It’s not easy to forget recent glory but New Trier coach Adam Cheris wants this year’s Green team to put last year’s state title win permanently in its rearview mirror.

“Every team tries to measure up against the past,” Cheris said. “We told this year’s players to stop comparing themselves to last year’s team or teams in prior years, and create their own identity.

“It’s ‘what do you guys want to be? Do you want to be the best team to ever play at New Trier? Or a team that’s really good, or a team that failed?’ It’s their team and their legacy. As coaches we can tell them what to do on the ice but ultimately (players) will decide what their legacy is.”

With an 8-0 record and a preseason tournament title already under their belts, the Trevians have begun carving out this season’s identity. And with only five goals given up through eight games, that identity may be built in a different way than in years past.

“Last year we had a couple lines we put out there that we knew could score,” Cheris said. “This year, our strength is more in the defense.”

A pair of experienced varsity goalies in Wyatt Schmidt and Drew Durdov is a good starting point.

“We have two goalies that are absolutely outstanding. We watch practice and it’s hard to figure out our scoring because no one scores on them,” Cheris said.

Defenseman and team captain William Savino suffered an injury late last season, and his return is imminent. Once he returns, Savino brings an ultra-competitive, physical presence, and the ability to rush the puck. And at 6’3”, Savino’s size mirrors another unique quality of this year’s team.

“Our size this year is something I haven’t seen at New Trier in a long time,” Cheris said. “David Wolff is 6’9”, Charlie Fiske is 6’5”, Brendan Heneghan, Savino, and (Christian) Randle are all around 6’3” or 6’4”. And we probably have three or four others who are 6’1”. These kids are big.”

Savino, Randle, Juhan Jaason, and Zack Huebsch are four top defensemen and Fiske and Charles Trukenbrod bolster the back line, “and we have depth,” Cheris said. “We have eight kids that can play ‘D’ and they’re all really strong.

“These guys are already coming together and rallying around each other, which is a great sign for us. And they came out and played really hard-nosed hockey, which is something I haven’t seen from a Green team in a while.”

Offensively, last year’s top scorers are gone in Tyler Smith, Aleks Cheris, Landon Douthit, Henry Miller, Kitchel Snow, and one of Illinois’ most dangerous players last year in Butler Chessen.

“That’s the question mark: where is our offense coming from this year?” Cheris said. “We have a cast of characters who should be able to score but they’re not proven yet. They have to find that ability to put the puck in the net. But we feel good about it.”

Leading the charge will be Brendan Heneghan, whose role will shift this season.

“Heneghan knows what it is to go out create and this year the scoring is more on his stick,” Cheris said. “Instead of creating, he’s finishing, and he has shown that ability all spring, summer, and in tryouts, that he’s the guy, with his size and elusiveness.”

Heneghan, Ashton Freel, and Luke Chiu are seeking early-season chemistry together, and Garrett Chong, Wolff, and Connor Hirschtritt give Green another trio of dangerous scorers. “We want to find that top six in two lines that can go out there and score for us,” Cheris said. “It will just take a little time.”

On Sept. 10, New Trier won 1-0 over Glenbrook North in the title game of Wheaton West’s 2023 Preseason Invitational. The Trevians beat Providence twice during tournament play, to go with wins over Highland Park, Edwardsville, Carmel, and a semifinal win over Glenbrook South to reach the finals.

After two scoreless periods against GBN in the title game, Cheris challenged his players during intermission, to decide what matters to this year’s team.

“It’s about what they want the year to be, and they rallied around that idea,” Cheris said. “We let them know that if they didn’t want to go out and do what it takes to win that game, that would be part of them this year. It’s about what they want the year to be.”

With less than five minutes to play, Jack Olson chipped a shot towards net that bounced and found a little puck luck along the way to becoming the game’s lone goal. Olson, Durdov, and Hans Huber all played big for the Trevians during the tournament.

“You’ll have nights in the SHL where you’re hard-pressed to find a goal, but you have to find a way, and so far they’re demonstrating that they can find a way,” Cheris said.

“That game against GBN easily could have gone the other way. They controlled play for good periods of time with their speed and offensive capabilities. But we’re just not giving up a lot.”

Every recent season seems to begin with SHL coaches seeing an even stronger league at play, and the addition this year of Saint Ignatius and Fenwick have them singing the same song for the 2023-24 season.

After winning its 18th state title last year, New Trier might as well have bull’s-eye targets embroidered onto the backs of players’ jerseys. Cheris knows his boys will have to be ready for another long season in the state’s toughest league.

“What Evan (Poulakidas) is doing at GBN — that program is always strong and will always challenge,” Cheris said. “You know that coaching staff is always trying to perfect things and that’s always impressive. Then you look at how close (GBS coach) Jimmy Philbin is with his team, which is something we also try to do. You see the same thing at Saint Ignatius and York, with Spencer (Montgomery) and Matt (Boeing) with their guys. (Loyola) Gold has a lot coming back and they’ll be strong again, then you see what Tim (Benz) has built at Saint Viator, and it won’t be long before they’re on the top of the heap. And then Dan (Wood) at Stevenson is coming in with that family legacy there, and they lost a ton of seniors but they’re still battling. Lake Forest is better, Carmel will battle you, and Fenwick has all that tradition.

“It’s a special group of coaches in the SHL. Every one of them is so talented and supportive of each others’ teams. It’s about those relationships at the top and it just makes the league a better place.”