Looking ahead to next year...my predictions for Hockey East regular season

1.Boston University-You know I would never say that BU is going be good, but with Chassion,Clending,Millan, and Nieto returning BU could be very good next year. Experience still may be a problem for the Terriers.

2. Boston College. Yes BC is losing Gibbons,Atkinson,Hayes, and Samuelsson but I think the Eagles first two lines will be strong and we should have a good goalie with either Parker Milner or incoming recruit Brian Billet. BC will not have a much depth as they have had in years past but should be able to make a run at the NCAA tournament.

3.Northeastern-  Greg Cronin will be back, and there whole first line plus there best player in the Hockey East playoffs but this is the deepest team in the league. They will have the best goalie in Hockey East in Chris Rawlings. The problem for the Huskies will be they do not have a real "star" coming back. The first round game in the Beanpot between BC and NU should be a great game.

4.Merrimack-Losing arguably the best player in Hockey East will be tough, but MC defenseman Jordan Heywood, goalie Joe Cannatta, and JR Ryan Flanagan all return to the Warriors, who should be unstoppable at home again.

5.UNH-The Wildcats are losing their best players in Mike Sislo, Paul Thompson,and Phil DeSimone but have goalie Matt DeGirlonimo, defenseman Blake Kessel, Connor Hardowa and forwards Henrion, Mosses.

6.UVM.I probably should have UVM higher on this list but a couple things prevented me from doing that. First of all UVM is not good at D next year. They are losing big defenseman Kyle Medvic,and Kevan Miller. But UVM keeps forwards Stalberg and McCarthy.

7. Providence.I think this is the year PC gets into the Hockey East playoffs and will give someone a hard time, the NCAA's are a few years off for the Friars.

8.UMASS.I can't see UMASS not getting into the playoffs under Toot Cahoon. He could be done if they do not do something this year.

OUT OF PLAYOFFS- Tim Whitehead's tenure at Maine come to an end with the Black BEars losing almost everyone from a year ago. Lowell is in rebuilding stage.