pick in 2023 NHL Draft)

Three Biggest Departures: Brock Caufield (Forward; 11-12-23, six PPG), Shay Donovan (Defenseman; ECH Glue Gun of the Year), and Jared Moe (Goalie; 10-17-0, 3.31 GAA, .898 SV%)

Top Offseason Acquisition: Transfer Senior David Silye (Forward; 23-16-39 in 39 games for Minnesota-State in 2022-'23)

Season Outlook -

After two-straight losing seasons, the Wisconsin Badgers decided to move on from seven-year head coach Tony Granato. They nailed their replacement hire, brining in longtime Minnesota-State Mankato head coach Mike Hastings. It's not saying it lightly that Hastings completely revitalized the Mavericks' program when he took over, posting a winning season each of the 11 years he was there, and leading Minnesota-State to the programs first ever NCAA Title games in 2021 and 2022. Although he never won a championship, Hastings (299-109-25 career head coaching record) is a proven winner, something that Wisconsin hopes he brings to their program.

One thing we know for sure, is that Hastings is bringing two of his best players from last season. Forwards David Silye (23-16-29) and Christian Fitzgerald (16-13-29) decided to follow their coach through the transfer portal and will be immediate impacts for Wisconsin this season. That includes on the power play, as Silye was one of the most dangerous scorers with the extra attacker last season (12 PPG, T-2nd in NCAA). He should boost a Wisconsin power play which finished above-average last season (21.2%) into one of the nation's best.

Silye and Fitzgerald aren't the only projected playmakers on this offense. Sophomore forwards Cruz Lucius and Charlie Stramel return, alongside senior Matthieu De St. Phalle. Despite just 12 points last season, Stramel was drafted in the first round of the NHL Draft this summer, showing that his hometown team Minnesota Wild still believe in his talent, while Lucius and St. Phalle were the top-two point scorers for the Badgers last season.

Although Wisconsin should take a step forward this year, don't put too much expectation on them. They are talented, but there are too many question marks on the back end to make a deep postseason run. It all starts in net, with a three-person battle for the starting goaltending position. If one man takes the reins early, the expectation for Wisconsin may change.