2019 - 2020 AUS Thread

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Schedule has been released for the 2019/2020 regular season...

2019-20 AUS Men's Hockey Schedule - Atlantic University Sport (AUS)

Some observations:
- Dalhousie hosts St. FX in AUS season opener on Wednesday, September 25th.
- UNB will be the opponent for SMU's first regular season game at the new Dauphinee Centre on Friday, September 27th.
- UNB and UPEI are both off the weekend of October 4th and 5th....I assume so they can go down to play NCAA teams.
- UNB's home opener/banner raising won't be until October 11th...the Friday going into Thanksgiving weekend
- Second half begins with one game on Thursday, January 2nd, which is odd.
- There is one other game on a Thursday, but everything else is on the usual Wed/Fri/Sat nights.
- All games are 7PM starts.
- Looks like it is an 18/12 first half/second half split again.
- Playoff format is staying the same except with the possibility of a consolation series should Acadia make the AUS Final.

Click to read more...

 

[dm8895]

Predictions ?
1.UNB
2.St.Fx
3.UPEI
4.Acadia
5.SMU
6. UDEM
7.Dalhousie

I feel pretty confident with UNB at 1 and Dal at 7 but everything in between I think is wide open.

 

[Drummer]

1. UNB
2. PEI
3. SMU
4. UdeM
5. SFX
6. ACD
7. DAL

2-6 is a crap-shoot, as mentioned, really depends on who can deliver on their recruits. Only two teams had more goals-for versus goals-against (UNB & SMU) - the rest will have to either improve their offence or defense to improve.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

I agree, 2-6 could be as tight as ever...and, on paper at least, UNB is weaker than last year. I really like what UPEI has done this summer...and Acadia has the talent but will be a matter of their rookies from last year taking the next step. However, I’m not entirely sold on either team’s goaltending situation.

As an aside, it seems like the overall talent level across the conference is going to be down this year. UNB lost their top goalie/forward/defenseman, X lost their top goalie/best forward, SMU lost arguably their top three forwards. Not sure if the players coming in are going to be on the level of any of these departing players.

 

[FreddyFoyle]

I think X and SMU have lost the most; yes UNB has lost key players (MVP's) but they have the depth for players to step up. I don't see that at X and SMU, so it will probably really depend on how well their recruits adapt to the AUS.

UPEI looks to have had great recruiting, but we need to see how that comes together on the ice. I'm kinda meh about Acadia. Right now I think UdeM will win more games than last year. Dal's three young goaltenders could be better this year, but I still don't see them passing anyone yet.

 

[AUS Fan]

I never worry about the Red Army. As long as they can get memberships at Kingswood, they'll have no problems recruiting top talent.

 

[Hollywood3]

...

As an aside, it seems like the overall talent level across the conference is going to be down this year. UNB lost their top goalie/forward/defenseman, X lost their top goalie/best forward, SMU lost arguably their top three forwards. Not sure if the players coming in are going to be on the level of any of these departing players.

I think this is the start of a trend, for a few reasons. Universities are not male-friendly in general. Plus, 4-year degrees are not as common as they once were.

 

[FreddyFoyle]

Just got an email from U Sports. They will be going to an all-ELO ranking for men's hockey this season. Voters have been made redundant. Analytics rule!

 

[Hollywood3]

Just got an email from U Sports. They will be going to an all-ELO ranking for men's hockey this season. Voters have been made redundant. Analytics rule!

The ELO football rankings are a joke.

 

[Rob]

As a UNB fan I’m not really interested. Of course the rankings are more meaningful to teams trying to crack the top 10.

 

[Drummer]

Just got an email from U Sports. They will be going to an all-ELO ranking for men's hockey this season. Voters have been made redundant. Analytics rule!

Not a big fan of USPORTS implantation of ELO - much prefer the voter system.

Maybe they'll do away with OUA-Runner is #4 seed at UCup? You can always hope.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

I noticed UNB and Moncton seem to be “travel partners” this year...usually it’s UNB and UPEI. Visiting teams will probably like the Fredericton/Moncton weekend trip better than Fredericton/Charlottetown.

 

[AUS Fan]

It will be easier in a way, but teams stayed in Moncton after/before a UPEI game. Play UPEI, go to Moncton. Play UNB, go to Moncton. More than a few times SMU and ACA would arrive at the hotel at Exactly the same time.

 

[Drummer]

Two changes to the Playing Regulations for the upcoming 2019-20 season.

1) 7 staff will be allowed behind the bench. The previous maximum was 5 (as mandated by Hockey Canada)

2) The league is implementing Hybrid Icing. This will be interesting.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Two changes to the Playing Regulations for the upcoming 2019-20 season.

1) 7 staff will be allowed behind the bench. The previous maximum was 5 (as mandated by Hockey Canada)

2) The league is implementing Hybrid Icing. This will be interesting.

Love that they are going to hybrid icing...I’ve been preaching that one for a few years now.

 

[dm8895]

L..

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Reading the N.S. team previews in the Chronicle Herald...sounds like Welsh is back for SMU, but they will be without Peters until Christmas.

 

[AUS Fan]

That is correct. He had off season surgery. And Welsh is back.

 

[FreddyFoyle]

That is correct. He had off season surgery. And Welsh is back.

Well that is good news for the Huskies.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Reading the Gleaner’s AUS Preview...sounds like Acadia may try to keep four roster spots open for Christmas with the intention of loading up for nationals.

I think they already have 21-22 guys on their roster so some guys may not be seeing any regular season action.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

UNB
X
SMU
ACA
UPEI
UdeM
DAL

 

[Drummer]

Watched the over-time last night. Linesman goofed an icing on St. F.X. that should have been waived off as the X player was clearly in-front of the Dal D-man. Ref's caught it and they had the face-off at center. Will likely see a few more of these as the officials get use to the how make the call.

CW is going Hybrid, but the OUA is not going with Hybrid - I wonder what's going to happen for UCup? Could be a big disadvantage to OUA teams.

 

[Rob]

My cynical side tells me it is too much for the officials at this level to handle.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Anything that will (hopefully) result in fewer whistles is good with me.

 

[Drummer]

My cynical side tells me it is too much for the officials at this level to handle.

It shouldn't be too hard for most Linesman, they are Level 4s and have worked some Q-games (which also apply the Hybrid Rule), but places like Acadia, UNB, StFX don't have Q linesman so it's going to be new for them. Even though the AUS Women have this rule, the linesmen for the guys games don't usually work the girls games, so there will be some re-learning at the outset this year, but after a week or two it should be fine.