Details of changes to PWR are out

[jimdahl]

Home-Road Balance Will be Factored Into Selections

Not much to do but quote myself here...

Changes to PairWise... Transparency is good, no more cliffs, but premium (50%) for road wins is insane

[Goon]

Home-Road Balance Will be Factored Into Selections

Not much to do but quote myself here...

The small schools are whining because no one will travel to play them in their barns. Also, Seth Appert the RPI Hockey coach was whining about this on twitter after Yale won the Regional back in March. Earlier this summer, there was an article on USCHO that made the claim that the AHA schools think that their record would be better if the biggers schools traveled to their barns and played them. Here's the article that I was talking about.

Edited September 20, 2013 by Goon

[jimdahl]

The small schools are whining because no one will travel to play them in their barns. Also, Seth Appert the RPI Hockey coach was whining about this on twitter after Yale won the Regional back in March. Earlier this summer, there was an article on USCHO that made the claim that the AHA schools think that their record would be better if the biggers schools traveled to their barns and played them.

This does seem aimed to do that. Not only is there a huge premium for a win on the road (so when you go on the road you want to make sure it's going to be a win), but strength of schedule seems noticeably less important in the new scheme. So, the top schools should be trying to fill their schedules with easy road wins.

The incentives to do so seem large enough that I wouldn't surprised to see these changes start affecting scheduling, unlike past changes. Assuming, of course, that the changes don't get reverted in the next couple years once people see how big an effect the home/road bonus actually has.

[siouxweet]

Jim,

It would be intersting to see once this gets finalized as to how these changes would have affected last years pairwise.

[jimdahl]

Jim,

It would be intersting to see once this gets finalized as to how these changes would have affected last years pairwise.

My guess is that numerous people (CHN, Whelan?) are working feverishly at that right now. However, I'd also guess (based on past tweaks to the formulas) that they were tuned to make the past years look reasonable, and will only blow up when unique things happen in future years.

[Goon]

This does seem aimed to do that. Not only is there a huge premium for a win on the road (so when you go on the road you want to make sure it's going to be a win), but strength of schedule seems noticeably less important in the new scheme. So, the top schools should be trying to fill their schedules with easy road wins.

The incentives to do so seem large enough that I wouldn't surprised to see these changes start affecting scheduling, unlike past changes. Assuming, of course, that the changes don't get reverted in the next couple years once people see how big an effect the home/road bonus actually has.

You might see changes when the big money schools are left out of the NCAA tourney.

[Snake]

This could turn into a "careful what you wish for" real quick if the big schools actually travel to the small schools and hand them their lunch. Not saying that it for sure will happen, just that if it does happen it could be devastating for the small schools' chances of making the NCAA at-large.

[OETKB]

This could turn into a "careful what you wish for" real quick if the big schools actually travel to the small schools and hand them their lunch. Not saying that it for sure will happen, just that if it does happen it could be devastating for the small schools' chances of making the NCAA at-large.

Exactly. This may get the elite teams to travel more, but that doesn't mean they will win less, so this may accomplish nothing, if the goal is to get more smaller programs into the playoffs.

[MNState0fHockey]

The small schools are whining because no one will travel to play them in their barns. Also, Seth Appert the RPI Hockey coach was whining about this on twitter after Yale won the Regional back in March. Earlier this summer, there was an article on USCHO that made the claim that the AHA schools think that their record would be better if the biggers schools traveled to their barns and played them. Here's the article that I was talking about.

I hope Minnesota never visits an ECAC or Atlantic Hockey school after this. I think Minnesota should drop the Mariucci Classic and setup a scheduling rotation with UND. Would kill two birds with one stone. Help Minnesota's PWR and keep great rivalry alive.

[tnt]

With the NCHC predicting Omaha to finish last, I would be softening the schedule a bit with less elite teams, especially if SOS isn't going to help you.