UND's New Hockey Conference

[Goon]

The Gophers played at Bemidji in October of 2000. They beat the Beavers 9-3.

I was at the game, the Glas was packed to the gills.

[Mariucci]

If it were Wisconsin and UND leaving, the Gophers would have done the exact same thing w/ DU. Don't tell me otherwise. They think they are the hockey gods and everyone else should just fall in line. Tired of Minnesota playing the innocent victim here. They didn't support the smaller schools in their own state like UND has/will. Sick of this arrogance that Minnesota is doing everyone else a favor by scheduling them. Talk to me when your BC.

I LOVE posts like these, just love em.

[brianvf]

I LOVE posts like these, just love em.

Have you already gone to GPL to inform all the Gopher fans? I sure hope so!

It would be the typical thing to do.

[Ray77]

I'm not into the politics of the change and will miss the old WCHA. To me, the best reason for the change is to GET NEW REFS!

Don't forget about the commissioner!

[Sodbuster]

Just read where Kristo's back......I LOVE posts like that, just love em!!

[dmksioux]

The NCHC plans to make a couple "big" announcements by next week. Speculation is the news will relate to conference tourney and Director of Hockey operations.

http://www.uscho.com/2012/04/24/nchc-planning-two-pretty-big-announcements-in-coming-week/

The new National Collegiate Hockey Conference expects to make “two pretty big announcements by Wednesday of next week,” commissioner Jim Scherr said on Tuesday.

Details were few, but Scherr will be in Minneapolis next Tuesday after spending the weekend in Naples, Fla., where he will talk with league officials and coaches attending the American Hockey Coaches Association’s annual meetings. An announcement on Tuesday likely concerns the new league’s postseason venue or the hire of the conference’s first director of hockey operations.

[FSSD]

Coming from the coaches and administration, MN has been first class to work with. So has UND and UMD to a degree have, but not to the extent that MN has. UNO and SCSU are likely going to play us on a yearly (or almost yearly basis) as well. WI, DU and CC are not at all, but that really wasn't all that unexpected. Those are the schools that want nothing to do with any of their former conference mates.

Again, it's not just UND people are annoyed with. It's the entire situation. The fact that UND and DU were the ones that were the figureheads (and by most accounts driving it) is the reason that they are getting the heat. They were the ones that everyone saw smiling at the press conference. They are the ones that are associated with it most due to those facts. MN isn't getting as much because many of us feel they didn't want this to happen and many of already know that Alvarez is a d-bag and has wanted the Big Ten to do this for a long time. I, personally, was caught off guard by the NCHC and reacted very negatively toward it due to the feeling that the WCHA could have been saved, but the schools that left didn't have the will or motivation to make it work. Again, that was their right. They didn't do anything wrong. It just felt as though the NCHC schools were turning their backs on us at the time.

Instead of being mad at everyone else - have you looked at the school and fans to see what it could have done to put itself in a better postion. MSU was in the best hockey conference in the nation and given the same opportunity as all othe other WCHA schools for the last ten years - what have they done to prove themselves? In addition, I think it is best that you make your judgements in 5/10 years and see how it shakes out. The Gophs are playing political nice - they have something called funding that they need from the State, plus some capital projects they might need the states help with..

[bale31]

Instead of being mad at everyone else - have you looked at the school and fans to see what it could have done to put itself in a better postion. MSU was in the best hockey conference in the nation and given the same opportunity as all othe other WCHA schools for the last ten years - what have they done to prove themselves? In addition, I think it is best that you make your judgements in 5/10 years and see how it shakes out. The Gophs are playing political nice - they have something called funding that they need from the State, plus some capital projects they might need the states help with..

Wow, have you not read the previous 2 pages where I repeatedly admitted that MSU could have done more? Although, if you're going to say that I should do that, you lose the right to accuse MN of playing political games until you "make your judgements". I also said that in a few years we MIGHT look back at this and say that it could be for the best. Selective reading at it's best.

[FSSD]

Wow, have you not read the previous 2 pages where I repeatedly admitted that MSU could have done more? Although, if you're going to say that I should do that, you lose the right to accuse MN of playing political games until you "make your judgements". I also said that in a few years we MIGHT look back at this and say that it could be for the best. Selective reading at it's best.

Sorry I missed all of your comments about MSU and how you are holding them accountable for it's current position in this thread and I can understand how MSU is execited to see the Gophs traveling to Mankato for the first time in nonconference play because they are soo supportive... well for two years I guess.

[MissSioux85]

Joe Novak has been named Director of Hockey Operations

http://www.denverpioneers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=18600&ATCLID=205425018

[SiouxFanatic]

Joe Novak has been named Director of Hockey Operations

http://www.denverpio...TCLID=205425018

And apparently the NCHC is close to signing a deal with the Target Center to be the postseason venue. If so, that is a bit of a letdown. There are other options that are better alternatives to the Target Center.

[MoSiouxFan]

You don't have a built in audience in Chicago. It would get lost in everything going on there including the Blackhawks and Bulls. They don't have a college hockey audience built up in Chicago. Omaha makes more sense because of the built in audience and because it is more centrally located. Minneapolis-St Paul, Omaha and Denver make the most sense. I would throw in Kansas City as a wild card. They have a newer facility, it isn't too far from Omaha so they could attract a college hockey audience, it is within driving distance of most schools and it does a good job of hosting events. Plus it wouldn't have the competition of Chicago. KC isn't very likely but the NCHC might want to at least look at it.

Would LOVE to see the tournament in Kansas City. Aside from the fact that the Sprint Center is about 10 minutes from home , it is a beautiful new facility and Kansas City is almost as centrally located as Omaha and is easy to get to, whether flying or driving. The minor league Mavericks do very well here and, with some good promotion, I think the tournament could do very well here, also. I think Omaha would also be a decent location.

[GFG]

Would LOVE to see the tournament in Kansas City. Aside from the fact that the Sprint Center is about 10 minutes from home , it is a beautiful new facility and Kansas City is almost as centrally located as Omaha and is easy to get to, whether flying or driving. The minor league Mavericks do very well here and, with some good promotion, I think the tournament could do very well here, also. I think Omaha would also be a decent location.

They know how much alumni UND has in the TC area. They don't want to lose out on those thousands that attend every year in st paul right now. Target Center may not be the best venue, but as far as money goes it is their best bet.

[as15]

They know how much alumni UND has in the TC area. They don't want to lose out on those thousands that attend every year in st paul right now. Target Center may not be the best venue, but as far as money goes it is their best bet.

I agree, I have never seen a hockey game at the Target Center, but I haven't heard the best things. It is in a great location though so that should take some of the sting out of watching in a sub-par venue. This fan really couldn't care less, I would watch the Fighting Sioux play anywhere.

[SiouxForever]

The Target Center has some pretty sweet bars around the venue too. Not as good as the Xcel Energy Center and the bars on Kellogg Street, but still good overall. If you've been to a Twins game at the new stadium, you know what bars, I'm talking about.

[watchmaker49]

The Target Center has some pretty sweet bars around the venue too. Not as good as the Xcel Energy Center and the bars on Kellogg Street, but still good overall. If you've been to a Twins game at the new stadium, you know what bars, I'm talking about.

Deja Vu?

[watchmaker49]

How long has it been since there was a sheet of ice laid down in the Target Center? I remember the state tourney and the Wisc./Gopher border battle was there when the X was being built but when was that?

[jdub27]

The Target Center has some pretty sweet bars around the venue too. Not as good as the Xcel Energy Center and the bars on Kellogg Street, but still good overall. If you've been to a Twins game at the new stadium, you know what bars, I'm talking about.

I would think there are more hotels within walking distance as well.

[The Sicatoka]

My recollections of the WCHA Final Five in Target Center:

- the ice was suspect at best

- silver butter knife steaks are a short walk away

- Dave Spehar got dumped up-side-down into UND's player bench one game.

[watchmaker49]

I would think there are more hotels within walking distance as well.

Way more hotels. Right around 20 of them.

[as15]

Way more hotels. Right around 20 of them.

This was the one issue with having the F5 at the Xcel, unless you booked a hotel 6+ months in advance you would have to drive and then pay for parking. Not that big of a deal, but it becomes a hassle if you want to drink, or need to get something from your room between games.

[watchmaker49]

This was the one issue with having the F5 at the Xcel, unless you booked a hotel 6+ months in advance you would have to drive and then pay for parking. Not that big of a deal, but it becomes a hassle if you want to drink, or need to get something from your room between games.

Most, if not all, of the downtown Minneapolis hotels charge for parking.

[Snake]

My recollections of the WCHA Final Five in Target Center:

- the ice was suspect at best

- silver butter knife steaks are a short walk away

- Dave Spehar got dumped up-side-down into UND's player bench one game.

- Most importantly, UND won the last one played there in 2000.

[Snake]

They know how much alumni UND has in the TC area. They don't want to lose out on those thousands that attend every year in st paul right now. Target Center may not be the best venue, but as far as money goes it is their best bet.

Great...and I suppose they'll have a "North Dakota Rule" that will be wrongly perceived as a huge advantage to us...

[as15]

Most, if not all, of the downtown Minneapolis hotels charge for parking.

Either way, you can park your car at the hotel for the weekend and leave it there. Everything is within walking distance, even the train to MOM.