D’Artagnan Johnson, contributor

As all of the leaves fall to the ground, the start of the winter sports season begins. For the Augsburg men’s hockey team, the 2024-25 season is sure to be one full of ups and downs with the addition of several newcomers. There are currently 12 newcomers on the roster, eight of which are first-years. For senior defense and team captain Michael Ferrandino, this meant that more time would be focused on leadership and setting an example. For other players on the team such as junior forward Jake Hale, new teammates meant that “the team needs to figure out some new lines this year,” he said in an interview with the Echo. Most of the new players were brought on by what Ferrandino, in an interview with the Echo, described as “a good transition from the Tommies because of the coaching staff and captains, and an on-campus rink is an appeal to new players.”

With such a large group of newcomers, there are many new players to watch. One of those newcomers is forward Graham Harris. He came to the Auggies from the New Mexico Ice Wolves, a tier two junior team and was the team runner up in points scored through his 57 games played with 59 points (43 assists, 16 goals). Harris is a first-year and is currently leading the Auggies in points through their six games played with eight (five assists, three goals). He is playing at a high level offensively and is ranked second in the MIAC in points.

Another couple of players to watch are the Schneider brothers, Conner and Dylan. Dylan is in his senior season as a forward and has contributed 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in his 57 games as an Auggie. Conner is a newcomer to the Auggies as a first-year and is already competing statistically with his brother. The duo have each contributed four points this season, Dylan with three goals and an assist and Conner with two goals and two assists. The duo shined in a close 4-5 loss against Aurora University in the championship game of the Key City Collegiate Classic in Dubuque, Iowa. The Schneider duo were the only Auggies to put the puck in the net in the game, each brother coming away with two goals. Dylan was named to the All-Tournament team for his performance throughout the Key City Collegiate Classic. 

After coming off last season with a regular season win against St. Scholastica, the Auggies see last year as a stepping stone to a national tournament appearance. The Auggies currently sit at an even 3-3 record which includes an important victory over conference foe Concordia College-Moorhead. See the Auggies in their next game against the Milwaukee School of Engineering on Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Augsburg Ice Arena. You can also catch the Auggies in their next home conference game on Dec. 7 against Gustavus Adolphus College at 7 p.m. in the same place.