PLEASE Stop Complaining About the Auto-bid!

[kingdobbs]

Re: PLEASE Stop Complaining About the Auto-bid!

RIT and AFA are usually able to schedule a few games against decent teams (AFA plays CC and DU every season, plus played Bemidji State this year as well). The rest of the AHA seems to have trouble in that department, at least on a consistent basis.

It's kinda hard when the best thing you can offer to a potential non-conference opponent is "will not fail to have enough skaters present to complete all sixty minutes of a hockey game".

[JW Tigers]

Re: PLEASE Stop Complaining About the Auto-bid!

It's kinda hard when the best thing you can offer to a potential non-conference opponent is "will not fail to have enough skaters present to complete all sixty minutes of a hockey game".

No question. It's especially hard for some AHA teams to schedule good opponents at home due to their facilities (see Bentley).

[Ed Trefzger]

Re: PLEASE Stop Complaining About the Auto-bid!

No question. It's especially hard for some AHA teams to schedule good opponents at home due to their facilities (see Bentley).

Even in the relatively larger venues in AHA it's hard. RIT can hold only 2100 in the Frank Ritter. But the Tigers drew 7400 at the downtown Blue Cross Arena vs. Colgate last October.

RIT's NC sked next year includes UNO, Cornell, Union, RPI on the road and Merrimack and Lowell in Rochester, one of those at the BCA. 2011-12 includes a trip to Wisconsin.

[Snively65]

Re: PLEASE Stop Complaining About the Auto-bid!

No question. It's especially hard for some AHA teams to schedule good opponents at home due to their facilities (see Bentley).

Earlier in the 2009-2010 season, Bentley had the strongest strength of schedule in the AHA. However, when Quinnipiac, Northeastern, and UMass-Amherst faltered as the season progressed (all three were ranked in the top 20 when Bentley played them), so did Bentley's SOS (from 41st at one point to 57th of 58).

Without their autobid, Michigan would have come close to not making it in this year based on their PWR, and came within a blown call in OT of joining autobid RIT at the FF. I have no problem with the autobid, as what is good for the WCHA, CCHA, ECAC, and HE should be good for the AHA.