Quints Top 25 -

[JeremyCuse]

Quint Kessenich's 2018 Preseason Top 20 and Season Preview

13. Syracuse — Face-off Yearbook has SU at No. 9. I think that's ambitious for a team that replaces its top three scorers, shortstick defensive middies, standout FOGO and goaltender. But this is Syracuse, winners of nine one-goal games in 2017. Brendan Bomberry, Nate Solomon, Stephen Rehfuss and Jamie Trimboli are all still on the uptick. Nick Mellen returns down low on defense to guard alongside Tyson Bomberry. Albany comes calling on Feb. 17 to kickoff a string of games that includes ranked foes Army, Virginia, Hopkins, Rutgers, Duke and Notre Dame. That's a killer March schedule.

Not surprisingly Quint has SU ranked lower then most publications but his concerns are reasonable when you consider how difficult the schedule is. Would have liked a little bit more of an in depth analysis rathen then him just repeating the top returning O starters and the schedule.

He has Yale at #2 which seems a bit high I would flip them with Albany who he has at #5. Duke at #1 is to be expected based on what they have returning, they are replacing their starting goalie and faceoff guy though. Hopkins at 10 seems high with all of their question marks and PSU at #6 and Army #7 is downright bizarre.

 

[cuseguy]

I think SU could be a surprise team this year.

We’ll see.

 

[GoSU96]

I think SU could be a surprise team this year.

We’ll see.

Hope it's a good surprise

 

[SkyTopBus44]

Hope it's a good surprise

Agreed. The lack of championships is getting old quick

 

[JeremyCuse]

I think SU could be a surprise team this year.

We’ll see.

I think this could round into a really good offensive team by the end of the season. The problem is the schedule is absolutely daunting and there are major ? at Attack, the X, and in net. The staffs decision to upgrade the OOC schedule this year was in my opinion not well thought out considering how much they had to replace and how many young guys they will be breaking in. I understand the reasoning behind it but they would have been better off waiting a year or two before makign a switch. Taking 2 almost assured wins off the schedule and replacing them with 2 games that are much tougher matchups wasn't needed when Albany, Hopkins, Cornell etc are already on the roster. This team could play well and start the season 1-3.

 

[SkyTopBus44]

I think this could round into a really good offensive team by the end of the season. The problem is the schedule is absolutely daunting and there are major ? at Attack, the X, and in net. The staffs decision to upgrade the OOC schedule this year was in my opinion not well thought out considering how much they had to replace and how many young guys they will be breaking in. I understand the reasoning behind it but they would have been better off waiting a year or two before makign a switch. Taking 2 almost assured wins off the schedule and replacing them with 2 games that are much tougher matchups wasn't needed when Albany, Hopkins, Cornell etc are already on the roster. This team could play well and start the season 1-3.

I agree with you. It could be a way to get them to grow up really quickly!