New WCHA is dead

[Numbers]

Re: New WCHA is dead

My guess would be that some reschedule work would be done so all teams play an equal number of games. Four teams play Anchorage four times and Fairbanks twice. The other four play the opposite. Each team would lose six games.

I've not looked closely at the schedule, but if each team loses 6 games, that leaves the entire conference with 22 games. So, some teams would have 10 home and 12 away, and some teams would have 12 home and 10 away. Also, it would seem that 22 games among 7 opponents would mean 4 games with 4 opponents, and 2 games with 3 opponents.

For example: Bemidji @ Mich Tech on Nov 1 & 2 would fill one hole in both schedules. It would be an open weekend, the home/road matches, and they are scheduled to play only one series against each other. I think something like this could be found for everyone, although I am not going to take the time to look for it.

One would think that open dates would allow a second series to balance the home/road schedule and make the matrix 4games/5opponents, 2games/2opponents = 2 games. Not ideal, but only losing 2 home dates for each school, and no Alaska travel. Perhaps a wash for this year anyway.

 

[Lost_Husky]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Oxford’s in SW Ohio.

I had a typo. Edited and corrected.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: New WCHA is dead

So what are the odds that both Alaska teams survive? Second what are the odds 1 alaska team survives and last what are the odds both Alaska teams drop ?

 

[Deman]

Re: New WCHA is dead

So what are the odds that both Alaska teams survive? Second what are the odds 1 alaska team survives and last what are the odds both Alaska teams drop ?

Unless the politicians that voted for the budget in the first place put on their big boy pants and vote to override their governor, then the chances of either team surviving is, in my opinion, at or approaching nil.

Unless an alumni donates a ton of money, I don't think we'll be seeing either team. Taking a look at both school's alumni reports, there aren't many options for player donations. Plenty have moved on to go pro, but mostly at the ECHL/AHL level, and a ton in Europe (at least in the last 10 years or so).

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Unless the politicians that voted for the budget in the first place put on their big boy pants and vote to override their governor, then the chances of either team surviving is, in my opinion, at or approaching nil.

Unless an alumni donates a ton of money, I don't think we'll be seeing either team. Taking a look at both school's alumni reports, there aren't many options for player donations. Plenty have moved on to go pro, but mostly at the ECHL/AHL level, and a ton in Europe (at least in the last 10 years or so).

pretty sure its too late on the veto. They have to vote on a whole new budget and soon.

 

[devildog]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Unless the politicians that voted for the budget in the first place put on their big boy pants and vote to override their governor, then the chances of either team surviving is, in my opinion, at or approaching nil.

Unless an alumni donates a ton of money, I don't think we'll be seeing either team. Taking a look at both school's alumni reports, there aren't many options for player donations. Plenty have moved on to go pro, but mostly at the ECHL/AHL level, and a ton in Europe (at least in the last 10 years or so).

When all this started, I guess I didn't realize this could or was going to happen for the upcoming season. What about the players? These guys are really in a bind.

 

[davyd83]

When all this started, I guess I didn't realize this could or was going to happen for the upcoming season. What about the players? These guys are really in a bind.

Most other teams have their scholarships completely set for this year and next.

 

[MTUHuskies]

Re: New WCHA is dead

And it's not just the hockey players. There are many majors that will be cut, leaving kids halfway to a degree with very few options to finish. Incoming students will not be admitted, leaving them with few options as well. That is only the university side of the problem which is $130M of the $444M in total cuts. It is a bad situation that goes far beyond the rink. Hockey is not the biggest problem in that state right now.

 

[Deman]

Re: New WCHA is dead

When all this started, I guess I didn't realize this could or was going to happen for the upcoming season. What about the players? These guys are really in a bind.

I imagine some will go to their respective CHL leagues, Europeans may go back to their old teams (if they played juniors in Europe), some may drop to D3. A few might get lucky and find a spot on another D1 team, but without a scholorship. I haven't been around long enough to see a team fold, but I'm assuming the NCAA waives the 1 year wait period to join another D1 team if their original folds, yeah?

Just sucks all around, for the players, fans, students who may have to figure something out a month before school starts, teachers & staff trying to find something new. What a mess.

 

[davyd83]

I've not looked closely at the schedule, but if each team loses 6 games, that leaves the entire conference with 22 games. So, some teams would have 10 home and 12 away, and some teams would have 12 home and 10 away. Also, it would seem that 22 games among 7 opponents would mean 4 games with 4 opponents, and 2 games with 3 opponents.

For example: Bemidji @ Mich Tech on Nov 1 & 2 would fill one hole in both schedules. It would be an open weekend, the home/road matches, and they are scheduled to play only one series against each other. I think something like this could be found for everyone, although I am not going to take the time to look for it.

One would think that open dates would allow a second series to balance the home/road schedule and make the matrix 4games/5opponents, 2games/2opponents = 2 games. Not ideal, but only losing 2 home dates for each school, and no Alaska travel. Perhaps a wash for this year anyway.

The league would be reduced to 8 teams, so you would have 7 opponents

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: New WCHA is dead

The other big issue would be that without some kind of NCAA waiver, even if the teams could get back up to 28 conference games, most teams would go over the NCAA limits because they've already committed to NC series that put them over without the Alaska exempt games. So most likely any change would be about getting to a 24 game schedule.

 

[davyd83]

I imagine some will go to their respective CHL leagues, Europeans may go back to their old teams (if they played juniors in Europe), some may drop to D3. A few might get lucky and find a spot on another D1 team, but without a scholorship. I haven't been around long enough to see a team fold, but I'm assuming the NCAA waives the 1 year wait period to join another D1 team if their original folds, yeah?

Just sucks all around, for the players, fans, students who may have to figure something out a month before school starts, teachers & staff trying to find something new. What a mess.

The one year rule would be waived. It was waived when UAH announced their shutdown and several key players had left before they restarted. When UAB dropped football, players were immediately eligible to play elsewhere.

 

[davyd83]

The other big issue would be that without some kind of NCAA waiver, even if the teams could get back up to 28 conference games, most teams would go over the NCAA limits because they've already committed to NC series that put them over without the Alaska exempt games. So most likely any change would be about getting to a 24 game schedule.

That’s a very interesting point. I wouldn’t be shocked if, worst case scenario, the league adopted a 24 game conference schedule for this season. I think that one part that the league would have to note is to protect scheduled flights. Those to or from Huntsville. Possibly Bemidji or Mankato to Bowling Green or Ferris, and create as few new flights as possible.

 

[Scrum Bucket]

Re: New WCHA is dead

pretty sure its too late on the veto. They have to vote on a whole new budget and soon.

WHen it comes to funding government functions and other supported infrastructure, Alaska is the king of "Just In Time". It seems like every couple of years there is a major crisis narrowly averted at the last second....I would not be surprised if a significant portion of the education funding is restored miraculously in the 11th hour....or not....

 

[aparch]

The one year rule would be waived. It was waived when UAH announced their shutdown and several key players had left before they restarted.

It was also waived when Wayne State folded. The scholarships were still honored by the school for those kids who wanted to stay and graduate, but if the Alaska University System cuts programs as well, it's going to be a scramble.

 

[Numbers]

Re: New WCHA is dead

The league would be reduced to 8 teams, so you would have 7 opponents

This is what I was saying. If you cancel the Alaska games, then everyone loses 6 games, leaving everyone with 22. That's not balanced, because it's going to be 12H/10R or 10H/12R.

But it's also not balanced in regard to who you play. Each school would end up with 3 free weekends, because of the cancelled series.

What I am saying is that, surely, there is enough flex in the way that would work, that each school could easily pick up one more series against a school with whom they only had one series scheduled.

That would make a 24-game sched. Not ideal, but perhaps acceptable in a crisis situation.

The 24 games would be 12H/12R, and the matrix would be:
4 ga vs 5 opponents
2 ga vs 2 opponents

And, as an example, I gave: BSU @ MTU on Nov 1/2 would balance both of their schedules in the way I have mentioned.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: New WCHA is dead

also be interesting if any of the teams play the Alaska schools NC would end up trying to play a different WCHA team, probably not since those were likely extra games...

 

[ticapnews]

Re: New WCHA is dead

also be interesting if any of the teams play the Alaska schools NC would end up trying to play a different WCHA team, probably not since those were likely extra games...

Maine is set to host UAA in October. Ferris State has an open weekend and Michigan Tech would be available since the Huskies wouldn't be playing UA. Barring a new WCHA schedule, both teams would be at 28 games. Would either of them be interested in traveling to Orono this October?

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: New WCHA is dead

Maine is set to host UAA in October. Ferris State has an open weekend and Michigan Tech would be available since the Huskies wouldn't be playing UA. Barring a new WCHA schedule, both teams would be at 28 games. Would either of them be interested in traveling to Orono this October?

If its me, I'd love to have MTU go to Maine, but I'm not sure they'd want to start with 7 straight on the road.

 

[ticapnews]

Re: New WCHA is dead

If its me, I'd love to have MTU go to Maine, but I'm not sure they'd want to start with 7 straight on the road.

Yeah, that's a problem. If Maine went to Michigan Tech in exchange for the Huskies coming next season then Maine would have six on the road and not play a home game until November.

So I guess that leaves Ferris...