The local paper in BG, the Sentinel-Tribune, had an interesting mini
article in it this weekend.
 
It said that offcials from Northern Michigan, namely the head coach and
AD, had talked about possibly leaving the WCHA for the CCHA in a couple
of years.
 
They are concerned that they are losing name recognition in the south
part of Michigan, and that the future addition of  Mankato State, and
possibly a new program at Nebraska-Omaha to the WCHA, would create travel
problems.  Nobody is cited from Michigan Tech, but it is implied by what
the NMU said, that Tech would join the CCHA as well should one school leave.
 
Nobody from the CCHA is cited anywhere, except for Buddy powers, who is
asked about his thoughts.
 
Buddy is cited as saying he hoped that if NMU and MTU join the CCHA, that
UAF would join the WCHA and join their sister school in Alaska, saying
that travel for the rest of the CCHA would be much easier.  The article
ends by noteing that a 12 team CCHA would lead to divisional play, and
Buddy indicates that scheduleing could be made workable.
 
 
I had been wondering when something like this was going to come up.  I
tend to think that it would make sense for the CCHA to pursue such an
expansion.  These are just odd thoughts, but it seems to me that with
divisional play.  It would establish the CCHA as the first "Super
Conference," and might lead to even more expansion in the future.  IT
could lead to a 14 team CCHA if other programs upgraded and wanted to
join.  In any case it would position the CCHA as the 500 pound monster in
college hockey.  The implications of such developments are endless.  Some
good, and others, in the eyes of some, bad.
 
If UAF didn't leave the CCHA for the WCHA, we may see Oakland step up to
Div. 1 and join the CCHA.  It has been mentioned that they are
considering making the jump.  And it would even the numbers out division
wise.
 
I have to admit, it might be nice to see a divisional champion banner
every year, or at least more often than not!   :)
 
But I thought I'd toss the news out.
 
Nathan W.L. Boyle
 
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