Mike Machnik wrote:
 
>My prediction is that having 2 bids will lead to at
>least as many  headaches as 1...maybe more.
 
As I have understood it, each of the four leagues has had two
guaranteed spots since the 12 team format was introduced.  One
was an automatic bid, which the leagues could award to the
regular season or tournament champion and one at-large bid,
choosen by the selection committee.  Since the second bid is
now also an automtic bid, the league can award it as they see
fit.  I would think that if a league awards one bid to the
regular season champion and one to the tournamnet champion that
is it.  If the regular season champion wins the tournament, the
league will lose it's second automatic bid.  I would hope that
it would just revert to an at-large bid for that league which
the selection committee would then pick.
 
Looking over the history of the tournaments it makes sense for
the leagues to do this, even if the guaranteed spot is totally
voided by the same team winning both championships.  In Hockey
East the regular season champion has won 5 of the 10 tournament
championships.  Before the last 3 year run of the regular
season champion winning the tournament, the record was 2 out of
7.  Over in the ECAC the regular season champion has won 2 of
the last 4, 5 of the last 10, and only 13 of the 33 tournaments
held.  I believe the WCHA has had only one regular season
champion win the tournament since the change to the Final
Four/Five format.  I do not know about the CCHA, but I believe
their regular season champion has also failed to win the
tournament championship a number of times.
 
In any event, it would be very unlikely the selection committee
would give that spot to a team from another league.  That
league would most likely have at least one other team that
would deserve a NCAA tournament bid.
 
I am still interested in finding out about team uniform
changes.  Please e-mail me if you have information on this
subject.
 
Sean Pickett     -     Go BU Terriers, 1994 Hockey East
Champions!
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