Dayooper,
I could be wrong but I doubt the big 10 is adding UConn for hockey. For what its worth the Huskies haven't been very good. The played in the mid-major Atlantic Hockey and its predecessor the MAAC conference for their D1 history. They have only recently begun offering scholarships, which really held the program back. But new coach in Cavannaugh who was the Assistant head Coach at BC, new conference, and a new area and a new commitment to the program. I'd put us as about equal to Penn State right now, so a way to go before we're a serious competitor, but UConn will be dangerous, and given our history including multiple titles in a pretty diverse range of sports from field hockey to soccer to obviously basketball, I think it is a reasonable bet that we will get there eventually. As far as who you might add as affiliates, forget Cornell. they are Ivy and no Ivy League school will go anywhere without all Ivy league schools. Besides, they like being in the ECAC. Good hockey (3 national finalists in 2 years with 2 championships) generally like minded institutions (Union, Colgate, are sort of ivy lite for example). And forget Providence as well. They are totally a mis-match for the Big. Schnieder is one of the smallest arenas in Hockey East. If I were seriously looking at Hockey only members from the northeast, and frankly I doubt the Big is, you would have to approach BC and BU followed by New Hampshire, then Maine. Not asking BC would be like assembling a new Big 10 and not asking Michigan and Ohio State to be part of it. they are THE national power and have been for 20 years. Why would you take Providence and not Boston College? That would be like taking Ohio and not Ohio State for your football league.