- The NCAA allows these trips once every four years. But while other sports, like basketball and soccer, are allowed to bring their incoming freshmen, hockey can not. So to fill the hole (Quinnipiac has 11 incoming freshmen) the Bobcats are bringing five graduated seniors from last winter who haven't signed pro contracts yet. For Kevin Bui, Russ Goodman, Clay Harvey, Reese Rolheiser and Loren Barron, it's a chance to don the gold-and-blue sweater a few more times.
- Barron and Goodman are expected to sign deals in the coming weeks, meaning 8 of 11 from the Class of 2013 will be playing some level of professional hockey in the fall.
- Quinnipiac is planning another European adventure to Sweden and Finland in the summer of 2017.
- Pecknold said he's interested to see how the role players from last season -- those expected to play a larger role this winter -- perform in Europe. Goaltenders Mike Garteig and Jacob Meyers will have a chance to make an impression on the hole left by Eric Hartzell. They'll have an early jump on incoming freshman Brady Rouleau, who will soon join the mix to replace the Hobey Hat Trick finalist.
- Connor Clifton made the cut at the U.S. world junior evaluation camp in Lake Placid, the only ECAC player in contention to make the roster. Clifton, another incoming freshman, is expected to be an impact player when he arrives in Hamden.
- Quinnipiac lost a big chunk to graduation. But with a dynamic offensive core, led by Matthew Peca and the Jones' twins along with Jordan Samuels-Thomas, and some promising young talent, the Bobcats aren't looking at this as a rebuilding season. "Now, the focus is on Philly. We're trying to figure out what we have to do this year to get back to where we were last year," captain Cory Hibbeler said. "It's not going to be the same team. We know that. But we are confident in the group we have that we can make our own destiny here."
Sigh.
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