ELynah Forum

Quote from: stereax on March 01, 2026, 10:42:48 PMThey have to win the HEA playoffs to get in. If they get in, they'll be a 4 seed. If we stay at 9 (highest 3 seed), we're probably going to be vs Denver, probably one of the Michigans, and Bentley or whichever AHA team wants to be cannon fodder. (And if we're against Denver, it's almost certainly gonna be in Colorado.)

Not "almost certainly" - FYI - but it literally is a requirement that it will be.

Quote from: Iceberg on March 02, 2026, 04:29:47 PM

Quote from: cth95 on March 02, 2026, 02:08:13 PM

Quote from: upprdeck on March 02, 2026, 11:21:28 AMhaving 1700+ SRO packed in would seem to pretty close to a fire code issue.   Are those concourses huge?

I live in Vermont and take my kids to see Cornell at Dartmouth every year (especially with no UVM in the mix).  The concourse at Thompson is huge and does wrap around the entire rink. I have never seen the seats much more than 1/2 to 2/3 full over the many years I have been going.  There are always a few people on the concourse whom I assume just prefer to watch from there.  Does Princeton draw more than Cornell?

I mentioned the tradition in my previous post and I can't find a page with good info, but there's a longstanding practice that whenever Princeton visits Dartmouth, the fans throw tennis balls onto the ice whenever the home team scores. It goes back to when people at Princeton tried to make fun of Dartmouth by throwing tennis balls whenever the visitors had a game at Baker Rink. In retaliation, people at Dartmouth reciprocated the insult and it stuck. It's the only game there that's a guaranteed sellout and certainly draws more than whenever Cornell visits

Edit: Found it. The tradition started much more recently than I had thought

https://www.ncaa.com/news/icehockey-men/article/2017-01-12/some-best-college-hockey-traditions

This is where I'm going to have to chime in again for the newbies (I do this annually, at least somewhere)...

This is by far the most INANE "tradition" in hockey. Not the action, but the reasons. Absolutely asinine. I was there to watch it all unfold.

The Baker Rink crowd did NOT -- I repeat, NOT -- target Dartmouth for this. Total fallacy, and the dumb-ass Dartmouth students of the time somehow got it in their heads that they did.

I was Princeton's broadcaster at the time. The Princeton "crowd," as it were - had a thing where it would throw oranges -- not tennis balls -- on the ice when playing ANY team.

Toot Cahoon, the coach at the time, absolutely hated this. It didn't take him long to make sure this thing was stopped.

For whatever reason -- the Dartmouth "fans" got wind of this, and thought somehow that it was directed at them.

The rest is (moronic) history.

Quote from: Trotsky on February 28, 2026, 11:42:34 PM

Quote from: chimpfood on February 28, 2026, 11:20:21 PMDartmouth is 2 seed no? First tie breaker is head to head points

Yes.

1 Qpc
2 Drt
3 Cor
4 Prn

Adam, you know I love you, but not sorting by seed is no bueno.

I don't know - I never have been sure that you do...

I spend thousands of hours a year on the site - but trying to code all the league's tiebreakers into the sort would take years off my life. Maybe Claude can do it now.  We do have a page with all the brackets and seeds though.

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/reports/conf/ECAC/4/bracket

Quote from: Trotsky on February 28, 2026, 11:35:38 AMWhy is the NPI so much more stable than the PWR late in the season?  Is it simply the removal of the pairwise comparison itself?

I'm not sure that's entirely true. After most of the non-RPI criteria were removed from the Pairwise, things were pretty stable in recent years. Basically the Pairwise was almost entirely dominated by the RPI component, and everything else became irrelevant, so the quirks were all gone. So in effect, there really was no comparison stuff anymore for the last 10 years or what not.

NPI may be slightly more stable - but I don't know yet. I largely think it's perception. I've had some people say to me the opposite. So I dunno.

Quote from: Chris H82 on February 28, 2026, 12:06:55 AM

Quote from: adamw on February 27, 2026, 11:47:36 PM

Quote from: RichH on February 26, 2026, 10:18:50 AM

Quote from: Trotsky on February 26, 2026, 02:38:51 AMDoes the fan vote count for anything?

(It shouldn't.)

It counts for a tiny amount of data mining for the NC$$

pedantic correction - data mining for the Hobey Committee, which has no connection with the NCAA on this.

And as BeeeEj said, it counts very little - and that's only towards determining the final 10. Among the final 10, it has no bearing.

So basically - nope. You are all just dupes for click farming.

So, not even worth doing the text vote?  There are other criteria being used to determine the top 10 besides the fan vote?

The Top 10 is basically entirely determined by a vote of all head coaches.

Quote from: fastforward on February 26, 2026, 06:32:07 PMMaybe because some are not true freshman? Or whatever the term is for those who played juniors and delayed college

It's most definitely because schools were encouraged to stop using the term "freshmen" due to perceived gender bias. I'm just the messenger.

Quote from: RichH on February 26, 2026, 10:18:50 AM

Quote from: Trotsky on February 26, 2026, 02:38:51 AMDoes the fan vote count for anything?

(It shouldn't.)

It counts for a tiny amount of data mining for the NC$$

pedantic correction - data mining for the Hobey Committee, which has no connection with the NCAA on this.

And as BeeeEj said, it counts very little - and that's only towards determining the final 10. Among the final 10, it has no bearing.

So basically - nope. You are all just dupes for click farming.

Quote from: Beeeej on February 25, 2026, 03:33:19 PM

Quote from: adamw on February 19, 2026, 03:57:17 PMSORRY - I meant to say best player on his team. Typing too fast. Where's my editor BeeeEj?

FYP. You're welcome.

 

Quote from: BearLover on February 25, 2026, 03:13:38 PMI've already explained why I don't find convincing these generic broad-strokes commentaries on NIL/revenue sharing, so I'm not sure what you're hoping for by making this quip. Honestly, the $50K data point about Ryan Conmy (presumably it's him) is a lot more helpful than the usual discourse on this topic. Even assuming it's true and wasn't just sour grapes from someone connected to UNH, $50K from one of the very top programs to the ~best player in the portal doesn't strike me as indicative of widespread effects of NIL.

The problem, perhaps, is what you define as "widespread effects." ... Obviously things can fluctuate based on donors. That's a given.  My definition of widespread effects is - mid-to-bottom tier school will no longer be able to outdo their smallness based on quality of coaching staff, and its ability to recruit and develop diamonds in the rough. They will lose (and already are) any player that becomes good. Therefore widening the gap.

Direct quote just today from another mid-tier school (one that has made the NCAAs in the past)...talking about his goalie:

"he's going to get offered more than $50k by a couple of Big Ten schools, but he likes it here, and he's comfortable here, and I think if we can get him $50k we can keep him" ...

"IF"!!  So the coaches ID and develop a new stud, he actually likes the team and coaches - but they need to come up with $50k to keep him.

If you don't see the issue there - well, I dunno. Time to move on.

Quote from: marty on February 21, 2026, 08:22:15 AM

Quote from: adamw on February 21, 2026, 02:17:21 AM

Quote from: Trotsky on February 20, 2026, 02:30:39 PMCC did (does?) have that ridiculous ultra modern barn.  When we drove by it I figured it was just another of Colorado Springs' pathetic McJesusHut monstrosities but nope.  Anyway, it didn't cost chicken feed.  Maybe they have their own Nazi-sympathizing Engelstad douche to be a (very) white knight.

In what way, dare I ask, is it ridiculous or ultra-modern. I've been there a bunch of times - and it's quite nice actually, but not ridiculous. No better or worse than any other arena built of that size in the last 20 years. Replaced a 400-year old arena, so it's not like they weren't due. Only thing wrong with it is, they built the press box assuming the only person who would go in it is Flat Stanley.

In an era of Fat Stanley. At least you have the goods to get in.

Have you kept track of those you have yet to visit?

Sadly, I haven't been to most places in the Midwest. I may have to wait until I retire. I specifically want to go to Michigan, Michigan State, Miami, Duluth. I've been to Kalamazoo (broadcasting a Cornell game) but they're building a new arena, and I want to see that. I've peaked in Notre Dame's and Omaha's "ridiculous, ultra-modern barns" (TM), but haven't seen a game there. Have been to Arizona State's "ridiculous, ultra-modern barn" (TM) a few times - very nice.

Quote from: Trotsky on February 20, 2026, 07:49:38 PM

Quote from: sah67 on February 20, 2026, 07:44:03 PM

Quote from: stereax on February 20, 2026, 07:37:58 PM

Quote from: sah67 on February 20, 2026, 07:36:18 PM

Quote from: stereax on February 20, 2026, 07:34:44 PM

Quote from: Trotsky on February 20, 2026, 07:34:26 PMWhiney.  Bitch.

What a fucking bitch.

In the words of 2013 Schafer, "a fucking classless asshole."

Did he get suspended for that one 😂

According to this account, yup:
https://quchronicle.com/89589/featured/pecknold-schafer-write-one-last-chapter-in-storied-rivalry/

If memory serves that comment was because Rand targeted an Cornell player coming off an injury right at the injured point.  Now, yes, if you send a guy out there he better be healthy enough to play.  But that is still Oakland Raiders shit.

In our recent podcast with Rand - I asked him about Schafer, and he said nice things, and referred to this incident. I encourage a listen.

Quote from: Trotsky on February 20, 2026, 02:30:39 PMCC did (does?) have that ridiculous ultra modern barn.  When we drove by it I figured it was just another of Colorado Springs' pathetic McJesusHut monstrosities but nope.  Anyway, it didn't cost chicken feed.  Maybe they have their own Nazi-sympathizing Engelstad douche to be a (very) white knight.

In what way, dare I ask, is it ridiculous or ultra-modern. I've been there a bunch of times - and it's quite nice actually, but not ridiculous. No better or worse than any other arena built of that size in the last 20 years. Replaced a 400-year old arena, so it's not like they weren't due. Only thing wrong with it is, they built the press box assuming the only person who would go in it is Flat Stanley.

Quote from: BearLover on February 19, 2026, 08:47:14 PM

Quote from: adamw on February 19, 2026, 07:11:41 PMBecause Maine and UNH are cash-strapped state schools whose budgets have been decimated over the years. Maine has done better recently in trying to re-generate cash, and UNH is trying as well, with building renovations on the way and so on. This is much different than Denver or BU, because those schools are private and have more money, and have had bigger donors, and their teams have been more successful lately, so they've been able to keep up. I can't explain every little detail -- I don't have access to their budgets -- but it's clear from the way they each operate, and from what they've all told me, that the ability for UNH/Maine to keep up is harder compared to BU/Denver. This was already happening for years to UNH/Maine, with their facilities falling behind, and athletic dept. budgets taking a hit. So this stuff has only exacerbated it, making it harder to dig out. UNH and Vermont are currently the only schools in Hockey East without 3 assistant coaches. For whatever reason, schools like DU and BU have Rev Share budgets and UNH/Vermont do not. Throw a bunch of other schools like that into the mix, and now you're dwindling little by little the amount of programs that can keep up. Clarkson/St. Lawrence, pfft - forget it. I'm holding out hope for Colgate/RPI/Union, but I doubt it. The influx of major junior talent will help, but I suspect that it will help the big boys just as much and be a wash.

FWIW, I believe BU did not opt into the House settlement, meaning no rev share for them. But yeah, I should have used different examples rather than two state schools vs two private schools. My general point is that I'm not sure why Maine is that different from UMass, or why Denver is that different from CC. At the end of the day, it's going to come down to a few big donors. Maybe UMass has them and Maine doesn't, but that can change, and nobody really knows.

Well, some people do know. Just not necessarily everything. Just yesterday, UMass received a $1,000,000 endowment for the hockey program from a donor. That's good for about 1 player a year. Maine has had improvements in recent years, and may not be much different at the moment. It was well behind for a number of years.

Denver vs. CC ... CC is a D-III school, and about 1/4th the size, among other things. But CC will also get its share of donors.

QuoteTo me, it all boils down to: a college has X budget to spend on their hockey program. They can slice that pie up between facilities, more scholarships, revenue sharing, coaches' salaries, nutrition, whatever. But the hard part is growing the budget (pie). There's no free lunch, and the revenue share budget has got to come from somewhere.

I agree, but this is the same, at a different scale, for the bigger sports. It's no different. Yet they are still handing out gobs of money anyway. Denver, as an example, is going to hand out money to get players, because the school thinks it's important. And is. Whether that is sustainable is different conversation. It's not sustainable for Ohio State's football program either. But they're still doing it. You're making a leap between whether this makes any sense in the big picture, and whether teams are doing it. You're skeptical that it's happening because of this. Yet, it is - regardless.

QuoteAnyway, I've already said my piece on this and there's no point repeating it anymore. If I see proof that paying players is widespread, I'll change my tune.

You're right that it's maddening. Unless someone walks into your house and hands you a stack of canceled checks, you won't believe anything anyone tells you. But I'll keep pushing back nevertheless, not because I expect to ever convince you of anything, but just to help others.

Whether it's sustainable - again - different story. I agree the whole thing is absurd.

By the way, I've had more than a handful of coaches ask me the same thing BearLover asks "Why don't you report more about these differences etc...?" - because they're all annoyed and want people to know things, yet they don't want to tell me things on the record - so ... And then I tell them all the same thing I tell you ... "I wish, but don't have the time." I've asked them all to come up with $3 million to endow CHN and then I'm all theirs, but none have taken me up on that.

Being a lunatic who devotes more time than he should to college hockey also explains why I'm here - I love Cornell hockey and what it stands for that much. Not like I'm on other teams' message boards. Even the ones that rip me all the time (or so I hear).

Quote from: BearLover on February 19, 2026, 04:59:47 PM

Quote from: adamw on February 19, 2026, 02:21:26 PM

Quote from: BearLover on February 16, 2026, 03:10:42 AMThe claim that NIL/revenue sharing is having a significant impact on competitive balance in college hockey is wholly unsupported by any publicly available reporting. Does that mean the claim is wrong? Not necessarily. But those making the claim have done nothing to support it.

I'm really tired of this lazy talking point.

I am reporting it, all the time. Just not naming the kinds of names and details you want to hear. So - again - believe me or don't believe me. Whatever.

May I ask why you aren't able to report on names (of players, or at least of schools), or amounts? These details are regularly reported in other college sports.

Well, if I spent less time replying to you here and more time writing articles, maybe I'd be able to

But really - ask an earnest question - I'll give you an earnest answer.

The details you're talking about are being reported by writers who work for major publications, for whom it's their full-time job. It's also in the big sports -- aka football/basketball -- where there's a massive amount of interest, pressure, and competition to get those numbers. As a result, the writers spend time working sources to get it. Agents are probably leaking it because they want to look like big shots, and/or drive up prices for others.

If this were my full-time job, or anything close to it, I would spend the time and effort to do that. But it's not like there's anyone else coming closer. There's basically no one at this point who is a full-time college hockey reporter. People like Mike McMahon and myself probably talk to more coaches and agents regularly than anyone, but there's still no urgency to leak this stuff out, and neither of us have the kind of time to push. So people will tell us stuff, but they don't really want to say it on the record.

The college hockey "media" universe is pretty small and incestuous, and I've spent 30 years walking a tightrope between discussing important things, and pissing off people I need to have relationships with in order to get anything done. I'll put my record against anyone's, however, in reporting tough stuff when need be. But only so much that can be done.

The fact that College Hockey News (and uscho before that) even exist is because there's a handful of lunatics who love college hockey, and geeky programming, and reporting so much, that they're willing to spend all this time beyond their "real job" to do this stuff. Philosophically, I treat CHN like I would if I was running the NY Times, but with much (much) less money and much less time.

Quote

QuoteWhat's your definition of widespread?

Good question. I don't know how to answer that. My main point is that I'm very in the dark about what's going on. The fact a kid got $50K to transfer doesn't really mean anything in itself.

QuoteReal world example: Best player in a big conference, on a team that used to be a big deal, but no longer has those kinds of resources, was offered $50k to go to a blue-blood school in the same league. He left. He's not the only one.  I'm using this one example to represent many similar stories.  Does that mean it affects competitive balance for the 20 or so programs that have been able to keep up (or Cornell, for example, which wouldn't necessarily be as impacted because its plusses/minuses are already well-known to a student before coming there, and haven't changed)?  No, those teams have stayed the same. The pool of teams, however, that can keep up, is growing smaller.  The unlimited transfer policy was the first big problem. The growing NIL/Rev-share imbalance is another.  You would be hard-pressed to find any coach whose team is currently below, say, 25 in the NPI to say otherwise.  It's not sour grapes - it's just reality.

Sounds like Ryan Conmy. If BC is poaching one of the best players in the portal for $50K, that wouldn't shock me, but (a) that's not a huge amount given it's one of the better players in the country and a power 5 school, and (b) that's still just one case.  The part I take issue with is:  "I'm using this one example to represent many similar stories." I just don't know how I'm supposed to interpret that, given nobody anywhere has actually reported on anything like that. Conmy was one of the top few players in the portal last year and one of the only ones who went from mid-tier school to blue blood.

QuoteIt's not just about Cole Hutson. There are some advisors out there creating bidding wars for players now. There is no way some of the former high-end powers -- New Hampshire, Maine, the CCHA schools, Clarkson -- can possibly compete for players they used to compete for. This is abundantly obvious.

I'm curious about the distinctions you're drawing here. Why should rev share/NIL benefit Maine or UNH less than Denver or BU?

Because Maine and UNH are cash-strapped state schools whose budgets have been decimated over the years. Maine has done better recently in trying to re-generate cash, and UNH is trying as well, with building renovations on the way and so on. This is much different than Denver or BU, because those schools are private and have more money, and have had bigger donors, and their teams have been more successful lately, so they've been able to keep up. I can't explain every little detail -- I don't have access to their budgets -- but it's clear from the way they each operate, and from what they've all told me, that the ability for UNH/Maine to keep up is harder compared to BU/Denver. This was already happening for years to UNH/Maine, with their facilities falling behind, and athletic dept. budgets taking a hit. So this stuff has only exacerbated it, making it harder to dig out. UNH and Vermont are currently the only schools in Hockey East without 3 assistant coaches. For whatever reason, schools like DU and BU have Rev Share budgets and UNH/Vermont do not. Throw a bunch of other schools like that into the mix, and now you're dwindling little by little the amount of programs that can keep up. Clarkson/St. Lawrence, pfft - forget it. I'm holding out hope for Colgate/RPI/Union, but I doubt it. The influx of major junior talent will help, but I suspect that it will help the big boys just as much and be a wash.

Some of this stuff may be more of a problem after the fact than before it. i.e. transfer rule combined with the money. Deadly combo.

Now I really need to finish like 5 articles on this stuff I'm working on.