ECH Regular Season Preview: ECAC
written By Alex Berger - October 6th, 2023For the first time since back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014, the ECAC hosts the defending national champion in their conference. After a fantastic season and an even better national championship game, the Quinnipiac Bobcats won their first title in program history with a 3-2 overtime win over Minnesota. The defending champs lead a handful of teams with NCAA Tournament hopes this upcoming season. Each of the 12 teams in the ECAC has an optimistic outlook; whether that comes through deep returning cores of players, exciting incoming freshmen, lockdown goaltenders, or even a better-than-expected 2022-'23 season.
ECH Preseason Poll (First Place Votes)
1. Quinnipiac (5)
2. Cornell (2)
3. Harvard
4. St. Lawrence
5. Clarkson
6. Colgate
7. Princeton
8. Union
9. RPI
10. Yale
11. Brown
12. Dartmouth
ECH Pick for Postseason Champion: Cornell (4)
Others Receiving Votes: Quinnipiac (3)
- Brown Bears
Record/Conference Finish: 9-18-3; 11th in Regular Season, T-9th in Postseason
Goals/Game: 2.17/game (54th in NCAA)
Goals Against/Game: 3.03/game (T-38th)
Power Play: 18.7% (36th)
Penalty Kill: 77.6 (T-47th)
Three Biggest Returners: Ryan Bottrill (Forward; 6 goals - 15 assists - 21 points, led team in points), Jordan Tonelli (Forward; 7-10-17, assistant captain), and Brett Bliss (Defenseman; 6-7-13)
Three Biggest Departures: Luke Krys (Defenseman; 2-14-16, captain), James Crossman (Defenseman; 9-3-12, six PPG, led team in goals), and Matthieu Caron (Goalie; 8-12-3, 2.49 GAA, .921 SV% in 24 games)
Top Offseason Acquisition: Incoming Freshman Matthew Brille (Forward; 15-36-51 in 44 games in NAHL in 2022-'23)
Season Outlook -
After a difficult end to the 2022 season, which included just one win in the final month of the year (1-7-1 in last the last nine games), Brown returns to the ECAC with three of their top four returning point scorers and look to improve on what was their second-best season in nearly a decade.
For better or for worse, it wasn't one bad thing that made the Bears an objectively "bad" team. They were below-average in most major statistical categories, including goals scored/allowed, special teams play, and shots taken/allowed. If anything, puck possession contributed to all of those factors. If you discount Stonehill (who played just five total games in 2022-'23), Brown posted the worst faceoff win percentage in the nation (43.9%) and the third-worst Corsi (42.8%). Because they never had the puck they couldn't score, and vice versa.
Another concern for the Bears this upcoming season is their turnover on the backend. Starting goaltender Mathieu Caron (2.49 GAA, .921 SV%), defenseman James Crossman (9-3-12), and captain Luke Krys (2-14-16) all transferred to different schools over the offseason. There's no other way to say that those are three very big losses to replace for different, but in essence the same, reasons.
To be optimistic, Brown should be better offensively this year. Ryan Bottrill led Brown in scoring as a freshman (6-15-21) and returns alongside other top scorers; forward Jordan Tonelli (7-10-17) and defenseman Brett Bliss (6-7-13). Even though no one player scored more than 21 points the entire season, the Bears were a very balanced scoring team and is built similarly in 2023.
- Clarkson Golden Knights
Record/Conference Finish: 16-17-4; 6th in Regular Season, T-5th in Postseason
Goals/Game: 2.76/game (T-28th in NCAA)
Goals Against/Game: 2.65/game (T-16th)
Power Play: 18.9% (34th)
Penalty Kill: 81.3% (29th)
Three Biggest Returners: Ayrton Martino (Forward; 9 goals - 29 assists - 38 points, led team in assists/points, +14 plus/minus rating), Mathieu Gosselin (Forward; 14-19-33, tied for team lead in goals, four GWG), and Noah Beck (Defenseman; 6-17-23, +9)
Three Biggest Departures: Alex Campbell (Forward; 14-11-25, tied for team lead in goals, six PPG), Ethan Haider (Goalie; 16-16-3, 2.51 GAA, .906 SV% in 35 games), and Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup (Forward; 9-12-21, +11)
Top Offseason Acquisition: Transfer Graduate Senior Eric Ciccolini (Forward; 7-4-11 in 31 games at Michigan in 2022-'23)
Season Outlook -
On a team that features six total NHL Draft picks, forward Ayrton Martino looks to be the clear standout and a true steal for the Dallas Stars. Martino is the top playmaker for Clarkson and one of the best in the ECAC, and has now posted 51 assists over his first two years for the Golden Knights. The Ontario native was drafted in the third round back in 2021, and will likely be sought after hard by the Stars following this season. Clarkson fans should make sure to enjoy him while he's still in upstate New York.
Returning with Martino is graduate senior forward Mathieu Gosselin, who tied for the team lead in goals a year ago and has now scored 33 total points in back-to-back seasons. Not only does he put up the points, but he gets it done in the faceoff dot too. Gosselin ranked 15th in the country in faceoff wins with a 56% total win percentage. Another big returner is defenseman Noah Beck, who scored 23 points and posted a +9 plus/minus rating in 2022-'23. Beck and Martino are also getting recognition around the conference, as both were named to the Preseason All-ECAC Team.
Clarkson was hit hard in the transfer portal this summer: losing starting goaltender Ethan Haider (2.51 GAA, .906 SV%), one of their top scorers in forward Alex Campbell (14-11-25), defenseman Jordan Power (2-11-13), and a quartet of other depth players. Yes, the Golden Knights are brining in five transfers and six freshmen of their own (including New York Rangers seventh-round pick Eric Ciccolini from Michigan), but those new players always take some time to acclimate into their new team/system.
- Colgate Raiders
Record/Conference Finish: 19-16-5; 5th in Regular Season, 1st in Postseason
Goals/Game: 2.83/game (T-28th in NCAA)
Goals Against/Game: 2.73/game (T-23rd)
Power Play: 20.9% (T-21st)
Penalty Kill: 81.8% (22nd)
Three Biggest Returners: Nick Anderson (Defenseman; 3-26-29, led team in assists, +7 plus/minus rating), Carter Gylander (Goalie; 19-15-5, 2.46 GAA, .914 SV% in 39 games), and Ross Mitton (Forward; 9-18-27, three GWG)
Three Biggest Departures: Alex Young (Forward; 21-18-39, led team in goals/points, nine PPG), Matt Verboon (Forward; 16-19-35, six PPG), and Arnaud Vachon (Forward; 2-3-5, captain)
Top Offseason Acquisition: Incoming Freshman Ryan Sullivan (Forward; 20-28-48 in 48 games in AJHL in 2022-'23)
Season Outlook -
2022-'23 was a historic year for Colgate and head coach Don Vaughan. The Raiders qualified for the NCAA Tournament for just the sixth time in school history, and won the ECAC Championship for the second time and first since 1990, the year they went to the NCAA Championship game. For Vaughan, it was a near storybook ending to his 30-year coaching tenure. He decided to retire after the Raiders' underdog run to the conference title.
Looking back, there's an argument to be made that their upset against Quinnipiac in the ECAC Semifinal was one of the biggest wins in school history; knowing now that they went on to win the conference title, that Vaughan would retire at the end of the season, and that the Bobcats would eventually go on to win the NCAA Title. The hero of that game, Ross Mitten, returns for his senior season after scoring the double-overtime winner. Mitten had knack for scoring big goals last year, as he tied for lead in game-winning goals (3) for the Raiders during his junior year.
The loss of Vaughan is big for Colgate's prospects in 2023. Another piece of leadership loss is senior captain Arnaud Vachon, who chose to transfer to the newest program in college hockey, Augusta, for his fifth year. Adding fuel to the fire, they'll also need to find a way to replace three of their top four goal scorers in Alex Young (39), his brother Colton (28), and Matt Verboon (35). Alex, who also led the team in goals scored, decided to transfer to Arizona State after scoring 70 total points over his last two seasons.
- Cornell Big Red
Record/Conference Finish: 21-11-2, 3rd in Regular Season, T-3rd in Postseason
Goals/Game: 3.29/game (T-9th in NCAA)
Goals Against/Game: 1.94/game (2nd in NCAA)
Power Play: 24.6% (T-7th)
Penalty Kill: 82.7% (T-14th)
Three Biggest Returners: Ian Shane (Goalie; 20-10-1, 1.71 GAA, .916 SV% in 33 games), Gabriel Seger (Forward; 7 goals - 23 assists - 30 points, led team in assists/points), and Dalton Bancroft (Forward; 9-12-21, five PPG)
Three Biggest Departures: Ben Berard (Forward; 11-17-28, led team in goals), Sam Malinski (Defenseman; 8-18-26, captain), and Max Andreev (Forward; 6-16-22, five PPG, +11 plus/minus rating, assistant captain)
Top Offseason Acquisition: Incoming Freshman Jonathan Castagna (Forward; 29-43-72 in 50 games in CAHS in 2022-'23)
Season Outlook -
Every single college hockey fan needs to be well aware of Cornell goaltender Ian Shane heading into the 2023 season. Last year among qualified goalies, Shane ranked 2nd in GAA (1.72), T-5th in shutouts (5), and 11th in wins (20). Among goalies who played at least 25 games, Shane ranked first in total goals allowed the entire season (53 in 33 games). No matter which statistic you look at, the sophomore was one of the best goalies in the entire country, especially over the second half of the season. Shane allowed two or more goals in just nine of Cornell's 20 games from January 1st onward.
There is an expectation for Shane to improve again heading into this season, but some statistics may be signaling regression. For starters, Cornell allowed the fewest shot attempts per game last year (20.6/game) and ranked fourth in Corsi (57%). When the puck did make it's way to Shane he made saves at a .916%, rate, which ranked T-22nd among qualified starters. Still good, but not as eye-popping as some of his other statistics from his sophomore season. That defensive core, which kept the puck away from Shane at an elite rate, is losing four of it's nine members this year. It will be interesting to track if that was a product of Cornell's play style or their defensive talent.
The Big Red aren't welcoming in anyone through the transfer portal, but they are bringing in a pair of NHL Draft picks in their freshmen class. Forward Joseph Castagna and defenseman George Fegaras were both third-round picks in the 2023 and 2022 drafts, respectively. The former scored 72 points in the CAHS last season, while the latter was an assistant captain for his team and named the OJHL's top prospect. Each are very talented, and will bring an instant impact to Cornell in 2023.
Cornell posted the lone '4 Seed vs. 1 Seed' upset in the NCAA Tournament last season over Denver (thanks to a 2-0 shutout win from Ian Shane), but it wasn't as shocking as many thought. The Big Red were one of the lone teams to rank top-15 in all four major statistical categories, and as mentioned earlier were the best team in the country at limiting shots on goal. Their starting goaltender is one of the best in the country, and top point scorer Gabriel Seger (7-23-30) is returning for his senior season. This is a dangerous squad that can beat any team on any given night in not just one way.
- Dartmouth Big Green
Record/Conference Finish: 5-24-1; 12th in Regular Season, T-9th in Postseason
Goals/Game: 2.13/game (T-55th in NCAA)
Goals Against/Game: 3.53/game (T-53rd)
Power Play: 17.9% (T-39th)
Penalty Kill: 84.8% (9th)
Three Biggest Returners: Luke Haymes (Forward; 11 goals - 5 assists - 16 points, led team in goals, five PPG), Sean Chisholm (Forward; 7-7-14, most faceoff wins, 2023 captain), and John Fusco (Defenseman; 3-8-11)
Three Biggest Departures: Tanner Palocsik (Defenseman; 4-18-22, led team in assists/points), Matt Hubbarde (Forward; 5-11-16, three PPG), and Tyler Campbell (Forward; 4-5-9, led team with +2 plus/minus rating)
Top Offseason Acquisition: Incoming Freshman Eric Charpentier (Defenseman; 9-25-34, +12 in 53 games in NAHL in 2022-'23)
Season Outlook -
There are optimistic signs for every team in college hockey, even for a team that was arguably the worst in the sport a season ago. Discounting Stonehill, who played just five games, Dartmouth posted the least amount of wins among Division 1 teams and ranked dead last in the Pairwise. They were bottom-ten in goals/game scored (2.13), goals/game allowed (3.53), shots/game (22.6), and Corsi (43.8%). However, Dartmouth was actually top-ten in the country in one of the major statistical categories; their penalty kill posted an 84.8% kill rate. That wasn't just a statistical outlier, they gave up a very average number of penalty minutes per game (10.9, T-32nd fewest in NCAA). That special teams work is a definite positive to build on for the upcoming season.
Another optimistic look at the Big Green's season are their returning goal scorers. Their top four -- Luke Haymes, Braiden Dorfman, Sean Chisholm, and Cooper Flinton -- were all underclassmen last season and combined for nearly half of all the goals scored for Dartmouth a season ago (31 of 64). Yes, their scoring needs to drastically improve, but there are very few teams in the country who are bringing back that much of their goal production from a season ago. Then in net, sophomore Cooper Black returns after playing in 30 of Dartmouth's 31 total games in 2022-'23. Even though he didn't put up the greatest numbers (5-23-1, 3.07 GAA, .899 SV%), consistency is just as important as any other skill, statistic, or quality a player can have.
If Dartmouth is to flip the script this season, they'll need to play better in close games. The Big Green went 3-9 in one-goal games a season ago, and were winless in their five matchups that went to overtime. Another challenge for them this year is to win an out-of-conference game. Their lone nonconference win in 2022 came against Yale in the Ledyard Bank classic in late December, which doesn’t count towards ECAC rankings because it was tourament play. They'll get a chance to redeem themselves in 2023 with games against a good mix of opponents, including: Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Arizona State.
- Harvard Crimson
Record/Conference Finish: 24-8-2; 2nd in Regular Season, 2nd in Postseason
Goals/Game: 3.68/game (7th in NCAA)
Goals Against/Game: 2.38/game (T-12th)
Power Play: 24.3% (9th)
Penalty Kill: 81.4% (28th)
Three Biggest Returners: Joe Miller (Forward; 13 goals - 15 assists - 28 points, led team with +27 plus/minus rating), Ian Moore (Defenseman; 1-18-19, +20), and Alex Gaffney (Forward; 7-9-16, two GWG)
Three Biggest Departures: Sean Farrell (Forward; 20-33-53, led team in assists/points), Alex Laferriere (Forward; 21-21-42, led team in goals), and Henry Thrun (Defenseman; 7-24-31, captain)
Top Offseason Acquisition: Incoming Freshman Ben MacDoanld (Forward; 23-27-50 in 52 games in BCHL in 2022-'23)
Season Outlook -
Harvard was one of a handful of teams who ended the year with a bad taste in their mouths after a overall great season. The Crimson posted a 24-8-2 record (their second-best season in nearly 30 years) but lost their last two games of the season, including an 8-1 shocker to Ohio State in their regional semifinal game.
Their top-three scorers from a season ago, including junior forward Sean Farrell (53 points, 4th in NCAA), will not be returning. Farrell, Alex Laferriere (42), and Matthew Coronato (36) all signed entry-level contracts after the offseason and will now focus on their budding NHL careers. That trio alone combined for 61 of 125 total goals scored last year. For a team that ranked seventh in the country in goals/game, they'll need to find other players to step up and fill that scoring void. Sophomore forward Joe Miller looks to fill some of that, as the top returning scorer and only returner who scored more than 10 goals in 2022 (13-15-28). He's also a great defensive player, leading the team in plus/minus rating with a +27.
Goaltender Derek Mullahy is primed to take the starting role following a season in which he only played in five games. However, in that limited role he played very well, posting a 5-0-0 record, a 1.70 GAA, a .929 SV%, and a shutout in those five games. Returning sophomore Aku Koskenvuo, a fifth-round draft pick, could also make an impact after playing in just two games in 2022-'23.
Despite the turnover, Harvard still looks to be a threat in the ECAC. A big key to that is a more balanced defensive look this season, with a d-core which includes five drafted players. If they can replicate their scoring numbers from a season ago, back-to-back NCAA Tournaments are not out of the question.
- Princeton Tigers
Record/Conference Finish: 13-19-0; T-7th in Regular Season, T-5th in Postseason
Goals/Game: 2.78/game (T-28th in NCAA)
Goals Against/Game: 3.50/game (T-53rd)
Power Play: 15.0% (49th)
Penalty Kill: 75.0% (60th)
Three Biggest Returners: Ian Murphy (Forward; 15 goals - 14 assists - 29 points, led team in points), Noah de la Durantaye (Defenseman; 4-13-17), and Brendan Gorman (Forward; 5-14-19)
Three Biggest Departures: Liam Gorman (Forward; 12-12-24, four PPG), Pito Walton (Defenseman; 7-14-21), and Spencer Kersten (Forward; 4-6-10, two SHG)
Top Offseason Acquisition: Incoming Freshman Arthur Smith (Goalie; 18-6-1, 1.59 GAA, .928 SV% in 33 games in NAHL in 2022-'23)
Season Outlook -
With seven seniors on the roster and eight of their top ten scorers from 2022-23 returning, Princeton looks to take a step ahead from a year in which they finished middle of the pack in the ECAC. However, two of their better players decided to transfer to other schools. Although they don't completely sink the team, the Tigers will need to find a way to replaced forward Liam Gorman (12-12-24) who transferred to Massachusetts and defenseman Pito Walton (7-14-21) who transferred to Northeastern.
Princeton doesn't have any transfers coming in this offseason, but the Tigers are bringing in a good class of incoming freshman, led by goaltender Arthur Smith. The 2022 NAHL 'Goaltender of the Year' posted a 41-9-7 record over two seasons, and led the league in GAA (1.59) last year. Smith is huge at 6'4" 205 lbs., and was named the top prospect of the league in back-to-back seasons. He will instantly challenge for the starting role from a good starter last season in Ethan Pearson (11-9-0, 2.71, .903 SV%).
Senior forward Ian Murphy should be a leader offensively after posting 19 points in 2021 and 29 in 2022. After Gorman and Walton, the next seven top scorers also return for a combined 109 total points. With lots of scoring depth returning and one of the best goaltending prospects in the conference, Princeton has the pieces for an under-the-radar ECAC run.
- Quinnipiac Bobcats
Record/Conference Finish: 34-3-3; 1st in Regular Season, T-3rd in Postseason
Goals/Game: 3.95/game (3rd in NCAA)
Goals Against/Game: 1.56/game (1st)
Power Play: 22.2% (15th)
Penalty Kill: 86.7% (4th)
Three Biggest Returners: Collin Graf (Forward; 21 goals - 38 assists - 49 points, led team in points), Sam Lipkin (Forward; 14-29-43), and Jacob Quillan (Forward; 19-19-38, led team with +37 plus/minus rating)
Three Biggest Departures: Yaniv Perets (Goalie; 34-4-3, 1.49 GAA, .931 SV % in 41 games), Ethan de Jong (Forward; 19-21-40, five GWG, +25), and Zach Metsa (Defenseman; 9-28-37, +34, captain)
Top Offseason Acquisition: Transfer Senior Cooper Moore (Defenseman; 3-10-13 at North Dakota in 2022-'23)
Season Outlook -
For the first time in program history, Quinnipiac enters a season as the defending national champions. It was a cathartic win for head coach Rand Pecknold and Bobcats' fans alike, with a dramatic come-from-behind overtime win over Minnesota in the national title game. Although they are losing some great players, Quinnipiac is reloaded and ready to defend their title in 2023.
A big key to their first title run was sophomore goaltender Yaniv Perets. The Mike Richter Award finalist led college hockey in wins (34), GAA (1.49), minutes played (2,417), tied for the lead in shutouts (10), and tied for second in save percentage (.931%). Although he didn't bring home the personal hardware, Perets helped lead the Bobcats to a national title after allowing just seven goals in four games and will forever be a Quinnipiac legend. It's going to be near impossible to replace such a great goaltender, but this year's Bobcat team will attempt to to do so with a group that includes Boston University transfer Vinny Duplessis (5-3-0, 2.48 GAA).
However, the hero from last year's title game, Jacob Quillan, is one of the three top returning scorers Quinnipiac has this year. The forwards - Quillan (38), Collin Graf (49), and Sam Lipkin (43) - are one of just four trios who all ranked in the top-30 nationally in points last season. The key difference between them, Minnesota (Cooley, Knies, Snuggerud), Michigan (Fantilli, Hughes, and Samoskevich), and Western Michigan (McAllister, Polin, Sasson) is that the entire trio is returning for 2023. In fact only one of those nine players, Minnesota sophomore Jimmy Snuggerud, is playing this year. Quinnipiac's top line should be one of the most dangerous in college hockey, and is the main reason why they're heading into the season as the favorite to repeat as ECAC regular-season champions.
- Rensselaer Engineers
Record/Conference Finish: 14-20-1; T-7th in Regular Season, T-9th in Postseason
Goals/Game: 2.40/game (T-47th in NCAA)
Goals Against/Game: 3.29/game (T-47th)
Power Play: 19.8% (T-30th)
Penalty Kill: 76.5% (54th)
Three Biggest Returners: Sutter Muzzati (Forward; 7 goals - 15 assists - 22 points), Jakob Lee (Forward; 10-12-22, four PPG), and Jack Watson (Goalie; 13-15-1, 3.08 GAA, .895 SV% in 30 games)
Three Biggest Departures: Ryan Mahshie (Forward; 15-7-22, led team in goals, assistant captain), Kyle Hallbauer (Defenseman; 2-11-13, captain), and T.J. Walsh (Forward; 7-10-17, four PPG)
Top Offseason Acquisition: Transfer Junior Dovar Tinling (Forward; 17-30-47 in 43 games in BCHL in 2022-'23)
Season Outlook -
After starting the season 4-0-0, including nonconference wins over Mercyhurst, Long Island, and Army, the Rensselaer Engineers fell off in the middle third of the season, going 5-13-1 (.289 win %) in Nov./Dec./Jan. on the way towards a 14-20-1 finish. Despite not posting the greatest team statistics, RPI played well in close games. Eight of their 14 wins were by one goal, which helped them stay middle of the pack in the ECAC. They will need to play better on the road however, as they went 2-13-0 in away games compared to a 12-6-1 mark at home, and didn't win their first road game until February.
In 2022 the Engineers had four players score at least 20 points, but none more than 22. Three of those four: forwards Sutter Muzzatti, Jakob Lee, and Austin Heidemann are returning for the 2023 campaign. The seniors - Lee and Heidemann - each scored ten goals, tied for second on the team. The Engineers' leading goal scorer, assistant captain Ryan Mahshie, will not be rejoining that trio as he decided to transfer to Connecticut for his fifth year.
RPI is welcoming a in handful of transfers this, including former Vermont forward Dovar Tinling. The former Catamount was once the youngest player in the NCAAs, but scored just three points in 26 games over his first two seasons at Vermont. Last season, Tinling went back to the BCHL where he scored 17 goals and 30 assists and helped the Penticton Vees win the league championship. Engineer fans hope a change of scenery can get his NCAA career back on track.
If Rensselaer is to make any noise in the ECAC, a big reason will be because of their upperclassmen leadership. There will be 17 combined juniors, seniors, and graduate seniors on RPI this season, including nine forwards. Although it is great to have high-end freshmen who are NHL bound, it's rosters constructed like this that are usually found competing for trophies in late March.
- St. Lawrence Saints
Record/Conference Finish: 17-19-0; 4th in Regular Season, T-5th in Postseason
Goals/Game: 2.44/game (T-47th in NCAA)
Goals Against/Game: 2.83/game (T-29th)
Power Play: 14.8% (51st)
Penalty Kill: 81.9% (21st)
Three Biggest Returners: Luc Salem (Defenseman; 10 goals - 17 assists - 27 points, led team in points, +12 plus/minus rating, 2023 captain), Mason Waite (Defenseman; 3-13-16), and Cameron Buhl (Forward; 9-9-18, six PPG)
Three Biggest Departures: Aleksi Peltonen (Forward; 6-6-12, two SHG, captain), Jordan Steinmetz (Forward; 4-6-10, captain), and Tim Makowski (Defenseman; 2-7-9, two GWG, captain)
Top Offseason Acquisition: Transfer Graduate Senior Ben Kraws (Goalie; 3-0-0, 2.19 GAA, .899 SV% in 6 games at Arizona State in 2022-'23)
Season Outlook -
Similar to Princeton, the name of the game this year is consistency for the St. Lawrence Saints. Their top ten point scorers from a season ago are returning, including three defenseman. Leading the way is #1 point scorer Luc Salem. The defenseman led the Saints in goals (10), assists (17), points (27), plus/minus rating (+12), game-winning goals (4), and blocked shots (45). After a career season, Salem was named one of St. Lawrence's three captains for the upcoming season and is one of the most well-rounded defenseman in the entire conference.
Last years captains - Aleksi Peltonen, Jordan Steimetz, and Tim Makowski - are all gone, so Salem and fellow captains Josh Boyer and Justin Paul will have a big leadership void to fill in. Another big replacement will come in net, as graduate senior Emil Zetterquist makes way for incoming transfer Ben Kraws. The Arizona State transfer played in just six games last year, but 26 in the year before that. The graduate senior has had experience in his career before, and now looks to fight for the starting role in his final year at this level.
Although those four players will be big losses, there's an argument to be made that those specific roles may be the easiest to replace on a given roster as there's going to be turnover every season. St. Lawrence fans have to feel really optimistic heading into this year after seeing improvements over the last three-straight seasons. Although they were upset by Colgate in the ECAC semifinals a year ago, the Saints and head coach Brent Brekke have to feel really good about the direction the program is headed at the moment.
- Union Garnet Chargers
Record/Conference Finish: 14-19-1; T-7th in Regular Season, T-9th in Postseason
Goals/Game: 2.46/game (T-44th in NCAA)
Goals Against/Game: 3.34/game (T-47th)
Power Play: 18.0% (38th)
Penalty Kill: 76.9% (52nd)
Three Biggest Returners: John Prokop (Defenseman; 4 goals - 19 assists - 23 points, led team in assists/points), Nate Hanley (Forward; 5-16-21), and Josh Nixon (Forward; 11-5-16, three PPG, led team in goals)
Three Biggest Departures: Owen Farris (Forward; 7-4-11, captain), Conner Murphy (Goalie; 12-17-1, 3.34 GAA, .889 SV% in 31 games, captain), and Chris Theodore (Forward; 3-10-13, two GWG)
Top Offseason Acquisition: Transfer Senior Cole Kodsi (Forward; 7-9-16 in 34 games at Bentley in 2022-'23)
Season Outlook -
In their final season as the Dutchmen and first with head coach Josh Hauge, Union finished tied for seventh in the ECAC despite below-average statistics, including a bottom-five finish in Corsi (43.1%, T-57th). The now Garnet Chargers (that will take some getting used to) will look to improve under Hauge's second season with a good cast of returning players, including two playmaking defensemen in John Prokop and Cal Mell. The pair of sophomore defenseman both ranked top five in points for Union last year and combined for 31 total assists.
For a team that managed just 23.5 shots/game (T-57th), bringing in senior transfer Cole Kodsi is a definite sign that Union wants more pucks to get towards the net. Kodsi had 101 shots last season at Bentley, which would've ranked first on Union in 2022-'23. Despite the high number of shots, the three-year Falcon scored just seven goals. If he can match his shot numbers from a season ago and improve his shot percentage even to just an above-average amount, Union could have a new top-goal scorer this upcoming season.
However, if Kodsi wants to take that title he'll have to fight through nearly a dozen returning candidates to get there. The Garnet Chargers' top eight scorers are back this year, and two others scored six goals (T-6th on team). Like a handful of other teams in the ECAC, that supporting cast of players is a very optimistic sign at their season-long outlook. A big question mark is in their defensive core, however, as six of the nine players are underclassmen. That group of players needs to play cohesive early if they want to limit shots and make a run at their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017.
- Yale Bulldogs
Record/Conference Finish: 8-20-3; 10th in Regular Season, T-5th in Postseason
Goals/Game: 1.78/game (62nd in NCAA)
Goals Against/Game: 2.94/game (T-32nd)
Power Play: 11.8% (59th)
Penalty Kill: 80.0% (T-35th)
Three Biggest Returners: Ian Carpentier (Forward; 9 goals - 8 assists - 17 points, led team in goals/points, four PPG), David Chen (Forward; 8-7-15), and Reilly Connors (Forward; 7-5-12, led team with three GWG, 2023 captain)
Three Biggest Departures: Cole Donhauser (Forward; 6-7-13, +1 plus/minus rating), Michael Young (Defenseman; 0-5-5, captain), and Quinton Ong (Forward; 4-2-6, two PPG)
Top Offseason Acquisition: Incoming Freshman David Andreychuk (Forward; 18-57-75 in 60 games in NAHL in 2022-'23)
Season Outlook -
Priority number one for Yale this season is to score more goals. The Bulldogs ranked dead last in the country in goals/game (1.78), second to last in shots/game (22.2), and fourth to last in power play percentage (11.8%). Yale was shut out seven times last season, including for four-straight games to start the month of November. They struggled to even score multiple goals in a game, which they did in less than half of their games (15 of 31).
Although they weren't the most eye-popping numbers, their goal scorer in Ian Carpentier and top assister in Briggs Gammill are back this season. The pair, along with sophomore forward David Chen, were the top three scorers for Yale in 2022 and combined for 46 total points. With a year of college hockey experience under their belts, Bulldogs' fans hope they can all take that next step forward.
The success of Yale begins and ends with scoring. The good news is that it literally can not get any worse in terms of their national ranking, however they need to score a goal/game more this year even to get back to an average team in that statistic. If there is one player to be an x-factor and lead this team to that mark, it's Yale captain Reilly Connors. The senior has a knack for scoring big goals, as he was the only player to register multiple game-winning goals a season ago (3), and ranked third on the team in total goals.
