The DU hockey team will not only be better than they have been for the past couple seasons, but also make the playoffs and compete for the Frozen Four.

The number one goal set by Head Coach George Gwozdecky is to become a team and that is what will lead this team to success. By having a record 12 freshman players on the roster it will help the team become a team.

Last season’s NCAA champion Michigan State team had only 11 junior’s and senior’s on their roster and 15 sophomore’s and freshmen. Similar to this season’s DU squad which has only eight juniors and seniors.

Also Gwozdecky is known for developing young players, which will definitly be needed this season with such a young team.

The captains and elder-classmen on the roster this season and their leadership will be huge. Young players will make mistakes and suffer through many challenges throughout the season and it will depend on the older guys to get them through it.

This will be a season where the Pioneers need to win the games that they should win. Also DU needs to defend its home ice, which they struggled to do last season.

I am saying it right now, this season Mannino will return to form. When he was on fire in his freshman campaign he was often calleed upon to take both weekend starts. This will happen numerous times this season with Fisher graduated. The last two season’s Mannino had to share net time with Fisher and now that he knows he is the main man it is his time to step up to the plate.

Last year’s team will be the first to tell you that missing out on the regional’s that they hosted was no fun.

The key to getting to the Frozen Four that they host, will be changing their late season results.

Last season to say it nicely the Pioneers struggled toward the end of the season.

Even if they had made the playoffs who knows if they would have been able to go far with the very limited momentum they had.

No doubt it will be a long season for the Pioneers, but if they develop strong team chemistry the results could be quite fun to watch.