Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Offseason 2011 - Dreaming About 2011-2012 <<<<<
Re: >>>>> RIT TIGERS - Offseason 2011 - Dreaming About 2011-2012 <<<<<
DISCLAIMER: I am an RPI fan, this discussion has been happening on the RPI thread and my viewpoint happens to line up with most of those posters (although I don't believe that RPI is as much of a slam-dunk to be the 12th team as most of them), but my talking points / arguments have pretty much become an amalgamated version of my team's fans.
If ND stays in the west, the east could breathe a sigh of relief and not change a thing if they so choose.
Scuttlebutt says that HEA is recruiting Notre Dame, and not just in a "Hey, we see you over there, it'd be cool if you join us, but if you don't want to, that's cool, too!" way, either.
but I could see the ECAC split happening if the hockey world moves to small conferences to maximize autobids. All the teams are stable, so two small leagues could be advantageous to all.
Doubtful. The only reason the Ivies would want the split is if they weren't winning the autobid. The last time a non-Ivy won the autobid from the ECAC was in 2007 to a red-hot Clarkson team and 2001 before that. They're happy and content now and I don't imagine any of them upsetting the apple cart.
I can't even imagine why Hockey East would admit Notre Dame. They complain about having to travel to New York; traveling to Indiana once a year would be torturous.
It's once every other year. (The current proposed schedule that is floating around is similar to the ECAC's 22-game schedule, but without the travel partners (obviously). It would be a home-and-home with each team, except for Notre Dame, where you would alternate two-away, two-home.) And, Notre Dame brings name recognition and an up-and-coming program who can help raise the HEA's profile (not that they need their profile raised, but they need to look like they're striving to keep up with the Big 10 and the non-WCHA with recruits) and it allows them to expand, which they're apparently trying to do.
That and WMU would probably try to follow into Hockey East... and I don't think Hockey East would want that.
Try. Key word.
That's why I think Hockey East would look at a Qpac
No history, arena is too small, not enough fans.
or UConn (but only if they were serious about hockey, which they are not).
You answered your own question on that one.
I don't see what WMU brings to the Hockey East table. They had 1 good year. The just lost their head coach to the NHL. They are a MAC school, so it's not like they have major name recognition. Notre Dame and Hockey East doesn't need them.
This. This. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand.... this.
If Notre Dame goes west, they probably bring WMU with them. If they go east, it's HEA's decision. JMO.
