As hockey season approaches, we take a look at who can control the Big Ten Conference, which has made a name for itself in recent seasons.
University of Michigan
Michigan lost several notable players following last season, including Kyle Connor, Boo Nieves, Zach Werenski, Tyler Motte, and JT Compher, all of whom have landed in NHL systems. However, they have added several talented prospects, including forward Jake Slaker, who scored 42 points with the Bloomington Thunder of the USHL last year, and Swedish player Adam Winborg, who recorded 55 points in 56 games for the Janesville Jets of the NAHL. The goalie situation seems to be up in the air, but senior Zach Nagelvoort looks to be the favorite, as he won 5 games in 8 appearances last year. Two freshman, Jack LaFontaine and Hayden Lavigne, will also compete for the spot, with sophomore Chad Catt in the mix as well. The defense is young, with only 4 upperclassmen out of the 9 defensemen on the roster. Freshmen Luke Martin and Griffin Luce will be asked to immediately contribute on the blue line. An offense that led the nation in goals per game (4.68) looks to be solid again this year, but they could be a little shaky defensively unless one of these goaltenders prove to be a permanent starter.
Penn State University
Penn State lost key players from last year’s 21-win team, but they keep some key senior leadership from seniors Ricky DeRosa, David Goodwin, David Thompson, and junior Erik Autio. Sophomore forward Chase Berger looks to build on his impressive freshman campaign, when he scored 13 goals with 13 assists. The goalie situation is between sophomore Chris Funkey, freshman Peyton Jones, and junior Matt Erlichman. Jones may be the favorite despite his inexperience due to his exceptional size (6’4″, 210 lbs). Defensively, the team will be led by Autio, but other than that they don’t have a ton of experience. Freshmen Kris Myllari and James Gobetz will need to contribute, and sophomore Kevin Kerr will be expected to be a key man on the blue line, as he blocked 46 shots last year as a freshman. Overall, the Nittany Lions could be a sleeper team in the conference, as they continue to improve every year.
University of Minnesota
The Golden Gophers look to defend their Big Ten title from last year, when they shocked the rest of the conference to win it with a 20-17-0 overall record (14-6-0 in Big Ten). The team lost their star player Hudson Fasching, who graduated and signed with the Buffalo Sabres. However, they return goalie Eric Schierhorn, who posted a great freshman year, with a 2.69 GAA and a .906 save %. Other than that, their goaltenders aren’t very experienced, with junior Nick Lehr and sophomore Brock Kautz having only played 5 games between the two of them, and freshman Ryan Edquist stepping into the college ranks for the first time. The team returns captain Justin Kloos, and alternate captains Connor Reilly and Jake Bischoff. The team does have good experience, with 12 upperclassmen, including 7 seniors. Despite the loss of Fasching, this team could improve on their great 2015-16 campaign, and defend the Big Ten title.
Ohio State University
The Buckeyes finished 4th in the Big Ten last year with a 14-18-4 record (8-8-4 Big Ten). They return senior netminder Christian Frey, who recorded a .910 save % last year. He will be a lock to start, entering his 3rd full season as the starter. The team’s top 4 scorers all return, with the top 2 scorers Nick Schilkey and David Gust entering their senior years. The team has 7 seniors (3 of them goaltenders), which gives them some longevity throughout the roster. The team has a more experienced defensive crew than most in the conference, with 5 of the 9 blueliners being upperclassmen. Overall, the team might not be contending for the Big Ten title, but they won’t necessarily drop off from last year, and may take a step forward.
University of Wisconsin
The Badgers finished dead last in the Big Ten last year, going 3-13-4 in the conference last year, and 8-19-8 overall. Goalie Matt Jurisik returns, although he may lose his job, as the team brought in two freshman, Johan Blomquist and Jack Berry. Forward Luke Kunin enters his second year as a Badger, and he has some high expectations after scoring 19 goals with 13 assists as a freshman last season. Leading scorer Grant Besse returns for his senior year after recording 33 points last year. They have 4 freshman defensemen incoming, and only 2 upperclassmen blueliners, both juniors. 13 of their 24 forwards are underclassmen, and this inexperience could lead to another year at the pit of the conference for Wisconsin. However, they’ll have teams on upset alert due to Luke Kunin’s dynamic scoring ability.
Michigan State University
The Spartans have some big questions heading into the 2016-17 campaign, the biggest of these being their goaltending. They have just 2 goalies rostered, neither of them with much playing experience. Freshman John Lethemon steps into college hockey for the first time, and junior Ed Minney has played just 4 games in his career, although his appearances have been promising. The team lacked offense big time last year, and with the graduation of Michael Farrantino, the Spartans will turn to seniors Mackenzie MacEachern, Joe Cox, and JT Stenglein to provide the scoring opportunities for the team. They also bring in 7 freshman forwards, including small speedsters Noah LaLonde, Logan Lambdin, and Mitch Lewandowski, none of whom are above 5’9″. They do have an experienced defense, which will be expected to take the pressure off of their inexperienced goalies. Overall, the team could boast a much better offense, but defense will be the Spartans downfall, as they look to spend another year towards the bottom of the conference.
Projected Standings:
1) Michigan
2) Minnesota
3) Penn State
4) Ohio State
5) Michigan State
6) Wisconsin
