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| Chris Connolly will again be the Captain of the Terriers. He is one of only a hand full of players to Captain the team twice. (photo by Matt Dresens) |
A few days ago, I picked BU to win Hockey East. Before I get too far ahead of myself, I have some explanation why I think BU can not only be a dominant force in the league, but in the national picture too.
Coming into this season, the Terriers will return all but three players from last year's roster. David Warsofsky decided to forgo his senior year and head to the Bruins organization, where he finished the year in AHL Providence. BU also says goodbye to four year seniors Joe Pereira and Adam Krause. Pereira had a career year last season, racking up a team best 15 goals along with 6 assists. Pereira is now with Tingsryds AIF in a professional Swedish league. Krause did not play one minute last year, but was a leader on the bench, according to many of the players.
Some of BU's big returnees are Charlie Coyle, and Alex Chiasson. Both have the capability to be the first 50 point men since Colin Wilson and Nick Bonino both accomplished the feat in 2009 on route to a national championship. Also coming back to BU, is Kieran Millan, an absolute stud in net. On defense, Adam Clendening and Max Nicastro will likely run the power play from the point. Look for Garett Noonan to also have a big year for the Terriers.
Last year's most improved player of the year was Justin Courtnall, an award picked at the end of the year team dinner, by Jack Parker. While Courtnall was limited to only six total points (3g, 3a), he did score two of those points in the Hockey East Playoffs. Courtnall was also the sixth man after Parker pulled Millan to try and even up game three vs Northeastern. That (at least to me) shows that Parker is going to give Courtnall a real shot this year, and now its up to the Vancouver draft pick to produce.
Yasin Cisse appeared in only one game last season, the season opener against Wisconsin in the Icebreaker Invitational. Midway through the first period, Cisse suffered a season ending knee injury. The year prior to coming to BU, Cisse suffered another season ending injury while playing for the Des Moines Buc's of the USHL. Cisse had a tendon sliced in the back of his leg in mid-December 2010. His year ended there and he has only played one real hockey game since. Cisse played the entire exhibition game vs The University of Toronto and looked pretty solid. Who knows if he can come back and be the force he was prior to being injured in 2010, when he scored 13 goals in just 18 games.
With Cisse's return and the emergence of Courtnall that means some players who had a regular spot in the lineup will be seeing some pine this fall. Ross Gaudet fell off the map in terms of prouction last season compared to 2010. Gaudet potted 10 goals in 35 games played in 2010. Last year, he found the back of the net only twice, in 39 games.
The New Guys
Some of BU's big returnees are Charlie Coyle, and Alex Chiasson. Both have the capability to be the first 50 point men since Colin Wilson and Nick Bonino both accomplished the feat in 2009 on route to a national championship. Also coming back to BU, is Kieran Millan, an absolute stud in net. On defense, Adam Clendening and Max Nicastro will likely run the power play from the point. Look for Garett Noonan to also have a big year for the Terriers.
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| Justin Courtnall lays a hit on a Northeastern skater in a game in late March of last season. |
Yasin Cisse appeared in only one game last season, the season opener against Wisconsin in the Icebreaker Invitational. Midway through the first period, Cisse suffered a season ending knee injury. The year prior to coming to BU, Cisse suffered another season ending injury while playing for the Des Moines Buc's of the USHL. Cisse had a tendon sliced in the back of his leg in mid-December 2010. His year ended there and he has only played one real hockey game since. Cisse played the entire exhibition game vs The University of Toronto and looked pretty solid. Who knows if he can come back and be the force he was prior to being injured in 2010, when he scored 13 goals in just 18 games.
With Cisse's return and the emergence of Courtnall that means some players who had a regular spot in the lineup will be seeing some pine this fall. Ross Gaudet fell off the map in terms of prouction last season compared to 2010. Gaudet potted 10 goals in 35 games played in 2010. Last year, he found the back of the net only twice, in 39 games.
The New Guys
BU's recruit class is highlighted by defenseman Alexx Privitera, who Parker singled out as a "big get for the program". Cason Hohmann and Evan Rodrigues are the two new incoming freshman forwards. In two seasons with the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders, Hohmann racked up 91 points (31g, 60a) in 113 games. Parker called Rodrigues a "pure sniper" in the press release when the roster was anounced. Rodrigues played for the Georgetown Riders of the OJHL, where he picked up 105 points (41g, 64a) in 93 games.
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