(06-17-2021 02:24 PM)ccd494 Wrote:  

(06-16-2021 05:19 PM)Mav Wrote:  If they move up and the Summit lets them in, their presence would also put Summit Hockey at 5 teams, one away from potentially pulling a B1G and sending the realignment dominos falling again.

Except that I don't think the Summit schools would want to have a hockey conference of their own members. And the Summit doesn't have the same leverage as the Big Ten to force them to do it.

Remember Minnesota and Wisconsin did not want a Big Ten Hockey Conference, but the Big Ten basically said we're doing it, or you can leave and give up your share of revenues.

If the Summit said to North Dakota and Denver "hey, you have to leave Duluth and Colorado College and St. Cloud to join St. Thomas and Augustana, or else" then North Dakota and Denver would say "or else what?" and the Summit would say "or else you can't be in the Summit League" and then Denver and North Dakota would say "shucks, guess we'll go join the WAC or something."

Exactly. I know that's what would happen, and UND would be on the first ship out of the conference the moment the Summit pushed for it. The NCHC is UND's baby, and Denver's extremely happy in the NCHC. The nature of the NCHC and how invested North Dakota is in it is why I think all of the talk of UND moving their hockey to the B1G is a load as well. Why pull the plug on their project? Still, them and Denver leaving would have a ripple effect around the Olympic sports, and I'm not sure whether UNO would side with the Summit or with the NCHC.

I doubt the Summit would pursue it, like the Ivy hasn't pursued a split from the ECAC despite having the teams to. There's no real reason to. It's still kind of a fun thought.