"The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59"

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MNHockeyFan
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Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2006 10:28 pm

"The Greatest Programs of All-Time: #1-#59"

Post by MNHockeyFan » Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:50 pm

For those who may not have seen it on the USCHO men's forum, "Fighting Sioux 23" has been gradually ranking the best college hockey teams of all time, taking into account their relative accomplishments, going all the way back to the beginning of the NCAA era in 1947. He is now down to the Top 3. Still to be listed are:

Michigan
North Dakota
Minnesota

Anyone have any predictions on the order of these final Top 3?

#4 - Boston College - 360.7912
#5 - Denver - 355.4322
#6 - Wisconsin - 345.9141
#7 - Boston University - 344.7717
#8 - Michigan State - 233.7003
#9 - Maine - 172.1054
#10 - Michigan Tech - 161.8814
#11 - Cornell - 159.018
#12 - Lake Superior State - 155.1683
#13 - Colorado College - 148.1879
#14 - Harvard - 129.0634
#15 - Clarkson - 128.0195
#16 - Minnesota Duluth - 111.5523
#17 - Rensselaer - 100.4252
#18 - New Hampshire - 83.5951
#19 - Northern Michigan - 80.9098
#20 - Bowling Green - 80.4704
#21 - Yale - 74.1412
#22 - St. Lawrence - 67.3464
#23 - Union - 57.2992
#24 - Providence - 48.6853
#25 - Miami - 46.6971
#26 - Notre Dame - 40.1649
#27 - Dartmouth - 39.6473
#28 - Ferris State - 32.6449
#29 - Colgate - 31.9207
#30 - Northeastern - 25.981
#31 - Quinnipiac - 25.2018
#32 - St. Cloud State - 25.0657
#33 - Brown - 21.4977
#34 - Ohio State - 19.2421
#35 - Massachusetts Lowell - 17.8988
#36 - Vermont - 17.4219
#37 - Bemidji State - 12.3169
#38 - RIT - 9.4061
#39 - Western Michigan - 7.9725
#40 - Niagara - 7.9213
#41 - Princeton - 7.1971
#42 - Air Force - 6.4961
#43 - Alaska Anchorage - 6.3671
#44 - Holy Cross - 5.0707
#45 - Nebraska Omaha - 5.0605
#46 - Minnesota State - 4.6448
#47 - Merrimack - 4.6092
#48 - Mercyhurst - 4.5085
#49 - Alaska - 3.8568
#50 - Massachusetts - 3.5038
#51 - Alabama Huntsville - 2.1932
#52 - Army - 1.6052
#53 - Canisius - 0.6028
#54 - Robert Morris - 0.5497
#55 - Connecticut - 0.2728
#56 - Sacred Heart - 0.1664
#57 - Penn State - 0.0589
#58 - AIC - 0.0374
#59 - Bentley - 0.0363

Sats81
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Post by Sats81 » Tue Nov 11, 2014 5:59 pm

I'll say: 1) Michigan 2) Nodak 3) Minnesota

MNHockeyFan
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Post by MNHockeyFan » Tue Nov 11, 2014 6:34 pm

Sats81 wrote:I'll say: 1) Michigan 2) Nodak 3) Minnesota
That's what I'm guessing as well. HOWEVER, as a friend of mine pointed out:

Gophers are 131-117-15 against Michigan
Gophers are 146-130-15 against the whioux

All Time:
Gophers 1707-956-182 .632
Wolverines 1594-1019-145 .604
whioux 1409-926-133 .598

Sats81
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Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 9:29 am

Post by Sats81 » Wed Nov 12, 2014 9:54 am

MNHockeyFan wrote:
Sats81 wrote:I'll say: 1) Michigan 2) Nodak 3) Minnesota
That's what I'm guessing as well. HOWEVER, as a friend of mine pointed out:

Gophers are 131-117-15 against Michigan
Gophers are 146-130-15 against the whioux

All Time:
Gophers 1707-956-182 .632
Wolverines 1594-1019-145 .604
whioux 1409-926-133 .598
I get that, however, its likely they will go off of number of natty titles won...

MNHockeyFan
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Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2006 10:28 pm

Post by MNHockeyFan » Wed Nov 12, 2014 2:00 pm

Sats81 wrote:
MNHockeyFan wrote:
Sats81 wrote:I'll say: 1) Michigan 2) Nodak 3) Minnesota
That's what I'm guessing as well. HOWEVER, as a friend of mine pointed out:

Gophers are 131-117-15 against Michigan
Gophers are 146-130-15 against the whioux

All Time:
Gophers 1707-956-182 .632
Wolverines 1594-1019-145 .604
whioux 1409-926-133 .598
I get that, however, its likely they will go off of number of natty titles won...
No doubt that's the biggest component, as it should be.

east hockey
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Location: Proctor, MN

Post by east hockey » Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:08 pm

Sats81 wrote:I'll say: 1) Michigan 2) Nodak 3) Minnesota
Yep.

Lee
Message Board arsonist since 2005
Egomaniac since 2006

MNHockeyFan
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Post by MNHockeyFan » Fri Nov 14, 2014 10:35 am

east hockey wrote:
Sats81 wrote:I'll say: 1) Michigan 2) Nodak 3) Minnesota
Yep.

Lee
You are both correct!

#1 – Michigan Wolverines
All-Time Record (Division 1): 1592-1014-145 (.605)
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 35
NCAA Tournament Record: 50-28
Frozen Four Appearances: 24 (1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1962, 1964, 1977, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2011)
Best Result: National Champion
Most Dominant Season*: 1995-1996 (34-7-2 (.814) CCHA Tournament Champions, NCAA National Champion)
Conference Championships: Regular Season - 13 Tournament - 9
National Championships: 9 (1948, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1964, 1996, 1998)
Points Earned – 493.4401
Change: 0.3218 (+ 0.07%)
Last Season Position: 1 (unchanged)

The Michigan Wolverines come in at #1. The Wolverines struggled in the inaugural season of the Big Ten Hockey Conference, and failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season. This down stretch comes on the heels of arguably the most impressive run of consistency in college hockey history, as Michigan played in 22 consecutive NCAA Tournaments from 1990-1991 through 2011-2012. The Wolverines have had two eras of dominance in college hockey history. The first was right after World War II, when the Wolverines strung together 12 winning seasons from 1945-1946 through 1956-1957 under the guide of legendary bench boss Vic Heyliger. Heyliger led the Wolverines to 10 consecutive Frozen Four appearances, and an astonishing 6 National Titles, including the only three-peat ever. Following Heyliger’s reign, the Wolverines struggled, winning just 1 National Title and made only three NCAA Tournaments between 1958 and 1990. Ultimately though, it is Michigan’s 9 National Championships that have them atop these rankings. However, the Wolverines will need to pick up the pace and win some more hardware if they hope to fight off the challengers that lie below them. For now, they sit atop the heap as the greatest program in college hockey history.

#2 – North Dakota Fighting Sioux
All-Time Record (Division 1): 1398-913-132 (.599)
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 29
NCAA Tournament Record: 46-24
Frozen Four Appearances: 20 (1958, 1959, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014)
Best Result: National Champion (1959, 1963, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997, 2000)
Most Dominant Season*: 1986-1987 (40-8-0 (.833) WCHA Regular Season Champions, WCHA Tournament Champions, NCAA National Champion)
Conference Championships: Regular Season - 15 Tournament - 11
National Championships: 7
Points Earned – 452.5498
Change: 3.0914 (+ 0.69%)
Last Season Position: 2 (unchanged)

The North Dakota Fighting Sioux come in at #2. North Dakota surprised some with its impressive run to the Frozen Four last season before falling to rival Minnesota in epic fashion in the Frozen Four semifinal. The Sioux have arguably been the most consistent program in college hockey history, winning national championships in five different decades. North Dakota also seems to play its best hockey when it counts the most, sporting the best NCAA Tournament winning percentage amongst programs in the top 20. North Dakota’s 21 Frozen Four victories stand just behind Michigan, and the program’s seven National Titles also fall just behind the Wolverines. The Sioux are currently in a strong stretch in their program’s history, as they have advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 12 consecutive seasons, and 17 of the last 18. If the Sioux can win some more conference hardware, and get that elusive eighth national championship, they could supplant Michigan as the top program in college hockey history. For now, they sit at #2.

#3 – Minnesota Golden Gophers
All-Time Record (Division 1): 1700-955-182 (.631)
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 35
NCAA Tournament Record: 55-36
Frozen Four Appearances: 21 (1953, 1954, 1961, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2012, 2014)
Best Result: National Champion (1974, 1976, 1979, 2002, 2003)
Most Dominant Season*: 1980-1981 (33-12-0 (.733) WCHA Regular Season Champions, WCHA Tournament Champions, NCAA National Runner Up)
Conference Championships: Regular Season - 15 Tournament - 14
National Championships: 5
Points Earned – 431.9797
Change: 16.7738 (+ 4.04%)
Last Season Position: 3 (unchanged)

The Minnesota Golden Gophers come in at #3. The Gophers had a tremendous campaign last season, reaching the National Championship game before falling to a strong Union squad. Minnesota has had a resurgence in recent seasons, reaching 2 of the last 3 Frozen Fours, and each season falling to the eventual National Champion. However, the Gophers’ history is littered with success. Minnesota has played in and won more games than any other program, and are tied with Michigan for the most NCAA Tournament appearances. The Gophers also dominated the college hockey landscape prior to the formation of the NCAA Tournament, including a tremendous season in 1939-1940 where the Gophers went undefeated. It is this tremendous history that vaults the Gophers over other programs who have won more National Championships. If Minnesota can keep dominating the Big Ten, win more conference hardware, cause more damage in the NCAA tournament, and win another national title or two, they could easily find themselves atop these rankings. For now, they sit at #3.

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