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kellyleeks

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Only 3 of the 6 are currently in the PWR. Wisconsin and OSU don't look that great either. Next year could be different, but right now we'd be the third best conference.

I'm guessing that our non-conference schedule will be tougher than our B10 schedule.

I'm also wondering how they'll determine which games to broadcast.
 

In related news, did you see that the University of Nebraska (Lincoln) is in the infancy stages of building a varsity hockey program? They are building a new 16,000 seat arena for their basketball teams that will have hockey capabilities, and are building a separate ice sheet that will initially seat 750, but can be expanded to seat 5000-6000. They have had a club team dating back to the 1970's, and their new AD is from the University of Wisconsin and oversaw the construction of the new hockey facility in Madison. John Breslow is a former Nebraska resident, and was a minority owner of the Phoenix Coyotes. He has donated millions to help build the arena.

Here is a brief on it, but you have to go to the December 2012 issue of Let's Play Hockey for the full story.

http://www.letsplayhockey.com/onlin...n-lincoln-neb-to-elevate-hockey-programs.html
 

Only 3 of the 6 are currently in the PWR. Wisconsin and OSU don't look that great either. Next year could be different, but right now we'd be the third best conference.

I'm guessing that our non-conference schedule will be tougher than our B10 schedule.

I'm also wondering how they'll determine which games to broadcast.

I just noticed that as well. No other Big Ten teams are in the Top 20. That would be the equivalent of having just one BT football team in the top 40. The combined record of the other five is 37-54-15.

I couldn't be less excited about the Big Ten hockey conference than I am right now.
 

In related news, did you see that the University of Nebraska (Lincoln) is in the infancy stages of building a varsity hockey program? They are building a new 16,000 seat arena for their basketball teams that will have hockey capabilities, and are building a separate ice sheet that will initially seat 750, but can be expanded to seat 5000-6000. They have had a club team dating back to the 1970's, and their new AD is from the University of Wisconsin and oversaw the construction of the new hockey facility in Madison. John Breslow is a former Nebraska resident, and was a minority owner of the Phoenix Coyotes. He has donated millions to help build the arena.

Here is a brief on it, but you have to go to the December 2012 issue of Let's Play Hockey for the full story.

http://www.letsplayhockey.com/onlin...n-lincoln-neb-to-elevate-hockey-programs.html

The ice sheets were in the works for this arena before Nebraska ever had plans to join the B1G, so they were not designed with the idea of adding a varsity hockey program. They are unlikely to add a program to compete with the popular hockey program at UNO just 50 miles north. UNO dropped some sports and devoted more resources to making their hockey program better and the state and university is not likely to come in a try and cannibalize one of their own campuses who has carved out the niche as the hockey program in the state. The ice sheets will likely be utilized for youth hockey and possibly for the Lincoln Stars USHL team at some point.
 

Michigan and MSU are dead last in the CCHA. OSU is 7th. It's going to be a bad conference for a year or two.
 


Really looking forward to getting out to State College for the series vs. Penn State next year.
 


The B1G #gaymarketing would be the fourth best conference this year. How does that happen?
 




Ok, looking at the PWR and comparing it to the KRACH ratings which are a far more accurate assessment of the strength of a team, the WCHA has 5 teams in the Top 10 vs 3 in the PWR and 7 in the Top 20 vs 4 or 5?

So when looking at how the introduction of the new Big Ten Conference will affect the WCHA as a whole, it is a negative thing.


But when looking at the WHCA's members, individually, as compared to say the CCHA's, well, the WHCA gets penalized by the PWR system for it does not reward well enough for SOS. So this year the CCHA is playing a bunch of crappy teams and so marginally good teams like Miami and Western Michigan and Notre Dame rate much higher than they would if they had to play in conference like the WCHA, while marginally good teams in the WCHA, like Wisconsin, UMD and CC probably won't make the NCAA tournament, though they are probably close to as good as Notre Dame and Western Michigan and maybe even Miami.


So, what this breaking up of the WCHA will accomplish, for the individual members of the WCHA, which are all fairly strong hockey programs, is a much greater chance of being able to get into the NCAA tournament in the future. What happened a few years back, with 4 WCHA teams getting into the FF, and then the NCAA reacting and changing things to try prevent this from happening again in the future, is going to be harder to prevent now.

If Minnesota and Wisconsin can dominate over Mich, MSU and Ohio St, and if the WCHA teams going to the new super conf can dominate that conference, and the teams remaining in the WCHA can now thrive and dominate the conf now that they don't have to play against Minnesota and UND all the time, well, my guess is that if we keep track of "former" WCHA teams from next year and the next few years, we'll see MORE of those teams getting into the NCAA tournament than would otherwise with the current league makeups.


And I think what we'll also see is the weakness of the CCHA exposed, as former CCHA teams will find themselves struggling to make the NCAA tournament in the future, or to get to the FF if they do get in, where it was much easier to do so in the past.


This should make the entire realm of college hockey better. It is a way of spreading the wealth of the WCHA out across 3 different conferences. It may not benefit Minnesota necessarily, but that will depend of course on how well we can do against our Big Ten brethren. We could come to completely dominate the new BTHC and that should be a good thing for Minnesota. Might get more invites to the NCAAs, and better seedings when we get there?
 


I think Penn St will be very competitive right off the bat. Here's hoping the NHL waits a year to rob us of all our best players so that we can dominate BTHC play in year 1.
 

I think Penn St will be very competitive right off the bat. Here's hoping the NHL waits a year to rob us of all our best players so that we can dominate BTHC play in year 1.

Helgeson is the only actual senior. It sounds like it is about as certain as certain gets that Bjugstad will be gone next year. I wouldn't be surprised if Haula leaves as well, his game is pretty complete. The only other one I think might be gone is I could see a team taking a chance on Schmidt if they have no one to quarterback their powerplay, and see if he could develop in half a year with the AHL into a Tom Gilbert type player.

The other possibilities I don't think are going anywhere this year. Budish is strong enough but not skilled enough yet, Rau is pretty undersized and will probably see another year of college, Alt hasn't looked great this year, Reily and Skjei have both played pretty poorly for a lot of time. I wouldn't bet my life on any of those players staying, but I'd stake some cash on it.
 



So if lets say, we figure out that Schmidt is staying, and then Haula opts to stick around for one more year, do you think that would in any way influence Bjugstad to stay? The thought that the entire team basically would be coming back?

And how would our winning a Natl Title this year, or coming up just short, affect whether or not any of these guys stay around for one more year or not? Or is the money they can make in the NHL so good that its an automatic bolt if the opportunity shows itself no matter our situation?!

I mean if all we are losing is Helgeson, next year could be something like what the women's team is doing this year maybe?! If we also lose Bjugstad, we'll still probably be significantly better, with everyone else another year older and some new recruits coming in.


And I guess, worst case scenario, we lose Haula and Schmidt, too, we'd still be pretty good next year, I'd think. One key factor, for maybe the next 3 years, could be our goaltending? NHL doesn't usually take college goalies early, if at all.


I don't know, just wondering what you guys think about if the prospect of winning back to back titles could affect a players decision or not, or if coming up just short could inspire them to stay one more year to get that title before moving on? I just think those things used to be bigger factors in the past, but now with NHL money being so incredible, just not sure those things matter anymore?
 

Does anyone know how the Big 10 is doing the scheduling next season? I'm assuming everyone will play each opponent 4 times for a 20-game conference slate?
 


SS: I've heard it will be the 20 game conference schedule.

#1nhockeyetc.: I don't think there is any chance Bjugstad comes back. He already passed once on a chance to play with Florida to come back for another year of Gopher hockey, I don't see him doing it again. Realistically, he shouldn't. He is such a strong, skilled player I don't really see what he could learn in another year in the Maroon and Gold, and hockey is a physical sport, so every extra year he stays, he runs the risk of messing up his career prospects with an injury. Also, I have heard that he is actually getting his college degree this year (his third year at the U). The degree would be the only reason I could see him staying, and if he has that, that is obviously off the table. Also, when I see Bjugstad getting the degree in three years, I think he makes for a good story for anyone who says that college athletes can't balance their coursework with schoolwork.
 

Bjugstad will sign with Florida when the gophers season ends and jump right into the Panthers lineup for their playoff push. He was NHL ready last year, he's good enough to jump into their top six right away, great size, great shot. I'll put it this way he is better than Charlie Coyle IMO and I think Coyle is going to be a heck of a hockey player
 

Penn State is also very inconsistent they've also lost to Arizona State and Ohio University's club teams this year. Of course ACHA club hockey is just as good as D-3, but still Penn State has a long way to go to compete on a consistent basis, Sparty, scUM and Wisconsin all have young teams this year, they'll be fine, there just all down at the same time. I think the marketability of a big time conference will help Ohio State, long term the Big Ten will be a great thing for these schools and long term it will hurt the new NCHA, hockey east, WCHA etc. Those conferences just don't have the big media name or dollars
 

Does anyone know how the Big 10 is doing the scheduling next season? I'm assuming everyone will play each opponent 4 times for a 20-game conference slate?

From what i hearing it will be a 20 games schedule, with games on Sunday and Monday from what i hearing.
 


Helgeson is the only actual senior. It sounds like it is about as certain as certain gets that Bjugstad will be gone next year. I wouldn't be surprised if Haula leaves as well, his game is pretty complete. The only other one I think might be gone is I could see a team taking a chance on Schmidt if they have no one to quarterback their powerplay, and see if he could develop in half a year with the AHL into a Tom Gilbert type player.

The other possibilities I don't think are going anywhere this year. Budish is strong enough but not skilled enough yet, Rau is pretty undersized and will probably see another year of college, Alt hasn't looked great this year, Reily and Skjei have both played pretty poorly for a lot of time. I wouldn't bet my life on any of those players staying, but I'd stake some cash on it.

Bjugsted is surely gone. Haula is almost as likely to leave. If I had to bet I would guess that Schmidt goes as well. At this point I'm just hoping that we can hang on to Condon. I wouldn't be surprised to see him sign as well. I don't see anybody else leaving but I've been surprised by some of the younger guys that left in the past.
 

Of the 5 teams in conferences, only Michigan St. failed to advance.

Minnesota over BSU
Wisconsin over UMD
Michigan over WMU (a big upset, the Broncos finished 18 pts ahead of the Wolverines)
OSU over Ferris St

The Buckeyes & Wolverines will both be underdogs at the Joe this weekend.

And we know what's happening at the X.
 

Why doesn't Northwestern have a hockey team. I would think that would be a no brainer.
 

Why doesn't Northwestern have a hockey team. I would think that would be a no brainer.

I don't know, but the rumors I have heard have involved Nebraska or Illinois being the most likely candidates to add the next B1G hockey program. Those rumors have been passed onto me by buddies at the bar, so heaven knows where they got it from, take it for what its worth.
 

#1 - If you have been paying attention to crappier teams like Wisc, MSU and Michigan, who bemidjigopher correctly points out are young, you will notice that they've been getting better as the year has gone along.
Miami Univ had to go to 3 games to beat MSU this weekend and Michigan advanced as well as Wisconsin. Michigan even moved up into 20th place in the USCHO poll.
Honestly, if we lose 3 or 4 players to the NHL, we could be in trouble next season?! And that's a big IF, because we have a great bunch of young players coming in, but Michigan is not going to be a pushover next year, and neither will MSU or Wisconsin be pushovers, either. Ohio St actually ended up in 4th place in the CCHA and is rated as almost a Top 25 team right now.
And as for PSU, I hope that they are like Bemidji St, good enough to give us a good game, but not good enough to beat us. We'll need PSU to pick up a couple ooc wins to help our rating when we beat them. But it might be nice to have one series on the conf schedule that we can at least pencil in as a sweep. And hopefully the win over Wisconsin this season sent a message and the Gophers will not take PSU too lightly next year.


But I think that bemidjigopher is right when he says that the BTHC will be great for the teams involved in the BTHC. Not so much for other conferences. Having over 100 games involving 2 Big Ten teams playing each other every year vs the what? The 25-35 we have now, should have a dramatic effect on how much the BTN wants to show those games.

And if what gophersfan says is true, I can only imagine that they are moving the games from their traditional Friday-Saturday or occasionally Saturday-Sunday slots to a Sunday-Monday slot so to get more of the games on the BTN.

My guess is that they will have fewer cbb games on those days as well, and focus on having as many of those games on Fridays and Saturdays as they can. I mean, that would make a lot of sense, you would think.
 

My guess is that they will have fewer cbb games on those days as well, and focus on having as many of those games on Fridays and Saturdays as they can. I mean, that would make a lot of sense, you would think.

Friday nights have been traditionally off limits for college football and basketball (for the most part) due to high school basketball and football. That is why Friday night has been such a good home for college hockey. I mentioned this in another thread but I'd hate Gopher hockey moving from Friday/Saturday night to Sunday/Monday.
 

Friday nights have been traditionally off limits for college football and basketball (for the most part) due to high school basketball and football. That is why Friday night has been such a good home for college hockey. I mentioned this in another thread but I'd hate Gopher hockey moving from Friday/Saturday night to Sunday/Monday.

I forgot about the Friday night high school sports thing. But that's far more football than basketball right?! But even so, I'm sure that they'll figure out some schedule that both makes some financial sense, while also pissing off the fans just enough for them to complain, but not enough to drive any of them away.

I've always liked Friday night being a hockey night. But we all know that hockey will always take a backseat to cbb. The day they start putting Women's bb ahead of hockey is when we can start worrying.
 




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