WCHA 2020-21: We Can Do Better than Two Bids and Eight Teams Exiting

[lakersparty]

Michigan Tech radio flagship WKMJ says they expect the release of the Huskies hockey schedule imminently. That's a good sign.

I haven't been closely following the return date. Do you or anyone else know if we're looking at college hockey returning in November, January, or some other time?

[John J. MacInnes]

The WCHA season will likely open on Friday January 1. Any non-conference games would have to be in December to not interfere with league play. I know of one western team in college hockey who has been told to expect practices with coaches to begin on Thanksgiving weekend.

[JohnsonsJerseys]

The WCHA can't start Jan 1st and hold a 28 game conference season along with their traditional tourney. That only allows 12 weekends before the NCAA Regionals. They'll either have to move up the start date, trim the regular season or redesign the conference tourney to fewer teams and potentially play all the games in one extended weekend as the BigTen plans to do.

[John J. MacInnes]

The WCHA can't start Jan 1st and hold a 28 game conference season along with their traditional tourney. That only allows 12 weekends before the NCAA Regionals. They'll either have to move up the start date, trim the regular season or redesign the conference tourney to fewer teams and potentially play all the games in one extended weekend as the BigTen plans to do.

The WCHA never claimed they were playing a 28 game schedule. My best guess is 18 - one series against everyone except your travel partner, who you'll play two series against. There are already league schools talking about non-conference games against each other too.

[Sol Diablo]

The WCHA never claimed they were playing a 28 game schedule. My best guess is 18 - one series against everyone except your travel partner, who you'll play two series against. There are already league schools talking about non-conference games against each other too.

Was hoping for a MTU+ASU series but with the Big10+ASU announcement......not likely (?)

[John J. MacInnes]

It will be 18 league games - one series only against each other team. That means unbalanced schedules for almost all schools, unless they can play home-and-home for one series. Tech & NMU will do that, possibly Lake State and Ferris who have done it before, but that's likely it. That means you could have a scenario where 3 schools have 10 home games, 4 have 9, and the other 3 have just 8. That's one of the reasons I thought a second series with your travel partner would be appropriate.

As mentioned before, there will likely be non-conference games between WCHA schools as well.

The league will keep the weekend of March 5-6 open in case there are any games which need to be made up due to postponement. The playoffs will be only two weekends long, not sure what format that's going to take.

[AKSWF]

https://saveseawolfhockey.com/

[potternmu]

So according to the new CCHA.com website, the McNaughton Cup will be heading to the new league. That was something I had not previously heard.

[davyd83]

So according to the new CCHA.com website, the MacNaughton Cup will be heading to the new league. That was something I had not previously heard.

No surprise since the McNaughton goes wherever Tech goes. It was donated by James MacMaughtin of Calumet in 1913 and beginning in 1951, it was awarded to the MCHL and has followed Tech around ever since with MTU being trustee of the Cup.

[lakersparty]

So according to the new CCHA.com website, the McNaughton Cup will be heading to the new league. That was something I had not previously heard.

Whatever happened to the Mason Cup? I think it'd be cool if the new CCHA had multiple cups. MacNaughton for the regular season. Mason for the playoffs.

[DrunkTrainPolka]

Whatever happened to the Mason Cup? I think it'd be cool if the new CCHA had multiple cups. MacNaughton for the regular season. Mason for the playoffs.

i personally think they should start fresh, new trophy. never thought of the mason cup to be a good looking thing anyway. while ron mason did coach at LSSU and BGSU, i don't see him with strong ties to the new CCHA - he was a michigan state guy. but what do i know...

the wcha naming the playoff trophy is jeff sauer is about just as bad.

GO TECH GOLD!

[lakersparty]

i personally think they should start fresh, new throphy. never thought of the mason cup to be a good looking thing anyway. while ron mason did coach at LSSU and BGSU, i don't see him with strong ties to the new CCHA. but what do i know...

GO TECH GOLD!

You are probably right about starting fresh. The MacNaughton Trophy has no special place in my heart as a Lake State fan. It's a trophy we never played for until recently when LSSU wasn't even good enough to really be in the conversation to win it. Actually you could say the same about the Mason Cup, too. It's not like that thing was historic or memorable, and Lake State never won it either.

[DrunkTrainPolka]

You are probably right about starting fresh. The MacNaughton Trophy has no special place in my heart as a Lake State fan. It's a trophy we never played for until recently when LSSU wasn't even good enough to really be in the conversation to win it. Actually you could say the same about the Mason Cup, too. It's not like that thing was historic or memorable, and Lake State never won it either.

in my opinion the macnaughton is amazing - it is the second oldest, still in use, hockey trophy around - only the stanley cup is older. and maybe too because it was born in calumet (15 miles north of hougton) where i live. truth be told is there no other trophy more beautiful...

i suggest the lakers win it once... and it will suddenly be extremely special to you and any other LSSU fan. and as a side note;

"The university's [LSSU] origins can be traced to the Michigan College of Mining & Technology, which is now known as Michigan Technological University. The mining and technology college opened the Sault Ste. Marie Residence Center of the Michigan College of Mining & Technology, which was commonly shortened to Soo Tech. The original class consisted of 272 students. The institution was later renamed Lake Superior State College of Michigan Technological University in 1966. The college received autonomy from Michigan Tech in 1970 and was known as Lake Superior State College until 1987, when the institution was granted university status."

so in a way LSSU is even a pseudo-trustee...

[Sol Diablo]

in my opinion the macnaughton is amazing - it is the second oldest, still in use, hockey trophy around - only the stanley cup is older. and maybe too because it was born in calumet (15 miles north of hougton) where i live. truth be told is there no other trophy more beautiful...

i suggest the lakers win it once... and it will suddenly be extremely special to you and any other LSSU fan. and as a side note;

"The university's [LSSU] origins can be traced to the Michigan College of Mining & Technology, which is now known as Michigan Technological University. The mining and technology college opened the Sault Ste. Marie Residence Center of the Michigan College of Mining & Technology, which was commonly shortened to Soo Tech. The original class consisted of 272 students. The institution was later renamed Lake Superior State College of Michigan Technological University in 1966. The college received autonomy from Michigan Tech in 1970 and was known as Lake Superior State College until 1987, when the institution was granted university status."

so in a way LSSU is even a pseudo-trustee...

Very interesting history, thanks!

[potternmu]

Whatever happened to the Mason Cup? I think it'd be cool if the new CCHA had multiple cups. MacNaughton for the regular season. Mason for the playoffs.

If we bring back the Mason Cup, we should have a ceremonial dropping of the cup at the Fox Theater in Detroit every year.