not that they would likely need one, but will the B10 have an auto bid?

I don't believe B1G Hockey will have an auto-bid initially, unless they get a waiver from the NCAA. We probably won't know for sure until after the Council of Presidents formally approves the move this summer at the earliest.

(03-27-2011 11:20 AM)Eagle78 Wrote:  

(03-25-2011 02:09 PM)NoDak Wrote:  Notre Dame a key player in upcoming hockey realignment

Quote:(ND assoc AD) Nevala anticipates the next several months to be a very interesting time for college hockey. He said the CCHA and its member schools will need to have a very serious discussion about whether the league can continue to be successful without Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State; or whether another option needs to be explored.

Quote:Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna said his league wouldn’t be opposed to exploring expansion opportunities.

With a Big East network supposedly in the works, why wouldn't the Big East be looking for the formation of an eventual Big East Hockey Conference. Syracuse added women's hockey, and with the right situation (conference with Notre Dame), wouldn't Syracuse take the men's hockey plunge? With a UConn upgrade, and asking UMass and BC to be affiliates, a Big East hockey conference with Providence/ND could happen. Would be more inclined to believe that Hockey East will add Notre Dame, but a much more major realignment may be possible.

If Notre Dame leaves, the MAC too could sponsor it's own league, with Miami, WMU, BGU plus affiliates like UAH, Robert Morris, Niagara, and maybe Lindenwood (which plans to start men's hockey). That would open the door for Buffalo or NIU or Toledo to start hockey, and maybe even Ohio to restart it.

The remaining CCHA teams (LSSU, NMU, Ferris, and Alaska) could form their own league under the GLIAC banner. Wayne State could restart men's hockey, and then add others that have officially stated they want a place at the hockey table: Minn St-Moorhead, Minot State as well as Grand Valley St (just rumors there). Michigan Tech may want back in to limit travel, now that Wisconsin and Minnesota are out of the WCHA.

To do what you suggest would require the virtual dismembering of Hockey East. That is not going to happen. BC and Umass - and Providence as well - are not going to leave Hockey East. Simply put, Hockey East is one of the strongest conferences in college hockey. The last 3 national champions have all come from Hockey East (BC in 2008, BU in 2009, BC in 2010). Hockey East is unique in that ALL the member schools are in New England - all within a bus ride of each other. This allows them to schedule Friday/Saturday "home and home" contests with the same school. No one is going to leave HE for a fledgling hockey conference full of members spread out over the whole Northeast who are just starting major hockey programs. Playing a conference foe on a Friday night in your building and then playing them again on a Saturday night in their building is a unique experience that I don't belive is duplicated anywhere else. It has certainly helped to make the BC/BU hockey rivalry into one the of the most storied in college sports.

When you look at the HE roster of schools - top to bottom - it is an incredibly strong conference and its member schools are very committed to it.

For HE member schools, the motto is "If it ain't broke, don't fit it."

On a secondary note, just my opinion, I don't think BC would have anything to do with any element of the BEC, given recent history. From a purely pragmatic perspective, an ACC school is not going to play as an affliate in another BCS conference - depsite the fact that hockey in not an ACC sport. Other than BC's relationship with those few schools they continue to play in the BEC (SU in football, Providence in BB and hockey, and a few other schools that they play in non-revenue sports), I don't think there is any meaningful dialogue between either BC or the BEC. Both parties have really gone their separate ways which, IMO, is probably the right thing for both.

First off, as I stated, it's much more likely that Notre Dame goes to Hockey East, rather than start a Big East hockey league. A Big East hockey league is much further off.

But for a Big East hockey league to start, what it really needs is UConn, Providence, Syracuse, Notre Dame, plus a Boston team, and another at-large. As you stated, BC probably would never go because of past issues with the Big East. But since Hockey East is not affiliated with any other conference, why wouldn't BU or even Northeastern consider it, if it meant more money? UMass would almost certainly jump at the option of being a Big East affiliate in any sport. The Big East started a lacrosse league against Syracuse's will. If a Big East network is coming, why wouldn't it want hockey showcased eventually? Notre Dame is spending tens of millions on its new rink: that kind of money won't be wasted by playing in a MAC / GLIAC league.

Frozen Four

Michigan (9 time winner) vs
North Dakota (7 time winner)

Minn-Duluth (never won) vs
Notre Dame (never won) or New Hampshire (never won)

Feels a lot like basketball VCU vs. Butler and Kentucky vs. UConn

(03-27-2011 07:54 PM)NoDak Wrote:  Frozen Four

Michigan (9 time winner) vs
North Dakota (7 time winner)

Minn-Duluth (never won) vs
Notre Dame (never won) or New Hampshire (never won)

May the bluest blue blood win.

I suspect this writer is pulling most of this from his butt, but I'll link this for the enjoyment of realignment junkies: http://www.lowellsun.com/sports/ci_17724038

The relevant bits are towards the bottom.

"The scuttlebutt is that if the CCHA folds, Hockey East is considering inviting Miami and Notre Dame to join its ranks. It seems likely that Hockey East's three Roman Catholic schools, BC, Providence, and Merrimack, would warmly welcome Notre Dame as a member.

Should all that happen, it would mean a significant increase in travel budgets for Hockey East schools as well as a realignment, probably into two six-team divisions. That way, by playing each team in its division three times and teams from the other division twice, the league could keep its 27-game schedule."

What that writer doesn't say is that, if Miami is invited along with ND, that pretty much freezes UConn out of the conference.

Again, I'm not sure this guy really knows anything.

(03-30-2011 11:47 PM)LastMinuteman Wrote:  I suspect this writer is pulling most of this from his butt, but I'll link this for the enjoyment of realignment junkies: http://www.lowellsun.com/sports/ci_17724038

The relevant bits are towards the bottom.

"The scuttlebutt is that if the CCHA folds, Hockey East is considering inviting Miami and Notre Dame to join its ranks. It seems likely that Hockey East's three Roman Catholic schools, BC, Providence, and Merrimack, would warmly welcome Notre Dame as a member.

Should all that happen, it would mean a significant increase in travel budgets for Hockey East schools as well as a realignment, probably into two six-team divisions. That way, by playing each team in its division three times and teams from the other division twice, the league could keep its 27-game schedule."

What that writer doesn't say is that, if Miami is invited along with ND, that pretty much freezes UConn out of the conference.

Again, I'm not sure this guy really knows anything.

When he speculated that Minnesota's current coach would become the new coach of Mass-Lowell, he removed any doubt of credibility.

That said, the rumors of Notre Dame to Hockey East may be true. But doubt that Miami can go too, as that would mean almost all their away games are flights instead of bus trips. If Syracuse is truly interested in starting men's hockey - which was the rumor when they started women's hockey a couple of years ago - this might be SU's opportunity.

Michigan vs. Minn-Duluth in the title game Saturday. WOOOOOH!

Can't believe NCAA Hockey has their first Frozen Four game at 4pm Central Time on a Thursday afternoon!!!!

That's a great way to help the sport grow.......NOT!

I guess with nearly all of the hockey-playing schools in the Eastern and Central Time Zones, it limits availability. I also noticed an hour between games, which is a good bit longer than the layoff between semifinals for basketball.

What I don't understand is why the semifinals couldn't have been on Saturday-it's not like ESPN didn't have programming options (NBA, MLB, college baseball, etc.).

(04-08-2011 05:18 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  I guess with nearly all of the hockey-playing schools in the Eastern and Central Time Zones, it limits availability. I also noticed an hour between games, which is a good bit longer than the layoff between semifinals for basketball.

What I don't understand is why the semifinals couldn't have been on Saturday-it's not like ESPN didn't have programming options (NBA, MLB, college baseball, etc.).

Saturday Semi-Final...Monday Night FINAL...that would be the best...(i.e. much better than playing 1 of the 2 semi-final games at 4 pm on a Thursday afternoon (game almost always sells out but NCAA losing any shot at attracting sizable TV audience at that time/day.

MN-Duluth wins it 3-2 in OT. They played an outstanding game and deserved the win.