2025 Bracketology: The Road to TBD!

[Tom Coughlin]

But also, assume the NCHA will beat up on one another and will ultimately not have 4 teams make the field, so hopefully by the end we're not having to have this conversation

Trine has the toughest road out of the four with a pair against both Adrian and Aurora down the stretch. Adrian and SNC still have a weekend series at Arrington as well. Plus at least three combined losses among the four in the NCHA tourney (Harris Cup).

 

[VTpucksouteast]

In theory yes, but the only way the bracket works from a mileage perspective is to have two NCHA teams face off in Round 1. If they choose to give up mileage and give a team a flight, then you'd have options, but my process assumes they never will do that

But also, assume the NCHA will beat up on one another and will ultimately not have 4 teams make the field, so hopefully by the end we're not having to have this conversation

I see. Thanks! Just wanted to hear your thoughts. I remember reading it over at Diiihockeynews.com. They've started posting bracketology over there, but I think he does it differently so that makes sense. After all, just predictions I suppose!

https://diiihockeynews.com/2025-mens...-january-14th/

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

I see. Thanks! Just wanted to hear your thoughts. I remember reading it over at Diiihockeynews.com. They've started posting bracketology over there, but I think he does it differently so that makes sense. After all, just predictions I suppose!

https://diiihockeynews.com/2025-mens...-january-14th/

Scott does a very sound analysis of the entire situation without letting personal opinion/ego or what HE thinks should happen cloud his thought process.

A great pick-up for D3hockeynews and a very well done bracketology.

 

[Fishman'81]

I see. Thanks! Just wanted to hear your thoughts. I remember reading it over at Diiihockeynews.com. They've started posting bracketology over there, but I think he does it differently so that makes sense. After all, just predictions I suppose!

https://diiihockeynews.com/2025-mens...-january-14th/

It's largely speculation at this point, but thanks for the link. It was a fun read.

(Too bad they demand a copy of your birth certificate, just to comment.)

 

[Pioneer247]

Scott does a very sound analysis of the entire situation without letting personal opinion/ego or what HE thinks should happen cloud his thought process.

A great pick-up for D3hockeynews and a very well done bracketology.

Is this supposed to be a dig or something? I've gotten the bracket right every year the last few years. This year right now is a convoluted mess and there's no great answer right now, my answer is no better than his at the moment

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Is this supposed to be a dig or something? I've gotten the bracket right every year the last few years. This year right now is a convoluted mess and there's no great answer right now, my answer is no better than his at the moment

Not a dig at you at all. Sorry if it came across that way. I was referring to someone else at D3hockeynews.

You also have provided sound analysis and prognostication.

 

[Fishman'81]

Not a dig at you at all. Sorry if it came across that way. I was referring to someone else at D3hockeynews.

You also have provided sound analysis and prognostication.

There used to be a guy like that on D3HN, maybe 15 years back, whose "my secret-factor that I will later reveal" rankings always found a way to contrive that Norwich was the finest team in the universe, despite all the facts to the contrary...

I don't bother with that site these days, but I'm sure that the guy in question could still, somehow, have his guys in the top-5.

 

[jerrynu26]

There used to be a guy like that on D3HN, maybe 15 years back, whose "my secret-factor that I will later reveal" rankings always found a way to contrive that Norwich was the finest team in the universe, despite all the facts to the contrary...

I don't bother with that site these days, but I'm sure that the guy in question could still, somehow, have his guys in the top-5.

Well, 2000-2020, NU appeared in 11 frozen fours, a pretty good average, eclipsed by 1 appearance with SNC with 12 appearances.

 

[Fishman'81]

Well, 2000-2020, NU appeared in 11 frozen fours, a pretty good average, eclipsed by 1 appearance with SNC with 12 appearances.

NU was a fantastic program during that era, no two ways about it. I was commenting on dubious rankings using fungible and opaque criteria.

What we have now is far, far better.

 

[Pioneer247]

Bracketology through games on 1/19:

CCC: Curry (4)
MAC: Wilkes (26)
MASCAC: Plymouth State (19)
MIAC: Gustavus (28)
NCHA: Trine (7)
NEHC: Hobart (1)
NESCAC: Hamilton (8)
SUNYAC: Oswego (14)
UCHC: Geneseo (3)
WIAC: Superior (17)

At-Large:

Utica (2)
Aurora (5)
Adrian (6)
Trinity (9)

In the scenario this week, we only have one flight necessary to make it work, and to avoid an all-NESCAC Round 1 game, Trinity and Plymouth State would be flipped if you were doing it by straight seeding. Shoutout Oswego being 494 miles from Adrian to make that quadrant of the bracket work as well

First Round:

Plymouth State @ Hamilton
Wilkes @ Utica
Trinity @ Curry
Oswego @ Adrian
Gustavus @ Aurora
Superior @ Trine (flight)

Quarterfinals:

Plymouth State/Hamilton @ Hobart
Trinity/Curry @ Wilkes/Utica
Oswego/Adrian @ Geneseo
Gustavus/Aurora @ Superior/Trine (possible flight)

 

[Pioneer247]

AI know I’m feeding into Fish here (Sorry all!), but how does a team like Wilkes (27), especially after what two CNE teams did to them this week end in Plattsburgh? UNE and Wentworth are not even the top two teams in the league. UNE can be a very good team at times. They can also stink the joint out at times too. Check the tape of the first 5 minutes of the Colby game as exhibit A.

Wentworth is a tough team to figure.

Any way, congrats to the CNE ona very good weekend in upstate New York!

The problem is when the old UCHC is Utica and then everyone else in terms of ability, and then most of the "everyone else" leaves for the MAC, nothing changed in terms of their ability....they just took their ball and went somewhere else

 

[elbojpb]

Is it now safe to say that the "Champy Triangle" (or whatever the PSU, Midd, Norwich triumvirate was monikered) has moved to Central NY and Hobart, Genny and UU?

 

[Lord_Zubin]

Uh no the original champy triangle has like 10-15 titles between the 3 schools. If 2/3 schools in the "new" triangle have one championship game appearance between them that's not a champy triangle. If anything the triangle became a straight line from green bay to Stevens point in the 2010s.

 

[Tom Coughlin]

If anything the triangle became a straight line from green bay to Stevens point in the 2010s.

Throw in UW-Eau Claire (2013 national champs) to make it a triangle. But a straight line from the SNC campus to the UWEC campus runs just a few miles north of Stevens Point so it's basically still a straight line.

 

[Pioneer247]

Bracketology for games played through 1/26:

CCC: Curry (3)
MAC: Wilkes (23)
MASCAC: Plymouth State (19)
MIAC: Gustavus (26)
NCHA: Trine (6)
NEHC: Hobart (1)
NESCAC: Hamilton (7)
SUNYAC: Cortland (14)
UCHC: Utica (2)
WIAC: Superior (16)

At-Large:

Aurora (4)
Geneseo (5)
Adrian (8)
UNE (9)

Round 1:

UW-Superior @ Trine (Flight)
Gustavus @ Aurora
Cortland @ Adrian
Wilkes @ Utica
Plymouth State @ Curry
UNE @ Hamilton

Quarterfinal:

UNE/Hamilton @ Hobart
Plymouth State/Curry @ Wilkes/Utica
UW-Superior/Trine @ Gustavus/Aurora
Cortland/Adrian @ Geneseo

 

[Pioneer247]

A second scenario that also technically works, one that gives the Top 2 seeds the bye

Round 1:

UW-Superior @ Trine (Flight)
Gustavus @ Aurora
Cortland @ Adrian
Wilkes @ Curry
Plymouth State @ Geneseo
UNE @ Hamilton

Quarterfinal:

Cortland/Adrian @ Hobart
UNE/Hamilton @ Utica
Plymouth State/Geneseo @ Wilkes/Curry
UW-Superior/Trine @ Gustavus/Aurora

 

[JSicedog]

D3 Hockey News has another scenario. Wilkes Adrian Hobart pod. Seems that Wilkes is only 496 miles from Adrian.