AN ARM-Y AND A LEG-Y
When Army is included as the 44th team, they rate as #37, with a 2-3
record and the 44th schedule.
 
TWO FOR TEA
When Division II Mankato State and Alabama-Huntsville are added to make
46, they fall in near the bottom. UAH is 1-8-1 and ranked 43rd, but
they have a decent schedule, 14th best overall. MSU barely avoids the
basement at #45 and a 1-8-2 record (schedule ranks 43rd).
 
LEAGUE COMPARISON
Even though TCHCR does not directly measure a league's strength, a
team's rating is influenced by its opponents, and most if its opponents
will be fellow league members.
 
(Affiliates are included with full members.)
 
            CCHA      ECAC      HEA       WCHA      Military  Total
 
CCHA                  7-2-2     2-11-0    7-5-0     1-0-0     17-18-2
                      0.727     0.154     0.583     1.000     0.486
 
ECAC        2-7-2               16-23-6   0-0-0     1-2-0     19-32-8
            0.273               0.422               0.333     0.390
 
HEA         11-2-0    23-16-6             4-2-0     8-1-1     46-21-7
            0.846     0.578               0.667     0.850     0.669
 
WCHA        5-7-0     0-0-0     2-4-0               2-0-0     9-11-0
            0.417               0.333               1.000     0.450
 
Military    0-1-0     2-1-0     1-8-1     0-2-0               3-12-1
            0.000     0.667     0.150     0.000               0.219
 
 
THE MAINE EVENT
Just how well has Maine done so far? They have the best record and a
very good schedule (8th best) and lead #2 Harvard by almost 35 points
in this week's TCHCR. How far can Maine fall before they lose that
coveted #1 ranking? Maine can lose twice to any other team and still
retain the top spot. In fact, the Black Bears can lose THREE TIMES to
any team except Harvard and still be #1.  If the Crimson were to beat
Maine three times today, HU would move into the top spot with an 88.18
rating, compared to Maine's 85.98.
 
I have applied TCHCR to past years (going back to 86-7) and never has a
team been so dominant as this year's Maine Black Bears. But since TCHCR
is relative, we do not whether Maine is the best team in recent years
or whether the rest of college hockey is very weak this year.