With all the conference realignment that's gone on this summer, there is still more to come, but it all seems to be on hold until Notre Dame makes their move. Last month, Notre Dame said they'd make an announcement by the end of the CCHA's annual conference meetings which concluded today. Yesterday, they made the announcement that they weren't ready to make an announcement regarding the future of their conference affiliation.
With Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State going to the Big Ten, Miami joining the newly formed National Collegiate Hockey Conference and Lake Superior and potentially Alaska joining the WCHA, that leaves Western Michigan and Notre Dame as the only two teams left in the CCHA that have even sniffed the NCAA tournament the past few years. The Irish want to be in a conference with like-minded institutions - meaning those willing to spend the money needed on coaches, facilities, training, etc to but the best team possible on the ice in hopes of winning a national championship - which points directly to Hockey East or the NCHC and Western intends to follow them wherever they go.
Should they both find a new home that leaves the CCHA with three teams - Bowling Green, Ferris State and Northern Michigan - opening the door for the possibility of Mercyhurst, Robert Morris, Niagara and Canicius to leave Atlantic Hockey which only allows each team to offer 12 scholarships for a conference that allows the full 18 permissible by the NCAA and the possibility that Alabama-Huntsville, which is currently independent, will be able to find a conference to call home giving both the redesigned CCHA and AHA an even eight teams.
While everyone is assuming that Notre Dame will join a conference the idea has been floated that they might actually make like their football team and go independent, but that hinges on they're ability to parlay their relationship with NBC into an TV deal for the hockey program just like their football program OR start a heavily rumored Notre Dame Network.
I know Western wants to be in a conference with Notre Dame simply so they will have a conference member within close proximity, but with the growing possibility that the Irish could go solo, the Broncos need to start making some decisions on their own before they're left behind scratching their heads wondering what to do next.
With just under two months before the college hockey season gets underway, I fully expect this to be sorted out before then, but the Irish are holding all the cards right now and all the rest of us can do is wait.
Julie
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