WCHA offseason thread 2017.

[aparch]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

The NCHC is here to stay. The exit fees to leave the NCHC mean that for all the complaints we've heard about from Miami and Western, it's going to take a pretty sweet deal to get them to move. The NCHC got what they wanted: they unloaded the financial "black holes" of MTU and Anchorage.

I really thought a new CCHA might come along (and still think it will), but by having the AHA increase scholarships, that seems to have caused that talk to simmer.

[Revs89.2]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

I honestly don't see ASU being let into a conference until their arena situation is figured out. I do think that had a lot to do with the failed bid into the NCHC.

As for conference stability, other than the Alaska schools, I think the other schools are pretty stable, even if they some are on shoestring budgets. That being said, I've heard a few coaches talk over the last few years of another realignment, something that is a little bit more planned than what happened when PSU game onto the scene & everyone had to scramble. What I'm hoping that means is that some form of the former CCHA comes back, with teams like Robert Morris or Niagra joining it, the NCHC dissolving & reforming as the WCHA. (If this were to come, I would hope Miami-Ohio & WMU rejoin the CCHA clone, with MTU, MSU, Bemidji joining the WCHA.) - Other than hearing rumors, everything else is just my thoughts on it.

Everything I'm hearing out here is ASU will be in a conference soon, most likely before summer. As for arena, and I understand the frustrations, but believe the news on that will come either with the conference or shortly there after.

[gfmorris]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

Let me state this very, very plainly: THE ONLY WAY A 24-GAME WCHA SCHEDULE REALLY "WORKS" IS IF WE HAVE AN INTERLOCK WITH ANOTHER CONFERENCE. Past that, it's a way to lower the amount of items that you travel to Alaska twice, and if that's truly a concern, that tells you how little revenue that we get from any random home conference weekend.

I'm working on a 24-game template as I have time. I'm working two jobs and training for a third (all related), so time is often scarce.

GFM

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

Picking up scheduling discussions from the Bemidji thread, can we confirm who has the "double Alaska" jaunt next season? This is not a complaint, just a request for information. Tech fans have heard multiple times in the last 4-6 months that we're doing it again next year.

There is no reason to think that MTU isn't doing the double Alaska next season. Unless the WCHA does some kind of reset on the rotation, I can tell you right now who MTU will play (A=away, H=home, B=Both):

UAA A
UA_ B
UAH H
BG B
BSU H
FSU B
LSS B
MSU A
NMU B

[giwan]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

Let me state this very, very plainly: THE ONLY WAY A 24-GAME WCHA SCHEDULE REALLY "WORKS" IS IF WE HAVE AN INTERLOCK WITH ANOTHER CONFERENCE. Past that, it's a way to lower the amount of items that you travel to Alaska twice, and if that's truly a concern, that tells you how little revenue that we get from any random home conference weekend.I'm working on a 24-game template as I have time. I'm working two jobs and training for a third (all related), so time is often scarce.GFM

Couldn't agree more on some kind of conference interlock. Isn't this what the WCHA commish should be working on unless all the schools are not on the same page. Or is the commish applying for the MSU job?

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

Let me state this very, very plainly: THE ONLY WAY A 24-GAME WCHA SCHEDULE REALLY "WORKS" IS IF WE HAVE AN INTERLOCK WITH ANOTHER CONFERENCE. Past that, it's a way to lower the amount of items that you travel to Alaska twice, and if that's truly a concern, that tells you how little revenue that we get from any random home conference weekend.

I'm working on a 24-game template as I have time. I'm working two jobs and training for a third (all related), so time is often scarce.

GFM

COmpletely agree, the only value of the 24-game schedule (until NCHC/B1G stop expecting 2 for 1s from most of the WCHA) is reducing the frequency of trips to Alaska/Alabama and allowing teams to reduce the congestion of the schedule thanks to the playoff structure shift.

Beyond that, the WCHA needs to stick to 28-game schedule to maximize games in their buildings. That is far more important in the end than getting 4 more cracks at winning a NC game. We just need to do better with the 8-10 NC games we do play (excluding the Alaska schools which do only get 6). Schedule congestion is becoming a real issue for the WCHA when you throw in 14 conference weekend series, 4-5 NC series between October 1 and February 25 (weekend before the playoffs started).

There were 22 weekends to play hockey during that window and a typical WCHA team has 18-19 weekends wrapped up in the current system so that only leaves 3 weekends off and at least one, if not 2 of them occur right before Christmas. MTU played 19 weekends this season including the first day of official practice on October 1 and didn't have a weekend off until Dec 17, they also had off Dec 24 and Feb 18. That doesn't seem like a sustainable schedule which means quite a few teams are going to continue to not use all their exemption games because of the tight schedule we've created with the new playoff format.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

Couldn't agree more on some kind of conference interlock. Isn't this what the WCHA commish should be working on unless all the schools are not on the same page. Or is the commish applying for the MSU job?

Haha, but who is he going to interlock with? I can't think of a single conference that would be interested in that. NCHC/B1G want more home than road games and ECAC/HEA/AHA don't want the added travel costs.

[giwan]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

Haha, but who is he going to interlock with? I can't think of a single conference that would be interested in that. NCHC/B1G want more home than road games and ECAC/HEA/AHA don't want the added travel costs.

I did not say it was easy, agree on the assessment but really do not know enough detail.

[pdt1081]

Haha, but who is he going to interlock with? I can't think of a single conference that would be interested in that. NCHC/B1G want more home than road games and ECAC/HEA/AHA don't want the added travel costs.

Perhaps a scheduling agreement with ASU? Gives ASU 20 games, and league teams only have 2 games to fill to get to current number of games. It would only make sense if ASU had made it clear they have no intentions of being a conference member long term. ASU would only have to pay a partial membership (call it an administration) fee, would reduce the stress of scheduling 34 games as a complete independent, but wouldn't have access to the league playoffs.

[gfmorris]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

In order of a balance of preference / probability:
ECAC
NCHC
B1G
HEA
AHC

I think that the ECAC has the best shot if their non-Ivy schools are the ones involved. I'm not sure that the NCHC really wants to help our league.

GFM

[davyd83]

In order of a balance of preference / probability:
ECAC
NCHC
B1G
HEA
AHC

I think that the ECAC has the best shot if their non-Ivy schools are the ones involved. I'm not sure that the NCHC really wants to help our league.

GFM

The NCHC, to this point, has been pretty good about even swaps so far. Both Duluth & Omaha have had even swap series with NMU and N. Dakota, St Cloud & Duluth have worked with Bemidji & Minn St.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

The NCHC, to this point, has been pretty good about even swaps so far. Both Duluth & Omaha have had even swap series with NMU and N. Dakota, St Cloud & Duluth have worked with Bemidji & Minn St.

Say that all you want but I don't think we're really that worried about BSU, MSU, or BGSU all 3 are located very close to a couple NCHC teams so they are desirable. It is impressive that NMU has gotten some 1 for 1s with both UMD and UNO. But what about FSU, LSSU, UAH, and the Alaska schools?

[Revs89.2]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

Perhaps a scheduling agreement with ASU? Gives ASU 20 games, and league teams only have 2 games to fill to get to current number of games. It would only make sense if ASU had made it clear they have no intentions of being a conference member long term. ASU would only have to pay a partial membership (call it an administration) fee, would reduce the stress of scheduling 34 games as a complete independent, but wouldn't have access to the league playoffs.

I don't see this holding any value for ASU. First, they fully expect to be in a conference in 2018-19. Additionally, it doesn't appear they struggled to schedule games for 17-18. This upcoming season they have 34 D1 games on the schedule, up from 30 last season, with almost an even 50-50 split between home and away. BU, UMass Lowell, UMass Amherst, Penn State and Quinnipiac are all confirmed to be coming to Oceanside/Gila. They are playing in a Las Vegas tourney and have road series at Michigan, Colgate, Yale, Air Force, Colorado College and Holy Cross. This is just what has come out in interviews. Having the opportunity to compete in conference postseason is going to be critical moving forward.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

I don't see this holding any value for ASU. First, they fully expect to be in a conference in 2018-19. Additionally, it doesn't appear they struggled to schedule games for 17-18. This upcoming season they have 34 D1 games on the schedule, up from 30 last season, with almost an even 50-50 split between home and away. BU, UMass Lowell, UMass Amherst, Penn State and Quinnipiac are all confirmed to be coming to Oceanside/Gila. They are playing in a Las Vegas tourney and have road series at Michigan, Colgate, Yale, Air Force, Colorado College and Holy Cross. This is just what has come out in interviews. Having the opportunity to compete in conference postseason is going to be critical moving forward.

What do you know about this Las Vegas tournament?

[davyd83]

Say that all you want but I don't think we're really that worried about BSU, MSU, or BGSU all 3 are located very close to a couple NCHC teams so they are desirable. It is impressive that NMU has gotten some 1 for 1s with both UMD and UNO. But what about FSU, LSSU, UAH, and the Alaska schools?

Ferris has had Home & Homes with Western the past two years. Huntsville had a swap with Colorado College. The two Alaska early season tournaments/showcases had been their home non-conference play.