Hockey: Forsberg's thoughts

Our hockey previews debuted today. Hop over to High School Sports Central to read our divisional breakdowns and analyze our first top 20s of the 2007-08 season.

Here are a handful of quick thoughts on the teams near the top of the preseason top 20 as the hockey season gets underway:

• CM is No. 1: You were expecting someone else? It simply wouldn't be the winter if we didn't anoint coach Bill Hanson's squad as tops in our preseason prognostications. But before our neighbors at BC High start egging the Globe offices, let us explain why the Knights have vaulted to the top (and it's not because we were kind enough to keep the Eagles out front of CM in the boys' basketball poll).

  BC High endured a huge hit on defense during the offseason. We're talking like Mo Lewis on Drew Bledsoe type of hit, only we're not so sure there's a silver lining (but, hey, a bunch of Tom Bradys could very well emerge for coach Joe McCabe). Not only did the Eagles graduate four senior defensemen -- including Super Teamer Mike Vasilchuk -- but would-be senior netminder Joe Cannata joined the U.S. National Team Development Program based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

  Sam Marotta steps in between the pipes for the Eagles this winter and allowed just one goal as BC High skated to a 1-1 tie with St. John's of Shrewsbury in its season-opener last week. Marotta saw some ice time last season, including against Reading during a regular-season matchup.

  The Knights, meanwhile, graduated a talented goaltender of their own in John Jay, but much of the team's talent returns this winter, including top-line attackers in sophomore center Derek Colucci and right wing Mike Collins.

  Catholic Memorial showcased its talents at both ends of the ice by skating to a 6-0 victory over a very talented Framingham squad in the Jim O'Connor Cup Saturday. Coach Bill Hanson seems particularly high on this group, too, especially the defense led by senior Peter Starrett. That should ease the load on sophomore netminder Tom Conlin.

• Eagles will soar: We think it might take BC High a little time to find its chemistry this winter given all the new parts being worked in. That said, most teams would be in full-fledged rebuilding mode. We fully expect the Eagles will spread their wings by midseason. There's simply too much talent leftover.

  And it starts with All-Scholastic John Heffernan, the Hockey East commit (Merrimack) who saved some of his best hockey last winter or the postseason. In addition to scoring the only goal in the Eagles' 1-0 win over Catholic Memorial in the Super 8 semifinals, Heffernan and fellow senior Brian Sullivan (who assisted on that goal) were paired on the top line in last year's Super 8 final win over Weymouth.

• Time for launch: Reading endured a forgettable Super 8 appearance last winter. Despite posting an ultra-successful 19-3 mark during the regular season, the Rockets didn't come within three goals of any opponent during the Division 1A tournament, falling to BC High, St. John's Prep, and Austin Prep, while giving up five goals in each game.

  Reading, with its junior-laden roster, drew a bit of a mulligan for its performance, especially with its dynamic trio -- Robert Toczylowski, Michael Lozzi and Super Teamer Pat Kiley -- back for one more go-around. But it's now or never for the Rockets. Only five players graduated from last year's squad (though that included four defensemen)

  More to come in a bit.