Don't mean to start a gigantic thread, but the most recent RPICH ratings
by Erik Biever (thru 2/12) have yielded the following interesting results
(I am using only the league members, ignoring AF and Army -- sorry to
those fans.) and all numbers are approximate, but good enuf:
 
HE has 4 in the top ten, but the rest in the bottom 15. So 4 out of 9 in
top half of the 42 total teams.
 
The ECAC has only 1 in the top ten, but five in the top 20.
 
The CCHA has 2 in the top ten, 5 in the top half and three of the bottom
four teams.
 
The WCHA has 3 in the top ten, 7 in the top half, and three in the bottom
half, but only one close to the bottom.
 
[Note I included both Alaska schools in this.]
 
The ranges are interesting, from 1-42:
 
HE ranges from 1-41
ECAC ranges from 7-38
CCHA ranges from 2-42
WCHA ranges from 4-39
 
The average positions are also interesting:
 
The average position for HE is 20 out of 42
The average position for ECAC is 24 out of 42
The average position for CCHA is 24 out of 42
The average position for WCHA is 18 out of 42.
 
Since HE and ECAC have essentially battled to an interconference standoff,
one can approximately conclude that an average difference of 4 positions
(above between HE and ECAC) is not that significant.  Hence we can
conclude, within experimental uncertainty that the average position figure
calls all four league about equal.
 
It is obvious to everyone that three of the leagues have several top notch
teams:  HE has BU, Maine and NH, CCHA has Mich, MSU and BG, WCHA has CC,
Minn, Denver .... but notice they also have, on average lower division
teams that are much poorer than the ECAC lower division.  Of course, the
ECAC at the moment has only one true top ten team: Clarkson, but notice
there are four teams in the second ten.
 
I only have access, at the moment to ECAC records, but approximately they
are 47-37-4 against outside competition (yes, some is Canadian
competition, better perhaps to say "teams from Canada" if you catch my
drift! :-))
 
So, based solely on RPICH data, it would seem that the data indicates
approximate even strength amongst all four leagues.  If anything there
might be a slight edge to the WCHA.....
 
Unfortunately, it is lack of interconference play by the two western
leagues that have helped create some of the muddiness, IMHO.  While the
ECAC teams can play up to 10 out of 32 games out of conference (teams like
Clarkson and RPI do) which is about 30%, and HE is similar, I think the
CCHA and WCHA play a smaller out of league percentage. It would be nice if
all teams went to the max of 34, that would allow some of the ECAC and HE
teams to play the western teams, assuming the western leagues would cut
down the league schedule a bit.  I have not a clue if this is possible,
probably not, but IMHO it would be nice for Div I hockey if this were
considered.
 
One other interesting stat from the RPICH data:  the top 21 teams have
played an average of 28 games and the bottom 21 teams have played an
average of only 24+ at this point in the season, giving some credence to
the old adage: the more you play the better you get.
 
In Div I basketball, it is not uncommon for a team to play 10 to 15
pre-league games and then about 20 league games prior to the NCAAs.  Why
can't hockey do the same?  Some of the Div I basketball matchups early in
the season are really good, UCLA plays Louisville, etc, and I can picture
some great "tuneups" in hockey:  can you picture a Sunday afternoon
national broadcast (really dreaming here!) say, Maine vs. Minn, or
Clarkson vs. Mich, or BU vs. Denver, or RPI vs. BGreen, etc. Wow!!
 
Enough of the stats and thoughts.  I am not a statistician obviously, but
my gut feelings lie above.
 
Tony Buffa
RPI '64
 
Home ice first, ECAC championship next!  Go Engineers!!