Great Lakes Wire

The Northern Michigan University Wildcats are set to start their 2024-25 hockey season with a series against Colorado College in Colorado Springs. The Wildcats, led by new head coach Dave Shyiak, will face the Tigers on Friday and Saturday. This marks the beginning of Shyiak's tenure, bringing with him a revamped coaching staff.

Shyiak, a former Wildcat player who captained the 1991 National Championship team, returns to NMU at a time of significant change. The team sees one of the largest turnovers in college hockey history, with only four returning players from last year. Among them is Tanner Latsch, who has been named captain after an injury-shortened previous season.

Joining Latsch as leaders are Jesse Tucker, Jakob Peterson, and Zach Michaelis. Tucker brings extensive experience from his previous teams at Michigan State and Clarkson. Meanwhile, Peterson and Michaelis hold the most career games for NMU.

The Wildcats' roster includes New York Rangers draft pick Rasmus Larsson and senior transfer goaltender Ryan Ouellette. Ouellette is expected to start on Saturday as he is the only goalie with collegiate experience.

Colorado College enters the series after being predicted to finish third in the NCHC Preseason Media Poll. The Tigers had their first 20-win season in twelve years and are ranked among the top 20 nationally. Key players include Noah Laba and Kaidan Mbereko, both recognized for their outstanding performances last season.

NMU holds a historical advantage over CC with a record of 31-22-1 but has struggled in Colorado Springs with a 9-17-0 record there. This weekend's games promise to be high-scoring based on past encounters between these teams.