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

[bravohankins]

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.

There were two Mason Cups, one that was given to the winning team and one that was on display at the JLA all season.
Bowling Green has possession of the one that was given out to the teams as well as numerous other banners/trophies from the original CCHA, such as the Bill Beagan Trophy.
The other Mason Cup was loaned to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Speaking of the MacNaughton Cup. Currently BGSU is the only school to have their name on it as the "CCHA" Champion as they won the CCHA regular season titles all 3 years 1982, 1983 and 1984 that Tech was a member of the original CCHA...that could change when it goes to the CCHA regular Season Champion sometime in March 2022.

"New" CCHA members that have won the MacNaughton Cup:
Michigan Tech
Bowling Green
Bemidji State
Ferris State
Northern Michigan
Minnesota State

Only LSSU and obviously St. Thomas have never possessed it.

[JohnsonsJerseys]

The MacNaughton [Cup] 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.

Not exactly true. LSSU was playing for the MacNaughton Cup in 1982-84 when Tech was a member of the CCHA along with LSSU. Unfortunately for LSSU their glory years came about a decade later after Tech had returned to the WCHA and taken the cup with them. In my opinion, if you ever saw the MacNaughton Cup in person, I think you would change your thoughts on if it was a worthy prize for a champion.

Sorry this is a photo of a photo...

[DrunkTrainPolka]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL5w4meeJBQ

[lakersparty]

Not exactly true. LSSU was playing for the MacNaughton Cup in 1982-84 when Tech was a member of the CCHA along with LSSU. Unfortunately for LSSU their glory years came about a decade later after Tech had returned to the WCHA and taken the cup with them. In my opinion, if you ever saw the MacNaughton Cup in person, I think you would change your thoughts on if it was a worthy prize for a champion.

Sorry this is a photo of a photo...

Interesting. I didn't realize that. Tech really has carried around that trophy every place they have been. Thanks for the photo. It does look nice. Maybe the Lakers should just go ahead and win it some day soon, so I can appreciate it more. It would be nice to be on top of the CCHA again.

[bravohankins]

I prefer this image of it.... current NHL Executives Brian MacLellan and George McPhee in 1982.

I remember when we first saw that thing, we were all like "now that's a trophy"

[John J. MacInnes]

On the topic of trophies - got some news leaked about the competition for the last Jeff Sauer Trophy. Looks like the WCHA will indeed scrap a weekend of playoff hockey for this season - they will leave the weekend of March 6-7 open for potential makeups of postponed games. The format looks like it will only have 4 playoff teams...1v4 and 2v3 in a best of 3 semifinal on the weekend of March 13-14, and then a championship single game on March 21 hosted by the higher seed to advance.

[John J. MacInnes]

Apparently they still can't get everything nailed down yet. Schedule release looks like it won't happen until next week now, so that could be less than 3 weeks before the first game on the list for some teams.

[manurespreader]

I wonder if they will release the protocol for when team A gets it.

[John J. MacInnes]

Full schedules set to drop tomorrow. Some already confirmed dates come from NMU - they will play Tech 4 times in non-conference (Nov 27-28 and Dec 18-19) and twice in WCHA play (Feb 27-28), and will host Ferris on Jan 29-30.

[MavsFan]

Since I haven't been contacted about purchasing tickets, would I be correct to think that the schedule will be played in empty arenas?

[John J. MacInnes]

Since I haven't been contacted about purchasing tickets, would I be correct to think that the schedule will be played in empty arenas?

I think at this point we just don't know. Too many variables to have a definitive answer. And I honestly think the policies are going to vary - by location and over time you may have multiple answers.

[lakersparty]

The Lakers have some dates up on their schedules page:
https://lssulakers.com/sports/m-hockey/2020-21/schedule

[John J. MacInnes]

I wonder if they will release the protocol for when team A gets it.

The only detail I know is that they are holding the first weekend in March open as an available spot to reschedule postponed games.

[John J. MacInnes]

So the WCHA release said that they still haven't determined the format for the conference playoff, but it will be held over the 2nd and 3rd weekends of March. That leads me to believe that the following single game format is not off the table.

Regular season champion hosts this group: 1st vs 8th, 4th vs 5th. Winners play each other for right to advance.
Regular season runner-up hosts this group: 2nd vs 7th, 3rd vs 6th. Winners play each other for right to advance.

Two advancing teams play at the home of the better seed the following weekend for Sauer Trophy.

The snag is of course - what happens if an Alaska team finishes as #1 or #2? Can a league that is essentially folding up at the end of the year afford to send 3 teams there? Is it possible to predetermine the locations of the two quarterfinal/semifinal weekends (even though you run the risk that the two host schools could end up in the same pod)?

[John J. MacInnes]

Another interesting note - the league kept each team with 9 home and 9 away games, with the designated travel partner series being a home-and-home. That means that BG and UAH play on Wednesday and Saturday the final weekend to allow for travel. Bemidji and Mankato will be a Thursday-Saturday, and Anchorage-Fairbanks have not nailed down which days they will play yet.

Of course even though they will all play each other twice, the schedules are not fully equal due to where games will be played. NMU and UAA get both Minnesota State and Bowling Green at home, while Tech has to travel to both. Tough draw for Bemidji who has to go to BG, Tech, Fairbanks, and a single in Mankato. Also tough on UAF who visits BG, Mankato, and Tech. No one makes the Alaska trip twice (except of course UAA and UAF).