Another thing that I am really excited about is that my favorite team the Fighting Sioux is going to be the guest at both new arenas grand openings. Nothing would make me more happy than watching UND beat UMD in the opening of their new arena.
Goal Gophers --- McLeod said he is also impressed by the commitment that Bemidji and Duluth made to build new arenas. The $70-million AMSOIL arena is nearing completion in Duluth. North Dakota will play against UMD in the first game in the new arena on Dec. 30.
"They are mothballing the old DECC [the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center] on Dec. 30," McLeod said, "and I played in that first game at the DECC."
McLeod was playing for the UMD Bulldogs when they beat the Gophers 8-1 on Nov. 19, 1966 in the first WCHA game at the DECC.
Said McLeod, "So looking forward: two new teams, two new buildings and then of course, the changes in our Final Five, kind of the jewel of the season for the WCHA, our tournament in St. Paul at the Xcel Center. A new format there and I look at it as a very positive thing.
"We are obviously going to continue to call it the Final Five because we will have five games there, but we will have six teams with preset brackets. [Nos.] 1 and 2 get a bye, 3 and 6 and 4 and 5 play on Thursday. 1 and 2 play the winners on Friday. And then we have that wrinkle, the championship on Saturday night, but an afternoon game, an NHL game [the Wild vs. Columbus] which we hope will be a treat for a lot of people that come to our tournament and don't get to see an NHL game a lot.
"I could not be more excited, even at my age."
