This year's home hockey schedule is going to suck
Some news from Spath over at the (free) Yost Post on rivals:
Some interesting things on the schedule front, though this next year will be a BRUTAL home schedule. Teams like Mercyhurst, Robert Morris, Niagara and Dartmouth while U-M will play at Union and BU. In two years, though, there could be some great non-conference matchups, and maybe another Big Chill. There is a potential road trip that would be sick, but not to a traditional hockey hotbed.
Last year we had 8 non-conference games outside of the B1G-HE Challenge and the GLI:AIC(2), RPI(2), @Tech(2), @BC,@Ferris. So of the six teams mentioned, two will likely be one-offs and the other four will be a series each. We'll probably get a good home series against one or two Hockey East teams but yeesh.
That is unless we're moving back to 40ish game a season. We've been down to 35 or so since the B1G happened and I still don't know why. In the unlikely event we are going to back to 40, all of those may be two game series.
Several other interesting hockey notes here
Edit: Spath tacked this later on in the discussion
Michigan wants to schedule top-tier programs but they couldn't get anyone to come to Ann Arbor this year. Everyone of note wanted U-M to come to their venue. And Michigan couldn't do that or it would have ended up with two non-conference home games. They agreed to Union and BU so that they could get those two teams in 2016-17 at home but then they HAD to have home games, and so some of these teams were more willing.
Michigan will head to Union on 10/23 and then RPI the next night.
They should be getting a B1G/HEA Challenge home series.
Other than that, yeah, the schedule is going to be awful with those games.
Also, Spath mentioning the "sick, non-traditional hockey hotbed road trip" has got to be Arizona State who is starting their hockey program up soon.
LongLiveBo is gonna be thrilled.
Yeah, I'm hard pressed to find another school that would meet both "sick" and "non-traditional". The only school that could possibly meet both of those criteria must be ASU. I'd hoped ASU would come to Ann Arbor first. Hopefully we can work out a two-for-one with them: one series there in exchange for two here. Or at least a one-for-one. That'd be an awesome home series even if they were awful
so it would likely be 2016-2017 or 2017-2018
Who moves the needle for a sick road trip?
And the past few years haven't? I rarely get excited to go to hockey anymore and we've held tickets for many years. Blah.
You know what would make it better? Games at Soldier Field against MSU
It figures you grew a beard to disguise yourself, DB.
The anti-Dr Richard Kimble. I shaved my beard as a disguise.
Standing up for Copp and why he left, discounting much of what Spath has said. A good read there as well.
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Wow!
this is becoming a yearly trend. Why is the hockey schedule always so bad?
Shoutout to the only potato chip company that doesn't sell air 
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but it's also a bit he-said-she-said. I suspect the truth is somewhere in the middle...or Red's feelings really were hurt that bad by his captain bailing
and yet with that schedule of cupcakes, this team will still find a way to miss the tournament but that's ok with people because Red should have a farewell tour because HE has earned it even though it will be at the expense of the most important thing.....THE PROGRAM.
You are incorrect (kind of) about the number of games on the schedule. The NCAA limit has been 34 regular season games for the last quarter century or so. There are exemptions for a few games, though: (1) Some pre-season tournaments, including the Ice Breaker and the Hall of Fame Game, (2) Games at Alaska and Alaska-Anchorage, and (3) Conference Tournament games.
Michigan has never scheduled less than the NCAA maximum since it was changed to 34 about 25 years ago (although once they accidentally scheduled 1 game more than the NCAA maximum, requiring them to give up 2 games the next season as punishment). Of course, they are no longer in a conference with Alaska, and they are in a conference with 1-3 tournament games instead of 2-8 tournament games. So they are giving up about 4 exempt games a year, making it appear that they have cut back when they are still scheduling the maximum.
I was wondering why the sudden drop off, because we were definitely playing 40 games before the tournament just a few years ago. Were the UAF games within the CCHA exempt as well?
April 22nd, 2015 at 10:39 PM ^
Apparently, Zach has told the Florida Panthers that he does not intend to sign with them. Instead, he'll likely wait until August 16. That's the date where he would become an UFA. Or, Florida can decide to give his rights to a team Zach may think suits him better.
I'm kind of disappointed that we won't get to see him play for the Panthers. They're the team of the future with some unreal talent, and I think he had a good chance to make a potential playoff team next year.
Feel free to make a post, or you guys can reply here. Where would you guys like to see him land?
A lot of coaches(especially around the state) will be having a good chuckle when they see Michigan's home schedule. Michigan is definitely reaping what they've sown in that regard. Good luck making the NCAAs when the entire first half of your season is playing Atlantic Hockey and the entire second half is playing Atlantic Hockey West.
There was talk at one point of Michigan being on Arizona State's schedule for this season, but I guess they couldn't get it done. I think the arena situation for ASU was a problem. Honestly, it wouldn't be a huge surprise if Michigan was going there for a conference series in two years.
Yeah, it's Michigan's fault that PSU created a team and forced the creation of the B1G.
derp
The Big Ten has nothing to do with their non-conference scheduling. In fact, it should have been easier to put together a decent non-conference schedule since there are plenty of teams within a bus drive they could play.
But Michigan had to be greedy and try to bend those programs over a barrel. Now they're stuck Grouponing tickets to games no one cares about against American International and Robert Morris.
Are you going to elaborate on the bending people over a barrel or are you just gonna leave that one floating there? This is the first I've heard of this, or of Michigan doing anything notably different from other programs
April 22nd, 2015 at 10:03 PM ^
i think M was asking NMU, MTU, Ferris, etc for 2-for-1 agreements instead of home and homes these last 3-4 years.
Brandon at his finest, I assume.
April 23rd, 2015 at 12:45 AM ^
Northern Michigan refuses to play at Yost. That's one program I've heard for sure who still holds a grudge.
April 22nd, 2015 at 10:05 PM ^
how would he react if Larkin, Werenski, Compher and Downing all walked in his office at the same time a year from now and ready to move on.
Former CCHA schools like NMU complain that Michigan will schedule a six game series, but with 4 always at Yost and 2 on the road. Will be interesting if the MTU series was 2-2, or if they will return to Yost for two more.
Disappointing to hear that story on Copp at the banquet. He has given a lot to the program the past 3 years. Red was interviewed by a Winnipeg radio station after the signing and if I recall, the responses were indifferent. Good things to say about him as a player, but remareked about how soon he could contribute at that level.
April 22nd, 2015 at 10:27 PM ^
are the guys at the wolverine just 100% full of shit or what? Why the hell Spath would shit all over the Copp family like that is beyond me. just another example of why these insider guys are not worth the subscription.
April 22nd, 2015 at 10:34 PM ^
in so many different ways. It's just kinda sad now, with more sad in the forecast.
I remember that tournament well. North Dakota was, if I recall correctly, ranked #1 and Michigan was ranked #2. Everyone thought they would face off in the tournament final on Saturday, but both lost on Friday in shootouts. Colgate and New Hampshire, I think, ended up in the final. Was a highly anticipated season-opening weekend that turned into a semi-dud.
If I remember correctly Michigan dominated the game and Colgate's goalie put on a clinic.