2013-2014 Minnesota Gophers Future Schedule and Beyond

[4four4]

http://twitter.com/#!/hammyhockey

Nothing is in concrete but here is the future Minnesota Gophers hockey schedule.

10 BTHC Home Games
10 BTHC Away Games

10 NC Home Games (10 Minimum Home Games)
2 NC Away Games
2 NC Neutral Site Games (State of Hockey Classic?) Rotate 1 of the 5 MN D1 teams out each year.

Including the neutral site game it looks like the Gophers will be on the road a maximum of 4 road games per year. There are going to be plenty of unhappy people with this schedule.

[JDUBBS1280]

Re: 2013-2014 Minnesota Gophers Future Schedule and Beyond

And I am guessing those two NC Away games will probably be in-state most years.

[darker98]

Re: 2013-2014 Minnesota Gophers Future Schedule and Beyond

Would you think that if you want a quality NC opponent you are going to have to return games?

[JDUBBS1280]

Would you think that if you want a quality NC opponent you are going to have to return games?

With the $$ they'll pay teams to play at Mariucci, I don't think they will have any problems getting quality opponents to visit.

[darker98]

With the $$ they'll pay teams to play at Mariucci, I don't think they will have any problems getting quality opponents to visit.

Fair enough. Is this where the B1G money comes into play?

[4four4]

Re: 2013-2014 Minnesota Gophers Future Schedule and Beyond

Would you think that if you want a quality NC opponent you are going to have to return games?

The Big Ten schools don't really think that way. IMO, you either play by their rules or you don't them.

[4four4]

Re: 2013-2014 Minnesota Gophers Future Schedule and Beyond

Fair enough. Is this where the B1G money comes into play?

You are correct.

[darker98]

Re: 2013-2014 Minnesota Gophers Future Schedule and Beyond

You are correct.

I guess if you pay enough they will come. I still don't see UND coming a lot because I don't think the pay will be enough. Do you think I would be wrong?

[JDUBBS1280]

I guess if you pay enough they will come. I still don't see UND coming a lot because I don't think the pay will be enough. Do you think I would be wrong?

Not sure. Though I think the Gophers would probably still make the occasional trip to the Ralph. Just not often.

[darker98]

Re: 2013-2014 Minnesota Gophers Future Schedule and Beyond

Not sure. Though I think the Gophers would probably still make the occasional trip to the Ralph. Just not often.

Tickets alone for the Ralph at $50 x 11,000 is a lot to give up. I guess I can hope for Penn State and Ohio State to give up on their programs, but I guess with sharing profits they have noting to lose.

[goldy_331]

Re: 2013-2014 Minnesota Gophers Future Schedule and Beyond

With the $$ they'll pay teams to play at Mariucci, I don't think they will have any problems getting quality opponents to visit.

I don't believe it. In case you have not noticed, the quality of NC foes - home or away - has declined over the years as Maturi made the mandate that the Gophs have X minimum home NC games. The high end programs don't need to travel to get good opponents and they won't travel without a reciprocal agreement. I don't think the B1G is going to provide that much additional revenue to where the Gophs can afford to draw in big names without a return game gaurantee.

[JF_Gophers]

Re: 2013-2014 Minnesota Gophers Future Schedule and Beyond

Home or Away it really doesn't pay for Minnesota to play that many difficult opponents. Because they will be in a fairly strong league PWR wise they would want to fill the rest of the schedule with 'wins', not high quality opponents.

Maybe one quality series a year.

[JDUBBS1280]

I don't believe it. In case you have not noticed, the quality of NC foes - home or away - has declined over the years as Maturi made the mandate that the Gophs have X minimum home NC games. The high end programs don't need to travel to get good opponents and they won't travel without a reciprocal agreement. I don't think the B1G is going to provide that much additional revenue to where the Gophs can afford to draw in big names without a return game gaurantee.

We are only talking 2-3 available home series after you factor in that we'll be playing some of the other MN schools on a yearly basis.

Then, factor in that the opening series is usual an easier matchup, like it is now, and we are now only talking 1-2 home series to fill.

It's not like we'll never play in North Dakota, Denver, Nebraska, etc.. again. And we wouldn't be able to schedule them all on a yearly basis anyways. There will be a pool of 5-6 non-conference opponents that we'll schedule at home every 2-3 years and visit every 4-6 years.

[SJHovey]

Re: 2013-2014 Minnesota Gophers Future Schedule and Beyond

With the $$ they'll pay teams to play at Mariucci, I don't think they will have any problems getting quality opponents to visit.

How much are they paying Sacred Heart?

Okay, I know, that was a cheap shot.

I think scheduling will be real interesting in a couple of years, and people are right when they say fans may end up being upset.

I am afraid this will be the approach many of the top programs will take. No matter how much money is thrown around I fear I'm likely to see a pretty steady stream of teams like Sacred Heart make their appearance at the home non-conference games.

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: 2013-2014 Minnesota Gophers Future Schedule and Beyond

We are only talking 2-3 available home series after you factor in that we'll be playing some of the other MN schools on a yearly basis.

Then, factor in that the opening series is usual an easier matchup, like it is now, and we are now only talking 1-2 home series to fill.

It's not like we'll never play in North Dakota, Denver, Nebraska, etc.. again. And we wouldn't be able to schedule them all on a yearly basis anyways. There will be a pool of 5-6 non-conference opponents that we'll schedule at home every 2-3 years and visit every 4-6 years.

Of the three you listed, perhaps Omaha. North Dakota isn't going to play unless it is a 2 for 2, and I just don't see Minnesota using their one road series on a flight to Denver. The next two years will be fun, but at least as far as the North Dakota - Minnesota rivalry is concerned, it is over after that. It's been on a downhill trend the last few years as it is, and I just don't see Minnesota willing to take an equal deal to continue the rivalry.