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by WCHBlog on May 4, 2010 11:15 AM PDT
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PrintCollege Hockey Inc.'s Paul Kelly gave an interview to SBN. There's always a lot of good info when Kelly speaks. Most of the good stuff here is about potential expansion, and about Alabama-Huntsville. The UAH stuff looks pretty grim. Kelly said they may have to play as an independent for 3-5 years, a duration I can't see happening. There's also talk of making a trip to Alabama an exempt game for teams, but I'm not sure the NCAA would grant such a sport-specific exemption like that. Or, Huntsville could earn a spot in a decimated CCHA if a Big Ten Hockey Conference was ever formed.
He also mentions that NHL teams have "expressed a strong willingness to be helpful" in supporting college hockey teams in their market. That certainly makes sense from both the NHL and NCAA's standpoint, but I can't see the NCAA allowing teams to work too closely with pro franchises.
Basically, Kelly's optimistic five-year plan is to have the number of college hockey programs in the mid-60s. Personally, I've got a feeling that five years from now we'll be at 58 teams.
Speaking of stuff that would be a great idea to grow the game, but the NCAA would never do it: It's looking like EA Sports' version of NHL 11 will include every team from the CHL. It's a nice coup for the CHL to have video gamers starting a career mode in the CHL and working their way to the NHL--I'm assuming there's no sub-game where if you perform badly, all you can do is work in a nickel mine or oil field. I'll be interested to see if EA Sports is allowed to use real names or not. It's frustrating because I couldn't see the NCAA allowing anything like this. They're kind of moving in the direction of no video games altogether. There's no way they'd let their teams in a game under a professional banner.
The NAHL handed out their awards. Northern Michigan recruit Erik Higby is the league's MVP. The other awards had a very Minnesota feel to them. Northfield, Minnesota's Derek Docken is defenseman of the year. Champlin Park's Brandon Jaeger was the top goalie. And Monticello's Mitch Torrel won the Community Service award for doing some community service, and oh yeah, and for pulling a bunch of a senior citizens out of a burning building.
Also on the NAHL front, the Marquette Rangers are now the Michigan Warriors, after having been sold and moved to Flint--yes, moving TO Flint, not a typo. Adjust your lives accordingly.
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ccha (big ten)
don’t you think that part of the reason that uah was denied admittance was because the ccha is looking long term at perhaps admitting one or two big ten schools; illinois already has one of the best club teams in the country, and adding northwestern would bring a huge fan base to a league that is in need of some big city exposure. and let’s face it, huntsville is really not hockey country (the nhl has already learned its lesson about placing too many franchises in southern cities). and it would be virtually impossible for the big ten to undertake this unless minnesota and wisconsin agreed to abandon the wcha, which is very unlikely.
unless minnesota and wisconsin agreed to abandon the wcha, which is very unlikely.
What makes you say this?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
unless minnesota and wisconsin agreed to abandon the wcha, which is very unlikely.
What makes you say this?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
http://host.madison.com/sports/college/hockey/article_79517d2e-b953-52ee-b0e4-9d11b3606084.html
Sorry I don’t know how to do links but the Joel Maturi the AD at Minnesota has rejected the idea for awhile now while Wisconsin is more of a question mark because Barry Alvarez(Wisconsin AD) doesn’t care much for hockey and is more about the money.
"Don't give up, don't ever give up" - Jim Valvano
Given the amount of money that could be out there, the expanded television coverage with the BTN and the benefits of Big 10 marketing and PR, I would bet that should there eventually be enough teams to form a conference, it would form very quickly.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
What a joke
I cannot believe that the CCHA is going to throw UAH right under the bus like that. That is the problem with NCAA hockey. No one works together.
Can’t wait for EA Sports NHL 11 to come out! I’m going to take the Ottawa 67’s all the way to the Memorial Cup! Hey Ciskie, do you think the American kids will like that game?
Did I miss something?
Why am I getting called out?
All in good fun!
I stated that it was a trend for the top Americans to head north to the CHL a while back and you disagreed.
No Mention of Kero?
Kero (Michigan Tech Recruit) was rookie of the year in the NAHL, why no mention?
@wickedsmart
Yeah, because IIRC I thought you were talking as if the college game might as well shutter the windows and go out of business.
Reality is that there are plenty of Americans going the CHL route, and there are also elite Canadian players — most recently guys like Mason Raymond, Dylan Olsen, Louis Leblanc, Joe Colborne, and Jonathan Toews — who choose to play college hockey.
Considering that the recent formation of College Hockey, Inc., is the closest the college game has come to any kind of organized effort to fight the (wrong) perception that you have to play major junior hockey to have a chance to make it in the NHL, I’d say things are going quite well.
Ha!
Well, first of all, College Hockey Inc. is not the savior of college hockey. If you think it is, you are sadly mistaken. Do you think college hockey inc will make the ncaa agree to a 60+ game season? Take younger draft eligible kids? Yeah right. Average age for a freshman in the WCHA is 21. You think college hockey inc will talk the NHL scouts out of watching 5-6 CHL games a week where they can see 8 high end draft eligible kids in each game? You think Paul Kelly will convince the NHL scouts that is logistically sound to bag those CHL games and head south of the border to watch two games per week that have one draft eligible kid in each game? You think its best for a high end draft eligible kid to ride the pine on the 4th line at Minnesota in his draft year or play on the PP and PK in front of 32 NHL scouts in London on a Friday night? You think Paul Kelly can sway NHL teams away from watching Tyler Seguin vs Taylor Hall in Windsor in the playoffs? Good luck.
Hey Ciskie, why are the top two Americans going directly to the OHL this year? More to follow. Trend!
Judging by the Minnesota State games I went to this year, I don’t think he’ll have to work too hard to convince scouts to come to college hockey games.
Yes, there are 5-7 NHL scouts at most college games. Let me ask you, Chris… How many NHL scouts were at the Windsor – Plymouth game when you went? Hmm…let me guess… everyone?!
@wickedsmart
How about an answer? If the CHL is the be all/end all for NHL development, what the hell was Jonathan Toews doing going to college? Why did Mason Raymond not play for the Medicine Hat Tigers or whoever?
There were multiple UMD games this season where the number of teams NOT represented was closer to that 5-7 you think are at every game. But, yeah, they don’t waste their time with the piddly college kids.
Paul Kelly doesn’t have to convince anyone not to watch Hall or Seguin. You see, NHL teams have more than one scout at their disposal. Many of them have guys dedicated almost solely to watching college games. SHOCKING!
The bottom line is that the CHL is not for everyone — even high-end prospects. Neither is the college game.
Not sure why this is so tough for you to admit. It’s not like I’m trying to tell you the NCAA route is BETTER. It’s just different, and it’s a viable route to the NHL.
Sadly, the CHL elitists are unable or unwilling to recognize this, and it makes for some pretty useless arguments back and forth.
Flint
Hey Chris, ever been to Flint? Ever been near Flint? The NAHL may or may not work there, so before you go on your run of cynical comments, give the team and city a shot first. Did you blow a gasket when the Saginaw Spirit was formed? Or the Detroit Tigers? Maybe it’s time you got yourself a life away from Mommy’s basement and negative blogging and ventured out into a world that doesn’t include Minnesota high school hockey.
give it a break !
why does the most simple topic always evolve into a cha v. ncaa battle ? there’s so much common ground between the two that both should be happy the other exists; and for you fanatics on either side of the issue; the dribble slamming the other route just gets so old; the simple fact is that each route has pros and cons; and that each route is conducive to player development for so many different reasons. There are just too many variables in a young player’s life for either side to claim that their (one size fits all) model will always work best for every young player. So c’mon, let it go.
Amen! The bigger issue is how to get more hockey on TV. It’s brutal how little coverage there is, which in turn leads to only having 2 superstars that people who aren’t hockey fans know…
Wicked, quit coming here and bashing NCAA hockey, there have been plenty of great prospects come through the ranks, and we all know the CHL develops talent as well. It’s a non issue, so STFU
@Eric B.
Agreed. Anyone who can’t enjoy the NCAA Tournament isn’t much of a hockey fan, and the same can be said about the Memorial Cup. I’m happy as hell that NHL Network covers the latter, and I’ll be watching most every game that is played in the Memorial Cup.
It seems the only people having a real issue right now are the CHL crowd. I wonder why.
Bruce I think we are in agreement. There some that are CHL fans that seem to forget there are a lot of great Canadian and American players in the NHL that went the NCAA route. Seems like most of the lastest NCAA free agents are ending up in some of the NHL’s biggest markets. Toronot is loading up on them.
