College Hockey Expansion

[cberkas]

Adriaan Klaassen ‏@CoachKlaassy 6h6 hours ago

Mark my words... @rutgershockey will be playing in this @B1GHockey event one day very soon! #Rpuck #bigten #hockey pic.twitter.com/sSg6QmBdeb

 

Klaassen has information on what schools are trying to add NCAA D1 men's programs, but will not name any sources or what school are thinking/going to add hockey. He did say other schools in Illinois besides University of Illinois are looking to add a NCAA D1 team. That has me thinking Illinois State University would add a team, they have a USHL arena they do play in. I'm not sure how much of what Klaassen knows is true, so I'll wait to see what happens in the next couple of years on more teams going NCAA D1.  

 

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

I would guess Northwestern since they are Big Ten. I didn't even know Illinois State existed until they played in the FCS championship against a school UND intimidates too much to ever add hockey.

[SiouxVolley]

Some donor must be fronting the cost of a new arena at Rutgers.  The closest decent sized arena is where the Devils play, which is way too big.

Ill St opens up a can of worms for realignment.  Not to mention that Illinois' educational ssystem is in shambles.

[cberkas]

1 minute ago, SiouxVolley said:

Some donor must be fronting the cost of a new arena at Rutgers.  The closest decent sized arena is where the Devils play, which is way too big.

Ill St opens up a can of worms for realignment.  Not to mention that Illinois' educational ssystem is in shambles.

Illinois State would fit in the NCHC and make Miami happy.

[SiouxVolley]

58 minutes ago, cberkas said:

Illinois State would fit in the NCHC and make Miami happy.

Ill St wouldn't get in until til it proved fan support and actually made some noise in the NCAA . Think Ill St would cause Ferris St, BGSU, and AHA schools to form a new CCHA, making the WCHA even poorer.

BGSU or Notre Dame would make both WMU and Miami happy.  Nothing else except if they got in the B1G.

[SiouxVolley]

A rumor on the Gopher board is Canisius, Niagara, Robert Morris, and Mercyhurst are leaving the AHA for the NCHC.  The NCHC wouldn't take them, but a new CCHA with I'll St, Ferris, BGSU, and maybe UNH would.  The AHA could backfill with club teams from Liberty, Delaware, Navy, West Chester, URI and Rutgers.  Some of those schools have pretty decent arenas and the AHA would be a decent beginners league.

[SiouxFanatic]

9 minutes ago, SiouxVolley said:

A rumor on the Gopher board is Canisius, Niagara, Robert Morris, and Mercyhurst are leaving the AHA for the NCHC.  The NCHC wouldn't take them, but a new CCHA with I'll St, Ferris, BGSU, and maybe UNH would.  The AHA could backfill with club teams from Liberty, Delaware, Navy, West Chester, URI and Rutgers.  Some of those schools have pretty decent arenas and the AHA would be a decent beginners league.

Rutgers is a member of the Big Ten...if they made a jump to DI hockey, they'll be playing in the BTHC. Also, UNH as in New Hampshire moving from the stable Hockey East to a imagination CCHA? That New Hampshire? Yeah, I don't see that happening either if so.

Agreed on the NCHC not taking those AHA teams. They'd invite Mankato and Bemidi before that. Only way I see the NCHC adding new members in the short term is if ASU joins and the NCHC looks for a 10th member such as Notre Dame or BGSU to assuage Miami and WMU as you allude to.

[SiouxVolley]

2 minutes ago, SiouxFanatic said:

Rutgers is a member of the Big Ten...if they made a jump to DI hockey, they'll be playing in the BTHC. Also, UNH as in New Hampshire moving from the stable Hockey East to a imagination CCHA? That New Hampshire? Yeah, I don't see that happening either if so.

Meant to type UAH rather than UNH (tablet autocorrect).  Rutgers could get their feet wet first as they build an arena, like Penn St did.

2 minutes ago, SiouxFanatic said:

Rutgers is a member of the Big Ten...if they made a jump to DI hockey, they'll be playing in the BTHC. Also, UNH as in New Hampshire moving from the stable Hockey East to a imagination CCHA? That New Hampshire? Yeah, I don't see that happening either if so.

 

[SiouxFanatic]

5 minutes ago, SiouxVolley said:

Meant to type UAH rather than UNH (tablet autocorrect).  Rutgers could get their feet wet first as they build an arena, like Penn St did.

Ok, that definitely makes it plausible. I don't think the WCHA is viable for UAH in the long run.

[GFG]

On 1/31/2016 at 5:50 PM, SiouxVolley said:

A rumor on the Gopher board is Canisius, Niagara, Robert Morris, and Mercyhurst are leaving the AHA for the NCHC.  The NCHC wouldn't take them, but a new CCHA with I'll St, Ferris, BGSU, and maybe UNH would.  The AHA could backfill with club teams from Liberty, Delaware, Navy, West Chester, URI and Rutgers.  Some of those schools have pretty decent arenas and the AHA would be a decent beginners league.

I wouldn't bet on it happening, but I could see it happening. Those 4 schools are on record of saying they want to play with the full allotment of scholarships, which the ECAC currently doesn't allow. The NCHC would get a presence in the east and 4 doormats to help their current members. It was obvious when the NCHC started that not all 8 programs could continue being well respected because someone has to be the doormat. However, adding those 4 schools would allow current NCHC schools that are struggling to get some more wins and most likely prevent any of the current 8 from being doormats, keeping their programs in the respectable category. Without bottom tier schools at least one or 2 NCHC schools will transition from respectable to perennial doormats. So those factors could possibly lead into it becoming reality.

However, I personally don't think it's going to happen due to cost. Travel budgets would skyrocket having to travel way out east 4 times for conference play, and some NCHC schools wouldn't allow that (I assume UMD, SCSU, UNO, CC and Denver). Then you think about those 4 eastern schools...how would they afford traveling out west almost every week? Not feasible with such small schools, IMO. Unless they split into 2 divisions like Power 5 football conferences and limit the east/west crossover series? 

[GFG]

On 1/31/2016 at 2:24 AM, cberkas said:

Adriaan Klaassen ‏@CoachKlaassy 6h6 hours ago

Mark my words... @rutgershockey will be playing in this @B1GHockey event one day very soon! #Rpuck #bigten #hockey pic.twitter.com/sSg6QmBdeb

 

Klaassen has information on what schools are trying to add NCAA D1 men's programs, but will not name any sources or what school are thinking/going to add hockey. He did say other schools in Illinois besides University of Illinois are looking to add a NCAA D1 team. That has me thinking Illinois State University would add a team, they have a USHL arena they do play in. I'm not sure how much of what Klaassen knows is true, so I'll wait to see what happens in the next couple of years on more teams going NCAA D1.  

 

 

Oh great, another sport Rutgers can be the worst in the conference at. They're last or 2nd to last in basically every B1G sport. Not even joking 

[SiouxVolley]

1 hour ago, GFG said:

I wouldn't bet on it happening, but I could see it happening. Those 4 schools are on record of saying they want to play with the full allotment of scholarships, which the ECAC currently doesn't allow. The NCHC would get a presence in the east and 4 doormats to help their current members. It was obvious when the NCHC started that not all 8 programs could continue being well respected because someone has to be the doormat. However, adding those 4 schools would allow current NCHC schools that are struggling to get some more wins and most likely prevent any of the current 8 from being doormats, keeping their programs in the respectable category. Without bottom tier schools at least one or 2 NCHC schools will transition from respectable to perennial doormats. So those factors could possibly lead into it becoming reality.

However, I personally don't think it's going to happen due to cost. Travel budgets would skyrocket having to travel way out east 4 times for conference play, and some NCHC schools wouldn't allow that (I assume UMD, SCSU, UNO, CC and Denver). Then you think about those 4 eastern schools...how would they afford traveling out west almost every week? Not feasible with such small schools, IMO. Unless they split into 2 divisions like Power 5 football conferences and limit the east/west crossover series? 

The AHA only allows 14 schollies, but the ECAC allows 18.

Most of those AHA schools have tiny arenas, like Canisius has the Sabres practice arena which seats 1800.  Those arenas sizes are not enough for the NCHC.  Could see them owing to the WCHA for a couple season, and then splitting the WCHA so both halves get an autobid.  The WCHA wants to limit the times teams travel to Alaska to once a season.

Can only see the NCHC taking Ariz St, UNLV, Notre Dame and BGSU at the moment, unless anot her PAC12 or Big12 school starts hockey.

[SiouxVolley]

1 hour ago, GFG said:

Oh great, another sport Rutgers can be the worst in the conference at. They're last or 2nd to last in basically every B1G sport. Not even joking 

We can further feast on B1G teams then.  Rutgers is an anchor around the B1G's neck, except in cablessed penetration.

[GFG]

45 minutes ago, SiouxVolley said:

The AHA only allows 14 schollies, but the ECAC allows 18.

Most of those AHA schools have tiny arenas, like Canisius has the Sabres practice arena which seats 1800.  Those arenas sizes are not enough for the NCHC.  Could see them owing to the WCHA for a couple season, and then splitting the WCHA so both halves get an autobid.  The WCHA wants to limit the times teams travel to Alaska to once a season.

Can only see the NCHC taking Ariz St, UNLV, Notre Dame and BGSU at the moment, unless anot her PAC12 or Big12 school starts hockey.

Sorry I meant AHA. You got me 

 

The problem is the NCHC isn't going to get Notre Dame or, by the sounds of it, ASU. I talked to a B1G employee that said they felt confident that they would be adding ASU and would immediately look to add another team, which at the the time was that they would look to bring in an existing program because they weren't confident in any B1G schools starting up soon enough. I've also heard a rumor that the WCHA thinks they have all but landed ASU as well. I have yet to hear any rumors about them going to the NCHC, other than the NCHC saying that they want them. Although I do agree the NCHC would be a better fit for ASU than the WCHA.

[Cratter]

2 hours ago, GFG said:

 It was obvious when the B1G started that not all 6 programs could continue being well respected because someone has to be the doormat. However, adding more schools would allow current B1G schools that are struggling to get some more wins and most likely prevent any of the current 6 from being doormats, keeping their programs in the respectable category. Without bottom tier schools at least one or 2 B1G schools will transition from respectable to perennial doormats. 

 

I have to assume that the B1G is looking to expand for the same reasons. 

[GFG]

Just now, Cratter said:

I have to assume that the B1G is looking to expand for the same reasons. 

I would completely agree, although the B1G had Ohio State for at least one doormat going in. They'll rarely be better than 5th or 6th in the conference, IMO. The B1G knows it needs to expand because 6 teams just isn't sustainable.

[SiouxVolley]

40 minutes ago, GFG said:

Sorry I meant AHA. You got me 

 

The problem is the NCHC isn't going to get Notre Dame or, by the sounds of it, ASU. I talked to a B1G employee that said they felt confident that they would be adding ASU and would immediately look to add another team, which at the the time was that they would look to bring in an existing program because they weren't confident in any B1G schools starting up soon enough. I've also heard a rumor that the WCHA thinks they have all but landed ASU as well. I have yet to hear any rumors about them going to the NCHC, other than the NCHC saying that they want them. Although I do agree the NCHC would be a better fit for ASU than the WCHA.

If UNLV starts  hockey, very much doubt the B1G goes after them.  They are lower rated than UND.  Ariz St would want UNLV as partners in their league, and that can only be the NCHC.  Before UNLV started hockey talk, thought for sure the B1G would nab Ariz St.  Now not so sure.

The WCHA might get Ariz St and UNLV for a few years til Ariz St builds their new arena with the Coyotes in Tempe.  

[Cratter]

7 minutes ago, GFG said:

I would completely agree, although the B1G had Ohio State for at least one doormat going in. They'll rarely be better than 5th or 6th in the conference, IMO. The B1G knows it needs to expand because 6 teams just isn't sustainable.

The nice thing about the NCHC is you can be the 6th best team out of the 8 in the conference and still make the NCAA tournament. 

[SiouxVolley]

10 minutes ago, GFG said:

I would completely agree, although the B1G had Ohio State for at least one doormat going in. They'll rarely be better than 5th or 6th in the conference, IMO. The B1G knows it needs to expand because 6 teams just isn't sustainable.

They can get Iowa and Nebraska soon, and they'll be an even worse conference.  The new arena in Coralville is close to Iowa's campus.

[cberkas]

3 minutes ago, SiouxVolley said:

They can get Iowa and Nebraska soon, and they'll be an even worse conference.  The new arena in Coralville is close to Iowa's campus.

All I hear about Nebraska is they will not add hockey because of their agreement with Omaha. Iowa City is trying to get an USHL team like Kansas City did.

[GFG]

7 minutes ago, SiouxVolley said:

If UNLV starts  hockey, very much doubt the B1G goes after them.  They are lower rated than UND.  Ariz St would want UNLV as partners in their league, and that can only be the NCHC.  Before UNLV started hockey talk, thought for sure the B1G would nab Ariz St.  Now not so sure.

The WCHA might get Ariz St and UNLV for a few years til Ariz St builds their new arena with the Coyotes in Tempe.  

Agreed. I don't see any way the B1G would add UNLV. Problem becomes will they announce a team before ASU announces a conference? I thought I saw somewhere that ASU said they would announce their conference affiliation some time in the early part 2016? Or did they push it back? If anyone knows for sure feel free to chime in.

[GFG]

8 minutes ago, SiouxVolley said:

They can get Iowa and Nebraska soon, and they'll be an even worse conference.  The new arena in Coralville is close to Iowa's campus.

At least it would allow Minnesota, Michigan and Penn State to get more wins to bump up their RPI a little ....anything to help Minnesota avoid in-state teams as much as possible at this point 

[SiouxVolley]

2 minutes ago, cberkas said:

All I hear about Nebraska is they will not add hockey because of their agreement with Omaha. Iowa City is trying to get an USHL team like Kansas City did.

But that new arena is very close to Iowa's campus.  Just saying.  But then again, Hunt's arena in KC could jump start UMKC down the road.

 

[GFG]

11 minutes ago, SiouxVolley said:

They can get Iowa and Nebraska soon, and they'll be an even worse conference.  The new arena in Coralville is close to Iowa's campus.

Supposedly Iowa wants nothing to do with hockey. If you talk to people from Iowa they'll tell you that hockey is nonexistent in the state outside of the few larger towns. Even then hockey is still less popular than wrestling. At the same time I always argue this with the idea that if you have anything Hawkeyes, Iowa fans will probably show up.

[cberkas]

1 minute ago, GFG said:

Supposedly Iowa wants nothing to do with hockey. If you talk to people from Iowa they'll tell you that hockey is nonexistent in the state outside of the few larger towns. Even then hockey is still less popular than wrestling. At the same time I always argue this with the idea that if you have anything Hawkeyes, Iowa fans will probably show up.

Iowa State seems to have a following and are the top team in the ACHA D1 last time I looked.