2023-2024 Season

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Here's a link to a form where you can enter your season predictions for the final CCHA standings. I'll do a separate one for how we rate ourselves against our schedule but the USCHO guys want an early jump on the standings so here it is. I'll post results in a few days.

Pick the CCHA Standings

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

The final results are in. There were 39 submissions so I tossed out the high and low for each team which smoothed the numbers out nicely. Here's what stands out:

o Tech is the clear, undisputed choice to win the MacNaughton while Augustana is the unanimous choice to finish 9th.
o Despite losing their coach, their best players, their best recruits, their mascot, and their favorite burger joint to WI, Maverick fever dies hard.
o Mankato and Northern tied for the #2 spot. Out of 37 entries. What are the odds?
o Bemidji and BG are basically tied for the #4 spot.
o It's 4-for-3 with respect to home ice for the playoffs between Mankato, Northern, Bemidji, and BG. The gaps between this four is miniscule; it's anyone's ball game.
o St. Thomas, Ferris, and Lake Superior round out spots 6-8.
o Northern had the most variability. The group sees them finishing anywhere from 2nd to almost 6th.

Here's the data with likely projected finishing ranges:

Code: Select all

Team             Final Standing  Std Dev  Projected Finish Range
Michigan Tech        1.54         0.68            1st
Minnesota State      3.35         1.56          2nd-5th
Northern Michigan    3.35         1.86          2nd-5th
Bemidji State        4.08         1.12          3rd-5th
Bowling Green        4.22         1.53          3rd-5th
St. Thomas           5.65         1.66          4th-7th
Ferris State         6.46         1.26          5th-8th
Lake Superior        7.43         0.79          7th-8th
Augustana            9.00         0.00            9th

[footballguy51]

Interesting. Everybody picked Augustana to finish last. Would that be considered bulletin board material?

[mbenecke]

Isn’t Augustana not officially in the league this year? I’m pretty sure they’re only playing a half league schedule for at least this year, if not next year too. Or do I have my years mixed up?

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

You're correct. Which is why it was odd that someone picked them to finish 7th. That's why I threw out the high/low rankings for each school.

[pdt1081]

Isn’t Augustana not officially in the league this year? I’m pretty sure they’re only playing a half league schedule for at least this year, if not next year too. Or do I have my years mixed up?

They are playing 2 games against each team in the league. And, of course, as is tradition, BG goes there first.

[bgbill]

Liam Conway left BG to go back to Colgate, where he'll be director of hockey operations.

[pdt1081]

Liam Conway left BG to go back to Colgate, where he'll be director of hockey operations.

I'm fairly certain that position was posted at the same time as the new assistant coach position. Should be close to an announcement filing it.

[bgbill]

Coaching staff decided to save the expense and will do without a hockey ops title. They added the new assistant coach and are happy with that.

[Tricky_Falcon]

2023-2024 season

[mbenecke]

2023-2024 season

I had been thinking this too but didn't wanna say anything. Come on, TUPD! We wanna put 22-23 in the rearview mirror already. Lol

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

2023-2024 season

I had been thinking this too but didn't wanna say anything. Come on, TUPD! We wanna put 22-23 in the rearview mirror already. Lol

That's why I don't create topics. Then there was the time I created the weekly game topic wondering where everyone was - during bye week. I haven't forgotten that one.



Fixed.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Now that it's actually the 2023-24 season, let's see what people think. In addition to predicting how we stack up against each opponent, I'm replaying the yearly standings as there were an overabundance of Tech responses in my first poll. This one will just be us AZZers.

2023-24 Season Survey

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Results are in, looks like the group is thinking 20 wins and another 3rd place finish. Scooter's famous diamond cutters are on tap for the Robert Morris, Augustana, and Mercyhurst series. We might squeak out a win against Western and Ohio State while it looks basically like splits with everyone else.

Code: Select all

                  RMU        AU       WMU       OSU      Mercy      UST       LSSU      NMU       MTU       FSU       MnST      BSU      Total
Games Played       2         2         2         2         2         4         4         4         4         4         2         2       34.00
Wins             1.50      1.75      0.67      0.58      1.75      2.42      3.00      2.17      1.67      2.33      0.83      1.00      19.67
Losses           0.50      0.25      1.33      1.42      0.25      1.58      1.00      1.83      2.33      1.67      1.17      1.00      14.33

As far as standings, we're looking at third (again) but could also either win the MacNaughton or travel for the first round of the playoffs. I find it interesting that with all the turmoil in Mankato people still can't seem to quit the Mavs. Tech is the consensus to win the league. It's basically a 4-for-3 fight for the remaining home ice spots between us, Mankato, Northern, and Bemidji.

Code: Select all

Team                  Avg  Std Dev  Min  Max
Michigan Tech          1     0.90    1    4
Minnesota State        2     1.45    1    5
Bowling Green          3     1.37    1    5
Northern Michigan      4     1.95    2    8
Bemidji State          4     1.57    2    6
St. Thomas             6     1.26    4    8
Ferris State           6     1.62    2    8
Lake Superior          7     1.25    5    8
Augustana              9     0.00    9    9

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

CCHA Virtual Media Day Schedule of Events, Tuesday, September 19:

9:50 AM CT / 10:50 AM ET: Welcome, Perry Laskaris and CCHA Commissioner Don Lucia
10:05 AM CT / 11:05 AM ET: CCHA Director of Officiating Marco Hunt
10:10 AM CT / 11:10 AM ET: Northern Michigan’s Grant Potulny
10:20 AM CT / 11:20 AM ET: Michigan Tech's Joe Shawhan
10:30 AM CT / 11:30 AM ET: Lake Superior State’s Damon Whitten
10:40 AM CT / 11:40 AM ET: Ferris State’s Bob Daniels
10:50 AM CT / 11:50 AM ET: Bowling Green State’s Ty Eigner
11:00 AM CT / 12:00 PM ET: Minnesota State’s Luke Strand
11:10 AM CT / 12:10 PM ET: Bemidji State’s Tom Serratore
11:20 AM CT / 12:20 PM ET: Augustana's Garrett Raboin
11:30 AM CT / 12:30 PM ET: St. Thomas’ Rico Blasi
11:40 AM CT / 12:40 PM ET: Closing Remarks