I've heard it from enough people over the last year or so — Miami wants to move. It can deny it publicly all it wants, but it's practically common knowledge at this point within college hockey's inner circles. Being in the NCHC is an expensive proposition for Miami, and even though its monumental on-ice success in the 2000s enabled the school to do a lot of big things, it still doesn't have the resources of the nearby Big Ten schools, for example. Miami wants to go, and is willing to pay the heft NCHC exit fee to do it.
Western Michigan, on the other hand, has no interest in moving. Maybe that would change with a different athletic director or head coach. But as it stands, WMU's powers-that-be love being in the NCHC. They think it's helped them attract players that it wouldn't otherwise get.
I happen to disagree — I think WMU would be fine in the new-CCHA, and could dominate that league and make consistent NCAA runs, just like Minnesota State has done in the WCHA. But, they apparently disagree.
So, does that mean a Miami/Minnesota State 1-for-1 swap is feasible? Maybe it is. But you have to wonder if Miami wants to do it if WMU doesn't come along too. After all, even if Miami is itching to move, it still wants to assure itself that it will be in a good conference with as many strong programs as possible. Bringing WMU along too means one more strong program for the new-CCHA.
