College Hockey Expansion

[The Sicatoka]

ASU, BGSU, and MSU-M to the NCHC.

UND as an affiliate to the B1G. 

< ducks >
< runs for the door > 

[SiouxVolley]

There could be plenty of room in the WCHA and AHA for these teams:

Simon Fraser

Minot St

Lindenwood

Ill St

Liberty 

Navy

Delaware

West Chester

Post 

Rhode Island

[KoolGuy2K]

I'm not much for change. I think we should stick with what we got going right now. The NCHC is the strongest conference in hockey. Sure we get exposure from Arizona and other larger schools who "might" add hockey. But I don't want a watered down conference. If we add Arizona and Mankato or whoever out west, then our overall pairwise just dropped. I like knowing that UND can win a championship and make it to the Frozen Four practically every year while going through the toughest conference. Not like some teams from weaker conferences who just happen to back their way into a championship. 

[Benny Baker]

20 minutes ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

If they get better, maybe we'll consider their applications as well 

Might as well.  Looks like that is the path the conference is headed down.

Either way, no one in the WCHA is getting better.  Instead, the teams have conference schedules without the likes of North Dakota, Denver, Duluth, Minnesota, etc.  That's why Mankato was able to win back-to-back WCHA championships.  But we should also be mindful that after their first championship, they entered the NCAA tournament as the #1 overall seed and quickly lost to Rochester Institute of Technology.  After their second championship, their season had already ended because the WCHA isn't good at hockey; i.e, they didn't even make the NCAA tournament.  The poor play in the WCHA has been well documented this year.

[zonadub]

35 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

ASU, BGSU, and MSU-M to the NCHC.

UND as an affiliate to the B1G. 

< ducks >
< runs for the door > 

Or

 

BGSU and MnState to NCHC and let ASU go to the WCHA.

The Sun Devils really don't bring anything to the table for the NCHC. Yes, Understand they are a P5 school, but hockey will not be a priority, and isn't that what the NCHC was supposed to be about?

 

 

<ducking>

<running for cover> too

[Siouxperfan7]

I guess we can call their their "National letter of intent"!

http://www.grandforksherald.com/sites/default/files/MSU-Mankato letter to NCHC.pdf

[dmksioux]

51 minutes ago, zonadub said:

Or

 

BGSU and MnState to NCHC and let ASU go to the WCHA.

The Sun Devils really don't bring anything to the table for the NCHC. Yes, Understand they are a P5 school, but hockey will not be a priority, and isn't that what the NCHC was supposed to be about?

 

 

<ducking>

<running for cover> too

Lots of UND and North Dakota Alum living in Arizona, especially during the winters.  I think UND would have another "home game" if ASU gets in the NCHC.  I would love to make that trip during the winters!

[petey23]

This thread has a Mariucci gophery aroma of arrogance to it.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

1 hour ago, Benny Baker said:

Might as well.  Looks like that is the path the conference is headed down.

Either way, no one in the WCHA is getting better.  Instead, the teams have conference schedules without the likes of North Dakota, Denver, Duluth, Minnesota, etc.  That's why Mankato was able to win back-to-back WCHA championships.  But we should also be mindful that after their first championship, they entered the NCAA tournament as the #1 overall seed and quickly lost to Rochester Institute of Technology.  After their second championship, their season had already ended because the WCHA isn't good at hockey; i.e, they didn't even make the NCAA tournament.  The poor play in the WCHA has been well documented this year.

Not sure I completely agree with that, I think Mankato is a significantly better team since Hastings took the helm. Will they be competing for the Penrose right away? Probably not but I bet they compete for home ice at least.  Time will tell if they're accepted.

[farce poobah]

35 minutes ago, Siouxperfan7 said:

I guess we can call their their "National letter of intent"!

http://www.grandforksherald.com/sites/default/files/MSU-Mankato letter to NCHC.pdf

The central question I have is whether :

(a) the NCHC has decided to admit MSU Mankato provided all the paperwork in order,

or

(b) the NCHC is still information-gathering and due to some astute journalism by Brad Schlossman their application became public earlier than desired (note MSU's president requests that NCHC's Fenton keep it confidential).

Seems to me that this is (b) and the NCHC hasn't yet decided to take MSU.  But I'm interested in what other people think.

 

[Cratter]

That President probably isn't very happy with Brad right about now.

 

[NoDakFan]

My thought's, and as someone who is not from this area, is I do not want to see Bemidji and Mankato in the NCHC. Yes it might not drive Miami and Western away, but it wouldn't make them happy. Neither of those teams would represent the NCHC well on the national stage and are much better suited for the WCHA. Bowling Green has at least won a national title makes the MAC schools happy and brings an FBS school to the conference. Couple this with ASU and I think we are much better off than we are now currently (and we're doing just fine.) 

Rememebr, Mankato and Tech were perennial bottom feeders until the big dogs of the WCHA left. What makes you think they wouldn't return to the basement in the NCHC? 

None of this has to do with the "National" title in our conference. And this absolutely does not mean we should add an Alaska school. 

[ArchyAlum11]

17 minutes ago, NoDakFan said:

My thought's, and as someone who is not from this area, is I do not want to see Bemidji and Mankato in the NCHC. Yes it might not drive Miami and Western away, but it wouldn't make them happy. Neither of those teams would represent the NCHC well on the national stage and are much better suited for the WCHA. Bowling Green has at least won a national title makes the MAC schools happy and brings an FBS school to the conference. Couple this with ASU and I think we are much better off than we are now currently (and we're doing just fine.) 

Rememebr, Mankato and Tech were perennial bottom feeders until the big dogs of the WCHA left. What makes you think they wouldn't return to the basement in the NCHC? 

None of this has to do with the "National" title in our conference. And this absolutely does not mean we should add an Alaska school. 

 

 If anyone can remember back to the 2013-2014 season, the last old WCHA season, Minnesota State ended the season at number 4 in the old WCHA and despite not winning the conference earned a spot in the NCAA tourney. It's pretty hard to judge how Minnesota State would do in the NCHC because it hasn't played a ton of games against the NCHC. The first year of NCHC it had to close losses the UMD and SCSU at the north star cup, the 2nd year was two splits with UNO and UMD, Last year MNSU was swept in two Early Season Series by UNO and SCSU, then Lost a close game to SCSU in the Northstar cup. Based on that alone it would look like MNSU wouldn't do well in the NCHC. However, its pretty hard to judge how a team will do based on 11 games over three years. I Think if MNSU really does want to join this season will be critical, they will need to bring home both the McNaugton Cup and the Broadmoor trophy, but more importantly they will need a winning non-conference record, especially since it is their year to sit out the North Star Cup, they also need to make a good tourney run, they need to get deeper than one game into the national tourney.

[SiouxVolley]

BGSU can offer home and home basketball games with UND and UNO, and maybe even a home and home fb series with UND.  UND and UNO need bona-fide DI games for BB OOC.  That would swing those votes to BGSU.  Mankato has the Minnesota state schools votes and thats it.

[ArchyAlum11]

Since there seems to be some interest in adding BGSU here is a BGSU take on the whole thing.

 

http://www.bgsuhockey.com/2016/07/opinion-mavs-apply-to-the-nchc-what-now/

[nodak651]

14 minutes ago, SiouxVolley said:

BGSU can offer home and home basketball games with UND and UNO, and maybe even a home and home fb series with UND.  UND and UNO need bona-fide DI games for BB OOC.  That would swing those votes to BGSU.  Mankato has the Minnesota state schools votes and thats it.

You just love to come up with this stuff huh?  How has that panned out with Western Michigan and Miami?  

[UNDBIZ]

7 minutes ago, nodak651 said:

You just love to come up with this stuff huh?  How has that panned out with Western Michigan and Miami?  

Or Denver and Omaha, for that matter. 

[SiouxVolley]

1 hour ago, nodak651 said:

You just love to come up with this stuff huh?  How has that panned out with Western Michigan and Miami?  

Faison needs to make it a precondition for to get UND's support, something he failed to do with Miami and W Mich.

[nodakvindy]

I'll ask again.  Why should the NCHC expand?  They are rolling along just fine with 8 teams.  What is gained by bringing more mouths to the table to feed.

The ECAC and Hockey East can prosper with 12 teams because they only play 2 games vs. conference opponents, which is possible because of the close proximity of teams.

Playing a larger number of non-conference games (and winning them) is the key to getting teams to the NCAA tournament.  The NCHC has succeeded tremendously in this area and has obviously found the right formula. 

Why mess up a good thing?

[Cratter]

I'm sorta enjoying this current tight lil band of hockey brothers at 8 too.

Adding anyone waters down as the best are already in the conference.

[SiouxVolley]

4 minutes ago, nodakvindy said:

I'll ask again.  Why should the NCHC expand?  They are rolling along just fine with 8 teams.  What is gained by bringing more mouths to the table to feed.

The ECAC and Hockey East can prosper with 12 teams because they only plan 2 games vs. conference opponents, which is possible because of the close proximity of teams.

Playing a larger number of non-conference games (and winning them) is the key to getting teams to the NCAA tournament.  The NCHC has succeeded tremendously in this area and has obviously found the right formula. 

Why mess up a good thing?

So CBS wouldn't pay more if Ariz St was included?  BGSU offers more markets than Mankato.  CBS Sports and its money are a major decision maker which is too often ignored here.

The NCHC will eventually split if more PAC12 teams start hockey.  Denver and CC will support them and will leave if more western teams aren't offered.  The only solution is Iowa St or Oklahoma and Texas, which all would be for.

[ArchyAlum11]

I keep hearing BSGU, if you look at BSGU they are not going to leave the WCHA now. One they do not have a facility that is comparable to any of the other NCHC school. After the renovation, MNSU has a facility that is on par with other NCHC facilities. Hockey at MNSU has never been in doubt since turning D-1 in the late nineties. BSGU was on the verge of folding its hockey program as recently as 2009, and while hockey at the school was saved, it is not a major priority at the school. Furthermore, BGSU isn't interested in joining the NCHC, Right now all they have most of their opponents in driving distance. The opponents that are not are Bemidji, Alabama, and the Alaska's, and while everyone makes a big deal about the Alaska schools we forget that they subsidize the cost of travel to and from the state for visiting teams.  If BSGU went to the NCHC, it would probably need to fly to UND, CC, Denver, and Duluth. None of which would be subsidized.

[Blackheart]

5 hours ago, Siouxperfan7 said:

I guess we can call their their "National letter of intent"!

http://www.grandforksherald.com/sites/default/files/MSU-Mankato letter to NCHC.pdf

I like the part where it says they are committed to "wide open , fast paced style of play"...haven't seen too many of their games recently but weren't the Purple Cows the kings of the Clutch'n'Grab?

[nodakvindy]

15 minutes ago, SiouxVolley said:

So CBS wouldn't pay more if Ariz St was included?  BGSU offers more markets than Mankato.  CBS Sports and its money are a major decision maker which is too often ignored here.

The NCHC will eventually split if more PAC12 teams start hockey.  Denver and CC will support them and will leave if more western teams aren't offered.  The only solution is Iowa St or Oklahoma and Texas, which all would be for.

I did say earlier that Arizona St. alone would make sense, because of the potential exposure they bring, and that with 9 teams you could have a very workable scheduling system that would preserve a 24 game league slate.  It's a theoretical 10th team ( or any addition that is not the Sun Devils) that I think is unneeded.

As for a revamped tv contract, I have know idea what CBS would pay.  While I understand ASU is vastly a larger market, I think its quite clear in the small world that is college hockey, UND is the team that delivers ratings (proven across all networks) and that's ultimately what matters. 

[ArchyAlum11]

9 minutes ago, Blackheart said:

I like the part where it says they are committed to "wide open , fast paced style of play"...haven't seen too many of their games recently but weren't the Purple Cows the kings of the Clutch'n'Grab?

 

Maybe during the Judding years, But Hastings has them playing a more fast pace offensive minded game, big emphasis on control of the puck and controlling the neutral zone.