Let me just chime in here a minute, as far as my memory allows :-)

As has been noted on this list before, there really was no official
split into Div I (strong) and DIv III (weak programs) as far as hockey
was concerned even in the 1960s. Particularly in the east, anyone played
anyone. RPI used to play AIC, Middlebury (and tromp them) and then go up
against Michigan, Denver, BC, and the likes.... so it was a mixed bag up
until about the mid 70s, I think. I can recall Middlebury racking up all
kinds of scores on very weak teams, then turning around and getting
tromped by "the powerful" teams. In those days, as has been noted in the
past, the Western teams were VERY much stronger than the eastern teams.
In fact, to get an eastern team into the finals, several years the NCAA
bracketed all the east teams away from the west teams. That made for a
final that was about as interesting as your typical superbowl, games
like 10-2 , best of the west over the best of the east. Typically even
the middle-of-the-road teams in the west were far better than most of
the eastern teams.

Of course, all that has changed nowadays :-)

I should note, that even the famous Gold Dust twins of RPI, Brinkworth
and Knightley, while having the talent to play first line on any
collegiate team in the country of that era, had their career stats
inflated by playing some very weak teams. Also the Eastern teams
typically played 20 games per season, whereas the West played 28-30.
Things were very much NOT standard. I dont think you are going to come
up with a hard and fast definition of modern vs. ancient eras in college hockey.

Just my two pesos.

Tony Buffa who is modern and somewhat old, but not ancient
RPI '64

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[log in to unmask] wrote:
>
> Splitting the records using the NCAA Tournament as the
> separation point does not cover Phil Latreille of Middlebury College,
> who played from 1957-61.  He played for a program that is now
> Division
> III, but at the time played about half their games against current
> Division I teams.
>
> In 1959-60 Phil scored 10 goals vs Colgate, 80 goals for the
> season in 1960-61 and 250 goals for his career.  He also scored
> 108 points in 196-61 (80 goals, 28 assists) and 346 points in his
> career (250 goals, 96 assists).
>
> Sean Pickett
>