From: Grand Forks Herald by Brad Elliott Schlossman
Denver is the preseason pick to win the WCHA league championship in the 39th annual Grand Forks Herald WCHA preseason coaches poll. The Pioneers gained eight of 10 first-place votes to finish ahead of UND, Wisconsin, Minnesota and St. Cloud State in the poll. The Sioux received the other two first-place votes.
“We were fortunate enough not to lose too many players, other than our senior class and Tyler Bozak,” Denver coach George Gwozdecky said. “We have a majority of our team from last year coming back. Once the season begins, who knows? I don’t know how many times the coaches poll has been accurate, but I’d be willing to wager, more times than not, they’ve been wrong.
“The monkey is on our back this year.”
Indeed, the coaches haven’t always been able to pick the winner. Only twice in the past eight years have they been right. Last season, projected winner Colorado College finished fourth.
“I think the poll makes for some interesting talk, but that’s about it,” Gwozdecky said. “Our players will look at it and say, ‘OK.’ They don’t have any bearing on how we play this coming Sunday night, and they don’t have any bearing on the games thereafter. The poll is just where everybody thinks people are when the season begins.
“We’ve got to play hard and take care of the little things. In this league, things are so difficult and competitive. There’s such a fine line between success and failure. It’s usually not determined by better talent, but how the talent plays together.”
“We were fortunate enough not to lose too many players, other than our senior class and Tyler Bozak,” Denver coach George Gwozdecky said. “We have a majority of our team from last year coming back. Once the season begins, who knows? I don’t know how many times the coaches poll has been accurate, but I’d be willing to wager, more times than not, they’ve been wrong.
“The monkey is on our back this year.”
Indeed, the coaches haven’t always been able to pick the winner. Only twice in the past eight years have they been right. Last season, projected winner Colorado College finished fourth.
“I think the poll makes for some interesting talk, but that’s about it,” Gwozdecky said. “Our players will look at it and say, ‘OK.’ They don’t have any bearing on how we play this coming Sunday night, and they don’t have any bearing on the games thereafter. The poll is just where everybody thinks people are when the season begins.
“We’ve got to play hard and take care of the little things. In this league, things are so difficult and competitive. There’s such a fine line between success and failure. It’s usually not determined by better talent, but how the talent plays together.”
Grand Forks Herald WCHA Coaches Poll
1. Denver (8) 80
2. UND (2) 70
3. Wisconsin 61
4. Minnesota 58
5. St. Cloud State 55
6. Minn.-Duluth 37
7. MSU-Mankato 34
8. Colorado College 26
9. Alaska-Anchorage 20
10. Michigan Tech 9
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