UIC's possible elimination of hockey, may be the factor that apparently
has prompted NMU to look into rejoining the CCHA.
 
According to USA Today the president of NMU ordered Rick Comley to
inquire about the possibility of NMU returning to the CCHA.  According to
the article the CCHA and WCHA meet April 25, not far from one another.
 
If UIC does drop hockey, and NMU plus (for the sake of discussion) MTU
joins, the CCHA has 12 teams.  It would seem to follow that the CCHA
would break into some form of divisional play.
 
But before speculating, or passing judgment on the wisdom of the move,
for the sake of clarification, how many games can a Division 1 team play
in one season?
 
When does Mankato begin Division 1 play?
 
Has Omaha made the final decision to even start a program?
 
If MTU does not join, has Oakland University made the decision to start a
Division 1 program?
 
Assuming that the CCHA has 12 teams, regardless of who they are, what
options exist for scheduling two divisions, or one league of 12?
 
On the lighter side, could we then rename the CCHA, and call it the
Imperial College Hockey Association?    :)
 
If Michigan and MSU were divided into separate divisions, would we call
the space in between the Mason-Berenson Line?  (sorry, history major pun)
 
Or maybe we could just merge the CCHA and WCHA into one big conference,
and then call it the Big Ten!
 
Nathan W.L. Boyle
"CCHA: The John Wayne conference in the wild west of college hockey"
 
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