BTW, this upcoming season will also be last for the NCHAMAICMCHA Pick-em
So we have lost the interlock pick 'em, the interlock LPS and now the NCHAMIACMCHA Pick-em all due to the same disease---the dreaded insularity virus.
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It is kind of sad to see a league as storied as the NCHA disappear (on the men's side anyways.) But change isn't always a bad thing. The WIAC schools made their bed and now it looks like they may have quite a few sleepless nights in it...
I didn't really harbor a ton of bad feelings toward the WIAC schools for the move because although I loved the NCHA and preferred the status quo I get the move. That said, I'm totally up for this. The WIAC schools weren't looking out for SNC and St. Scholastica so there was no reason for those two schools to worry about what happened to the five UW schools. We may witness some ugly games in the first few years with teams from the bottom half of the league, but this should give a big jumpstart to the already rising MCHA tide.
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I didn't really harbor a ton of bad feelings toward the WIAC schools for the move because although I loved the NCHA and preferred the status quo I get the move. That said, I'm totally up for this. The WIAC schools weren't looking out for SNC and St. Scholastica so there was no reason for those two schools to worry about what happened to the five UW schools. We may witness some ugly games in the first few years with teams from the bottom half of the league, but this should give a big jumpstart to the already rising MCHA tide.
Some of the schools that are going to be on the wrong end of some ugly games have been down that road, just a couple years ago. They're just going to have to raise their own games. Everyone in this league is going to have to, as a matter of fact.
The NCHA is NOT a big question mark - it is about to be RIP, killed by the economy. The WIAC has potential - but they better have some determination and rabbits in their hats.
Hello Pool B...
Sorry, but I don't see the potential for those 5 schools here. If the ECAC-W gets to 7, these WIAC schools might have just committed program suicide.
The arrogant WIACers did themselves in. If/When the ECAC West gets to 7 teams, they are going to be really hurting as far as the NCAAs are concerned.
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2007-2008 Last Person Standing Winner,
2013-2014 Last Person Standing Winner (tie)
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Interestingly no one from the WIAC is speaking up in their own defense ... come on you Superior and Stevens Pointers ... where are you?
Defend what? The WIAC made a decision and the remaining NCHA teams made a decision. Both paths appear to be solidified and it will be very interesting to see where it takes everyone. Congratulations to the MCHA on accepting the Green Knights, 55-0-2 all time against current MCHA members, and the Saints into your league. Hey Adrian is there a frequent drivers club that has the best deal you can recommend to the Saints? I think they will be looking for one very soon.
Some of the schools that are going to be on the wrong end of some ugly games have been down that road, just a couple years ago. They're just going to have to raise their own games. Everyone in this league is going to have to, as a matter of fact.
Not knowing the MCHA schools that well, is there any concern that some of them may decide they don't want to spend the resources to up their program and go the way of Lebanon Valley?
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U.S. College Hockey Online
Not knowing the MCHA schools that well, is there any concern that some of them may decide they don't want to spend the resources to up their program and go the way of Lebanon Valley?
The only one that comes to mind would be Lake Forest. Concordia just got a new rink and poached Marian's coach, and my gut tells me that Finlandia and Northland are staying put. Northland has improved immensely the last couple years, and Finlandia showed signs of life the 2nd half of last year.
Marian has underfunded their program but they just hired a SNC assistant, so for now I see a commitment there as well.
Defend what? The WIAC made a decision and the remaining NCHA teams made a decision. Both paths appear to be solidified and it will be very interesting to see where it takes everyone. Congratulations to the MCHA on accepting the Green Knights, 55-0-2 all time against current MCHA members, and the Saints into your league. Hey Adrian is there a frequent drivers club that has the best deal you can recommend to the Saints? I think they will be looking for one very soon.
It's true, they'll probably have to travel to Adrian every other season, but they're not a WIAC school so they can afford to do so. It seems there has been some implications that CSS is stuck up in the middle of nowhere by MCHA standards when that simply isn't true. Northland is almost as close to them as Superior, and Finlandia is still a bigger hike for every other MCHA team. The real question may be how long before the WIAC moves down to ACHA?
Edit : 55-0-2 is only slightly more impressive than SNC 's 40-4-4 all time record vs. Eau Claire.
It's true, they'll probably have to travel to Adrian every other season, but they're not a WIAC school so they can afford to do so. It seems there has been some implications that CSS is stuck up in the middle of nowhere by MCHA standards when that simply isn't true. Northland is almost as close to them as Superior, and Finlandia is still a bigger hike for every other MCHA team. The real question may be how long before the WIAC moves down to ACHA?
Edit : 55-0-2 is only slightly more impressive than SNC 's 40-4-4 all time record vs. Eau Claire.
MCHA League Travel
Saints – Notrthland 70 Miles
Saints – Finlandia 217 Miles
Saints – St. Norbert 330 Miles
Saints – Lawrence 337 Miles
Saints – Marian 356 Miles
Saints – MSOE 397 Miles
Saints – Concordia 412 Miles
Saints – Lake Forest 454 Miles
Saints – Adrian 697 Miles
NCHA League Travel
Saints – Superior 15 Miles
Saints – Eau Claire 155 Miles
Saints – Stout 171 Miles
Saints – River Falls 175 Miles
Saints – Stevens Point 268 Miles
Saints – St. Norbert 330 Miles
(roughly, not door to door for mileage)
Like you said Altazo, at least the Saints are closer to Northland and Finlandia than most of the other MCHA teams. I'm sure traveling on the two lane roads to play Northland and Finlandia will feel shorter knowing that they're a lot closer than most MCHA schools.
And yest Altazo, UWEC is way on the wrong end of the 40-4-4 Record vs the Knights (they're a pretty good team) and while being so bad vs the Knights UWEC has had no problems walking into Adrian the last two years and taken care of business. The best team the MCHA has had since its inception (Adrian) has an all time record of 1-5 vs current NCHA teams and three of those losses were against teams that finished in the bottom of the NCHA in the respective season's that they beat Adrian.
On a separate note as a DIII hockey fan; if the WIAC does fold like it seems a lot of people are speculating that would probably hurt the possibility of expanding the NCAA Tournament, so I hope all the dooms day prepers are wrong.
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