2016-2017 College Hockey (Non UND Hockey)

[cberkas]

Brandon Fortunato is leaving BU, has a year of eligibility in juniors left. 

[brianvf]

On 7/29/2016 at 3:56 PM, cberkas said:

Brandon Fortunato is leaving BU, has a year of eligibility in juniors left. 

He probably wasn't going to crack the lineup with the 22 1st round draft picks they have coming in...

[scpa0305]

Rem Pitlick is leaving his USHL team and going to play with the goofs this year instead of next.  Probably the right move as he dominated last year.  Collin Adams will have to step it up a bit.

[Godsmack]

I wonder if Jim Montgomery's name will pop up for consideration for the vacant Avalanche bench boss job? Him or George Gwozdecky?

[Frozen4sioux]

5 hours ago, Godsmack said:

I wonder if Jim Montgomery's name will pop up for consideration for the vacant Avalanche bench boss job? Him or George Gwozdecky?

I had similar thoughts. Maybe see them picking a Gwoz somewhere on that bench.......

Or a Berry.

[Godsmack]

10 hours ago, Frozen4sioux said:

I had similar thoughts. Maybe see them picking a Gwoz somewhere on that bench.......

Or a Berry.

Heck, what would they have to lose at this point??? The Avs franchise is in disarray and I've always felt that ever since the Gwoz left Tampa to return home to Denver coaching a high school prep team that he's just been biding his time waiting for the right opportunity.

[DavidBrown1]

The Schedule of 2016-2017 is launched by UND Hockey.

The NCHC playoffs begin March 10-12 on campus sites with the NCHC Quarterfinals, followed by the NCHC Frozen Faceoff March 17-18 at Target Center in Minneapolis.

http://www.kvrr.com/sports/und-hockey-introduces-20162017-schedule/40147746

[SWSiouxMN]

Up in Alaska...

Uffda.

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

5 minutes ago, SWSiouxMN said:

Up in Alaska...

Uffda.

Having a hot sportscaster would surely soften the blow for locals, though.

[Frozen4sioux]

Talk about hamstringing your athletics programs recruiting....

Coach:  how about playing ( ball, hockey,...etc) up here in B-E-A-Utiful Alaska.

Recruit: ..wait arent  they thinking about cutting all athletics up there?

Coach:....well er ...um.....not really, but maybe, it was discussed as just an option, maybe the #1 option...but im....

Coach:  hello......hello.....hello......(dialtone)

 

[yzerman19]

On 6/28/2016 at 2:02 PM, farce poobah said:

http://www.collegehockeynews.com/stats/

UND: 21.8  (according to that particular website).

 

You mean that team from Grand Forks was tied for the youngest in the nation...younger than a "young" Minnesota team...can't be so- for the record, that link shows UND at 21.1

[squirtcoach]

I'm so confused, all my Gopher friends told me the big reason for the team's inconsistency was their youthfulness.

[ArchyAlum11]

8 hours ago, SWSiouxMN said:

Up in Alaska...

Uffda.

 

If that happens it's not good for the NCHC either, at that point the WCHA is down to 8 teams, mostly in Michigan and none of the Alaska schools, at that point the possibility of Western Michigan switching leagues becomes a possible scenario. If western Michigan leaves its possible that Miami could follow suit eventually, the WCHA would basically just become the new CCHA.
 

I really hope at least one of the Alaska schools is able to stick around, but my guess is that if they eliminate it at one then they will do it at both.

[SJHovey]

6 hours ago, ArchyAlum11 said:

If that happens it's not good for the NCHC either, at that point the WCHA is down to 8 teams, mostly in Michigan and none of the Alaska schools, at that point the possibility of Western Michigan switching leagues becomes a possible scenario. If western Michigan leaves its possible that Miami could follow suit eventually, the WCHA would basically just become the new CCHA.
 

I really hope at least one of the Alaska schools is able to stick around, but my guess is that if they eliminate it at one then they will do it at both.

Yeah, if the Alaska schools are gone, travel in the WCHA is going to look a lot better to Miami and WMU.

[Godsmack]

Yah but I would imagine that if Western and Mismi were to move to the WCHA, teams like Minnesota State and maybe Bemidji would make a push to join the NCHC (just thinking about it, that would put the NCHC practically right back to the WCHA).

[burd]

I sure hope they can keep Miami in the NCHC

[yzerman19]

Sorta off topic, but in reading about the Vesey sweepstakes I came across a statistical translation factor from prior league to the NHL.  Interesting.  NCHC is highest of all college leagues at 0.41.  Meaning you multiply the players points per game in the NCHC by 0.41 to predict their scoring at the NHL level. There is significant variance, and there is selection bias, as this is only players who go directly to the NHL from the other league.  Clearly only excellent players go straight from college to the NHL.  There are also other intangibles, and the age of the player's last year also plays a factor.  Also, clearly collegiate players who are going to the NHL likely spent significant time on the PP at the college level, racking up points, and there chances at an NHL PP role are not guaranteed. Its a big regression analysis with lots of variables, but this is what they use:

http://www.hockeyabstract.com/thoughts/updatedtranslationfactors

Using this math, Brock Boeser for instance who is a teenager still, is most likely to hit the number.  He would be predicted to be at 48 points in the NHL level.

[southpaw]

8 hours ago, ArchyAlum11 said:

If that happens it's not good for the NCHC either, at that point the WCHA is down to 8 teams, mostly in Michigan and none of the Alaska schools, at that point the possibility of Western Michigan switching leagues becomes a possible scenario. If western Michigan leaves its possible that Miami could follow suit eventually, the WCHA would basically just become the new CCHA.
 

I really hope at least one of the Alaska schools is able to stick around, but my guess is that if they eliminate it at one then they will do it at both.

Why does everyone have this love fest with talking about WMU and Miami leaving?  Please show me one article that has any sort of official, even an anonymous one, saying those two schools are unhappy in the NCHC?  Or that they're looking to leave because of travel.  Not a blog post without any quotes, but something even semi-substantial.

WMU's hockey budget is 1.6 million.  If they announce right now they're leaving, they'll owe 1.5 million.  With the NCHC's operating budget going up every year, by the end of the year WMU would have to pay more than its annual hockey budget just to leave the conference.  And that doesn't eliminate the travel costs.  Unless they decided to bus to every opponent under 10 hours, they're flying the exact same amount as they do now when its combined with their non-conference schedule.

The benefit of being out-of-conference with the WCHA schools is the ability to schedule them in non-conference.  Look at WMU's schedule... they have a home and home with BGSU and Ferris.  If they join the WCHA, they now only have Miami close-by to schedule OOC, whereas they have LSSU, MTU, Ferris, Northern and Bowling Green.  If we were talking an all-sport conference, then having really close schools is a great budget saving opportunity.  But when you still have five non-conference weekends to schedule then it's not that big of a deal.

[fightingsioux4life]

On 7/18/2016 at 6:26 PM, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

They'll have a little bit of talent on that team

Yeah......well, they will have to prove it on the ice or it doesn't count for much.

We are King of the Mountain in this sport, until someone beats us in the playoffs.

[ArchyAlum11]

On 8/19/2016 at 10:07 PM, SJHovey said:

Yeah, if the Alaska schools are gone, travel in the WCHA is going to look a lot better to Miami and WMU.

 

To be fair as callous as this may sound, the loss of the Alaska Schools might be a blessing in disguise for the WCHA. The conference would be down to 8 teams, and it would be dropping one of its worst teams UAA. This would help to increase competitiveness in in the WCHA. This would also give the conference a more coherent geographical footprint with UAH being the only outlier. 

However even if just Anchorage drops Hockey then it will help. UAA's hockey program hasn't shown any sign of improving in the new WCHA , UAF however in its first two years in the WCHA ended its season ranked Number 3 and then number 4 in the wcha. However, they were hit with sanctions from the NCAA due to a paperwork error but once the probation period ends next year and the Nanooks have a full scholarship total again hopefully they can get back on track. I would say that it's tough for UAA fans but anyone who has watched a game played at UAA will notice that the arena is empty. I hope that Fairbanks gets to keep its program they were on the right track before they got hit by the NCAA.

[yzerman19]

This is both UND and non-UND.  Nice to get the props deserved for these two...

 

https://www.nhl.com/video/nhl-tonight-college-hockey/t-278910374/c-44557703

[cberkas]

It sounds like UAA or both them and Alaska have $54 billion in funding but dont want to spend $50 million. Maybe the WCHA should look into having travel partners, it could save some costs for teams whinning about costs.

[Godsmack]

BC has lost another player. This time, a transfer to UMass....Josh Couturier. He played in 33 games so it can't be due to a lack of ice time. 

[tho0505]

9 minutes ago, Godsmack said:

BC has lost another player. This time, a transfer to UMass....Josh Couturier. He played in 33 games so it can't be due to a lack of ice time. 

Looking like BU should run away with the Hockey East this year. Another big blow for BC. 

[scpa0305]

3 hours ago, tho0505 said:

Looking like BU should run away with the Hockey East this year. Another big blow for BC. 

This guy left over a month ago.  Although he played in 33 games he was a healthy scratch during the F4.  BC has also brought in at least four Dmen so I'm sure he wasnt guaranteed PT.  I get it though, he was only a freshman, depth matters even if he's a 5/6/7.