Imagining League Realignment

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

I don't follow... How does "no scholarships" = "small" and "scholarships" = "large"? There's no necessary correlation between the two in all cases. There are very small schools that offer scholarships (i.e. Merrimack, LSSU, St. Lawrence) and mid-sized to large schools that do not (i.e. Ivy Leagues, RIT). I would accept the tag of "unknown", "unheralded", "unfamiliar", "mid-major" or something of that ilk for RIT. But "small" is incorrect. RIT enrolls 17,000+ students. Whether or not they offer athletic scholarships is irrelevant. We are not a small school.

Still a small fish, maybe not small "school." The lack of scholarships at the Ivy's is irrelevant because every player gets school paid for if they aren't rich. I can't see how RIT will ever become a big fish because they can't offer athletic scholarships to their players...

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

This is what I think will happen. A.) 20 BiG B.) 6 MN WCHA, 8 if MSU-Mo C.) 2 UMD D.) 2 Mariucci Classic E.) 2 Dairy Queen Cup F.) 2 NC Imo, it all changes if MSU-Mo joins the icebox.

Wouldn't the WCHA/UMD non-conference games cover the DQ Cup? Or is there a semi-finals/finals setup that I'm not aware of?

 

[First Time Long Time]

I think you're going to see UND and the Goofs playing in hockey... They Gophers are all about making money and they are going to want to stuff their arena full of fans.

Hasn't Maturi said they won't play UND if they are still the Sioux?
I could be wrong but I thought Minnesota had a policy on that.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

Wouldn't the WCHA/UMD non-conference games cover the DQ Cup? Or is there a semi-finals/finals setup that I'm not aware of?

4four4 seems to think there will a 4 team all minnesota tournament at the X that he labels as the DQ Cup plus Minnesota will play 2 other games against every minnesota team in the state...I don't see that happening. I see all Minnesota schools getting an invite to the "DQ Cup" or the Mariucci Classic, (4 NC games for Minnesota), plus Minnesota playing 2 road games (either @BSU/UMD or @SCSU/MSUM) and 4 home games (vs SCSU&MSUM or vs BSU/UMD). Thats how I see this playing out.

 

[4four4]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

Wouldn't the WCHA/UMD non-conference games cover the DQ Cup? Or is there a semi-finals/finals setup that I'm not aware of?

Lucia said one Minnesota school wouldn't be playing in the all Minnesota tourney at the X. I don't know the format.

 

[4four4]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

I think you're going to see UND and the Goofs playing in hockey... They Gophers are all about making money and they are going to want to stuff their arena full of fans.

After the Sioux changes their name I for sure think they will play against each other. Imo, the Gophers vs. UND rivalry will be played 2 to 3 times a decade.

 

[SanTropez]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

4four4 seems to think there will a 4 team all minnesota tournament at the X that he labels as the DQ Cup plus Minnesota will play 2 other games against every minnesota team in the state...I don't see that happening. I see all Minnesota schools getting an invite to the "DQ Cup" or the Mariucci Classic, (4 NC games for Minnesota), plus Minnesota playing 2 road games (either @BSU/UMD or @SCSU/MSUM) and 4 home games (vs SCSU&MSUM or vs BSU/UMD). Thats how I see this playing out.

It sounds to me like they will try a MN tourney at the X on top of playing the other MN teams during the NC schedule. We'll see.

The University of Minnesota men’s hockey team is in preliminary discussions with St. Cloud State, Bemidji State and Minnesota State-Mankato about playing nonconference games and a tournament both on an annual basis, according to Gophers coach Don Lucia.

Lucia said he has talked with Huskies coach Bob Motzko, Beavers coach Tom Serratore and Mavericks coach Troy Jutting about the Gophers playing games against their programs beginning in 2013-14, which is the first season that the Gophers and Wisconsin leave the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for the Big Ten Conference.

Lucia also said that he plans to talk with Minnesota-Duluth coach Scott Sandelin about the same arrangement with the Bulldogs, who also leave the WCHA after the 2012-13 season and will join the newly formed National Collegiate Hockey Conference.

“We have 14 nonleague games to work with and our goal is to play those (four) teams every year,” Lucia said. “It would be good for our program, all the other programs and for the state of Minnesota.

“I think it’s a win-win for everyone, for our fans and the proximity of playing each other. We should continue playing each other.”

Motzko said he is excited about working toward continuing to play against the Gophers.

“It’s a great rivalry and this is important to all of us,” Motzko said of the schools involved.

“The details will all be worked out, but there will be games in our building and in their building (in the series).”

The proposed tournament would be played on the same weekend every year at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, which has been the annual site of the WCHA Final Five Tournament.

It would be a four-team tournament, meaning there would be a rotation and one school a year would not play in the tournament.

“That’s something we’d be obviously be interested in and we’re talking some concepts right now,” Lucia said. “If we were all still in the same league, maybe it wouldn’t happen.

“If it’s the same weekend every year, it becomes a destination for four schools every year, people can book reservations for a great weekend of college hockey.”

Motzko said that there has been talk of a possible tournament for a number of years, but cautioned that there a lot of details to be worked out before it becomes official.

“It’s a long, long way to go before all that is done, but it makes a lot sense for everybody involved,” Motzko said. “The potential is there for just a big-time event.

“I hope that there’s no snags and everything can come through.”

Lucia said that the departure of five schools from the WCHA — Colorado College, Denver, Minnesota-Duluth, Nebraska-Omaha and North Dakota — to form the NCHC helped spur the discussions.

“In light of what’s happened the last couple weeks, we decided it was time to get proactive on how we can make hockey great in our state down the line,” Lucia said.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

It sounds to me like they will try a MN tourney at the X on top of playing the other MN teams during the NC schedule. We'll see.

And thats what I outlined.
Example:
Year 1
2 games in "DQ Cup" with Minnesota, MSUM, SCSU and UMD invovled
2 games in Mariucci Classic with Minnesota, BSU and 2 team TBA involved
1 game @ BSU/1 game @ UMD (same weekend)
2 games vs SCSU
2 games vs MSUM
2 games vs DU/CC/UNO/MTU/UND
2 games vs an Eastern team

Year 2
2 games in "DQ Cup" with Minnesota, BSU, SCSU and UMD invovled
2 games in Mariucci Classic with Minnesota, MSUM and 2 team TBA involved
1 game @ SCSU/1 game @ MSUM (same weekend)
2 games vs BSU
2 games vs UMD
2 games vs DU/CC/UNO/MTU/UND
2 games vs an Eastern team

 

[state of hockey]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

Whatever it ends up being, so be it. I just hope they can get it to work. I want to play these teams.

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

Hasn't Maturi said they won't play UND if they are still the Sioux?
I could be wrong but I thought Minnesota had a policy on that.

The U does have a policy that they will not play anyone with a deemed "hostile and abusive" nickname in out of conference play. In conference, they have to play, but out of conference, no.

 

[bigmrg74]

It sounds to me like they will try a MN tourney at the X on top of playing the other MN teams during the NC schedule. We'll see.

I kinda think that with the current configuration of things, I would think that the school that doesn't get to go to the DQ tournament Minnesota would just do a weekend there at their arena.

With MSU-Moorhead in the mix, they just might have all 6 schools there at the X. Each team would get 2 games that weekend, with the fans getting to take in 3 games that day. They could even figure out a way to run it over 2 weekends, with the teams getting 4 games out of the deal.

 

[pigglegg]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

[First of all, I am starting this thread JUST FOR FUN! It�s not for anyone who is p'o'ed at Penn State, or North Dakota, or anyone else, for screwing up college hockey. If you want to hate on somebody, please stay away! There are lots of threads on this forum for hating (unfortunately).]

The purpose of this thread just to amuse ourselves in speculating about what might happen next as college hockey reacts to the dramatic changes already announced.

Have fun!

cool...i love this game. I've put a lot of thought into this over the years. probably too much. I'm including schools that dropped hockey and others that are currently in ACHA.

here's my ultimate division 1 college hockey landscape...

Big Ten Hockey (11 teams): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Notre Dame.

Ivy League Hockey (Decagonal League) (10): Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, Yale, Army, Navy.
think about it... the service academies and the Ivies in the same conference. it makes sense. that's the way it used to be. kudos to anyone who figured out the decagonal reference.

Hockey East (10): BC, BU, UConn, Maine, UMass, UNH, Northeastern, Providence, Rhode Island, Vermont.
I hope never to see Notre Dame in HEA.

Atlantic Hockey (10): Albany, Buffalo, Delaware, Hofstra, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Binghamton, Stony Brook.
New York State of Mind! and why doesn't Syracuse have a men's team?!? they're in such prime recruiting location - sandwiched between Massachusetts and Ontario. Title IX, that's why. this conference is obviously very ACHA-heavy, but i'd love to see more of these Big East-ern schools in the mix.

CCHA (12): Alabama-Huntsville, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Illinois-Chicago, Kent State, Lake Superior State, Miami-Ohio, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, Ohio University, Wayne State, Western Michigan.

ECHA (12): Clarkson, Colgate, Holy Cross, Mass-Lowell, Mercyhurst, Merrimack, Niagara, Quinnipiac, RPI, RIT, St. Lawrence, Union.

WCHA (12): Bemidji State, Iowa State, Minn-Duluth, Minnesota State, Missouri, Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota, North Dakota State, Oklahoma, Saint Louis, South Dakota, St. Cloud State.

Rocky Mountain Hockey Assoc. (12): Air Force, Alaska, Alaska-Anchorage, Colorado, Colorado College, Denver, Idaho, Montana, Northern Arizona, Utah State, Weber State, Wyoming.
again, another heavily-ACHA conference.

8 Conferences, 89 teams.

 

[darker98]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

Hasn't Maturi said they won't play UND if they are still the Sioux?
I could be wrong but I thought Minnesota had a policy on that.

They do. In 2 years the nickname will be gone.

 

[Timmah!]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

cool...i love this game. I've put a lot of thought into this over the years. probably too much. I'm including schools that dropped hockey and others that are currently in ACHA.

here's my ultimate division 1 college hockey landscape...

Big Ten Hockey (11 teams): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Notre Dame.

Ivy League Hockey (Decagonal League) (10): Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, Yale, Army, Navy.
think about it... the service academies and the Ivies in the same conference. it makes sense. that's the way it used to be. kudos to anyone who figured out the decagonal reference.

Hockey East (10): BC, BU, UConn, Maine, UMass, UNH, Northeastern, Providence, Rhode Island, Vermont.
I hope never to see Notre Dame in HEA.

Atlantic Hockey (10): Albany, Buffalo, Delaware, Hofstra, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Binghamton, Stony Brook.
New York State of Mind! and why doesn't Syracuse have a men's team?!? they're in such prime recruiting location - sandwiched between Massachusetts and Ontario. Title IX, that's why. this conference is obviously very ACHA-heavy, but i'd love to see more of these Big East-ern schools in the mix.

CCHA (12): Alabama-Huntsville, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Illinois-Chicago, Kent State, Lake Superior State, Miami-Ohio, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, Ohio University, Wayne State, Western Michigan.

ECHA (12): Clarkson, Colgate, Holy Cross, Mass-Lowell, Mercyhurst, Merrimack, Niagara, Quinnipiac, RPI, RIT, St. Lawrence, Union.

WCHA (12): Bemidji State, Iowa State, Minn-Duluth, Minnesota State, Missouri, Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota, North Dakota State, Oklahoma, Saint Louis, South Dakota, St. Cloud State.

Rocky Mountain Hockey Assoc. (12): Air Force, Alaska, Alaska-Anchorage, Colorado, Colorado College, Denver, Idaho, Montana, Northern Arizona, Utah State, Weber State, Wyoming.
again, another heavily-ACHA conference.

8 Conferences, 89 teams.

 

[MUhawks628]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

MAC and Friends(12): Alabama-Huntsville, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Illinois-Chicago, Kent State, Lake Superior State, Miami-Ohio, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, Ohio University, Wayne State, Western Michigan.

I do not approve of this message.

Alothough I would take a trip up to Houghton for a weekend

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

*looks at posting diarrhea above*

*looks at date of join*

Old school troll?

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

I kinda think that with the current configuration of things, I would think that the school that doesn't get to go to the DQ tournament Minnesota would just do a weekend there at their arena.

With MSU-Moorhead in the mix, they just might have all 6 schools there at the X. Each team would get 2 games that weekend, with the fans getting to take in 3 games that day. They could even figure out a way to run it over 2 weekends, with the teams getting 4 games out of the deal.

The problem I see with this set up is if MSU-Moorhead ends up in the WCHA (IF they start a program), you would end up with schools from the same conference playing each other. You would have Minnesota from the Big Ten, Duluth from the NCHC, and then BSU, MSU-M and M, and St. Cloud from the WCHA. Not sure if those four from the WCHA would want to play a conference team in the tourney?

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

The problem I see with this set up is if MSU-Moorhead ends up in the WCHA (IF they start a program), you would end up with schools from the same conference playing each other. You would have Minnesota from the Big Ten, Duluth from the NCHC, and then BSU, MSU-M and M, and St. Cloud from the WCHA. Not sure if those four from the WCHA would want to play a conference team in the tourney?

How about this: UM and UMD always play, the WCHA schools rotate. Like the Denver and Alaska tournaments, you define who you play (UM/UMD always play a WCHA team). UM then plays the other WCHA schools non-conference. Problem solved.

EDIT: I realize this means UM and UMD never play each other; how about non-conference elsewhere?

 

[Timmah!]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

Here's my league realignment. New programs in bold... 12 Leagues with 103 programs!!!!!!111


B1G (10): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin

Notre Dame Conf (6): Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Western Michigan.

Empire Conference (11): Canisius, Clarkson, Colgate, Cornell (booted from Ivy...so sad), Niagara, NY Rangers, RPI, RIT, St Lawrence, Syracuse, Union

Bull$#*t State Conf (11): Bemidji State, St Cloud State, Moorhead State, Mankato St, District 5 Team, Minn-Duluth, Minn-Twin Cities, Alaska-Anchorage, Alaska, Alaska-Mystery, Hawaii

Ivy League (10): Brown, Cambridge, Columbia (plays on Frozen Hudson River), Dartmouth, Harvard, Oxford, Penn, Princeton, Stanford, Yale.

Penn Conference (6): Charlestown Chiefs, Mercyhurst, Penn State (who needs the B1G), Pitt, RMU, Temple

Armed Forces COnference (6): Army, Navy, Airforce, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, Royal Military College

Yooper-Canadia Conference (6): LSSU, MTU, NMU, Oshawa Generals, SSM Greyhounds, Sarnia Sting (Major coup in Major Juniors!)

Hockey East (9): UMass, UML, Merrimack, Northeastern, Providence, Rhode Island, Holy Cross, Quinnipiac, Hartford Whalers.

NCHC East (8): BC, BU, Duke, Maine, UNH, UConn (after disbanding basketball and converting Gampel to a hockey facility), UVM, AIC (major recommitment in the program)

NCHC West (9): Miami, NoDak, Oklahoma, Denver, Coll COllege, UNO, Colorado, USC, Peoria Rivermen.

Blender COnf (11): Alabama-Huntsville, Bentley, Sacred Heart, Ferris State, BGSU, Wayne State, Iona, COlorado School of Mines, Fairfield, Findlay, Wyoming

 

[MUhawks628]

Re: Imagining League Realignment

Here's my league realignment. New programs in bold... 12 Leagues with 101 programs!!!!!!111


B1G (10): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin

Notre Dame Conf (6): Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Western Michigan.

Empire Conference (11): Canisius, Clarkson, Colgate, Cornell (booted from Ivy...so sad), Niagara, NY Rangers, RPI, RIT, St Lawrence, Syracuse, Union

Bull$#*t State Conf (11): Bemidji State, St Cloud State, Moorhead State, Mankato St, District 5 Team, Minn-Duluth, Minn-Twin Cities, Alaska-Anchorage, Alaska, Alaska-Mystery, Hawaii

Ivy League (10): Brown, Cambridge, Columbia (plays on Frozen Hudson River), Dartmouth, Harvard, Oxford, Penn, Princeton, Stanford, Yale.

Penn Conference (6): Charlestown Chiefs, Mercyhurst, Penn State (who needs the B1G), Pitt, RMU, Temple

Armed Forces COnference (6): Army, Navy, Airforce, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, Royal Military College

Yooper-Canadia Conference (6): LSSU, MTU, NMU, Oshawa Generals, SSM Greyhounds, Sarnia Sting (Major coup in Major Juniors!)

Hockey East (8): UMass, UML, Merrimack, Northeastern, Providence, Rhode Island, Holy Cross, Vermont, Quinnipiac, Hartford Whalers.

NCHC East (8): BC, BU, Duke, Maine, UNH, UConn (after disbanding basketball and converting Gampel to a hockey facility), UVM, AIC (major recommitment in the program)

NCHC West (9): Miami, NoDak, Oklahoma, Denver, Coll COllege, UNO, Colorado, USC, Peoria Rivermen.

Blender COnf (10): Bentley, Sacred Heart, Ferris State, BGSU, Wayne State, Iona, COlorado School of Mines, Fairfield, Findlay, Wyoming

+600 internets.

And not just because you didn't write Miami-Ohio.