According to US College Hockey Online, a proposal is being prepared to
expand the D1 Tournament to 16 teams, with the MAAC getting an automatic
bid.  Whaddya think?
 
I suspect that the main proponent would be the MAAC, with the proposal to
expand being to avoid the MAAC bid coming at the expense of another team who
would probably be a better team than the MAAC team.
 
I'm opposed.  First, I have trouble finding 12 teams that I think deserve a
shot at the D1 championship, let alone 16.
 
Second I don't think the MAAC deserves an automatic bid yet; I did a quick
scan of their records, and found NO wins against any established D1 school,
and a few losses to D3 and ACHA schools.  Just because they are D1 under
NCAA rules, that doesn't make the teams D1 caliber.  The current MAAC
leader, Quinnipiac (love that name!) has an impressive 14-2-0 record, but
the only games they've played out of the MAAC were one goal victories over
Army and D2 Bentley, hardly impressive credentials.
 
Third, it's just too many teams, cheapening the regular seasoin.  Currently
(based on number from the NCAA website) about 23% (12/52) of all D1 hockey
teams qualify for the tournament.  FWIW that's about the same percentage as
D1 basketball (64/277 = 23%).  Expanding to 16 would mean that 30% -- three
out of ten -- teams would qualify for the tournament.
 
Clay
 
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