For my two cents worth of idea...
        As a former member of Hockey-L during college (Clarkson '91) I can safely
say that I didn't need a top 15 poll to figure out who was on the bubble for
making the NCAA Tourny in any of my four years.  However, since I now am forced
to follow college hockey through the media only (Houston is a long, and I do
mean long way from any college hockey game...) it would be extremely helpful to
see the top 15 teams in the hockey-l poll done by Bill Fenwick.  this will not
affect the current published polls in the national media, i.e. WMEB, Times-Union
or (ugh...)USA Today, but it would give us the chance to determine the bubble
teams much sooner during the course of the year.
        Since I believe that most ECAC teams will always live near that bubble it
is even more important to me to know how things are going to shake out.  I think
that this idea of a top 15 poll is something that is needed for this sport.
 
Ken Snell
Clarkson '91 (The year the dream almost came true...)