Interesting Article

Moose Jaw, SK · Post by **Moose Jaw, SK** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:49 pm

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/2 ... ssary.html

Read It and post your comments here please. How would the talent level of D-1 hockey be affected if the number of teams increased or would it simply grow the sport of hockey across the county?

elliott70 · Post by **elliott70** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:04 pm

NDSU
North Iowa/Iowa State
Illinois
Nebraska - Lincoln.

To add to the list mentioned.
They have club hockey and recruit players.

crankshaft · Post by **crankshaft** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:13 pm

I think it would have a positive effect on the sport allowing more people to play the great game of hockey. Most kids want to continue on with the sport but have to give it because they were not a superstar at the age of 15.

There are many kids that are late bloomers and enough of them to make it a competitive team. Look at all the summer leagues and tournaments.

InigoMontoya · Post by **InigoMontoya** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 2:17 pm

Something about Big 12 Hockey just seems wrong. Maybe we could expand hockey to the south just a little by including Illinois and Indiana and Penn State - Big 10 Hockey is more reasonable.

Why don't eastern teams like Pitt, Rutgers, Villanova, and Syracuse play DI hockey - Syracuse has a great lax tradition, easy transition.

Army and Air Force have teams; why not Navy.

Move into NHL territory with Duke, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt.

The southwest will likely have to be developed as a group (Texas, Arizona, California, Washington - possibly include Colorado (sorry UD and CC) with that group) rather than one at a time.

Goldy Gopher · Post by **Goldy Gopher** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 2:30 pm

elliott70 wrote:NDSU
North Iowa/Iowa State
Illinois
Nebraska - Lincoln.

To add to the list mentioned.
They have club hockey and recruit players.

The USC Trojans were at the Let's Play Hockey Expo recruiting players for their club team.

NDSUhockey · Post by **NDSUhockey** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 12:49 am

Check this out...very intersesting
http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/236535/

NDSUhockey · Post by **NDSUhockey** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:18 pm

Wow it looks like it might happen. It was reported on the radio that the WCHA was the one to make contact with MSUM.

Here is a link to the newest article, where they say they have private donors that could cut the check today.

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/236562/

NDSUhockey · Post by **NDSUhockey** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:02 pm

This just posted.

"Western Collegiate Hockey Association commissioner Bruce McLeod said he’s had several talks with Minnesota State University Moorhead athletic director Doug Peters about MSUM’s potential move to Division I hockey."

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id ... roup/home/

Dit Clapper · Post by **Dit Clapper** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:46 pm

this team doesnt even have a D3 team....it would be great to see it but very unrealistic I think...I would rather see him talking to Alabama-Huntsville right now and maybe getting that 12th team into the WCHA

Goldy Gopher · Post by **Goldy Gopher** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:19 am

Dit Clapper wrote:this team doesnt even have a D3 team....it would be great to see it but very unrealistic I think...I would rather see him talking to Alabama-Huntsville right now and maybe getting that 12th team into the WCHA

It would make little sense, in almost every respect, to bring Huntsville into the WCHA

Dit Clapper · Post by **Dit Clapper** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:29 pm

Geographically speaking no, but trying to get a school to start up a hockey program that doesnt even have a D3 team right now and want them in the WCHA of all conferences? This would have been great for the CHA had it occurred 5 years back. I'm just saying that I would hate to see Bemidji get denied into the WCHA cuz of the conflict of having an 11 team conference. BSU wants to play with the "big boys".

For right now, getting Huntsville to be that 12th team may not be such a bad thing. I would hate to see Bemidji play independant and have no postseason or worse yet lose their D1 program.

i still think getting northern michigan back into the WCHA with Bemidji and getting Huntsville into the CCHA would be the best route. Chances of that happening are slim tho.

NDSUhockey · Post by **NDSUhockey** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:52 am

I was reading through the Fargo Forum online tonight and there is a new article on the possible MSUM D-1 team. The article talks about how the Metro Sports Foundation, which runs the Urban Plains Center where the Fargo Force play, gave a very detailed business plan to not only MSUM but NDSU also.

NDSU Atletic Director Gene Taylor turned down the opportunity to bring a D-1 program to NDSU. The Forum posted the actual business plan given to NDSU by the MSF. The plan is quoted as saying that the head coach would be Dean Blaise. My good friend, and old timer of this bored, boblee contacted Gene Taylor by email and Taylor told him that basically he had no desire to add a hockey program. Taylor thinks that hockey is not a guaranteed money maker and is a big reason why he doesn't want to add it.

Many people around here are upset that Taylor let this opportunity to have a D-1 team at NDSU slip away without major consideration.

Here is a link to the article

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/236793/

Here is a link to the business plan, which looks to be very well researched and takes many things into account.

http://legacy.inforum.com/pdfs/HOCKEY11.pdf

As for either and NDSU team or a MSUM team being in the WCHA....
The Forum has WCHA commissioner saying that it is possible for MSUM to get into the WCHA.

A piece of an article from the forum:

McLeod said he has had several discussions with Peters, conversations that started roughly two months ago.

“The Fargo-Moorhead area is a decent size metropolitan area and certainly it is hockey country,” McLeod said. “That’s what kind of makes this whole circumstance, whether it’s Moorhead or NDSU or anybody else, that’s kind of what makes it different than other places.”

“Eleven is problematic,” McLeod said. “It’s a very difficult circumstance for us. But we’ve actually had some other schools that would be interested in being No. 12, but the league is not interested in them right now. … We’re still kind of exploring a compatible 12th team.”

The Dragons would have to clear a number of hurdles to secure a spot in the WCHA.

The league has 10 institutional criteria for new members, including playing a Division I schedule for two years before membership is granted. But McLeod left open the possibility of the two-year waiting period being waived.

“Everything is negotiable,” McLeod said. “I would believe there could be some circumstance, but I don’t know.

I think NDSU or MSUM is a great fit for the WCHA, I would rather it be NDSU though. Think about it. Geographically it makes perfect sense with 5 teams already in the WCHA from Minnesota and one being right next door to Minnesota in Grand Forks. There is already a nice facility in the UP Center, the proposed arena to play in, which seats around 5,000. Not a huge rink, but not small either and its brand new. Dean Blaise says the UP Center is very comparable to many rinks in the WCHA. The business plan shows that there are 200,000 people in the Moorhead/Fargo/West Fargo area. Between these 200,000 people and the students on the campuses they would easily be able to sell out games. To me it's a no brainer to add a D-1 program at NDSU or MSUM.

What are everyone else's thoughts?

C_Monster · Post by **C_Monster** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:27 pm

I wish NDSU would quit being a bunch of pansies and get a team already. They have a large campus when compared to many schools that currently have D1 Hockey programs. Not to mention, there are facilities already in existence in Fargo that could support a team. Plus you have Dean Blais coaching the Force right there in Fargo. Everything is already in place for NDSU to get started.

I think the problem is that most of the campus/alums/staff are basketball and football homers. I've been doing some reading on their forums and many are worried that hockey will steal attendance from basketball and hurt their program. They are also worried that a hockey program will be a "money pit" and hurt the university as a whole.

Here's a link to their forums. There are several topics on D1 hockey at NDSU currently active.

http://www.bisonville.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=18

One thing is certain, as long as this college continues to treat hockey like a red headed stepchild, I'll never support anything that goes on at their school. I'm a Gophs fan, so in most cases Sioux fans are my mortal enemy, but if I happen to catch UND vs NDSU in any other sport, I definitely back UND everytime. At least I can respect UND's hockey program, I can't say the same for NDSU.

defense · Post by **defense** » Fri May 01, 2009 8:45 pm

C_Monster wrote:I wish NDSU would quit being a bunch of pansies and get a team already. They have a large campus when compared to many schools that currently have D1 Hockey programs. Not to mention, there are facilities already in existence in Fargo that could support a team. Plus you have Dean Blais coaching the Force right there in Fargo. Everything is already in place for NDSU to get started.

I think the problem is that most of the campus/alums/staff are basketball and football homers. I've been doing some reading on their forums and many are worried that hockey will steal attendance from basketball and hurt their program. They are also worried that a hockey program will be a "money pit" and hurt the university as a whole.

Here's a link to their forums. There are several topics on D1 hockey at NDSU currently active.

http://www.bisonville.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=18

One thing is certain, as long as this college continues to treat hockey like a red headed stepchild, I'll never support anything that goes on at their school. I'm a Gophs fan, so in most cases Sioux fans are my mortal enemy, but if I happen to catch UND vs NDSU in any other sport, I definitely back UND everytime. At least I can respect UND's hockey program, I can't say the same for NDSU.

Honestly, listening to the Dan Hammer radio show, the "MSUM is going to have a hockey team" bit, really just kinda amused the WCHA, nothing more. They don't have an athletic department the way it is. I honestly thought that the Forum and MSUM were playing a practical joke when I read this story.
The other college in Moorhead has a lot better chance at doing the D1 hockey thing. They just probably never will.

Goldy Gopher · Post by **Goldy Gopher** » Mon May 04, 2009 4:27 pm

C_Monster wrote:I wish NDSU would quit being a bunch of pansies and get a team already. They have a large campus when compared to many schools that currently have D1 Hockey programs. Not to mention, there are facilities already in existence in Fargo that could support a team. Plus you have Dean Blais coaching the Force right there in Fargo. Everything is already in place for NDSU to get started.

I think the problem is that most of the campus/alums/staff are basketball and football homers. I've been doing some reading on their forums and many are worried that hockey will steal attendance from basketball and hurt their program. They are also worried that a hockey program will be a "money pit" and hurt the university as a whole.

Here's a link to their forums. There are several topics on D1 hockey at NDSU currently active.

http://www.bisonville.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=18

One thing is certain, as long as this college continues to treat hockey like a red headed stepchild, I'll never support anything that goes on at their school. I'm a Gophs fan, so in most cases Sioux fans are my mortal enemy, but if I happen to catch UND vs NDSU in any other sport, I definitely back UND everytime. At least I can respect UND's hockey program, I can't say the same for NDSU.

I'm sure the fact that they would have to field a women's team in addition to the men's isn't helping the cause.

HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

Interesting Article

Interesting Article

minnesota state university moorhead