1st Annual NCHC Blog/Web Media Preseason Poll

The telltale signs of fall are everywhere. Temperatures are falling, leaves are blowing, and pucks are dropping. As hard as it may be to believe, another hockey season is now upon us, and it is a season that, due to the shakeup that is conference realignment, ushers the college hockey landscape into a transformed era.

One element of this shifted landscape is the creation of a new league: the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. Old foes from the WCHA have joined together with what are sure to become new and fierce rivals from the CCHA. Top to bottom, there may not be a stronger, more competitive conference in all of college hockey. That, of course, will all be fleshed out on the ice in due course. But prior to the first official NCHC puck being dropped, a number of hockey-loving blog & web media types dusted off the ol' thinking caps, dug out the Ouija boards, and, at least in my case, relied on the ever-trusty Magic 8 Balls in order to present to you the 1st Annual NCHC Blog/Web Media Preseason Poll.

The poll had 16 participants, representing six of the eight schools that make up the conference. Thanks to all who participated (listed at the bottom), and here are the results:

	Team (1st Place Votes)	Points
1.	Miami (11)	123
2.	North Dakota (2)	103
3.	St. Cloud State (3)	100
4.	Denver	71
5.	Minnesota-Duluth	57
6.	Colorado College	45
6.	Western Michigan	45
8.	Nebraska-Omaha	32

All-Conference Team

F -	Austin Czarnik, Miami
F -	Ryan Walters, Nebraska-Omaha
F -	Rocco Grimaldi, North Dakota
D -	Joey LaLeggia, Denver
D -	Dillon Simpson, North Dakota
G -	Ryan McKay, Miami

Preseason Player of the Year
Austin Czarnik, Miami (8)

Others receiving multiple votes:
Ryan Walters, Nebraska-Omaha (4)
Riley Barber, Miami (2)

Rookie of the Year
Dominic Toninato, Minnesota-Duluth (6)

Others receiving multiple votes:
Adam Tambellini, North Dakota (4)
Will Butcher, Denver (2)
Anthony Louis, Miami (2)

Defenseman of the Year
Joey LaLeggia, Denver (10)

Others receiving multiple votes:
Dillon Simpson, North Dakota (3)

Breakout Player of the Year
Joey Benik, St. Cloud State (5)

11 others received a single vote.

Again, a big thank you to everyone who took part:
Timothy Boger, Kelly Green & White (North Dakota)
Jeremy Larson (@jclarson02), Husky Hockey Time (St. Cloud State)
Andrew Craig, College Hockey High Horse (Minnesota-Duluth)
Brian Halverson, Minnesota Hockey Magazine
Matt Christians (@Matt_Christians), UMD Bulldog Country/CHN/SBN (Minnesota-Duluth)
Chris Peters (@chrismpeters), United States of Hockey/CBSSports.com
Dave Berger, Sioux Sports (North Dakota) 
Donna, Runnin' With the Dogs (Minnesota-Duluth)
Dave Starman (@DStarmanHockey), CBS Sports Network
Rick Shanley (@rickshanley), Western College Hockey Blog (Western Michigan)
UMD Hockey Blog (Minnesota-Duluth)
Eric Burton (Goon), Goon's World/The Hockey Writers (North Dakota)
Joe Paisley, The CS Gazette College Hockey Blog (Colorado College)
Doug Cutler & Mike Swainey (@MiamiHockeyBlog), The Blog of Brotherhood (Miami)
Donn Schuschke (Sioux 7), Goon's World (North Dakota)
Chad, A Tradition of Excellence (North Dakota)