LSSU Lakers 2019-20

[Deman]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

...Or would Miami drastically improve by dropping out of a difficult league? ...

I've been mulling that over. On one hand, by being in the NCHC, you're facing some of the top teams in the nation every weekend, with NoDak, SCSU, Minnesota-Duluth. Even if Miami is bad, there will be players who join the team to test their worth against the tough teams.

But on the other hand, are you going to get the same quality of recruits being on the losing end of things and compared to joining the nCCHA where there (on paper, at least) be a bit more parity, especially if it's a 1-for-1 with Mankato. Give the program a few years after the move and while they might not be dominate, I could see them fighting for a middling spot - much better than what they're doing out west.

But while we can speculate all we want, only time will tell how this is going to shake out.

[Deman]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

There were several instances in the 3rd period of the game where NMU players blatantly slashed the upper back/legs of Laker players and one dangerous one where a NMU player threw his stick at a Laker defensman as he skated by.

It was one game and I think there were alot of players on both sides frustrated by alot of things over the weekend, but I am not sure Damon is necessarily wrong to be upset about some of the things that happened.

Eh, I missed some of the third with the jersey auction and waiting for the call on it, so if that was the case I stand corrected.

[Sugarisland]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

The NaCHo does not want Bemidji. WMU's inflated sense of self-worth makes them highly unlikely to leave.

For the league's strength, does it make sense to trade an elite team like Minnesota State for a bottom feeder like Miami? Or would Miami drastically improve by dropping out of a difficult league? Does BG want their in-state rival with them? Would Tech and NMU trade the much shorter bus ride to Mankato for the longer slog to Oxford?

All questions and observations that need to be factored in.

Western is very happy to be in the NCHC. They have been able to recruit higher caliber players since joining the league and some in Kalamazoo feel that may not be as likely if they joined the CCHA. They are currently 15 in the Pairwise and they have earned 5 of 12 points from defending champs Duluth. If their D-man hadn't scored in their own net in Saturday's 2-1 loss, it could have been 8 of 12 (woulda, coulda, shoulda)...…..and a few points higher in the pairwise. In the CCHA 1 or 2 teams will make the NCAA. In the NCHC it's 3 or 4, and a few years ago they had 5. There's a lot of "pairwise gold" in the NCHC...…...IF one can mine it.

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

Most of the speculation about Miami coming to the CCHA involves a 2 for 2 trade with Miami and Western joining the CCHA and Mankato and Bemidji joining the NCHC, with a possible waiver from the NCHC for the exit fees. Obviously if there is no waiver, then that makes that event less likely, at least in the short term. There also seems to be a lot of conjecture that Miami would like to join the CCHA but Western does not want to. If that's true and if a waiver is a possibility, who's to say there couldn't be a 1 for 1 trade with Miami coming to the CCHA and Mankato going to the NCHC. (That could even happen if Miami did come up with the money for the NCHC exit fee if there was no waiver). That would tighten up the NCHC geographic footprint somewhat. And if St Thomas does wind up joining the CCHA, that would give Bemidji a logical partner in the Western portion of the CCHA.

While St. Thomas, if they make the move, would be a logical fit for the CCHA, it would not surprise me to see them and the NCHC partnering up. It would give the NCHC a program in the Twin Cities media market, which is desirable. All St. Thomas would have to do is get its rink situation worked out, which I think they will. There are several rinks in the Twin Cities metro that would work for them until they get a rink of their own built.

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

While St. Thomas, if they make the move, would be a logical fit for the CCHA, it would not surprise me to see them and the NCHC partnering up. It would give the NCHC a program in the Twin Cities media market, which is desirable. All St. Thomas would have to do is get its rink situation worked out, which I think they will. There are several rinks in the Twin Cities metro that would work for them until they get a rink of their own built.

I'm not very familiar with St. Thomas as a school. They might make sense geographically for the NCHC, but do they have enough of a prestige factor for the NCHC to consider them, especially as a new D1 hockey program? That seems a stretch to me.

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

I'm not very familiar with St. Thomas as a school. They might make sense geographically for the NCHC, but do they have enough of a prestige factor for the NCHC to consider them, especially as a new D1 hockey program? That seems a stretch to me.

St. Thomas is a private Catholic school. They are getting kicked out of MIAC partially due to their enrollment numbers not lining up with the rest of the MIAC. One thing the Tommies have going for them is that they have a very large, very active alumni base with some very deep pockets. It also has one of the largest endowments, if not the largest, in the MIAC at $1.12 billion (2013).

[sm2pk]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

St.Thomas has been playing hockey for years . Their arena holds only 1400 and they recruit heavy out of the NAHL .They have 11,500 students attending .

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

St.Thomas has been playing hockey for years . Their arena holds only 1400 and they recruit heavy out of the NAHL .They have 11,500 students attending .

Yep, they play out at the arena at St. Thomas Academy, which is about 10 miles from campus. Since it is that far from campus and only seats 1400, they most likely will need a new home no matter where they end up.

And there women's program would be a pretty good bet for the Women's WCHA as they only have seven teams at this time.

[LSSULaker889294]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

What's up with Sovereign not posting the last 2 Laker Show podcasts?😡

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

What's up with Sovereign not posting the last 2 Laker Show podcasts?😡

They're kind of inconsistent about doing that for either the Laker Hockey Show or the Laker Hockey Talk show. Since I've caught the last couple of weeks worth of shows live (via internet stream), I hadn't even checked to see if the podcasts were posted. If I'm unable to listen to a show live for whatever reason, I usually will bug Sovereign about it if a podcast isn't posted within a day or so and that seems to do the trick.

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

The podcasts of the last 2 Laker Hockey Shows have now been posted.

[lakersparty]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

Calder with some highlight reel stuff in the 1st. An awesome assist and a breakaway goal. He should have had a penalty shot too.

[LSSULaker889294]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

Nice win. Lakers eliminate Ferris State from the playoffs for the 2nd year in a row.

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

Nice win. Lakers eliminate Ferris State from the playoffs for the 2nd year in a row.

Hopefully the Lakers will play another solid game today to wind up the regular season. I see that Bengert is on the trip and was the backup goalie last night. There's a good chance he'll play today, at least part of the game.

[CDB]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2019-20

Hopefully the Lakers will play another solid game today to wind up the regular season. I see that Bengert is on the trip and was the backup goalie last night. There's a good chance he'll play today, at least part of the game.

It'd be nice to see him play since he is a graduating senior and this'll likely be his last as a Laker.