Any real move towards a Big Ten hockey conference, would first require
Notre Dame to play in the big ten in all sports.  And its possible that
might not happen, even if they agree to join, for nearly ten years.  And a
hockey element to the big ten conference, would require them to start
pondering th issue, decide if its even the best way to go, and if so to
then start the process of putting together a staff to run the hockey
aspects of the big ten conference.  Bluntly, I don't think the big ten
conference front office has the slightist clue of how to "do hockey."
They need officals, people in charge of officals, etc.  That takes time,
and money.  I am going to say I think they will want what amounts to a
seperate staff for most of that, since most of the current front office
folks don't know how to handle a hockey conference.
 
And this presumes they actually decide to form a full conference.  The OSU
AD was noted in an interview I had passed on to me on AOL, to have said he
would prefer a Big Ten "Division" within a merged WCHA/CCHA.  That would
permit for maintaining regular season games against traditional non-big
ten rivals, bona fide big ten play, and whatever else there is that goes
with it.
 
I mention that because its possible, that the ADs of the big ten, might
wait for other moves in college hockey, rather than screw the entire
division up by running away to play with themselves.
 
And we haven't even figured out if ND will join the big ten yet.
 
All of this big ten talk is just that, talk.
 
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