No doubt that Easter Sunday is a bitter memory.

A calamitous 5-4 overtime loss to Boston College in March’s NCAA Regional Finals became 14 players’ last game in a Quinnipiac jersey.

Ten members of the Bobcats’ starting lineup have signed with the AHL or NHL, transferred or hung their skates for good.   

The focus for Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey as it enters a new season is replacing what’s been lost — and living up to expectations that very few can put a price on.

LINE PROJECTIONS

Head coach Rand Pecknold put it best: “We got cleaned out.”

“We wanted it … it’s disappointing right now,” Pecknold said on March 31. “I love this group.”

No surprise there — 11 of the 14 who left the program this spring have a Frozen Four victory to their name. Only three of the original team remain — junior forwards Victor Czerneckianair and Anthony Cipollone and third string goaltender Noah Altman.

“We only have one returning player (Czerneckianair) that played in the national championship game, which was 18 months ago,” Pecknold said. “So that’s a crazy stat.”

What’s crazier is predicting this season’s starters.

FORWARDS

Pecknold opts to play four lines that are equally capable of doing damage. Once again Quinnipiac rosters 14 forwards, leaving little wiggle room to crack the top 12.

“Numbers wise, you know (we) lost a lot of top guys, but I’m expecting myself and other guys to take a step this year,” captain and graduate student forward Travis Treloar said. “Obviously we have some very exciting transfers and young talent coming in.”

The easiest to predict is Quinnipiac’s first line. It’s also the most difficult to replicate, as the ‘big three’ — (Colin Graf ‘24, Jacob Quillan ‘24 and Sam Lipkin) are Bobcats no more. Deemed one of the NCAA’s most dangerous lines, the trio combined for 270 points in two seasons.

Graf made his NHL debut with the San Jose Sharks on April 6 and saw time in their last seven regular season matchups.

The two-time Hobey Baker Award finalist was one of the nation’s most coveted free agents, and his absence may be Quinnipiac’s biggest gut punch.

Quillan — who achieved his magnum opus in scoring the 2023 national championship game-winner in overtime — signed an entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs, skating in seven games with the Leafs’ AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.

And then went Lipkin — who fed Quillan the golden puck that fateful night — inking a three-year entry-level contract with the Arizona Coyotes whose franchise transferred to the newly established Utah Hockey Club.

On paper, the Bobcats’ top line is in hot water. But look further down the page and see the likes of sophomore wingers Mason Marcellus (left) and Andon Cerbone (right) with junior Boston University transfer Jeremy Wilmer in center.

“We need (Marcellus and Cerbone) to be better,” Pecknold said. “They were great last year. We did take a step. And they both put on a little bit of muscle, a little bit of size and I think a little bit of maturity.”

Wilmer — who notched 67 points in two seasons with the Terriers — was scratched from the Frozen Four semifinal matchup against Denver. No sooner did his name pop up in the portal where he fell right into Quinnipiac’s lap.

“Jeremy looks great, obviously, you know, a former 100 point kid in the USHL, put up nice numbers at BU having a little different role here, but he’s been great, buying into our culture and our system,” Pecknold said.

Marcellus and Cerbone were a dynamic duo in the 2023-24 season, both finishing top five on the team in points. They lived up to and even exceeded expectations as rookies, with Marcellus being named to the All ECAC Preseason Team on Sept. 25.

“I’ve talked to (Pecknold), and he’s talked about getting my cardio up so I can play more minutes,” Marcellus said. “And for me, one thing is focusing on the little details, where last year I didn’t really have the best details.”

If anyone can supercede Quinnipiac’s best, it’s them.

The Bobcats’ second line is more challenging to deconstruct. Treloar was a natural center with Marcellus and Cerbone on the second shift last season. With Wilmer currently in the mix, the captain may work better alongside Holy Cross grad transfer Jack Ricketts and freshman right wing Chris Pelosi.

“There’s so many other leaders that aren’t wearing letters,” Treloar said. “And you know, (it’s) nothing I take lightly. I’m excited to lead this team and put the best foot forward.”

Ricketts comes with an impressive resume from Atlantic Hockey, dawning the ‘C’ for the Crusaders, snagging a Hobey Baker Award nomination and accumulating 87 points in four seasons. In Quinnipiac terms, his role as a two-way center should remind opponents of T.J. Friedman ‘23 or Skyler Brind’Amour ‘23.

And of course, there needs to be a freshman breakout on the wing to simulate Marcellus. Pelosi, a 2023 Boston Bruins third rounder totaled 74 points in 99 games with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede, and his 6-foot-1 frame gives him a serious physical advantage in the o-zone.

Only one line mirrors last season’s, and that’s Quinnipiac’s third of Czerneckianair, sandwiched by Anthony Cipollone on the left and Alex Power on the right.

It’s entirely possible for Czerneckianair to slide into the second line if he continues his offensive dominance. The Southington, Connecticut, native has been a solid starter in two seasons and sent Quinnipiac to the 2024 Regional Final with a clutch overtime game-winner against Wisconsin. If that scenario plays out, sophomore forward Matthew McGroaty could be the missing piece.

Here’s where things get weird.

The fourth line is entirely up in the air, but the cards are pointing toward a freshmen trio: Noah Eyre and Ryan Smith on the wings with Aaron Schwartz in center. Eyre is also a Sioux Falls alum, and Smith comes from the familiar Tri-City Storm — Czerneckianair and Wilmer’s USHL team. To round out the three is Schwartz who totaled 135 points in 102 games with the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles.

DEFENSEMEN

Determining who plays where for the back line isn’t exactly simple, but there’s less room for error when the Bobcats only dress eight defensemen.

“I think that’s our biggest thing in our identity, is competing hard, and all the new guys have come in and run with that, and you know, they’re really starting to buy into our systems,” graduate student defenseman Cooper Moore said.

Moore and senior Davis Pennington should assume the first line slots, no question. Both appeared in all 39 games in 2023-24, and have been a lock for the Bobcats on defense.

“You know, you never really know who you’re gonna play with,” Moore said. “So it’s hard to kind of get used to a partner and get comfortable. But I mean, anyone that we play with on our back end I have confidence (in).”

The most intriguing pair lies with Boston College transfer and 2022 New Jersey Devils draft pick Charlie Leddy and UMass Amherst grad transfer Aaron Bohlinger. Leddy’s height and skillset is comparable to former defensemen Charles Alexis-Legault, who signed an entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes at the conclusion of the season.

Graf may have been the biggest offensive blow for Quinnipiac, but losing Legault’s stoic presence and leadership in the back hurts more than most.

Bohlinger was a perfect snag for the Bobcats, a seasoned veteran with NCAA Tournament experience and a national championship in his pocket. Defense seems to be Quinnipiac’s largest hole to fill, especially when its main qualm last season was the penalty kill. And although Bohlinger is likely a second liner, he has the talent and ability to step up when necessary.

Down to the third.

Freshman Elliott Groenewold has shown nothing short of strength and aggression. The 2024 fourth round Bruins draft pick represented the USHL Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in 57 games, earning All-Rookie Second Team honors.

With his fast-paced, physical style of play and high ice IQ, Groenewold is a solid, agile successor to former third liner CJ McGee ‘24.

For some strange reason, Quinnipiac has attracted not one, but two former players from North Dakota in the last two seasons. It was Moore then, and now it’s sophomore Minnesota Wild’s 2021 draft pick Nate Benoit.

The New Hampshire native had a decent run in his first year, but a team like Quinnipiac has far more use for a young defenseman. With ample NCHC play under his belt, Benoit could flourish in a smaller environment the same way Moore has in Hamden.

On the outskirts are sophomore Chase Ramsay and freshman Braden Blace. Last season, the seventh defenseman was sophomore Jake Martin, who is no longer with the program. With little playing time to his name, Ramsay will have to fight Blace for that final slot.

BETWEEN THE PIPES

The likely candidate in the net will be sophomore Matej Marinov, who started 10 games and earned his first college shutout against AIC on Oct. 14, 2023.

Marinov is a dark horse who spent most of his rookie year on the bench to Vinny Duplessis ’24.

However, it’s not unrealistic to suggest that the position is up for grabs. Freshman goaltender Dylan Silverstein is a product of the USNTDP, who decommitted from Boston College last season to play another season of juniors.

DISSECTING THE SCHEDULE

Quinnipiac is one of the lucky ones, plain and simple.

“I don’t love the travel that we have, but it’s better than most,” Pecknold said. “I think a lot of the teams out west have to fly every other weekend. For young kids, they get excited about that early on, and that grows old fast.”

NON-CONFERENCE

With a predominantly East Coast slate yet again, the Bobcats kick off non-conference play at home against Northeastern in an exhibition game on Oct. 6.

The week after is one of Quinnipiac’s most anticipated matchups of the season when Penn State enters Hamden on Oct. 12. It will be both programs’ first meeting, and a sure test to see how Quinnipiac’s green lineup matches up against a Big 10 team, a conference that is yet to show up Pecknold’s squad.

Quinnipiac then gets two weeks of Hockey East play, traveling to Maine (Oct. 18-19) and hosting New Hampshire (Oct. 25-26) for the second consecutive season. These middle-of-the-pack teams wreaked havoc for the Bobcats last fall when they split both series.

Matchups against Atlantic Hockey’s Holy Cross and AIC in between ECAC play should serve as an ego boost for Quinnipiac — and with a practically brand new roster, it might need it.

In between these games, Quinnipiac will face Cornell in the Frozen Apple at Madison Square Garden in a high-stakes non-conference battle.

“It’s the most famous arena in the world, for sure, right?” Pecknold said. “It’s a great way to promote your program. We’re very appreciative of Cornell for the invite. I think Cornell is a top-five team in the country this year.”

To ring in 2025, the Bobcats open the doors to Northeastern again on Jan. 4 and Stonehill on Jan. 6. Stonehill shouldn’t be an issue, but the Huskies sure are. Quinnipiac fought Northeastern to a brutal tie in early January, plagued by rough defensive miscues and unnecessary penalties.

Rounding out non-conference play is CT Ice (Jan. 24-25) at Sacred Heart’s state-of-the-art $70 million Martire Family Arena, accompanied by the two remaining Connecticut teams in Yale and UConn.

CONFERENCE

Quinnipiac has been a dominant force in the ECAC the last decade, despite hoisting just one Whitelaw Cup in 2016. Now the Bobcats have a chip on their shoulder, ranked No. 2 in the ECAC Preseason Poll below reigning conference champion Cornell.

“No matter if we’re one or two or wherever, you know, we go about our business the same way, I think it’s almost in a good way,” Treloar said. “They put us there, if they’re doubting us, you know, we’re not really bothered too much about it.

It’s also head coach Mike Schafer’s final year at the helm for The Big Red, who returned all but one of their 2023-24 roster and is tabbed No. 9 in the USCHO’s first preseason poll. Cornell will undoubtedly be competitive in every game and has the pieces to make a run come the national tournament.

Additionally on the schedule is the infamous November New York trip against, you guessed it — Cornell and Colgate. History speaks for itself, it’s easily Quinnipiac’s worst road trip of the season. The travel isn’t ideal and for some strange reason, the Bobcats can’t seem to gel upstate.

Ultimately, the Raiders are outside the top four in the ECAC despite bringing in seven freshmen and rostering 35. One new face to be wary of is USHL Lincoln Stars alum Ryan Spinale — Marcellus’s old stomping grounds.

His reliability with the Stars (25 points in 46 games) and 6-foot-5 frame give reason to believe Spinale could be a vicious right wing for Colgate.

Climbing the ladder in the ECAC once again is Dartmouth — who knocked Quinnipiac through the ice in a menacing overtime win on Nov. 3, 2023.

The Big Green was a semi-finalist in the conference championships, returning its top seven point scorers and fortifying their roster with eight incoming skaters.

Dartmouth surely has the arsenal to measure up to its No. 3 preseason ranking. Its most daunting challenge will be replacing the vacancy of Cooper Black between the pipes. In the offseason, the 6-foot-8 starting goaltender — who held a .910 save percentage in 2023-24 — signed an entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers.

The black sheep in the top four ECAC clubs is the budding Clarkson — whose stunning upset on March 1 is something Quinnipiac would rather forget.

The Golden Knights are a consistent middle-of-the-pack program, but their incoming freshman class deserves the No. 4 nod from the conference.

Explosive forward Luka Sukovic looks like a definite starter in 2024-25. The AJHL MVP led the league with 35 goals last year and tallied 67 points in two seasons with the Bonnyville Pontiacs.

Bolstering Clarkson’s muscle on the back line is Jack Sparkes. The 6-foot-8 right-shot defenseman is a 2022 Los Angeles Kings 6th-rounder who split time with the BCHL and USHL prior to college. If Sparkes can harness his size and be smart on the ice, the Golden Knights will be on the right track.

There’s more unknown than known for how the ECAC will pan out, but the bottom line for Quinnipiac is this: it’s not supposed to be the best, it’s had the most roster turnover in the conference the last three seasons.

But maybe that’s the drive. After all, it’s chaos.

“We’ll find a way,” Pecknold said. “We’ll figure it out.”