If the WCHA is going to a 4-against-five, 2-against-four schedule, wouldn't it make more sense to go to two five-team divisions, and a 4x4 + 2x5 = 26 game schedule? Since everyone makes the playoffs anyway, you could have the first-round matches be A1(1st place-A division) vs B5, A2 vs B4, A3 vs B3, A4 vs B2, A5 vs B1. The winner of MTU's division gets the McNaughton Cup, of course. For purposes of comparing teams in different divisions (home ice in the first round, re-seeding for the Final Five, determining whether A1 or B1 gets the NC$$ bid), they could count record against the other division double, so everyone's effective SoS was the same. (My inclination would be to use the raw conference record for the first round pairings, and the adjusted one, even between teams in the same division, for subsequent re-seeding, but obviously there are some options here.) The WCHA could also sidestep the issue of how to divide the divisions by having each school rank their rivals in order; first, try to make the divisions so as not to split up any primary rivalries, then secondary, etc. Speculating, I'd guess the top chosen rivalries would be: Minn picks Wisc Wisc picks Minn NoDak picks Minn or Wisc UMD picks Minn SCSU picks Minn or UMD MTU picks NMU NMU picks MTU DU picks CC CC picks DU UAA I'm not sure about (since UAF isn't an option), but let's say they pick Denver because it's easy to fly there. Then the divisions are: _"Mariucci"_ _"McNaughton"_ Minnesota Univ. of Denver Wisconsin Colorado Coll. Minn-Duluth Michigan Tech St. Cloud St. No. Michigan No. Dakota Alaska-Anchorage Sure, it's a bit complicated, and it'll never happen, but it seems fairer than the current plan... John Whelan, Cornell '91 <[log in to unmask]> <http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/people/john_whelan/jphock.html> 1996 Cornell Hockey: Ivy League Women's Champions Ivy League Men's Champions/ECAC Men's Champions HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.