College Hockey NIT Tournament?

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Maybe this has been proposed before, but what would y'all think about a post-season tourney for those who don't make it into the NCAA Tourney -- something like hockey's version of the NIT? Make it the top 8 teams who are left out of the big show, and to increase interest and attendance, you could play all the games, including the semis and final, on campus sites. Good/bad idea? Feasible?

[ericredaxe]

Re: College Hockey NIT Tournament?

Most colleges struggle with attendance for meaningful games. I can’t imagine they would do well for a consolation prize tourney.

[chickod]

Re: College Hockey NIT Tournament?

Maybe this has been proposed before, but what would y'all think about a post-season tourney for those who don't make it into the NCAA Tourney -- something like hockey's version of the NIT? Make it the top 8 teams who are left out of the big show, and to increase interest and attendance, you could play all the games, including the semis and final, on campus sites. Good/bad idea? Feasible?

Not so much a question of whether or not it's a good idea. Like everything else, money will be the determining factor. What makes you think it can succeed, given that we have spent the last five years talking about attendance problems? If people won't go to the NCAAs, they won't go to an "NIT" tournament. There's also too much other competition. You already have the NCAA men's and women's bball. As it is, they "moved" the Frozen Four so it wouldn't conflict with the NCAA basketball tournament. So when would you have it? You can't have it "after" that because we've ("we" meaning TV and other coverage) moved on the baseball and the spring sports. I just don't see how it's feasible and I don't think there is a market for it.

[northeastern]

Re: College Hockey NIT Tournament?

d.o.a. ..sorry.

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: College Hockey NIT Tournament?

Not so much a question of whether or not it's a good idea. Like everything else, money will be the determining factor. What makes you think it can succeed, given that we have spent the last five years talking about attendance problems? If people won't go to the NCAAs, they won't go to an "NIT" tournament. There's also too much other competition. You already have the NCAA men's and women's bball. As it is, they "moved" the Frozen Four so it wouldn't conflict with the NCAA basketball tournament. So when would you have it? You can't have it "after" that because we've ("we" meaning TV and other coverage) moved on the baseball and the spring sports. I just don't see how it's feasible and I don't think there is a market for it.

Good points. I was thinking playing the games in campus rinks might be enough to overcome the attendance issue. Might not make a difference in places like Boston, but in locations where college hockey is pretty much the one and only "thing" it could work. I could actually see UVM selling out for a tourney game. Maybe places like Clarkson, Cornell, Michigan Tech, etc. would too.

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: College Hockey NIT Tournament?

d.o.a. ..sorry.

Oh sure, I see. Now that you're an NCAA tourney team.....

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: College Hockey NIT Tournament?

Not sure you need a "My team got screwed!" tournament when the selection is objective.

[buoldtimer]

Re: College Hockey NIT Tournament?

I have a very vague memory of just such a tournament, many, many years ago (late '70's, early '80's). Sean?

[UncleRay]

Re: College Hockey NIT Tournament?

Maybe this has been proposed before......

Maybe??

Some genius comes up with this brilliant idea for the first time every year. In fact, I've already seen it this year. I'm just too lazy to track it down.

At the end of regular season play, who has been eliminated from the national tourney except Arizona? The bottom two in the WCHA? Again, too lazy to look it up. Everybody else plays in their conference tournament for a seed in the national tourney.

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: College Hockey NIT Tournament?

Maybe??

Yes, maybe. Also too busy to look it up.

At the end of regular season play, who has been eliminated from the national tourney except Arizona? The bottom two in the WCHA? Again, too lazy to look it up. Everybody else plays in their conference tournament for a seed in the national tourney.

In basketball teams can win their conference tourney and go to the Big Dance. That said, they still have an NIT. So your "analysis" is relevant to the topic, how?

Sorry for the response, but if you're gonna get smarmy, at least bring something to the table.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: College Hockey NIT Tournament?

I have a very vague memory of just such a tournament, many, many years ago (late '70's, early '80's). Sean?

1974. I remember it quite well.

It was a failure and one now might even be worse.

semis
UVM 3 Lake State 2,
Duluth 6 St Louis 3

consolation St Louis 7 Lake State 5
championship Duluth 7 UVM 4

UVM was an ECAC-2 school then.

It was called the National Invitational Hockey Tournament (NIHT).

[buoldtimer]

Re: College Hockey NIT Tournament?

1974. I remember it quite well.

It was a failure and one now might even be worse.

semis
UVM 3 Lake State 2,
Duluth 6 St Louis 3

consolation St Louis 7 Lake State 5
championship Duluth 7 UVM 4

UVM was an ECAC-2 school then.

It was called the National Invitational Hockey Tournament (NIHT).

Ralph, do you remember any other detail?

Whose idea was it? Where was it held? Attendance?

[joecct]

Ralph, do you remember any other detail?

Whose idea was it? Where was it held? Attendance?

I THINK it was at the Gutt.

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: College Hockey NIT Tournament?

I could actually see UVM selling out for a tourney game. Maybe places like Clarkson, Cornell, Michigan Tech, etc. would too.

Except that as opposed to UVM, those three teams made the NCAA's this year. Cornell makes it quite often and may turn down a bid to the Butt-Hurt Hockey Tournament.

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: College Hockey NIT Tournament?

I THINK it was at the Gutt.

Actually, according to this little bio of Ted Castle, a player on the UVM team that year, it was held in Duluth, MN.
https://uvmathletics.com/hof.aspx?hof=208