Minnesota State 2022-23: Life After McKay

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Lucia has said in the past that expansion was something that should be considered if it makes sense. Augustana will start next year as the ninth team. Not ideal- an even ten would be preferable.

Most of us on this board would have preferred to stay at 8.

+1

[moose97]

1000% agree that staying at 8 was preferable. This conference was formed in part to avoid long trips. That said, ASU is certainly far more committed to hockey than any of the UA_'s were/are.

[Sol Diablo]

Lucia has said in the past that expansion was something that should be considered if it makes sense. Augustana will start next year as the ninth team. Not ideal- an even ten would be preferable.

Most of us on this board would have preferred to stay at 8.

Not saying you're wrong about Lucia, I think being part of CCHA would be great, but because of all the past rumors, & what appeared to be travel budget issues of WCHA I'm just a bit pessimistic.

[njmav1]

Not saying you're wrong about Lucia, I think being part of CCHA would be great, but because of all the past rumors, & what appeared to be travel budget issues of WCHA I'm just a bit pessimistic.

I hear what you're saying. And flying to Tempe is probably more expensive than taking a bus to Bowling Green or the Soo.

But it won't be anywhere near as expensive as going to Alaska (not to mention the logistics). I remember one season where MSU stayed in Alaska for two weeks and just played Anchorage and Fairbanks on back-to-back weekends rather than make two trips.

The only issue I can think of is the media package. Can ASU make the games available on Flo hockey?

[Sol Diablo]

I hear what you're saying. And flying to Tempe is probably more expensive than taking a bus to Bowling Green or the Soo.

But it won't be anywhere near as expensive as going to Alaska (not to mention the logistics). I remember one season where MSU stayed in Alaska for two weeks and just played Anchorage and Fairbanks on back-to-back weekends rather than make two trips.

The only issue I can think of is the media package. Can ASU make the games available on Flo hockey?

ASU played back to back this year against Duluth then Bemidji, last year vs BU then Northeastern then RIT. I don't know how it would work for Flo Hockey being all home games are claimed by PAC12 Network, but anything can happen.

[Double Major]

Lucia has said in the past that expansion was something that should be considered if it makes sense. Augustana will start next year as the ninth team. Not ideal- an even ten would be preferable.

Most of us on this board would have preferred to stay at 8.

Well, eight is a nice even number, but soon there will be nine. At some point that's got to be balanced out with a tenth team. Shall we reboot the previous "who's next" discussion, featuring ASU, Lindenwood, Miami, Huntsville, etc. etc.?

[njmav1]

Well, eight is a nice even number, but soon there will be nine. At some point that's got to be balanced out with a tenth team. Shall we reboot the previous "who's next" discussion, featuring ASU, Lindenwood, Miami, Huntsville, etc. etc.?

Is there really any question as to who is the best option in that list?

[moose97]

...featuring ASU, Lindenwood, Miami, Huntsville, etc. etc.?

Huntsville is a dead horse at this point. Can we please just forget about it? Miami would be great - for BG. Otherwise, I don't think anyone else cares. Lindenwood's distance from, well, everyone, has been likewise beaten to death. ASU presents challenges, but is another legitimate all-DI school, has name recognition & is a destination trip in the middle of winter. Sign me up.

[Double Major]

Huntsville is a dead horse at this point. Can we please just forget about it? Miami would be great - for BG. Otherwise, I don't think anyone else cares. Lindenwood's distance from, well, everyone, has been likewise beaten to death. ASU presents challenges, but is another legitimate all-DI school, has name recognition & is a destination trip in the middle of winter. Sign me up.

How about my new dark horse candidate... Stonehill!

[njmav1]

Huntsville is a dead horse at this point. Can we please just forget about it? Miami would be great - for BG. Otherwise, I don't think anyone else cares. Lindenwood's distance from, well, everyone, has been likewise beaten to death. ASU presents challenges, but is another legitimate all-DI school, has name recognition & is a destination trip in the middle of winter. Sign me up.

I can see ASU having most of their conference road games in the first half of the season then home for most of the second half.

[Lost_Husky]

Huntsville is a dead horse at this point. Can we please just forget about it? Miami would be great - for BG. Otherwise, I don't think anyone else cares. Lindenwood's distance from, well, everyone, has been likewise beaten to death. ASU presents challenges, but is another legitimate all-DI school, has name recognition & is a destination trip in the middle of winter. Sign me up.

Thanks to Miami, sounds like ASU and NCHC have been talking. Unless the B1G really wants ASU, the NCHC is the "best" fit for them.

[Double Major]

Thanks to Miami, sounds like ASU and NCHC have been talking. Unless the B1G really wants ASU, the NCHC is the "best" fit for them.

Geographically, that's always made the most sense.. ASU would have lot less travel to the east coast and one trip a year to Miami and to Western Michigan. Plus the NoDak fans will sell out their games at Mullet arena and fill the local hotels, as they always do. ASU could further reduce travel costs by hosting a "Desert Classic" tournament in Phoenix or Vegas during the Holidays, as they have, inviting sun starved hockey fans from the north and east coast.

Seems to me NCHC holds all the high cards in this. This would become a bidding war only if CCHA and/or Big Ten wanted to attract ASU to their league. CCHA fans repeat after me: Hello Lindenwood! Or Alternatively: Hello Miami!

[moose97]

Plus the NoDak fans will sell out their games at Mullet arena and fill the local hotels, as they always do.

ASU has had zero issues selling out so far this season, even with likely the most expensive tickets in college hockey. I don't think they need NoDak fans to help ensure that.

[beaverhockeyfan]

Did anyone else get the feeling from the Miami statements that if ASU is added to the NCHC, it may be the straw that breaks Miami and they leave the NCHC?

[Double Major]

Did anyone else get the feeling from the Miami statements that if ASU is added to the NCHC, it may be the straw that breaks Miami and they leave the NCHC?

I've been speculating about this issue for some time now. Everything I read says Miami wants out of the NCHC. They suck in that league. Their coach Bergeron coached at BG for years and knows the former WCHA like the back of his hand. What better place to go than the geographically convenient Upper Midwest? Solves two problems: Provides the CCHA with the 10th team they will need after Augustana comes in next year. And it allows the NCHC to replace Miami with a team wanting a conference and closer to their geographic footprint (hint. a team from the state of Arizona).

Miami is not a perfect fit, and you can scroll down to read some of the arguments against them, all valid. But it seems to me that if ASU really is a shoo-in for the NCHC, somebody's gotta leave. The CCHA realistically would have to a) choose between Lindenwood and Miami, or b) grab them both, plus ASU. That second option is not going to happen.

In a previous post I said I wasn't going to comment on this issue anymore. Well, I lied. Sorry, again.