2025-26 Season

[Sheck]

They always play us tough, so won't be easy but would rather play the early game and let UConn and BC duke it out in the night game.

[meff]

I’ve gotta believe the selection committee has some latitude in who they invite to the tournament. If UMass gets to the final I don’t see how they dan be denied.

But what do I know….

Of course given the growth of college hockey, I think it’s time expand the field.

No latitude at all, since they went to Pairwise and now NPI it goes 100% by the formula.

Need more schools playing D1 hockey to expand the tournament, too high a percentage of total teams get in if you compare it to other NCAA tournaments.

[Stnwaller]

Unfortunately it’s setting up like we will need to win the Hockey East Tournament . If we lost to Providence in final then maybe we would get in as hockey east’s second team but I don’t see how there will be room for 3 hockey east teams . Still a chance Ohio state could steal another at large bid.
So let’s just win the whole thing !!! I’ll be there plus 7

[jjmc85]

^While some out of town scores didn’t go UMass’ way today, CHN probability matrix is up and running. I checked at around 10,000 simulations. Both UMass and UConn seem to have about a 10% chance at being at large still, so there’s a chance hockey east gets 3 bids still.

But at this point might as well win the hockey east tournament.

[Sheck]

^
Looks like most scenarios put UMass at 15 if they don't win the HEA tournament. That might still be good enough to get into the tournament, but one bid thief (apart from the AHA champ which will be 16 no matter what) would burst our bubble. Need Michigan to take care of Ohio St in the B1G final and either Dartmouth or Cornell to win ECAC mainly.

UMass cannot jump any higher than 13 unfortunately, so even winning HEA doesn't get out of being a #4 seed. But it might make a difference in going to Worcester vs. having to go somewhere else though.

But putting that all aside, this team has a great opportunity to go win the Lamoriello Trophy after being in last place in early January.