Vermont to Hockey East?

[Jeff Hopkins \'82]

Well, if we're plotting the demise of Atlantic Hockey, what about Mercyhurst?  That's not a bad travel partner for Niagara.  Although the obvious partner for Niagara is Canisius, and Mercyhurst might be a better fit for the CCHA.

So to complete the slice and dice...

In CHA, move Air Force and Bemidji to the WCHA, Niagara to the ECAC, and Findlay and Wayne State to the CCHA.  Huntsville doesn't fit anywhere, but they're a better fit with the CCHA than anywhere else.

In AH, move UConn and Quinnipiac to HE, Canisius and Holy Cross to the ECAC, Mercyhurst to the CCHA.  

Army, Sacred Heart, AIU, and Bentley split between the ECAC and HEA, depending on their scholarship goals.

So the WCHA adds two, CCHA adds 4, ECAC adds three and loses 1, HEA adds three, with four TBD.

Give each conference two autobids.  One for the tourney champ and one for the regular season champ.

JH

[nyc94]

14 teams in the ECAC?  That's 26 regular season games which leaves the Ivies with only 3 out of conference games - unless you split it into two divisions.  I've never been a fan of unbalanced schedules.

[atb9]

Robert Morris is still grappling with which conference to apply to--AH or CHA.



Post Edited (12-20-03 19:45)

[Will]

The ECAC should NOT get any bigger than 12 teams, in order to give each conference opponent equal opportunities against each other and still allow the Ivies to play a decent amount of non-conference games.

[Greg Berge]

12 teams is an ideal size for the ECAC.

If we were to lose UVM, the addition of *what* would most help the conference?  I see three priorities:

1) A genuine and dependable commitment to hockey (no more Army)
2) Match the conference academic profile (no more UVM)
3) A larger market (no more, well, almost all of us)

Assume there wont be a sudden hockey epiphany at Columbia, Penn, or St. Johns.  What are good choices?  Anybody up for taking a run at Providence? B-]

[Jeff Hopkins \'82]

Bill '94:

You're assuming that each team would play each other twice like now.  Back before Hockey East was formed, the Ivies would play each other twice, but would only play the non-Ivies once.  I'm not sure how it worked for the non-Ivies, but I'm guessing the Beanpot was part of the regular season.

In a 14 team conference that would give 18 mandatory games.  The other games could be played in-conference or OOC.

JH

[Grad \'77]

Providence maybe.  Or, how about Northeastern?

[atb9]

let's just go after BC or BU while we're at it...  I should put some sort of smiley after that comment



Post Edited (12-21-03 15:49)

[colo83]

There is one obvious class act to invite and it would be a decent travel partner for Dartmouth, a strong hockey committment and a nice place to visit; this school would be a stroong replacement  Middlebury.

[Beeeej]

Brilliant idea - genuinely brilliant.  An academically strong school with a great hockey tradition.

There's still the Div. III step-up moratorium problem, though.

Beeeej

[Grad \'77]

Middlebury definitely should be D1.  It would embroil some of the other D3 schools, but an exception should be made for them.

[Petunia LiCicero]

IF Vermont leaves,
Niagara is going to replace them.
There will not be 14 ecac teams, there will be 12.
Canisius will be sad.

[atb9]

you're way off from the traditional Haiku form...  ;-)

Niagara?  Certainly a possibility but...Niagara?  Does the safety school chant even work for them?  Are their academics good enough that they'd even be considered a safety school?  I think that's the true test of who should be a candidate...for the similar reason, I don't think Mercyhurst would be a candidate.  I don't mean to be pompous but the ECAC prides itself on academics.

[Pete]

[Q]Middlebury definitely should be D1. It would embroil some of the other D3 schools, but an exception should be made for them[/Q]

Unfortunately it is Middlebury's own president who is spearheading the D-III proposal aimed at D-III schools playing up in one sport.  The chances of him promoting his own hockey team up to D-I are slim to none.  I agree, though, Middlebury would make a perfect fit for the ECAC.

[marty]

Pete Godenschwager wrote:

[Q]Middlebury definitely should be D1. It would embroil some of the other D3 schools, but an exception should be made for them[/Q]

Unfortunately it is Middlebury's own president who is spearheading the D-III proposal aimed at D-III schools playing up in one sport.  The chances of him promoting his own hockey team up to D-I are slim to none.  I agree, though, Middlebury would make a perfect fit for the ECAC.

Can you give us some background on the Middlebury president being behind this.  I was blaming the holier than thou folks at Williams.  It is the kind of foolishness they love!