St. Norbert Preview

NCHA Insider | Nate Woelfel

As far as head coach Tim Coghlin is concerned, his 2011-12 Green Knights are not the “Defending National Champions.”

Though he is technically correct, the coach’s motivation must ring true in the minds of his players if they are maintain the tradition of greatness that they have worked so hard to establish.

“The goal of this program every year is to try to get into a big game,” said Coghlin. “It’s a new trophy. If you want it, you have to get it.”

St. Norbert will have its work cut out for them if they are to earn the 2012 edition of the coveted championship prize. The team lost 11 players from last year’s squad including B.J. O’Brien a two-time Frozen Four MVP goaltender.

According to Coghlin, performance in practices and in the intra-squad scrimmage will determine who gets the nod between the pipes on opening night.

As their coach sees it, the Green Knights lost two goaltenders, four of their top six defensemen, and five of their top six forwards. That doesn’t mean that there won’t be expectations.

Even in what some would token as a rebuilding year, the Knights appear to have the ability to do exactly that.  St. Norbert returns their top-three point scorers in Johan Ryd (Sodertalje, Sweden), Cody Keefer (Grayling, Michigan), and Seth Soley (Elk Mound, Wisconsin). Last season, the trio combined for 79 points.

The relatively young team’s ability to handle adversity will undoubtedly be crucial. While the Green Knight’s play 15 games before their fist contest against an opponent ranked in the preseason top-15, 10 of them will be on the road and eight of them will be against conference foes.

St. Norbert opens their season Tuesday night when they travel to Concordia.