The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Coming in at #1...

Michigan - 493.1183 Points

The Wolverines struggled for most of the season, but nearly pulled off another epic late charge to earn their 23rd consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. Alas, it was not meant to be for Michigan this year. The Wolverines went 18-19-3 this season, their first losing season since 1986-1987. As a result, the Wolverines barely budged from last year's totals. Last season, Michigan was ranked #1.

Coming in at #2...

North Dakota - 449.4584 Points

UND had a strong season, winning 20+ games for the 11th consecutive season, and making their 11th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 16th in the last 17 years. North Dakota went 22-13-7 overall, and finished 3rd in the WCHA, and made the Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament before bowing out to eventual champion Yale. Their season, combined with the fact that I had missed one of their NCAA Tournament appearances before, saw North Dakota earn over 9.5 points this season. Last season, North Dakota was ranked #2.

Coming in at #3...

Minnesota - 415.2059 Points

The Gophers had yet another strong season, as they won the MacNaughton Cup on the last day of the Regular Season, and made the NCAA Tournament for the 34th time. The Gophers had an overall record of 26-9-5, and lost in Overtime in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament to the eventual National Champion Yale Bulldogs. That earned the Gophers over 4 points to their totals. Last season, Minnesota was ranked #3.

Coming in at #4...

Denver - 354.0743 Points

The Pioneers season was one of ups and downs. They started out strong, struggled during the middle before playing better in February and March, then finally fading in the playoffs. It all amounted to a 20-14-5 overall record and an NCAA Tournament appearance for DU. Consequently, the Pioneers received a slight bump in the rankings. Last season, Denver was ranked #4.

Coming in at #5...

Boston College - 353.4249 Points

The Eagles bid for a repeat ended quickly in the NCAA Tournament, but BC still had a strong season. The Eagles finished the year with an overall record of 22-12-4 and made the NCAA Tournament. Also, Johnny Gaudreau finished in the Hobey Hat Trick. As a result, the Eagles added over 4 points to their totals. Last season, BC was ranked #5.

01. Michigan - 493.1183 Points
02. North Dakota - 449.4584 Points
03. Minnesota - 415.2059 Points
04. Denver - 354.0743 Points
05. Boston College - 353.4249 Points
06. Boston University - 346.3341 Points
07. Wisconsin - 344.0009 Points
08. Michigan State - 234.1986 Points
09. Maine - 170.6462 Points
10. Michigan Tech - 161.5391 Points
11. Cornell - 157.7217 Points
12. Lake Superior State - 154.4584 Points
13. Colorado College - 149.5351 Points
14. Harvard - 127.793 Points
15. Clarkson - 126.917 Points
16. Minnesota Duluth - 110.929 Points
17. Rensselaer - 102.62 Points
18. New Hampshire - 83.3438 Points
19. Northern Michigan - 81.1136 Points
20. Bowling Green - 80.1139 Points
21. Yale - 72.6486 Points
22. St. Lawrence - 69.0047 Points
23. Miami - 46.3487 Points
24. Providence - 39.7872 Points
25. Notre Dame - 39.4614 Points
26. Dartmouth - 38.6488 Points
27. Colgate - 30.6333 Points
28. Ferris State - 27.8098 Points
29. Northeastern - 25.7628 Points
30. Quinnipiac - 23.932 Points
31. SCSU - 21.1894 Points
32. Brown - 20.6818 Points
33. Ohio State - 18.5065 Points
34. Vermont - 16.4983 Points
35. Massachusetts-Lowell - 14.4537 Points
36. Bemidji State - 12.2673 Points
37. Union - 11.6362 Points
38. RIT - 9.6441 Points
39. Niagara - 8.1791 Points
40. Western Michigan - 7.6937 Points
41. Princeton - 6.9437 Points
42. Air Force - 6.316 Points
43. Alaska Anchorage - 5.3826 Points
44. Holy Cross - 4.7964 Points
45. Nebraska Omaha - 4.4203 Points
46. Merrimack - 4.4007 Points
47. Mercyhurst - 3.7808 Points
48. Alaska - 3.424 Points
49. Minnesota State - 3.3837 Points
50. Massachusetts - 3.3269 Points
51. Alabama Huntsville - 2.3369 Points
52. Army - 1.6095 Points
53. Canisius - 0.5775 Points
54. Connecticut - 0.224 Points
55. Sacred Heart - 0.1629 Points
56. AIC - 0.0317 Points
57. Robert Morris - 0.0276 Points
58. Penn State - 0.0267 Points
59. Bentley - 0.0252 Points

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

So, there are the rankings. I always like to see what can change depending on next season, and here are how I see potential moves...

1. Michigan - The Wolverines have a nearly 44 point barrier between them and North Dakota. That means that Michigan will almost certainly be the #1 team next season, barring one of the great seasons in college hockey history by North Dakota. Even then, the Wolverines would likely need to have another season similar to this past year.

2-3. North Dakota/Minnesota - North Dakota has a strong, but not insurmountable lead on the Gophers. A Gopher national championship next year, coupled with North Dakota not making a decent run (read: Regional Final or Better), would likely vault Minnesota into 2nd position. Nobody can really challenge Minnesota for third, as the Gophers have a 61 point lead on DU.

4-7. Denver/BC/BU/Wisconsin - The difference between 4 through 7 is less than 10 points, which means that if any of the teams in this group win the title, they will be 4th, regardless of what any of the others do. On the flip side, any of these programs could finish 7th depending on what they and the rest do. If none of these teams win the title (or make a title run), then it is probably more realistic to group these teams into 4/5(DU/BC) and 6/7 (BU/UW). Each of those pairings could flip quite easily if one squad has a strong season with an NCAA Tournament birth and the other in the pairing does not. Ultimately, there could be some movement here.

8. Michigan State - The Spartans are assured of finishing 8th next season. They are about 110 points behind 7th, and 64 points ahead of 9th. Basically, it's probably going to be awhile before Michigan State goes anywhere in the rankings.

9-13. Maine/Tech/Cornell/LSSU/CC - Maine has a pretty good grasp on the 9th spot, unless one of the rest of the group makes a title run, or a runner up finish. It is possible that Michigan Tech could catch Maine with a Frozen Four and the right results elsewhere. As for the 10th position, Michigan Tech is in jeopardy of falling out. If Cornell rebounds with a strong season and an NCAA Tournament birth, Michigan Tech could slip out of the top 10. Moreover, if LSSU or CC make a run to the Frozen Four next season, Tech could easily slip down to the 13th position. This is a group where we could see some movement.

14-15. Harvard/Clarkson - Less than a point separate these programs, so a strong season by Clarkson and a weak season by Harvard could be all it takes to swap these two squads. Also, if either of these squads wins a national title next season, it is likely that they would jump all the way to #10. Anything less though, and these squads are staying in this grouping unless...

16-17. Duluth/RPI - Duluth is pretty strong at 16 for now, as they have about an 8 point lead on RPI. However, if RPI has a great season next year, coupled with a Frozen Four birth, they could very well move up over Duluth. Both teams could jump up in the Standings as well with a national title. For Duluth, that would likely wind up with the Bulldogs in 13th. For RPI, that would likely mean that the Engineers would jump up to 14th.

18-20. UNH/NMU/BGSU - This group is only separated by 2 points, so there could easily be some movement here. If any of these teams win a national title, they will move up over Duluth and RPI and into the 16 position, but unlikely to go any higher. Moreover, if a team from the group behind them wins a title, everyone here could drop a spot.

21-22. Yale/SLU - These squads are separated by only 3 points, so they could easily swap next season if the results are right. If Yale were to repeat, they would likely move up to the 16 position, while if SLU were to capture their first title, they would likely move up to the 17 position, although the 16 position could be possible. The only way this group would be caught and move down would be if one of the teams close behind them were to win the national title.

As for the rest of the rankings, they can all change pretty fluidly. Use the following averages as sort of a guidepost to see how the rankings could change:

Season ends with
- National Championship - ~40 points
- National Runner-up - ~20 points
- Frozen Four Birth - ~8 points
- Regional Finalist - ~5 points
- NCAA Tournament Birth - ~2 points
- .500 record - ~1/2 point
- Less than 10 wins ~ (-)1/2 point

Obviously, if a team wins their conference tournament and regular season title along with a variety of other things that too can alter how many points a team will receive. Moreover, we saw this year how a program winning their first title can affect the rankings.

Anyway, if anyone has any questions, I'll gladly answer them as best I can. Otherwise, I hope everyone enjoyed the unveiling of this year's rankings.

 

[burd]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Thanks for a lot of work, FS. My only complaint is that you neglected to say that but for a lot of bad officiating North Dakota would have been #1.

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Thanks for a lot of work, FS. My only complaint is that you neglected to say that but for a lot of bad officiating North Dakota would have been #1.

I just assumed that this is common knowledge.

 

[burd]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

I just assumed that this is common knowledge.

And you are probably right, with the exception of those living in the darkness of the Empire.

 

[vizoroo]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Glad to see the Pios held on to #4.
Next year is the question mark with BC so close and DU will be in transition--new coach, new system, very few seniors, and as of now only 1 goalie in the roster.

Scott Mayfield signing with the Isles was expected. Jussi Olkinuora is a big loss, but his timing was excellent as a free agent--who knows how he would do in the future and of course he had to begin paying on his student loan for his freshman year Sorry to see Nick Shore leave. Not sure how much the Kings pushed or big bro, Drew, in the NHL weighed into his decision.

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

So here is what is on the line in these rankings today (note: these are my assumptions based on past seasons...not 100% gospel truth...but close )...

Boston College vs. Denver - The winner here will be in the #4 spot. Neither can catch Minnesota with a title (although they can get significantly closer). The loser will be in the #5 spot. There is an extremely slight chance that BC could hold on to the 4 spot with a loss, but DU would certainly have to lose their next game, and Gaudreau would have to win the Hobey...along with Denver getting shutout in All-America honors, with the Eagles getting several. Again, it is a long shot, but possible.

North Dakota vs. Ferris State - North Dakota likely secures the #2 spot with a victory over the Bulldogs. If they lose, a Gopher National Championship could vault Minnesota over North Dakota. There is also an outside shot that North Dakota could push Michigan for the top spot with a National Title...but it is quite unlikely. That being said, the two teams would probably be within 3-4 points of each other in that scenario.

 

[LtPowers]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

So here is what is on the line in these rankings today (note: these are my assumptions based on past seasons...not 100% gospel truth...but close )...

Eh. I'm more interested in how many spots RoMo vaulted with their tournament appearance.


Powers &8^]

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Eh. I'm more interested in how many spots RoMo vaulted with their tournament appearance.


Powers &8^]

They'll jump a few, but probably not too many. One way to get sort of a sneak preview of the rankings is to compare teams with similar credentials. In RMU's case, it would be team's that have 1 Tourney Appearance (Alaska, Canisius, Massachusetts, RIT, and Robert Morris), then look at those programs' histories (how they fared in the Tournament, conference titles (regular season and post season), overall record, strength of schedule...etc.). It's not always perfect, but it usually will give a pretty good sense of the order of how those teams should be ranked.

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

What's at Stake at the Frozen Four?

North Dakota - The Sioux are likely to stay at #2 (but, see Minnesota), even with a National Championship. Based on preliminary calculations, North Dakota would wind up about 2-4 points behind Michigan if they win it over Boston College, and about 3-5 points behind if they win it over Union. Getting to the National Championship secures their spot at #2, and they would inch closer to Michigan (but still sit probably 20-25 points behind) and separate further from Minnesota. Potential landing spots: #1-3

Minnesota - The Gophers can move into the #2 spot with a National Championship if they beat Boston College. It would be significantly closer if they were to beat Union, although still possible. Either way, it will likely come down to just a couple points separating the two teams. The Gophers cannot be dislodged from the #3 spot, even if BC wins the title. The gap is too significant. Potential landing spots: #2-3.

Boston College - The Eagles will finish at #4 regardless of what they do. A National Title will bring them closer to Minnesota, and will also provide further separation between the pack at 5-7. Even a loss to Union will still be enough for BC to finish fourth; however, it would mean that teams 5-7 would still be within a reasonable distance next season. Potential landing spot: #4

Union - The Dutchmen have the biggest potential to move up. If they win the National Championship, they will almost certainly jump up to #23. A loss in the title game would probably keep the Dutchmen around #27-28. A loss to BC in the Semis would likely push Union up to the #32-34 range. Potential landing spots: #23-34.

As for everyone else, well, you'll just have to wait and see when the rankings are revealed (within 2 weeks of Frozen Four).

 

[Priceless]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

What's at Stake at the Frozen Four?

North Dakota - The Sioux are likely to stay at #2 (but, see Minnesota), even with a National Championship. Based on preliminary calculations, North Dakota would wind up about 2-4 points behind Michigan if they win it over Boston College, and about 3-5 points behind if they win it over Union. Getting to the National Championship secures their spot at #2, and they would inch closer to Michigan (but still sit probably 20-25 points behind) and separate further from Minnesota. Potential landing spots: #1-3

Minnesota - The Gophers can move into the #2 spot with a National Championship if they beat Boston College. It would be significantly closer if they were to beat Union, although still possible. Either way, it will likely come down to just a couple points separating the two teams. The Gophers cannot be dislodged from the #3 spot, even if BC wins the title. The gap is too significant. Potential landing spots: #2-3.

Boston College - The Eagles will finish at #4 regardless of what they do. A National Title will bring them closer to Minnesota, and will also provide further separation between the pack at 5-7. Even a loss to Union will still be enough for BC to finish fourth; however, it would mean that teams 5-7 would still be within a reasonable distance next season. Potential landing spot: #4

Union - The Dutchmen have the biggest potential to move up. If they win the National Championship, they will almost certainly jump up to #23. A loss in the title game would probably keep the Dutchmen around #27-28. A loss to BC in the Semis would likely push Union up to the #32-34 range. Potential landing spots: #23-34.

As for everyone else, well, you'll just have to wait and see when the rankings are revealed (within 2 weeks of Frozen Four).

Union should be ranked #26. Permanently.

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Union should be ranked #26. Permanently.

Well, I'll be working hard over the next week or so to tabulate the rankings, but I expect them to shake the #26 ranking...we'll see.

Given how the tournament shook out, there should be some changes in the middle to bottom third of the rankings. When I finish getting everything that I need and input the data in, I'll start posting the rankings.

 

[vizoroo]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

So here is what is on the line in these rankings today (note: these are my assumptions based on past seasons...not 100% gospel truth...but close )...

Boston College vs. Denver - The winner here will be in the #4 spot. Neither can catch Minnesota with a title (although they can get significantly closer). The loser will be in the #5 spot. There is an extremely slight chance that BC could hold on to the 4 spot with a loss, but DU would certainly have to lose their next game, and Gaudreau would have to win the Hobey...along with Denver getting shutout in All-America honors, with the Eagles getting several. Again, it is a long shot, but possible.

North Dakota vs. Ferris State - North Dakota likely secures the #2 spot with a victory over the Bulldogs. If they lose, a Gopher National Championship could vault Minnesota over North Dakota. There is also an outside shot that North Dakota could push Michigan for the top spot with a National Title...but it is quite unlikely. That being said, the two teams would probably be within 3-4 points of each other in that scenario.

At least we got a couple of All Americans! And, of course, the 1st NCHC Tournament Championship.

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

At least we got a couple of All Americans! And, of course, the 1st NCHC Tournament Championship.

Those all help an otherwise mediocre campaign (by DU's standards).

The data is almost completely finished. I think I'm going to go back to how I unveiled the teams (1 by 1) the initial time. I figure it has been enough time, and the standings moved around quite a bit.

Anyway, be on the lookout for who will come in at #59!

 

[Red Cows]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

Those all help an otherwise mediocre campaign (by DU's standards).

The data is almost completely finished. I think I'm going to go back to how I unveiled the teams (1 by 1) the initial time. I figure it has been enough time, and the standings moved around quite a bit.

Anyway, be on the lookout for who will come in at #59!

Has to be Penn State.

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

#59 - Bentley Falcons
All-Time Record (Division 1): 171-294-55 (.382)
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 0
Conference Championships: Regular Season - 0, Tournament - 0
National Championships: 0
Points Earned - 0.0363
Change: +0.0111 (+44.05%)
Last Season Position: 59 (unchanged)

The Bentley Falcons put together the program's best season this year, winning 56.8% of their games (best ever), finishing second in the conference (best finish), and winning 19 games (tied for best). That was good enough for the Falcons to improve their position by almost 45%. Bentley will remain in last position for this season, but they are on the upswing. The Falcons have finished .500 or better in 3 of the past 6 seasons, and nearly advanced to the Atlantic Hockey Semifinals for the second time, but dropped two heartbreaking 1 goal games to eventual runner-up Canisius. While the Falcons are currently at the bottom of the standings, don't expect them to stay here much longer if they continue on an upswing.

#59 - Bentley - 0.0363

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

#58 - American International Yellow Jackets
All-Time Record (Division 1): 630-932-76 (.408)
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 0
Conference Championships: Regular Season - 0, Tournament - 0
National Championships: 0
Points Earned - 0.0374
Change: +0.0057 (+17.98%)
Last Season Position: 56 (dropped 2 spots)

The Yellow Jackets have been steadily improving, winning double digit games in back to back seasons for the first time in over a decade. Unfortunately for AIC, that still wasn't enough for them to hold on to their #56 spot (largely due to Robert Morris making the NCAA Tournament). If they can continue to improve in conference, and perhaps make a run at an NCAA Tournament birth, the Yellow Jackets could very well move up in the rankings. For now, they will have to settle for gaining points as opposed to losing them.

#58 - AIC - 0.0374
#59 - Bentley - 0.0363

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

#57 - Penn State Nittany Lions
All-Time Record (Division 1): 34-53-3 (.394)
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 0
Conference Championships: Regular Season - 0, Tournament - 0
National Championships: 0
Points Earned - 0.0589
Change: +0.0322 (+120.6%)
Last Season Position: 58 (up 1 spot)

Penn State struggled in their second season of D-1 hockey since 1947. However, they managed to increase their points, largely due to their strength of schedule and victories over Michigan. If the Nittany Lions can continue to score victories over top programs such as Michigan, they should continue to slowly rise in the rankings. It is hard to imagine with the money invested and the top notch conference that they play in that Penn State will be down in the bottom 5 for long. An NCAA Tournament appearance, albeit not likely in the next year or two, would likely push PSU into the full point range, although not a guarantee. For now, the Nittany Lions sit at #57.

#57 - Penn State - 0.0589
#58 - AIC - 0.0374
#59 - Bentley - 0.0363

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59

#57 - Penn State Nittany Lions
All-Time Record (Division 1): 34-53-3 (.394)
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 0
Conference Championships: Regular Season - 0, Tournament - 0
National Championships: 0
Points Earned - 0.0589
Change: +0.0267 (+120.6%)
Last Season Position: 58 (up 1 spot)

If they have a total of 0.0589 and that is an increase of 0.0267 from last year, they must have had 0.0322 last season. That represents a 82.9% increase, not 120.6% which is the reciprocal.

 

[UMICH]

So, there are the rankings. I always like to see what can change depending on next season, and here are how I see potential moves...

1. Michigan - The Wolverines have a nearly 44 point barrier between them and North Dakota. That means that Michigan will almost certainly be the #1 team next season, barring one of the great seasons in college hockey history by North Dakota. Even then, the Wolverines would likely need to have another season similar to this past year.

2-3. North Dakota/Minnesota - North Dakota has a strong, but not insurmountable lead on the Gophers. A Gopher national championship next year, coupled with North Dakota not making a decent run (read: Regional Final or Better), would likely vault Minnesota into 2nd position. Nobody can really challenge Minnesota for third, as the Gophers have a 61 point lead on DU.

4-7. Denver/BC/BU/Wisconsin - The difference between 4 through 7 is less than 10 points, which means that if any of the teams in this group win the title, they will be 4th, regardless of what any of the others do. On the flip side, any of these programs could finish 7th depending on what they and the rest do. If none of these teams win the title (or make a title run), then it is probably more realistic to group these teams into 4/5(DU/BC) and 6/7 (BU/UW). Each of those pairings could flip quite easily if one squad has a strong season with an NCAA Tournament birth and the other in the pairing does not. Ultimately, there could be some movement here.

8. Michigan State - The Spartans are assured of finishing 8th next season. They are about 110 points behind 7th, and 64 points ahead of 9th. Basically, it's probably going to be awhile before Michigan State goes anywhere in the rankings.

9-13. Maine/Tech/Cornell/LSSU/CC - Maine has a pretty good grasp on the 9th spot, unless one of the rest of the group makes a title run, or a runner up finish. It is possible that Michigan Tech could catch Maine with a Frozen Four and the right results elsewhere. As for the 10th position, Michigan Tech is in jeopardy of falling out. If Cornell rebounds with a strong season and an NCAA Tournament birth, Michigan Tech could slip out of the top 10. Moreover, if LSSU or CC make a run to the Frozen Four next season, Tech could easily slip down to the 13th position. This is a group where we could see some movement.

14-15. Harvard/Clarkson - Less than a point separate these programs, so a strong season by Clarkson and a weak season by Harvard could be all it takes to swap these two squads. Also, if either of these squads wins a national title next season, it is likely that they would jump all the way to #10. Anything less though, and these squads are staying in this grouping unless...

16-17. Duluth/RPI - Duluth is pretty strong at 16 for now, as they have about an 8 point lead on RPI. However, if RPI has a great season next year, coupled with a Frozen Four birth, they could very well move up over Duluth. Both teams could jump up in the Standings as well with a national title. For Duluth, that would likely wind up with the Bulldogs in 13th. For RPI, that would likely mean that the Engineers would jump up to 14th.

18-20. UNH/NMU/BGSU - This group is only separated by 2 points, so there could easily be some movement here. If any of these teams win a national title, they will move up over Duluth and RPI and into the 16 position, but unlikely to go any higher. Moreover, if a team from the group behind them wins a title, everyone here could drop a spot.

21-22. Yale/SLU - These squads are separated by only 3 points, so they could easily swap next season if the results are right. If Yale were to repeat, they would likely move up to the 16 position, while if SLU were to capture their first title, they would likely move up to the 17 position, although the 16 position could be possible. The only way this group would be caught and move down would be if one of the teams close behind them were to win the national title.

As for the rest of the rankings, they can all change pretty fluidly. Use the following averages as sort of a guidepost to see how the rankings could change:

Season ends with
- National Championship - ~40 points
- National Runner-up - ~20 points
- Frozen Four Birth - ~8 points
- Regional Finalist - ~5 points
- NCAA Tournament Birth - ~2 points
- .500 record - ~1/2 point
- Less than 10 wins ~ (-)1/2 point

Obviously, if a team wins their conference tournament and regular season title along with a variety of other things that too can alter how many points a team will receive. Moreover, we saw this year how a program winning their first title can affect the rankings.

Anyway, if anyone has any questions, I'll gladly answer them as best I can. Otherwise, I hope everyone enjoyed the unveiling of this year's rankings.

It's nice being #1 but we had better start winning in order to keep that #1.