A year ago at this time, Miami had 28 players on its roster, the most in recent history.

Entering the 2015-16 season, that number is just 24.

Due to factors beyond the program’s control, the RedHawks will be without four players from last season’s NCHC Frozen Faceoff championship team, plus another transfer Miami was expecting on its team this fall departed for the pros.

Six more graduated. Seven new players are coming in for a net of minus-4.

Defensemen Trevor Hamilton and Matt Joyaux left the team mid-season in search of more playing time. Forward John Doherty also departed. Forward Jimmy Mullin has a year of eligibility left but surprised everyone by transferring to Minnesota State.

Forward Ryan Lomberg had eligibility issues resulting from his transfer from Maine, so last month he chose to turn professional.

With a 24-man roster, that gives the RedHawks just three extra skaters heading into this season.

Let’s take a look at Miami, the 2015-16 edition, by position.

FORWARDS

Out: Riley Barber (turned pro), Austin Czarnik (departed senior), Blake Coleman (departed senior), Alex Wideman (departed senior), Cody Murphy (departed senior), John Doherty (left team), Jimmy Mullin (redshirted in 2014-15 and transferred).

In: Jack Roslovic, Ryan Siroky, Zach LaValle, Josh Melnick, Kiefer Sherwood.

For 2015-16
Sean Kuraly*
Anthony Louis*
Alex Gacek*
Kevin Morris*
Justin Greenberg*
Andrew Schmit*
Conor Lemirande*
Devin Loe
Jack Roslovic#
Ryan Siroky#
Zach LaValle#
Josh Melnick#
Kiefer Sherwood#
Michael Mooney&
*-played 30 or more games in 2014-15
#-freshmen
&-forward/defenseman

So seven of 12 starters return from last season. Assuming all are back in the lineup each night, that leaves five openings.

Spoiler alert: Jack Roslovic, Winnipeg’s first-round pick this summer, will be one of them.

And although Devin Loe has dressed just 16 times in two seasons, he has played very well at times and certainly has a shot at regular ice time, which should be available after all of the team’s key losses.

Miami’s Devin Loe (Cathy Lachmann).

That means Loe, Siroky, LaValle, Melnick, Sherwood and possibly Mooney will be competing for four spots. In other words, the incoming freshmen have a chance to play a lot.

Obviously Miami lost a ton of talent up front, but the RedHawks still have a solid corps of returning forwards, and the resumes of the newbies are impressive. It may be a situation in which this group improves as the season progresses as it builds chemistry.

DEFENSEMEN

Out: Ben Paulides (departed senior), Trevor Hamilton (transferred), Matt Joyaux (transferred).

In: Grant Hutton.

For 2015-16
Matthew Caito*
Louie Belpedio*
Chris Joyaux*
Taylor Richart*
Scott Dornbrock*
Colin Sullivan
Grant Hutton#
Michael Mooney&
*-played 30 or more games in 2014-15
#-freshmen
&-forward/defenseman

Last fall it appeared Miami would have plenty of blueliner depth through this season, but with Hamilton and Matt Joyaux departing, that leaves the RedHawks thin on reserves if they suffer injuries.

The relative shortage here is part of the reality of having a top-10 college hockey program, year in and year out. All of the players that come to Oxford are good these days, and more than ever don’t want to sit for one or two years during crucial development seasons to wait their turn.

Even with only one extra plus swingman Mooney, determining who will dress will be a tough call for coach Enrico Blasi each night. The five returning starters are all going to play, and Sullivan was very good before getting hurt early in the season and played sparingly when he returned mid-season.

The wild card of course is Hutton, a 6-feet-3 freshman who has split the last three seasons between the USHL and NAHL.

GOALTENDING

Out: Anthony Jacaruso.

In: Evan McCarthy.

For 2015-16
Jay Williams
Ryan McKay
Evan McCarthy#
#-freshman

It was Jeff and Eff, then Cody and Connor and now the Jay and McKay show enters its fourth season.

The same could’ve been said in any of the past 10 years, but at least at the start of the season, we’ll probably see McKay and Williams in some sort of rotation, although Williams ultimately logged the majority of minutes in 2014-15.

No problem with depth here, as Miami will have the luxury of two fourth-year regulars in net.

McCarthy is a different kind of third goalie, as coach Nick Petraglia indicated that he will have plenty of opportunity to compete for playing time, especially after this season.

Just from a roster make-up perspective, it would be beneficial for the RedHawks to stop their eight-year trend of having their two top netminders in the same class.

SUMMARY

Blasi loves guys that can play both forward and defense, and on a 24-man team, Mooney becomes invaluable.

With limited extra skaters, it’s imperative that Miami avoids injuries and on-ice shenanigans, which is easier said than done playing in a smash-mouth conference like the NCHC.

This team can also ill-afford the parade of transfers it suffered through last season, although with 18 starting slots for 21 skaters, almost everyone should see plenty of ice time.