With the puck dropping on the 2013-14 season this weekend, we're taking a look at the top preseason storylines we'll be watching. You can find Part I of the series here.
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Back for more – Early departures to the NBA, NFL, MLB or NHL are expected in college sports, but the players who choose to return are often the ones that lead their teams to great success. Last season’s Hobey Baker Award winner, Drew LeBlanc of St. Cloud State, was a great example. Among those who made the decision to return are Hobey finalists from last year Johnny Gaudreau (Boston College) and Greg Carey (St. Lawrence). Yale’s Kenny Agostino could have also opted for the pros after one national title, but is back to pursue a second and his Ivy League degree.
Breaking from tradition – The emergence of stars from non-traditional hockey markets continues to be highlighted in the college game. Any discussion of Hobey Baker Award candidates has to start with New Jersey native Johnny Gaudreau of Boston College, while his fellow Garden Staters Trevor van Riemsdyk (UNH) and Kenny Agostino (Yale) could also be in the mix. Californians Nic Kerdiles (Wisconsin) and Matt Leitner (Minnesota State) are among the top returning players in their respective conferences. Union’s Shayne Gostisbehere, out of Florida, may be the nation’s best offensive defenseman.
Meet the new boss – For the first time since the 1960s, Jack Parker won’t be behind the Boston University bench this season. The legendary coach retired last year and opened the door for his former player and assistant coach, David Quinn, to take over. Quinn is one of six new coaches across college hockey this year, each of them with their first college head coaching position. Alabama Huntsville (Mike Corbett), Alaska Anchorage (Matt Thomas), Connecticut (Mike Cavanaugh), Denver (Jim Montgomery), Maine (Red Gendron) and Ohio State (Steve Rohlik) also welcome new bench bosses. Of the group, only Rohlik was on that school’s staff a year ago.
New-look arenas – Pegula Ice Arena at Penn State opens its doors in 2013-14, the fourth new rink in college hockey in the last five years. That’s not all that’s new in terms of state-of-the-art facilities, however, as St. Cloud State and Providence both unveil extensive renovations at the newly named Herb Brooks National Hockey Center and Schneider Arena, respectively. In the not-too-distant future, Canisius, Colgate, RIT and Nebraska Omaha plan to open new rinks.
Big stages – Seven NHL arenas will host NCAA games this season as teams pursue a bid in the Frozen Four at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center. In addition, three outdoor venues will host a total of 10 games: Comerica Park, Fenway Park and TCF Bank Stadium.
Big coverage – More than 150 games will be televised on national and regional sports networks this season, giving college hockey more broadcast exposure than it has ever enjoyed before. That coverage includes a number of games on national networks like NBC Sports Network and CBS Sports Network, plus a handful on ESPN networks.