MHM 2018 Oct-digital

COLLEGE HOCKEY PRIMER
WCHA MENS PRIMER:
MAVERICKS
SEEK REPEAT
MINNESOTA STATE EXPECTED TO DEFEND TITLE; BEMIDJI STATE WILL MISS BITZER
By Shane Frederick
For the better part of
the last three years,
the MacNaughton Cup,
the 105-year-old silver chalice
that goes to the WCHA’s regularseason
champion, has been housed in
Minnesota.
Minnesota State won it three times, and Bemidji
State won it once.
The cup currently sits in a trophy case in the
Mavericks’ facility inside the Verizon Center in
downtown Mankato after Minnesota State won
it outright last March. The Mavericks first won it
in 2015 and shared it with Michigan Tech in 2016
before Bemidji State claimed it in 2017.
As the 2018-19 season begins, both the
Mavericks and Beavers have big holes to fill,
graduating several players who played key
roles during championship runs, including the
conference’s last two players of the year, Minnesota
State center C.J. Suess of Forest Lake and Bemidji
State goaltender Michael Bitzer of Moorhead.
Minnesota State
Minnesota State is the favorite to win the
league again, despite the loss of the All-American
Suess, and fellow forward Zeb Knutson, who each
racked up 43 points last season, along with 2017
All-American defenseman Daniel Brickley and
goaltender Connor LaCouvee.
“We’re going to be a different team,” coach Mike
Hastings said. “We need some individuals to step
up and fill those roles.”
It appears that the other league coaches believe
that will happen as they picked the Mavericks to
win another MacNaughton Cup. After all, Minnesota
State’s 151 victories over Hastings’ six seasons there
are more than any other team in college hockey.
“I don’t think any of us know anything other than
we all feel strongly that Mankato is going to win
the league again,” second-year Northern Michigan
coach Grant Potulny said, “because history tells you
they will.”
“...we all feel
strongly that
Mankato is
going to win
the league
again, because
history tells
you they will.”
— Grant Potulny
The cupboard isn’t bare in Mankato, that’s for
certain.
Back on the team are forwards Marc Michaelis
and Jake Jaremko, the WCHA’s last two rookies of
the year. Michaelis has recorded 76 points in his
Continued on next page
Minnesota State’s Riese Zmolek
returns as one of the Mavericks’ top
defensemen.
Photo by Jonny Watkins
OCTOBER 2018 MINNESOTA HOCKEY MAGAZINE MINNESOTA HOCKEY MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2018
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