Division: I
Coach: Brian Saucier (4th year)
Last year: 12-8-0, lost in semifinals to Bishop Guertin
Returning starters: Kegan Vincent, jr., F; Nate Bowler, sr., F; Patrick Early, sr., F; Stephen Donelan, sr., D; Colby Garcia, jr., D
Top newcomers: Connor Rogers, fr., F; Alex Pfeifer, fr., F; Ben Pratt, fr., D
Outlook: The Giants are coming off a strong year that saw them reach the semifinals where they lost to eventual Division I champion Bishop Guertin in a tight 3-2 overtime contest. First-year Coach Brian Saucier will look to returning forwards Nate Bowler, Patrick Early and Kegan Vincent to fire up a scoring attack. “This is a good core of returning players so the team goal is eight-plus wins and playoff berth for the second year in a row,” Saucier said.
Teams to beat: Bedford, Bishop Guertin
Division: I
Coach: Dunc Walsh (27th year)
Last year: 16-3, lost in quarterfinals to Exeter
Returning starters: Alex Marceau, sr., F; Andrew Cole, sr., F; Drew Livingston, jr., F; Colin Kastle, jr., F; Matt Chorlian, sr., D; Daniel LeBell, sr., D; Liam O’Brien, jr., D
Top newcomers: Griffin Gilbert, jr., G; Spencer Burgess, jr., G
Outlook: Alex Marceau, a First Team All State selection with 40 points (21 goals) last season, leads a strong group of experienced returning players that Coach Dunc Walsh will look to ignite the Tide’s offense. Matt Chorlian, another First Team All-State pick with 23 assists last season, will lead the defense alongside captain Dan LeBell (17 points, 13 assists last season). Walsh said his defensive corps is the strong point of this team. The big question for the Tide is who will start in goal. Junior netminders Griffin Gilbert and Spencer Burgess are battling for the role. They will likely split games to start the season until one emerges as the starter.
Teams to beat: Bedford, Bishop Guertin
Division: II
Coach: Tim Walsh (16th year)
Last year: 17-3-0, lost in finals to Windham
Returning starters: Doug Champagne, sr., F; Austin Beaudette, sr., F; Ryan Tobeler, jr., F; Chris Mead, sr., F; Colin Tracy, sr., D; Brendan Ulrich, sr., D
Top newcomers: Austin Skarinza, fr., F; Corey Shore, so., D; Andrew Pascarella, so., D
Outlook: You can’t count the Falcons out as long as they have the 2016 Division II Player of the Year Doug Champagne, who scored 34 goals last season. Aside from Champagne, Bow can rely on some very experienced depth on offense and are favorites to return to the D-II championship game. “We return a lot of players with experience, many who have played in two state finals, but the games have to be played and things have to fall right,” Coach Tim Walsh said. “It is a long way to March, but we should be challenging to be one of the top teams. We have some inexperience on the blue line, but with time we will grow and be ready when it counts.”
Teams to beat: Keene, Oyster River, St. Thomas, Goffstown
Division: III
Coach: Dave Saball (1st year)
Last year: 14-7-0, lost in finals to Berlin/Gorham
Returning starters: Hunter Dupuis, Harrison Parent, Ethan Becker, Miles Defosses, Chaz Hacking, James Buckley, Alex Muthersbaugh, Owen Ramsey, Troy Gallagher, Connor Dupuis, Bailey Defoise, Cody Hodgins
Top newcomers: Nate Shirley, Hayden Parent, Joey Blake, Eddie Demers, Cam Jarvis
Outlook: Belmont-Gilford shook up the Division III bracket with a semifinal win over top-ranked John Stark-Hopkinton last season and the team hopes for another deep playoff push this winter. The Bulldogs will rely on its strong corps of returning defensemen. “If the players are willing to bear down and do the hard work it takes, it will be another successful season,” said Coach Dave Saball. “Nothing will be given to us.”
Teams to beat: Berlin, Kennett, John Stark-Hopkinton, Coe-Brown/Somersworth
Division: III
Coach: Denis Kolehmainen (5th year)
Last year: 14-3-1, lost in semifinals to Belmont-Gilford
Returning starters: Larsen Burack, so., D; Pete Sintros, so., D; Joe Sawitsky, so., D; Matt Piscina, so., F; Cameron Bourque, sr., D; Noah Chapman, so., F; Joel Hawkes, jr., F; Thayer Maughan, so., F; Nick Gagne, jr., F; Paul Molnar, so., F; Aidan Molnar, so., F; Jameson Bourque, so., G; Tim Meserve, sr., F; Tim Sawitsky, sr., F; Justin Bowen, sr., D
Top newcomers: Lucas Lajeunesse, fr., F; Carter Pike, fr., D; Reed Tanuvase, so., F; Noah Lewis, fr., D; Cabot Lineberry,fr., F; Elijah Chapman, fr., D; Benny Madden, fr., D; Dylan Clark, fr., D; Curtis Mann, fr., G; Owen Olson, fr., F; Brett Patnode, fr., F; Lane Crowley, jr., F
Outlook: With so many new faces in the program, the General Hawks will be relying on their five seniors to carry the load early on in the season. “We have a young team that will need to learn our system quickly to be successful this year,” Coach Kolehmainen said. “Our seniors will need to carry the team in the first half of the season to position ourselves to make the playoffs.”
Teams to beat: Berlin, Belmont-Gilford, Kennett
Division: III
Coach: David McKenney (2nd year)
Last year: 8-10-0, lost in first round to Belmont/Gilford
Returning starters: Jacob Arnold, sr., F; Maddie Folcik, sr., D; Doug Breault, sr., F; Alex Nangle, jr., F
Outlook: The Cats will look to make the playoffs again and push further after making a first-round exit last year. Senior goaltender Cody Rowe should give Kearsarge-Plymouth a chance as he returns to the crease.
Teams to beat: Kennett
Division: III
Coach: Kent Finemore (1st year)
Last year: 2-16, missed playoffs
Returning starters: Josh Shevlin, sr., D; Cole Reid, so., F; Devin Miles, jr., F; Noah Wirth, jr., F/D; Noah Smith, jr., F; Nick Luther, jr., D/G
Top newcomers: Derek Derynioski, fr., G; Jayson Shevlin, fr., D; Hanna Max, fr., D
Outlook: The Wolfpack hopes to put forth a more competitive team this season with a strong group of returning players, but this is still a young team who will start freshman netminder Derek Derynioski between the pipes. “We’re in the process of implementing a new system for practice and game preparation, so we are expecting that early in the season we’ll have some things to work on.”
Teams to beat: Kennett, Berlin, Belmont-Gilford
Division: III
Coach: Chuck Yaeger (4th year)
Last year: 6-12, missed playoffs
Returning starters: Mike Dalzell, sr., F; Collin Sheehan, sr., F; Dom Doliber, sr., D; Garrett McCarthy, jr., F; Nick Spicuzza, jr., G; Hunter Sanders, so., G
Top newcomers: Patrick Mohan, fr., D; Blake Dunlap, fr., F
Outlook: Head Coach Chuck Yaeger sees a more balanced landscape in Division III this season, but expects Berlin-Gorham, Belmont-Gilford and Kennett to be the toughest competition. Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough will look to Mike Dalzell and Collin Sheehan as leaders to guide this team to a playoff berth after missing the postseason last year.
Teams to beat: Berlin/Gorham, Belmont/Gilford, Kennett
Division: III
Coach: Marc Noel (15th year)
Last year: 1-17, missed playoffs in D-II
Returning starters: Nate Lamontagne, jr., F; Matt Tremblay, jr., F; Jake Tremblay, sr., D; Mattieux Tremblay, so., G; Sean Moore, jr., F/D; Jayden Lamy, so., F
Top newcomers: Nate Carter, fr., D; Kaleb Pelletier, fr., D
Outlook: Pembroke-Campbell moves down to D-III after spending the past four seasons in D-II. “That experience will help us,” Noel said. “They learned to move the puck around well. The speed in D-II is faster than D-III.” Pembroke-Campbell’s speed will make up for a lack in size. About half of the roster played at the D-II level and have a lot of experience returning on offense. The key will be for how well the experienced players and new players come together.
Teams to beat: Belmont-Gilford, John Stark-Hopkinton, Berlin-Gorham, Kennett
Division: III
Coach: Shane Maurice (1st year)
Last year: 6-12-0, missed playoffs
Returning starters: Andy Soule, Casey Pridham, Joel Boulanger, Joe Morrisette, Jack Percy, Brett Dodier, Jake Spainhower, Matt Kelly
Top newcomers: Daniel Strum, Dale Smith, Griffen Bono, Kevin Baker
Outlook: After missing the playoffs last season, incoming Coach Shane Maurice will look to make a splash in his first season with the program. Fortunately for him, Somersworth/Coe-Brown returns most of its upperclassmen from last year. “We will rely heavily on upperclassmen for both experience and scoring,” Maurice said.
Teams to beat: Kennet, Berlin-Gorham, Belmont-Gilford
Division: I
Coach: Stacy Landry (6th year)
Last year: 13-6, lost in quarterfinals to St. Thomas/Dover
Returning starters: Emily Forward, so., D; Maggie Connolly, so, F; Delana Erickson, sr., F; Maddy Farrelly, sr., D; Chantal Levassuer, so.; Jill Dusseault, jr., D; Allyson Poulin, sr., F; Sarah Morin, jr., F; Olivia Branch, so., F; Lily Vezina, so., F; Gabby Macdonald, sr., D; Jaden Morin, jr., F; Shannon Prospect, sr., F; Maddy Audet, sr., G
Top newcomers: Erin Doherty, fr., F; Ella Doherty, fr., F; Nicole Jones, fr., F; Abby Corbett, fr., G; Bri Chartier, so., F
Outlook: This year’s Tide has a lot of familiar faces while welcoming some exciting new players. Defense will be the focus this team as it tries to improve on last season’s early exit from the playoffs. “We are going to be a very defensive team,” Coach Stacy Landry said. “We’re concentrating on becoming a very cohesive unit.”
Teams to beat: Hanover, Exeter, Souhegan
Division: I
Coach: Dan Earley, (6th year)
Last year: 6-12, missed playoffs
Returning starters: Sydney Herrington, jr., F/D; Mary Anne Wiley, jr., F/D; Briana Brack, sr., F/D; Maddie Beliveau, sr., F; Riley Hollenberg, jr., F; Molly Dexter, jr., F
Top newcomers: Madison Smith, sr., F; Lauren Trippiedi, fr., F/D; Mackenzie Asprey, so., F; Malena Miller, fr., F; Emma Nyangwara, so., F; Haley Hildreth, fr., D; Emma Winsor, so., G
Outlook: The Giant Pioneers, adding Manchester West to its co-op this season, had plenty of time in the offseason to think about last season’s disappointing end without a playoff appearance. The team that gave perennial powerhouse Hanover a tough game in the championship just two years ago seemed far more distant, but Coach Dan Earley hopes to reestablish a winning mentality this season. Their first test is Tuesday against Bishop Guertin, a game that Earley said will be a measuring stick of how strong this year’s squad will be.
Teams to beat: Hanover, Exeter, Concord