I saw the link to this article when I was perusing the
College Hockey News. Seriously, I came to UND in 1993 and Gopher fans were talking about the Big Ten hockey conference. Fast forward 16 years and this discussion of a Big Ten Hockey Conference still comes up every year with no Big Ten Conference in site. I say let the Big Ten Schools have their Big Ten Hockey conference, I mean talk is cheap. Even if there was a Big Ten Hockey Conference; guess what? The WCHA would still be here and would still be viable, the CCHA wouldn't look as good. If that day ever comes I am sure there would be some serious realignment in college hockey.
In the ever changing world of college athletics who knows how the landscape will look for the 59 Division I hockey schools as soon as 16 months from now.
Will the CCHA still have 12 members (Nebraska Omaha is likely to switch to the WCHA)? Will the three Big Ten schools - Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State - still be in the league or will they be a part of a modified conference including Minnesota, Wisconsin and maybe even Notre Dame? Such a Big Ten hockey set up would provide more programming for the Big Ten Network and the idea is reportedly being pushed by Wisconsin and others. Would a CCHA still exist with the other eight teams? Will Alabama Huntsville still have a team if it doesn't find a new league and its application to the CCHA is iffy at best. Where will the two Alaska schools end up? Will Bowling Green and others finally succumb to the economics of their sport? These and more are all issues to determine after the coming season.
[Lansing State Journal]
IMO, if the Big Ten exists it surely will take away NCAA bids from both the WCHA and CCHA. They would probably be guaranteed at least four NCAA slots every year.
ReplyDeleteI don't think a 6 team league is going to get four bids. Because they are going to be beating the tar out of each other. IMHO.
ReplyDeleteBesides I don't see the BTHC anytime soon. I think the CCHA would suffer the most, the WCHA would still have UND, DU, C.C. perennial powerhouses.
ReplyDeleteDo people really honestly believe that there is any sort of chance for a Big Ten Hockey Conference? Is there any way to take that idea out to pasture and just shoot it?
ReplyDeleteBoosh, there are a few Gopher fans that think it is going to happen.
ReplyDeleteThere are some Badger fans who want it to happen too, but I'm not one them. I guess I only follow hockey loyally, not football or bball, so I love the WCHA.
ReplyDeleteUW AD Barry Alvarez would be stupid enough to push this idea, because he is a money hungry, mindless a-hole.
I would like to see the WCHA upgrade the administration (aka boot Mcleod and hire someone a lot better) and get a whole new set a refs and send Anderson, Hunt and the Sheppard to unemployment.
I don't get why some want to play in a 6 team league? They are going to kick the snot out of each other.
ReplyDeleteThe Big Ten hockey conference comes up just about every year at some point or another, but it dies out with no viable ideas or though processes on how to actually get it going. I'm pretty sure that Minnesota and Wisconsin would rather keep their hockey rivalries with North Dakota, Denver, CC, St Cloud, and Duluth rather than play cup cakes like Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Michigan State. You guys ever hear of Title 9? That is also a reason why the Big Ten conference will never have college hockey.
ReplyDeleteI still say do it. I'd love to see the realignment with the best of the remaining WCHA and CCHA schools combining to create a more geographically diverse power conference.
ReplyDeleteCC
UND
DU
Miami
NMU
That's a pretty good start and a decent Final Five right there. Add Duluth, St. Cloud and maybe a revitalized Lake State with all their tradition and you've pretty much got a good league.
Miami and NM are cup cakes. As far as I'm concerned, they can stay in the Cup Cake Hockey Association too.
ReplyDeleteMiami's a cupcake? Tell that to DU and Duluth. Oh, wait, they must not count because they're not UND.
ReplyDelete