NCAA Hockey Expansion Thread

[No Fun Shogun]

Some of the most fun I've had watching hockey has been at the Pond at Illinois seeing the Illini play the likes of Lindenwood, Ohio, and Oklahoma in the ACHA. The atmosphere at least pre-covid was great and a damn good time.

But yeah, if anyone said that an ACHA all-star squad could go toe-to-toe with an actual NCAA D-1 roster, then that's either gross hyperbole or the D-1 team is an all-time awful squad.

I have a hard time believing that anyone seriously suggested that other than in jest, though.

 

[mk80]

Some of the most fun I've had watching hockey has been at the Pond at Illinois seeing the Illini play the likes of Lindenwood, Ohio, and Oklahoma in the ACHA. The atmosphere at least pre-covid was great and a damn good time.

But yeah, if anyone said that an ACHA all-star squad could go toe-to-toe with an actual NCAA D-1 roster, then that's either gross hyperbole or the D-1 team is an all-time awful squad.

I have a hard time believing that anyone seriously suggested that other than in jest, though.

The peak days of the CSCHL Conference with Ohio, Illinois, Iowa State, Robert Morris (IL), and Lindenwood was something. In the current ACHA D1 landscape I don't think there's a conference that comes close to the competitiveness of that.

 

[GindyDraws]

The peak days of the CSCHL Conference with Ohio, Illinois, Iowa State, Robert Morris (IL), and Lindenwood was something. In the current ACHA D1 landscape I don't think there's a conference that comes close to the competitiveness of that.

I'll always have Indiana Tech.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

The peak days of the CSCHL Conference with Ohio, Illinois, Iowa State, Robert Morris (IL), and Lindenwood was something. In the current ACHA D1 landscape I don't think there's a conference that comes close to the competitiveness of that.

Ah yes, Robert Morris of Illinois, which, for years, had a coach who was known to have sexually abused multiple players running the show... even after they knew what he had done at previous coaching stops!

Former players say Chicago area hockey coach sexually abused them

For years, stories circulated about Thomas "Chico" Adrahtas' behavior. Despite those rumors, he continued to get coaching jobs.

theathletic.com

 

[mk80]

Ah yes, Robert Morris of Illinois, which, for years, had a coach who was known to have sexually abused multiple players running the show... even after they knew what he had done at previous coaching stops!

Former players say Chicago area hockey coach sexually abused them

For years, stories circulated about Thomas "Chico" Adrahtas' behavior. Despite those rumors, he continued to get coaching jobs.

theathletic.com

I don't have a subscription for the Athletic so I can only see a little before it prompts me for one. But obviously a complete failure on multiple levels to allow someone like that to be in that position.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

I don't have a subscription for the Athletic so I can only see a little before it prompts me for one. But obviously a complete failure on multiple levels to allow someone like that to be in that position.

The whole story is a retelling of one failure of administrators after another.

Tom Adrahtas should never have coached again after being fired by the University of Minnesota, but as we've seen too often, winning coaches can get away with a lot - especially when parents are investing piles of money and want their kids to be "winners."

 

[S E P H]

More reports about Ivy League. Nothing substantial about whether the Ivy League will ever do it (that is, start their own league), but McMahon makes a good point that if they did move to a new conference, it would help the league since they would get an automatic bid to the Frozen Four. It sounds like all the schools voted 8-0 for the wrestling league because it will help them grow their brand.

This Week in College Hockey: Jan. 4, 2024

There was a recent NCAA wrestling story that could foreshadow a big move in college hockey...

www.collegehockeynews.com

 

[CrazyEddie20]

More reports about Ivy League. Nothing substantial about whether the Ivy League will ever do it (that is, start their own league), but McMahon makes a good point that if they did move to a new conference, it would help the league since they would get an automatic bid to the Frozen Four. It sounds like all the schools voted 8-0 for the wrestling league because it will help them grow their brand.

This Week in College Hockey: Jan. 4, 2024

There was a recent NCAA wrestling story that could foreshadow a big move in college hockey...

www.collegehockeynews.com

They'd get an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, which has a field of 16 teams, not the Frozen Four, which is the semifinals and finals of the NCAA Tournament.

Facts matter.

 

[JMCx4]

... Facts matter.

Not when they're treated matter-of-factly. Ain't English a wonder?

 

[S E P H]

They'd get an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, which has a field of 16 teams, not the Frozen Four, which is the semifinals and finals of the NCAA Tournament.

Facts matter.

Everyone calls it the Frozen Four and even the NCAA uses advertisement on the Frozen Four, denoting the NCAA Tournament. Common everyday language is acceptable Ivy-er.

 

[Nodak651]

Simon Fraser tied BU last night.

 

[EvilDead]

So if the Ivies split off from and make their own Ivy League conference, I'd have to imagine it would look as follows to begin with:

Brown
Cornell
Dartmouth
Harvard
Princeton
Yale

Which would leave the ECAC, assuming Quinnipiac doesn't jump ship to the Hockey East, with about six teams. Among the current independents that make the most sense geographically to join the ECAC are LIU and Stonehill.

So the ECAC could look as follows should new teams join:

Clarkson
Colgate
LIU
Quinnipiac (if they stay)
RPI
St Lawrence
Stonehill
Union College

 

[AintLifeGrand]

Future Inaugural SEHC Hockey Conference?

UGA
BAMA
Auburn
UNC
Tennessee
South Carolina

 

[Nodak651]

So if the Ivies split off from and make their own Ivy League conference, I'd have to imagine it would look as follows to begin with:

Brown
Cornell
Dartmouth
Harvard
Princeton
Yale

Which would leave the ECAC, assuming Quinnipiac doesn't jump ship to the Hockey East, with about six teams. Among the current independents that make the most sense geographically to join the ECAC are LIU and Stonehill.

So the ECAC could look as follows should new teams join:

Clarkson
Colgate
LIU
Quinnipiac (if they stay)
RPI
St Lawrence
Stonehill
Union College

I think they would poach RIT and either Sacred Heart or Holy Cross.

 

[EvilDead]

I think they would poach RIT and either Sacred Heart or Holy Cross.

RIT and Sacred Heart I can see happening, but Holy Cross I'm not so sure. Partly because Holy Cross's women's team play in Hockey East. So they already have a foot in the door to move their men's side over should they choose to do so.

 

[mk80]

Future Inaugural SEHC Hockey Conference?

UGA
BAMA
Auburn
UNC
Tennessee
South Carolina

Absolutely not happening anytime soon. Check back at minimum in 20 years.

 

[JMCx4]

Absolutely not happening anytime soon. Check back at minimum in 20 years.

Or when the Deep South freezes over, whichever comes first.

 

[S E P H]

Not groundbreaking news, but Robert Morris University has unveiled plans to build an on-ice campus. Pretty amazing, considering they were on life support just a couple of seasons ago.

 

[Nodak651]

Not groundbreaking news, but Robert Morris University has unveiled plans to build an on-ice campus. Pretty amazing, considering they were on life support just a couple of seasons ago.

Agreed. The budget they floated is unrealistic for 100k square feet, a practice sheet, and a 2,500 seat main arena, however.

 

[sigx15]

Agreed. The budget they floated is unrealistic for 100k square feet, a practice sheet, and a 2,500 seat main arena, however.

Ya I have absolutely no idea how they'd build a facility that size on that budget. The cheapest recent arenas in the past 10-15 years I've seen are Colgate and RIt, both costing $38 million. If they can get it done for $28M, all the power to them but that'd be shocking

 

[sigx15]

I think they would poach RIT and either Sacred Heart or Holy Cross.

If the Ivy's split off, the most logical teams who fit the academic and hockey identity are RIT, Holy Cross, Sacred Heart as well as Bentley fits them academically and has shown they've invested into hockey as well. They'd lose The Conference would look like this:

Clarkson
Colgate
Quinnipiac
RPI
St Lawrence
Union College
RIT
Holy Cross
Sacred Heart
Bentley

I would not be surprised to see Hockey East make a move on Quinnipiac, Holy Cross or Sacred Heart as well, with Holy Cross being the most likely with their women's program already in the league. If the ECAC wanted to add a 10th and one of those goes to Hockey East my best would be Cannisius with Utica being a dark horse even though their academics wouldn't be a great fit

 

[No Fun Shogun]

I feel like an undertalked possibility is with the assured future ACC poaching by the Big Ten and SEC. Obviously mostly football-oriented, but Clemson and FSU are both trying actively to get early exit fees reduced, and if that happens the Big Ten and SEC are going to come to blows over North Carolina and Virginia in particular.

However, a certain other school could also be on the Big Ten's radar from a market expansion and academic standpoint, Boston College. Even recognizing that college hockey is the main point of discussion for them with many established rivalries, if the ACC money train gets wrecked and a much fatter Big Ten Network check is dangled in front of them, hard to imagine that the school and assorted programs wouldn't jump ship from the ACC and, by extension, even from Hockey East.

 

[JMCx4]

Difficult to imagine BC & BU being in separate men's hockey conferences, but that's a "stranger things" situation I suppose.

 

[S E P H]

Not expansion-related, but sounds like Western Michigan University will be making a new 320-ish million-dollar arena.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Difficult to imagine BC & BU being in separate men's hockey conferences, but that's a "stranger things" situation I suppose.

Agreed. But hey, the Big Ten opened the door for partial members, so who knows? Maybe the Big Ten tosses BC a sweetener and offers a hockey-only membership to BU same as Notre Dame.

Likely? Probably not.