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July 11, 2011

Frederick: Can MSU be the best of the rest in new WCHA?

By Shane Frederick Free Press Staff Writer

— So why do you go to the Verizon Wireless Center for a Minnesota State men’s hockey game?

Is it in hopes of seeing a Mavericks win? Or is it to see a big-name opponent?

Both, of course!

But do you go to watch MSU players grow and develop from freshmen on the fourth line to upperclassmen on the power play? Are you invested in that team, no matter who’s on the schedule?

Or do you go to watch them play the Gophers or the Fighting Sioux while staying home when the Seawolves or the Beavers are in town?

These are the questions that fans will have to ask themselves as they ponder the future of college hockey in Mankato.

In 2013-14, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association will have a much different look than it has today.

Gone will be most of the league’s powers: Minnesota and Wisconsin to the Big Ten and North Dakota, Denver, Colorado College, Minnesota Duluth and Nebraska-Omaha to a yet-to-be-named “Super League.”

The Mavericks will continue their league rivalries with St. Cloud State and Bemidji State and will continue to play Michigan Tech and Alaska Anchorage. It seems likely that some remnants from the CCHA will also be in MSU’s league; there was a report Monday that Northern Michigan was already a done deal and Alaska (Fairbanks) was close.

Those schools don’t have the star power of those breaking away from the WCHA, and, at first blush, it seems like attendance at the Verizon Wireless Center is destined to go down.

But what if the new conference means that the Mavericks start winning more games? What if it means a better shot at league titles and national-tournament berths?

Over the last five years, the Mavericks have had a .277 winning percentage against teams that are forming the new league. Over that same span MSU has a .394 winning percentage against Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Meanwhile, Minnesota State has a 33-19-9 record against the WCHA leftovers, a percentage of .615.

Perhaps the Mavericks could be the best of the rest.

Bemidji State benefited from a similar situation in the College Hockey America conference. In 2009, the Beavers won that dying league’s tournament, got into the NCAAs and, after a Cinderella weekend, advanced to the Frozen Four.

Minnesota State has made one NCAA tournament in its 12 seasons in the WCHA (although it should have made a second).

Minnesota State athletic director Kevin Buisman said that perhaps the Mavericks would be able to continue to play the Super League and Big Ten teams in nonconference games. If they can get North Dakota and Minnesota in Mankato regularly that should boost attendance, as well as the Mavericks’ Pairwise ranking.

The breakup of the WCHA is a sad story and, ideally, the league would have been saved.

But the Super League will go public during a press conference on Wednesday, so there’s no turning back now.

Minnesota State simply will have to make the most of what remains.

Will you follow?



Shane Frederick is a Free Press staff writer. Read his blog Puckato.

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