WCHA offseason thread 2017.

[Deman]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

The PAC-3 incoming, we'll throw a bone out to CC and see if they bite to even things up.

Party school with some amazing study opportunities

ASU: Where every student, regardless of major, takes an independent-study Anatomy and Physiology class.

[AKSWF]

REvs is right, ASU has a decent strength and wouldn't really hurt teams who played them. I think it would have been a net gain in terms of PWR for the conference, however, the travel is an issue and will be an issue no matter what conference they end up in. A lot of the NCHC teams are complaining about their travel too so the likelihood is they would also want a subsidy.
As far as home games. other teams may in the short run be willing to go to oceanside, but after one appearance and no firm plan for a date, I'd be shocked if they agreed to return.
ASU has such a large alumni base that they will draw where ever they go, imho, but not to the extent of the established hockey schools. In other words playing Minnesota at home is bringing you more fans than them every time.
Otherwise I'm sad to see them decide not to join, but I get the reasons.
So again, they may be fine for now with home games but not in the long run.
I'm a little surprised they get the recruits they get considering the rink and the heat.

The PAC-3 incoming, we'll throw a bone out to CC and see if they bite to even things up.

Party school with some amazing study opportunities

[manurespreader]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

1. Certainly won't get an argument from me on Oceanside. Gila River Arena is beautiful, but not suitable for college games and location from ASU couldn't be worse. Three years sounds about right on the new place given the release that went out a month ago about construction projects in athletics. The arena and practice sheet did appear in the construction photo that was provided. But is sounds like they are looking to do both basketball and this new arena at the same time.

2. As far as Pairwise. In our second season/first full D1 season, we finished higher in the Pairwise than 6 of the 10 teams in the conference. So seems like there are bigger issues with some of those programs that were below us. I know our last recruiting class was 12th in the nation, not sure how that stacks up versus the others, but not terrible news considering the conference/arena questions.

3. Travel subsidies from ASU could have cost an additional million more to play in the conference. From as far back as the team banquet that seemed to be a concern for many. This year the schedule is great with home series vs. BU, UML, Quinnipiac and Penn State, with a total of 14 home games all together. In interviews the schedule next year will have even more home games. So that has not materialized as being a major concern yet.

4. Not sure on this point. Looking at our away games last year and have attended some myself, we had good turnouts in many places. We have a lot of alums in the midwest that enjoy getting to see ASU when they get the chance.

I enjoy the WCHA and will continue to watch from afar as a fan of the sport. I think it would have been fun being in the league, but as you said, in the end it probably wasn't a good fit for either. I'm sure conferences will continue to shift and at some point the right fit will be there.

REvs is right, ASU has a decent strength and wouldn't really hurt teams who played them. I think it would have been a net gain in terms of PWR for the conference, however, the travel is an issue and will be an issue no matter what conference they end up in. A lot of the NCHC teams are complaining about their travel too so the likelihood is they would also want a subsidy.
As far as home games. other teams may in the short run be willing to go to oceanside, but after one appearance and no firm plan for a date, I'd be shocked if they agreed to return.
ASU has such a large alumni base that they will draw where ever they go, imho, but not to the extent of the established hockey schools. In other words playing Minnesota at home is bringing you more fans than them every time.
Otherwise I'm sad to see them decide not to join, but I get the reasons.
So again, they may be fine for now with home games but not in the long run.
I'm a little surprised they get the recruits they get considering the rink and the heat.

[Revs89.2]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

I never really saw what the benefit of adding ASU was anyway?? I live in Phoenix so seeing my BG Falcons a couple more time of year would have really been nice, but selfish reasons aside, they brought nothing to the conference at this time.

1) Their arena is a dump.....and my son played travel hockey for DYHA, so trust me I've seen ever inch of Oceanside and its a dump. They've tried to clean it up, but you can only polish a turd so much. They are at minimum 3 years from ever playing a game in any new facility.....a facility that is yet to even be more than vapor at this time.

2) The WCHA already struggles with SOS what benefit would be adding another team in the bottom 15 of the PairWise have been?

3) The travel in the conference is already an issue for almost every school, why add another air trip after we already have the two Alaska trips?

4) They have no hockey history and would have provided no draw at the home box office for current WCHA members. I can speak with complete confidence that BG fans would not have been having issues deciding whether to attend the Michigan State, Ohio State, Miami or Arizona State game......LOL.

For the reasons above, pretty sure the WCHA decide to make it tough on ASU to join.....if they were willing to pay the ransom then so be it, if not, oh well.

1. Certainly won't get an argument from me on Oceanside. Gila River Arena is beautiful, but not suitable for college games and location from ASU couldn't be worse. Three years sounds about right on the new place given the release that went out a month ago about construction projects in athletics. The arena and practice sheet did appear in the construction photo that was provided. But is sounds like they are looking to do both basketball and this new arena at the same time.

2. As far as Pairwise. In our second season/first full D1 season, we finished higher in the Pairwise than 6 of the 10 teams in the conference. So seems like there are bigger issues with some of those programs that were below us. I know our last recruiting class was 12th in the nation, not sure how that stacks up versus the others, but not terrible news considering the conference/arena questions.

3. Travel subsidies from ASU could have cost an additional million more to play in the conference. From as far back as the team banquet that seemed to be a concern for many. This year the schedule is great with home series vs. BU, UML, Quinnipiac and Penn State, with a total of 14 home games all together. In interviews the schedule next year will have even more home games. So that has not materialized as being a major concern yet.

4. Not sure on this point. Looking at our away games last year and have attended some myself, we had good turnouts in many places. We have a lot of alums in the midwest that enjoy getting to see ASU when they get the chance.

I enjoy the WCHA and will continue to watch from afar as a fan of the sport. I think it would have been fun being in the league, but as you said, in the end it probably wasn't a good fit for either. I'm sure conferences will continue to shift and at some point the right fit will be there.

[bravohankins]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

I never really saw what the benefit of adding ASU was anyway?? I live in Phoenix so seeing my BG Falcons a couple more time of year would have really been nice, but selfish reasons aside, they brought nothing to the conference at this time.

1) Their arena is a dump.....and my son played travel hockey for DYHA, so trust me I've seen ever inch of Oceanside and its a dump. They've tried to clean it up, but you can only polish a turd so much. They are at minimum 3 years from ever playing a game in any new facility.....a facility that is yet to even be more than vapor at this time.

2) The WCHA already struggles with SOS what benefit would be adding another team in the bottom 15 of the PairWise have been?

3) The travel in the conference is already an issue for almost every school, why add another air trip after we already have the two Alaska trips?

4) They have no hockey history and would have provided no draw at the home box office for current WCHA members. I can speak with complete confidence that BG fans would not have been having issues deciding whether to attend the Michigan State, Ohio State, Miami or Arizona State game......LOL.

For the reasons above, pretty sure the WCHA decide to make it tough on ASU to join.....if they were willing to pay the ransom then so be it, if not, oh well.

[UAHStatman]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

Was wondering where this was going -- seemingly nowhere.

Arizona State Withdraws From WCHA Talks
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/new...draws-From.php

[Wi.Huskies Fan]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

I honestly hope next year that the WCHA can find a television network to broadcast the championship game for the conference title. What an amazing atmosphere for the game to go into double overtime this past season. Any true hockey fan would have enjoyed watching that game. Like many said after game too bad there had to be a loser.
The league missed the boat on that one.

[Huskiefan906]

Which Gopher would you suggested?

Not one in particular, I thought possibly one of the teammates from the championship teams, Troy Riddle, Nick Anthony.

[RapidsCity]

Interesting, Potulny went with an established new assistant and retained an established one to fill his staff.

No Gopher ties to the top assistant surprised me a bit.

Which Gopher would you suggested?

[Huskiefan906]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

Interesting, Potulny went with an established new assistant and retained an established one to fill his staff.

No Gopher ties to the top assistant surprised me a bit.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

For those of you that are interested in checking it out, I posted a poll of THG's 16 candidates to be the next HC of MTU. I'm 99% sure it will be one of them.
http://board.uscho.com/showthread.ph...-Michigan-Tech
Also have a link to all the profiles we did at THG.

[gfmorris]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

You need to start making shirts, ala the classic Catholics vs Convicts shirts in the late 80s

We're alumni and can't get thrown out of school over it!!!

GFM

[Crocodile Tears]

Arizona State already released its 2017-18 schedule:
http://www.thesundevils.com/schedule.aspx?path=mhockey

BURRITOS VS. BISCUITS DEC. 1-2!

You need to start making shirts, ala the classic Catholics vs Convicts shirts in the late 80s

[gfmorris]

Re: WCHA offseason thread 2017.

Ouch. NMU plays 18 of its first 24 on the road, the 9 of 12 at home.

UAH might average 1300 fans next year.

GFM

[davyd83]

I saw the UAH schedule and (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻) a few times. Five consecutive home weekends during BAMA season, then nine weeks away from home.

(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻)

GFM

Ouch. NMU plays 18 of its first 24 on the road, then 9 of 12 at home.