2015 WCHA Offseason

[gfmorris]

ST. PAUL, MINN. — WCHA Commissioner Bill Robertson declared a State of Emergency on Tuesday after the New York Islanders signed Minnesota State junior goaltender Stephon Williams (Fairbanks, Alaska).

"They just can't keep taking our goaltenders," Robertson said. "They've already got 20% of the league's starters, including the league's second-team and third-team goaltenders. This aggression will not stand, man." Williams's signing follows that of Ferris State senior goaltender CJ Motte.

The Michigan Army National Guard quickly secured the borders to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and cancelled all flights in and out of UP airports. Michigan Tech coach Mel Pearson was grateful. "I don't know what we'd do if we lost Jamie [Phillips] a year after losing Pheonix [Copley]. If they send a linesman Jamie's way with a contract, I've told Watson that he can beat the guy senseless." Northern Michigan goaltender Mathias Dahlström and Lake Superior netminder Gordon Defiel were each being held in an undisclosed location.

Alabama-Huntsville and Bemidji State got help with their common military connection at the Air Force Academy. "I called Bert up down in Colorado Springs, and they got NORAD to secure things while they scrambled F-15s," Tom "Ernie" Serratore said. "We've got [Michael] Bitzer lashed to the Paul Bunyan statue, and [freshman defenseman Jay] Dickman is there with him to bring him food and homework. We figured the kid was rested after not playing all year, and he's our biggest kid."

The Chargers also received air support while they transported sophomore goaltender Carmine Guerriero to the US Army's Redstone Arsenal, where a phone call from US Senator Richard Shelby "encouraged" garrison commander COL Bill Marks to house the Canadian. "It's a **** weird request, but BRAC was very good to us."

Bowling Green coach Chris Bergeron wasn't overly concerned. "I knew that this was coming," Bergeron said, "and that's why I played all three guys at varying points during the season."

Neither Alaska coach Dallas Ferguson or Alaska-Anchorage coach Matt Thomas seemed concerned. "[Garth] Snow has enough college goalies right now, and we had problems keeping guys in the lineup this year. Besides, we can just send them out on a fishing boat for the summer."

Rick DiPietro was unavailable for comment.

-30-

;;;;;

GFM

[Pure Mel]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

ST. PAUL, MINN. — WCHA Commissioner Bill Robertson declared a State of Emergency on Tuesday after the New York Islanders signed Minnesota State junior goaltender Stephon Williams (Fairbanks, Alaska).

"They just can't keep taking our goaltenders," Robertson said. "They've already got 20% of the league's starters, including the league's second-team and third-team goaltenders. This aggression will not stand, man." Williams's signing follows that of Ferris State senior goaltender CJ Motte.

The Michigan Army National Guard quickly secured the borders to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and cancelled all flights in and out of UP airports. Michigan Tech coach Mel Pearson was grateful. "I don't know what we'd do if we lost Jamie [Phillips] a year after losing Pheonix [Copley]. If they send a linesman Jamie's way with a contract, I've told Watson that he can beat the guy senseless." Northern Michigan goaltender Mathias Dahlström and Lake Superior netminder Gordon Defiel were each being held in an undisclosed location.

Alabama-Huntsville and Bemidji State got help with their common military connection at the Air Force Academy. "I called Bert up down in Colorado Springs, and they got NORAD to secure things while they scrambled F-15s," Tom "Ernie" Serratore said. "We've got [Michael] Bitzer lashed to the Paul Bunyan statue, and [freshman defenseman Jay] Dickman is there with him to bring him food and homework. We figured the kid was rested after not playing all year, and he's our biggest kid."

The Chargers also received air support while they transported sophomore goaltender Carmine Guerriero to the US Army's Redstone Arsenal, where a phone call from US Senator Richard Shelby "encouraged" garrison commander COL Bill Marks to house the Canadian. "It's a **** weird request, but BRAC was very good to us."

Bowling Green coach Chris Bergeron wasn't overly concerned. "I knew that this was coming," Bergeron said, "and that's why I played all three guys at varying points during the season."

Neither Alaska coach Dallas Ferguson or Alaska-Anchorage coach Matt Thomas seemed concerned. "[Garth] Snow has enough college goalies right now, and we had problems keeping guys in the lineup this year. Besides, we can just send them out on a fishing boat for the summer."

Rick DiPietro was unavailable for comment.

-30-

;;;;;

GFM

Just a thought, you ever think of writing a novel? This is a good read!

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

ST. PAUL, MINN. — WCHA Commissioner Bill Robertson declared a State of Emergency on Tuesday after the New York Islanders signed Minnesota State junior goaltender Stephon Williams (Fairbanks, Alaska).

"They just can't keep taking our goaltenders," Robertson said. "They've already got 20% of the league's starters, including the league's second-team and third-team goaltenders. This aggression will not stand, man." Williams's signing follows that of Ferris State senior goaltender CJ Motte.

The Michigan Army National Guard quickly secured the borders to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and cancelled all flights in and out of UP airports. Michigan Tech coach Mel Pearson was grateful. "I don't know what we'd do if we lost Jamie [Phillips] a year after losing Pheonix [Copley]. If they send a linesman Jamie's way with a contract, I've told Watson that he can beat the guy senseless." Northern Michigan goaltender Mathias Dahlström and Lake Superior netminder Gordon Defiel were each being held in an undisclosed location.

Alabama-Huntsville and Bemidji State got help with their common military connection at the Air Force Academy. "I called Bert up down in Colorado Springs, and they got NORAD to secure things while they scrambled F-15s," Tom "Ernie" Serratore said. "We've got [Michael] Bitzer lashed to the Paul Bunyan statue, and [freshman defenseman Jay] Dickman is there with him to bring him food and homework. We figured the kid was rested after not playing all year, and he's our biggest kid."

The Chargers also received air support while they transported sophomore goaltender Carmine Guerriero to the US Army's Redstone Arsenal, where a phone call from US Senator Richard Shelby "encouraged" garrison commander COL Bill Marks to house the Canadian. "It's a **** weird request, but BRAC was very good to us."

Bowling Green coach Chris Bergeron wasn't overly concerned. "I knew that this was coming," Bergeron said, "and that's why I played all three guys at varying points during the season."

Neither Alaska coach Dallas Ferguson or Alaska-Anchorage coach Matt Thomas seemed concerned. "[Garth] Snow has enough college goalies right now, and we had problems keeping guys in the lineup this year. Besides, we can just send them out on a fishing boat for the summer."

Rick DiPietro was unavailable for comment.

-30-

;;;;;

GFM

Thanks for the laugh this morning!

[gfmorris]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

Just a thought, you ever think of writing a novel? This is a good read!

No, I'm not a long-form writer. I get distracted too easily. This was just an idea that I had at my desk yesterday. Working on a military installation with access to NASA Critical Infrastructure makes you think about these things. There are four UAH hockey fans/alumni in the cadre of the Payload Operations Integration Facility, and we'd keep Carmine safe for sure.

GFM

[MavHockey14]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

*sigh*

[manurespreader]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

I wonder how the league is doing financially. I believe the WCHA tv revenues were higher than last year and the final 5 did fairly well. Anyone have information?

[Suze]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

I wonder how the league is doing financially. I believe the WCHA tv revenues were higher than last year and the final 5 did fairly well. Anyone have information?

Not sure about the league, but some of the WCHA schools aren't doing too well.

There is a website that lists all of the US colleges who are in financial trouble. Mankato and Bemidji are on the list.

Brown, Holy Cross, and St. Cloud also made the list.

https://www.documentcloud.org/docume...-3-1-2015.html

[MavsFan19]

Not sure about the league, but some of the WCHA schools aren't doing too well.

There is a website that lists all of the US colleges who are in financial trouble. Mankato and Bemidji are on the list.

Brown, Holy Cross, and St. Cloud also made the list.

https://www.documentcloud.org/docume...-3-1-2015.html

I wouldn't put much faith in that. I know MSU was on the list one year just for late reporting, them and almost every other college in MN. MSU enrollments are higher then ever, the city itself is growing like a weed. I think you'll see MSU average attendance keep going up as people adjust to the new wcha plus youth hockey had never been more popular in SW Minnesota. I know of 4 families adding season tickets next year. So I think things will continue to improve in that regards

[blackswampboy]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

Not sure about the league, but some of the WCHA schools aren't doing too well.

There is a website that lists all of the US colleges who are in financial trouble. Mankato and Bemidji are on the list.

Brown, Holy Cross, and St. Cloud also made the list.

https://www.documentcloud.org/docume...-3-1-2015.html

thanks, but bad link.

edit: here's another one: http://s3.documentcloud.org/document...ons-list-3.pdf

Bemidji, Mankato, and St. Cloud are on the list for "Audit Late/Missing".

[manurespreader]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

Not sure about the league, but some of the WCHA schools aren't doing too well.

There is a website that lists all of the US colleges who are in financial trouble. Mankato and Bemidji are on the list.

Brown, Holy Cross, and St. Cloud also made the list.

https://www.documentcloud.org/docume...-3-1-2015.html

Brown and Holy Cross,? I bet they have endowments in the top 5% of all american schools. Not to disagree that some teams and some schools, and not in our league necessarily, are struggling, but it seemed to me that this year hockey did a lot better for them than last year did.

For instance, in Boston it used to be that College Hockey got a nice article on page 3 of the sports section of the globe, during the ncaa's, but this year, not only did BU get almost a full front page last week, but the St Cloud/ Tech game got 10 or 15 column inches. So I think College hockey in general is doing better. And in particular our league did better.

[Suze]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

thanks, but bad link.

edit: here's another one: http://s3.documentcloud.org/document...ons-list-3.pdf

Bemidji, Mankato, and St. Cloud are on the list for "Audit Late/Missing".

https://www.documentcloud.org/docume...-3-1-2015.html

[QUAlum2004]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

@OTBPuckWatch: Twin brothers Jonah and Nathan Renouf, freshmen Fwds at Quinnipiac, will be at UAA next season. Prolific scorers in Jr. prior to Qpac (0GP).

[Pure Mel]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

@OTBPuckWatch: Twin brothers Jonah and Nathan Renouf, freshmen Fwds at Quinnipiac, will be at UAA next season. Prolific scorers in Jr. prior to Qpac (0GP).

Does this mean they have to sit out a season?

[QUAlum2004]

Does this mean they have to sit out a season?

It's possible they may be eligible immediately. They didn't play in any games this year.

[manurespreader]

Re: 2015 WCHA Offseason

I know a lot of teams are struggling with non con schedules going forward. The b1g teams all seem to think they deserve 2 for 1's, apparently HE either doesn't want to come here or if we go there they get a big advantage with the terrible refereeing, to the point that many of our coaches aren't interested in scheduling them any longer.
I think NCHC teams would give you 1 for 1, but honestly a lot of them are flights, and if we are going to fly we might as well go to the ecac.

Seems to me the league needs to set something up so that we can get an equal number of home non con games, or at least get neutral site games.
There are just so many teams that want to schedule the b1g that for now at least, they are in the drivers seat. Except for wisconsin of course.