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Stonehill to D-I Independent for 2022-23
- Thread starter AMC
- Start date
Sean Pickett
2009 NCAA Champions
Maine isn't a founding member, as it clearly states on the Hockey East website. Both Maine and Lowell were the first expansion teams, added before league play began.
As for Lowell, I think you are misinformed as to the school's hockey athletic goals. Just because they're in America East doesn't mean that they can't or don't emphasize hockey. I haven't started requesting the 2021 NCAA Financial Reports (and they will be impacted by COVID), but according to the 2020 NCAA and EADA (for the private schools) reports Lowell's hockey expenses were over $3 million, along with BU, BC, NU, PC, UConn and UMass. UNH was at $2.8 million, with Merrimack at $2.5 million, UVM at $2.4 million and Maine last at $2.2 million.
Based on these numbers it's obvious that Maine will be leaving Hockey East before Lowell (and likely anyone else). They also show that BC and BU are committed to hockey. Furthermore, BU is currently searching for a new head coach, which is another sign that they're committed to hockey.
Sean
Sean Pickett
2009 NCAA Champions
For those advocating for more conferences, that would have an adverse impact on the number of at large bids. Even with the new DI teams it's unlikely that the NCAA will expand the tournament so if several conferences split that would reduce the number of at large bids from the current 10. If the splits mentioned here happened that would add three new leagues and reduce the number of at large bids to 7. This season NU could have been out if there was one more league, Lowell could have been out if there were two more leagues and MTU could have been out if there were three more leagues.
Sean
Sean
UncleRay
M-A-I-N-E, GooOOO, Blue!
Four times 18 equals 72. There have been more teams in the tourney than the NC$$ targets for many years
BlackBearFan19
Active member
Sean, you can call them whatever you want to call them, founding member, original member, my point is they’ve been in it since the beginning, Maine is not leaving unless they get kicked out. I’ve always enjoyed your insights and I agree Lowell isn’t going anywhere and it’s dumb to even suggest it. I’m saying if there happened to be a split, I think Lowell likely goes with the state schools (like-minded institutions, similar goals both academically and athletically). Lowell has 100% committed to hockey as their flagship sport, and that is part of the reason they’ve had so much success. Bazin has been successful and they’ve paid him handsomely to keep him around.
My BU/BC comment really was more of an observation. They’re the two best programs in hockey east historically but they feel stale, as do Maine and UNH, but Maine has a coach in place that I think can get the job done. Hiring Quinn back or going with Pandolfo would probably bring back that energy to BU. Hastings is a pipe dream and not an east coast guy so I don’t see that happening.
BC needs to move on from York. He’s arguably the best coach college hockey has ever seen but he’s not putting out the same product he did 10 years ago. Similar to BU, they could attract some top notch coaches so I don’t think it would be hard to inject some life back into the program. Neither school needs new facilities or a new arena, they just need to find the right coach.
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I don't see why we're even entertaining the idea of Hockey East splitting or reducing teams or any of that, because it isnt going to happen. I would be willing to bet almost anything that Hockey East grows to 12 teams before it splits or reduces in size. Which also probably won't happen for a while unless they can somehow convince Quinnipiac to leave the ECAC for HEA, which they've proven many times they are in no hurry to do and may never do.
QUAlum2004
Well-known member
I'd expand to a 20 team tournament with the four #1 seeds getting a bye with the bottom 8 seeds playing each other to get the right to play the #1 seeds.
ExileOnDaytonStreet
Drunkard
I’m not gonna lie, some of the comments about Hockey East in these last dozen or so posts are making Facebook comments look like sophisticated, academic discourse.
Patman
Rodent of Unusual Size
Keep in mind our only reason to cast hate at maine beside the usual is one dumb poster. However... consider where you are across the whole and realize you are dominated by lowell and lowell is dominated by umbc. Maybe you don't realize the last part and I don't like it but umbc is more advanced academically and at scratch with lowell in sports
Patman
Rodent of Unusual Size
There is no need. We are still way over our allotment. Let everything mellow out and see what happens. I still don't understand how Stonehill is going d1. Maybe its my worcester bias being a fitchburg kid but assumption was just as covered as holy cross except hc had their basketball reputation.
ExileOnDaytonStreet
Drunkard
Tournament expansion over a handful of new programs when we have 27% of teams in our tournament field and most other sports only have 19-22% is absurd.
We don’t even know if all of these teams (or the ones that already exist) are going to stick around. We gained 15 teams in two years shortly before the tournament went from 12 teams to 16. 5 of those 15 teams have since dropped the sport.
We don’t even know if all of these teams (or the ones that already exist) are going to stick around. We gained 15 teams in two years shortly before the tournament went from 12 teams to 16. 5 of those 15 teams have since dropped the sport.
Before the expansion 20 years ago weren’t there only four at large bids? I don’t understand the folks who think making the NCAA tourney should be easy.
UncleRay
M-A-I-N-E, GooOOO, Blue!
Just stop reading Drew. He makes as much sense as wearing a turtleneck on a Florida beach.
I wasn't advocating we expand the tournament, I just didn't know what % the NCAA uses. Wasn't sure at what point we would be in line to expand. Of course I am most interested in seeing what Hockey East does. Everyone just assumes nothing will change. Hope people at Maine, UNH and UVM are ready to see the Ls continue to pile up. Certainly fine with me. At the end of the season, three teams had to have a bye weekend down the stretch because they have an odd # of teams. I want a 12th team. And once you get to 12 you at least open the possibility of 14...probably where Atlantic Hockey is headed.
Kepler
Cornell Big Red
16 is an ideal number for the National Tourny, I doubt it will budge.
Periods of expansion are inevitably followed by contraction. We will probably see a bunch of teams fail over the next decade. A couple of the newbies may stick, but also a couple of established programs may go under.
The existing 6 conference structure can accommodate 6 programs, even with the ECAC and NCHC set. Big10 takes Illinois if they join. HE can absorb one. AH takes Navy and somebody else. Augustana is a lock for the CCHA, which makes them odd so they need one more. ASU, UAH, and the UAs have the same outlier issues they have always had. Lindenwood is... Lindenwood.
Periods of expansion are inevitably followed by contraction. We will probably see a bunch of teams fail over the next decade. A couple of the newbies may stick, but also a couple of established programs may go under.
The existing 6 conference structure can accommodate 6 programs, even with the ECAC and NCHC set. Big10 takes Illinois if they join. HE can absorb one. AH takes Navy and somebody else. Augustana is a lock for the CCHA, which makes them odd so they need one more. ASU, UAH, and the UAs have the same outlier issues they have always had. Lindenwood is... Lindenwood.
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moose97
New member
No, they're not. Augie will need a 2/3 majority to be voted in (which is 6 of 8). If you assume BSU & Mankato vote yes (and I'm not convinced UST is a yes), you still need 3 (if UST is a yes) or 4 of BG (at 800+ miles), Ferris (also 800+ miles), Lake (750+ miles), NMU (600+ miles) and Tech (almost 600 miles) to vote yes. For the record, Augustana is FURTHER than UAH for BG (550) and Ferris (700). This is a conference that literally jettisoned 3 schools ONE YEAR AGO over travel concerns. Calling any team outside the footprint a "lock" is laughable.
ExileOnDaytonStreet
Drunkard
Definitely agree that nothing is assured for Augustana, certainly not considering why the CCHA isn’t the WCHA anymore.
ExileOnDaytonStreet
Drunkard
That much is clear
TalonsUpPuckDown
Roll along you BG Warriors!
Agree.
1) CCHA is already absorbing a startup. No need to absorb any more right now. Call back in 5 years.
2) CCHA is a cost containment league. Four schools are looking at a 2-day bus ride to Lindenwood. 5 schools are looking at a 2-day bus ride to Augustana. Lakers are not looking to charter a flight from the Soo to Sioux Falls (see what I did there?).
2a) Table shows travel times between current CCHA members and new independents. Yellow highlights indicate 2-day trips. [TABLE="width: 220"]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl68"]School[/TD]
[TD="class: xl66"]Lindenwood[/TD]
[TD="class: xl67"]Augustana[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl64"]BSU[/TD]
[TD="class: xl72, bgcolor: yellow"]11.75[/TD]
[TD="class: xl70"]5.75[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl64"]BGSU[/TD]
[TD="class: xl71"]7.25[/TD]
[TD="class: xl74, bgcolor: yellow"]12.50[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl64"]FSU[/TD]
[TD="class: xl71"]7.75[/TD]
[TD="class: xl74, bgcolor: yellow"]12.50[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl64"]LSSU[/TD]
[TD="class: xl73, bgcolor: yellow"]11.00[/TD]
[TD="class: xl74, bgcolor: yellow"]12.25[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl64"]MNSU[/TD]
[TD="class: xl71"]8.00[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69"]2.50[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl64"]MTU[/TD]
[TD="class: xl73, bgcolor: yellow"]10.75[/TD]
[TD="class: xl74, bgcolor: yellow"]9.75[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl64"]NMU[/TD]
[TD="class: xl73, bgcolor: yellow"]10.50[/TD]
[TD="class: xl74, bgcolor: yellow"]10.25[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl65"]UST[/TD]
[TD="class: xl71"]8.00[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69"]4.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
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