The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

[Squarebanks]

Right now there is "designated rival" that you play four times (BSU-UNO, UMD-Tech, Mn-Wisc, UND-SCSU, UAA-MSUM, CC-Denver). Not sure if that will continue into the new set up.

I'd be surprised it wouldn't with some of the natural/historic rivalries:

UAF-UAA
NMU-MTU
UAH-BSU

Those are the obvious ones. LSSU-FSU makes sense geographically, which leaves Mankato and Bowling Green as the last two.

 

[Mile High Hockey]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

I'd be surprised it wouldn't with some of the natural/historic rivalries:

UAF-UAA
NMU-MTU
UAH-BSU

Those are the obvious ones. LSSU-FSU makes sense geographically, which leaves Mankato and Bowling Green as the last two.

I would be shocked if Mankato and Bemidji were not rivals, despite the history between UAH and Bemidji. I completely agree with UAF-UAA, NMU-MTU, and LSSU-FSU. That would leave UAH-BGSU. Either way, it will be interesting to see what the WCHA does with their scheduling.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

It is almost guaranteed that every WCHA team will make at least 1 trip to Alaska each year. I would assume that there will be designated rivals like the old 10 team WCHA schedule

MSU-BSU, MTU-NMU, LSSU-FSU, BGSU-UAH, UAA-UAF makes the most sense. The best assumption I can make to limit the number of times a team would be traveling to both UAA & UAF is to have the rotating 2h-both-2a-both rotation is to have each rival have a slightly different schedule...I would assume it should be a 4 year rotation.
Example of 4 year rotation of who goes to Alaska Schools

Year 1:
Both - LSSU, FSU, BGSU, UAH
UAF - BSU, MTU
UAA - MSU, NMU

Year 2:
Both - BSU, MSU, MTU, NMU
UAF - LSSU, BGSU
UAA - FSU, UAH

Year 3:
Both - LSSU, FSU, BGSU, UAH
UAF - MSU, NMU
UAA - BSU, MTU

Year 4:
Both - BSU, MSU, MTU, NMU
UAF - FSU, UAH
UAA - LSSU, BGSU

 

[gfmorris]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

St. Cloud is going to UAH next year because they came to us this year.

Hopefully we can keep that. The main reason for that is their coaches promised Dowd a game in front of family and friends.

I was surprised that 1) the subsidy wasn't set in stone before the vote and 2) there'll be the 5x4, 4x2 split. I thought we'd see five-team pods, but as Dr. Altenkirch said, we broke it down for them and presented both options, with our suggestion of what's going to happen. He looked at me when he said that as if he wondered why I hadn't done the homework myself. [It was my question.]

GFM

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

Hopefully we can keep that. The main reason for that is their coaches promised Dowd a game in front of family and friends.

I was surprised that 1) the subsidy wasn't set in stone before the vote and 2) there'll be the 5x4, 4x2 split. I thought we'd see five-team pods, but as Dr. Altenkirch said, we broke it down for them and presented both options, with our suggestion of what's going to happen. He looked at me when he said that as if he wondered why I hadn't done the homework myself. [It was my question.]

GFM

You have to try and make everyone happy, 2 five-team pods would **** off the schools that have to go to both alaska schools every year or the alaska schools for still not getting 4 games against each other.

 

[aparch]

Right now there is "designated rival" that you play four times (BSU-UNO, UMD-Tech, Mn-Wisc, UND-SCSU, UAA-MSUM, CC-Denver). Not sure if that will continue into the new set up.

Most likely. It makes the most sense. One pair of rival games takes up four games in a 28 game season. Another four teams home and away make 16 more games leaving you eight games (four home/four away) for the other four teams.

Lather, rinse, repeat and after four years you've played:
Your rival 16 times (8 home, 8 away)
Everyone else 12 times (6 home, 6 away)

If you alternated travel buddies every four years, it would take 36 years to "balance" out and play everyone 112 times.

 

[UAHStatman]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

So I listened online to parts the UAH Press Conference regarding the WCHA.

Next year, they will have 18 home games. 14 WCHA games, 2 non-conf games (which they said would be a big name but couldn't name yet), and then 2 against the Under 18 team.

Travel subsidy is being worked on. It would be structured along the same lines as the Alaska schools, which I have heard is take your most expensive non-Alaska/UAH conference trip and the team will pay the difference. So if it costs BSU $10,000 to get to Bowling Green, $12,000 to get to UAH, BSU would get a $2,000 check.

The conference schedule will consist of playing five teams four times and four teams two times for a total of 28 games.

Nothing can be done about next year, but in the following years, UAH will try to avoid home contests on Alabama-Auburn football weekend (and maybe Alabama-LSU, I can't recall). But it may be difficult as there are only 20 weekends to play hockey, and seven of those are conference home weekends. If they want to get other teams to Huntsville, it may be unavoidable.

That is my brief recap! Someone from UAH can correct me if I am wrong on anything.

UAH has posted the video, so you can watch the whole thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf6cNiOQ7A4

 

[MGoBlueHockey]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

I think shortly we will see ohio university adding D1 hockey and go to the WCHA.

 

[4four4]

I think shortly we will see ohio university adding D1 hockey and go to the WCHA.

Not going to happen unless there is a 12th team to go in with them.

 

[aparch]

Not going to happen unless there is a 12th team to go in with them.

They had already made plans for a nine team conference, and the CCHA has had an odd number of teams for the last two years.

And the marketing writes itself:
"WCHA: We go to eleven!"
[With the WCHA in Spinal Tap's font]



If Ohio does make the leap, I would expect a return of the CCHA with BGSU, Ohio, and some AHA schools. Maybe even take UAH or an Alaska for the travel kickbacks.

 

[Mile High Hockey]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

If Ohio does make the leap, I would expect a return of the CCHA with BGSU, Ohio, and some AHA schools. Maybe even take UAH or an Alaska for the travel kickbacks.

What would be funny is if Ohio could convince Buffalo (who has been rumored as a possible D-1 jump in the past) and then we could have the MAC hockey conference (Miami, Western Michigan, Ohio, Buffalo, Bowling Green, and UMass).

 

[gfmorris]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

I think shortly we will see ohio university adding D1 hockey and go to the WCHA.

What money-bags-rich donor is going to appear to make this happen from whole cloth? The days of easing your way in (MAAC, CHA) are over.

GFM

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

What money-bags-rich donor is going to appear to make this happen from whole cloth? The days of easing your way in (MAAC, CHA) are over.

GFM

Ohio? Not sure. Buffalo? Probably after pappy Wilson dies and the kids sell the football team to a buyer in Los Angeles.

 

[Freddie]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

I think shortly we will see ohio university adding D1 hockey and go to the WCHA.

Can you cite any evidence in support of this thought?

 

[jjmc85]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

What would be funny is if Ohio could convince Buffalo (who has been rumored as a possible D-1 jump in the past) and then we could have the MAC hockey conference (Miami, Western Michigan, Ohio, Buffalo, Bowling Green, and UMass).

Stay away from our hockey program.

 

[Freddie]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

Can you cite any evidence in support of this thought?

didn't think so

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

Can you cite any evidence in support of this thought?

This is something that WCHA fans have gotten used to over the years. When you're the premier conference in D-I hockey, there are constant rumors of who wants into the conference. "WCHA - Only the best get in, only the toughest stay."

Ryan J

 

[MGoBlueHockey]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

I don't think western is going to last very long out in the NCHC. They're going to get lit up and eventually move to the WCHA.

 

[4four4]

Re: The New WCHA 2, The Electric Boogaloo (2013-14)

I don't think western is going to last very long out in the NCHC. They're going to get lit up and eventually move to the WCHA.

After a couple of years of things not working out look for a merge between the N and the W.

 

[aparch]

After a couple of years of things not working out look for a merge between the N and the W.

Egos of certain NCHC schools will never allow that to happen.