B1G hockey update
The Big Ten Conference announced today that the 2020-21 hockey season will begin as soon as November 13th, and will feature 24-game conference schedules, plus an additional four games per school against Arizona State University hosted at Big Ten venues. The 2020-21 schedule will conclude March 18th-20th, with the Big Ten Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
As of right now there will be no fans in attendance. Michigan has a very young, but very talented roster this season (two incoming recruits could hear their name called tonight in the NHL Draft) so let’s hope some of these games get picked up on TV.
October 6th, 2020 at 8:13 PM ^
Thanks for the update. I was just wondering about hockey, so it is nice to have the information.
October 6th, 2020 at 8:14 PM ^
Ha ha ha ha Michigan hockey on TV. After still feeling numb about EVH passing today, I needed a laugh.
Thank you for the update and let us hope that hockey can be played this year.
October 6th, 2020 at 8:17 PM ^
Yeah, not holding out too much hope. But a guy can dream. Especially in a year where we should have more talent than we’ve had in quite some time.
Return two former first round picks and add a couple who could go in the first round today, on top of Strauss Mann returning. Has the potential to be a big year. Hopefully we can somehow witness it.
October 6th, 2020 at 8:25 PM ^
Logic says, "Yes more TV for a talented Michigan hockey team." But as we have seen in life, logic is not always done.
October 6th, 2020 at 8:21 PM ^
Time for the BTN to fire up those two overflow channels and get more B1G hockey on TV. I'm extremely interested in watching Erik Portillo play.
October 6th, 2020 at 9:45 PM ^
Part of me wonders just how much he WILL play. In a normal season, I’d expect him to get some time in the non-conference and give way to Mann for the conference games. But with a conference only schedule, it could be interesting.
I guess it all boils down to how Mann is playing and our record. Hard to pull starts from Mann when he posted a .939 save percentage and a 1.85 GAA. If Mann is anywhere near that level, I don’t know how much you realistically see of Portillo. Especially in a tight conference. Portillo has a lot of promise and upside, but you can’t argue against the season Mann had last year.
October 6th, 2020 at 8:26 PM ^
Good for the B1G --- they are effectively making Arizona State a conference member for a season. They won't be conference playoff eligible but we are helping their program out in what would have been a particularly difficult year to schedule games as a geographically far out independent.
However --- those are going to be some crazy road trips for them!! 28 road games, all at a B1G venue. I imagine they'll try something creative, something like trips where they play 6 games in 9 days (one weekend to the next), to help on costs.
October 6th, 2020 at 8:49 PM ^
Agree 100%.
Re ASU, I don’t know whether they are doing classes on campus or not, but I assume they’re mostly remote, so I think they could probably put the team up in hotels around the B1G footprint for some of the weeknights in between weekend series, instead of flying back and forth. There’s no point really in keeping the Friday-Saturday schedule if playing without fans, other than college hockey tradition, so I wouldn’t mind midweek games to accommodate ASU.
It is a perfect match, really, as ASU needed opponents and the B1G needed an even number of teams.
October 7th, 2020 at 6:17 AM ^
Did the Big Ten need an even number of teams? I thought Brian one time went through how a 7 team conference is actually easier to schedule than 8. I take this more as one P5 school out on an island reaching out to some P5 friends for some help
October 7th, 2020 at 7:46 AM ^
Not exactly sure how the math works out, but is seems like putting up a team in a hotel for an extra 5 days between series could be as expensive as chartering a plane. In which case, seems like it would be better to charter a plane and fly back and forth as a 4 hour flight + being at home for 5 days would seem less disruptive than staying at a hotel for 5 days and a flight/bus ride to the next venue.
October 6th, 2020 at 8:46 PM ^
Can we kick Notre Dame out and tell them to join the ACC's hockey league?
October 6th, 2020 at 8:58 PM ^
Let the Michigan Hockey Death Star Weaponization begin!
October 6th, 2020 at 9:46 PM ^
I assume there is no wrestling? That should mean more hockey on TV right? Those ASU players deserve a salary for that schedule.
October 7th, 2020 at 6:14 AM ^
Interesting. I wonder how other leagues will follow (or not follow). Obviously the Big Ten is the richest conference in college hockey by a good bit so they're going to have access to resources and money that other small leagues won't have. I think the Ivy League is already committed to waiting till January for any sports. Will be interesting to see where the tournament lands. Will the Big Ten finish their schedule several week or months before a theoretical tournament?
Also pretty cool that they're making ASU a de facto conference member this season. That's a hell of a lot of travel because - if I understand right - ASU is agreeing to a 28 game 100% road schedule with the Big Ten. Sucks for them, but I imagine when it boils down, they're just happy they have someone to play
October 7th, 2020 at 7:45 AM ^
For a young roster such as ours, no fans and no crowd interference means good things usually for young talent who have never experienced a Big Ten Hockey crowd
October 7th, 2020 at 8:47 AM ^
Brisson to Vegas. Would it be too much to ask for the Wings to take Bordeleau with the next pick?? Would be fun to watch a wings prospect develop close to home.