Why not have a western college hockey super conference?

Brad Schlossman has an intriguing article about a conversation that took place during the Sioux Boosters luncheon last Friday, during the Notre Dame and UND hockey series. When asked about the impending Big Ten Hockey Conference farce, one of the suggestions offered by Notre Dame head hockey coach Jeff Jackson was the prospects of having a western college hockey super conference with the Big Ten Schools making up one of the divisions.

University of North Dakota Hockey ---- On Friday afternoon, Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson spoke at a booster luncheon in Grand Forks. One fan in attendance asked Jackson for his thoughts on the looming Big Ten Hockey Conference and Jackson talked at length on the subject.

His first comment was that everybody needs to slow down. This is still three or four years away from happening.

His second comment was that he thinks college hockey’s power brokers need to sit down and talk this over and figure out what’s best for the sport. He said the Big Ten absolutely has the right to form the league, but it might not be in the sport’s best interest — or even in the best interest of the Big Ten schools. Is a six-team league any good?

The most interesting idea he mentioned — one that I hadn’t heard before — is that the WCHA and CCHA could join forces, more-or-less combine the leagues, and run like the NHL does with divisions.

Jackson said that you could have a Big Ten Division, which would still allow those schools to get their wish of playing each other twice a season. It also would give them extra conference games, which would make their non-conference scheduling easier.

I also came up with my own suggestion for division alignment. Personally, I would keep Colorado College, Denver and UND in the same division.
North Division
Mankato
Duluth
Bemidji State
St. Cloud State
Northern Michigan
Michigan Tech

Western Division
Fairbanks
Anchorage
Colorado College
Denver
Omaha
North Dakota

Big Ten Division
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Ohio State
Michigan
Michigan State
Penn State

Great Lakes Division
Notre Dame
Miami
Lake Superior
Bowling Green
Western Michigan
Ferris State

Also listen to the Paul Kelly and Tim Hennesy discussion that took place during the ND and UND hockey game last Friday night. [click to listen to the interview]