5. University of Alaska-Fairbanks

University of Alaska-Fairbanks

Key losses: Jason Grinevitch, F; Corbin Schmidt, D; Keith Bartusch, G
Key Returnees: Kyle Greentree, F; Kelly Czuy, F; Curtis Fraser, F; Ryan McLeod, F
Key recruits: Tyler Eckford, D; Kyle Jones, F
Projected leading scorer: Curtis Fraser

Grades:

Offense: B
Defense: C
Goalie: B+
Coaching: C

Analysis:

Last season, expectations were very low for an Alaska-Fairbanks team that lost head coach Guy Gadowsky to Princeton. Gadowsky took Fairbanks from the bottom of the league to the brink of an NCAA tournament berth in 2002. Coach Tavis MacMillan managed to lead the team to a winning a record, and by the end of the season, they were one of the hottest teams in the CCHA, pulling off the only first round playoff upset before eventually bowing out to CCHA tournament champion Michigan in the semifinals.

Fairbanks is led by their dynamic first line of Kyle Greentree, Curtis Fraser, and Kelly Czuy. They’re the prototypical Alaska-Fairbanks line with three older high-scoring western Canadian forwards. One good line isn’t enough to win in college hockey though. The key for Fairbanks will be the second line. Their run through the CCHA playoffs last season happened when center Ryan McLeod got hot and became a goal scoring force. He loses linemate Jason Grinevitch, but if he can continue his development, he could be the key to a good season for the Nanooks.

On defense, they lose two solid defenders in Corbin Schmidt and Cramer Hickey, but add a potential star in Tyler Eckford and will get the speedy Jordan Hendry back after missing most of last season with a knee injury. They’ll be surrounded by a cast of decent but unspectacular defenseman.

In goal, Fairbanks returns their prodigal son, Wylie Rogers. Rogers left Fairbanks at the age of 14 to play junior hockey. Five years later, he returned to Alaska and won the starting job last season over Keith Bartusch. By the end of the season, Rogers looked like one of the best goaltenders in the CCHA.

Fairbanks will be a much improved team this year, but I think they still lack the depth to be one of the top teams in the league.