When Will The College Hockey Season Start?

[kingdobbs]

Unsurprising decision.

I would say it puts out there about a 95% possibility that the ECAC declines to compete as a league. About a 50% chance they do so but allow the other six to compete independently. And a pretty decent but dark horse chance that Clarkson and St Lawrence decide to say “duck it we will just play each other every weekend. It’s what we’ve always wanted to be honest.”

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Unsurprising decision.

I would say it puts out there about a 95% possibility that the ECAC declines to compete as a league. About a 50% chance they do so but allow the other six to compete independently. And a pretty decent but dark horse chance that Clarkson and St Lawrence decide to say “duck it we will just play each other every weekend. It’s what we’ve always wanted to be honest.”

Maybe we're see a pair of temporary, Covid-19 hockey leagues this winter as the the survivors join forces each with a relatively compact footprint.

A) Canada South League: 1) St. Lawrence, 2) Clarkson, 3) RPI, 4) Union, 5) Colgate, 6) Canisius, 7) Mercyhurst, 8) Niagara (I believe RIT has already opted-out of the season).
B) Coastal Hockey League: 1) Army, 2) Sacred Heart, 3) Quinnipiac, 4) AIC, 5) Holy Cross, 6) Bentley

 

[dbmill]

Maybe we're see a pair of temporary, Covid-19 hockey leagues this winter as the the survivors join forces each with a relatively compact footprint.

A) Canada South League: 1) St. Lawrence, 2) Clarkson, 3) RPI, 4) Union, 5) Colgate, 6) Canisius, 7) Mercyhurst, 8) Niagara (I believe RIT has already opted-out of the season).
B) Coastal Hockey League: 1) Army, 2) Sacred Heart, 3) Quinnipiac, 4) AIC, 5) Holy Cross, 6) Bentley

You can add Robert Morris and LIU (they have a new men's ice hockey program starting this season) into this mix as well.

 

[UCONNJACK]

Maybe we're see a pair of temporary, Covid-19 hockey leagues this winter as the the survivors join forces each with a relatively compact footprint.

A) Canada South League: 1) St. Lawrence, 2) Clarkson, 3) RPI, 4) Union, 5) Colgate, 6) Canisius, 7) Mercyhurst, 8) Niagara (I believe RIT has already opted-out of the season).
B) Coastal Hockey League: 1) Army, 2) Sacred Heart, 3) Quinnipiac, 4) AIC, 5) Holy Cross, 6) Bentley

What about Air Force?

 

[kingdobbs]

Maybe we're see a pair of temporary, Covid-19 hockey leagues this winter as the the survivors join forces each with a relatively compact footprint.

A) Canada South League: 1) St. Lawrence, 2) Clarkson, 3) RPI, 4) Union, 5) Colgate, 6) Canisius, 7) Mercyhurst, 8) Niagara (I believe RIT has already opted-out of the season).
B) Coastal Hockey League: 1) Army, 2) Sacred Heart, 3) Quinnipiac, 4) AIC, 5) Holy Cross, 6) Bentley

Unlikely, for a few reasons.

AH has already booked their schedule for the year and is due to start playing games next weekend (Army and LIU will have a date this weekend even). Some of the teams may have NC dates open, I haven’t scoured their sked to see what’s what, but a full overhaul to “add” these teams isn’t likely at all.

Secondly, the “Empire Six” portion of the ECAC is much closer as a whole to the athletic philosophy of the Ivies. The chance some or all follow the Ivy lead is pretty good, although so is the chance they cancel the ECAC season but allow the teams to schedule independently if they want to continue a season. I put the odds pretty high Quinnipiac does this, and the odds decently high that the NY teams go as a bloc.

 

[dbmill]

You can add Robert Morris and LIU (they have a new men's ice hockey program starting this season) into this mix as well.

What about Air Force?

For what it is worth, Air Force has a full Atlantic Hockey schedule posted on their website. It also includes home and away games with LIU, which has entered into a schedule alliance with Atlantic Hockey for this season.

 

[huskymedic]

AH has already booked their schedule for the year and is due to start playing games next weekend (Army and LIU will have a date this weekend even).

Bucci Mane @Buccigross 1h
Breaking...Sources tell me the Army/LIU #cawlidgehawkey game is not going to be played Saturday because of COVID issues at West Point.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[TheDoggPound]

 

[huskymedic]

As an additional point of reference - No Beanpot this year.

 

[huskymedic]

Down goes RPI...

 

[kingdobbs]

Again not surprising, once the Ivies made their call. The Empire Six of the ECAC, while not marching in lock step with the Ivies, are typically marching to the same tune and in the same direction.

The ECAC won’t have a season this year, I can just about guarantee it, though some or all of the remaining teams will go on as pseudo-independents. Clarkson is the only team to have posted an attempt at a schedule, and only Colgate, Quinnipiac and St Lawrence are on it from that group. Union seems likely to cancel.

Percentage chance:
Union - 99%. I feel like they’ve chosen and just haven’t announced.
Colgate - 80%. With Cornell, RIT and RPI out, and Union sure to follow, there are suddenly half as many nearby teams to play, and what might have seemed plausible if any one of them drop suddenly becomes untenable when four of them do.
Clarkson/SLU - 60-70% that the pair drops out together, 0% that one plays and one stays. Given their relative remoteness from the rest of college hockey and their relative proximity to each other, and the heat behind the rivalry locally, they still might consider a rivalry heavy season.
Quinnipiac - 20%, going up to 50% if everyone else in league cancels out. There’s potentially room for them to play an NCAA minimum (reports are this year is they’ve reduced the minimum to 13 games to be considered for tournament inclusion, such as a tournament may or may not still happen) just from who stays in the ECAC and who has room left in AH. Might be able to strike a deal with Hockey East if everything else goes taters up for then.

 

[dbmill]

Down goes RPI...

Currently, seven out of the nine teams that have cancelled their seasons are in the ECAC.

 

[huskymedic]

Changed their minds... RIT reconsiders play for 2020-21 men's and women's hockey seasons

>>"In view of this new development, we plan to move forward with college hockey competition, contingent upon New York State consent," said RIT President David Munson. "While we remain concerned about the increase in COVID-19, we also realize that the RIT campus will be only lightly populated from Thanksgiving through late January, providing a period where play will be safer."<<

 

[kingdobbs]

Union cancels as well. Even if the other four play, there’s no ECAC season to speak of.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

Delay for Quinnipiac...

Men's Hockey Announces Schedule Changes - Quinnipiac University Athletics

HAMDEN, Conn. – The Quinnipiac men's ice hockey team has announced changes to its 2020-21 schedule.

gobobcats.com

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

For now...

 

[Bomber36]

For now...

I think it’s a stretch that they’ll be able to play this schedule, based on what we’ve seen thus far in both hockey and hoops.

 

[huskymedic]

Maine has issues:

Indoor gathering limit means UMaine hockey teams could play all games on the road

As long as the order is in place, UMaine hockey teams won’t be able to hold intercollegiate games in its home rink, Alfond Arena in Orono.

bangordailynews.com

>>However, staying under 50 persons is not feasible for ice hockey games. Those events include 42 players, six coaches, four on-ice officials, two equipment managers, two trainers, rink personnel and other essential workers.

“Our partnership with the state is rock solid and our standards on group size limitations strictly adheres to state guidance,” said Demeritt, who explained university officials had hoped the size and unique layout of Alfond Arena might make it a candidate for further consideration.

Mills on Friday said given the present circumstances involving COVID-19, she does not expect to make any exceptions to the executive order in regard to gathering limits.<<

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Maine has issues:

Indoor gathering limit means UMaine hockey teams could play all games on the road

As long as the order is in place, UMaine hockey teams won’t be able to hold intercollegiate games in its home rink, Alfond Arena in Orono.

bangordailynews.com

>>However, staying under 50 persons is not feasible for ice hockey games. Those events include 42 players, six coaches, four on-ice officials, two equipment managers, two trainers, rink personnel and other essential workers.

“Our partnership with the state is rock solid and our standards on group size limitations strictly adheres to state guidance,” said Demeritt, who explained university officials had hoped the size and unique layout of Alfond Arena might make it a candidate for further consideration.

Mills on Friday said given the present circumstances involving COVID-19, she does not expect to make any exceptions to the executive order in regard to gathering limits.<<

In Jersey, they players, coaches, officials, and required site managers are excluded the the 50 person cap. But, no one is really allowing fans in at all, even at the youth levels. Before basketball got pushed back to January, we were planing to watch my 10 YO's basketball game in the car on our phones as everything is streamed right now.