Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

[Sec2 Row 13 Seats 567]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

I agree with JJF about the ground breaking ceremony. They must have a special twitter or hand shake to alert the "in" crowd as to when it was going to be held and the long time season ticket holders are not part of the "in" crowd. But my real guess is that Darin and his Sports Marketing group just dropped the ball big time. When was the last time you went to a ground breaking after the building was already under constuction? Somebody reality blew a great opportunity to market this great new facility. I will say, it looks like they finally learned their lesson about "Drop the Puck". Only season ticket holders this year, instead of the previous 2 years free for all. Looking forward to a great year of hockey.
Don

 

[dggoddard]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

With Notre Dame spending all this money on the new Arena, what is the feeling up there about the CCHA potentially splitting up?

Seems like Notre Dame would have five possible choices if the Big 10 teams leave.

1). Remain in the CCHA

2). Join the BTHC

3). Join Hockey East

4). Form a Eastern conference

5). Form a Western conference

 

[Craig P.]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

With Notre Dame spending all this money on the new Arena, what is the feeling up there about the CCHA potentially splitting up?

Seems like Notre Dame would have five possible choices if the Big 10 teams leave.

1). Remain in the CCHA

2). Join the BTHC

3). Join Hockey East

4). Form a Eastern conference

5). Form a Western conference

I don't see #3 or #4 as viable options unless something interesting happens out east. Hockey East has an even number of teams and no pressing need to alter anything about their relatively-compact state.

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

I'd agree with Craig on 3 and 4. Don't see that as anything other than a pretty remote possibility. As far as joining a potential BTHC, I could see this at least being discussed by the PTB at Notre Dame, assuming of course it comes with no other attachment to the Big Ten being required. I could also see it leading to quite a few exploding heads among the most ardent ND alums who favor football independence, perhaps fearing it would amount to a "dipping your toe into the water" sort of an action regarding how well Notre Dame would fit into any sort of a Big Ten culture. But even after PSU joins our little D1 hockey party, I'm not completely sold on the inevitability of a BTHC.

One thing I'm certain of though, is that Notre Dame's fairly recent conversion to a school that gives a crap about hockey has left it in a fairly decent position when it comes to weighing all the potential options should the alliances and alignments begin to shift. Much like Penn State is in already just by joining the ranks of D1 to begin with. What worries me the most is not where Notre Dame ends up, its what happens to the the Ferris States, Western Michigans and UAHs of the college hockey world. I like most of what we have here and I'm not sure adding anything to it is worth losing anything we already have.

 

[Craig P.]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

I think there's at least a chance that the BTHC forms more or less as is (six teams, lots of non-conference games against their former conference mates, at least at the outset), then ND and Miami team up with the top end of the remainder of the WCHA to make a new major western conference, with the Michigan schools (and BGSU if they survive) and bottom end of the WCHA going into some sort of a mid-major conference, possibly lower-budget like AHA.

I wouldn't necessarily say it's the likely outcome, but I think it's within the realm of possibility.

 

[Third Family Member]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

While I welcome the addition of Penn State to Div. 1 college hockey, I sincerely hope all this talk about possibly a BTHC is nothing more than pipe dreams. To me, the bottom line is that there simply are not enough Div. 1 college hockey teams in the country to be thinking of fashioning out a new conference, depleting the numbers of the existing conferences. There's a reason the old adage "strength in numbers" has held true for so long, to say nothing of the equally powerful "divide and conquer".

 

[Craig P.]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

If I may offer a counterpoint, we've reached a point where the established conferences are more or less saturated, which poses a barrier to entry for any new program that doesn't want to be shuffled off to independent or CHA style limbo (with the exception of the open slot in the CCHA which is now looking to have been held open with the intention of offering it to PSU).

Although I'm very concerned about the impact of a BTHC on non-Integer programs (particularly the BGSU's, FSU's, and WMU's of college hockey), there's no denying that a bit of realignment in the west and midwest could break the deadlock that blocks further expansion.

 

[dggoddard]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Looks like Notre Dame got invited to the "Club."

Poster over on Gopher Puck Live says Notre Dame is going to also play in the BTHC.

http://www.gopherpucklive.com/forum/...rt=450#p313095

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

The older I get, the dumber I get, so bear with me on this:

None of the BTHC makes sense to me. If there is going to be one, and simply MSU, UM and OSU are pulled away, I guess I could understand the league not taking UAH. That leaves the CCHA with an even number and supposedly Miami and ND the "marquee" teams (although, 2 "marquee" teams isn't much to sustain a league) (and no offense whatsoever intended toward the other league teams).

However, what would have been the harm in ensuring that your league not shrink quite as much by taking UAH? Especially if PSU was never coming to the CCHA in the first place. Why leave a D1 team to slowly die?

However part II, if the league loses the above mentioned and ND (assuming they would accept the invite), then what was the point of not taking UAH? They won't survive for 4 years until the BTHC supposedly gets up and running, so that leaves the league with an odd number and only Miami as the "marquee" team. A worse scheduling nightmare than 11 teams. They couldn't make it with Miami being the only huge draw.

However part III, what's to keep the BTHC from asking DU and NoDak also, if they are willing to ask ND? They would be a small conference even with ND, so they may try to poach more big names. Where would that leave both the CCHA and the WCHA? (Again no offense whatsoever intended toward the remaining teams in either league.) I can't see the WCHA being okay with losing UW and Minny, 2 humongous draws, let alone losing anyone else.

I still feel there will be no BTHC, UAH was cut loose because the PTB knew about PSU and the CCHA will pick them up in 2012 or 2013, leaving UAH to ultimately die out and the CCHA to regain a 12th team.

Reactions? Thoughts? Clarification on any holes in my "howevers?"

 

[Hokydad]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

zero chance at hockey east

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Looks like Notre Dame got invited to the "Club."

I think invitations to the BTHC are a bit premature. While all 58 teams are probably assessing what PSU and a potential BTHC will lead to (especially the CCHA and WCHA teams, as well as UAH), it hasn't gotten to a stage anywhere near that formal yet. Notre Dame will listen to any proposals because they will (hopefully) do whatever it takes to protect their stake in D1 hockey, which is quite obviously bigger now than it was when they were the last big name-brand school to upgrade a program.

None of the BTHC makes sense to me.

I agree. We don't need a BTHC. The Big Ten doesn't need a BTHC. And even the Big Ten Network doesn't really NEED a BTHC. But the Big Ten also doesn't work and play well with others and it wants to control as much of the athletic pie as it possibly can, whether or not it hurts a particular sport, or the schools that compete in it. A BTHC would potentially be a game changing disaster for many current D1 programs, more than a few of which call the CCHA home.

If there is going to be one, and simply MSU, UM and OSU are pulled away, I guess I could understand the league not taking UAH. That leaves the CCHA with an even number and supposedly Miami and ND the "marquee" teams (although, 2 "marquee" teams isn't much to sustain a league) (and no offense whatsoever intended toward the other league teams).

Well, don't forget the CCHA managed to sustain itself pretty well with just two "marquee" teams for years from the 80s until pretty recently. MSU and UM were clearly the league draws and powers, with a run here or there by MU or LSSU as nearly equals on the ice, but never at the gate. Not saying it could happen again under the ND/MU scenario, just that it happened before, and for a good portion of that time I think the CCHA was looked upon as a much more formidable conference than has been the case in the last decade or so.

I still feel there will be no BTHC, UAH was cut loose because the PTB knew about PSU and the CCHA will pick them up in 2012 or 2013 ... ... and the CCHA to regain a 12th team.

I think there is some validity to this belief (leaving out the UAH part). I'm sure there were plenty of inside sources who had a pretty strong inkling of PSUs eventual announcement, and this was more or less confirmed to me by ND athletic sources. Did anyone doubt it any longer when the FFs in PA were announced? Two people in Notre Dame's athletic department (one fairly high up the food chain, one mid-level but connected to hockey) also hinted to me that there were other factors completely separate from UAH proper as to why the CCHA declined to admit them after their most recent application, with different schools expressing different reasons, and all unwilling to go on the record. I still don't know HOW ND voted or specifically their reasons for whatever they felt was the right course of action. I was just told there were reasons other than whether or not it was a simple as "Is UAH a correct fit for the CCHA?" that led the CCHA to the decision to exclude UAH at the time the vote was taken.

 

[SteveP]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

I'll stay out of the BTHC talk, but it looks like Kris Versteeg likes what he sees from Christian Hanson. From today's Toronto Sun:

One player that made a mark on Monday was Christian Hanson, looking solid in his natural centre position. Hanson scored a goal in the intra-squad tilt but his physical presence in the corners was most noticeable ... Versteeg on Hanson: “He’s a big, strong kid. He should be — his father is a freakin’ Hanson brother.”

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Forgot to congratulate SteveP on the Penn State announcement. Hopefully as this moves forward your involvement will continue. You've been around Happy Valley for a while now and should see this thing through to its fruition.

 

[SteveP]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Forgot to congratulate SteveP on the Penn State announcement. Hopefully as this moves forward your involvement will continue. You've been around Happy Valley for a while now and should see this thing through to its fruition.

Thanks. Having been briefly around South Bend and also Colorado College when the Tigers moved into the World Arena, I hope to be behind the mic three years from now.

I'm expecting ND will be an early test for the Nittany Lions.

 

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

You may have to sift through several videos, but in here is the post-game interview of Christian Hanson's first NHL fight. The Leafs got smoked, but Hanson didn't.

 

[SteveP]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

You may have to sift through several videos, but in here is the post-game interview of Christian Hanson's first NHL fight. The Leafs got smoked, but Hanson didn't.

Toronto Sun:

Centre Christian Hanson had his first NHL scrap late in the game (with an easy decision over Brian Lee) and afterward talked about adding to the Hanson family legacy.

 

[NDhockeyfan7]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

I dont know if anyone has looked at the roster on UND.com lately but, Eric Ringel is labeled as an undergraduate assistant coach. Does anyone know what that means?

 

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

I dont know if anyone has looked at the roster on UND.com lately but, Eric Ringel is labeled as an undergraduate assistant coach. Does anyone know what that means?

It means Ringel is still experiencing symptoms from the multiple concussions he was saddled with last season and is not expected to play. Jackson said last year that was a distinct possibility.

 

[SteveP]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

You may have to sift through several videos, but in here is the post-game interview of Christian Hanson's first NHL fight. The Leafs got smoked, but Hanson didn't.

Christian drops 'em again tonight against the Flyers. Leafs PBP'er Joe Bowen says "I think Dad and son spent some time in the garage this summer!"

 

[SteveP]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Hanson roofs one to send the shootout to the 10th round!

Now in round 11 and counting...... Colby Armstrong wins it for the Leafs in the 11th.