by Jordan McAlpine/CHN Reporter (@jordan_mcalpine)
The 2024-25 season gets underway this weekend as all nine CCHA schools will be in action – three of which on an exhibition basis. Conference play is just four short weeks away too as Ferris State hosts Bemidji State the weekend of Oct. 25-26.
From roster turnover to second-year programs, it’s shaping up to be another interesting season in the conference. And if the preseason polls are any indication, several teams are gridlocked at the top and there’s plenty of parity throughout the standings.
Here are some of the CCHA’s top storylines and players heading into this season.
5 Things to Watch
Are the Tommies the Team to Beat?
The Tommies got off to a 9-5-0 start in CCHA play and showed plenty of promise last season before dropping seven of their final 10 conference games and falling to Lake Superior State in the playoffs – although they were decimated by injuries for much of that stretch.
However, St. Thomas still finished second in the conference (12-11-1) and 15-20-2 overall. That also includes a season-opening win at St. Cloud State and the Tommies took Minnesota to overtime, and who knows how different the season looks with a clean bill of health.
Either way Rico Blasi’s club made a good impression, as St. Thomas was voted first in the CCHA Preseason Media Poll and tied with Bemidji State for first in the coaches poll. Both schools received three first-place votes.
Captain Lucas Wahlin was also named the league’s Preseason Player of the Year and the Tommies have received plenty of buzz nationally too, although they remain ineligible for the NCAA Tournament.
Can Bemidji State Defend the MacNaughton?
Speaking of Bemidji State, the Beavers are coming off a strong 2023-24 campaign that yielded the program’s second-ever MacNaughton Cup, which was their first regular-season title since 2016-17.
Tom Serratore’s team is built from the net out, starting with senior goaltender Mattias Sholl, and the Beavers will always play their hard-nosed style. Serratore’s club will also have quite the veteran presence, as his roster features 15 upper-classmen – eight of which are seniors.
They’ll have massive shoes to fill on the blue line as Eric Pohlkamp transferred to Denver in April….
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