Just about a year ago, the world of college hockey was turned on its ear with the announcement of the Big Ten hockey conference. In one fell swoop, the WCHA and CCHA lost their most popular teams (Minnesota & Wisconsin in the WCHA; Michigan, Michigan State & Ohio State in the CCHA) and the rest of the teams from those two conferences scattered.
Now a year later, the dust has just about settled and teams are figuring out where they are ending up. The CCHA is no more, and the WCHA still exists, having taken in the cast offs from the CCHA (looking at you Alaska-Fairbanks & Northern Michigan). The best teams from both conferences (University of North Dakota, University of Miami (Ohio)) have gone to form a new conference, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (or, as I have called it the Super Conference).
What does this all mean? Well, WCHA is going to be borderline unwatchable for a while. It’s going to be bad hockey. I think the Big Ten is going to have a similar problem. Two marquee teams (Minnesota & Michigan), three middling teams (Michigan State, Wisconsin & Ohio State) and one glorified club team (Penn State). Michigan & Minnesota are going to beat up on the rest of the teams (and everyone’s going to beat up on Penn State). Not alot of competition to be had. The non-conference schedules of the Big Ten teams will make or break them come selection time. As for the new NCHC? That’s going to be one fun hockey conference to watch (On CBS Sports, according to a recent press release). Top to bottom, the teams are going to beat up on each other and be better for it.
What’s the outcome of the Big Ten forming it’s own conference? Not alot of good, unless you’re a fan of a team of a NCHC team. In that case, buckle up because you’re in for a hell of a ride.
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