Classification:
Prologue: Dan Olsen
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Epilogue: Dan Olsen
 
Again we will assume that we can't predict the conference tournament winners
and will grant the league titles to their present holders.
 
The participants:
Michigan
New Hampshire
Vermont
North Dakota
Clarkson
Minnesota
Miami
Boston U.
Cornell
Colorado College
Michigan St.
St. Cloud St.
 
Initial seedings:
 
EAST      WEST
1. New Hampshire    1. Michigan
2. Vermont     2. North Dakota
3. Clarkson     3. Minnesota
4. Boston U.     4. Miami
5. Cornell     5. Colorado College
6. Michigan St.    6. St Cloud St.
 
If you follow past practice and ship the bottom two teams in each bracket to
the other division, you get:
 
EAST      WEST
E1. New Hampshire   W1. Michigan
E2. Vermont    W2. North Dakota
E3. Clarkson    W3. Minnesota
E4. Boston U.    W4. Miami
E5. Colorado College   W5. Cornell
E6. St. Cloud St.    W6. Michigan St.
 
This matchup works out well for several reasons:  1) No same league matchups in
the first round, 2) Michigan St. goes to the West Regional $$$$$.
 
However, this plan has some problems as well:  1) Possibility of 2 same league
matchups in East 2nd Round (Clarkson/UVM & BU/UNH), 2) Possibility of 2 same
league matchups in West 2nd Round (Michigan/Miami & Minnesota/UND).
 
In the east, we can switch Clarkson and BU, which would not only solve any same
league matchups, but also make for some second round rematches (UVM/BU &
UNH/Clarkson).
 
The west is a little more difficult as there are 3 CCHA teams in the west
bracket.  An additional move of Miami to the East and CC to the west would
solve this problem, while not hurting attendance much. CC and Cornell would
flip flop due to their power ratings.
 
So, my final suggestion for this week is, with their PWR Rankings:
 
EAST      WEST
1E. UNH 2    1W. Michigan 1
2E. UVM 3    2W. UND 4
3E. BU 8    3W. Minnesota 6
4E. Clarkson 5    4W. Cornell 9
5E. Miami 7    5W. Colorado College 10
6E. St. Cloud 12    6W. Michigan St.  11
 
There is now only 1 possible 2nd round same league game (UND/Minnesota).  Also,
all teams within the brackets are grouped properly by PWR except BU.  Michigan
also receives the advantage as the #1 seed of playing either #9 or #10 in the
PWR, a significant advantage usually afforded to the #1 seed.  UNH is not so
lucky, with the prospect of #5 Clarkson in the second round.  UVM actually gets
the easier road as #3, but you can't get it all right.
 
Note:  these are only opinions, and in no way come close to how the seeding is
really done, but it was fun none the less.
 
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