2015-16 Ohio State Freshman Preview

By Miles McQuinn

Number of Players Lost: 8 (all due to graduation)

Number of Incoming Freshmen: 10

The spring of 2013-14 was a devastating one for head coach Steve Rohlik and his Ohio State squad. Losing Hobey Baker candidate Ryan Dzingel and point producer Max McCormick to Binghamton (AHL) proved to be a significant blow heading into the 2014-15 season. OSU's talent up front was diluted and injuries didn't help either.

This upcoming season the Buckeyes notice a hit of players too, graduating eight and losing a core group of guys. Of them, forwards like Matt Johnson and Nick Oddo, as well as defenseman Justin DaSilva, are tough to lose. The departure of team captain Tanner Fritz is the toughest to deal with. But, unlike last season, there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel. With some of the talent they have coming in, along with some veteran goaltending and a few point producers already on the team, OSU is making steps in the right direction as a program.

Let's have a look at Ohio State's incoming freshman class, leading up to the impact players at the end.

Big Ten Hockey at the 2015 NHL Draft

By Miles McQuinn 

The 2015 NHL Draft is in the books, and the Big Ten Conference had a solid showing.

Of the 56 college hockey players drafted, 16 are from the Big Ten, second most among all of college hockey's conferences.

Of the 210 draftees, 7.6% are heading to/are in the Big Ten.

Let's break things down by the numbers and I'll add in some thoughts as well.

A "Mich" Needed Defenseman

By Miles McQuinn

While there was mass speculation that the Columbus Blue Jackets would make an attempt to try and move up to the third spot in the 2015 NHL Draft in Sunrise, Fla., the Arizona Coyotes ended up keeping their pick and proceeded to draft Erie Otters forward Dylan Strome.

When the Philadelphia Flyers selected Brandon Wheat Kings defenseman Ivan Provorov with the seventh pick, there was no question that the Blue Jackets would take Michigan's Zach Werenski at spot number eight.

B1G Help Wanted: Write for Big Ten Hockey Blog

Love college hockey? Better yet, love Big Ten college hockey? Ok, so maybe you feel slightly less than thrilled about the latter, but guess what -- that's ok (as long as it's within reason).

Big Ten Hockey Blog is growing and we are looking for young, eager writers to grow with us. Have a topic you want to cover? We'd love to hear it.

If you're interested in writing and adding to your portfolio, contact us, Send your resume and a few samples to jessip224@gmail.com.

Look forward to hearing from you all!

Rutgers Hockey: Could It Be Reality?

By Jessi Pierce

Rutgers University put college sports on the map -- literally. The Scarlet Knights were one of the first universities in the U.S. to compete in intercollegiate athletics. Herolded as the "Birthplace of College Football," there's no doubt that Rutgers is a school with pride in sports. These days the Scarlet Knights are better known for their football and men's and women's basketball squads. While those sports are struggling to make a name for themselves in the Big Ten, the students, athletes and fans at Rutgers have another way to make a mark in their new conference home: add hockey.

Rutgers hockey? How feasible is that? With the current support of 2,674 and growing, I'd say it's not completely out of the question.