Frattin for Hobey Baker... Why not?

I think that when we start talking about candidates for the Hobey Baker Matt Frattin’s name has to be in the mix, look that the year Frattin is having (17g-8a-25pts), I would say that Frattin has been a man among boys this season. Immediately you will hear about Frattin’s checkered past, I think that’s fair, however, I think the article written by Brad Elliot Schlossman this past weekend, The Road to Redemption is the first step in the right direction because the article brings to light some information that could help sway the committee.

I the reason I think the committee can be swayed is that Matt Frattin could have taken the easy route that other players have and just signed a professional but instead he decided to get his act together and deal with his personal issues and he didn't avoid them but met them head on.

The fact that the University of North Dakota pulled Frattin’s scholarship and Matt Frattin had to pay his own way is even more impressive to me, he could have said screw this… Matt could have just signed the professional contract and taken the money and moved on to the Toronto Maple Leafs but he decided that he had some unfinished business at UND to take care of. Frattin took care of his personal issues worked his butt off to stay in shape worked on the side and went to counseling and I think that is a testament to the kind of guy that Frattin is.

I have known adults that wouldn’t have taken these steps to make things right, they would just moved on and been done with it. Frattin took the path not always traveled came back probably a better player and a better person. Like I said over on Sioux Sports; “let he who is without sin cast the first stone", life is about lessons and we learn from our mistakes and none of us are perfect. I also don’t think any of the previous Hobey Baker Memorial Candidates were either.

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

This video should get you in the mood as the 2011 WJC approaches, the USA has a good chance to make more memories like this. Yesterday the USA and RPI played in an exhibition game yesterday that was won by RPI 4-3, the game went to a 12 round shootout that was won by the RPI Engineers. Here is the video to the 12 round shootout. Here is a link to the post game interviews.

Don’t worry Leafs fans, help is on the way… (Matt Frattin)

I posted this over on Pension Plan Puppets. S/T to Brad Schlossman for an awesome article, like Chuck Schwartz tweeted last week; Brad is one of the best beat writers in the business and as Sioux fans we are blessed to have him… I read the article four times and it really is a touching piece, the article kind of puts life in perspective and goes to show there is more life than sports... I am sure glad Matt decided to come back to UND and not sign a professional contract. Frattin manned up and faced the music and got his life together.

Leaf’s Fans I have had a chance to watch Matt Frattin play for the UND Fighting Sioux for 3 seasons and I think you’re going to like what Matt Frattin brings to the table. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he is wearing a Maple Leaf next season.

Matt Frattin is a big strong power forward (6 feet 206 lbs) and has a howitzer for a shot, Frattin shots the puck through goaltenders, and you can find many goals on YouTube.com. Frattin isn’t a one dimensional player, Matt plays strong in all three zones of the ice and his skating are one of his stronger points.

Matt Fratt was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 4th round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Just before the 2009-2010 school year was about to begin Matt Frattin got into trouble and was dismissed from the Fighting Sioux hockey team and returned to Edmonton, Alberta to get his life in order. At the semester break Frattin was given a second chance by Fighting Sioux head coach Dave Hakstol and Matt has caught fire and is on a torrid pace. Grand Forks Herald beat writer Brad Schlossman has a nice article about Matt’s past few seasons.

Grand Forks Herald --- Matt Frattin is a notorious prankster. So, when he called Evan Trupp last August to say that he had gotten in trouble and was getting kicked off the UND hockey team, Trupp naturally thought it was a joke.

But this time, it wasn’t.

After his second alcohol-related run-in with police in two months — this time a DUI charge he later would be acquitted of — Frattin was dismissed just days before the 2009-10 school year was set to start.

He packed up and moved back home to Edmonton, Alberta, to ponder his future. And while UND left the door open for his return in 2010-11, it seemed likely that his time in Grand Forks was finished.

After all, the easy route was for Frattin to cash in on the NHL contract that the Toronto Maple Leafs offered and pick up his hockey career right away in the pro ranks. Frattin thought about it, and took a different path.

He decided to change his lifestyle, sit out for up to a year and attempt to return to UND to make things right. He’s back here now, 16 months later, on his road to redemption. Frattin is the nation’s leading goal-scorer, with 17 goals, and it’s not even Christmas.

So how hot has Frattin been, Matt has scored 11 goals in 13 games last season from Feburary 12th to March 27. Fast forward to this season Frattin has continued that torrid pace scoring 17 goals in 20 games, so if my math is right (I am a sociology major), that is roughly 28 goals in 33 games. [click to link]

Nelson and Forbort to play against RPI

Checking the USA WJC blog, Fighting Sioux players Derek Forbort and Brock Nelson will play in a exhibition against RPI today at 3:00 PM Central Standard Time. You can listen to the game on the Internet. [Click to listen] You an also watch the game on B2tvNetwork.

Here are this afternoon’s lines for Team USA:

Brickley – Bjugstad – Etem
Zucker – Shore – Callahan
D’Amigo – Grimaldi – Nieto
Saad – Nelson – Brown

Oleksiak – Leddy
Forbort – Wey
Dumoulin – Clendening
Samuelsson

Campbell*
Iles

Bruins and Sabres end of the game scrum

I had been looking for this video all week and I finally found it on Bruce Ciskie's NHL Fan House blog. Two teams that hate each other a lot, old time hockey and a nice way to finish the game with a line brawl, or at least a scrum. I think Buffalo forward Paul Gaustad should have been given a major penalty for swinging his stick at Chara, there was no excuse for that. For one Miller bumped Chara and he gave him a little tiny love tap. I am surprised there wasn't a couple of fines as a result of this action.

Check this out...

Check out this article that I found over on the Mav Puck message board. God forbid anything to include college hockey would cut into the coverage of other sports. This is a blog post by Harold Anderson. For those of us including me that don't know who Harold Anderson is he is the Retired Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of the Omaha World-Herald, that's the newspaper that covers the UNO Mavericks.

I Wish The UNO Hockey Team Well But Do They Need All That Coverage?

Most surprising headline in recent memory:

“Time to recognize Blais, Mav Hockey.”

The headline appeared over a sports commentator’s column which appeared November 18. Would it be possible that the columnist has not been aware of the wall-to-wall coverage of the Maverick hockey team since Dean Blais became head coach in 2009?

I had no reason to keep track of the number of times readers were told that Blais won two national championships while coaching hockey at the University of North Dakota, but that fact must be among the most often repeated in the history of local sports coverage.

On the eve of the start of the Mavericks’ 2009 hockey season, Coach Blais and newly-hired assistant coach Mike Hastings and two unidentified hockey players were featured in a color photo that took up nearly the entire front page of a four-page special section. An inside page was devoted to the Mavericks and their schedule and pictures and a brief biography of each of 25 squad members, plus pictures and brief biographical sketches of Coach Blais and his two assistants.

Twenty-five squad members? Isn’t it true that you can have only a maximum of six players on the ice at any given time, and this includes a goalie who may play the entire game?

One of the inside pages was devoted to pictures and biographical sketches of 26 Omaha Lancers squad members.

In the total of 52 squad members on the two teams, there was one player identified as being from Nebraska—an Omahan on the Lancers roster.

Wow! Note to Harold, hockey might be a niche sport to the masses in the south that love football, however, college hockey has a big following in the upper Midwest as well that deserves coverage... You have a coach that will probably be in the USA Hockey Hall of Fame some day. You might not want to bite the hand that is paying your retirement.

Ranking the Leagues SOS...

So which league has played the toughest schedule to date?

WCHA

North Dakota 1 232.5
Bemidji State 2 230.0
Denver 3 201.8
Michigan Tech 4 195.6
Alaska-Anchorage 5 192.0
Minnesota-Duluth 6 183.6
Wisconsin 9 166.9
St. Cloud State 11 162.9
Minnesota 12 162.0
Colorado College 13 161.4
Nebraska-Omaha 15 155.3
Minnesota State 20 139.8

Hockey East

Boston College 7 179
Vermont 8 170.1
Boston University 14 159.0
Maine 21 139.0
New Hampshire 23 136.6
Mass.-Lowell 27 121.9
Massachusetts 29 113.2
Merrimack 30 112.9
Northeastern 31 110.5
Providence 39 83.0

CCHA

Notre Dame 10 163.2
Michigan 16 152.4
Alaska 17 148.0
Miami 18 144.6
Michigan State 24 129.4
Northern Michigan 25 127.2
Lake Superior 26 126.5
Bowling Green 34 105.7
Ferris State 36 100.2
Western Michigan 37 92.9
Ohio State 38 91.0

ECAC

Rensselaer 19 140
Brown 22 137.7
Yale 28 113.4
Union 32 108.4
Dartmouth 33 107.5
Harvard 35 105.1
St. Lawrence 40 78.0
Princeton 42 73.8
Quinnipiac 43 67.7
Cornell 45 59.2
Clarkson 46 57.9
Colgate 48 53.4

Atlantic Hockey

Air Force 41 77.9
Bentley 47 54.7
Holy Cross 49 53.4
Connecticut 50 52.8
RIT 51 49.7
Niagara 52 49.2
Sacred Heart 53 46.7
American Int'l 54 45.4
Canisius 55 41.3
Mercyhurst 56 36.1
Army 57 35.7
Robert Morris 58 34.2

INDY

Alabama-Huntsville 44 66.8

Saturday Morning Pontifications… Links…

There really isn't much going on in the "College Hockey World" right now... The World Juniors Championship is going to be firing up after Christmas. The first game for the USA WJC in on the NHL Network at 7:00 PM against Finland on December 26th. There is only one WCHA series this weekend as the Mavericks travel to the Springs to play the C.C. Tigers.

Links

Team Canada goaltenders on the hot seat [Globe and Mail]

Flash Back; U.S. wins junior gold in overtime thriller [Globe and Mail]

Julie Robenhymer from Hockey Buzz has been tweeting from the USA WJC selection camp and you can catch her tweets here at @JulieRobenhymer...

BSU Beavers tested by their tough schedule during the first half of the season, BSU has played the second hardest Strength of Schedule. [Up North Sports Report]

Former UAA Goalie Nate Lawson is going to make his NHL debut tonight because their starter is former BU goalie Rick DiPietro out with an injury again. Nate is still sporting the number 52 that he wore in college...[islanders.nhl.com]

Earlier this week another former WCHA goalie Ricard Bachman made his NHL debute with the Dallas Stars as well. [Eye of the Tigers] Bachman was sent back down after his debut. [Eye of the Tigers]

Zdeno Chara Gets Too Close to Ryan Miller; Miller Starts Skirmish. [NHL Fan House] Awesome I was looking for the video for this one...

WJC: Team USA preview Defending the gold on home soil [niagarathisweek.com]

Jack Campbell should be key player in World Juniors [starsblog.dallasnews.com]

The UMD Bulldogs are opening at new arena on December 30th against the UND Fighting Sioux and they are having a dress rehearsal. [Rink and Run] UND opened the BSU's Beavers new home by sweeping the Beavers by a pair of 6-2 scores back in October.

Colorado trip no vacation for Mavs... [WORLD-HERALD]

You might want to check the YouTube videos... (Frattin)

I wonder what would have happened if UND had got their feet moving earlier in that game? We might not be having the discussions we are having today. I was reading USCHO WCHA blog this morning and there was something that caught my eye in Tyler Buckentine’s post. I am going to preface this by saying I don’t know Tyler from Adam or what team he cheers for and I don’t have anything against him at all, I am not trying to attack him, also notice, that I am not making him the buffoon of the week. I save those blog posts for people that do moronic things. None the less, Tyler was reviewing the WCHA and the first half of the season and how the league play has evolved.

USCHO.COM --- College hockey is at the midpoint of its season and the WCHA has four teams in the nation’s top eight teams and two in the top four.

The consensus WCHA favorite, UND, (13–5–2) is the top WCHA team in the USCHO.com D-I Poll and sits in first place in the league standings with 22 points after a pair of sweeps against SCSU and Minnesota State.

Who would’ve thought Matt Frattin, the nation’s leading goal scorer, would have 17 goals at the break when the Sioux’s goals leader when the 2009-10 season ended was Jason Gregoire with 20.

Frattin, who scored 11 goals a year ago, has 25 points, which matches his personal best for points in a season he set as a sophomore.

Frattin has the ability to create his own chances to make quality shots. He beat MSU goaltender Phil Cook glove side far post on Friday and danced his way around two Mavericks defenders on his way to a goal Sunday.

Frattin is on a five-game goal-scoring streak.

Aaron Dell has been a surprise in the crease after UND’s original No. 1 goalie, Brad Eidsness, was benched after just five games because of his nightmare of a start to the season (4.12 GAA, .805 SV%).

The sophomore Dell is 12–4–1 with a 2.22 goals against average and .904 save percentage.

The scary thing is UND’s record now and the schedule that lies ahead for the Sioux. UND faces only two teams in the current top 10-ranked teams on the schedule until the Final Five rolls around.

Here is what I take issue with, “Who would’ve thought Matt Frattin, the nation’s leading goal scorer.” You’re kidding right? You can’t be series? Cliché alert: It would be an understatement to say that Matt Frattin has looked like a man among boys and has played this season Frattin like a man possessed. The Toronto Maple Leafs who are starved for offense must be drooling at the prospects of having Matt Frattin wearing a Maple Leaf on the front of his jersey.

If you are covering the WCHA and you have had a chance to watch Matt Frattin play at all last season you would have noticed a player that was on the verge of breaking out and would have thought a torrid season might be in the cards. Rewinding back to last season when Matt Frattin returned from his suspension; Fratting took fire during the second half of the season and caught fire during the second game of the SCSU series has been hot as a pistol since and scored a bundle of goals.

So how hot has Frattin been, Matt has scored 11 goals in 13 games last season from Feburary 12th to March 27. Fast forward to this season Frattin has continued that torrid pace scoring 17 goals in 20 games, so if my math is right (I am a sociology major), that is roughly 28 goals in 33 games.

Michael Cammalleri's Penalty Shot Goal against the Boston Bruins

The more I watch this video the more I come to the conclusion that the penalty that led to the Cammalleri penalty shot was very weak and a brutal call by the official.

Edit: in looking back at this play that led to the penalty shot, I must conclude that this was a bad call by the NHL on ice officials, their incompetence cost the Boston Bruins the game and points in the standings, there is no way that the Montreal Canadians deserved a penalty shot on that play, maybe hooking but that was even stretch.

Subban hit on Marchand

Habs punk P.K. Subban delivers an monster hit on Bruins forward Brad Marchand, the hit was legal and a good open ice hit, I have no problem with the hit at all. My advice to the Bruins forward Brad Marchand keep your head up son. The Slough foot on Campbell should have gotten Subban a penalty in my opinion.

Weekend Match-Ups (by Sioux 7)

There is only one WCHA series this weekend and it features the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks visiting the Colorado College Tigers at World arena in Colorado Springs.

There was a full stale of WCHA series last weekend and the results were:

Wisconsin swept Bemidji State – in Madison
North Dakota swept Minnesota State Mankato – in Mankato
Colorado College swept St. Cloud State – in St. Cloud
Nebraska-Omaha swept Michigan Tech – in Omaha
Denver took 3pts from Alaska-Anchorage – in Anchorage
Minnesota took 3pts from Minnesota-Duluth – in Minneapolis

After this weekend almost every team will have played half of their WCHA schedule. The exceptions are SCSU and MTU, both teams will have two games in hand on the rest of the league. And looking at the standing both teams need those games to make a run up the standings and try to grab home ice at the end of the season.

WCHA standings

TEAM……………...W-L-T...Pts
1. North Dakota………11-3-0…22
2. Denver……………...9-3-2…20
2. Minnesota-Duluth....9-3-2…20
4. Nebraska-Omaha….8-3-1…17
5. Colorado College…..7-5-0…14
5. Minnesota…………..6-6-2…14
5. Wisconsin…………..6-6-2…14
8. Alaska-Anchorage...4-8-2…10
8. Minnesota State…...4-8-2…10
10. Bemidji State……….4-9-1…9
11. St. Cloud State….....3-8-1…7
12. Michigan Tech……..1-10-1…3


WCHA

#8 Nebraska-Omaha @ #20 Colorado College
Last weekend the Mavericks swept the MTU Huskies in Omaha and the Tigers swept the SCSU Huskies in St. Cloud.

This is a huge series for both teams this weekend in Omaha. The Mavericks need points to keep it a four way hunt for the WCHA title. The Tigers need points to separate themselves from Gophers and Badgers and help get that much closer to the top and home ice. The Tiger have been under that radar, at least mine, they have quietly moved into a tie for 5th in the league. If the Tigers get any points this weekend they will be in sole possession of 5th and if they sweep they will be in 4th place. The Mavericks can move into a 2nd place tie with three points or sole possession of 2nd with a sweep with weekend. This year CC has tickled the twine 45 times and the Mavericks have 41 times in the WCHA. I’m going to say they each get some points this, the last weekend before Christmas. SPLIT


NON-Conference

Michigan Tech (3-10-2 overall) @ Northern Michigan (8-8-3 overall) (Friday only)
Last weekend the Huskies were swept by the UNO Mavericks in Omaha and the Wildcats split with Notre Dame in South Bend Indiana.

These teams played each other twice already this year. On October 8th and the Huskies beat the Wildcats 4-3 in overtime and then on October 12th they played to a 4-4 tie. Back in the 1980s this would have been a WCHA conference game, but not since 1991. In this battle for Upper Peninsula Supremacy it will come down to which team wants it more and I think the Huskies really want it. MTU wins.


USA Under-18 Team @ #3 North Dakota (exhibition – Saturday)
Last weekend the Sioux swept the MSUM Mavericks in Mankato.

I can see UND playing more of the guys that have been back ups in this game, just to avoid more injuries. I will also predict that Eidsness will see time between the pipes in this game (and maybe Maris might get to play in the net too).




Alaska Anchorage – next Jan 14th & 15th vs Colorado College

Bemidji State – next Dec 31st & Jan 1st Ferris State & Union - Dodge Holiday Classic

#7 Denver – next Dec 31st & Jan 1st vs Northern Michigan

#19 Minnesota – next Dec 31st & Jan 1st Union & Ferris State - Dodge Holiday Classic

#4 Minnesota-Duluth – next Dec 30th vs UND USA Hockey Hall of Fame Game

Minnesota State – next Jan 1 & 2 Notre Dame & BU/Brown Shillelagh Tourney

St. Cloud State – next Dec 29th & 30th Cornell & Miami/Maine - Florida Classic

#15 Wisconsin – next Dec 30th and 31st vs Massachusetts

Bettman, NHL will be backCoyotes deal doesn't shut door on Winnipeg

If you haven't seen this article it's worth a look.

Winnipeg Free Press ---"This was never about Winnipeg. This was about Arizona and keeping the Coyotes where they are," said Bettman, in a patient and respectful tone during a short one-on-one interview with the Free Press.

Bettman is predictably single-minded and perhaps a touch disingenuous in this statement. Certainly this was about Winnipeg when the league entered negotiations with True North Sports and Entertainment last spring and came within a day of closing on a relocation sale. Certainly the threat of that sale prodded the people of Glendale to bend and finally kneel at the NHL's feet.

Now before you get all high and mighty and accuse Bettman of using the city of Winnipeg, keep in mind that we went into this thing with our eyes wide open.

There was never a guarantee the NHL would leave Glendale and return to Winnipeg. But we were more than happy to sit in the on-deck circle and hope for the Coyotes to strike out and give the 'Peg another turn at bat.

There are no victims here, except maybe the Glendale taxpayers who were set up by their city managers and then pushed in front of the train by their elected officials.

There's no way the use of 5,500 parking stalls at Jobing.com Arena can cover the cost of issuing $125-million in bonds and the interest that will need to be paid. Maybe in Manhattan but not in the wide open spaces of the southwest.

Where does this leave Winnipeg in terms of chasing an NHL team? In the same place we've been since the building of the MTS Centre and the formation of a partnership between the Chipman and Thomson families. Ready and able should the NHL decide to abandon one of its current markets.

Bettman threw us a bone last spring saying, "Frankly, if we're going to move a franchise, there are a couple of places in Canada that I'd like to give my attention first. I'd like to try and fix something that I wished might not have happened in the first place."

On Tuesday he wasn't so charitable.

"Again, what went on here had nothing to do with Winnipeg," said Bettman. "As of right now we're not expanding or looking to relocate. We're aware of the great interest in Winnipeg. We're appreciative of that but that's not something we're in the position to address right now."

Yes, it's a dirty business and in this exchange Winnipeg was left out in the cold.

Step outside for a minute. We're used to cold and we have the patience to wait for warmer days. We do it every year as summer crawls near. It always comes back.

So too will Gary Bettman and the NHL.

When I read this article it appears that the NHL used the city of Winnipeg as a pawn, if there was a threat of having a fall back plan in Winnipeg Bettman could use Winnipeg as leverage to get a deal in Phoenix.

Colton Orr vs Zack Stortini

In case you haven't seen it, this was one of the better hockey fights that I have seen this season Rangers Colton Orr vs Oilers Zack Stortini this was definitely a battle of heavy weights.

Drew Stafford hat trick sinks Bruins...

Leave it to former Fighting Sioux forward Drew Stafford to stick it to my Boston Bruins tonight, Stafford returned from an injury to score a "Hat Trick" and the last two goals of the game. In case you wondering that is MSG voice of the Buffalo Sabres Rick Jeanneret who is one of the best hockey play by play television announcers in the business. Unfortunately, some of my worst Boston Bruins Memories are with Rick Jeanneret at the helm calling the game. My friend Mike once left Rick Jeanneret's call of my Boston Bruins being eliminated in the 1993 Stanley Cup playoffs on a goal by former Sabres tough guy Brad May on my answering machine, "May Day, May Day, Brad May...

Former Wild forward Brian Rolston put on waviers by the Devils

Holy Cow the New Jersey Devils are in full meltdown mode. I wonder if the Wild would be interested in picking Brian up? Probably not, the Wild can't afford 5 million a season and they do not have any room under the cap.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP)—Veteran left wing Brian Rolston(notes) has been placed on waivers by the struggling New Jersey Devils.

Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello announced the move after practice on Tuesday.

If Rolston is not claimed by Wednesday at noon, the Devils can either assign him to their AHL team at Albany, N.Y. or keep him on the roster for a game against the Phoenix Coyotes later that night.

The Devils will get no salary cap relief sending the 37-year-old Rolston to the minors. He was over 35-years-old when he signed his contract so his $5 million salary will count against the Devils’ cap whether he plays for them or in the minors.

The only way his salary would come off the cap would be if another team claimed him, and that seems unlikely.

Brad Malone is the WCHA WCHA Offensive Player of the Week for Dec. 14, 2010

The Pony Express delivered. Brad Malone had a good week on the score sheet and in the face-off circle and was rewarded for his good play by receiving the WCHA Offensive Player of the Week.

WCHA.COM ---University of North Dakota center iceman Brad Malone, who propelled his team to a pair of come-from-behind conference road victories at Minnesota State last weekend and into first place in the league race, has been named the Red Baron® WCHA Offensive Player of the Week for Dec. 14, 2010.

A 6-2, 212-pound senior from Miramichi, New Brunswick, Malone led all players with four points and a +4 plus/minus rating in UND's sweep over the host Mavericks, which enabled the Sioux to take over first place in the race for the WCHA regular season title and MacNaughton Cup. In a 4-3 victory last Friday (Dec. 10), Malone matched his career high with three assists, setting up three straight UND goals after his team trailed 2-0. Then last Sunday afternoon (Dec. 12) and with the Sioux trailing 2-1 in the second period, he capped another rally by scoring the game-winning goal at 14:47 to complete the sweep. Malone also earned a +3 in Sunday's game and was named the No. 1 star. In addition to his four points, Malone also won 56.8% (25-of44) of his face-offs in the series.

Alexander Ovechkin and Brandon Dubinsky fight

If you haven't seen this fight it's worth a look, I am not sure the Washington Captials want their top star Alexander Ovechkin fighting on a regular basis. I guess in this case I really don't have a problem with this fight because it is between two "star" players, it's not like Brandon Dubinsky is a Goon, Dubinsky has (14g-13a-27pts) in 32 games and Ovechkin is a well a super star (12g-24a-36pts) in 32 games.

In watching the video it would appear that Ovechkin is a better fighter than Sidney Crosby. Here is a look at the Sidney Crosby - Matt Niskanen fight in case you haven't seen that fight.

A look further at the Strength of Schedule

Here is an interesting conversation that I found on Twitter between Ryan Durling of the Somethings Bruin hockey blog and USCHO Hockey ECAC Blogger Brian Sullivan, the discussion is worth taking a look at, there is some legitimate points brought up by Durling.

@SullivanHockey it's tough to credit a team that's played 3/4 the schedule of UNH/BC and almost half as many games as NoDak, Minny, etc.
@SullivanHockey I'd love to, honest. Sadly, they don't dance with Hockey East too much and it's tough to get that far away to see them
@SullivanHockey i'm not an ECAC hater nor a HE homer, lol. Just find it tough to compare the schedules.
@Ryan_Durling And RPI is probably the LEAST impressive of that bunch right now. Really... Yale. Check 'em out, they're crazy fun to watch.
@Ryan_Durling Seriously though, you really ought to watch Yale, Union, Dartmouth & RPI before passing stereotypical judgment on #ECACHockey.
@SullivanHockey I don't deny that they're good teams. RPI looked solid earlier this year and I'm sure they've improved, BUT...
@Ryan_Durling The poll isn't necessarily about who'd beat whom, but who is doing the best they can...which Yale certainly is.
@Ryan_Durling Everyone has his own ballot philosophy, but there's no doubt that Yale's season is the most successful in D-I to date.

First off, I am glad that someone else is saying these things. This is also one of the reason I am so glad that there isn't a BCS of college hockey, this is not a beauty contest folks where your team loads up on cupcakes and over inflate their stats racking up wins against unimpressive opponents. I am not personally impressed if your team schedules a Sacred Heart and then beats them 8-1. I am more impressed with a game between two teams that play in a tough contested match with the outcome is in doubt till the end of the game.

The being said, the NCAA Division I Hockey tournament is a tourney that is based on merit you have to be one of the final 16 to make the tourney and your team has to win 4 games to get to the top.

Yeah first let’s compare Strength of Schedule, eight of the ten teams with the toughest Strength of Schedule are in the WCHA and the other two teams are from the Hockey East and the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. Let’s take a look at the ECAC strength in scheduling or should we say a lack of strength.

The Top Ten Strength of Schedule

North Dakota 1
Bemidji State 2
Denver 3
Michigan Tech 4
Alaska-Anchorage 5
Minnesota-Duluth 6
Boston College 7
Notre Dame 8
Wisconsin 9
St. Cloud State 10

EZAC Strength of Schedule

Rensselaer 21
Brown 22
Yale 29
Dartmouth 33
Union 34
Harvard 35
St. Lawrence 40
Princeton 43
Quinnipiac 44
Cornell 45
Clarkson 46
Colgate 49

In conclusion; I am not saying that the ECAC or the Atlantic Hockey Associations aren’t good hockey leagues, they are the mid majors conferences of college hockey and “a few” of their teams can beat any team from the big three on any given night, but let’s be honest with ourselves, they are not in the same class as the Hockey East, WCHA or CCHA... Let the debate begin.

My first crack at the "what-if"

WCHA Final
Team GP Pts
1. UND 28 48
2. Denver 28 42
3. UMD 28 39
4. UNO 28 34
5. UW 28 32
6. C.C. 28 29
7. UMN 28 28
8. Mankato 28 21
8. SCSU 28 21
10. AA 28 18
10. BSU 28 18
12. MTech 28 6

Here is my first crack at the WCHA standings "what-if" calculator. You can pick your standings by going to this link... [Click to play "What-If"] Also, include your picks if you would like.

Rankings

Here is the rankings comparisons [click to view]

Pairwise rankings [click to view]

NCAA Division I - College Hockey RPI [Click to view]