Freshman defender Chris Wideman (6) is one of four freshman on defense for the RedHawks who lost Alec Martinez to the NHL.
During the course of three seasons, the Miami University men's ice hockey program developed into a nationally acclaimed, game-winning powerhouse.
Since 2005-06, the RedHawks garnered 83 wins and achieved a 71.1 overall win percentage, both of which are top marks in the NCAA. Now that many of the talented household names have departed, however, the 2008-09 season begs to question whether the No. 8 ranked 'brotherhood' can keep the puck going, while at the same time reshaping and revamping its youthful line-up.
"We try to stay away from comparing any teams," said head coach Enrico Blasi. "Obviously this is a new team with a lot of new faces and new leadership, and so they'll find their identity within our culture and the way we do things. It's just a matter of going out and improving daily and playing games and seeing where it leads us."
While freshmen net-minders Connor Knapp and Cody Reichard put up a solid front in goal Saturday against Ryerson, their switch midway through the game serves as a reminder that the goaltending line-up is still a work in progress. Knapp and Reichard both tout impressive pre-college records, but both still have a ways to go before they can fill the big skates that Jeff Zatkoff and Charlie Effinger left behind. Knapp was named best goalie in the Empire Junior Hockey League and Reichard was awarded Goaltender of the Year Award in the NAHL, both in 2007.
"Having two young guys, I think you have to develop them and I think you have to give them an opportunity to play, so I would suspect that you will see them early, both of them," said Blasi.
Offensively the RedHawks are still in very good standing, returning 68 percent of their goal production, despite the fact that Ryan Jones's legendary number 26 can no longer be seen streaking across the ice.
Senior Justin Mercier and sophomore Carter Camper were squad stand-outs in the 2007-08 season, who will return to the ice. Both players hung tight with Jones last season, rounding out the tops of the charts in nearly every offensive category.
"I think our forwards, when they're on, they're probably going to be as good as anybody in the country," Blasi said.
Mercier boasted a 25 plus rating and closed out the season nationally tied for first place in game-winning goals with Jones and Michigan's Kevin Porter. Meanwhile, Camper is coming off of last season leading all NCAA freshmen in points per game (1.24). He is currently on track to becoming one of the Miami players to reach the 50-point mark the fastest, with 43 points in 33 games.
Additional leadership in this field will stem from senior captain Brian Kaufman.
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"Brian is very well-respected," Blasi said. "He was a walk-on for us. He's worked for everything that he's gotten here at Miami as a hockey player. On the ice he's a very gifted passer and is very offensive-minded. He's pretty good with the puck and pretty reliable defensively."
Kaufman embraces his leadership role, but believes that he will not be the only one setting the pace for this team.
"Up-front, forward-wise, we actually have a pretty veteran team," Kaufman said. "We really feel that, up-front, we need to be the leaders early in the year and control the play and we can really dictate what happens as our freshmen defensemen get their feet wet."
Will Weber, Cameron Schilling, Matt Tomassoni and Chris Wideman are the promising fresh faces that Blasi has brought to the defensive line-up. Weber was a second-round 2007 draft pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets, and at 6-foot-4-inches and 205 pounds he has a sizeable presence. Meanwhile, Tomassoni comes to Oxford after a two-year stint with the Cedar Rapids Roughriders and, touting 54 penalty minutes in 59 career games, is predicted to be a physical presence on the ice.
"We have some young guys that haven't played a whole lot on D, and they're going to have to come along and we're going to have to ... work as a team and help them out," Blasi said. "But that just really lends to who we are as a program."
In CCHA play, Miami was picked to finish third in the coaches poll and fourth in the media poll for the 2008-09 season. Both polls named University of Michigan, University of Notre Dame, Michigan State University and Northern Michigan University to round out the top five.
"I think this is going to be the defining year as to how the culture has been and the program itself because there's a lot of doubters right now with all that we lost from last year," Kaufman said. "We don't believe that as players ... The new guys will just step in and fill in where there's a need."
This weekend marks Miami's regular season debut, as well as the team's first CCHA game of 2008-09 as the team prepares to face off against The Ohio State University in an away-and-home series.
The puck is set to drop at 7:05 p.m. Friday in Columbus and at the same time Saturday at Steve Cady Arena.
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