Hockey East Puckbag: Is this the year?

Formal practices commence tomorrow on most campuses and extramural on-ice engagements are but a week away. Now feels like the right time to channel a relatively recent NHL promo and collect and dole out all of the anticipatory questions pertaining to the New England Eight in the 2010-11 campaign:

Is this the year the national crown comes out east?

Is this the year a Hockey Easterner wins the Kazmaier Award?

Is this the year the league sends three teams to the Elite Eight?

Is this the year Boston University cements itself as the WHEA’s new dynasty?

Is this the year UConn plays on March 12, with or without the automatic bid?

Is this the year Florence Schelling backstops Northeastern to postseason glory?

Is this the year Molly Schaus and Kelli Stack bring the pennant to Chestnut Hill?

Is this the year Providence has a winning record on Halloween?

Is this the year the Friars rekindle their 2002-05 magic in March?

Is this the year New Hampshire returns to the top?

Is this the year the Wildcats have to go through the conference quarterfinal?

Is this the year the Huskies (be it Connecticut or Northeastern) do not have to?

Is this the year the Catamounts crash the playoff party?

Is this the year Maine breaks out of the basement?

Is this the year someone scores 40 points in league action (breaking UNH alum Sadie-Wright Ward’s record)?

Is this the year someone scores 22 goals in league action (breaking Allie Thunstrom and Jenn Wakefield’s shared record)?

Is this the year someone scores her 119th career point in league action (breaking UNH alum Sam Faber’s record)?

Is this the year a Hockey Easterner scores 60 points overall?

Is this the year a Northeastern striker breaks the 30-point plateau?

Is this the year Genevieve Lacasse revises the PC goaltending record book?

Is this the year a blueliner wins the Player of the Year award?

Is this the year a Terrier is named Player of the Year?

Is this the year a Vermont player makes the All-Star team? Or even the All-Rookie team?

Is this the year the Black Bears nab a point from the Wildcats?

Is this the year BU skipper Brian Durocher earns his 100th win as a head coach (he has 81 right now)?

Is this the year the Beanpot goes to one of the Dogs?

Is this the year a forward records at least one point in every meaningful game?

Is this the year a goalie plays every single minute?

Is this the year a netminder gets credit for a goal?

Is this the year someone scores four goals in a league game?

Is this the year someone scores seven points in a league game (breaking Nicole Hekle’s six-year-old record)?

Is this the year a game draws a standing-room-only audience?

Is this the year a shootout takes 14 rounds to complete?

Is this the year the championship game requires more than 10 minutes of overtime?

Is this the year the women’s and men’s Hockey East titles go to the same institution?

Is this the year?...

Al Daniel is the Hockey East correspondent for Beyond The Dashers