JCProdigy
Registered User
Just a note: AIC has made it to the NCAA tourney three times in the past six years (Tourney was cancelled during covid so really 3 in 5) and they haven't had a losing season since 2017-2018.
Prospect Info: 2024-2025 Rangers Prospects Thread (Prospect Stats in Post #1; Updated 10/13/2024)
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eco's bones
Registered User
AIC is in the Atlantic Hockey Conference which is easily the weakest Division 1 hockey conference. Every hockey conference though is guaranteed at least one spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Army and Air Force never get top notch players---firstly because the players just by going to those schools are asked to make a 4/6 year commitment after graduation to that branch of the military.....and anyway those two schools are selective in other ways apart from sports.
Canisius, RIT, Holy Cross, Sacred Heart, Bentley and Mercyhurst were all long time Division 3 hockey schools before they decided to go Division 1....which is pretty much a wand waving experience. I believe Niagara and Robert Morris were as well. Recruiting to these schools has always lagged on top talent and never really caught up to the competition level of other college hockey conferences. Yes they play against teams in the other conferences but much of their schedules are played in conference.
Currently there are 3 players playing in the conference who have been drafted by NHL teams. Two of them by Niagara U. They are Trevor Hoskin a Calgary Flames 4th rounder in 2024 and Braden Doyle an LA Kings 6th rounder in 2019.
AIC has the other Chase Clark a goaltender--a 6th rounder by Washington in 2021.
The Rangers by the way have never ever had a draft pick play for any of the above teams nor have they ever signed an undrafted free agent from any of them.
The conference is not deep in talent at all. It is the weakest but it will get one team into the NCAA's.
