As scintillating as Jason's analysis is, I tend to point to a more basic cause for the ECAC's "superiority" over HE this year: simple cyclical variation. HE has had a run in attracting the top talent for the past five years, now it's the ECAC's turn. In fact, this isn't as jingoistic as it sounds. In the early years of HE, the ECAC enjoyed a significant advantage over HE. Granted, they didn't play that often, but ECAC teams generally came out on top. HE seems to have made its rise when two of its teams, BU and Maine, became perennial powerhouses. Both have fallen back a bit--BU because of graduation and NHL losses, Maine because...you know why. It's interesting to speculate that the success of the BU and Maine programs also helped to pull in recruits to other HE teams. Some of the second level teams, to use Jason's terminology, do seem to have fallen back this year. Lowell lost Bruce Crowder, but that shouldn't immediately equate to a recruiting loss. Providence should be reaping the dividends of a young and skilled coach, Paul Pooley, and their upsetting success of the past two seasons. BC was a mess, and maybe Jerry York isn't enough to achieve an immediate turn-around. UMass for me is surprising how much they have fallen from last year's improving squad. But the ECAC's traditional second level has made a significant turn-around--witness Princeton and Dartmouth. The ECAC at least seems to be attracting similarly skilled players as HE. Again parity maybe be playing a part as the really superior players that HE signed back in the early 90's, like the Kariyas and the Griers, just aren't there anymore. The real studs are now going the Junior A route. As a result the elite programs grab the skilled players who formerly would populate the Lowells and Providences. The ECAC in turn finds its fortunes improved since it can compete against the Lowell and Providences, it just can't against the Maine's and BU's. It's an easier sell for the ECAC to get the smaller, less-NHL-type players. HE probably still has the ability to get the real blue chips, for example Marty Reasoner picking BC over SLU. But when there are fewer of them around, the ECAC can raise its competiveness. This is all a little roundabout way of saying that the ECAC is now enjoying the normal competitive cycle. The mighty may have fallen, albeit not that much. But before we all engage in chest thumping about our alleged superiority, I would suggest that most of this is explained by the normal variation in recruiting. ECAC may ride the wave for the next few years, but undoubtedly the tide will again change. ***************************************************************************** Brian Morris RPI Engineers--Big and Nasty [log in to unmask] HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.