LIU -D1 Hockey/ Saint Thomas to CCHA

[Millsy]

Milly: What’s up with their rink? It’s D3 standards as it seats less than 1000. Any plans for a new rink or playing elsewhere ?

St. Thomas will be okay. They currently play in a rink that they share with St. Thomas Academy High School and it is a very nice D-III arena. I have seen seating capacity anywhere from 800-1400, depending on who is giving the information. There are very deep pockets in the St. Thomas alumni network and the school has a very nice endowment. Their football team will be playing in the non-scholarship Pioneer League, so that will also free up funds for athletic upgrades.

I would bet they will have a new arena in the very short future. The issue will be where as St. Thomas is landlocked by neighborhoods in St. Paul. Worse comes to worse, they rent a local high school/city run arena in the Twin Cities area as there are several that would have enough seating to meet CCHA guidelines (which if they follow the current WCHA, that would be 2500).

[le]

Millsy. Thanks again for your college hockey insight on this forum. ..I wonder if Saint Tom’s would consider playing any league games at the NHL Wild facility , or their practice facility. Where is the Wild’s practice facility ?

[Millsy]

Millsy. Thanks again for your college hockey insight on this forum. ..I wonder if Saint Tom’s would consider playing any league games at the NHL Wild facility , or their practice facility. Where is the Wild’s practice facility ?

The Wild practice facility is in downtown St. Paul, about six blocks from the Xcel Center. TRIA Rink (a local orthopedics provider) is actually on the fifth (top) floor of the old Macy's department store in St. Paul. Very nice rink, my daughter has played a couple of games there. It also hosts the Minnesota Whitecaps of the National Women's Hockey League, and the Hamline Pipers of the D-III MIAC, which ironically is the conference that kicked out St. Thomas. I believe it also hosts some high school games and beer league games. It only seats 1800.

I hope to get there this winter for a game as one of our billets from last hockey season signed with Hamline and they will be hosting Wisconsin-Stout, the team our billet from the year before is playing for.

As for playing at the Wild rink, I don't see it. I have heard the rent is pretty high for using the Xcel Center. Maybe if they play the Goofers or North Dakota, something could be worked out, but otherwise I would guess no.

[le]

Good news, NHL Playoffs start today.

[le]

AIC and other schools are losing players to pro leagues. Not surprising .
https://www.uscho.com

[Millsy]

Alaska-Anchorage announces they are dropping men's hockey after this season:

https://goseawolves.com/news/2020/8/19/ ... UicJSgSQ3U

Fairbanks issued a statement that they are committed to men's hockey, but how long they can survive without a conference home will be the kicker.

[le]

It’s a sad day when college hockey loses a program due to budget constraints. Fairbanks will have to continue as an Indy program after the WCHA disbanded and formed the new CCHA. As for UAH, they will have to continue the Indy path after the upcoming season unless the AHA decides to bail them out. Both LIU and Navy would be higher priorities for AHA expansion IMO.

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/ ... opping.php

[Millsy]

It’s a sad day when college hockey loses a program due to budget constraints. Fairbanks will have to continue as an Indy program after the WCHA disbanded and formed the new CCHA. As for UAH, they will have to continue the Indy path after the upcoming season unless the AHA decides to bail them out. Both LIU and Navy would be higher priorities for AHA expansion IMO.

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/ ... opping.php

The writing has probably been on the wall for 5+ years. Alaska-Anchorage built the on campus Alaska Airlines Center, a 5,000 (?) seat arena for their D-II basketball teams, at a cost of $95 million. But the plans for an ice plant got axed. Then last year, the Seawolves moved from the City run Sullivan Arena, 6,000 seats, to the on campus Wells Fargo Student Center, seating between 750 and 1000. Every move the Alaska Board of Regents made now seems to have been setting up for this.

[le]

A new 5,000 seat arena for a D2 basketball venue? I agree, a total misappropriation of funds while the hockey program was struggling ... Millsy, what do you think the probability is of the AHA extending an invite to UAH?

[Millsy]

A new 5,000 seat arena for a D2 basketball venue? I agree, a total misappropriation of funds while the hockey program was struggling ... Millsy, what do you think the probability is of the AHA extending an invite to UAH?

I don't think the chances are good. UAH is out of the AHA footprint, and unless they were going to offer some sort of subsidy, they don't stand much of a chance.

Air Force is unique even though it is out of the footprint as well. Air Force brings some name recognition with it being a military school, much like Army. And at the time Air Force joined Atlantic Hockey, the AHA was looking for stability and some name recognition. Alabama-Huntsville doesn't bring that unless you are a dire hard college hockey fan.