This Just Might Kick The Notre Dame Vs. Boston College Rivalry Up A Notch
by Brian Favat on Jun 7, 2011 8:00 AM EDT
in Boston College Hockey
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The formation of the Big Ten Hockey Conference for the 2013-14 season will likely set off a series of Division I college hockey realignments, with one of the biggest potential losers being a program like Notre Dame. Irish hockey may very well find itself on a sinking ship called the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.
You see, the CCHA is set to lose its three big-revenue athletics programs -- Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State -- leading many to speculate on the future feasibility of the conference. After the departure of the three Big Ten programs, the CCHA will be left with just eight programs:
-- Notre Dame
-- Three MAC schools -- Bowling Green, Miami Ohio and Western Michigan
-- Four schools who compete in Division II for all other sports -- Alaska Fairbanks, Ferris State, Lake Superior State and Northern Michigan
This has led many to speculate that the Irish could head east to join Hockey East, or head west to join the WCHA. Either move will likely be an option for the Irish, as I'm sure both conferences will bend over backwards to add Notre Dame to the fold.
Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson isn't exactly shooting down rumors about joining the Hockey East Association, telling the Bangor Daily News:
"It's a possibility. I know our athletic director and associate athletic director are doing their due diligence in looking at all of the the alternatives.
"I have a lot of respect for the programs and coaches in Hockey East," said Jackson. "That has been one of the premier leagues in the country over the last 15 years."
And while the final decision isn't up to Jackson, it's nice to hear that Jackson is looking at factors beyond just the Irish hockey program:
"Our university is open to everything right now. As I've said, a lot has to do with going to a conference with like-minded schools. The Catholic-aspect and academic aspect are strong suits for Hockey East."
As I've mentioned before, Notre Dame should be expansion target numbers 1, 2 and 3 for Bertagna. It's a slam dunk for the conference to bring the Irish east, as the similarities between Notre Dame and the 10 Hockey East members are numerous. It would also strengthen the conference and help Bertagna negotiate a better TV package for the next cycle.
And really, it would be a shame to see the Irish head west to the WCHA, or stand pat in the CCHA, for that matter. I also highly doubt that the B1G Ten will allow Notre Dame to become an associate Big Ten Hockey Conference member without further pressing the Irish to give up its football independence. This might happen, but it certainly won't come easy to Notre Dame.
There's obviously the question around rounding up the number of Hockey East members to an even 12, but I think if Syracuse is seriously considering a jump to Division I in men's hockey, then the Orange are a logical expansion target. As mentioned in the article, one of the local Atlantic Hockey members who want to up the number of scholarships to 18 could also be in play, but the logical choices there -- UConn, Holy Cross -- have been largely non-competitive in the AHA.
Adding just Notre Dame though seems like an option even if 11 teams is a bit unwieldy. A twelfth program would have to add significant value to the conference as Hockey East will certainly be a position of power during the assumed next round of conference musical chairs.
What do you think? Are you welcoming the Irish to Hockey East with open arms? Or should we let Notre Dame sweat it out a little and let them either join the WCHA, BTHC or stick it out with the CCHA?
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If the B1G does go forward with its own hockey conference, I think Hockey East makes the most sense from an Irish perspective. Without Michigan and OSU, the CCHA really takes a hit in terms of prestige. ND has made major strides with their hockey program in the last dozen years and with a new fantastic arena being built, I don’t see them sticking around the CCHA, which essentially would be a step back for the program.
I wouldn’t want ND joining B1G hockey in any capacity because of what would likely unfold as a result. I think B1G would eventually give the Irish the “all in or all out” that the Big East never has (or likely will). Plus as you’ve pointed out, Hockey East has some familiar faces for the Irish in BC and Provedence.
Several trips to Boston a year sure beats costly trips to Alaska, which you’d be stuck with if you stayed in the CCHA (Alaska) or headed west to the WCHA (Alaska-Fairbanks).
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I’m all for adding another pair (or three) of enticing games to the schedule, albeit ND or Miami(OH).
by Eagle in Brighton on Jun 7, 2011 3:48 PM EDT reply actions
Addition by subtraction?
I’d imagine if the conference went to 11, 12 or more teams, that would be the end of the current 3-game series format. So while we’d get more Notre Dame, we’d probably lose a regular season game with BU, Maine, UNH, Northeastern, etc.
That’s not a terrible thing though, as it would allow HEA schools to schedule 5-7 more non-conference games than they can today (and the BTHC teams will be in the market for non-conf games with just 20 conference games).
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That’s a good point. On the whole, I’d prefer the growth opportunities of adding another established program to the league, though the symmetry of the 3 game series would be an undervalued loss (in terms of tradition and scheduling fairness).
by Eagle in Brighton on Jun 7, 2011 4:22 PM EDT reply actions
The 3-game series would be a loss in terms of “Crap, BC only gets to play BU twice in the regular season instead of three times” but the current format isn’t all that fair IMO (i.e. alternating years where you get 2 of 3 at home).
Moving to a two-game, home-and-home series against every other team in Hockey East would be the best way to balance the schedule, though I’m not sure if logistically that’s feasible with adding a school like Notre Dame. The pendulum would probably (and unfortunately) swing the other way where you either play both games against one team at home or away in alternate years.
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Yes, just do it
I think it would be a good move by HE and ND. If they add another team I would like Miami, OH first, then perhaps Syracuse if they move up.
Is Syracuse really considering this?
I’m an SU alum and I haven’t heard a thing about it. It’s my understanding that title IX would keep them from being able to make such a move. It’s hard to have high-participant sports like football and lacrosse and then add hockey to the mix. They got women’s hockey to offset some of the big men’s sports already in place. Not sure they can do it.
Paul Kelly, who is the Executive Director of College Hockey, Inc., seems to think so. The organization has apparently at least had discussions with Syracuse:
Here’s a Q&A with him from ~1 year ago:
FTR: In previous media appearances and interviews you talked about pushing into new markets. We talked about California, but you’ve also mentioned Illinois and the Northern Virginia / Washington D.C. area specifically. Is the goal to grow the game as a whole in those areas, or are you going to attempt to establish Division I programs in those locations?
Kelly: Illinois is a place that we’d like to go. I’ve love to see programs at either Illinois or Illinois State, maybe Northwestern and even in the surrounding areas. We’ve talked to the University of Indiana, and Iowa State has expressed some interest. Moving farther east, we’ve talked to Penn State and Syracuse, which are in that Mid-Atlantic hockey belt, and we feel the Naval Academy in Annapolis is a natural fit. They have a very good club team.
How real this interest is is another matter. Though there are a few schools that pull off all three high-participation sports (football, lacrosse, hockey) at the Division I level — Notre Dame, Ohio State, Air Force, Penn State (2013 for hockey), Army, UMass (2013 for football) …
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