Non-UND College Hockey 2026-27

[cberkas]

Weems gets extended until 2029-30. I’m on the fence with this, she hasn’t done anything that has stood out.

• She needs to get the officials training camp started again (don’t think they’ve done one in the last two years). Have actual former refs or an extra ref at games to be the eye in the sky and help with making decisions on replays.
• Add the Davis Rules, these are desperately needed.
• Make investments into technology to make the game/broadcast better, like in net NHL cameras at all the schools.
• On NCHC.tv when you do full screen with the multi box have it take up the whole screen and not just the middle (the is so irritating have to resize it on the computer).
• Time to get the schools to upgrade their quality of their broadcasts.
• I’d like to see her and the conference leadership do more and set the standard again in college hockey.

[cberkas]

We’re spoiled with this, but the NCHC could do what UND does and have a destination game each year for a team. 

[siouxfaninseattle]

5 hours ago, cberkas said:

Weems gets extended until 2029-30. I’m on the fence with this, she hasn’t done anything that has stood out.

• She needs to get the officials training camp started again (don’t think they’ve done one in the last two years). Have actual former refs or an extra ref at games to be the eye in the sky and help with making decisions on replays.
• Add the Davis Rules, these are desperately needed.
• Make investments into technology to make the game/broadcast better, like in net NHL cameras at all the schools.
• On NCHC.tv when you do full screen with the multi box have it take up the whole screen and not just the middle (the is so irritating have to resize it on the computer).
• Time to get the schools to upgrade their quality of their broadcasts.
• I’d like to see her and the conference leadership do more and set the standard again in college hockey.

What has she done? Does she get credit for St. Thomas joining the league? Since the loss of a national TV contract it is very important to get the schools to improve their broadcasts. 

[cberkas]

6 minutes ago, siouxfaninseattle said:

What has she done? Does she get credit for St. Thomas joining the league? Since the loss of a national TV contract it is very important to get the schools to improve their broadcasts. 

I agree, there are fans out there that are happy about the extension.

I'd like to see something from the league that makes the brand and product better and the standard. 

[nascar99]

5 hours ago, cberkas said:

Weems gets extended until 2029-30. I’m on the fence with this, she hasn’t done anything that has stood out.

• She needs to get the officials training camp started again (don’t think they’ve done one in the last two years). Have actual former refs or an extra ref at games to be the eye in the sky and help with making decisions on replays.
• Add the Davis Rules, these are desperately needed.
• Make investments into technology to make the game/broadcast better, like in net NHL cameras at all the schools.
• On NCHC.tv when you do full screen with the multi box have it take up the whole screen and not just the middle (the is so irritating have to resize it on the computer).
• Time to get the schools to upgrade their quality of their broadcasts.
• I’d like to see her and the conference leadership do more and set the standard again in college hockey.

Heather has helped oversee the addition of Arizona State & St Thomas. While Arizona State has not been incredible on the ice (yet), I like their presence in the conference, feel like they already have a solid local fanbase there. St Thomas is a good addition, program on the rise, geographically makes sense.

 

Broadcasts/TV are what I'm going to keep an eye to see if they can innovate/improve over time. Overall, I just think NCAA Hockey needs better national promotion. It is on the right track with more NHL fans (especially Canadian) eyeballs on what is going on in the NCAA with CHLers now eligible plus the overall quality of the game getting better and better.

[cberkas]

15 minutes ago, nascar99 said:

Heather has helped oversee the addition of Arizona State & St Thomas. While Arizona State has not been incredible on the ice (yet), I like their presence in the conference, feel like they already have a solid local fanbase there. St Thomas is a good addition, program on the rise, geographically makes sense.

 

Broadcasts/TV are what I'm going to keep an eye to see if they can innovate/improve over time. Overall, I just think NCAA Hockey needs better national promotion. It is on the right track with more NHL fans (especially Canadian) eyeballs on what is going on in the NCAA with CHLers now eligible plus the overall quality of the game getting better and better.

The stakeholders need to take the initiative along with College Hockey Inc. (funded by the NHL) and advertise from December to the national title game, the NCAA tournament during every NHL game. Why this has not been done is alarming and would grow the game. Last year they had people online saying they had no idea the regional was in Albany until they saw it on tv. No billboards or advertisements in Albany for the games. The stakeholders need to tell ESPN that you only have Sean Ritchlin that is good on the tv broadcasts. Bring in guys that call NCAA hockey all season because they are million times better then Bucci, Colby, and the others they put on tv. I'd rather hear the game from people that know what is going on than hearing (insert players name) was the MOP of last year's Frozen Four for the 40th time in the first period. 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

1 hour ago, nascar99 said:

Heather has helped oversee the addition of Arizona State & St Thomas. While Arizona State has not been incredible on the ice (yet), I like their presence in the conference, feel like they already have a solid local fanbase there. St Thomas is a good addition, program on the rise, geographically makes sense.

 

Broadcasts/TV are what I'm going to keep an eye to see if they can innovate/improve over time. Overall, I just think NCAA Hockey needs better national promotion. It is on the right track with more NHL fans (especially Canadian) eyeballs on what is going on in the NCAA with CHLers now eligible plus the overall quality of the game getting better and better.

NCHC on ESPN+ would also mean on TSN+. That better be the next move

[UND69er]

16 minutes ago, AlphaMikeFoxtrot said:

NCHC on ESPN+ would also mean on TSN+. That better be the next move

Amen!!

[thUNDer]

Watching NCHCtv beats the heck out of our viewing on our Dell monitor back in the day, but can’t deny many upgrades are ready for the takin’, Ms Commish !

[Godsmack]

33 minutes ago, thUNDer said:

Watching NCHCtv beats the heck out of our viewing on our Dell monitor back in the day, but can’t deny many upgrades are ready for the takin’, Ms Commish !

I remember my only option for catching Sioux games remotely was listening to UND beating Wisconsin in the Badger holiday classic via dial up audio! Circa 1999/2000. 

[Speez]

Team Northern Plains (NP) 17U undefeated in pool play at USA Hockey NDT. Knocked off Teams Mich.,  New York, and Atlantic. Play Team Mass & Minn next. Should be interesting game against MN.

[FSSD]

19 hours ago, cberkas said:

Weems gets extended until 2029-30. I’m on the fence with this, she hasn’t done anything that has stood out.

• She needs to get the officials training camp started again (don’t think they’ve done one in the last two years). Have actual former refs or an extra ref at games to be the eye in the sky and help with making decisions on replays.
• Add the Davis Rules, these are desperately needed.
• Make investments into technology to make the game/broadcast better, like in net NHL cameras at all the schools.
• On NCHC.tv when you do full screen with the multi box have it take up the whole screen and not just the middle (the is so irritating have to resize it on the computer).
• Time to get the schools to upgrade their quality of their broadcasts.
• I’d like to see her and the conference leadership do more and set the standard again in college hockey.

I agree that much of what the current commissioner gets credit for didn't require a great deal of leadership. Adding ASU and St. Thomas wasn't exactly a difficult accomplishment—both schools were actively pursuing NCHC membership. Likewise, changing tournament locations feels more like a response to past shortcomings than a major achievement.

That said, how is St. Cloud State replacing its refrigeration system and converting its rink from Olympic-sized ice (200' × 100') to a hybrid 200' × 94' configuration? Why not move to the NHL standard of 200' × 85', like the rest of the conference? If SCSU can't afford to make that transition, it's fair to ask whether the program is financially positioned to keep pace with the NCHC given the rapid changes taking place across NCAA athletics.

[Blackheart]

17 hours ago, Godsmack said:

I remember my only option for catching Sioux games remotely was listening to UND beating Wisconsin in the Badger holiday classic via dial up audio! Circa 1999/2000. 

Late 90's-early 2000's a guy by the name of Pete Bain was promoting FTA (free to air) satellite dishes that could pick up the Sioux games just by pointing your dish at the correct satellite.  This was a little before the Fighting Sioux Sports Network was established.  Was able to watch all the Sioux home games here in the Twin Cities; it was the same feed that Joe Senser's Restaurant in Blooomington used to pick up on weekends.  Good times!

[atxsioux]

On 7/10/2026 at 10:34 AM, nascar99 said:

Heather has helped oversee the addition of Arizona State & St Thomas. While Arizona State has not been incredible on the ice (yet), I like their presence in the conference, feel like they already have a solid local fanbase there. St Thomas is a good addition, program on the rise, geographically makes sense.

 

Broadcasts/TV are what I'm going to keep an eye to see if they can innovate/improve over time. Overall, I just think NCAA Hockey needs better national promotion. It is on the right track with more NHL fans (especially Canadian) eyeballs on what is going on in the NCAA with CHLers now eligible plus the overall quality of the game getting better and better.

Going 2 years without a conference game on TV in the year 2026 is pretty hard to stomach. That has to be the number 1 focus as a commissioner is TV exposure.

And then add insult to injury the NCHC app annoyingly isn’t even available to download on Samsung TVs
 

Obviously there were some costs involved for production that CBSSN was passing on but the exposure outweighs those costs every time IMO. 

[cberkas]

7 minutes ago, atxsioux said:

Going 2 years without a conference game on TV in the year 2026 is pretty hard to stomach. That has to be the number 1 focus as a commissioner is TV exposure.

And then add insult to injury the NCHC app annoyingly isn’t even available to download on Samsung TVs
 

Obviously there were some costs involved for production that CBSSN was passing on but the exposure outweighs those costs every time IMO. 

Denver might be the only one on "national" tv with Altitude, unless they are not on there anymore.