Schadenfreude wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 8:31 am
Is nine a good number for college hockey, or does this imply the need for a 10th?
I like 8, because you play each of the 7 other teams home and away to get 28 league games. More than that, you're looking at not getting everyone home and away twice, and I think that hurts the balance of the league.
But I suppose we could live with 9 or 10, though if we were going to jump from 8 to 10 right now, I'd wish for Miami and Western Michigan to be the new members...
The CCHA almost has the ability to go back to the 3 games against each team setup they had at one time. Play twice in one team's arena, once in the other. Obviously there'd be travel partners. The southern teams are easy. BG-FSU, MSMN-STT. Bemidji-Tech is questionable. Fairly certain LSSU-NMU play home and homes a lot, so that's very doable.
Est Travel Times
MNSU-STU: 1:30
NMU-LSSU: 2:45
BG-FSU: 3:30
BSU-MTU: 6:45
TalonsUpPuckDown wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 10:05 am Est Travel Times
MNSU-STU: 1:30
NMU-LSSU: 2:45
BG-FSU: 3:30
BSU-MTU: 6:45
Yeah. That one would suck. The home-away balance would be another hurdle. I can't remember how many teams were in the CCHA the year(s) they did it. I do know BG played three straight at Fairbanks.
If this comes to pass, it must be tough for Alabama Huntsville to watch two brand new programs get the call even as they remain without a conference.
As far as Miami State not being able to afford a conference switch: Assume you are talking about a conference penalty for leaving. It seems to me these things can be finessed if everyone wants to get it done. I imagine the real obstacle is in Oxford, not Colorado Springs.
Schadenfreude wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 8:31 am
Is nine a good number for college hockey, or does this imply the need for a 10th?
There will probably be more movement in college hockey within the next several years. Just the other day Tennessee Tech announced they're exploring the prospects of a D-1 hockey program. They're a couple hours from Nashville and apparently have the support of the Predators organization.
More schools are going to explore adding programs. Hockey is increasing in popularity in non-traditional areas thanks to NHL expansion (ASU, Lindenwood, now possibly TT).
Schadenfreude wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 11:40 am
If this comes to pass, it must be tough for Alabama Huntsville to watch two brand new programs get the call even as they remain without a conference.
As far as Miami State not being able to afford a conference switch: Assume you are talking about a conference penalty for leaving. It seems to me these things can be finessed if everyone wants to get it done. I imagine the real obstacle is in Oxford, not Colorado Springs.
They run towards the top of the MAC in athletic department expenditures and siphon a larger than average amount of cashola from their general fund to cover athletic department overruns (we're towards the bottom in both categories). Now throw in the Nacho scenario. A CHN article about a year ago perpetuated a rumor that if they could get out they would because the finances are tough for them. Then a poster on their message board confirmed the yearly costs are WAAAY larger than the athletic dept ever imagined (forget about the departure penalty). Throw on top of that the fact that their attendance has become so piss poor that we now outdraw them even though they have that shiny arena. You wanna run with the big dogs, better pony up the cashola. Western doesn't have the same issues. Their travel is a bit easier given their geography and K'zoo affords them revenue streams that don't exist in little ol' Oxford. Also, they fill that old barn of theirs to the rafters. So for Miami State, higher costs plus less revenue = hoping Santa brings a CCHA membership for Xmas. I have no inside info into any of this; it's what I've read from public sources.
I don't believe for a second they would ever move, but then again I never expected Covid.
Schadenfreude wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 11:40 am
If this comes to pass, it must be tough for Alabama Huntsville to watch two brand new programs get the call even as they remain without a conference.
When you cancel your program twice in 4 years, what does one expect? Guess it's now 3 times in 5 years?
Schadenfreude wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 8:31 am
Is nine a good number for college hockey, or does this imply the need for a 10th?
There will probably be more movement in college hockey within the next several years. Just the other day Tennessee Tech announced they're exploring the prospects of a D-1 hockey program. They're a couple hours from Nashville and apparently have the support of the Predators organization.
More schools are going to explore adding programs. Hockey is increasing in popularity in non-traditional areas thanks to NHL expansion (ASU, Lindenwood, now possibly TT).
It’s Tennessee State in Nashville that is conducting the feasibility study with the help of the Predators
Schadenfreude wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 8:31 am
Is nine a good number for college hockey, or does this imply the need for a 10th?
There will probably be more movement in college hockey within the next several years. Just the other day Tennessee Tech announced they're exploring the prospects of a D-1 hockey program. They're a couple hours from Nashville and apparently have the support of the Predators organization.
More schools are going to explore adding programs. Hockey is increasing in popularity in non-traditional areas thanks to NHL expansion (ASU, Lindenwood, now possibly TT).
It’s Tennessee State in Nashville that is conducting the feasibility study with the help of the Predators
Good catch, my bad.
Point is, there is probably more re-alignment coming. LIU, ASU, UAH (if they survive), and soon Lindenwood will be without conference affiliations. The likes of Miami and WMU may realize life in the NCHC isn't what they thought and can probably compete better in something like the CCHA. Dominoes are going to fall at some point in the near future.
The schools that are back in the CCHA would be silly to add multiple start up or transitioning D1 programs. You just eliminated huge portions of travel and programs that weren’t really committed to D1 hockey. Why add multiple programs that add significant travel and are likely not going to be competitive anytime soon? Lindenwood would be a really easy no as would Tennessee State (for the record I give that one about .001% chance of them adding a D1 Hockey program). Hockey isn’t going to see some mass expansion all over the country. A few programs will probably drop and you may see a couple look to add hockey but 60 teams is going to be about what it is.
It’s too expensive...most schools are looking to save money not add an expensive men’s program.
TommyG wrote: ↑Fri May 07, 2021 11:01 am
The schools that are back in the CCHA would be silly to add multiple start up or transitioning D1 programs. You just eliminated huge portions of travel and programs that weren’t really committed to D1 hockey. Why add multiple programs that add significant travel and are likely not going to be competitive anytime soon?
Normally, I would agree with this. But, there were 160+ players in the transfer portal. The next three years are going to be similar. From a competitive standpoint, they're has never been a better time to start a hockey program (financially is another story). Add a couple upper classmen for experience, pick up a couple recruits that don't want to delay going to college anymore, and you'll have a competitive, mid-level, team. And that's where St Thomas crapped on themselves with their coaching hire.
Silly would be adding a team/teams that can never really decide until last minute of they are going to play the following season.
The new assistant coach is Stavros Paskaris, 36, from Dearborn, MI.
After playing at Wayne State in college, he became an assistant at Adrian College from 2009-2014. After that, he was an assistant at Princeton for 6 seasons, and he spent last year as an assistant at Darmouth (where he didn't coach a game, due to COVID-19 canceling their season) before coming our way.
I like that he's young. I like that he's local. I like that he has experience coaching at the D1 level and that he's been coaching in the college game for over a decade.
