University of Minnesota Athletics
Golden Gophers Picked First in Preseason WCHA Coaches Poll
10/4/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
In addition, freshman forward Phil Kessel (Madison, Wis.) was the unanimous choice for the WCHA Preseason Rookie of the Year. Junior forward Danny Irmen (Fargo, N.D.) received one vote in the WCHA Preseason Player of the Year Voting, finishing behind CC’s Marty Sertich (seven first-place votes), and tied with CC’s Brett Sterling and DU’s Gabe Gauthier.
The Golden Gophers open the 2005-06 campaign on Thursday, Oct. 6, with an exhibition game against the University of Alberta at Mariucci Arena at 7:05 p.m. Minnesota kicks off the regular season with a non-conference home series against CCHA foe Alaska Fairbanks on Friday-Saturday, Oct. 14-15.
The Maroon and Gold returns 20 letterwinners from last year's team that posted a 28-15 -1 record. Minnesota's returns 81 percent of its goal scoring from 2004-05, including nine of the top 11 scorers from last season's NCAA Frozen Four team. UM welcomes back its top seven point-getters this season in Tyler Hirsch, Danny Irmen, Ryan Potulny, Gino Guyer, Chris Harrington, Kris Chucko and Alex Goligoski.In addition, Minnesota’s 2005-06 recruiting class of R.J. Anderson, Justin Bostrom, Jeff Frazee, Phil Kessel</ a>, Ryan Stoa and Blake Wheeler is ranked as the best recruiting class in the nation, according to Inside College Hockey.
35th annual Grand Forks Herald WCHA Coaches Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Minnesota, 78 (7)
2. Wisconsin, 66 (1)
t3. Denver, 65 (1)
t3. Colorado College, 65 (1)
5. North Dakota, 51
6. Minnesota Duluth, 37
7. Minnesota State, 35
8. Michigan Tech, 14
9. St. Cloud State, 20
10. Alaska Anchorage, 19
