Check out this top 15...

I found this blog post by Julie Robenhymer over on the HockeyBuzz.com even though UND is 1-3-0 she still has the Fighting Sioux ranked 15th...

Here's a review of what happened to the Top 15 this past weekend:

1 - CC - tied NR Clarkson twice - (1-1 and 2-2)
2 - Denver - beat NR OSU 3-1 and then lost 4-3 the next night
3 - UNH - tied NR UMass (1-1) and lost to NR St. Lawrence (4-1)
4 - BC - beat No. 12 Vermont 3-2
5 - Michigan - beat NR Niagra 4-1 and lost to No. 7 BU 7-2
6 - Minnesota - tied NR Wisconsin at 2 and then beat them 5-2
7 - BU - spanked No. 5 Michigan 7-2 in convincing fashion
8 - Notre Dame - lost to No. 10 Miami twice..3-0 3-2
9 - Princeton - still hasn't played a regular season game
10 - Miami - beat No. 8 Notre Dame twice...3-0 3-2
11 - Northeastern - beat NR Maine twice...5-0 and 2-1
12 - Vermont - lost to No. 4 BC 3-2
13 - Minnesota State - didn't play this weekend
14 - Michigan State - beat NR Northern Mich in a SO 3-2 and then in regulation 2-0
15 - NoDak - didn't play this weekend

USCHO Poll...

Team (First Place Votes) Record Points Last Poll
1 Colorado College (37) 4-0-2 976 1
2 Boston College ( 7) 3-1-0 914 3
3 Boston University ( 1) 4-1-0 872 6
4 Denver ( 3) 4-1-0 860 2
5 Minnesota ( 2) 3-0-1 808 7
6 New Hampshire 3-1-1 694 4
7 Miami 3-1-2 693 10
8 Michigan 4-2-0 634 5
9 Northeastern 5-0-1 550 14
10 Princeton 0-0-0 510 9
11 Michigan State 3-2-1 432 12
12 Minnesota State 3-1-0 391 13
13 Notre Dame 2-3-0 385 8
14 Vermont 2-1-1 330 11
15 Clarkson 1-1-2 283 19
16 Cornell 0-0-0 161 17
17 Air Force 6-0-0 154 NR
18 North Dakota 1-3-0 143 16
19 St. Cloud State 3-3-0 138 15
20 Harvard 0-0-0 109 20

Interesting UND drops two spots and they didn't play and Cornell goes up one spot and they didn't play this weekend either. Media darling Princeton dropped in the poll as well... I am surprised that C.C. remained at number one and they didn't win a game this weekend. I think this season there is a lot of parity.

USCHO poll.

October 20, 2008

Team (First Place Votes) Record Points Last Poll
1 Colorado College (39) 4-0-0 976 3
2 Denver ( 5) 3-0-0 928 4
3 Boston College ( 3) 2-1-0 868 1
4 New Hampshire ( 2) 3-0-0 840 6
5 Michigan ( 1) 3-1-0 810 2
6 Boston University 3-1-0 726 5
7 Minnesota 2-0-0 694 9
8 Notre Dame 2-1-0 693 8
9 Princeton 0-0-0 480 10
10 Miami 1-1-2 472 7
11 Vermont 2-0-1 388 17
12 Michigan State 2-2-0 369 11
13 Minnesota State 3-1-0 365 15
14 Northeastern 3-0-1 312 NR
15 St. Cloud State 2-2-0 246 12
16 North Dakota 1-3-0 232 13
17 Cornell 0-0-0 197 16
18 Northern Michigan 2-2-0 196 19
19 Clarkson 1-1-0 184 14
20 Harvard 0-0-0 114 18

Here is the latest poll from USCHO, it is what it is, an early season poll. Sioux fans put away the sharp objects and get off the bridge. Like I told someone this weekend you really can't get an honest legitimate reading on teams until after the first of the year. So what B.C. lost a game, I still think they are the best team in the country regardless of them losing a game or not. Most of us don't expect our teams to go 40-0-0 for the season it isn't realistic.

How do you not play a game and move up?

Give me a break, one of the biggest jokes of this poll is Princeton moved from 10th place to 9th and hasn't even played a game yet, there is no way in hell that EZAC Princeton is the 9th best team in the country. So we are to believe that Princeton is legitimately right behind Notre Dame in the standings? Yeah, we will see how that plays out this season.

USCHO Poll; yawn...

Here are the results of the USCHO poll, surprisingly UND is also 13th. I am sure I am not the only what that thinks polls right now don't really matter. They mean basically nothing, after the 1st of the year they get more meaningful. As we know some teams peak early and others Ala the Fighting Sioux peak later in the season. It will be interesting to see if UND goes on another patented run?
USCHO poll
1. Boston College (45)
2. Michigan (2)
3. Colorado College (3)
4. Denver
5. Boston University
6. New Hampshire
7. Miami
8. Notre Dame
9. Minnesota
10. Princeton
11. Michigan State
12. St. Cloud State
13. UND
14. Clarkson
15. Mankato
16. Cornell
17. Vermont
18. Harvard
19. Northern Michigan
20. Wisconsin

INCH preseason All American teams.

Inside College Hockey has announced their 2008-09 Preseason All-America Teams. They are as follows:

INSIDE COLLEGE HOCKEY 2007-08 PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM
F Erik Condra, Notre Dame Sr.
F Chad Rau, Colorado College Sr.
F Joe Whitney, Boston College So.
D Mark Mitera, Michigan Sr.
D Nick Petrecki, Boston College So.
G Richard Bachman, Colorado College So.

INSIDE COLLEGE HOCKEY 2008-09 PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM
F Lee Jubinville Princeton Sr.
F Ryan Lasch St. Cloud State Jr.
F Colin Wilson Boston University So.
D Kyle Lawson Notre Dame Jr.
D Jamie McBain Wisconsin Jr.
G Jeff Lerg Michigan State

INSIDE COLLEGE HOCKEY 2008-09 PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA THIRD TEAM
F Ryan Duncan North Dakota Sr.
F Justin Mercier Miami Sr. 42 GP,
F Ben Smith Boston College Jr.
D Matt Gilroy Boston University Sr
D Jeff Petry Michigan State So. 42
G John Muse Boston College So.

INSIDE COLLEGE HOCKEY 2008-09 PRESEASON ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
F Joe Colborne Denver
F Zac Dalpe Ohio State
F Jordan Schroeder Minnesota
D Aaron Ness Minnesota
D David Warsofsky Boston University
G Brad Eidsness North Dakota

The WCHA is well represented as the league landed 8 players on the INCH preseason All American teams: C.C. (2), Minnestoa (2), Wisconsin (1), Denver (1), SCSU (1)

No Sioux on the 2008-09 Preseason All-CHN Team

CHN released their all-CHN team. I don't have a problem with these teams for most but I guess I would have to say that I am shocked that James vanRiemsdhyke or Colin Wilson not being on one of the first two teams is kind of puzzling, but each his own. I expect huge things out both of these two sophmores. I think one could also make the same case for Duncan or Roe. Oh well.

Players to Watch
F - Ryan Duncan, Sr., North Dakota - 2007 Hobey Baker Award winner, has put up the numbers in the past, now he must lead.
F - Colin Wilson, So., Boston University - The highest pick among college players in last June's NHL Draft, decided to stay in school when Nashville could not assure him an NHL spot.
F - Garrett Roe, So., St. Cloud - Petered out near the end of last season, after putting up big numbers.
F - James vanRiemsdyk, So., New Hampshire - Decided to stick around in college, the highest NHL pick to do so. Really picked up his game towards the end of last season, has the potential to be dominant.

WCHA coaches poll.

The much awaited WCHA coaches poll is finally out. Interesting, I actually think Minnesota might be too low. I also think 2-5 could be a crap shoot as well.

38th annual Herald
WCHA coaches poll

1. Colorado College (8) 78
2. UND (2) 67
3. Denver 62
4. (tie) Minnesota 53
4. (tie) Wisconsin 53
6. St. Cloud State 48
7. MSU-Mankato 38
8. Minn.-Duluth 24
9. Michigan Tech 14
10. Alaska-Anchorage 13

Here is how I picked them. I think there is a consensus on the top team and the bottom teams.

1. C.C.
2. Minnesota
3. UND
4. Denver
5. Wisconsin
6. Minnesota State
7. UMD
8. SCSU
9. MTU
10. UAA

Top 100 Fantasy Players (Toews, Parise)

Since the hockey season is ALMOST upon us; some of us are in fantasy hockey leagues, I found time to be in 4 fantasy leagues. Yeah I guess I have a lot of time on my hands.

Chris Nichols from Sportsnet.ca was kind of enough to give us his top 100 players. Former Sioux Jonathan Toews (32) and Zach Parise (86)made the top 100 players. If you look closely at the list you will see other former WCHA players in the top 100 as well.

1. Alexander Ovechkin, Washington: Goal scoring wizard has earned the top slot.
2. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh: Art Ross favourite; should be downright dominant.
3. Martin Brodeur, New Jersey: Mr. Consistency always gets it done.
4. Dany Heatley, Ottawa: Hungry to resume his 50 goal ways with outstanding peripherals.
5. Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay: New captain excellent all-around; repaired shoulder ok.
6. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh: Points, PIM and he's 22. Career potential is off the charts.
7. Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit: No Datsyuk? No worries. Hank is bank.
8. Jarome Iginla, Calgary: Average of 96 points in each of the past two years; PIM bonus
9. Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose: Rebooted San Jose team; same rock in net.
10. Joe Thornton, San Jose: Absolutely ridiculous point totals since move to SJ.
11. Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit: 38 and still going strong; 0.75 career ppg average.
12. Dion Phaneuf, Calgary: Arguably just as valuable as Lidstrom, all categories considered.
13. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers: New-look team still has The King in net.
14. Roberto Luongo, Vancouver: One of a handful of time-tested fantasy studs.
15. Olli Jokinen, Phoenix: Upgraded talent on
32. Jonathan Toews, Chicago: Winnipeg native will shine as the new captain.
86. Zach Parise, New Jersey: 24-year old looks to finally hit/pass 70-point mark.