Mike writes:
 
>It was posted that the WCHA plans to extend its two automatic bids to
>the winners of the regular season and tourney championships.
>
>Does anyone know what will happen if the same team wins both?  Will
>the second bid go to the regular season runner-up, or the tourney
>runner-up - or no one?
 
This is puzzling.  Who will make the decision?  Will each conference
form its own committee to decide which team gets the second bid if
the same team wins both championships?
 
>Last I heard, HE planned to do the same as the WCHA, but they also did
>not know what they would do in the situation I mentioned (I asked).
>What happens if BU wins both, and NU is the regular season runner-up
>but UNH gets to the championship game before losing to BU?  Both teams
>could make a case for getting that second automatic bid.
>
>My prediction is that having 2 bids will lead to at least as many
>headaches as 1...maybe more.
 
It looks like the headaches will belong to HE, ECAC, CCHA, and WCHA.  The
Ice Hockey Committee's job has become simpler:  if I'm interpreting this
correctly, they will award only four bids next March.  Everything else is
out of their hands.
 
-- Erik