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Jerry York's crew has already dealt with a lot of loss this season, and that's before the puck even dropped for the first time on Oct. 14 in Michigan.
The men's hockey team is without the services of 10 veteran players - Andrew Alberts, Ryan Shannon, and Dave Spina, among them - who graduated from Boston College in May. The Eagles are also recovering from the early departure of standout Patrick Eaves, who flew the coop this summer to join the Ottawa Senators' organization.
So where does that leave the team?
Well, it all comes down to who is here, not who has gone.
Twelve returning players will give York the backbone BC will need to compete in the Hockey East, while 10 newcomers are jumping right in and filling the voids left by some of the team's key exits.
BC has as much a shot as anyone else at taking home the Hockey East title. The Eagles were again picked as the league's No. 1 preseason team. While every conference game will be important, wins against teams like Maine, UNH, and Lowell will be imperative if York's team wants to march out of the TD Bank North Garden as champions in March.
On Offense
With the loss of Eaves, junior Brian Boyle seems poised to become the Eagles offensive leader this season. During the final stretch of last year, the forward played some of the best hockey of his career - tallying six goals prior to Christmas break, before reevaluating his play and scoring 13 goals in the final 22 games of the season.
But it will be a team effort on the red line. York will rely on seniors Chris Collins and Stephen Gionta to step up this season. Both are speedy skaters who will likely be burying more pucks than they have in the past.
And after being practically invisible during the start of his career, junior Joe Rooney more than tripled his points during his sophomore year. He ended his first year registering four goals and two assists; he capped his second year with four goals and 16 assists. Look for big things from Rooney, who has potential that the Eagles will be capitalizing on in 2005-2006.
Three sophomores - Dan Bertram, Pat Gannon, and Matt Greene - also add a little stability to the red line. Bertram developed a lot over the summer, both physically and mentally. He's a stronger and more confident hockey player this season. Gannon and Greene made some key contributions last year and will give the team a few pleasant surprises.
Five freshmen join the offensive lineup; three of them (Brock Bradford, Nate Gerbe, and Andrew Orpik) were drafted into the NHL over the summer.
Expect a solid showing from all five. Bradford showed unprecedented talent with the Omaha Lancers last season, registering 57 points and earning MVP honors. Gerbe has been likened to a young Brian Gionta; he's a dedicated, gritty player who likes to compete for the puck.
Orpik is the younger brother of former defenseman Brook Orpik.
Benn Ferriero and Kyle Kuchiarski round out the freshman pack. Ferriero, an aggressive skater, scored a goal and three assists in the World Under-18 Championship. Kuchiarski registered a team-high 55 points last season at Andover.
On Defense
Senior captain Peter Harrold will anchor the defensive line, which is perhaps the team's weakest area following the graduation of Alberts, John Adams, Greg Lauze, and Taylor Leahy. The Eagles' defense was ranked third in the nation last season - allowing just 1.98 goals per game.
Harrold brings with him a sense of familiarity and leadership to the blue line. He's shown growth and development over his past three years in a BC sweater and has established himself as one of the game's leading defensemen. He had a plus-20 rating in 35 games last season, and tallied 14 points, including an amazing game-tying goal against Maine that helped the Eagles claim the Hockey East regular season title last year.
Sophomore Mike Brennan is also returning to keep pucks out of the BC zone. Brennan surprised fans last season with his strength and puck handling skills. He participated in the U.S. Junior National Team Evaluation Camp for the second time in his career last summer.
Fellow sophomore Brian O'Hanley brings versatility to the game. He doubled as both a forward and a defenseman last season, though his offensive skills are somewhat more developed than his blue line abilities.
Junior Justin Greene is also returning for the Eagles. He played in eight games last season, and registered his first collegiate point in January against Merrimack. He'll likely compete with the four incoming freshmen defensemen for ice time.
Anthony Aiello, Tim Filangieri, Tim Kunes, and Brett Motherwell are new to the blue line this season. All four have proven themselves earlier in their careers; Aiello earned all New England honors two years in a row, Filangieri played in the 2005 USHL All-Star Game, Kunes recorded 40 points in 50 games in the juniors last season, and Motherwell was last year's USHL Defenseman of the Year.
Motherwell, who has offensive talent that will prove useful on power plays, was injured last week against Northeastern. There's no word on when he'll return.
In Goal
The Eagles benefit from proven strength in net with the return of sophomore Cory Schneider, a 2004 first round draft pick. He split time in the crease with Matti Kaltiainen last year, though Schneider will likely run the show this season.
Schneider finished his first season with an amazing 13-1-4 record, a 1.90 goals against average, and a .916 save percentage. He's also undefeated in the Hockey East and is familiar with much of the competition that he'll be up against this year.
Junior Joe Pearce is also back from hiatus this season. He's 2-2-0 as an Eagle and earned MVP honors in the 2003 Great Lakes Invitational.
Freshman Adam Reasoner, whose older brother, Marty, was a standout forward at BC, completes the goaltending roster. He spent the last three years in the juniors, and brings with him 18 wins and a .904 save percentage.
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