From a geographic standpoint, the USHL's East Division is a nightmare. While Waterloo and Dubuque are only 103 miles apart, Green Bay and Ann Arbor figure to provide bus lines with plenty of business in the East Division. Green Bay is 226 miles from Dubuque and 319 from Waterloo, while Ann Arbor (home of the USA Under 18 team) is no closer.
The USA Under 18 team might just challenge for the division title in their first season of USHL action. First of all, the trip to Ann Arbor will not be an easy one for USHL teams. Secondly, the Under 18s have the good fortune of playing in a very balanced division with no clear-cut favorite. Thirdly, the Under 18s have the advantage of being relatively unknown, as they feature an entirely new roster each season. That's not to say that there aren't some familiar faces on the squad, however. The National Team Development Program features two teams - one made up of 17-year-olds and one made up of 16-year-olds. The team that will play in the USHL is the 17-year-old team. Most of this year's squad played on the 16-year-old team last year, which saw action against the North American League. All eight defensemen on the preseason roster played on the younger team last year, while nine forwards and one goalie also saw action with the younger NTDP squad. After you factor in the backing of USA Hockey and increased exposure, it's easy to see why the Under 18s are poised to be one of the favorites in the east.
Winning seasons haven't been commonplace in Waterloo the past few years, but that should change this season. The Black Hawks have the talent to win the East Division in 98-99, and will be in a three-way battle with the Under 18s and Green Bay for the division title. Leading the way is gritty forward Ian Sgambelluri, acquired in an off-season trade with Thunder Bay.Ryan Hale, Tom Ogee, and B.J. Stephens provide help up front for an offense that struggled last season. The Hawks scored just 159 goals in 56 regular season games. Keith Stanich and Jake Tesar will anchor the Hawks' defense, while Mike Walsh, Joe Exter, and Nate Nomeland will share goaltending duties.
Green Bay returns no less than 13 players from last season's 23-28-5 squad. With 6'4" Stephen Baby and 6'4" Matt Plummer, the Gamblers will once again have no shortage of size. Rob Anderson, who was acquired in an off-season trade with North Iowa, will share goaltending duties with returner Jake Bullard. Newcomer Brett Engelhardt, who played for the Under 18s last season, could have an immediate impact. If the returners continue their improvement from the latter part of last season, the Gamblers will contend in the East Division.
The past two seasons have not been kind to the Dubuque Fighting Saints, but things could be on the upswing. Off-season trades have brought some key experienced players to the Saints. Adam Kragthorpe, a solid defenseman, and Joe Garvin, a forward who notched two goals against his former team in the Buc Bowl, were acquired from Lincoln. Brad Johnson and 6'6", 215-pound defenseman Jeff State were acquired from Omaha, bringing championship experience to Dubuque. If the Saints gel as a team, they could be in the playoff race this season.
