Opponent and other news and results 2025-2026

[BearLover]

The relevant question is: provided we get swept by Harvard, which teams behind us in the NPI would catch us by losing in their league's championship game? I think UMass and UConn would, but what about Augustana? BC?

I seriously doubt we get swept by Harvard. That's an area of hypotheticals that I'm not even thinking about.

(Besides, only one of UMass/UConn/BC can lose the HEA championship.)

Right, but getting swept by Harvard is the only set of hypotheticals where we miss the NCAAs.

[stereax]

The relevant question is: provided we get swept by Harvard, which teams behind us in the NPI would catch us by losing in their league's championship game? I think UMass and UConn would, but what about Augustana? BC?

I seriously doubt we get swept by Harvard. That's an area of hypotheticals that I'm not even thinking about.

(Besides, only one of UMass/UConn/BC can lose the HEA championship.)

Right, but getting swept by Harvard is the only set of hypotheticals where we miss the NCAAs.

It's gotta be like. Get swept by Harvard, you need basically every conference to have an autobid winner too, and probably some fuckery with Hockey East brackets and losses too.

[BearLover]

The relevant question is: provided we get swept by Harvard, which teams behind us in the NPI would catch us by losing in their league's championship game? I think UMass and UConn would, but what about Augustana? BC?

I seriously doubt we get swept by Harvard. That's an area of hypotheticals that I'm not even thinking about.

(Besides, only one of UMass/UConn/BC can lose the HEA championship.)

Right, but getting swept by Harvard is the only set of hypotheticals where we miss the NCAAs.

It's gotta be like. Get swept by Harvard, you need basically every conference to have an autobid winner too, and probably some fuckery with Hockey East brackets and losses too.

Thus my question. Assuming 1-12 are locks besides us, how many other teams can pass us in the NPI without winning their tournaments? UMass or UConn presumably yes, but not sure about BC or Augustana.

For example, if UMass loses to UConn in HE final, that's two bids swiped. CCHA winner is another bid swiped. Atlantic Hockey is another. That would mean we can't afford an automatic qualifier from ECAC/B10, and also we can't afford for Augustana to pass us in NPI.

[andyw2100]

The relevant question is: provided we get swept by Harvard, which teams behind us in the NPI would catch us by losing in their league's championship game? I think UMass and UConn would, but what about Augustana? BC?

I seriously doubt we get swept by Harvard. That's an area of hypotheticals that I'm not even thinking about.

(Besides, only one of UMass/UConn/BC can lose the HEA championship.)

Right, but getting swept by Harvard is the only set of hypotheticals where we miss the NCAAs.

It's gotta be like. Get swept by Harvard, you need basically every conference to have an autobid winner too, and probably some fuckery with Hockey East brackets and losses too.

Thus my question. Assuming 1-12 are locks besides us, how many other teams can pass us in the NPI without winning their tournaments? UMass or UConn presumably yes, but not sure about BC or Augustana.

For example, if UMass loses to UConn in HE final, that's two bids swiped. CCHA winner is another bid swiped. Atlantic Hockey is another. That would mean we can't afford an automatic qualifier from ECAC/B10, and also we can't afford for Augustana to pass us in NPI.

I appreciate the exercise you are going through. I must say, though,  as an optimist to your pessimist it has made me think about us being swept by Harvard more than I ever would have.

So how about looking at the other side of things...

If we win out how high are we likely to climb? Would a 2-seed (top eight) be pretty much assured? What if we only make it to the final game, but lose in the finals?

Optimistic minds want to know...