Was the WCHA down this Year?

[farce poobah]

Was the WCHA down this year? Not before teams started getting crushed with injuries accompanied by early departures.

Denver, down 3-5 guys for the end of the season, and Zucker playing with 1 arm in the regionals. How much difference would Beau Bennett made in their lineup in that close game vs Ferris State? CC, UNO, St Cloud all would have been potentially formidable teams in the NCAA tournament but for losing multiple players for long periods of time.

And I don't need to remind people on this board about UND.

BC hasn't had a star-caliber player go down with injury this season. If we put a fully-stocked Denver, CC or North Dakota up against them, I think its a competitive battle. (Remember CC took out BC just 12 months ago.)

But hey them's the breaks. Go Ferris.

[Hayduke]

I hope you're talking about the 1970's because every era since then has had a pretty good mix of conferences winning championships. The 2000 - 2006 stretch was a great run for the WCHA (titles for four different schools in 00, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06) but Hockey East is looking at having won 4 of the last 5 NCAA titles should Boston College win on Saturday night.

'

I'd say 1987 going backwards. Don't forget that Michigan, Michigan State, Northern Michigan were all WCHA schools in the past. Then, they left, with Notre Dame, and formed the CCHA. That was when they were getting their collective butts handed to them by Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Denver, etc. At the time, Virg Foss called the CCHA the "Can't Cut it Hockey Association".

[crb1]

The last 10 years BC has done a fantastic job in the tournament. They are a good team but lets not forget last year they got smoked by CC when they had to leave their beloved Worcester Regional. They are a good team with a great coach but parity will find its way to smack them in the face sooner or later.

[tnt]

Was the WCHA down this year? Not before teams started getting crushed with injuries accompanied by early departures.

Denver, down 3-5 guys for the end of the season, and Zucker playing with 1 arm in the regionals. How much difference would Beau Bennett made in their lineup in that close game vs Ferris State? CC, UNO, St Cloud all would have been potentially formidable teams in the NCAA tournament but for losing multiple players for long periods of time.

And I don't need to remind people on this board about UND.

BC hasn't had a star-caliber player go down with injury this season. If we put a fully-stocked Denver, CC or North Dakota up against them, I think its a competitive battle. (Remember CC took out BC just 12 months ago.)

But hey them's the breaks. Go Ferris.

Beau Bennett indeed, but perhaps bigger was David Makowski with Denver hurting for defensemen down the stretch.

[farce poobah]

Beau Bennett indeed, but perhaps bigger was David Makowski with Denver hurting for defensemen down the stretch.

Him too.

Wouldn't trade Grimaldi for either, however.

[Johnny Five]

I guess you can say the WCHA was deep this year. Outside of AA, there were no gimmes. Most Gopher games, win or lose, were in doubt until fairly late. There were some good teams but there were no great teams. UMD and UMN for the most part avoided the injury bug and that showed in the final regular season standings.

[GFG]

With over the top talent I think the WCHA was down this year. But it was still a good conference. Minnesota, UMD, DU and even UND with their rash of injuries were all strong teams. Those 4 could compete with anyone in the country towards the end of the year, except BC. They were head and shoulders above the competition this season. Somebody pointed out that they lost 10 games, which they did. But you have to remember that at one point BC was 14-10-1 this season. They are now 32-10-1. They obviously had some struggles at the beginning of the year, but once they got going they were unstoppable.

As for next season, if Minnesota can get some goaltending I'd expect them, UND and DU to be the top 3 challengers for the Macnaughton. UMD is losing far to much talent IMO, for them to compete for the Macnaughton.

[petey23]

Using the eye test I would say the WCHA was down this year.

Insert the 2010-11 Sioux or UMD teams into the league this year and they probably lose 2-3 conference games all year.

I think with the departures and injuries throughout the leage this year that the biggest difference is the depth teams had. I look at teams 2nd lines this year and most of them would have been 3rd or in some caes even 4th lines last year.

[GFG]

Using the eye test I would say the WCHA was down this year.

Insert the 2010-11 Sioux or UMD teams into the league this year and they probably lose 2-3 conference games all year.

I think with the departures and injuries throughout the leage this year that the biggest difference is the depth teams had. I look at teams 2nd lines this year and most of them would have been 3rd or in some caes even 4th lines last year.

Ehh, maybe UND. No way the Duluth team from last year only loses 2-3 conference games this year. To lose only 2-3 conference games is unheard of, no matter how good your team is.

[MafiaMan]

I actually don't think this year's BC teams was a very good skating team compared to years prior. Didn't seem to matter tho.

I saw BC play several times this season and they put a whoopin' on every single team. I knew they would be trouble come NCAA time. What were you watching? I thought they were outstanding.

[MafiaMan]

'

I'd say 1987 going backwards. Don't forget that Michigan, Michigan State, Northern Michigan were all WCHA schools in the past. Then, they left, with Notre Dame, and formed the CCHA. That was when they were getting their collective butts handed to them by Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Denver, etc. At the time, Virg Foss called the CCHA the "Can't Cut it Hockey Association".

I'll see your 1987 backwards and raise you a 1983 going backwards as Michigan State won the title in 1986 and Bowling Green won it in 1984.