Sept. 25, 2007
DETROIT, Mich. - Alaska Nanooks' junior defenseman Tyler Eckford was named to the fourth annual All-CCHA preseason team Tuesday at the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's 2007 Media Day.
While Eckford's 105 points were good enough for second team honors, four of the CCHA bench bosses voted him to the first team. It was the second preseason honor for the rearguard, who earned honorable mention on the 2006-07 preseason All-CCHA Team with 15 points.
Eckford finished the fourth-best scorer and second-best defenseman a year ago with 5-17--22 in 39 games, and is Alaska's top returning scorer this season. "Tyler is a defenseman that is very good for us and will be very good in the league," said first-year head coach Doc DelCastillo.
The coaches and media polls were also unveiled, which both slated the Nanooks to finish eleventh in the conference.
DelCastillo was in attendance for the press conference, held at Joe Louis Arena, to comment on the status of the team. "It's kind of a transition time for me and a transition time for the team," he said. "I'm just getting to know the team and the team is just getting to know me."
In the media poll, defending NCAA champion Michigan State topped the media poll with 25 first place votes and 701 points, followed by Miami (21, 667) and defending CCHA Champion Notre Dame (4, 656). The Nanooks got almost twice as many points (212) as Bowling Green, who was picked to finish last with 108 points.
Miami edged MSU by one point in the coaches' poll (114-113), although the Spartans received six first place votes to the RedHawks five. The Fighting Irish received one first-place vote from the league's coaches and were slated third with 105 total points. Alaska got 25 points, again falling just ahead of Bowling Green (13 points) at the bottom of the list for predicted finish.
A total of 63 members of the media ranked the 12 CCHA teams in projected order of finish for the regular season. Points were awarded on a 12-11-10-9, etc., basis. League coaches ranked the CCHA teams, excluding their own school, in the order they predicted the regular season will end. Points in the coaches' poll were tallied on an 11-10-9, etc. basis.
Including Eckford, the Nanooks return 16 lettermen from one year ago and welcome nine newcomers, giving their new coach plenty to look forward to this season.
"Our goaltending situation is solid," DelCastillo said to the CCHA coaches and media. "I feel we have the best goaltending tandem in the league with Chad Johnson and Wylie Rogers. Dion Knelsen is one of the better young players in the league, played for the Canadian National Under-18 Team in the spring."
The DelCastillo era of Nanook hockey will begin Saturday (Sept. 29) in the annual Blue and Gold intrasquad game at 7:00 p.m. at the Patty Center Ice Arena. The Nanooks will then host Southern Alberta Institute of Technology for their final exhibition before the regular season on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 7:05 p.m. at the Carlson Center.
Coaches' Poll:
Team Points
1. Miami (5) 114
2. Michigan State (6) 113
3. Notre Dame (1) 105
4. Michigan 92
5. Ohio State 77
6. Nebraska-Omaha 68
7. Lake Superior 52
8. Northern Michigan 48
9. Ferris State 44
10. Western Michigan 41
11. Alaska 25
12. Bowling Green 13
Media Poll:
Team Points
1. Michigan State (25) 701
2. Miami (21) 667
3. Notre Dame (13) 656
4. Michigan (4) 596
5. Ohio State 414
6. Nebraska-Omaha 412
7. Western Michigan 352
8. Ferris State 279
9. Lake Superior State 270
10. Northern Michigan 248
11. Alaska 212
12. Bowling Green 108
First place votes in parenthesis.
