It is hockey season again in Oswego, and once the Lakers hit the ice for the first scrimmage this Saturday, one of the most intriguing seasons in recent program history will commence.

The Lakers enter the season as the consensus No. 12 Division III team in the nation, with high expectations as usual. However, the Lakers have a new bench boss, former player and assistant coach Jon Whitelaw, who has taken over the reins from Ed Gosek, who retired in July. 

The Lakers return just 68% of their offensive production from last season, leaving opportunities for new faces to make an impact. All of those changes will be tested early, as Oswego faces five opponents ranked in the preseason top 12, including four ranked matchups in its first 10 games.

“It’s a very challenging schedule. Those games will help us in the long run,” Oswego State men’s ice hockey assistant coach Daniel Colabufo said. “You learn a lot about yourself during that stretch. You grow and improve, and playing the best teams only enhances that opportunity.”

The Lakers’ non-conference schedule will begin with a bang as they head to Wisconsin on Oct. 30 to play back-to-back night games against No. 4 St. Norbert College before returning home to face off with No. 11 SUNY Geneseo on Nov. 11.

Beyond the tough schedule, Oswego must replace key contributors, including former captain Matt McQuade, Connor Gatto, and Tommy Bannister. 

“The forwards we brought in should help replace some of the scoring we lost,” Daniel Colabufo said. “On the back end, we have good skaters, puck-moving defensemen and potentially more size. I like the incoming class and think they can make a difference. Now it’s our job to develop them and help them become better players.”

The Lakers added six freshmen, all fast but on the small side, highlighted by forward Austin Borggaard, who put up a 24-goal, 55-point campaign for the Maine Nordiques of the NAHL a year ago. Oswego also added two transfer forwards of the same small and fast prototype, with Nick Ahern, formerly of Utica University, being the prized possession. The former Division I player at the University of Vermont recorded 28 points in 29 games last season for the Pioneers, matching Colin Vassallo’s team lead from a year ago.

On the blueline, the coaching staff brought in just one freshman. Alex Payie, who lines up at 6’ 2”, 195 pounds, will round out the veteran defensive group that is headlined by ACHA All-American Travis Baker.

While the team may not be perfect on paper, the coaching staff was very pleased with the talent they brought in and how it will develop within the structure they are looking to establish.

“We wanted everyone on the same page so the players could play freely within a structure,” Daniel Colabufo said. “ On paper, we’re a little undersized, but speed is one of our strengths. We also want to produce offensively while remaining strong defensively.”

One major concern for the Lakers last season that trickles into this year is, who is going to start between the pipes? Michael Manzi and Gavin McCarthy return for Oswego as upperclassmen, with Aiden McKenna joining the rotation as a freshman. Manzi and McCarthy are the favorites to land the starting job, but the worry is that neither of them will actually stand out over the other, something that haunted the trio of goalies last year.

But after the heartbreaking shutout loss last season in the SUNYAC championship game to conference newcomers Hobart College, Oswego has something to prove. That was evident by the body language of the players after the agonizing final horn blew in the Cooler last March, and even more now after I watched a preseason practice from the stands and talked to the coaching staff.

“They’re energized and have something to prove. They want to become legitimate national contenders and compete for championships year after year,” Oswego State men’s ice hockey assistant coach Frank Colabufo said. “We have a challenging schedule, but there are a lot of good players who work hard every day. I’m excited to see them grow as hockey players and as people.”

With the nationally ranked matchups on the horizon, Oswego will quickly get the opportunity to live up to that national contender goal.