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LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

I agree the WCHA is the best fit or situation for LSSU. The schools involved seem to be more of a natural conference for the Lakers than the CCHA. This appears to be in a conference where they will be very competitive; with a good opportunity to win the conference or and or the playoffs which seems more of a possibility in the new conference. Which means a trip to the big dance where anything can happen.

I am not sure about the blue chippers though. I still think kids, who really want to play hockey and have dreams of playing in the NHL someday would come to LSSU. With the traditions, history of players going to the NHL and commitment to a quality program they will come. Kids want to go somewhere they can contribute now and to a winner. While it will not be a cake walk it I can see more opportunities or chances in the new WCHA than the CCHA. I guess I am an optimist.
 
Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

3dognight said:
I do hope that the Atlantic teams / BGSU / UAH do not join the W (maybe a new CCHA) as that would destroy the identity of this new WCHA. I would not really want to be a member of the eastern conference of WCHA which would make a much less attractive schedule.
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Bringing the Atlantic Hockey schools in would be awful! We would be almost right back in the situation we were trying to avoid. I don't understand why the Minnesota or Alaska schools in the WCHA would agree to this or why the Atlantic Hockey schools who apparently didn't want to be in a league with us or Alaska would have changed their minds. The Bowling Green newspaper keeps pushing this story, and the BGSU AD sounds like he is trying to make it happen. I guess it would be better for BG, but it doesn't seem like a good deal for anyone else.

The article also mentions Air Force as a potential WCHA member, which is an interesting possibility that I had not thought of.


EDIT: I just read a little more in the BG paper. Sounds like they are trying to stay in the CCHA by bringing in the four Atlantic Hockey schools, and also adding the Univ. of Buffalo which has expressed interest in upgrading its program. That would bring them to five teams. They've talked to Air Force as well, which seems like a bit of a stretch. Alabama-Huntsville would seem like a more obvious fit to get them to six, although I didn't see them mentioned in the article. Interesting move.
 
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Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

Lakerblue said:
RE: TV. Seriously? The CCHA TV coverage was TERRIBLE. It was MSU and UM. LSSU made the program once every two years.

RE: UP TV: Why do we have to rely upon Fox Sports Detroit? Or Fox Sports North? Why can't the WCHA Game of the Week be for Alaska and the UP? This is my point: we've gotten so used to being slaves and serfs to the loud, pushy SOB's south of the Bridge, we've lost a whole lot of pride and dignity. Why can't there be a WCHA game of the week on TV? I guess I am sooooooo tired of hearing about the dangers and fears of not being associated with Detroit or the TV people down below. We were never more than a foil, the Washington Generals to their Globetrotters -- just some random team with which to showcase UM or MSU.

RE: Lesser League. Only if you want it to be lesser. This is where I will always have admiration for Crazy Frank -- because he refused to accept that the UP could not create and support top flight D-I hockey. John McInnis, same thing. So the league on paper appears less than the NCHC or the Big(6)Ten. What are you going to do about it? Not attend the games? Not support the school? Badmouth the league? Give in to those simps and jackholes in Ann Arbor? We have more tradition between us, Tech, and NMU than most any thre other programs. And UAF and BSU have just as much, if not more, passion.

I am a former hockey player. And nothing disgusts me more than surrendering before you've even started to fight. Our new leagueis only going to second-tier if we, and our schools, let it become second tier.

Lost SCSU? BooHoo.

Now, what are we going to do about it?
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Love the attitude lakerblue

I still like the new league as much as I did when we first started discussing the WCHA option last year

Being in a league in which a team is competitive improves attendance
Being in a league in which a team is competitive improves recruiting
Being in a league in which a team is competitive attracts stonger coaching candidates
 
Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

laker_one said:
Bringing the Atlantic Hockey schools in would be awful! We would be almost right back in the situation we were trying to avoid. I don't understand why the Minnesota or Alaska schools in the WCHA would agree to this or why the Atlantic Hockey schools who apparently didn't want to be in a league with us or Alaska would have changed their minds. The Bowling Green newspaper keeps pushing this story, and the BGSU AD sounds like he is trying to make it happen. I guess it would be better for BG, but it doesn't seem like a good deal for anyone else.

The article also mentions Air Force as a potential WCHA member, which is an interesting possibility that I had not thought of.


EDIT: I just read a little more in the BG paper. Sounds like they are trying to stay in the CCHA by bringing in the four Atlantic Hockey schools, and also adding the Univ. of Buffalo which has expressed interest in upgrading its program. That would bring them to five teams. They've talked to Air Force as well, which seems like a bit of a stretch. Alabama-Huntsville would seem like a more obvious fit to get them to six, although I didn't see them mentioned in the article. Interesting move.
Click to expand...

I think you are right. It's more likely that it's Bowling Green, the AHA4, Buffalo and possibly Huntsville forming a new conference or operating under the CCHA banner. But you never know what might happen.
 
Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

3dognight said:
I believe the new WCHA was the BEST situation for LSSU.
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It was the best situation where all the options were poor, a more accurate way of saying is that the program ended up with the best of worst.

Being in a league in which a team is competitive improves attendance
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This is the silver lining in the big black cloud. There is no reason why LSSU cannot be competitive in such a league and challenge for the conference title on a yearly basis giving the program the real opportunity of advancing towards the NCAA tournament regularly. In the end, I think the majority of the fans in the Soo do not really care about the caliber of a league or competition, as long as the product on the ice is winning. Take a look at the Soo Eagles for confirmation of that, they play in what is in reality a Junior B league yet have an enthusiastic following because they are league champions.

Myself, I will deeply miss watching the Michigans and Notre Dames at the Abel and it will be hard for me to shake off the feeling that the program has taken a huge step backwards in terms of leagues and talent...but that is just me and like I said, a winning team will bring out far more fans than those who may be disgruntled at the way things played out over the past year.
 
Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

However things ultimately shake out, the key is that all three UP teams are in the same conference. There's no reason that some combination of two out of three can't be in the top half of the new WCHA most years.
 
Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

It is interesting that we are talking negative about the WCHA and LSSU making it into it. When two months ago we thought it was a long shot at best. Even when the best happens we seem to have this negative come over us. The other scenario was some mutated version of the CCHA yuck. This league will be an awesome showcase. As for recruiting the Alaska teams I do not see any negative on them. As for the other teams I actually think it will be positive to recruit. One of the teams will be getting a bid. They may not attract the blue chip first liners which teams like LSSU recieved few if any in any given recruiting season in the CCHA. On the other hand I think it increases their calling card for all the other blue and red chip players as they have a shot in this league of getting that bid. There is something to be said about being a big fish in a little pond. Not to mention the history of rivalaries this league could format. I also think this league has a good shot at creating a niche cable TV spotlight. I hope the league is looking into that.
 
Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

What a shock . Lake State has been picked to finish 10th in the coaches poll and media poll. Also,if Notre Dame does go to the NCHC,look for another team to be pulled out of the WCHA . My guess is it would be Bemidji.

Do the Lakers have that little talent that 10th place is their best hope ?
 
Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

Well folks....with the preseason polls released and games beginning this weekend...it is time for my self imposed moratorium from the board. 10th place predictions must be seen as discouraging.

We will continue to post project updates on the norriscenterproject.com website, but I will keep my grumblings and rants to my own home, and the 3 dogs that make up my post ID I plan on many trips to the Soo to watch the Lakers, esp early in the season. Bemidji, MSU, and even BGSU will tell the tale of where this team is heading........

Good Luck to the Lakers, I will be there to cheer you on........see everyone here in the spring!

It has been an interesting summer, eh?
 
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Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

sm2pk said:
What a shock . Lake State has been picked to finish 10th in the coaches poll and media poll. Also,if Notre Dame does go to the NCHC,look for another team to be pulled out of the WCHA . My guess is it would be Bemidji.

Do the Lakers have that little talent that 10th place is their best hope ?
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I think goaltending is going to put the Lakers in the top half this season. The tonic for lack of goalscoring is a tough defense and good goaltending. Kapalka is going to slam the door many, many times this season.

I don't think BSU is heading to the NCHC. If the NCHC wants to poach an additional team, I think they would look at BGSU first. I am curious if that is what BGSU is REALLY plotting. Or perhaps they look at Air Force. I know Air Force is happy with the AHA because of the scholarship issues and the level of play, adn they paly Army -- but USAFA has a nice rink, is in Colorado, and is a stable, well funded program. And I bet they would be very happy to play road games closer to home in Denver and CC, as well as shorter flights to Omaha and UND. And the prestige level increase would not be bad either. I bet Denver and CC would LOVE to have Air Force in the NCHC -- they too get shorter road trips, a local team, and a fairly solid national brand. The problem would be Air Force's ability to compete.
 
Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

It's looking like Notre Dame will join Hockey East with RPI. I sure hope the NCHC doesn't try and poach Bemidji and MSU-M. I doubt it will happen but stranger things have happened.

Also I'm not one bit surprised the Lakers were picked 10th. If Kapalka gets injured and is out for a while, the Lakers might be screwed and very well could finish dead last. Hope the Lakers prove me and everyone else wrong.
 
Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

LSSULaker889294 said:
It's looking like Notre Dame will join Hockey East with RPI. I sure hope the NCHC doesn't try and poach Bemidji and MSU-M. I doubt it will happen but stranger things have happened.
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The NCHC said today that Notre Dame is the only team they will consider going over 8 members for. How much of that interview was PR control is anyone's guess, but Ken Ralph seemed fairly candid.
 
Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

sm2pk said:
Actually,I thought Bowling Green would be picked 10th and lakers 11th .
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So the Lakers are already exceeding your expectations ...which means we can expect to see much less of your moaning and groaning, Chicken Little scenarios, right?

Because, really, I'm having a difficult time differentiating between you and Truth Squad anymore.
 
Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

Neil Diamond said:
So the Lakers are already exceeding your expectations ...which means we can expect to see much less of your moaning and groaning, Chicken Little scenarios, right?

Because, really, I'm having a difficult time differentiating between you and Truth Squad anymore.
Click to expand...

Confusing you was so simple . There goes another challenge.
 
Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

LSSULaker889294 said:
Also I'm not one bit surprised the Lakers were picked 10th. If Kapalka gets injured and is out for a while, the Lakers might be screwed and very well could finish dead last. Hope the Lakers prove me and everyone else wrong.
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I am not really surprised either. It is going to be very tough to replace Schofield and Acton. Hopefully some of the freshmen can be productive right away.
 
Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2011-12

sm2pk said:
What a shock . Lake State has been picked to finish 10th in the coaches poll and media poll. Also,if Notre Dame does go to the NCHC,look for another team to be pulled out of the WCHA . My guess is it would be Bemidji.

Do the Lakers have that little talent that 10th place is their best hope ?
Click to expand...

LSSU has the talent and goaltending to earn a first round home playoff berth in the CCHA.
 
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