AUS Predictions!

[ProjectAUS]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to hear your predictions for the AUS conference this year, and how the standings may look.

1. UNB
2. StFX
3. SMU
4. Acadia
5. UdeM
6. UPEI
7. DAL
8. STU

Those are my predictions for the standings, UNB is gonna be a tough team to beat, especially with a good goalie in the net. X still has Owsley and only lost one of their defensemen from last year, they will be just as hard to score on again this year. They also are bringing in arguably the best recruits in the conference, which will definitely help their team. SMU and Acadia will be fairly even in my opinion, SMU is gonna feel the loss of Peters this year, and that could be their downfall if they cannot hold their own against the big guns, Peters has stolen them games over the years. The rest of the league is honestly a crap-shoot, outside of STU in my opinion. UdeM, UPEI and DAL could all flip flop positions just based on the way that their playing.

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[Drummer]

Here are my choices

1. SMU
2. UNB
3. ACD
4. SFX
5. UdeM
6. UPEI
7. DAL
8. STU

I chose SMU over UNB based on a better freshmen class, their recruits look a bit better on paper. They've also had a pretty good pre-season so far, but it's a long road to Feb. They don't have a true #2 backup, so they will only be as good as Cheveldave, but their offence maybe good enough to not need a Peters to seal you a game.

UNB - 'they don't rebuild, they reload' has been the motto for the past few years, but this group might be 'retooled' with players taking on new roles. No replacement for Fraser or Braes, but they may not need it if Cassey & Carroll can stay healthy and everyone chips in. Discipline has been a problem in the pre-season but we'll have to wait and see. Thomas gives them size (after Christmas), but he is also the teams season record holder for PMs. The issues in net are resolved with two strong goalies to choose from. We also have no idea who's in the wings at camps who might 'drop in' as the season progresses.

Acadia has lost too much offense to stay in the top 2. The next three are all toss-ups, 3-6 could be any order at this stage. I don't see DAL and STU making inroads into the top 6 (someone might faulter to let DAL in).

 

[AUS Fan]

Hard to make an assessment now, but I agree ACA, SMU, UNB will be top 3 in some order with SFX in the 4 hole. All these teams have brought in good talent. Goaltending is a question mark for both ACA and SMU; I think Glover has to bounce back after the Nationals and Cheveldave has to be a #1.

 

[Rob]

1.UNB
2.SMU
3.Acadia
4.STFX
5.UPEI
6.Moncton
7.STU
8.Dalhousie

 

[Bob Stauffer]

#1. UNB-can win any season
#2. SMU-at home for Nationals and always dangerous
#3. Acadia-always talented
#4. St. FX-was last year their shot?
#5. Moncton-an enigma
#6. UPEI-tough to get the big boys there
#7. Dalhousie-program should be better than it is
#8. St. Thomas-would get destroyed by NAIT (ACAC) out West

 

[cishockeyfan]

As far as the Defense and Goaltending I feel UNB is very good. On the front end though Im worried. UNB has gotten a little smaller over the past few seasons and Center was not a strong point for them last year and it showed in the CIS Final vs Alberta. I felt they played well the first two periods but Alberta just blocked shot after shot and UNB had nothing in the third period. UNB played their best vs Alberta in spurts when their goaltending let them down.

Maillet and Halley extremely talented but small, and in the playoffs they seemed to disappear in spurts. Cam Braes was our best C, Fraser while very good certainly benefited stats wise from the 2 Phils. Losing those 2 and not replacing them I dunno thats a huge whole, Macdougall and Casey Centering 2 of the 4 Lines? Peter Trainor centering the Number 1 line when he could barely crack the entire lineup last year if sometimes at all.

Im not saying UNB wont be good, but C is weak for them, and not sure if they have enough to finish first in the AUS this year. Tyler Caroll is a great player when he plays, but its almost a guarantee he will always miss time and lots of it

 

[cishockeyfan]

1. St Mary's
2. St FX
3. UNB
4. UPEI
5. Acadia
6. Dalhousie
7. Moncton
8. St Thomas

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

1 - UNB (Like Alberta, they are #1 until proven otherwise)

2 - SMU (Arguably have the highest percentage of top players returning of any team in the conference as all of their top skaters are back, added a few nice recruits in Brooks/Burke + Weller being healthy, losing Peters hurts but Cheveldave has a good pedigree, should be enough to leap frog Acadia)

3 - Acadia (Probably had the best recruiting class with 4 top-notch freshmen but Owens and Heelis are big losses, thought Glover was exposed a bit at the end of the year so a lot of their success will depend on how he responds, should challenge for the top spot with SMU/UNB all year)

4 - St. FX (They were already offensively challenged and then lost top 3 scorers in Kirkpatrick/Slaney/Stephens, their goaltending led by Owsley should be among the best in the league again, expect lots of low scoring games, I see them firmly in 4th as they are not quite as good as the top 3 but should easily be better than 5th-8th)

5 - UPEI (Lost best defenceman in Traccitto and forward in DeSousa, MacKinnon should be a good one on D but will need continued improvement from Power/Andrews/Ashley to carry offense, Parks is one of the best in the league in net, always tough to play against but I see them a step below the top-4)

6 - Moncton (Always entertaining to watch but just don't know if they have quite enough talent to finish much higher, could maybe see them flipping with UPEI, losing top 3 d-men is always tough to overcome especially in the early going, the two forwards they brought in put up huge numbers in lower leagues so it will be interesting to see how that translates, health will be the key)

7/8 - Dalhousie/St. Thomas (I think both teams have improved but as AUS Fan always says "who are they taking a playoff spot away from?", wouldn't surprise me to see either finish in 7th but can't see them getting into a playoff spot this year as the other 6 teams are just simply better right now)

 

[rethinking]

I think the AUS breaks down into 3 tiers this year with UNB, SMU & Acadia being in the top group. X, UPEI & Moncton fill my 2nd tier with Dal and STU in the 3rd group although I feel Moncton could slip.

I have to give the nod to UNB because of their excellent Defense core and their seemingly improved goaltending. Up front their 2nd year players have shown some real improvement so far. It's impossible to ignore their pre season success.

I really don't know if SMU will ever be able to replace Peters in net? He was the key to so much of their success in recent years!