UCONN exploring move to Hockey East

Here is a story that has caught my eye. If a league wants to have an even number of teams you would believe that Hockey East needs a 12th member after adding Notre Dame. Enter the University of Connecticut, who has been exploring the possibility of moving their Division I hockey program to Hockey East.

The Hartford Courant ---- UConn announced in December that it had hired a sports consulting firm to “conduct a complete evaluation of its men’s ice hockey program.”

The purpose, a press release stated, was “to assess the program’s current level of support to that of Atlantic Hockey league members and other programs in the region. The assessment will include financial support, staffing, facilities and potential revenue sources.”

I don’t think that a program that is looking to upgrade its program by moving to a more competitive league is doing its cause a lot of good, when they come right out and say that they have money issues. Also, the arena formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center which was renamed the XL Center, would be the home of the UCONN Huskies because they don’t have a home arena that is considered acceptable by Hockey East Standards.

The Hartford Courant --- Hockey East is interested in UConn and the Huskies have interest in elevating their program, but money remains the major issue.

Hockey East officials are visiting UConn and the XL Center Thursday and reportedly meeting with Gov. Dannel P.Malloy, a source confirmed Wednesday. UConn officials had no comment.

Last year, UConn hired a national consulting firm to evaluate the hockey program and see how it compares with other Atlantic Hockey programs. New athletic director Warde Manuel, who was not at the school when the consultant was hired, does have a history with big-time hockey from his days at Michigan.

Woe's... (by Sioux 7)

Horrible and pathetic, that is the best way I can describe the attendance at the NCAA regional’s last weekend. I watched about half of the games and noticed a significant amount of seats with no bodies in them. Ugh. These teams play a long season and these kids work hard to achieve success in athletics as well as their academics. And “fans” of these great schools, don’t or can’t attend their biggest game(s) of the year. Before I completely go off, let me share a few of the attendance numbers with you,

Union v UMass-Lowell -----------------– East Final – 5,238
Ferris State v Cornell –-------------- Midwest Final – 3,108
Minn-Duluth v Boston College –-- Northeast Final – 4,470
North Dakota v Minnesota –------------------- West--10,974

That’s a TOTAL of 23,880 fans that watched a regional final. I’m stunned, again at the lack of attendance at these fine arenas. I wonder what causes this, is it a lack of interest? Are fans watching basketball instead of hockey (I hope that isn’t the case)? Are the college kids broke, because they spent all their (or Mom and Dad’s) money on spring break a week or two ago? Is it a combination of things?

Looking at the numbers for conference tournament championship games and we have the following info:

Atlantic ----– Air Force v RIT ------–---- 2,433
ECAC –----- Union v Harvard –---------- 4,131
CCHA –----- Michigan v W. Mich ----– 10,421
Hockey East --–---- BC v Maine –------ 13,079
WCHA –----- N.Dakota v Denver –---- 16,838

That’s a TOTAL of 46,902 fans watching conference championship games. More fans attend conference tournament games than NCAA regionals.

I have an idea that would/should boost attendance at NCAA regionals. How about we don’t pick regional locations years in advance, but we have the top seeds host them? That would have meant last weekend that BC (7,549 – 96%), Union (2,009 – 90%), Michigan (5,997 – 90%), and UND (11,155 – 96%), would have hosted the games at their home rinks. The numbers behind each team was their average home attendance and percent capacity this season.

I know, many will say that by doing that the top seeds have an unfair advantage. I say they’re right, but it is also gives them that reward of earning a top seed. I also firmly believe that attendance would improve. Honestly, attendance couldn’t get any worse, could it?

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CBS SPORTS NETWORK SIGNS MULTI-YEAR DEAL WITH NCHC

Image via WikipediaOfficial Press Release 

CBS Sports Network has agreed to a multi-year agreement with the new National Collegiate Hockey Conference, beginning in the 2013-2014 season. CBS Sports Network will be the exclusive national television partner for the conference, which will feature eight of the nation’s top college hockey programs. The announcement was made today by Dan Weinberg, Senior Vice President, Programming, CBS Sports Network, and Jim Scherr, Commissioner of the National.

The agreement calls for a minimum of 18 conference games, including the National’s semifinal and championship contests. Currently six teams that will be in the new conference are ranked in the USCHO.com Top 20 poll.

“With top teams and passionate fan bases, the National is poised to be an elite college hockey conference, and we’re thrilled to be the national television partner,” said Weinberg. “College hockey has been a staple of our programming and we’re pleased to expand our coverage and further serve fans with compelling and competitive conference action.”

“We are delighted to be associated with the preeminent national broadcaster of college hockey,” said Scherr. “It is our goal to be the premier single-sport conference in intercollegiate athletics and the unmatched exposure and production quality that will be provided by CBS Sports Network will contribute significantly to realizing that vision.”

Currently, CBS Sports Network’s comprehensive college hockey coverage includes action from Hockey East, ECAC, CCHA, WCHA and Atlantic Hockey.

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NCHC to hire Jim Scherr

Kevin Pates posted this in his twitter feed today. Kevin Pates and Brad Schlossman have been on the fore front of getting us the information on the formation of the NCHC.

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The Big Red goal that wasn't

s/t to the BU Hockey Blog. This was the non-goal that others have been talking about from this past weekend of college hockey. It appears that the on ice officials made the correct call, the refs lost sight of the puck; the announcers said that the puck went into the netting behind the goal, ref blew the whistle and waved off the goal and the puck went into the net after the whistle.

I know that some Cornell hockey fans are going to be upset, but the right call was made in this situation. I am puzzled why the on iced officials took so long to make that call?

A look at the numbers, UND has played ECAC teams.

Image via WikipediaEveryone's favorite blogger from USCHO is at it again. Here is the latest from Brian Sullivan, that first question that I asked, was someone hitting the Scotch while blogging? Seriously?

While I can't speak for the other teams in our league but my favorite school has played a number of ECAC foes over the years.

But wait, there's more

The facts are also that it is surprisingly, even incredibly difficult to fill a 12-game non-conference schedule. AHA and Hockey East teams only have seven non-league slots each year. The WCHA and CCHA, six. While this may seem like a great opportunity to get nationwide exposure with games against far-flung foes, or to boost the ol' RPI in anticipation of the PairWise rankings, it's nowhere near that easy. For starters, the 14-point bucks - the real big game of the college hockey landscape - are limited in number: Boston College, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Michigan State, Miami, Boston University, Maine, Notre Dame and New Hampshire draw very well and make regular appearances in the NCAA tournament. (Denver, Colorado College, Minnesota-Duluth, Nebraska-Omaha, Ferris State, and Western Michigan are on that cusp, but don't yet have the long-term cachet.) Everybody wants them on their schedule.

But who do they want to play? Each other, of course. North Dakota has undeniably little incentive to play Colgate, Brown, or St. Lawrence, home or away... at least until the Raiders, Bears or Saints start becoming regular fixtures in the Sweet 16. Even the powerhouses of neighboring Hockey East frequently feel that they are better served by making Western road trips than by visiting or hosting local ECAC squads.

Hey Brian you might want to check out the schedules of UND, they have played a fair number of ECAC schools. Dean Blais scheduled ECAC schools during his tenure at UND as well.

1999-00 At Clarkson (x2)
2000-01 St. Lawrence(2x) At Princeton (x1)
2001-02 At St. Lawrence & Brown (1x)
2002-03 At Yale (1x) and Princeton (1x)
2003-2004 Yale (x2)
2005-06 Harvard(x2)
2006-07 At Dartmouth (x1) and (x1) St Lawrence
2008-09 Cornell (x2)
2008-09 AT Harvard (x2)
2009-10 At Cornell (x2)
2011-12 Harvard (2x)and Clarkson (1x) in Winnipeg.

Some from Hockey East not embracing Fighting Irish Move.

I found this article in the Lowell Sun to be interesting and also a bit over the top, I guess not everyone is excited about having the Fighting Irish in Hockey East. I also agree with Mike Machnik because there will be more opportunities for non conference games with the formation of the Big Ten and NCHC conferences.

Chaz Scoggins; Lowell Sun --- If you're one of Hockey East's elite programs, like BC, Boston University, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, that shouldn't be much of a problem. Those schools have wanted to have the latitude to play more than seven non-league games for awhile now, and those are teams every other school in the country wants to play.

But if you're not one of the elite programs, if you're UMass Lowell, UMass Amherst, Providence, Merrimack, and Northeastern, trying to find 14 worthy non-league opponents is going to be a major headache.

Sure, those schools could schedule a flock of games against Atlantic Hockey teams like UConn, Bentley, Holy Cross, and Sacred Heart. But scheduling and beating those teams only hurts you if you're trying to earn an at-large berth for the NCAA Tournament.

The notorious pairwise rankings are a major factor in determining at least 12 of the 16 NCAA berths, and a big part of the pairwise formula is strength of schedule. It doesn't do the River Hawks much good if they win 25 games but nine or ten of those victories are against ACHA schools, while Vermont might have won only 21 games but had a handful of wins over perennial national powers like North Dakota, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Higher Education Board President Says Notre Dame Joined Hockey East Because of the Sioux Name

Someone wake Grant up and tell him that it was about the TV deal.




This guy gives buffoons a bag name.

In addition to the risk of losing affiliation with the Big Sky and potential scheduling and recruitment problems, Shaft said he believes that Notre Dame’s recent decision to affiliate with Hockey East — and not the new National Collegiate Hockey Conference that includes UND — was due in part to UND's being on sanctions because of the " ongoing nickname fight. It doesn't take an MBA degree to realize this decision has more to do with business than public opinion."

Actually Grant it was the TV deal that our new division wouldn't work with them on.

College Hockey News: Notre Dame had a preference for the NCHC because of its Western footprint, but the NCHC ultimately decided it didn't want to accept Notre Dame with its TV deal in tow.

You really have to be arrogant or stupid to interject the Sioux nickname controversy into the Notre Dame decision. But then that's what we get from the higher education in this state. They don't care what the public thinks. All we are is a flock of sheep for them to fleece to benefit those that work for the University system.

On a related topic, UND President Kelley urged the legislature to let the drop the nickname in it's upcoming session. Considering the fact that the Big Sky Conference said they'd blackball us if we kept the name that's not an unreasonable position. However in his speech it seems that he failed to acknowledge our friends and neighbors of the Spirit Lake Tribe that want us to keep the name.

That really irks me that Kelley sitting in his ivory tower clearly has contempt for the opinions of those on the reservation. As far as I can tell he's refused every offer to meet with actual Indians that are supposedly to be saved by the anti Indian rules of the NCAA. Certainly he failed to invite them as he flew down to Bismarck on the University's luxury plane to testify against the name. He also seems to have not insisted that members of the Tribe be brought along to the meeting with the NCAA.

Kelley and Shaft, drop your superiority complexes and actually listen to the people of the Tribe. You might actually learn something.

This was cross posted from my home on SayAnythingBlog.com.

This guy gives buffoons a bag name.

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The Numbers; Hakstol vs. Hockey East

This is an article that I submitted for Inside Hockey.

This past weekend the Fighting Sioux lost the championship game of the Ice Breaker Championship to the Boston College Eagles 6-2. While some of the Fighting Sioux faithful have panicked a bit after their team lost another game against the Boston College Eagles 6-2. Some have suggested with the Maine Black Bears coming to town this weekend, that it could be another long weekend for the Fighting Sioux. Looking at the numbers things aren’t really as bad as they seem.

Since Fighting Sioux head coach David Hakstol took over the coaching duties at the beginning of the 2004-05 season, the Fighting Sioux have a record of 11-12-4 against the Hockey East teams.   I think one could classify that as a respectable record against Hockey East teams since three of the last four NCAA titles have come out of Hockey East; Boston College 2008 and 2010, and Boston University 2009.

During that time period (2004-11), there are two teams that have the Fighting Sioux’s number,  coach Hakstol’s teams  have compiled a 1-4-1 record against the Boston College Eagles and a 2-4-0 record against the Maine Black Bears for a cumulative record 3-8-1.  Putting that record aside, Coach Hakstol teams have a 8-4-3 record against Merrimack College, Northeastern University, University of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  For some reason those two Hockey East teams have coach Hakstol’s number. Fighting Sioux fans hope that their team’s fortunes change this weekend against the Black Bears.

Since becoming the head coach of the Fighting Sioux eight years ago coach Hakstol has a coaching record of 188-94-27 and a 113-64-19 record against the WCHA.  Coach Hakstol’s teams have been to the NCAA playoffs seven times and his teams have also qualified for the Frozen Four five times. During that same time period the Fighting Sioux have won two MacNaughton Cups and three Broadmoor Trophies.

In recent years (2004-2011) the Fighting Sioux have had “some” success against Hockey East teams albeit the Fighting Sioux have a losing record of 11-12-4 that has been compiled against some of the tougher teams of Hockey East.  The first two seasons that Hakstol coached for the Fighting Sioux he had a  7-2-3 record against Hockey East teams.

Here are the stats broken down by  year.

The Current season 2011-12 with the loss last Saturday night, the Fighting Sioux’s record against Hockey teams is 0-1 (Boston College 0-1-0) 11-12-4

During the 2010-11 season the Fighting Sioux went 0-2 against Hockey East teams (Maine 0-2-0) 11-11-4

During the 2009-10 season the Fighting Sioux went  2-0 against Hockey East teams (Merrimack College)  2-0)  11-9-4

During the 2008-09 season the Sioux went 0-3 against Hockey East teams (Boston University 0-1, UMass 0-1 and University of New Hampshire 0-1-0)   9-9-4

During the 2007-08 season the Fighting Sioux went 2-1-1 against Hockey East (University of New Hampshire  1-1-0, Boston College  0-1-1 and Northeastern University  1-0-0) 9-6-4

During the 2006-07 season the Fighting Sioux went 0-3-0 against Hockey East (Maine 0-2-0, Boston  College 0-1-0)  7-5-3

During the 2005-06 season the Fighting Sioux went 3-1-1 against Hockey East (Northeastern University 2-0, University of New Hampshire 1-0-1,  Boston College 0-1-0) 7-2-3

During the 2004-2005 season the Fighting Sioux went  4-1-2  (Maine 2-0-0, Boston College 1-1-1, Boston University, 1-0-0, Northeastern 0-0-1)  4-1-2

Here is the Fighting Sioux’s record against the individual Hockey East teams since the 2004-05 season.

Merrimack College  2-0-0

Boston College 1-4-1

Maine 2-4-0

Boston University 1-1-0

Northeastern University 3-0-1

New Hampshire  2-2-1

Peters; If Hockey East gets the Irish it's a stiff slap in the face and a stumble out of the gates...

I usually love what Chris Peters owner of the United States of Hockey has to say and probably agree with what he has to say about 85 percent of the time but I couldn't disagree more with this recent blog post.

Let's break this down further; five of the top ten teams in all three preseason polls (CHN, USCHO, USA Today) are going to be in the newly formed NCHC to start the 2013-14 season. The teams that make up the NCHC have a combined 17 NCAA titles (DU 7, UND 7, UMD 1, C.C. 2). Tell me what leagues is currently more stacked than the NCHC is? The B1G is only other league that is going to have more NCAA titles (Michigan 9, Wisconsin 6, and Minnesota 5). Whether you want to admit it the NCHC has the making of being a pretty good hockey league.

Chris Peters; United States of Hockey --- From where I sit, the NCHC needs Notre Dame more than Hockey East does. The eight teams within the NCHC do not possess the national recognition required to garner a lucrative television deal, which presumably was a reason for forming the new league. Hockey East at the very least has the Boston media market pinned down, to go along with nationally known Boston College.

So, as tough a pill as it would be to swallow for perennial hockey powers at North Dakota and Denver, conceding some to Notre Dame is not the worst thing in the world. Without Notre Dame, was it worth breaking up the WCHA? Will the NCHC reach it’s full potential as it currently stands?

If the Irish get what they want from Hockey East, it’s by no means a fatal blow to the NCHC, but it’s a stiff slap in the face and a stumble out of the gates for the new league.

Lastly, I want to say that say again that I respect Chris Peters and his awesome work and this isn't personal what-so-ever but the new league hasn't even played a game yet and we have some people (not Chris) writing an eulogy before the NCHC has even played their first game.  

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Notre Dame close to a decision?

According to Mike McMahon of the Eagle Tribune, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are close to picking a college hockey conference, it's between the Hockey East and the newly formed NCHC. I like most college hockey fans would like to know where the Golden Domers are going to end up. I guess we will find out soon enough. Here is a link to the story in the Warrior Rink Rat.

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Where is Notre Dame going?

Image via WikipediaThe million dollar question that many college hockey fans are waiting for is, ta-da, where are the Notre Dame Fighting Irish going to end up? Are the Fighting Irish going to Hockey East, NCHC or Independent?

I like many college hockey fans are sitting by the  computer combing twitter, hoping that an announcement by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to make known their intended destination. Most of us are hoping that announcement will come soon. I also think they are holding up other college hockey teams decisions as well... But what's the hurry right, this move won't happen for another two years any ways.

Mike McMahon, Warrior Rink Rat --- The Irish were debating internally whether to join Hockey East, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, join the WCHA/CCHA or run its program as a Independant.

According to sources, Hockey East is now considered a long shot. Initially, Notre Dame officials were said to be split between joining Hockey East or the NCHC.

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LSSU Lakers face crucial decisions...

Image via WikipediaPeter Pietrangelo; Sault Ste. Marie Evening News has this article in today's newspaper. This is definitely a doom and gloom scenario. There is time for a solution, there are two years before the Big Ten and NCHC start play.

Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. — If Lake Superior finds its place in the rapidly shifting world of college hockey, in five years it will be competitive for a spot in the NCAA tournament for the first time in 15 years.

But if LSSU gets it wrong, it will be the end of Laker hockey. There is no middle ground.

The WCHA has no interest in taking the CCHA's leftovers — LSSU, Ferris St. and Bowling Green — and without a conference with an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, the Lakers will find it almost impossible to schedule enough home games to fund the program.

LSSU is never going to be competitive on a yearly basis with the Michigans, Notre Dames and North Dakotas of the world; it has neither the money nor the cachet to keep up with the sport's big spenders like the Big Ten or the newly-formed National Collegiate Hockey Conference. While LSSU has enjoyed a relatively problem-free ride with the CCHA for nearly 40 years, those days are numbered. Going forward, here are LSSU's choices:

• Attempt to join the WCHA. This solution would be good for LSSU athletically, but neither competitively nor financially. And the WCHA doesn't seem to be open to a school that isn't a good geographic fit. This will not happen.

• Attempt to join an already-established conference. Atlantic Hockey already has 12 teams — and the Lakers would have to drop six scholarships to join. The NCHC, ECAC and Hockey East are also out of the question. Again, not going to happen.
• Go on as an independent. The only current independent team is Alabama-Huntsville. The Chargers played just 10 home games last year and have 12 home games this year (two are against the U.S. U-18 program). LSSU couldn't make enough money in this arrangement and would have even more difficulty drawing recruits.

• Attempt to salvage the CCHA. If Alaska stays, the CCHA could get Alabama-Huntsville on board to make a five-team conference. Then just one more team would have to be recruited. Mercyhurst, Niagara, Canisius, Robert Morris and Rochester Institute of Technology could be viable candidates, both geographically and competitively. If Alaska bolts for the WCHA, then two teams would have to be recruited to join.

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Did I just read that? Again?

Image via WikipediaI like most of you have been reading lots of articles, blogs and message boards and at times it all seems like a blur… While perusing the Lets Go DU Hockey Sports blog I came across a link to an article that I had read earlier in the day written by Matt Wellens of the Daily News. I had totally read over this paragraph and didn't see it originally.

Notre Dame remains uncommitted to any conference at this time and is pressing for a smaller league that features a larger non-conference slate, according to multiple Mining Journal sources. The Irish are looking for a seven-team league with a 24-game conference schedule in order to fill the rest of their dates with meetings against fellow Bowl Championship Subdivision member Boston College and the Big Ten schools.

So after reading that paragraph again I had to ask myself; is there is another “Super League” out there ready to form or is Notre Dame talking about joining the College Hockey Super League… I was wondering if anyone else gleaned that from the paragraph… We will soon find out where Notre Dame is going.

Also developing today -> NMU wants to come back to the WCHA. Now what does the CCHA do? One does have to ask if the CCHA is falling apart or reforming into something else?

College Hockey News --- Not waiting to see how things will play out any further, Northern Michigan is closing in on an agreement with the WCHA to move back to its former home, sources confirm. The move of Alaska to the WCHA may be imminent as well. It was reported earlier today by the Duluth News-Tribune that NMU's move was a done deal, but CHN has not been able to confirm that yet.

Disregarding cries for patience going forward, in the aftermath of the exodus of 11 major programs leaving the WCHA and CCHA, Northern Michigan and the WCHA are each moving quickly to ensure their survival.

Northern Michigan has a regularly-scheduled board meeting set for Thursday, where this topic expects to be on the agenda.

With all of the pending moves, the WCHA would be left with five teams in 2013-14, not enough for an NCAA Tournament automatic bid. Bringing in two more teams ensures the WCHA will go on, and also renews the intra-conference rivalry between NMU and fellow Upper Peninsula school Michigan Tech.

Mike Chambers from the Denver Post has another interesting article today and I think Chambers is right; the Super League teams are going to need to schedule the WCHA and CCHA teams left out of the mix or some other team from around college hockey to fill out their schedules. I have been told by an unnamed great hockey mind that I don’t have to worry about teams scheduling the Super League teams… Also, does this mean that we could see a lot of cup cakes at the top of the PWR rankings if they don't make adjustments formula for selecting the NCAA hockey tourney... That probably won't happen.

Mike Chambers; Denver Post --- If the super league does indeed primarily create a nonconference schedule against Big Ten teams, any of those 12 or 13 combined teams will have to be awful good to approach the NCAA Tournament with 20-25 wins in a 36-game regular season. DU has produced a school-record 10 consecutive 20-win seasons, a current streak only matched by Michigan (24 straight). But for the Pios, qualifying for the national tournament after playing four combined regular-season league games against UND, CC, UMD, MU, UNO and hopefully ND (24 total), plus eight to 12 nonconference games against Big Ten foes, would be extraordinarily difficult.

Going 20-10-6 in the regular season would be considered outstanding, but it probably wouldn’t put you in position for a No. 1 or No. 2 NCAA Tournament seed (eight total). Instead, 25-win teams from the ECAC, Hockey East or even the AHA would dominate the first eight seeds. You see, while the Big Ten and super leaguers are beating up on each other, the best in Hockey East, ECAC and AHA are reeling off 15 wins apiece by January.

It worked for Yale last season. The Bulldogs played one regular-season game against proposed Big Ten or super-league teams — beating CC 5-1 in November — and were 26-7-1 entering the NCAA Tournament, as the No. 1 overall seed.

If the formula doesn’t change, many of the super-leaguers and Big Ten boys will go from perennial NCAA Tournament participants to spectators, having exchanged easier schedules and Frozen Four memorabilia for league television revenue and ticket sales in the regular season. To combat that (if the formula doesn’t change), these very teams must schedule six to eight nonconference games against the non-Big Ten teams and those that didn’t make the super-league cut. In the end, DU’s schedule last season might not look that much different beyond 2014.

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