Big Ten hockey 2013-14

[cbrooks]

Its gonna happen. There's six teams as of now Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio St, Michigan St, and now Penn St. I think it would make more sense if they could get a couple more teams to make the Big Ten Conference more complete with tourament and all. Here's a article taken from USCHO.

http://www.uscho.com/2011/03/16/as-big-t...s-look-forward/

[jwmiller33]

garbage... breaking up the wcha is just garbage

[lakesbison]

DO it soon.

the BIG 10 would have 6 of the 13 D1 schools in it.

leaving 7 of the remaining 52 teams outside like they should be, D2, D3, teams....

[cbrooks]

DO it soon.

the BIG 10 would have 6 of the 13 D1 schools in it.

leaving 7 of the remaining 52 teams outside like they should be, D2, D3, teams....

LOL

I guess Notre Dame, Boston College or any of the Ivy league schools aren't D1 worthy in your eyes. Thats your opinion but if you don't like UND fine there's plenty that don't. I don't think its far to trash the other schools that have D1 hockey

Did your Bison make it to the BIG dance this year?

[Shorelunch]

garbage... breaking up the wcha is just garbage

You can point the finger (which finger you point is up to you) at Alverez at Sconny on this fiasco. It's widely speculated that he's the one who voted no for the WCHA expansion. The UMtc wants to stay in the WCHA, but will be pretty much forced to join.

It's speculated that their conference tourney would be in Chicago, which would most likely be poorly attended. It will be interesting to see 1) If the WCHA tourney stays at the X after the next few years, 2) if it moves, where to and 3) most interestingly, how the WCHA would expand or split up/pair off.

[DR_FISH]

The WCHA is to big anyway, and other big ten teams would attempt to put together a hockey team because other people in their conference has one.

[solbes]

Could be good for college hockey as a whole, but the WCHA would have a couple of gaping holes in it. Would take some time to adjust that's for sure. I'll be following this pretty closely.

[cbrooks]

I heard a scenio of the Final 5 rotating between Denver Duluth and GF. This is gonna be the part I will miss. I like having it in St Paul.

I can see a couple of big ten colleges getting a hockey team. Illinois and Iowa st getting a hockey team in the future. They both have hockey clubs now so it seems logical.

Taking a positive out of this. I see college hockey growing. More US players staying here and more Canadians going to school instead of Jrs. US hockey has gotten better this decade IMO. There some good out of this.

[scsavre]

So I hate the idea of the Big 10. I dont want to loose the Minnesota connection of the WCHA. Honeslty it could help out college hockey as a whole though. I really think it will be very hard on the WCHA though. Maybe not in the near future, but it might hurt the WCHA's recruiting abalities. With all sports and rivals in line in the Big 10, it might be hard to convice a kid to go to this little WCHA conference. Also loosing MN and Wis would be a huge revenue loss for the WCHA, they are the 2 biggest programns in the conference. I have heard Notre Dame thrown into the Big ten too, they used to skate in the WCHA and there are a lot of rummors about their football needing a confernce since their TV contract runs out soon.

Also the WCHA is already looking for a new location. After all, the Gophs host the tourny at the X. I am hearing the only 2 considered spots are the Ralph and UNO - Uno is really depending on what they do about a new rink. Their new rink might be too small to host.

[cbrooks]

The big ten conference I read, won't let Notre Dame join the Big Ten in just one sport. It has to be all sports. They want Notre Dame's football. Notre Dame wants to stay independent so they won't lose there NBC TV rights for football. They would lose them if they go Big Ten.

[scsavre]

What I heard is that nd tv contract is over soon and then they might need a conference. I'm thinking with 6 teams in the big 10 they can't refuse nd. But I think you are right about joing all sports or none for I t

[cbrooks]

If that the case absolutly. I just think Big Ten wants more teams than 6. Six is like the minium for a league to function and a even number of teams help.

[titelines]

Big 10 hockey will happen, no doubt. Here's my hypothesis (not that there's anything revolutionary about it)

They knew all along that this was going to happen, thus they allowed the expansion of the WCHA by adding Bemidji and Omaha. Adding these two teams would offset the loss of MN and Wisc to the Big 10 (numbers-wise).

The thought is that by doing this, other Big 10 schools will add hockey to their sports menu.

The Final 5 will not stay in St. Paul. I'm sure it will end up there every so often as the Final 5 will rotate. GF, Denver, Duluth and Omaha are all good venues for it, seating-wise. They will have it in St. Paul occasionally I'm sure, there's still St. Cloud, Mankato etc. that would draw well to St. Paul. Heck, I'd probably still go to it. It's still great hockey, and it's not like the Gophers have been in it the last couple years. Sure I miss 'em, but it's still great hockey, and you get to see a lot of teams that you normally wouldn't be able to.

For the Big 10, they would look at a neutral site for their tourney, Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit would be front-runners.

At first glance, I hate the idea, but it's all about the $$. So long Gophers on FSN, they'll be on the Big 10 Network for sure. I grew up on the rivals that have been established in the WCHA, and it'll take awhile to get that going again in the Big 10.

Just like in the NHL. After growing up watching the Stars in a division with Chicago, St. Louis, and Detroit, I hate the division they're in now. But, with all things, you don't have to like it, but you get used to it.

[Bear55]

I don't really like this either, screw the Big 10, we like our college puck just the way it is.

The one thing I wouldn't mind would be having an open schedule to fill in with the Sioux and BC or whoever we want.

[10,000 Casts]

I am more dissapointed in the chance of losing Wisconsin than the gophers. Either way, what the big 10 wants, the big 10 gets.. I'm sure the teams will still play each other, it just won't mean as much.. The Gopher Souix (best rivalry in college hockey) will be watered down..

[OnAFly]

+1, I like it the way it is (except for the overall crumminess of the Gophers).

This is expansion to new markets at the cost of alienating your biggest markets. Some accountant thought it looked good on paper. The end customer gets hosed.

[brmuskie]

I think recruiting will be hurt more by adding new teams to D1 hockey than taking UM and UW out of the WCHA.

Either way it is good for hockey though. I wouldn't be surprised if University of Nebraska added club hockey soon and then moved forward with a D1 program after a while. They have a big school with a strong athletics department. hockey has really been catching on in Lincoln over the past 10 years or so with the success of the Stars.

I agree about Illinois maybe going D1 hockey but not sure about Iowa St.

To the rodents: We will miss you...... wait. No we won't. I admit it will suck not having all of the MN schools in the same conference though.

[jwmiller33]

I wouldn't be surprised if University of Nebraska added club hockey soon and then moved forward with a D1 program after a while.

They already have a club hockey team and they play in the ACHA

[brmuskie]

See - I told you

[Jarrod32]

So long Gophers on FSN, they'll be on the Big 10 Network for sure.

That's fine. FSN can fill a schedule of weekend hockey with four Minnesota teams (Bemidji, Duluth, Mankato, St. Cloud). I just hope that FSN isn't too short sighted to think that they can't broadcast hockey if it isn't the Gophers.

[scsavre]

Id be expecting a lot of timber wolves and wild games when the Gophs are gone. I cant wait for a bunch of hack announcers that dont know any of the kids names.

So will the Gophs be on every weekend like now....Wouldnt the big 10 network have to expand almost too much to cover the Gophs. Now I really hate the Big 10.

[Jarrod32]

Maybe FSN would be able to carry any of the games that Big 10 Network doesn't. Big 10 Network would also be interested in carrying Michigan vs Michigan State hockey, for example.

I'm watching the Final Five, and have been watching some excellent hockey as always (with the possible exception of this afternoon's game). And Minnesota and Wisconsin are not involved. In fact, they finished 5th and 7th in the WCHA this year. The WCHA will be just fine without those two teams. North Dakota has a good program, as does Denver. UNO and Minnesota-Duluth have good programs going, as well. Mix in St. Cloud State and Colorado College, and a BSU program that seems to be on the rise...plenty of good hockey programs. The WCHA won't miss a couple middle-of-the-pack teams like Wisconsin and Minnesota. Except that the other Minnesota schools might miss the draw the Gophers bring when they come to town.

As long as there is some good hockey on TV I'll be good...and that means that FSN better cover WCHA hockey even without the Gophers.

[brmuskie]

Good luck with FSN. They have disappointed me in their coverage of non rodent hockey ever since they started covering college hockey.

[cbrooks]

Those annoucers for Fox now. Not Gorg so much but that other guy just stink in my opinion. I wish they had Woog and I forgot what the other guys name was. I liked them.

[Shorelunch]

Over 15,000 for the Sioux/CC game tonight.