I really think this is an opportunity for the WCHA to strengthen it's  
out-of-league schedule and would personally like to see games  
scheduled regularly with Hockey East again. Back when the two leagues  
had an interlocking schedule, it was a most exciting time and HE  
looked forward to matching wits with the WCHA. Very, very enjoyable  
for the fans and I'm fairly sure the players liked it also. I know we  
can't get back to that kind of schedule, but if games could be  
scheduled on a regular basis between the two leagues, I think it  
would be great for college hockey in general and give us so much more  
to talk about when playoff time starts to come around.

On Jun 29, 2009, at 12:28 AM, Sara M. Fagan wrote:

> Why are 2 games per team too few?  The ECAC plays each other team 2  
> times (home and away).  They then have openings to play teams in  
> other leagues.  I really like the ECAC setup.  It is a balanced  
> schedule.  I find it very fair.
>
> Sara
> SLU '77
> Let's go SAINTS!!!!
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Henry
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 06:07:47 +0000 (UTC)
> Subject: Re: org charts - WCHA
>
> William Groskreutz III  wrote:
>
>> As far as the WCHA playoffs, I would like to see something like this:
>>
>> 1st round, all teams play...
>
> I think you diminish the idea of 'playoffs' if everybody is allowed  
> in.
> With a 12-team league, the tournament structure couldn't be  
> simpler: top
> eight qualify; 2-game, total-goals quarter-finals; semi-finals either
> 2-game or single elimination (I can see arguments for either  
> approach);
> single elimination final and third-place games on the last weekend.
>
> What intrigues me more is the regular season schedule. In one of the
> press reports announcing the expansion, one of the participants is
> quoted as saying that he didn't want to see a two division  
> conference. I
> am a very big believer in having a completely balanced competition,
> where everybody plays everybody else the same number of times. (The
> Premier League of British football does this perfectly.)
>
> But how to make that work in a 12-team WCHA, where 22 games would  
> be too
> few and 44 is obviously way too many? Two divisions, with home & away
> series (as now) against the 'near 5' and alternating year home ice
> against the other six would make 32 -- but I don't know how willing  
> some
> schools would be to give up four of their non-conference
> revenue-spinners in order to let that happen. Alternatively, you could
> have three divisions, grouping local / traditional rivals for 2 + 2  
> and
> two games only against the other eight. That would yield the same 28
> conference games as now. And for the playoffs, then, you'd have the  
> best
> two in each division plus the best two of the third-place teams.  
> Keepin'
> it simple...
>
> cheers,
>
> Henry
>