Five Burning Questions From The WCHA

The WCHA is the most dominant conference in NCAA women's hockey history, and this year looks no different. Here's five burning questions early in the WCHA season.

WCHA is a powerhouse conference with some of the top contenders to win the national championships. In fact, the only team since 2001 to win a national title that wasn't from WCHA was Clarkson, who won three titles in that span.

Will a WCHA team take the crown this year? That, and many other burning questions from the WCHA to open the NCAA season:

Did Ohio Do Too Much In The Offseason?

Adding talent in hockey is a constant goal. In pro hockey it happens through trades, drafts, and free agency. In the NCAA, traditionally it has occurred almost exclusively through recruitment, but the transfer portal has become another popular avenue for programs to find players. This offseason, no team did more through the transfer portal than Ohio State. On the blueline they added Cayla Barnes and Stephanie Markowski. Up front they brought in Hannah Bilka, Kelsey King, Olivia Mobley, and Kiara Zanon. It's more than a line of elite NCAA players, some with national team experience. Following a national title in 2022, Ohio State fell in the final last year to WCHA rival Wisconsin. The two programs are still a few weeks away from facing off in a head-to-head rematch, but leading up to that, Ohio State will search for chemistry. Their additions definitely upped the talent level of their lineup, particularly following the graduation of Sophie Jaques, Emma Maltais, Paetyn Levis, and Madison Bizal. What is unclear, is how these additions have impacted their room, and on-ice dynamics. Wisconsin has been untouchable thus far, relying heavily on their returning players, while Ohio State has looked beatable at times, and other times strong. When the two face-off November 17 and 18, this question will be answered. Are Ohio State's moves backfiring, or are they just getting warmed up?

Can St. Thomas catch up?

When you're consistently facing Wisconsin, Ohio State, Minnesota, St. Cloud State, and Minnesota-Duluth, all nationally ranked programs, it can be hard to gain confidence and hit your stride. Luckily this season, no one pass along that message to St. Thomas' rookies. Ella Boerger, Rylee Bartz, and Cara Sajevic are one, two, three in St. Thomas' scoring as first year players. Add in rookie blueliner Ellah Hause, forwards Madison Brown and Keara Parker, and it's an impressive group. If St. Thomas could add via the transfer portal this offseason, grabbing a veteran presence to help these players take the next step, there's hope that St. Thomas will soon provide another challenging presence in the WCHA. With their incoming recruits next season including top goaltender Danielle Strom and defender Cailin Mumm who have both represent USA at the U-18 level, and another group of high scoring forwards, including Chloe Boreen, who bucked the family history considering her sister just graduated from Minnesota serving as team captain, and you can see St. Thomas is on a rapid upward trajectory. 

Will we see the early exit of a player?

It didn't happen this year, and with the restrictive pay in the PWHL, as the bulk of salaries are being hoarded by 36 players on three-year guaranteed contracts, it's unlikely players will begin bolting from NCAA action early any time soon. That said, the WCHA has impact players a few seasons away from graduation who could immediately make an impact in the PWHL. Both Caroline Harvey (Wisconsin) and Nelli Laitinen (Minnesota), who are in their second NHL seasons, could step onto a top pairing for almost any team in the league. Minnesota's Abbey Murphy technically has another season of NCAA eligibility as well, but she's accomplished just about everything she can at the NCAA level, and the Team USA standout would be a welcomed addition to any top six in the league. She's hard to play against, and finishing her fourth NCAA season, may be the most likely candidate to declare for the draft. Lacey Eden of Wisconsin faces a similar situation. She's won an NCAA title, has won World Championship gold with USA, and perhaps she'll bypass her extra season of eligibility in favour of a paycheck playing pro.

Can St. Cloud State's goaltending stay this good?

If St. Cloud State could maintain the brick wall they've built in net, which includes a 0.78 team GAA and shutouts against Union College, Northeastern, Mercyhurst, and Bemidji State over the course of a season, it would be an unprecedented pace for the program. For opponents, there are no nights off with St. Cloud State as Sanni Ahola and Jojo Chobak are both considered among the best in the nation. Ahola in particular has posted four consecutive shutouts to open her season. With Finland at the 2023 World Championships, Ahola posted an eyepopping 0.67 GAA and .957 save percentage. She's been nearly unbeatable at all levels since the tournament. How long can this duo keep it up? And if they can maintain even close to this pace, how many games can they steal against top teams?

Can Wisconsin Repeat?

Since the NCAA officially took over governance of women's hockey in 2001, repeats have been common. Wisconsin, Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota, and Clarkson have all repeated as champions, some more than once. Wisconsin has won three of the last four national championships, with a gap in the COVID cancelled year. This season, Wisconsin sits atop every national ranking, and could win their eighth national title since 2001. With their high powered offense, a list that includes Lacey Eden, Britta Curl, Laila Edwards, Kirsten Simms, Caroline Harvey, and Casey O'Brien, among others, Wisconsin is a force to be reckoned with.