In just their fifth year as an OHSAA varsity program, New Albany Eagles are on the rise.  It took just three seasons for them to move up to the Red Division of the Capital Hockey Conference and now they are looking to take the next step and compete for a Blue Jackets Cup.

It will be the job of new head coach Matt Buss, who played collegiately at the University of Wisconsin and has moved up from his position as an assistant, to take the program to the next level.

The Eagles had three players post 40+ points in 2018-19 and all three return for their senior seasons:  Matthew Moellering (21-20-41), Jackson Buss (20-21-41) and Brandon Barash (17-23-40).  Buss also led the team with 71 penalty minutes.

Junior Victor Appell (10-11-21) is the other double-digit goal scorer back for another go-round with the Eagles.

The blue line is built around four full-time defensemen:  seniors Aidan Doyle and Max Phillips and juniors Ian Hoff and Max Murch.  Versatile seniors Noah LaCommare and Jacob Haywood will likely be pressed into duty as defensemen.

Goaltender Max Dupler posted very strong numbers (2.53/.915) and was recognized as honorable mention All-State as a sophomore splitting time with the now-graduated Tucker King.  In line for more starts as a junior, Dupler could be one of the top netminders in the district before his high school career is over.

The Eagles are also starting to face elevated expectations. 

“This year we have high expectations,” Buss said. “We felt like we could play with anybody last year and we feel like we can be one of the teams to beat this year.”

New Albany will begin the process of measuring itself against those expectations at the Chiller Thanksgiving Classic.

--- Scott Harrington for Ohio Hockey Digest