Minnesota State has been selected by the CCHA head coaches to win the MacNaughton Cup, which is awarded to the regular-season champion, in the 2022-23 preseason coaches poll.
The defending champions and Frozen Four finalists also won the 2022 Mason Cup as the league’s tournament winners.
The Mavericks collected six first-place votes and totaled 69 of a possible 70 points overall. Northern Michigan earned 61 points, including two first-place votes.
Points were awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4 basis. League coaches could not vote for their own school.
2022-23 CCHA Preseason Coaches Poll
Minnesota State – 69 (6)
Northern Michigan – 61 (2)
Bowling Green – 58
Bemidji State – 51
Michigan Tech – 47
Lake Superior State – 45
Ferris State – 32
St. Thomas – 30
In addition, Minnesota State senior forward Brendan Furry was named CCHA preseason player of the year, as voted on by the conference’s eight head coaches.
Furry helped the Mavericks to their second Frozen Four appearance in as many years and first ever trip to the finals in 2021-22. He finished fourth in the CCHA in scoring with 13 goals and 31 assists for 44 points in 44 games last season. His 31 helpers were good for third-most in the country, his 14 multi-point games were tops among conferences skaters, and his plus-30 rating was good for fifth. He earned NCAA East Regional all-tournament honors after collecting a goal and an assist for two points, helping Minnesota State advance.
Through 72 career games, Furry has posted 18 goals and 39 assists for 57 points.
Wrapping up the day, the preseason all-CCHA team was announced, along with preseason rookie of the year.
2022-23 Preseason All-CCHA Team
Forward: Brendan Furry, Sr., Minnesota State
Forward: Louis Boudon, Sr., Lake Superior State
Forward: AJ Vanderbeck, Sr., Northern Michigan
Defense: Jake Livingstone, Jr., Minnesota State
Defense: Jacob Bengtsson, Jr., Lake Superior State
Defense: Elias Rosen, Sr., Bemidji State
Goaltender: Blake Pietila, Jr., Michigan Tech
Northern Michigan freshman Joey Larson has been selected as the CCHA preseason rookie of the year, as voted on by the conference’s eight head coaches.
Larson played most recently for the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks, where he scored 32 goals and assisted on 34 more for 66 points in 61 games during the 2021-22 season. He added four goals and 13 assists for 17 points in nine playoff games.
