Just when you thought you were ready for football, ISU men’s hockey will be here in a matter of weeks. Players have already commenced their dry-land training in preparation for the new season, which begins Sept. 29-30 against Minot State. Coach Al Murdoch offered his outlook for this year’s team. “It’s going to be another unbelievable year for Cyclone hockey. I think we’re very solid. We got some good veterans and a nice group of rookies coming in,” Murdoch said. Coming off of a 32-12-2 record last year, the Cyclones are expecting some tough matches this year from old rivals. This includes such teams as Illinois, Michigan Dearborn, Ohio, and Arizona State. Several players are returning on both offense and defense, such as Glenn Detulleo, who was the leading scorer on the team, league, and the nation last season. “He was a Bob Johnson nominee last year and that’s the Heisman Trophy of hockey. He should be a solid candidate for that again this year and he’s surrounded by a crop of veterans that are looking solid,” Murdoch said. While Detulleo is the leading offensive returnee, Murdoch likes his defense as well. “Defensively we got four guys coming back that have been here three years in Torey Larson, Jason McCollum, Kevin Koski and Rob Rose,” Murdoch said. The Cyclones have a deep talent pool from which to draw players. Twenty-four newcomers are anxious to get in the lineup. “I think we got a great group of newcomers. Mark Krueger from the Des Moines Buccaneers is the leader of that group. He’ll step into the lineup and have an impact right away,” Murdoch said. Two players to look for will be defenseman Phil Hummel and forward Mark Krueger, who have definite potential. The goaltender spot remains undecided. It is a tossup between Nathan Dahlen and Phil Popp. “Our goalkeepers came back in good shape. If you get good goaltending, everything else falls into place. It’s always good to have two good goalkeepers, and they’re really pushing each other really hard,” Murdoch said. Coach Murdoch praised how well his players have gelled as a team. “Camaraderie has always been a benchmark for Cyclone hockey players, and this year is no exception,” he said. The Cyclones haven’t had any practice time on the ice yet but have been working out in other areas. “We finished our first week of dryland training, and we got one more week to go before we go on the ice. We’ve been doing things like stretching and running to build up our wind and playing other sports like football, volleyball, everything but hockey,” Murdoch said. “Then once we get into the season, we’ll do hockey specific things and be on the ice for an hour and a half a day. Weightlifting and plyometrics will be other areas we’ll work in,” he said. The Cyclones will continue to play in the current arena until construction is completed on the new ice facility. If all goes well, a move could occur as early as February. With standing room only crowds, fans are encouraged to get their season tickets early. “I’m real pleased. All of the guys had a great off-ice training regiment over the summer and came back in shape. I think we got a good enough team that we could crack the top 10 when the first rankings come out,” Murdoch said. For more information check the men’s hockey schedule.