2022-23 Predictions

[BearLover]

I predict the ECAC top 4 as follows:

1. Harvard—this year's roster may be the most talented team in ECAC history, in terms of future NHL talent at least. They are slated to have 15 draft picks, easily the most in program history and per my quick look-over the most of any team in the NCAAs (and yes, that includes Michigan, BU, BC, Minnesota, etc.). Outside of Nick Abruzzese, all of the major contributors are returning. The highlight is sophomore F and first-rounder Matthew Coronato, but they are supremely talented up and down the lineup. Harvard is the favorite to win the ECAC and has a good shot at making the Frozen Four.

2. Quinnipiac—many returning seniors and fifth-year players, including D Zach Metsa (10-27-37 in 42 games last year). G Yaniv Perets put up incredible numbers (.939 sv%, 1.17 GAA, 11 SO) in his first full season. Q may start the year ahead of Harvard before Harvard's young talent comes together as a team. Third-round pick Ty Smilanic transferred out, but they're still older and deeper than Cornell and Clarkson. Q should have a good shot at the NCAAs.

3. Cornell—Clarkson and Cornell are bubble NCAA teams on paper, and both are a big step ahead of the rest of the ECAC, so a first-round bye is the expectation. Both look a tier below Harvard/Q, though. Cornell will have a balanced team next year at every position, with some star power at the top in Andreev, Stienburg, and Malinski. Between Shane and Keopple it's likely they have a serviceable goaltender, and it's possible they even have a very good one. Transfer Seger and the incoming freshmen (all older with multiple years of junior experience) should adjust to the college game fast than the average newcomer. Losing Ertel is a big loss, but a lot of that loss will manifest itself over the long-term trajectory of the program (losing him for the next three years) rather than in the immediate term (losing him for the upcoming season).

4. Clarkson—better than Cornell for most of last year, but they've lost more to graduation than Cornell has. They'll continue to play the same heavy, defense-oriented style as Cornell, but their top line and PP unit looked more lethal than Cornell's when I watched them last year (mostly when they played Cornell). They make cross-ice passes in the offensive zone better than Cornell does. As such, they may be more top-heavy than Cornell. I think it's a coin flip between Cornell and Clarkson for who finishes 3rd/4th.

No real thoughts on the rest of the ECAC. Colgate upset Cornell to make Lake Placid last year, but that was more a fluke than anything, and on paper their roster is getting worse, not better. It will be a struggle for any one of these eight teams to earn a bye (though, statistically speaking, the combined likelihood of each of these teams getting a bye makes it more likely than not that one of them pulls it off).

Cornell is going to lose a lot of really good players to graduation in 2023, so this is a big year.

[abmarks]

They are slated to have 15 draft picks, easily the most in program history and per my quick look-over the most of any team in the NCAAs (and yes, that includes Michigan, BU, BC, Minnesota, etc.).

15?  Wow.  They'll be fun to watch, especially in the second half of the season, regardless of arch-rival status blah blah

[abmarks]

They are slated to have 15 draft picks, easily the most in program history and per my quick look-over the most of any team in the NCAAs (and yes, that includes Michigan, BU, BC, Minnesota, etc.).

15?  Wow.  They'll be fun to watch, especially in the second half of the season, regardless of arch-rival status blah blah

CHN has them at 16 picks, not 15, unless there's something I'm missing. This is based on CHNs Sucks 22-23 roster listing

[blackwidow]

They are slated to have 15 draft picks, easily the most in program history and per my quick look-over the most of any team in the NCAAs (and yes, that includes Michigan, BU, BC, Minnesota, etc.).

15?  Wow.  They'll be fun to watch, especially in the second half of the season, regardless of arch-rival status blah blah

CHN has them at 16 picks, not 15, unless there's something I'm missing. This is based on CHNs Sucks 22-23 roster listing

John Fusco apparently has transferred to Dartmouth https://twitter.com/Kyle_Cush/status/1531652980323278848

[scoop85]

They are slated to have 15 draft picks, easily the most in program history and per my quick look-over the most of any team in the NCAAs (and yes, that includes Michigan, BU, BC, Minnesota, etc.).

15?  Wow.  They'll be fun to watch, especially in the second half of the season, regardless of arch-rival status blah blah

CHN has them at 16 picks, not 15, unless there's something I'm missing. This is based on CHNs Sucks 22-23 roster listing

Abruzzese signed with the Maple Leafs, but the CHN list omits defenseman Ian Moore, who was a 3rd round draft choice last year of Anaheim (and is the son of my fraternity brother at Cornell :`-()

[osorojo]

I take it suggesting any connection between coaching and winning is out-of-bounds? I have watched several coaches win numerous games for their teams - Harkness not the least of which.

[marty]

I take it suggesting any connection between coaching and winning is out-of-bounds? I have watched several coaches win numerous games for their teams - Harkness not the least of which.

But THIS doesn't happen in a typical hockey game.  Was Woody out-of-bounds?

[Swampy]

I take it suggesting any connection between coaching and winning is out-of-bounds? I have watched several coaches win numerous games for their teams - Harkness not the least of which.

But THIS doesn't happen in a typical hockey game.  Was Woody out-of-bounds?

This version is more informative and much more entertaining.

[scoop85]

I take it suggesting any connection between coaching and winning is out-of-bounds? I have watched several coaches win numerous games for their teams - Harkness not the least of which.

But THIS doesn't happen in a typical hockey game.  Was Woody out-of-bounds?

This version is more informative and much more entertaining.

I watched that game live, and to this day I can't fathom what was going through Woody's mind. It was a second-tier bowl game with nothing really on the line.

[Trotsky]

I watched that game live, and to this day I can't fathom what was going through Woody's mind.

I'll go with "authoritarian loses his shit."  It's pretty obvious.

[osorojo]

I love this hockey argot.

[billhoward]

This firing of an out of control Woody Hayes was the beginning of the end for the idea that nothing a great coach did could cost him his job. Except that ...

two decades later Penn State's president wanted Joe Paterno to retire (early 2000s), Paterno rudely told president Graham Spanier no way, Paterno kept his job for nearly another decade, the sex abuse scandal built, and in 2011 both Spanier and Paterno were sacked.

[Trotsky]

TBRW Predictions.

The transfer portal likely means I have miscalculated returning points, and I'll have to revise a few times as I find errors, but... that's my story so far.

[Swampy]

TBRW Predictions.

The transfer portal likely means I have miscalculated returning points, and I'll have to revise a few times as I find errors, but... that's my story so far.

This is very entertaining. But may I suggest you present the errors with "+" or  "-" (ERROR = PREDICTED - ACTUAL)?

For example, in 2022 you predicted 2, but the actual was 4, so the error was -2. But in 2020 you predicted 2, but the actual was 1, so the error was +1.

This would make the error column more easily interpreted.

[Trotsky]

So you want me to sign the errors?  Yes, I can do that.