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jjmc85 · Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 1:06 pm Post subject:

^ The thing is, will the Big 10 teams play their former conference mates on the road, or just at home?
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I wish Hockey East was an all-sports conference.

UMass02 · Hall of Fame Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 2144

The super conference now has a name - "National Collegiate Hockey Conference."

meff · Senior Joined: 10 Nov 2003 Posts: 891 Location: Hanover

So, I don't think we'll see Notre Dame in Hockey East - there was a post over on USCHO that indicated they wanted to be in a small conference (under 8 teams) so they would have the ability to schedule extara non-conf games against the 'better teams'.

So that pretty much indicates they will either join the NCHC or stay in the CCHA and steer it to keep its numbers low.

So while this would likely save the CCHA and in turn the Alaska schools, I think it hurts the rest of college hockey and the growth of college hockey since then AHA teams can't 'upgrade' easily which makes it harder for a team like Navy to join in.

Not to mention UAH still is on the outside looking in.

UMass02 · Hall of Fame Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 2144

So, this is what college hockey may look like in 2013-14

BTHC - Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio St., Michigan, Michigan St., Penn St.

NCHC - Denver, Colorado Coll., North Dakota, Nebraska-Omaha, Miami, Minn-Duluth

CCHA - Notre Dame(?), Western Michigan(?), Alaska-Fairbanks, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake State, Northern Michigan

WCHA - Alaska-Anchorage, Bemidji St, Michigan Tech, Minnesota-Mankato, St. Cloud State

Others remain unchanged (for now).

Seems that the WCHA is in real trouble. They need another team to keep the autobid. I'm sure with ND and WMU twisting in the wind, things will change. Looks like the WCHA and (maybe) the CCHA will be poaching.

Wow, seven autobids!

jjmc85 · Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 4:28 pm Post subject:

I'm bored, so I'll throw this out there:

What about having a six team conference with both Alaskas and Alabama. One division would be the "No one wants to travel here" Division featuring those three. The other could be three schools can be close teams to each other from the left overs, maybe the 3 UP teams. Play mostly in your division.

No One Wants To Travel Here:
UAA
UA_
UAH

Bus Division:
LSSU
Michigan Tech
UNM

That would make the other left over conference

Notre Dame
Western Michigan
Bowling Green
Ferris State
Bemidji State
Minnesota-Mankato
St. Cloud.

Notre Dame even gets their seven team conference they want so bad. Done!
_________________
I wish Hockey East was an all-sports conference.

UMass02 · Hall of Fame Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 2144

I wonder if Notre Dame is going the same route Texas did with conference realignments.

Texas now basically runs the Big 12. Looks like ND wants to be the same; a big fish in a small pond. They can play in a tiny conference, dictate terms, get a low number of conference games against mediocre opponents. Then they can play all of their non-conference games against quality national opponents to build PWR. They get an easy shot at winning the conference title and the conference autobid. Looks great for them.

They should join the WCHA. They can be the sixth team and hold them hostage for whatever changes are needed to benefit them. If the other schools balk, ND can threaten to leave the WCHA to head to the NCHC or Hockey East.

UMass02 · Hall of Fame Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 2144

It is reported today that the Board of Trustees at Northern Michigan has voted to move the hockey program over to the WCHA starting in 2013-14. That gives the WCHA six teams for that season. Still waiting to hear what Notre Dame is going to do.

jjmc85 · Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 11:19 pm Post subject:

^ I don't think they have an invitation yet.

http://www.uscho.com/2011/07/14/northern-michigan-board-votes-to-seek-spot-in-wcha/

At any rate, the CCHA is dying. UNM, ND and Western Michigan are all rumored to leave. That leaves them with four teams.

I wonder if the left over CCHA teams regret not letting UAH join last year. They left UAH to die and it's shocking that instead the conference will probably die.
_________________
I wish Hockey East was an all-sports conference.

meff · Senior Joined: 10 Nov 2003 Posts: 891 Location: Hanover

CCHA will just pull teams from AHA - more than likely the old CHA teams - a conference that the CCHA basically helped form.

UMass02 · Hall of Fame Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 2144

UMass02 · Hall of Fame Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 2144

UMass02 · Hall of Fame Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 2144

The WCHA has extended membership to five of the CCHA schools: Alaska-Fairbanks, Bowling Green, Lake State, Ferris State, and Western Michigan.

Notre Dame is left in the lurch. They could land in the NCHC or Hockey East. In a perfect world, HEA would stay within New England... this isn't a perfect world, however. The conference should explore extending membership to the Fighting Irish and one other team to get 12 teams. The name Notre Dame will bring in casual fans; BC-ND would be an interesting season series.

Alabama-Huntsville seems to be twisting in the wind. They spend last year as an independent. Most of their games were on the road, including the entire last half of the season. Unless some conference extends membership to them, I can't see them lasting another couple of seasons.

jjmc85 · Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:03 pm Post subject:

I feel bad for UAH in all this. What are the chances of UMass playing them two here, two there over the next couple of years? I'd like to help them out if at all possible.
_________________
I wish Hockey East was an all-sports conference.

UMass02 · Hall of Fame Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 2144

meff · Senior Joined: 10 Nov 2003 Posts: 891 Location: Hanover

I could see us maybe scheduling them to help, but if Toot does he gets bitched at about the strength of schedule by fans who don't get what he is trying to do.

I say play them and drop the game, worked out pretty well for us the last time we lost to them....