CCHA v2.9.1 - BGSU BSU FSU LSSU MSU MTU NMU UST & Special Guests - The Augie Vikings

[moose97]

Well chuckles, how many of those games figured into determining who won the MacNaughton?

I mean, despite being great most of the year, he had no less than five games he was objectively terrible. And as to winning the MacNaughton, funny. I don't remember Blake hoisting it last year...

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Well chuckles, how many of those games figured into determining who won the MacNaughton?

Go ahead and show me another CCHA team bringing back a First team All-America, a national award finalist, and the conference player of the year- let alone all in the same player.

I think the question is can Joe put a decent defense in front of him. I mean, my team sucked balls and we chased him twice. If Joe can figure that out, I like your chances.

[John J. MacInnes]

I mean, he allowed 15 goals in his last 3 games. Surely that = the favorite lol

Well chuckles, how many of those games figured into determining who won the MacNaughton?

Go ahead and show me another CCHA team bringing back a First team All-America, a national award finalist, and the conference player of the year- let alone all in the same player.

[moose97]

Michigan Tech is officially the favorite for the MacNaughton Cup in 2024.

Blake Pietila is returning to the Huskies for one more season.

https://twitter.com/mtuhky/status/16...7Ctwgr%5Etweet

I mean, he allowed 15 goals in his last 3 games. Surely that = the favorite lol

[Puckstopper467]

Ferris just tweeted out a few players coming back for 5th year also.. Development has most likely stopped, your doing better just playing against players 3-4 years younger.

[Puckstopper467]

where would some schools be with the 5th year COVID? Goodness why not just let these guys stay until social security age 62

[John J. MacInnes]

Michigan Tech is officially the favorite for the MacNaughton Cup in 2024.

Blake Pietila is returning to the Huskies for one more season.

https://twitter.com/mtuhky/status/16...7Ctwgr%5Etweet

[moose97]

If the Summit League happens, I don't know how they would not include St Thomas and the Twin Cities market.

UST is a full Summit League member. I would assume the League has bylaws similar to the B1G where if it sponsors a sport, member schools would be required to participate over being in a different conference.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Yep. At the time I think a lot of people looked at it as more Miami whining and crying.

If the Summit League happens, I don't know how they would not include St Thomas and the Twin Cities market. They could argue they have the Twin Cities, Denver, and Omaha.

Maybe "a National Network" would need Hockey's relative popularity to make airing the rest of the Summit League viable?

Bigger question, at what point are the rights fees going to be too high that the law of diminishing returns kicks in? (and prices out current/future fans.)

More than one thing can be true at the same time...

[Lost_Husky]

Miami’s AD mentioned the possibility of the Summit League adding hockey a few months ago, adding “I don’t know what the single-sport conference future is.”

https://viewfromtheglass.com/2022/08...ccha-possible/

https://letsgodu.com/2023/01/18/miam...te-membership/

Maybe the Summit League will take on most of the NCHC plus St. Thomas.

The Summit League is also apparently nearing a national TV deal, https://www.inforum.com/sports/bison...ional-tv-games

Yep. At the time I think a lot of people looked at it as more Miami whining and crying.

If the Summit League happens, I don't know how they would not include St Thomas and the Twin Cities market. They could argue they have the Twin Cities, Denver, and Omaha.

Maybe "a National Network" would need Hockey's relative popularity to make airing the rest of the Summit League viable?

Bigger question, at what point are the rights fees going to be too high that the law of diminishing returns kicks in? (and prices out current/future fans.)

[thebrain]

Miami’s AD mentioned the possibility of the Summit League adding hockey a few months ago, adding “I don’t know what the single-sport conference future is.”

https://viewfromtheglass.com/2022/08...ccha-possible/

https://letsgodu.com/2023/01/18/miam...te-membership/

Maybe the Summit League will take on most of the NCHC plus St. Thomas.

The Summit League is also apparently nearing a national TV deal, https://www.inforum.com/sports/bison...ional-tv-games

[njmav1]

NCHC has worked closely with the summit league since their inception. Josh Fenton is the commissioner of the Summit League so there is familiarity/working relationship there. I wouldn't at all be surprised if St Thomas has had conversations about a Summit Hockey league. Let St Thomas cut their teeth in the CCHA and move up once they are competitive/facility built/full team of recruits.

IMO the biggest negative is Denver/NoDak potentially losing 2-3 (UMD/SCSU/WMU) consistently high ranked schools because they would be powerless in the Summit League. It isn't like the Summit League has a sweetheart TV deal like the B1G that schools want to tap into.

Perhaps Summit League Hockey could operate under the Summit League umbrella but with autonomy the other sports don't have. Kind of like Missouri Valley Conference and Missouri Valley Football Conference.

[Lost_Husky]

BSU and Augie would both be out there. I still can't come to terms with Denver and Nodak signing off on this. They and UMD/St. Cloud have built a heck of a brand just to throw it all away?

NCHC has worked closely with the summit league since their inception. Josh Fenton is the commissioner of the Summit League so there is familiarity/working relationship there. I wouldn't at all be surprised if St Thomas has had conversations about a Summit Hockey league. Let St Thomas cut their teeth in the CCHA and move up once they are competitive/facility built/full team of recruits.

IMO the biggest negative is Denver/NoDak potentially losing 2-3 (UMD/SCSU/WMU) consistently high ranked schools because they would be powerless in the Summit League. It isn't like the Summit League has a sweetheart TV deal like the B1G that schools want to tap into.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

They have 4 members. Lindenwood is an affiliate member & the Summit wouldn't be obligated to include them. Pretty sure they would throw out invites to CC, SCSU, Mankato & Duluth. Possibly Western & ASU, but those two would sure be on an island compared to the rest of the league. And so to would BSU be a geographic outlier in the CCHA.

BSU and Augie would both be out there. I still can't come to terms with Denver and Nodak signing off on this. They and UMD/St. Cloud have built a heck of a brand just to throw it all away?

[moose97]

Wouldn't that be something if the Summit League started a hockey conference? They have 5 out of 6 members already playing hockey and then they can invite CC to make it 6 schools. Might even help the expansion of college hockey on the western frontier.

They have 4 members. Lindenwood is an affiliate member & the Summit wouldn't be obligated to include them. Pretty sure they would throw out invites to CC, SCSU, Mankato & Duluth. Possibly Western & ASU, but those two would sure be on an island compared to the rest of the league. And so to would BSU be a geographic outlier in the CCHA.