You’ve clicked on a link to this conference season preview, so chances are you already know how strong the NCHC is.
So does Heather Weems, who spent the last decade as St. Cloud State’s athletic director before being named in May as the NCHC’s new commissioner. She succeeds Josh Fenton, who previously accepted another NCAA Division I commissioner role with the Summit League.
Weems knew all about the NCHC landscape before taking her new job. A Denver graduate, Weems oversaw a SCSU athletic department whose teams meet Minnesota Duluth regularly in league action, mainly as part of the Division II Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. St. Cloud State also has long-standing rivalries with North Dakota and Omaha from the old WCHA and now-defunct D-II North Central Conference in other sports.
Weems remains in Minnesota, but will be on the road most weekends this season to take in games in a conference that, collectively, has always been at or near the top of the D-I tree since NCHC hockey began in 2013. This includes last season, which finished with Denver earning its ninth national championship all-time, and the Pioneers’ fourth in this millennium.
But that’s not all that the NCHC boasts. Denver also won it all in 2017, Minnesota Duluth won back-to-back national titles in the following two years, and in 2016, North Dakota claimed that crown.
“It’s not just one defending national champion, it’s that we’ve had five in the last six years of NCAA national championship play,” Weems said. “I think there’s a real commitment and understanding that, on our campuses, hockey is a major player and not just a major player for student-athlete experience, but in many cases, it’s a revenue driver and an energy creator.
“It is a rallying point for our campuses and our communities, and so there is very strong respect and a sense of responsibility by our institutions to ensure that our hockey programs are well positioned to maintain success, and that goes back to being able to recruit and retain elite-level athletes.”
That generally hasn’t been a problem, as from top to bottom, NCHC member schools continue to regularly attract recruits that ping on the NHL Central Scouting radar, as well as that of national team selectors.
That, year on year, has maintained the NCHC’s reputation as a meat grinder. There’s no room for complacency, even for a team that went all the way just five months ago.
“It’s a brand-new year and a brand-new team, and everyone starts at zero,” Denver coach David Carle said when asked if the Pioneers’ success last April in Boston changed how the team operated heading into its exhibition game last Saturday against UNLV’s ACHA team.
“We’re all at base camp, trying to climb to the top of the mountain again. We’re turning the page and refocusing with a team that will have a different set of strengths, weaknesses, challenges and identity, and we’re just working to develop that with this year’s group.”
That team identity will likely come together quickly, partly because of the company the Pioneers keep.
In-state rival Colorado College returns its top four scorers and will look to have more success this season in the Tigers’ new arena. Longtime rival North Dakota will look to win another national championship in Florida, like the Fighting Hawks did during a 34-win season in 2016.
Minnesota Duluth is always in the conversation, too, St. Cloud is only two years removed from a national runner-up spot and Western Michigan is fresh off an impressive season under a first-year head coach. Miami and Omaha aren’t too far removed from their most recent long postseason runs, either, and they’ll feel they have the potential to get back there.
That means there are a lot of targets on a lot of backs. Ask Carle about that, though, and he seems to welcome it.
“We’ve talked a little bit about that, just in the sense that everyone knows who we are this year,” he said. “We’re going to get everyone’s best game, but we’ve earned that right through our play last season and what we accomplished.
“Also, I think it’s a really good thing that we’re getting everyone’s best, because we need to make sure we’re giving our best every night in order to have success. We’re not going to be able to sneak out wins on a team’s off-night. We’re going to have to earn everything.”
Sounds familiar.
COLORADO COLLEGE
HEAD COACH: Kris Mayotte (entering his second season at CC)
LAST SEASON: 9-24-3 (6-17-1 for 7th in NCHC)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: F Hunter McKown (Jr., 13g-8a-21pts); F Stanley Cooley (So., 6g-12a-18pts); D Jack Millar (Jr., 1g-5a-6pts)
KEY LOSSES: D Nicklas Anderson (3g-14a-14 pts); F Jordan Biro (6g-7a-13pts); G Dominic Basse (6-15-2, 3.23 GAA, .888 SV%)
KEY ADDITIONS: F Ryan Beck (Dubuque Fighting Saints, USHL); F Noah Luba (Lincoln Stars, USHL); G Kaidan Mbereko (Lincoln Stars, USHL).
2022-23 PREDICTION: Colorado College returns its top four scorers from last season, plus the Tigers’ two returning goaltenders with playing experience from last season. There should also be a good amount of chemistry, too, on a team that didn’t bring in any new transfers this season. Five seniors and a graduate student in defenseman Brian Yoon will look to make Ed Robson Arena a happier hunting ground than it was in its inaugural season, and the Tigers could compete for home ice in the playoffs. However, recent history keeps us from imagining CC, which hasn’t had a winning season in a decade, pulling up trees.
2022-23 PREDICTED FINISH: 6th.
DENVER
HEAD COACH: David Carle (entering his fifth season at DU)
LAST SEASON: 31-9-1 (18-6-0 for 1st in NCHC)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: F Carter Mazur (So., 14g-24a-38 pts.); D Mike Benning (Jr., 15g-23a-36pts); G Magnus Chrona (Sr., 28-8-1, 2.11 GAA, .911 SV%)
KEY LOSSES: F Bobby Brink (14g-43a-57pts); F Brett Stapley (18g-25a-43 pts); F Cameron Wright (23g-11a-34pts)
KEY ADDITIONS: F Rieger Lorenz (Okotoks Oilers, AJHL); F Aidan Thompson (Lincoln Stars, USHL); D Kent Anderson (Green Bay Gamblers, USHL).
2022-23 PREDICTION: What’s not to like about a defending national champion that brings back a lot of its core from last season? Even with Hobey Baker finalist Bobby Brink leaving for the NHL, Denver has plenty of established weapons up front and held onto an exceptional goaltender in Chrona. Denver grabbed 10 of 14 first-place picks in the NCHC’s preseason media poll, and while winning this conference is the opposite of easy, the Pioneers have more than enough talent to do it, and to book a return Frozen Four trip. There might be more national championship rings on the way, too.
2022-23 PREDICTED FINISH: 1st.
MIAMI
HEAD COACH: Chris Bergeron (entering his fourth season at MU)
LAST SEASON: 7-27-2 (4-19-1 for 8th in NCHC)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: F PJ Fletcher (Sr., 8g-16a-24pts); F Matthew Barbolini (Jr., 10g-12a-22pts); D Dylan Moulton (Jr., 3g-7a-10pts); G Ludvig Persson (Jr., 6-23-2, 3.93 GAA, .894 SV%)
KEY LOSSES: D Derek Daschke (4g-24a-28 pts); F Matt Barry (8g-15a-23pts)
KEY ADDITIONS: F William Hallén (Dubuque Fighting Saints, USHL); D Axel Kumlin (Dubuque Fighting Saints, USHL); F Max Dukovac (Langley Rivermen, BCHL).
2022-23 PREDICTION: Ever since Miami’s NCHC playoff title in 2015, the RedHawks have struggled to regain the momentum they had around that time, when they reached the NCAA tournament nine times in 10 years. Miami is yet to win 10 games in a season under Bergeron, but the RedHawks haven’t been short on good recruits. Persson is better than his goals-against average from last season suggests, and forward Red Savage, who earned NCHC rookie of the week honors four times last season, could be even better after his World Juniors showing this summer. Someone has to finish last, and eventually Miami will be back to finishing comfortably above the basement. Is this the year where that starts? We’re not sure it is.
2022-23 PREDICTED FINISH: 8th.
MINNESOTA DULUTH
HEAD COACH: Scott Sandelin (entering his 23rd season at UMD)
LAST SEASON: 22-16-4 (10-10-4 for 5th in NCHC)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: F Blake Biondi (Jr., 17g-11a-28pts); D Wyatt Kaiser (Jr., 2g-17a-19pts); F Quinn Olson (Jr., 6g19a-25pts); D Owen Gallatin (So., 2g-15a-17 pts.)
KEY LOSSES: F Kobe Roth (16g-13a-29 pts); F Koby Bender (7g-19a-26pts), G Ryan Fanti (20-12-4, 1.82 GAA, .929 SV%)
KEY ADDITIONS: F Isaac Howard (US NTDP); F Cole Spicer (US NTDP); G Zach Sandy (Minot Minotauros, NAHL).
2022-23 PREDICTION: Sandelin was awarded a two-year contract extension this summer, keeping him in Duluth through the 2026-27 season, and it’s easy to see why UMD wants to keep him around. The Bulldogs won back-to-back national titles in 2018 and 2019, and they seem to always be in the discussion. Even last season, when the Bulldogs got into the national tournament despite posting a .500 record in their league. There’s a lot to replace this time around, and it’ll be interesting to see who becomes the new No. 1 goalie with Fanti departing, but if enough pieces fall the right way, this UMD team could be up there with any that we’ve seen in recent years.
2022-23 PREDICTED FINISH: 3rd.
NORTH DAKOTA
HEAD COACH: Brad Berry (entering his eighth season at UND)
LAST SEASON: 24-14-1 (17-6-1 for 2nd in NCHC)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: F Riese Gaber (Jr., 15g-22a-37pts); F Jake Schmaltz (So., 8g-16a-24pts); D Ethan Frisch (Sr., 9g-6a-15pts)
KEY LOSSES: F Connor Ford (4g-24a-28 pts); D Jake Sanderson (8g-18a-26pts); G Zach Driscoll (22-11-1, 2.34 GAA, .908 SV%)
KEY ADDITIONS: F Jackson Blake (Chicago Steel, USHL); D Ty Farmer (Massachusetts transfer); G Drew DeRidder (Michigan State transfer)
2022-23 PREDICTION: North Dakota’s eighth and most recent national championship came six years ago in Tampa, and with the Frozen Four set to take place there again in April, you know Fighting Hawks fans are already eyeing that potential trip. UND hasn’t been to the Frozen Four since then, though, and while the Hawks haven’t had a losing season in 20 years, they know as well as anyone in the NCHC that nothing is guaranteed. There are some significant departures from last season that need replacing, but enough is back to keep UND plenty competitive. Penciling UND in as a Frozen Four candidate isn’t a bad idea.
2022-23 PREDICTED FINISH: 2nd.
OMAHA
HEAD COACH: Mike Gabinet (entering his sixth season at UNO)
LAST SEASON: 21-17-0 (11-13-0 for 6th in NCHC)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: F Tyler Weiss (Gr., 8g-25a-33pts); F Cameron Berg (So., 8g-16a-24pts); D Kirby Proctor (Jr., 5g-7a-12pts)
KEY LOSSES: F Taylor Ward (19g-20a-39 pts); F Brannon McManus (9g-23a-32pts); G Isaiah Saville (16-14-0, 2.52 GAA, .907 SV%)
KEY ADDITIONS: F Tyler Rollwagen (Fargo Force, USHL); D Joaquim Lemay (Lincoln Stars, USHL); G Jake Kucharski (American International transfer)
2022-23 PREDICTION: Weiss was announced late this summer as returning to Omaha for his fifth season, and the Mavericks will need him. Five of their top seven point-producers from last season have moved on, so Weiss and New York Islanders draft pick Berg will be focal points on a team with 10 freshmen. There will be a new starting goaltender, too, as Saville signed a pro contract and Austin Roden transferred to Providence. Could the Mavericks finish much higher than where we have them? Of course, but we’ll wait and see.
2022-23 PREDICTED FINISH: 7th.
ST. CLOUD STATE
HEAD COACH: Brett Larson (entering his fifth season at SCSU)
LAST SEASON: 18-15-4 (10-10-4 for 4th in NCHC)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: F Jami Krannila (Sr., 15g-15a-30pts); F Zach Okabe (Sr., 11g-17a-28pts); D Spencer Meier (Gr., 5g-13a-18pts)
KEY LOSSES: F Kevin Fitzgerald (17g-19a-36 pts); D Nick Perbix (6g-25a-31pts); G Dávid Hrenák (16-11-4, 2.26 GAA, .914 SV%)
KEY ADDITIONS: F Adam Ingram (Youngstown Phantoms, USHL); F Ethan AuCoin (Lloydminster Bobcats, AJHL); D Cooper Wylie (Waterloo Black Hawks, USHL); G Dominic Basse (Colorado College transfer)
2022-23 PREDICTION: St. Cloud State made the NCAA tournament in three of Larson’s first four seasons behind the bench, and we think the Huskies will get there again in 2023 despite losing quite a lot of high-end production across the ice. Plenty of talent returns, and Basse transferring in from CC is an interesting wrinkle for a Huskies team that bade farewell to a very good goalie in Hrenák. It might take a little time for this squad to fully gel, but we’re not worried for them. Don’t be surprised if they finish higher than we think they will.
2022-23 PREDICTED FINISH: 4th.
WESTERN MICHIGAN
HEAD COACH: Pat Ferschweiler (entering his second season at WMU)
LAST SEASON: 26-12-1 (14-9-1 for 3rd in NCHC)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: F Jason Polin (Sr., 16g-10a-26pts); F Cole Gallant (Gr., 9g-17a-26pts); D Aidan Fulp (Jr., 2g-11a-13pts)
KEY LOSSES: F Drew Worrad (9g-36a-45 pts); F Ethen Frank (26g-13a-39pts); D Ronnie Attard (13g-23a-36pts); G Brandon Bussi (26-12-1, 2.54 GAA, .912 SV%)
KEY ADDITIONS: F Ryan McAllister (Brooks Bandits, AJHL); D Samuel Sjolund (Dubuque Fighting Saints, USHL); G Cameron Rowe (Wisconsin transfer)
2022-23 PREDICTION: That WMU just awarded Ferschweiler a new contract that runs through 2025-26 says much for how well the Broncos did in their first season under him as a head coach. There could be some growing pains this time around, though. Western’s top five point-producers from last season are gone, and so is former starting goaltender Brandon Bussi. There’s a lot that’s new about this season’s Broncos, including six transfers, but we think Ferschweiler will keep the team plenty competitive with an eye toward much higher ground than where we have the Broncos for now.
2022-23 PREDICTED FINISH: 5th.
