Big Ten Power Move in Hockey - Ruffles tight knit college hockey

[Whale22]

http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2015/11/24_big_ten_legislation_raises.php

Big 10 uses its new authority as Power 5 with NCAA to go around rest of college hockey to implement rule favorable to them.

2 thoughts

1. Ive always thought 21 year old freshmen (while making a better product on ice) was bit much.

2. While I may agree w new rule the way in which Big 10 proceeded will have impact on future relations with rest of college hockey. Impacts of football forced realignment being felt.

 

[noeynox]

That is what I call, fahked up!

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Dumb rule proposal, virtually no chance it will pass. They do not have the power to push this through on their own. The B1G is not in a position of ultimate power in the sport of hockey, too many other important players that can isolate them.

 

[Whale22]

Dumb rule proposal, virtually no chance it will pass. They do not have the power to push this through on their own. The B1G is not in a position of ultimate power in the sport of hockey, too many other important players that can isolate them.

Key here is college hockey doesn't need them and maybe rest would band together and take their product elsewhere.

 

[FDNY99]

If you guys are on Twitter follow Mike McMahon from College Hockey News. He had a bunch of tweets about this yesterday. The HE vote which was anonymous was 11 against 3 in favor. I asked him if Cav was one of the 3..his response : In my opinion no..but I don't know for sure

 

[Whale22]

I follow him. He's acknowledged at bottom of article as contributing. Read the comments at the bottom of the Minn Star Tribune article on this and one can see the unintended consequences all this realignment has had on Minnesota's precious "U" hockey team.

http://www.startribune.com/report-b...age-restrictions-in-college-hockey/353198561/

 

[justinslot]

Never forget even as you rightfully try to get on the B1G gravy train that Jim Delany is essentially evil.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Key here is college hockey doesn't need them and maybe rest would band together and take their product elsewhere.

They wouldn't do this, but your underlying point is true - the rest of the country can band together and essentially exile the B1G hockey schools to an extent. As it stands, they have only six schools in the conference and everyone plays each other four times, so 20 conference games, leaving 10+ games to be scheduled. It wouldn't be wise to not schedule the likes of Minnesota and Michigan, but perhaps some of the other schools start telling Penn State and Ohio State nah, we're not going to play you anymore. It'll be interesting to see how this all shakes out, also where Notre Dame stands on this, and how conference autonomy will affect this.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Edit: North Dakota, the biggest western non-B1G power, is now on record against the rule:
Jayson Hajdu‏@UNDSID
Brad Berry on recent Big Ten age limit proposal: "Not a big fan of it at all." Adds that it hurts the development aspect of college hockey.

The B1G might be able to shove this through due to its autonomy, but I suspect they'd make a lot of enemies in the college hockey community in the process. They'd really have to determine whether this is worth it for them.

 

[FDNY99]

Edit: North Dakota, the biggest western non-B1G power, is now on record against the rule:
Jayson Hajdu‏@UNDSID
Brad Berry on recent Big Ten age limit proposal: "Not a big fan of it at all." Adds that it hurts the development aspect of college hockey.

The B1G might be able to shove this through due to its autonomy, but I suspect they'd make a lot of enemies in the college hockey community in the process. They'd really have to determine whether this is worth it for them.

IMHO after reading the article from CHN..they already decided and are pushing it through. After reading that article doesn't surprise me at how Lucia's kid acts on the ice...seems as though the apple hasn't fallen very far from the tree!

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Always wondered, how reasonable is it for some schools' incoming frosh to be 21 or over years old? It's definitely a choice for programs preferring more mature, bigger players versus others opting for more typical college-age players. Physically, is an average roster age of say 20 on even ice with opponents with an average roster age of 22?

Other than if they can do it we have to do it and just being equally competitive, what are the reasonable arguments in favor of incoming 21+ frosh versus 20 or below frosh? Anything other than just recruit, and simply coach better?

Setting all of the above aside, Go UCONN B1G or Go home to the B1G!

 

[Mr Blueskin]

The B1G time college hockey schools (Minn, Mich, Wisconsin, along with BC,BU) seem to like this new proposal because they usually get 1st pick at the young local 18 year old stars (Eichel)whereas the Minn State, Lake Superior State, Merrimack and St Lawrence types go for the older 20/21 year old US Junior/Canadian players. I agree with Whale22, it would be nice to get college hockey away from the 24/25 year old seniors but it is a very similar P5 football move that the B1G is trying to do here by separating themselves from the smaller schools which would result in less parity...still wish the B1G would just take Notre Dame and UConn and be done with realignment already...both exceptional academics and athletics across the board and geez easiest way to 8 team hockey conf.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

The B1G time college hockey schools (Minn, Mich, Wisconsin, along with BC,BU) seem to like this new proposal because they usually get 1st pick at the young local 18 year old stars (Eichel)whereas the Minn State, Lake Superior State, Merrimack and St Lawrence types go for the older 20/21 year old US Junior/Canadian players.

How's Quinnipiac College fit in the latter, older-type programs?

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

The B1G time college hockey schools (Minn, Mich, Wisconsin, along with BC,BU) seem to like this new proposal because they usually get 1st pick at the young local 18 year old stars (Eichel)whereas the Minn State, Lake Superior State, Merrimack and St Lawrence types go for the older 20/21 year old US Junior/Canadian players. I agree with Whale22, it would be nice to get college hockey away from the 24/25 year old seniors but it is a very similar P5 football move that the B1G is trying to do here by separating themselves from the smaller schools which would result in less parity...still wish the B1G would just take Notre Dame and UConn and be done with realignment already...both exceptional academics and athletics across the board and geez easiest way to 8 team hockey conf.

Actually wouldn't surprise me if BU wasn't much in favor of this - Matt Gilroy was a 21-year-old freshman and went on to do OK for us. BC surely is against it, as is the B1G schools you listed. Very interesting that North Dakota's coach is on record against it, they don't typically take the old kids this rule would look to prohibit. I agree that at some point it becomes a tad ridiculous with age, but I don't have any issue with the age requirements as they are now.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Another interesting tidbit is that there is going to be a lot of coaching change in the B1G very shortly. Berenson is on his last days at Michigan, Eaves is all but being physically run out the door at Wisconsin, and if Lucia keeps putting up stinkers at Minnesota he could be shown the door as well. There's a very good chance both Michigan and Wisconsin make changes at the end of this season, it'd be interesting to see how new coaches there could impact this.

 

[huskymedic]

Arizona State's Powers Against Big Ten Proposal
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2015/11/27_arizona_states_powers_against.php

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Arizona State's Powers Against Big Ten Proposal
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2015/11/27_arizona_states_powers_against.php

A significant development, if ASU convinces the Pac 12 to vote against it, that offsets the B1G's votes.

 

[huskymedic]

A significant development, if ASU convinces the Pac 12 to vote against it, that offsets the B1G's votes.

Agreed but I immediately wondered how fast that B1G for hockey only offer comes

 

[Dooley]

Tim Fontenault ‏@Tim_Fontenault 7m7 minutes ago
On the Big 10’s age proposal, Mike Cavanaugh voted in favor of it. “I think there should be some healthy discussion on it.” @MikeMcMahonCHN

 

[WestHartHusk]

Tim Fontenault ‏@Tim_Fontenault 7m7 minutes ago
On the Big 10’s age proposal, Mike Cavanaugh voted in favor of it. “I think there should be some healthy discussion on it.” @MikeMcMahonCHN

Playing nice with the B1G ehhh?

 

[FDNY99]

Tim Fontenault ‏@Tim_Fontenault 7m7 minutes ago
On the Big 10’s age proposal, Mike Cavanaugh voted in favor of it. “I think there should be some healthy discussion on it.” @MikeMcMahonCHN

I'm surprised at this...when I asked McMahon on twitter if he thought Cav was in favor of it he said that he wasn't positive but that he would be surprised if he had voted in favor if it.

 

[FDNY99]

Mike McMahon ‏@MikeMcMahonCHN 54m54 minutes ago
LRT: From what I was told, BC, BU, UConn voted in favor in the straw poll. ND abstained. ADs voted, not coaches.

Mike McMahon ‏@MikeMcMahonCHN 59m59 minutes ago
Though the doesn't make a big difference. One would think the ADs and coaches discussed ideology before a vote.

Mike McMahon ‏@MikeMcMahonCHN 52m52 minutes ago
So of the 11 in favor, we know the six Big Ten and the three HEA. That leaves two more. That's what is most interesting ...

Mike McMahon ‏@MikeMcMahonCHN 56m56 minutes ago
So of the 11 in favor, we know the six Big Ten and the three HEA. That leaves two more. That's what is most interesting ...
@MikeMcMahonCHN well the 6 B1G schools and 3 Hockey East total to 33/68 national championships. So that leaves Yale, Harvard, UMD, NMU, BGSU

 

[Adios]

And people complain about Warde Manuel?

It was probably Yale and Harvard. Don't you think they are sick of QU by now?

 

[RonnyFrancis]

On paper I'm in favor. Mostly because the "over age" junior players already know if they have a college to play at or not by then.

In practice, I'd rather see parity in the level of NCAA college play. Further, I don't see an issue with player age, when teams like BYU have all their football players that are ~25 years old, and many other teams end up with the odd walk on who served in the armed forces, or is going after their degree at a slightly older age for whatever reason.

For those who don't know as much about junior hockey:

The year listed that would count as their first of eligibility is what's called your "over-age" year in junior hockey. In the top Canadian junior leagues (OHL, QMJHL, WHL) they're only allowed 1 or 2 of these players at that age. In the USHL (the top junior hockey league in the states) they are (or at least were a couple years ago) allowed 3 (or possibly 4). However, in the other junior leagues across the USA (and possibly the lower tiers of Canadian hockey, I legitimately don't know for Canada though) almost none have restrictions against the number of over-age players on your team. Keep in mind this is a heavy concentration on the east coast, especially the EHL.

Philosophically I like the idea of players staying for that over age year have to think twice about it, since they'll be losing out on a red shirt year to play junior, which makes the player really think about what's better for them at 20, practicing and/or playing with an NCAA team or growing with the competition in a junior league.

I don't know how that factors in to recruiting for these different hockey programs, but there is a wide reach of this legislation for players in junior and for the schools recruiting them.

**This knowledge of mine is 2-3 years old. If anything has changed, or anything I wrote is erroneous, I welcome any one to correct me.

 

[FDNY99]

VERY interesting quotes by Cav:
http://www.theuconnblog.com/2015/12...t=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter