RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

[rpi82]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

HE has been an extremely unbalanced league. It's the "best league" because of a handful of "haves", not because it provides strong top to bottom competition and opportunity. The same teams show up in the top 4 or 5 with an occasional "have not" (e.g. Merrimack) sneaking up into the top 3 before quickly falling back without so much as a regular season or tournament title. BC, BU, UNH or Maine has won every regular season title in the league's 27 year history and the last 15 tournaments. In fact, it may actually be getting more lopsided as either BC or BU has won every tournament in the last 7 years. By contrast, there have been 5 different ECAC champions in those 7 years (Cornell and Yale winning twice along with one each for Princeton, Clarkson and Harvard). In a couple of years HE will add ND to the mix of haves. There is no reason not to expect that it will be BC, BU, UNH, ND (and maybe Maine) dominating every year.

 

[engineerhockeyfan]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

It turns out that I have two tickets available for the BRF.
They will be available Saturday night for face value.
Anybody interested?
They will go to the first person who replies.

 

[troyboy]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

Finishing in the top half of the ECAC or making their conference tournament has been a problem for RPI for a decade and I don't see anyone here calling for them to move to Atlantic Hockey. If there are people that don't believe RPI should move the best league in the East if not the country, given the opportunity, then I have to wonder what your motivation is in cheering for RPI hockey. This is an absolute no brainer IMO. Any ECAC teams that RPI has a rival with or draw any fans to the fieldhouse could be scheduled in non-league play. I'm guessing that a home schedule with BU,BC,Maine,UNH,UVM,UNH,ND with Cornell, Clarkson & Union mixed in would be very attractive to local fans and probably wouldn't hurt in New Englamd recruiting where RPI has become almost non-existent.

Spot On !!!

 

[fishcore12]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

Let us see here....Potsdam and Canton for a weekend or Boston for a weekend a couple times a year, Schenectady or South Bend,....Sign me up for Hockey East please.

 

[redhead18]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

Couldnt RPI just schedule these Hockey East teams out of conference on a more regular basis, especially considering they'll soon have 12 or 14 non conference dates to fill, while we stay in a conference we have an actual chance at winning?

Regarding the tv contract, if RPI does join Hockey East, I wonder how many times we'd see them on tv when NBC has Notre Dame, BC, BU, etc... to pick from?

Definately an interesting topic with both its positives and negatives.

 

[Jasma]

IMHo, we have outrecruited those schools in recent years. Outplay is a separate problem.

You might win that argument. This seson may be a bump in the road, too. Time wil tell. Good recruits don't mean much if they don't perform.

 

[rpi82]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

Let us see here....Potsdam and Canton for a weekend or Boston for a weekend a couple times a year, Schenectady or South Bend,....Sign me up for Hockey East please.

Bangor, Durham, Amherst and Lowell are hardly hotspots. While a move to HE might make Boston and Chicago alumni happy, it will definitely reduce the opportunity for alums in CT, NJ, metro NYC and Central NY (each of which has a large alumni organization) to see the team on a frequent basis. We would also be going from a league where we are essentially the center of gravity, to one where we are on the edge (actually we might again be the center of gravity, but only because the final team is 800 miles to the west). Does that matter much? Perhaps not because all but the trips to Bangor and South Bend are quite manageable, but I wouldn't expect a lot of attention from the media and fans of the other teams. For those in the Boston/Eastern Mass. and Providence markets anything west of Worcester is considered beyond the edge of civilization. Location is one of the reasons UMass gets less attention from media, residents and politicians than the vast majority of flagship universities in the country.

 

[fishcore12]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

Bangor, Durham, Amherst and Lowell are hardly hotspots. While a move to HE might make Boston and Chicago alumni happy, it will definitely reduce the opportunity for alums in CT, NJ, metro NYC and Central NY (each of which has a large alumni organization) to see the team on a frequent basis. We would also be going from a league where we are essentially the center of gravity, to one where we are on the edge (actually we might again be the center of gravity, but only because the final team is 800 miles to the west). Does that matter much? Perhaps not because all but the trips to Bangor and South Bend are quite manageable, but I wouldn't expect a lot of attention from the media and fans of the other teams. For those in the Boston/Eastern Mass. and Providence markets anything west of Worcester is considered beyond the edge of civilization. Location is one of the reasons UMass gets less attention from media, residents and politicians than the vast majority of flagship universities in the country.

All good points from an alumni standpoint, however the on-ice product would benefit from stepping up in class by going to HE and playing some of the best teams in the east and country. This is a call out of most of our hands here (except Ralph, I think he is actually a hockey team staff member ) and its great to debate the good and bad of moving. If the powers that be decide to stay in the ECAC so be it, just know my loyalty to the team wont waver no matter where we may or may not end up in a year or two.

 

[redhead18]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

Heres some updated news on a couple possible rule changes for college hockey next season:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=614758

"Survey says!"

That's the lead headline quote in the recent January edition of "Stops and Starts," the American Hockey Coaches Association publication.

Hockey East commissioner and AHCA Executive Director Joe Bertagna offered some unscientific results from a poll he sent to all coaches last November around possible rules changes in the new NCAA on-ice rule book coming in June.

Here are few quotes from Bertagna around the same two major rules that NHL.com conducted last season in an unscientific survey with current NHL players from the NCAA ranks in a two-part series -- namely a new overtime format, and the possible adoption of half-shields/visors.

* "There is broad support for going to 4-on-4 overtime, though most coaches prefer that a team get some credit for if tied after 60 minutes." (Currently, OT is five minutes at 5-on-5; a win in OT is two points for the winner and none for the losing team; one point for each in a final tie.)

* "Some who want 4-on-4 also want a shootout if the game remains tied, but not a majority of the 4-on-4 crowd."

* 52 of 59 programs responded to the question: "If you could make one change to the Rule Book:" The No. 1 response was "4-on-4 Overtime." No. 2 was "Leave the book as it is." No. 3 was "Allow half shields/visors."

Look for the NCAA to adopt the NHL rule of a five-minute, 4-on-4 OT with two points to a winner and one to a loser if the tie is broken, and nix any move to half-shields/visors, for reasons mostly associated with insurance and liability from facial injuries.

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

Couldnt RPI just schedule these Hockey East teams out of conference on a more regular basis, especially considering they'll soon have 12 or 14 non conference dates to fill, while we stay in a conference we have an actual chance at winning?

Regarding the tv contract, if RPI does join Hockey East, I wonder how many times we'd see them on tv when NBC has Notre Dame, BC, BU, etc... to pick from?

Definitely an interesting topic with both its positives and negatives.

Completely agree. We haven't sniffed an RS or tourney title in forever. Union is getting it done with no schollies and a DOT road salt bunker for a rink. Cornell and Yale are perennial league contenders. Show me some consistency in a league where should be competing right now, then I'll listen to the HE pitch.

Sneddon and Cahoon can tell you first hand how tough the sledding is in HE.

 

[rpi82]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

Heres some updated news on a couple possible rule changes for college hockey next season:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=614758

If they are going to give points for overtime losses I'd rather they go to 3 points for a regulation win, two points for an OT win and one point for an OT tie. The NHL system where some games are worth two points and others are worth three makes no sense to me whatsoever. It encourages teams to avoid taking chances and sit on a tie late in regulation to ensure a point and go for the win in OT (since an OT win is worth just as much as one in regulation).

 

[knsmith]

If they are going to give points for overtime losses I'd rather they go to 3 points for a regulation win, two points for an OT win and one point for an OT tie. The NHL system where some games are worth two points and others are worth three makes no sense to me whatsoever. It encourages teams to avoid taking chances and sit on a tie late in regulation to ensure a point and go for the win in OT (since an OT win is worth just as much as one in regulation).

But your proposal suffers from the same problem (some games award three points, others two).

 

[burgie12]

But your proposal suffers from the same problem (some games award three points, others two).

Not if shootouts are mandated (which would be awful). Or it could go to a four-point system.

4: Regulation win
3: OT win
2: Tie
1: OT loss
0: Regulation loss

The key point is that not every game being worth the same number of points is the worst thing to happen to sports since the designated hitter.

 

[rpi82]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

But your proposal suffers from the same problem (some games award three points, others two).

True. I was basing that on shootouts to determine a winner (although for some strange reason I wrote "OT tie" when I meant "OT loss"). If there are no shootouts then it would have the scenario where a game is only worth 2 points (tie after OT). However, I think it would still be better than the NHL point system because it incents going for the win in regulation and OT.

 

[joecct]

Let us see here....Potsdam and Canton for a weekend or Boston for a weekend a couple times a year, Schenectady or South Bend,....Sign me up for Hockey East please.

Try spending 5 years there. However we said the same thing about Troy.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

If they are going to give points for overtime losses I'd rather they go to 3 points for a regulation win, two points for an OT win and one point for an OT tie. The NHL system where some games are worth two points and others are worth three makes no sense to me whatsoever. It encourages teams to avoid taking chances and sit on a tie late in regulation to ensure a point and go for the win in OT (since an OT win is worth just as much as one in regulation).

I don't see why the NCAA would start giving points for making it to overtime. If they were to implement the shootout, why wouldn't they just do what the CCHA does? 3 for a win, lose 1 to the other team if it's in a shootout.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

Try spending 5 years there. However we said the same thing about Troy.

At least we didn't need a passport to experience civilization.

 

[DrDemento]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

Not if shootouts are mandated (which would be awful). Or it could go to a four-point system.

4: Regulation win
3: OT win
2: Tie
1: OT loss
0: Regulation loss

The key point is that not every game being worth the same number of points is the worst thing to happen to sports since the designated hitter.

Exactly. Could not agree more. As far as the designated hitter-just an abomination that distorts the entire game. Virtually every record in the books of the American League since the introduction of the DH is affected and can not and should not be compared to records before it's introduction. Besides, it takes a great deal of the strategy involved out of the game. Some of the rule changes that have been introduced in hockey (at the NHL level for sure) have done the same. I just do not understand the need to tinker with hockey at all-it is still the most exciting sport. Can anyone imagine deciding the Stanley Cup on a shootout? This is not soccer and the Stanley Cup is not the World Cup.

 

[FreshFish]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

I think having a shoot-out at the end of a game if it is tied after one OT is a terrible idea. Ties have been a long-established and respected part of the game for a very long time.

Not just in hockey, either. In soccer many games end in a tie (I much prefer 3 points for win and 1 point for tie as they do in soccer). A majority of chess matches end in a draw and they don't have the players get into an arm-wrestling contest to determine the winner. Golf has ties for all finishing places other than first (and regular-season games are part of the schedule that to me fit into an analogous category).

Foisting a shoot-out onto college hockey removes it from an athletic contest to a game show. Maybe the pros need that to sell tickets, we don't need that in college hockey.

 

[joecct]

Re: RPI 2011-12 Part V: Don't Stop Believing

The NCAA does not like ties. They must have a thing about the .5 after wins or losses.

If the OT is 5x5
3 for a win in regulation or OT
2 points shootout win
1 point for shootout loss

If the OT is a gimmick
then each team gets a point after 60 minutes and they play for the extra point in the OT/SO.

But what happens if the lights go out after 2 with the score tied?