College Hockey Expansion

[Dustin]

Learned something new last night.  I was watching Australian Open tennis and Jessica Pegula was playing, so I read her bio.  Her dad is Terry Pegula, a billionaire who made his money in oil and natural gas.  He owns the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills.  He also was the guy who donated to Penn State to accelerate their hockey program's transition into D-I status, thus causing the domino effect that shook up the college hockey landscape.  Penn State's arena is named for him (which I didn't know, but many of you probably did.)  Anyway, just thought was interesting.

[nascar99]

 

[nascar99]

1 minute ago, Dustin said:

Learned something new last night.  I was watching Australian Open tennis and Jessica Pegula was playing, so I read her bio.  Her dad is Terry Pegula, a billionaire who made his money in oil and natural gas.  He owns the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills.  He also was the guy who donated to Penn State to accelerate their hockey program's transition into D-I status, thus causing the domino effect that shook up the college hockey landscape.  Penn State's arena is named for him (which I didn't know, but many of you probably did.)  Anyway, just thought was interesting.

Correct, Terry Pegula is a Northeastern Pennsylvania native who went to Penn State, made a ton of money in oil/natural gas, bought the nearby Sabres & Bills, and then funded the move to D1 for Penn State Hockey with the new arena.

 

Basically, most schools need a big donor to make the move to D1

[nodak651]

https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/puck-academy/the-future-of-college-hockey-YnHKhfQRm45/?t=1754#1754

30:25 mark

[atxsioux]

NCHC makes sense from a geography standpoint if they do actually become D-1 down the line. Will believe it once a shovel is in the ground for the arena.

[cberkas]

I've been hearing for about a year and a half that Oklahoma State has $500,000 just for hockey but never could verify it.

They are doing major facility upgrades. The softball field is moving to where the baseball field is. Doing updates to training areas (basketball and wrestling) at the basketball arena, indoor track facility, and a human performance innovation center. Nothing on doing anything to Gallagher-Iba Arena in the plans outside of the training arenas. the West side of the arena is going to be a welcome plaza. Where the welcome plaza is going to be could be a spot for an arena also.

If they put a new arena in where the softball stadium is would be where I'd expect it to be.

[atxsioux]

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/amp/2026/01/28_Oklahoma-State-Meets-With.php
 

Welp, based on above they don’t have any  concrete donor…

 

NCHC seems interested if they ever did get hockey though. 

[cberkas]

The only reason why I think Mike Grinnell brought it up is because they are going to Penn State to play an outdoor game.

There is still not a lot out there that you can point to having credibility it's in the works. I'm all for it to happen, but this feels way too early i.e. High Point

 

[FSSD]

25 minutes ago, atxsioux said:

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/amp/2026/01/28_Oklahoma-State-Meets-With.php
 

Welp, based on above they don’t have any  concrete donor…

 

NCHC seems interested if they ever did get hockey though. 

Yikes, 3 months on the job - Fired.  Now a lawsuit... 

[SIOUXFAN97]

7 hours ago, cberkas said:

I've been hearing for about a year and a half that Oklahoma State has $500,000 just for hockey but never could verify it.

They are doing major facility upgrades. The softball field is moving to where the baseball field is. Doing updates to training areas (basketball and wrestling) at the basketball arena, indoor track facility, and a human performance innovation center. Nothing on doing anything to Gallagher-Iba Arena in the plans outside of the training arenas. the West side of the arena is going to be a welcome plaza. Where the welcome plaza is going to be could be a spot for an arena also.

If they put a new arena in where the softball stadium is would be where I'd expect it to be.

amazing what they are doing after their main rival left em in the dust....

[nascar99]

Time goes on and it just seems like Tennessee State won't happen for next year (or awhile, if ever) unless they get significant donations. Budget shortfall killing TSU right now

[nodak651]

3 hours ago, nascar99 said:

Time goes on and it just seems like Tennessee State won't happen for next year (or awhile, if ever) unless they get significant donations. Budget shortfall killing TSU right now

The school is really terrible at fundraising as well.

[nodak651]

Just dreaming, but I wonder if this arena is large enough to fit a sheet of ice? 

[nodak651]

Dreaming again, but Dorton arena, right next to the hurricanes arena and North Carolina State's campus would be really awesome if it were to be renovated for hockey.  It used to be home to an ECHL team apparantly.

[cberkas]

3 hours ago, nodak651 said:

Just dreaming, but I wonder if this arena is large enough to fit a sheet of ice? 

Doesn't matter demolished

[nodak651]

9 hours ago, cberkas said:

Doesn't matter demolished

Was curious about that.  What a shame

[cberkas]

So, I decided to look at OSUs roster and see how many high-end players they have. I'd say if they are a ACHA D1 team they wouldn't be as good as they are in ACHA D2.

NCAA D3: 2 (Rylan Brady; 3 games), (Cannon Green; 38 games over 4 years) 

OHL: 1 (Cooper Matthews; 126 games, 2 years and 10 games) 

NCAA: D1 1 (Kaden Nelson; 0 games, MSU)

 

[cberkas]

Maryville has reached $4 million of the $5.5 million goal 

[90siouxfan]

5.5 mil, stick budget?

[farce poobah]

On 1/28/2026 at 10:03 PM, atxsioux said:

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/amp/2026/01/28_Oklahoma-State-Meets-With.php
 

Welp, based on above they don’t have any  concrete donor…

 

NCHC seems interested if they ever did get hockey though. 

ASU would (probably) like to have a Big 12 rival to play against.  (Can say the same, even more, if U Az moves up.)

[SIOUXFAN97]

you'd think to set yourself apart a bit from the other big conf that the big 12 would push for more schools to add hockey....especially those in TX.

[cberkas]

Another student design that has a Yost look to me. 

[JacksonW]

On 1/28/2026 at 10:31 PM, FSSD said:

Yikes, 3 months on the job - Fired.  Now a lawsuit... 

she is a nepo baby inherited her fathers oil business. Business decisions are very erratic 

[JacksonW]

On 1/30/2026 at 5:55 PM, cberkas said:

So, I decided to look at OSUs roster and see how many high-end players they have. I'd say if they are a ACHA D1 team they wouldn't be as good as they are in ACHA D2.

NCAA D3: 2 (Rylan Brady; 3 games), (Cannon Green; 38 games over 4 years) 

OHL: 1 (Cooper Matthews; 126 games, 2 years and 10 games) 

NCAA: D1 1 (Kaden Nelson; 0 games, MSU)

 

They are recruiting junior players offering full rides for next year