The demise of Hockey East as we know it??

[Old Cage]

Jimmy Connelly @jimmyconnelly 20m
Have learned some ADs in @hockey_east favor moving away from single-sport league and having all-sport conference administrate hockey. Could be @AmericaEast or another and is far from final, but could also spell the end of Hockey East as we know it. Full story on @USCHO tomorrow.

[m626t]

interesting, but does HE want to lose UMass, BC, UConn the Friars and perhaps others?

[78]

I can’t see this happening. My guess is the 4 America East schools who play in Hockey East are the ones pushing this. I expect it to go nowhere.

[Sheck]

interesting, but does HE want to lose UMass, BC, UConn the Friars and perhaps others?

I don't think the membership would change. Similar to when the CAA formed a football conference and absorbed all of the A10 football members.

[jjmc85]

On the one hand, agreed with Sheck though I’d say it’s more in line with when the A-10 absorbed the football only Yankee Conference to get voting rights. Didn’t the B1G pull something behind the rest of the College Hockey world’s back and no one could stop them because they were the only conference with a vote?

On the other hand, we’re one step closer to Hockey East becoming an All Sport Conference!!!!

[Old Cage]

Here's the story: uscho.com/2020/01/30/as-search-for-a-new-hockey-east-commissioner-pushes-forward-might-the-future-of-hockey-east-be-in-peril/

[MassMan06]

Almost as surprised by the take on Maine. With that schedule, they really could get a home ice spot.

[jjmc85]

One thing I just thought of: CAA take over was almost a disaster for all northern schools. Once Hofstra and Northeastern cut football, they started expanding southwards with more Virginia and Georgia teams. And IIRC there was some weird membership rule where full CAA members had a say in who joined the conference whether they had football or not, which contributed to even more southern teams. Then URI left for like three months, Maine was looking to be in bad shape and it was questionable how long UNH could survive which contributed greatly IMO to UMass taking the lifeboat the MAC threw them and the many losing seasons we’ve seen since.

Don’t follow really now that UMass is gone but it seems like they figured out they had to support the Northern schools by adding a SUNY or two and URI came back so they might have learned from their mistakes but still. If this were to pass, it would be vital IMO that the 11 affiliate members (12 if we want to count Holy Cross) who have hockey had the only say on who joins and who doesn’t. The full conference members who do not have hockey should have no say in expansion of the hockey conference unless they add hockey and are admitted. They would have to apply like everyone else.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

I think the question for me is this: Does the league have a better chance staying in tact as the Hockey East or as part of another all-sports league? I'm for whichever option keeps the HE membership as is.

[MassMan06]

I would be shocked if they ended up making this move and anyone left as a result. You're playing in one of the top conferences in the country, with longstanding rivalries, and most opponents are less than a two-hour drive away. The only changes are the patch on the sweater and the administration behind the scenes.

[78]

Once Bertagna is gone and the conference hires a forward-looking, more competent commissioner, all of this will go away. It’s just noise.