NCHC schedule possibilities for 2013-14 and beyond

[Dave Berger]

All of the talk in another thread about the last season of the WCHA rotating schedule got me thinking about future schedules and road trips....

Here's what we know about the NCHC schedule, beginning in 2013-2014.

There are eight teams:

Colorado College

Denver

Miami

Nebraska-Omaha

North Dakota

Minnesota-Duluth

St. Cloud State

Western Michigan

The teams have agreed to play a rotating schedule of 24 conference games, leaving room for 10 non-conference games. Link

So that means that each school will play home-and-home with five other league members (20 games), host one league member for two games, and travel to another league member for two games.

The question is: Will the schools simply rotate through all seven opponents, or will schedule partners be implemented like we've grown accustomed to in the WCHA?

If there are schedule partners, the first obvious choice is Denver and Colorado College.

After that, it's speculation. Will Miami and Western Michigan be partnered up as the only two league members from the fomer CCHA?

If that's the case, then we are left with four: North Dakota, Duluth, St. Cloud, and Nebraska-Omaha.

I'm torn here. I like the partnership with St. Cloud State but I think UND and UMD have a great rivalry also. Aside from the Dean Blais connection, I'm not sure there's much with Nebraska-Omaha yet.

It may come down to travel. The pairings that add up to the least total travel for the schools involved is:

North Dakota/Nebraska-Omaha (500 miles) + St. Cloud State/Duluth (145 miles) = 645 miles

This next arrangement is very close:

North Dakota/Duluth (267 miles) + St. Cloud State/Omaha (380 miles) = 647 miles

Forcing Nebraska-Omaha and Duluth to travel to each other every year (533 miles) seems a bit much, but it would preserve North Dakota/St. Cloud State and the Challenge Cup.

Sorry this got long. Thoughts?

Dave

[FSSD]

Dave:

I know that you have a man crush on SCSU, but I can not stand SCSU and sooooo wanted them left behind in WCHA. Most of it is based on the fact that SCSU admins have gone to great lengths to horass UND fans trying to attend games and fabricated statements about how horrible it is to play the UND. I say fine, don't schedule UND - please. So for me less games against SCSU the better.

[Dave Berger]

Dave:

I know that you have a man crush on SCSU, but I can not stand SCSU and sooooo wanted them left behind in WCHA. Most of it is based on the fact that SCSU admins have gone to great lengths to horass UND fans trying to attend games and fabricated statements about how horrible it is to play the UND. I say fine, don't schedule UND - please. So for me less games against SCSU the better.

I will disagree with the phrase "man crush". What I have is a respect and admiration for the SCSU Center Ice Club and their members who have been the most hospitable fans in the league for the past ten seasons.

I am not making an argument for or against any particular pair. I think some make more sense than others from a geographical standpoint.

I guess I would rather hear which of these options you would be for, rather than simply what you're against.

Dave

[darell1976]

I hope we can get OOC games with Bemidji State!! Its a nice home/road game. Only a 2 hour drive from GF. Also in 2013 UND should try to get Penn State to the REA and lets see how good they are to cause this split among conferences.

[Goon]

I hope we can get OOC games with Bemidji State!! Its a nice home/road game. Only a 2 hour drive from GF. Also in 2013 UND should try to get Penn State to the REA and lets see how good they are to cause this split among conferences.

There is going to be a scheduling agreement with BSU from what I have been told. This came straight from a BSU person.

[Stromer]

All of the talk in another thread about the last season of the WCHA rotating schedule got me thinking about future schedules and road trips....

Here's what we know about the NCHC schedule, beginning in 2013-2014.

There are eight teams:

Colorado College

Denver

Miami

Nebraska-Omaha

North Dakota

Minnesota-Duluth

St. Cloud State

Western Michigan

The teams have agreed to play a rotating schedule of 24 conference games, leaving room for 10 non-conference games. Link

So that means that each school will play home-and-home with five other league members (20 games), host one league member for two games, and travel to another league member for two games.

The question is: Will the schools simply rotate through all seven opponents, or will schedule partners be implemented like we've grown accustomed to in the WCHA?

If there are schedule partners, the first obvious choice is Denver and Colorado College.

After that, it's speculation. Will Miami and Western Michigan be partnered up as the only two league members from the fomer CCHA?

If that's the case, then we are left with four: North Dakota, Duluth, St. Cloud, and Nebraska-Omaha.

I'm torn here. I like the partnership with St. Cloud State but I think UND and UMD have a great rivalry also. Aside from the Dean Blais connection, I'm not sure there's much with Nebraska-Omaha yet.

It may come down to travel. The pairings that add up to the least total travel for the schools involved is:

North Dakota/Nebraska-Omaha (500 miles) + St. Cloud State/Duluth (145 miles) = 645 miles

This next arrangement is very close:

North Dakota/Duluth (267 miles) + St. Cloud State/Omaha (380 miles) = 647 miles

Forcing Nebraska-Omaha and Duluth to travel to each other every year (533 miles) seems a bit much, but it would preserve North Dakota/St. Cloud State and the Challenge Cup.

Sorry this got long. Thoughts?

Dave

For selfish reasons, I would love to see UND paired with Duluth. Absolute great town with a brand new rink thats awesome to watch a game at. And as you pointed out, travel in that scenario isn't an issue. However, I think they will pair up the Minnesota schools and pair us up with Omaha as the "I29 corridor" grouping for geographical reasons. I won't complain too hard about that pairing because the travel is equal and I hear Omaha is also a pretty nice town to visit.

I don't want to see us paired up with St. Cloud again. Just not a huge fan of the city or rink, although I look forward to seeing it after they finish with the improvements.

[FSSD]

I will disagree with the phrase "man crush". What I have is a respect and admiration for the SCSU Center Ice Club and their members who have been the most hospitable fans in the league for the past ten seasons.

I am not making an argument for or against any particular pair. I think some make more sense than others from a geographical standpoint.

I guess I would rather hear which of these options you would be for, rather than simply what you're against.

Dave

I am looking forward to playing all conference teams. I think that it will be a great conference. I just have very limited respect for the SCSU adminstration and think that the school should walk the walk - can not stand playing UND - don't put UND on the schedule. NOTE: I live in the Twin Cities and I have travelled to SCSU for several games just not a fan. Our group has a lot more fun at Mankato games.

[dagies]

I'm good with either Duluth or SCSU based simply on the fact that they're most easily accessible for me to go watch a game. Especially SCSU.

[farce poobah]

So, we have a 6-year rotation on the schedule (or so it would appear):

* A "rival" that we play 4x every year.

* The other 6 teams, we play 2x in 2 of 6 years and 4x in 4 of 6 years.

In other words, a home series in 5 of 6 years ... that's enough to build real rivalries. (The old WCHA was/is getting pretty watered down.)

I really like the 10 nonconference games. It will do a LOT to help UND hockey - and other sports especially football and basketball.

PS Its time to adjust RPI and PWR for road wins.

[Goon]

For selfish reasons, I would love to see UND paired with Duluth. Absolute great town with a brand new rink thats awesome to watch a game at. And as you pointed out, travel in that scenario isn't an issue. However, I think they will pair up the Minnesota schools and pair us up with Omaha as the "I29 corridor" grouping for geographical reasons. I won't complain too hard about that pairing because the travel is equal and I hear Omaha is also a pretty nice town to visit.

I don't want to see us paired up with St. Cloud again. Just not a huge fan of the city or rink, although I look forward to seeing it after they finish with the improvements.

My wife, daughter and I went to the UMD and UND series. That was a fun mid winter vacation. The Rink was fun to go to and I loved staying at the EDGE... I hope to do it again.

[Dave Berger]

So, we have a 6-year rotation on the schedule (or so it would appear):

* A "rival" that we play 4x every year.

* The other 6 teams, we play 2x in 2 of 6 years and 4x in 4 of 6 years.

In other words, a home series in 5 of 6 years ... that's enough to build real rivalries. (The old WCHA was/is getting pretty watered down.)

I really like the 10 nonconference games. It will do a LOT to help UND hockey - and other sports especially football and basketball.

PS Its time to adjust RPI and PWR for road wins.

That's what I came up with, IF the NCHC decides to designate schedule partners (which I think they will).

If they don't, we'll get everyone at home six years out of seven.

Dave

[Dave Berger]

I am looking forward to playing all conference teams. I think that it will be a great conference. I just have very limited respect for the SCSU adminstration and think that the school should walk the walk - can not stand playing UND - don't put UND on the schedule. NOTE: I live in the Twin Cities and I have travelled to SCSU for several games just not a fan. Our group has a lot more fun at Mankato games.

St. Cloud State athletics had no choice but to put UND on the hockey schedule - they were (are) both members of the WCHA for men's and women's hockey.

Dave

[farce poobah]

That's what I came up with, IF the NCHC decides to designate schedule partners (which I think they will).

If they don't, we'll get everyone at home six years out of seven.

Dave

I agree there will be rivals. CC and DU in particular "need" it. Western Michigan and Miami, as MAC rivals, will definitely want 4x.

I think SCSU would like to get UMD 4x, but I bet UMD would rather get UND as a rival. At the end of day, I bet we're paired up with Nebraska-Omaha, which is just fine.

[farce poobah]

10 nonconference games leaves UND with:

* 1 Hockey East series

* 2 WCHA series (Bemidji, the Alaska schools, Mankato ... don't expect UND to play the UP schools often)

* 1 Big Ten series (I would love to see Michigan more often ... it was a great rivalry back in the olden days)

* 1 "floating" (based on opportunities that arise)

[Goon]

I hope we can get OOC games with Bemidji State!! Its a nice home/road game. Only a 2 hour drive from GF. Also in 2013 UND should try to get Penn State to the REA and lets see how good they are to cause this split among conferences.

It would be fun to kick the crap out of Penn State.

[Vegas_Sioux]

It would be fun to kick the crap out of Penn State.

They will be an independent next year let every conference they are destroying schedule them multiple times and show them what they have done to college hockey.

[Siouxtimestwo]

I would like to see them rotate at first in order to let the rivalries develop organically, rather than forcing them. I see no possible chance.of this scenario unfolding, however. DU/CC and Miami/WMU are already established rivals, leaving the Minnesota schools and UNO/UND. That's what we'll get, as others have stated.

[FSSD]

St. Cloud State athletics had no choice but to put UND on the hockey schedule - they were (are) both members of the WCHA for men's and women's hockey.

Dave

Yep, got it SCSU is part of the WCHA - very informative wasn't sure why UND had to play them in the Final Five this year.. I thought we were talking about NCHC thus my point was about the recent event surrounding the formation of the NCHC and SCSU not being a founding member of the conference. It was SCSU opportunity to rid themselves of UND. What did they do, on the surface blew smoke about not wanting to be a part of the conference. Then saying that UND was icing them out of the conference due to SCSU role in the nickname policy. While working the back channels and leveraging connections to get into the conference. SCSU played the moral high ground for years saying that playing UND is a moral hazard - yet they worked so hard to get into the National Conference. It is an absolute contradiction by SCSU and the complaint they filed with the NCAA previously (NOTE: UND was/still is Fighting Sioux and the complaint by SCSU was one of the primary drivers for the nickname policy). So, Dave which one is it? moral hazard or not. It appears that it looks good on paper when you are forcing your agenda on another school, but apparently when SCSU has a little skin the game - not so much. Again, walk the walk - SCSU showed its true colors - take the moral high ground only when it convenient - it builds true character.

Again, looking forward to all the conference games - but less is best when it comes to SCSU.

[Dave Berger]

Yep, got it SCSU is part of the WCHA - very informative wasn't sure why UND had to play them in the Final Five this year.. I thought we were talking about NCHC thus my point was about the recent event surrounding the formation of the NCHC and SCSU not being a founding member of the conference. It was SCSU opportunity to rid themselves of UND. What did they do, on the surface blew smoke about not wanting to be a part of the conference. Then saying that UND was icing them out of the conference due to SCSU role in the nickname policy. While working the back channels and leveraging connections to get into the conference. SCSU played the moral high ground for years saying that playing UND is a moral hazard - yet they worked so hard to get into the National Conference. It is an absolute contradiction by SCSU and the complaint they filed with the NCAA previously (NOTE: UND was/still is Fighting Sioux and the complaint by SCSU was one of the primary drivers for the nickname policy). So, Dave which one is it? moral hazard or not. It appears that it looks good on paper when you are forcing your agenda on another school, but apparently when SCSU has a little skin the game - not so much. Again, walk the walk - SCSU showed its true colors - take the moral high ground only when it convenient - it builds true character.

Again, looking forward to all the conference games - but less is best when it comes to SCSU.

I understand where you're coming from, and sorry I misunderstood what you were saying earlier. I think it's a difference between the president/faculty members faction and the group which includes the athletic director/departments/coaches. But that's just my read, I could be wrong.

Dave

[FSSD]

I understand where you're coming from, and sorry I misunderstood what you were saying earlier. I think it's a difference between the president/faculty members faction and the group which includes the athletic director/departments/coaches. But that's just my read, I could be wrong.

Dave

No problem.. sorry I derailed this thread into a nickname rant.

[GoalieMask]

Personally, I get a lot of joy out of beating St Clown. They like to think they are on the level with UND, Minnesota, Denver, etc., but that's not the case. It great to remind them of that a couple of times a year. That, and I will never forgive them for the photoshopping of the Sioux logo (in a game action shot) in one of their programs/ media guides. Busch League.

[Goon]

Personally, I get a lot of joy out of beating St Clown. They like to think they are on the level with UND, Minnesota, Denver, etc., but that's not the case. It great to remind them of that a couple of times a year. That, and I will never forgive them for the photoshopping of the Sioux logo (in a game action shot) in one of their programs/ media guides. Busch League.

At the start I wasn't for the match up or adding them to the league but after putting some thought into it, it's fun beating them on a regular basis and it's nice having them close so you can go to the games. Saint Cloud is a fun place to go to a game in and they have some nice bars to eat and drink in.

Edited March 30, 2012 by Goon

[Sodbuster]

My best friend, because of their seemingly leadership of the anti logo/nickname stance, has far worse hate for St. Cloud than Minnesota.

[CMSioux]

Okay I've shared this before but I just need to remind you it was SCSU President Saigo that carried the torch for native american nicknames. When he left the issue really died out on the campus. If it makes you feel better his legacy includes leaving SCSU in financial straits. Yes there are still professors and other liberals on campus that have issues with the name but it was not the hockey fans - come to St. Cloud for the series next year and you'll be invited to attend the Center Ice Club social with the true SCSU hockey fans - free food, door prizes and lots of good natured rivalry talk. I don't think that would ever happen in bisonville. Don't hate on the real SCSU hockey fans, imagine having to exist in the shadow of the rodents your entire existance.

[dakotadan]

Not to sound like an arrogant Gopher fan that thinks they are better than everyone else, but the SCSU athletic department is a joke. Their football team has been on the verge of being cut for financial reasons for the last few years. They voted a man as their Homecoming Queen and then dumped Homecoming Week because they could not afford it and nobody showed up. They have no NCAA hockey playoff history or success at all. A cash strapped DII school with no tradition that nobody outside of this region has heard of. Why exactly were they brought into the NCHC?

The whole point of leaving the WCHA and forming the NCHC was to have the most successful, visible schools with each other. I, for the life of me, am unable to see how SCSU even remotely fits in with this motive. Instead of Notre Dame we settled for SCSU and a crappy TV contract.