How would a "Super League" Affect BGSU

[psc2009]

It looks like North Dakota and Denver are trying to form a new "Super League" with talent similar to the current WCHA or CCHA. From multiple reports out of both states and from USCHO, they're trying to pluck ND, Miami and WMU from the CCHA. That would only leave five teams in the league after the Big Ten departures.

So, my question is, what would BGSU do if they got left out of this "Super League"? I think it would be easy enough to move to one of the eastern conferences, but then they'd have a bunch of new "rivals". The other option is to try and stick together with the remaining CCHA teams and hope to grab a few other stragglers (from the WCHA, UAH, etc.).

http://themacdaily.com/index.php?news&nid=714

[MacGuy]

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/ ... /homepage/

[bgpuckster]

Hockey world is/has been turned upside down all because of greed. Miami playing in Denver, North Dakota, Minnesota and Nebraska? Good luck with that travel budget.

BG is still well positioned geographically to maintain a good schedule with some Big Ten teams and Notre Dame and, if we improve our record, that may open doors for the program too.

[BGHockeyisRtradition]

All of this has to put BG is a tough spot. If we lost Miami that would be a tough blow to the CCHA. I could care less about Notre Dame, they were lucky, and I mean lucky to make it as far as they did; Western Michigan was a much better team last season. Notre Dame has the money, they can go to the East, and be in last place every year.

Hopefully our history, and maybe some alums(NHL and others, if they can) will come to bat for us during some of these talks about reorganization. At least Phase one of the renovations will be complete at the arena this summer and the interior will at least look and SOUND like we take Hockey seriously at BG.

Everyone in the sport of hockey always talks about growing the sport; but any of these speculative moves will slowly kill the sport(if they actually happen). If they have just a few power conferences there will be less exposure to the sport of Hockey. I do agree with Puckster, BG can survive this, we can still play UofM, OSU, MSU (let's face saving gas helps all of us, even though they have lots of money), plus hopefully we can get Pitt in and Kent back, and have a competitive conference again in the CCHA. Ferris, Northern, Western, (Miami), even Alaska, can hold their own against just about anyone in the hockey world (at least last season). Slowly but surely, we have been improving, even if its just moral right now; the least that this group can do is put as much BG Hockey stuff on their facebook wall, talk to friends about the games, and if not donate then take the family to a few games(you can also buy tickets and donate them if you dont live in the area).

Sorry for the long rant...Hockey gods bring us a winning season...Go Falcon Hockey!


Go BG!

[BGWriter]

The more immediate problem won't be having enough teams to schedule in the area (at least theoretically), it will be the CCHA being left one team short of the six needed so your conference can have its winner qualify for the NCAA tourney.

BG needs to be a leader in shoring up the remaining teams in the CCHA and finding others left out or upcoming (like Kent) to quickly get at least a six team conference going, and keep the automatic bid.

[Falcon Fanatic]

According everything I've seen, this new "super" conference is a done deal with 5 WCHA teams (Colorado College, Denver, Minnesota-Duluth, Nebraska-Omaha and North Dakota) and 1 CCHA team (Miami) to be announced on Wednesday. Speculation is that Western and Notre Dame will follow, but that hasn't been confirmed yet.

This just sucks.

[Drago]

The CCHA is done....look for the northern schools to form a league with the leftover WCHA schools. BG has travel issues now to consider, not to mention forming a home schedule every year. There is no guarantee BG will be invited to particpate in any other conferences. Due to our location and performance, we are not very attractive other conferences. We should just look into joining Atlantic Hockey.....we'll make up for the added travel by cutting scholarships. The long term question is...why keep hockey? Attendance and travel costs have to be a major concern. I am not saying that is what we should do, but I think it will be brought up again once this conference shake up settles.

[Falcon Fanatic]

The CCHA is done....look for the northern schools to form a league with the leftover WCHA schools. BG has travel issues now to consider, not to mention forming a home schedule every year. There is no guarantee BG will be invited to particpate in any other conferences. Due to our location and performance, we are not very attractive other conferences. We should just look into joining Atlantic Hockey.....we'll make up for the added travel by cutting scholarships. The long term question is...why keep hockey? Attendance and travel costs have to be a major concern. I am not saying that is what we should do, but I think it will be brought up again once this conference shake up settles.

Well thank you, Mr. Sunshine! But seriously, we will NOT cut scholarships. PERIOD.

[BGHockeyisRtradition]

No one is cutting anything, first of all. There is already funding for scholarships and basic arena improvements. We can still play our old CCHA teams (if we/they all leave) in a non-conf schedule cutting the cost of travel, if that is the ultimate factor. We have a strong coach and what looks like a strong group of recruits. Even if we change to a lower tier conf we can play a competitive schedule, continue to rebuild, and create a new prideful history.

The world is not ending for us. We will find a conf, I am sure the staff associated with Falcon hockey havent been sitting on their hands for the last few months; something will probably be announced from our end soon, to think otherwise...well...then you probably went to Toledo.

As always go Falcon Hockey, for the next season, and for the next 50 seasons!

Go BG!

[dforde]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=5689 ... -headlines

[MacGuy]

It looks like North Dakota and Denver are trying to form a new "Super League" with talent similar to the current WCHA or CCHA. From multiple reports out of both states and from USCHO, they're trying to pluck ND, Miami and WMU from the CCHA. That would only leave five teams in the league after the Big Ten departures.

So, my question is, what would BGSU do if they got left out of this "Super League"? I think it would be easy enough to move to one of the eastern conferences, but then they'd have a bunch of new "rivals". The other option is to try and stick together with the remaining CCHA teams and hope to grab a few other stragglers (from the WCHA, UAH, etc.).

http://themacdaily.com/index.php?news&nid=714

Have to agree. The remaining CCHA and WCHA teams would make a nice conference. Fairly close together with a number of natural rivals.

OR

Invite Alaska-Anchorage and Michigan Tech to join the 6 remaining CCHA teams for an 8 team league that gives the AK schools travel partners and Tech back where it should be with the other Michigan schools.

[BGFalconfromCincy]

It looks like North Dakota and Denver are trying to form a new "Super League" with talent similar to the current WCHA or CCHA. From multiple reports out of both states and from USCHO, they're trying to pluck ND, Miami and WMU from the CCHA. That would only leave five teams in the league after the Big Ten departures.

I wonder how losing their head coach will hurt Western's chance at this if this new league wants to have eight teams, I mean a year ago if you were talking about forming a Super League there is no way anyone would be including Western Michigan in those plans as possible teams to join

[Drago]

One thing is for sure, when in a crisis like this, there is no one better to be leading your department than GC....I'm sure he'll have us in the worst possible situation in no time. He's probably in talks with UAH to see if we can form our own 2 team league...

[Rightupinthere]

GC is in an interesting spot. Does he do what is right for BG or the CCHA first? Does he remove himself from the CCHA post as Council Chair?

It is to wonder. My feeling is that we are going the way of the rest of the remainder of the conference.

It would be interesting to have a conference with the remnants of the WCHA. We do lose a recruiting advantage losing the bigger named schools on the schedule. Personally, I wouldn't mind a road trip to Bemidji. I have a place to stay and Dunn Brothers coffee.

[bgpuckster]

Now it's being reported that Northern is going back to the WCHA!!! This is not good at all.