60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less): Omaha

Omaha

2018-19 Record: 9-24-3 (5-17-2, T-7th in NCHC)
Head Coach: Mike Gabinet, 3rd Year
Top returning scorer: Taylor Ward (9G-18A)
Top returning goaltender: None

And then there's Omaha...

Today's featured team - whose opening line comes from a "very respected journalism site" in the words of USCHO - brings the NCHC into the "60 Days. 60 Teams. 600 Words (or Less)" series. The Mavericks spent the first Baxter Arena's first three seasons of existence around the .500 mark before dropping down to a single-digit win total and tied with Miami for last place in the NCHC.

Omaha's nine wins were sandwiched around an 0-6-1 start and 0-8-1 end to the season. When things went wrong, they stayed there.

Where the Mavericks, a season removed from contending for an NCAA Tournament berth, were able to somewhat live dangerously in 2017-18 by outscoring defensive issues (best shown by an 11-7 win over Miami), the good life did not repeat. The team once again finished near the bottom in team defense (59th of 60 teams). Technically improving ("only" giving up 3.74 goals per game), Omaha could not maintain the 3+ goals per game pace in 2018-19.

It'd be easy to pin the Mavericks' struggles on playing in a tough NCHC, but besides a sweep at home against Arizona State (who previously swept UNO as the teams played four games), the only other nonconference wins were against Alaska Anchorage.

What's New: Head coach Mike Gabinet has 12 freshmen arriving this fall, replacing a 10 person senior class who played key roles for the Mavericks over the last two seasons.

Perhaps nowhere is that more important than in goal. Matej Tomek's early departure means all three goaltenders will not be returning. In their place are three freshmen goalies on the roster, led by USHL Goaltender of the Year and Vegas Golden Knights draft pick (5th round of the 2019 NHL Draft) Isaiah Saville. The Anchorage, AK native should be the odds-on favorite to take over for longtime starter Evan Weninger with the Tomek experiment ending after the North Dakota transfer spent one year and all of five games in net.

Five forwards and four defensemen join the three goalies. (Sadly former UNO commit Ryan O'Reilly - no, not that one - isn't joining Teemu Pulkkinen - no, not that one either.) That includes Ryan Brushett, who led Powell River (BCHL) in scoring during his final year of juniors. The young forwards will need to help replace Omaha's top two scorers.

Closing Thoughts: Entering Year 3 of the Gabinet Era with a young, unproven team, we're still figuring out what exactly is the new Omaha sound. There's no denying the Mavericks have been entertaining the past two seasons. However, that philosophy hasn't exactly led to victories. It's difficult to rely on offensively outpowering the other team when being heavily outshot.

That personally is what will be intriguing over this season and the next because the 2015 Frozen Four team continues to get further and further in the rearview mirror. Can Gabinet get his players to play his style? Can Omaha improve during game situations and further develop? Does the defense find more consistency?

Having a full season of former Minnesota defenseman Nate Knoepke should help. Still, the team likely to rely upon its young players and hope Saville can become the next standout NCHC freshman goalie.

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