Hi, My Name Is ...: Meet This Year's Best

Every Tuesday, FanHouse discusses the top NHL prospects found in college hockey.

Last year, we scoured the 58 Division I hockey schools for the best players we could find. As the 2009-2010 season gets underway this weekend, and Boston University tries to defend their dramatically-won NCAA title, it's time to take a sneak peek at this year's top talent.

Let's take a look at the top NCAA players conference-by-conference.

Atlantic Hockey

Jacques Lamoreux, F, Air Force (NHL rights: Undrafted)
The junior was one of the top scorers in the nation a year ago, leading the upstart Falcons within one goal of the Frozen Four. He's a tad undersized, but is a prolific goal scorer at the college level. While his military commitment isn't likely to go away, he's going to be an interesting prospect when his college eligibility winds down.

Andrew Volkening, G, Air Force (Undrafted)
While Lamoreux led the way offensively during Air Force's super 2008-2009 season, Volkening was the rock. The junior was among league leaders in all major goaltending categories last season, and surely he is motivated by the very odd goal that ended the Falcons' season against Vermont. Volkening enters the season as one of the more experienced goalies you'll find anywhere in the country, and he would love nothing more than to go out with a trip to Detroit (the site of the 2010 Frozen Four).

Central Collegiate Hockey Association

John Albert, F, Ohio State (Atlanta)
On a team full of talented youngsters, it's Albert who leads the way. The crafty playmaker was tops among OSU returnees in points a year ago, picking up 11 goals and 39 points. For the Buckeyes to improve on a first-round NCAA exit (a blowout at the hands of eventual champion Boston University), they'll need more out of Albert, who could be in his final season of college hockey.

Carter Camper, F, Miami (Free agent)
Though undersized at five-foot-nine, 173 pounds, Camper competes his tail off, and he is one of the top free agents in the country. He was a huge part of Miami's run to the national championship game last year, and he's on virtually everyone's All-America watch lists heading into the season. As long as Miami is a top dog in the CCHA, he'll get plenty of attention.

Louie Caporusso, F, Michigan (Ottawa)
With former running buddy Aaron Palushaj now with the St. Louis Blues organization, Caporusso will be expected to take on a heavy role for the Wolverines. He's coming off a 24-goal season, and is only a junior, but the Senators figure to be keeping close tabs on him.

Ian Cole, D, Notre Dame (St. Louis)
All told, there are six NTDP recruits on the Irish roster. Cole might be the most NHL-ready. The defenseman showed a goal-scoring touch at times last year, picking up a big one late in a game at Ohio State, but he's going to make his money in his own zone. Cole doesn't back down, is great at protecting his net, and looks like a future NHL captain.

Erik Gustaffson, D, Northern Michigan (Free agent)
A serious All-America candidate, Gustaffson is another player who has to be considered among the best free agents in college hockey. Off a 34-point sophomore season, Gustaffson will pilot a NMU power play that has serious expectations attached to it. They hit on only 13.4 percent of their chances last year, which was the difference on a relatively low-scoring team. The Wildcats made the CCHA semifinals in Detroit after a disastrous start to the season.

Daultan Leveille, F, Michigan State (Atlanta)
Expectations in East Lansing are that the Spartans will be greatly improved this season, after last year's ten-win disaster. Leveille, a very talented scorer from Ontario, is a big reason for hope in this program. If Michigan State can find a couple other players to help Leveille out, the Spartans could make an impressive leap in the CCHA standings.

Kyle Palmieri, F, Notre Dame (Anaheim)
The 2009 first-round pick joins a Fighting Irish team that appears to be the CCHA's most talented. It's probably the most motivated, too, as the Irish lost to eventual Frozen Four participant Bemidji State 5-1 in their NCAA Tournament opener last year. Palmieri is the latest in an impressive line of recruits from the National Team Development Program (a program based in Ann Arbor, Mich.), and the Ducks draft choice should make an immediate impact.

College Hockey America

Matt Read, F, Bemidji State (Free agent)
Read made a name for himself by playing well in the NCAA Tournament. He's an older junior, as he'll turn 24 next summer, but he could still get a look if he continues to develop. Read led the Beavers in scoring with 40 points last year, and he'll be counted on for more production this season.

ECAC Hockey League

Zane Kalemba, G, Princeton (Free agent)
Kalemba was awesome last year, posting a miniscule 1.82 goals against and leading the Tigers to a second straight NCAA Tournament. However, it all blew up in his face. Leading Minnesota Duluth 4-2 with under a minute to go, Kalemba was victimized by two goals, including one with 0.8 seconds to play, and then UMD won the game in overtime on a power-play goal. It should be plenty of motivation for Kalemba to prove himself as a legitimate Hobey Baker candidate in his senior year.

Louis Leblanc, F, Harvard (Montreal)
It seemed to be a no-brainer that Leblanc would be the Canadiens' first-round pick, especially considering that the draft was held in Montreal. Now, it's time for Leblanc to help the Harvard program back to prominence. It's a lot of work for a very talented player, and he'll need help. The Crimson won just nine games and were awful offensively last year.

David McIntyre, F, Colgate (New Jersey)
McIntyre led the Red Raiders in scoring last year, and he'll be a captain during his senior year. He has decent size, can skate, is a good scorer, and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. In other words, he's the kind of college prospect who should work well in the Devils' system.

Riley Nash, F, Cornell (Edmonton)
Nash has the look of a future NHLer. He skates well, has good size, and is very good with the puck. He's the kind of player who can play a lot of minutes, and he will this year with Cornell. The Big Red will use him on their top line, the top power play unit, and they'll even stick Nash on the ice to kill penalties.

Hockey East

Nick Bonino, F, Boston University (Anaheim)
While Hobey finalist Colin Wilson got all the accolades last year, Bonino put together a great season. He picked up 18 goals and 50 points, including the game-tying goal in the final minute of the NCAA final against Miami. Bonino has good size and strength, and now we'll see how he performs with the spotlight. Wilson left for Nashville after last season, and Bonino should take over as BU's go-to guy up front.

Jimmy Hayes, F, Boston College (Toronto)
Hayes was ho-hum as a freshman, contributing eight goals in 39 games while learning the ins and outs of college hockey. The Eagles missed the NCAAs last year, something that doesn't happen often. With leading scorer Brock Bradford gone, guys like Hayes and Cam Atkinson (Columbus) will be expected to shoulder more of the load as sophomores.

Peter LeBlanc, F, New Hampshire (Chicago)
LeBlanc is one of only four seniors on the New Hampshire roster this season, and he is one of the players expected to help ease the early departure of star James van Riemsdyk, who made the Flyers' NHL roster out of training camp. LeBlanc scored 14 goals last year, third on the team, and he'll get plenty of top-line time this year. He's also a team captain.

Gustav Nyquist, F, Maine (Detroit)
Most of the time, a Maine freshman who leads his team in scoring will get some attention. However, times have changed at Maine. The Black Bears nearly missed the Hockey East playoffs last year, and Nyquist (13 goals, 32 points) is flying under the radar heading into this season. Maine should be better, with Nyquist leading the way. Once he's done at Maine, the talented 20-year-old will have a chance to join a long line of Swedes with the Red Wings.

Kevin Shattenkirk, D, Boston University (Colorado)
Like Bonino, Shattenkirk was somewhat overshadowed last year. Senior Matt Gilroy had a huge season, won the Hobey Baker, and signed a lucrative free-agent deal with the New York Rangers. Shattenkirk isn't the biggest defenseman on the team, but he moves the puck extremely well and has a lethal shot. Expect to see a lot of him on the Terriers' power play this season.

Western Collegiate Hockey Association

Zach Budish, F, Minnesota (Nashville)
No one knows how good Budish will be in college. He missed his senior season at Edina (Minn.) High School because of a blown-out knee suffered playing football. He's still going straight into college hockey, and the Predators thought enough of him to pick him in the second round of the draft. Budish is big and strong, but also has a great shot and is crafty with the puck. He's had plenty of time to rehab the knee, and could make a huge impact on a Gopher team that is trying to get back in the NCAA Tournament.

Joe Colborne, F, Denver (Boston)
The big forward is probably not going to be around the college game much longer, as he's very close to being ready for the leap. Colborne came on like a freight train late last season, earning respect from nearly everyone in the WCHA for his acclimation to the college game. There's enough talent and experience on this Denver team that he's not likely to go it alone, which is a good thing.

Cody Goloubef, D, Wisconsin (Columbus)
While Ryan McDonagh (N.Y. Rangers) and Jake Gardiner (Anaheim) are former first-round picks, Goloubef might be the most consistent of the Badger defensemen. He gets some power play time, but also works very hard in his own zone and is an extremely smart player.

Jason Gregoire, F, North Dakota (N.Y. Islanders)
For North Dakota, this is potentially a huge season. They have higher expectations than anyone in the league except Denver, and the Fighting Sioux look to an experienced crop of sophomores to help lead the way. Gregoire had 29 points last year, but looked very strong at times. Freshman Danny Kristo (Montreal) might get more headlines, but Gregoire is in a better position to be a factor this season from the start.

Dylan Olsen, D, Minnesota Duluth (Chicago)
He's a bit of a late bloomer, but Olsen turned heads at the World Under 18 Championships last year, and the Blackhawks snatched him up in the first round in June. Olsen should see plenty of time on UMD's top defensive pairing, and his size and hands are a welcome addition to a defense that struggled to move the puck at times last year.

Jordan Schroeder, F, Minnesota (Vancouver)
Schroeder fell a bit in the draft, and that may be a bit of motivation for him heading into what most believe will be his last year at Minnesota. The playmaking center had a perfect linemate last year in Ryan Stoa, who is now in the Colorado system. It will be interesting to see how he adapts to new linemates and if it has any impact on his production. As usual with undersized players in the WCHA, there is some worry about his durability, but he didn't miss a game last year, and he's got enough muscle and toughness that he can take the hits he'll get from opponents. If they can catch him first.

Patrick Wiercioch, D, Denver (Ottawa)
Yes, Wiercioch is a bit on the lanky side. He could stand to get a bit more muscular. However, that is about the only bad thing you can say about Wiercioch. He's tall, has great hands, and is a force at both ends of the ice. Wiercioch will work on his defensive skills in his sophomore season at Denver, and he'll do it as part of one of the best teams in the country.