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Championships Cabinet Confirms Regional Site Choices

By Mike Machnik
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The NCAA Championships and Competition Cabinet has approved the choices of the Men’s Division I Ice Hockey Committee to have Providence, R.I. and Minneapolis, Minn. host NCAA regionals in 2003.

“We selected cities that have a tradition of hosting successful events,” said Jack McDonald, outgoing committee chairman and Quinnipiac athletic director. “We are very excited and know they will do a great job.”

The announcement comes as the Division I tournament expands in 2003 from 12 to 16 teams, the first time expansion has occurred since 1988. Four regionals will be held, with each consisting of a two-day, four-team event. Regional semifinals will be held on the first day with the winners meeting the following day for the right to advance to the Frozen Four, which will be held April 10-12 in Buffalo, N.Y. at HSBC Arena.

Dates for the regionals have also been announced. The East Regional in Providence will take place on Sat.-Sun., March 29-30, 2003, in the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. Formerly known as the Providence Civic Center, the arena was also the site of the 2000 NCAA Championship, won by North Dakota. Providence College will serve as the host institution.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities will host the West Regional on campus at Mariucci Arena on Fri.-Sat., March 28-29, 2003.

The two new sites join Worcester, Mass. (Northeast; March 28-29) and Ann Arbor, Mich. (Midwest; March 29-30) as regional choices for the first year of the expanded tournament.

Ticket information and game times will be announced at a later date. The Frozen Four in Buffalo has already been sold out.

The Championships and Competitions Cabinet also approved two additional regional site selections for the 2004 tournament. Manchester, N.H.’s Verizon Wireless Arena will be the site of the Northeast Regional on Fri.-Sat., March 26-27, 2004. The University of New Hampshire is the host.

The Midwest Regional will be held at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Sat.-Sun., March 27-28, 2004, hosted by Western Michigan University.

Also hosting regionals in 2004 are Albany, N.Y.’s Pepsi Arena (East; hosts ECAC and Rensselaer) on March 27-28 and Colorado Springs, Colo.’s World Arena (West; host Colorado College) on March 26-27. The Frozen Four will be held on April 10-12, 2004 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Mass.

Among the other changes for 2003, the committee recommended an automatic bid for the six-team College Hockey America, bringing the total number of automatic bids for the expanded tournament to six. Ten at-large teams will be chosen, the most ever.

Division III Committee Recommends Single-Elimination Tourney Format

USCHO Staff Report
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Under a recommendation made recently by the NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Committee, all rounds in the national tournament would be single-elimination.

That would reduce the quarterfinals from the current format of two games plus a possible mini-game, to one winner-take-all game.

The committee also forwarded three recommendations to the Division III Championships Committee dealing with brackets. The tournament now includes nine teams, which means a preliminary game is required to set the eight teams for the quarterfinals.

The men’s committee says each recommendation would place the preliminary game in the East.

The news release does not indicate if a Western team would be flown east should an odd number of Western teams be selected.

This year, six Eastern teams and three from the West made the tournament. Operating under a strict policy of playing within regions, the play-in game was held in the West. Wisconsin-Superior defeated St. Thomas 2-1, then went on to win the national championship.

According to the NCAA, the committee noted that the two teams playing in the preliminary-round game have one opportunity to advance, while the quarterfinalists have two. The group also noted that the current structure creates a feeling that the “play-in” game is not as important as the rest of the tournament.

Additionally, the committee noted that a single-elimination format would result in fewer days of missed class. The teams would be participating in one game on a Saturday, as opposed to the current Friday-Saturday format.

The proposed brackets, which weren’t made public, allow for both the East and West regions to have two teams advance to the semifinals. The only time this would not be the case is when only two teams from the West qualify for the championship. The committee believes it is important for the West region to have the opportunity to host the championship as well.

These recommendations will be discussed at the next Division III Championships Committee meeting later this year.

The committee recommended Bob Emery of Plattsburgh State as chair, replacing Dan Harris of the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

The women’s committee recommended automatic qualification spots for the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association, the New England Small College Athletic Conference, and the Eastern College Athletic Conference East and West leagues. That would give automatic qualification to every Division III women’s hockey conference.

Earlier this year, the committee had to pick between Elmira and Wisconsin-Stevens Point for the only Pool B at-large bid. Each team had only one loss after the regular season and the conference tournament. Elmira was selected and won the first Division III national championship, while Stevens Point, which finished 26-1, stayed home.

Committee Submits Regional Picks, Makes Tournament Selection Changes

By Mike Machnik
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[nl]Providence, R.I. and Minneapolis, Minn. have been chosen as sites for the expanded 2003 NCAA Division I men’s regionals, according to the official recommendation report filed by the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee following its meeting in San Francisco earlier this month. They join Worcester and Ann Arbor, which were previously announced.

The four resultant regionals will be known as the East ([nl]Providence), West (Minneapolis), Northeast (Worcester) and Midwest (Ann Arbor).

The recommendation still needs final approval of the NCAA’s Championships and Competition Cabinet, which concludes its quarterly meetings today, and is expected to approve the recommendations.

The report also confirmed the committee’s intention to change a number of the selection criteria for the NCAA tournament.

  • “Teams under consideration” have been redefined as teams at or above .500 in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), rather than teams at or above .500 in won-loss percentage.
  • The criteria for record over the last 16 games was removed from the process entirely.
  • The weightings for the RPI were changed from 35-50-15 to 25-50-25, identical to all other Division I sports. (25 percent team’s winning percentage, 50 percent opponent’s winning percentage, 25 percent opponent’s opponent’s winning percentage)

    • As reported earlier by USCHO, the committee discussed these possible changes during their San Francisco meeting, but at the time, still had not finalized which recommendation it would send to the Cabinet.

    The committee also formalized its recommendation to grant an automatic qualifier for College Hockey America in 2003, and its reprimand of Maine defenseman Peter Metcalf for comments in the press conference following the Black Bears’ loss in the NCAA championship game.

    [nl]Providence’s arena, the Dunkin Donuts Center — formerly known as the [nl]Providence Civic Center — was site of the 2000 NCAA Division I Men’s Championship. The regional will be hosted by Providence College. Boston University is host of the Northeast Regional in Worcester.

    The University of Minnesota is the host school for the 2003 West Regional, which will be played at the on-campus Mariucci Arena. The newly-named Midwest Regional will be hosted by Michigan, on campus in Ann Arbor at Yost Ice Arena.

    The committee also selected Manchester, N.H. (Northeast) and Grand Rapids, Mich. (Midwest) as regional sites for 2004. The University of New Hampshire will serve as host institution for Manchester at the Verizon Wireless Arena, while Western Michigan is the host school for Grand Rapids at Van Andel Arena. The other two previously announced regional sites for 2004 are Albany, N.Y. (East) and Colorado Springs, Colo. (West).

    In its report to the Championship Cabinet, the men’s ice hockey committee presented a guaranteed revenue figure for the four regionals of over $1.2 million dollars: Providence ($331,425); Minneapolis ($414,037); Manchester ($275,625); and Grand Rapids ($277,312).

    Other Eastern sites that submitted bids for either or both of the next two years were: Lake Placid, N.Y. ($230,850); Rochester, N.Y. ($308,319); Bridgeport, Conn. ($332,344); and [nl]Amherst, Mass. ($191,040). Western sites also submitting bids were: Green Bay, Wis. ($119,750); Grand Forks, N.D. ($232,631); [nl]Denver, Colo. ($257,255); [nl]St. Cloud, Minn. ($135,000); Madison, Wis. ($173,212); and Omaha, Neb. ($115,008).

    In addition to the reprimand of Metcalf — which consists of withholding from Maine its reimbursement for Metcalf’s per diem expenses during the Frozen Four — the committee also issued a letter of private reprimand to a student-athlete for inadvertently flipping a puck into the stands during a preliminary-round game. The student-athlete and his school were not named.

    Finally, the committee voted to award Minnesota ($160,262.77) and Boston University ($34,686.40) their full 10 percent honorariums for serving as hosts for the 2002 Frozen Four and the East Regional, respectively. Michigan, which hosted the West Regional, had its honorarium reduced from an original 15 percent (for hosting on campus) to 10 percent due to crowd control issues and then was docked another 25 percent for submitting its financial report late. The school was awarded an honorarium of $20,615.25, rather than $30,923.30.

    Leopold Named Big Ten Male Athlete of Year

    USCHO Staff Report
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    After no hockey players won the honor in its first 19 years, Minnesota defenseman Jordan Leopold became the second straight to capture the Jesse Owens Award as The Big Ten Conference’s Male Athlete of the Year.

    Leopold, the 2002 Hobey Baker Award winner as college hockey’s top player, follows Michigan State goalie Ryan Miller, who earned the double honor last season.

    Christie Welsh, a soccer player from Penn State, received the Suzy Favor Female Athlete of the Year Award.

    Leopold led the Golden Gophers to the NCAA Championship in April, and graduated as a two-time All-American. He ended his career as the all-time leading goal scorer among defenseman in school history. In May, he was a member of the U.S. National Team which competed at the World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden.

    Leopold recently signed a two-year deal with the NHL’s Calgary Flames.

    NHL Draft 2002: Surprises All Around

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    Sometimes in life, expectations are simply too high. When I found out that I was traveling to Toronto for the NHL Draft — the hotbed and home of hockey — I know exactly what happened to my expectations: they went as high as a collegian ranked near the top of the Central Scouting Service rankings.

    So as the hour of 1 p.m. rolled around and a quick twist of the head saw a half-empty Air Canada Centre, disappointment was suddenly in store. Remembering past drafts in Boston in 1999 and Quebec in 1993, I remember packed houses. I remember that in Boston, tickets to the event were free — yet “sold out” in the matter of a day at the FleetCenter.

    So to think that barely half the seats in the Mecca of professional hockey were full was a bit of a let down.

    Thankfully, though, within minutes my disappointment was forgotten.

    The show that is the draft is exactly that: A well-choreographed, movie-like production. Sure there are lulls between picks that on TV look transparent when covered by highlight reels and interviews. But being in attendance certainly doesn’t disappoint.

    Heck, after NHL Vice President Jim Gregory read off the roll call of teams to alternations of cheers and jeers, the first speaker of the day, Toronto Maple Leaf President Ken Dryden was enough of a highlight for me. I remember watching Dryden play as a kid, and as a college hockey fan, Dryden’s contribution at Cornell makes it impossible not to edify him.

    Jay Bouwmeester was the consensus No. 1 pick, until a trade threw the NHL Draft into turmoil. Bouwmeester was eventually selected third by Florida.

    Jay Bouwmeester was the consensus No. 1 pick, until a trade threw the NHL Draft into turmoil. Bouwmeester was eventually selected third by Florida.

    Dryden was replaced at the microphone by “the Commish” — NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman — who walked onto the stage to a chorus of “boos” similar to his entrance wherever he goes. But those boos were quickly replaced by rousing applause when it was announced that the draft was dedicated to ex-BU Terrier Mark Bavis and Ace Bailey — now well-known as the two Los Angeles Kings scouts killed aboard one of the two flights that crashed into the Twin Towers on September 11th. Having grown up in the same town as Bavis and remembering well the nights that Bailey would visit the building when I worked in the American Hockey League in New Haven, it was hard not to get choked up.

    But the emotions subsided and the draft opened the way everyone would want — with pandemonium. Before a pick was made, the Florida Panthers swapped the No. 1 overall pick with Columbus — holder of the No. 3 selection for the right to also swap for the Blue Jackets’ first-round pick next year. The rumbling began and within seconds was enough to shake the building.

    As Columbus arrived at the stage and announced the pick, the gasp went through the media platform — Central Scouting’s No. 1-ranked player, Jay Bouwmeester, was overlooked in favor of second-ranked Rick Nash from London. God bless trades — they make draft day fun.

    “It was amazing,” said Nash, who is the first No. 1 overall pick from the OHL since Boston chose Joe Thornton in 1997. “I was sitting there, just thinking about Bouwmeester going first to Florida, and next thing you hear, ‘There’s been a trade.’ My stomach sort of went and I didn’t know for sure [that I’d be number one]. It was like going on a big roller coaster.”

    The roller coaster, though, might have been what Bouwmeester had in his mind. Two minutes after Nash’s name was called, Kari Lehtonen, a goaltender from Finland, provided the draft’s second upset, as the Atlanta Thrashers picked him second overall. Finally as the third pick came, the Florida Panthers still had their man in Bouwmeester and truly all was well again in the hockey world.

    For a college hockey junkie like myself, certainly all was well when BU’s Ryan Whitney was picked, as predicted, fifth by the Pittsburgh Penguins. And as the afternoon slowly wore on, and three more collegians were selected in the top 15 (Eric Nystrom at 10, Keith Ballard at 11 and Chris Higgins at 14), certainly college hockey had again made its statement at the NHL Draft.

    The biggest surprise in all of that was seeing Minnesota’s Ballard cap off a banner year as the No. 11 selection overall — far above his CSS ranking of 17, which, when you factor in the international players and goaltenders, means you’re expected to fall to the second round.

    It was also nice to see Higgins’ family react in the stands just off to my left. So many people worried his stock had dropped as the year wore on. But Higgins held tough and became yet another American college player (similar to Lowell’s Ron Hainsey) to be drafted by Montreal.

    As pick after pick was announced, truly the glamour of the day wears a bit. The stands begin to empty, the applause for each name grows less and less. But the story of the emotions of players never dies. There is the excitement of the first-rounder like Higgins, but there’s also the disappointment of the players who remain in the stands all day to never hear their names. As Nash said, it’s a roller coaster indeed.

    But, when summing up the day, maybe it was Bouwmeester who, in describing his anxiety, said it best: “I think everyone was [surprised], but there’s nothing you can do about it. You just watch how it unfolds and that’s all part of the excitement, I guess.”

    I guess so, too.

    Nystrom Follows Father’s Footsteps Via Different Path

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    Every son wants to follow his father’s footsteps. And on Saturday, Michigan’s Eric Nystrom took that first step. As the 10th pick by the Calgary Flames in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, Nystrom is now officially on his way to becoming the second generation of Nystroms in the NHL, following his father and legendary New York Islander Bob Nystrom.

    “I’m definitely following in his footsteps,” said a jubilant younger Nystrom. “He started out in Calgary, so it’s nice to go back and see where he started playing his junior hockey.”

    Nystrom’s road to today’s draft, though, already is a bit different from the elder. Unlike his father who used junior hockey for his stepping stone to the NHL, Eric chose college hockey, something that years ago was an unheard of concept.

    Nystrom is among the players joining what has become the hockey trend, especially among sons of NHL players: forego the once automatic step of major junior hockey in favor of hitting the books and getting a college education while cultivating their hockey skills.

    “When we made the decision [for Eric to attend Michigan], I felt it was important to get a good education,” said Bob Nystrom, who has been in the business world on Long Island, N.Y., for 16 years since finishing his career with the Isles. “I was one of the fortunate players who made it in the pros and had a long career, but I saw so many guys not make [the NHL] and have nothing to fall back on.

    “While we’re thrilled that Eric is up for the draft, you don’t know how things will pan out. We realized there’s a long life after hockey and the education [at Michigan] will bode well for him.”

    The younger Nystrom agrees.

    Michigan's Eric Nystrom saw his draft stock soar, and was taken 10th overall by Calgary. (photo by Jim Connelly)

    Michigan’s Eric Nystrom saw his draft stock soar, and was taken 10th overall by Calgary. (photo by Jim Connelly)

    “I was leaning towards college hockey from the start,” said Eric Nystrom, who scored 24 points in 32 games this year for Michigan earning him a spot on the CCHA All-Rookie team. “Today guys are in the NHL for about five years, and you want to have something to fall back on [once your career ends]. To have a degree from the University of Michigan is second to none and not everyone has the opportunity to get that.”

    The formidable question that one would ask, though, is the playing opportunity the same at the major junior level as it is in college. The mass exodus to the college game would suggest that it is, but ex-NHLers like Nystrom provide a more solid benchmark to answer the question.

    “I think that the speed of college hockey is incredible,” said Bob Nystrom. “When I first watched the game, I thought that after the first 10 minutes of a game it would slow down but it never does.

    “The low number of games (colleges play on average about 35 games as opposed to the 60-plus game schedule of junior hockey) allows the players time to better condition themselves.”

    Eric agrees with his father’s thoughts and lower number of games as a deciding factor in going the college route.

    “I gave major junior a thought, but where I was at my development of hockey, I thought that the practice-to-game ratio of college allowed me the ability to improve,” said Nystrom. “That swayed me more toward the college.”

    Nystrom’s story is not unique. One-time first-round Montreal Canadiens draft pick Chuck Arnason watched his son Tyler head to St. Cloud State for a successful college career. Fifteen-year NHL veteran Ryan Walter will see his son Ben head to UMass-Lowell next season. And even the great Peter Stastny, who began his playing days in then-Czechoslovakia, watched his son go the college route, matriculating last season at Notre Dame under NHL vet Dave Poulin. Notre Dame, in recent years, has landed the son of another ex-Islander, Brett Henning, son of Lorne; and Connor Dunlop, son of NHL-vet Blake. Recent NHL Hall of Fame inductee Bernie Federko saw his son Jordy attend Union.

    Though name dropping players like these is a nice feather in the cap of college hockey, a truer test comes each year on draft day. In the early ’90s, draft trends became a bit disturbing to the college hockey world, as the influx of European players into the draft saw the number of college-eligible players drafted decrease dramatically. In 1995, that number hit an all-time low — only five college hockey players were drafted, compared to the all-time high of 73 back in the 1978 Entry Draft.

    But the last seven years has seen college hockey rebound, with a minimum of 24 players drafted each season. In 2000, college hockey found its glory when Boston University’s Rick DiPietro and Wisconsin’s Dany Heatley were selected one-two respectively to open the draft. Before the first round ended, seven of the 30 selections were U.S. college hockey players, and by round five that number grew to 38. Indeed, college hockey had made its statement.

    This year, too, things were bright on the draft stage. Four of the top 14 picks came from the college ranks, with BU’s Ryan Whitney the highest of them checking it at fifth overall. Stunning picks like Minnesota’s Keith Ballard in the 11th slot and Yale’s Chris Higgins in the 14th certainly opened plenty of eyes at the Air Canada Centre.

    Now, though, the challenge the college game will face is retention. The lucrative salaries that first-round draft picks can command is often enough to pull these young players from the college game. But indications in Toronto on Saturday were positive.

    Most of the first-round players definitively stated their intent on returning to college next year, something Nystrom has contended for a while.

    “Development is so important and you don’t want to get rushed into things,” said Nystrom. “When the opportunity presents itself and the time is right, then maybe it’s time to move on, but for now it looks like Michigan is the best bet.”

    All of this can lead one to believe that the next generation of college hockey players will have a better chance to truly follow in their father’s footsteps — taking the leap to the NHL by way of college hockey.

    Whitney Among 6 College Players Taken in First Round

    By
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    In what was dubbed a weak year in prospects for the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, college hockey took advantage, sending four of its players to the top 14 picks on the draft board, and a total of 14 college or college-bound players in the first two rounds.

    At the top of the list, in no surprise to anyone, was Boston University’s Ryan Whitney. Ranked No. 3 by the NHL Central Scouting Service (CSS) among North American forwards and defensemen, Whitney was selected with the fifth overall pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

    BU defenseman Ryan Whitney was surprised he went to Pittsburgh, but no one was surprised he was the first collegian taken.

    BU defenseman Ryan Whitney was surprised he went to Pittsburgh, but no one was surprised he was the first collegian taken.

    Whitney, who spent the week meeting with many of the NHL clubs interested in him, said he was a bit surprised by the pick.

    “I didn’t even know [Pittsburgh was interested] until the pick happened,” said Whitney, who follows Rick DiPietro, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft in 2000 as BU’s top-five pick in three years. “I interviewed with them on Thursday, so I knew they were interested, but I didn’t really know until a few minutes ago.”

    Most exciting to Whitney now, though, is the prospect of sharing the ice with the legendary Mario Lemieux this year in Pittsburgh training camp.

    “It’s pretty unbelievable, just to get to meet [Lemieux], never mind being on the same ice as him,” said Whitney. “It’s pretty special.”

    In what was a crazy first round, highlighted by Florida swapping the top pick in the draft to Columbus and immediately changing the opening-round landscape, collegians watched their stock soar.

    The Calgary Flames, at the 10th position, selected Michigan’s Eric Nystrom, son of the legendary New York Islander Bob Nystrom. Ranked 13th by CSS, Nystrom was predicted to be a possible mid-rounder and was excited to register in the top 10.

    “This is definitely the big day,” said Nystrom. “Two years ago I would have told you that I had no idea I would even get drafted.

    “To crack the top 10 is unbelievable and it definitely tops my charts now. I hope there’s more excitement to come.”

    Nystrom hopes to fit into the Calgary organization, knowing that the club is looking for goal scoring and his talents would seem to fit the bill.

    “I’d like to contribute any way I can,” Nystrom said. “Whether it’s a scoring role, checking role or whatever I have to do, it’s going to be interesting to see where I fit in. Calgary is a good, young team that plays with an edge and I think I can fit in well there.”

    One pick later came possibly the biggest surprise of the first round when Buffalo selected Keith Ballard from the defending national champion Minnesota Golden Gophers. Ballard was rated 19th by CSS and himself admitted that he thought he’d go, “between 20 and 30 or even 20 and 40.

    Minnesota's Keith Ballard was a surprise top 15 selection, going 11th overall to the Buffalo Sabres. (photos by Jim Connelly)

    Minnesota’s Keith Ballard was a surprise top 15 selection, going 11th overall to the Buffalo Sabres. (photos by Jim Connelly)

    “I was sitting in my seat eating popcorn. When my name was called it was a huge surprise to me,” he said.

    Three picks later, in the 14th spot, the Montreal Canadians selected Yale’s Chris Higgins. Though ranked ninth by CSS, many thought Higgins’ stock dropped a bit and teams like Carolina in the 25th position and Boston in the 29th had their eyes on him. But Higgins and the Canadiens proved otherwise.

    “I actually grew up a Canadiens fan,” admitted Higgins, who was hails from Smithtown, N.Y. “My dad started me watching them when I first got into college, and I grew up following them pretty religiously.”

    Higgins’ stock soared after he was labeled Team USA’s best player during the 2001-02 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic. He becomes just the third ECAC player in history to be selected in the first round, and first since Harvard’s Chris Biotti in 1986.

    All four players are now faced with the toughest decision — whether or not to return to the college game or make the leap to professional hockey, likely signing a lucrative contract. Whitney, Nystrom and Ballard all vowed to return to college for the 2002-03 season, while Higgins wouldn’t make any such commitment.

    “I’m not sure at the point [whether I’ll return to Yale],” said Higgins. “Whatever the team tells me, I’ll definitely take into consideration and make the decision after that.”

    Yale's Chris Higgins became the first ECAC player taken in the first round in 16 years when he was selected 14th by Montreal.

    Yale’s Chris Higgins became the first ECAC player taken in the first round in 16 years when he was selected 14th by Montreal.

    Whitney, Nystrom and Ballard all denied being developed sufficiently to take the immediate step to the NHL.

    “Right now I’m going back to BU,” said Whitney. “I don’t think I’m ready yet but I’m not sure. I enjoy school a lot there, and I have a lot of friends there and my family, so it’s a pretty easy decision.”

    Ballard echoed those sentiments.

    “As of right now, I’m happy in school, but I’ve got three years down the road to think about that,” said Ballard. “I guess when the time comes, I know I’ll be ready. Whether the club is ready, that’s up to them, I guess.”

    Ballard did, though, admit that the upcoming Frozen Four, slated for Buffalo next April, would be an excellent stepping stone to the Sabres.

    “The NCAA tournament being in Buffalo is something to focus on,” said Ballard. “Just being drafted by Buffalo, being that it is in Buffalo makes it that much better.”

    The final pick of the first round yielded the final collegian — Michigan State’s Jim Slater selected by Atlanta — for a total of five first-round selections. Incoming Northeastern recruit Mike Morris was taken No. 27 by San Jose, raising the total to six college or college-bound players. That’s one short of the seven turned out two years ago in what many considered one of the best drafts for college hockey, when BU’s Rick DiPietro was selected No. 1 and 2002 NHL Rookie of the Year, Dany Heatley of Wisconsin, was taken No. 2.

    Cornell’s David LeNeveu was the first college goaltender taken in the draft, going in the second round (No. 46 overall) to Phoenix.

    Some players saw their stock drop, including Slater, who was ranked 11th by Central Scouting but went 30th overall. Likewise, Minnesota’s Barry Tallackson (17) was taken in the second round, No. 53 overall, by New Jersey, and Notre Dame’s Rob Globke (14) was selected No. 40 by Florida.

    The biggest jumps in the draft so far were Morris, ranked 57th by CSS, going No. 27, and Michigan State’s Duncan Keith (94), going No. 54 overall to Chicago. The biggest surprise, however, was Gophers right wing Michael Erickson, not even on the CSS board, going No. 72 overall to the hometown Minnesota Wild.

    Rounds four through nine will take place on Sunday.

    Hockey East 2002 All-Academic Team

    USCHO Staff Report
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    Boston College (5)
    Ales Dolinar**
    Ben Eaves**
    Jeff Giuliano***
    Tim Kelleher
    A.J. Walker***

    Maine (4)
    Todd Jackson**
    Martin Kariya***
    Gray Shaneberger***
    Matt Yeats**

    Massachusetts (8)
    Samuli Jalkanen***
    Mike Johnson***
    Darcy King**
    Nick Kuiper**
    Jeff Lang
    Toni Soderholm+
    Peter Trovato
    J.R. Zavisza**

    Massachusetts-Lowell (2)
    Laurent Meunier**
    Niklas Storm

    Merrimack (5)
    Joe Exter
    Lou Eyster**
    Brad Mills
    Lucas Smith***
    Jason Wolfe**

    New Hampshire (3)
    David Busch+
    Ed Caron
    Tim Collins**

    Northeastern (13)
    Jon Awe
    Jack Celata
    Arik Engbrecht+
    Jim Fahey
    Don Grover
    Jaron Herriman
    Willie Levesque**
    Chris Lynch***
    Joe Mancuso
    Joe Mastronardi**
    Jared Mudryk
    Eric Ortlip
    Brian Sullivan

    Providence (3)
    Jon DiSalvatore
    Devin Rask
    Nolan Schaefer

    + Indicates Distinguished Scholar.
    *** Indicates three-time honoree.
    ** Indicates two-time honoree.

    Top-rated College Prospects

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    A list of the top college prospects in this weekend’s NHL Draft in Toronto, and the Central Scouting Service’s report for each player.

    RYAN WHITNEY

    CSS Mid-season ranking: 4th
    CSS Final ranking: 3rd
    BOSTON UNIVERSITY
    6-3 1/2, 202 lbs.
    Defense, Shoots Left
    Born: February 19, 1983

    Ryan is a very strong skater with a long, smooth stride … has exceptional lateral mobility … possesses excellent passing and puck-handling skills … is very confident with the puck and has the ability to lead the offensive rush … has a low, hard shot from the point … an intelligent player with impressive hockey sense … anticipates the play very well and is very strong in one-on-one situations … has the ability to control the tempo of the game … has impressive strength and plays an aggressive game … an effective stick checker, utilizing his long reach … very strong along the boards and in front of the net … plays a very good positional game and can dominate the defensive zone … a tough competitor and consistent player.

    CHRISTOPHER HIGGINS

    CSS Mid-season ranking: 17th
    CSS Final ranking: 9th
    YALE UNIVERSITY
    5-11, 192 lbs.
    Center, Shoots Left
    Born: June 2, 1983

    A very good skater with a long smooth stride … impressive acceleration and can carry the puck at top-end speed … an intelligent player and creative playmaker … has very good hockey sense and sees the ice well … a confident and cool player who works well in pressure situations … has an excellent shot with a quick release … possesses strong puck-handling and passing skills … a natural scorer who displays good patience with the puck … a good competitor and a team leader … plays with an aggressive edge and is strong along the boards and in the corners … can deliver the big body check … will sacrifice himself to make the play.

    JIM SLATER

    CSS Mid-season ranking: 7th
    CSS Final ranking: 11th
    MICHIGAN STATE
    6-0, 190 lbs.
    Center, Shoots Left
    Born: December 9, 1982

    A very good skater with tremendous acceleration and impressive breakaway speed … is well-balanced and hard to knock off the puck … has good hockey sense and anticipates the play well … has a powerful and accurate shot … an effective two-way player who plays a solid positional game … has the ability to score the big goal … an abrasive player who thrives in a physical game … a tenacious forechecker who is very aggressive around the opposition’s net … a punishing body checker … a highly motivated player and an honest worker.

    ERIC NYSTROM

    CSS Mid-season ranking: 11th
    CSS Final ranking: 13th
    UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    6′ 1″, 195 lbs.
    Left Wing, Shoots Left
    Born: February 14, 1983

    A good skater with a smooth powerful stride … is strong on his skates and is hard to knock off his skates … has a hard wrist shot with a quick release … has a good scoring touch … a smart player with solid passing skills … a very good two-way player who knows his responsibilities and plays a sound positional game … effective in power play and penalty kill situations … an intelligent player with good hockey sense … plays aggressively along the boards and in the corners … stands his ground in front of the opposition’s net and will sacrifice himself to make the play … a reliable player and a tenacious forechecker.

    ROB GLOBKE

    CSS Mid-season ranking: 8th
    CSS Final ranking: 14th
    UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
    6-2, 200 lbs.
    Center, Shoots Right
    Born: October 24, 1982

    A powerful skater with great acceleration … possesses natural scoring instincts … has an accurate shot with a quick release … has good puck-handling and passing skills … very effective on the power play and has the ability to make the big play … very good in one-on-one situations … has a good physical presence on the ice … has the ability to dominate and control the play when he takes advantage of his physical strength and size.

    BARRY TALLACKSON

    CSS Mid-season ranking: 27th
    CSS Final ranking: 17th
    UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA (WCHA)
    6-4, 196 lbs.
    Right Wing, Shoots Right
    Born: April 14, 1983

    Barry is a very strong skater with good speed and mobility for a player his size … has a hard wrist shot with a quick release and good scoring instincts … a tough player who is very effective in the corners and in front of the net … a power forward who drives hard to the net … a punishing body checker … is used in power play and penalty killing situations … needs to improve his consistency.

    KEITH BALLARD

    CSS Mid-season ranking: 19th
    CSS Final ranking: 19th
    UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA (WCHA)
    5-11, 196 lbs.
    Defense, Shoots Left
    Born: November 26, 1982

    A well-balanced and agile skater with good speed … has strong puck-handling skills and likes to join the offensive attack … an excellent passer who sees the ice very well … has a good quick wrist shot and a heavy slap shot from the point … a gritty player and authoritative body checker … a tough competitor who plays an aggressive game … is very effective on the special teams … a very reliable player who is used in crucial situations … good at blocking shots and will sacrifice himself to make the play.

    Whitney Set to Be High Pick at NHL Draft

    By
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    Though it may not receive the attention and the 24-hour media coverage of counterparts in football and basketball, the NHL Entry Draft is still a sports spectacle. Though broadcast in the U.S. as only a minor aside, it surprises no one that across the border in Canada, draft day is a major sports happening.

    So as the NHL Draft returns across the border, this time to the Leafs capital of Toronto, no doubt all Canadian eyes will be watching.

    At home, though, on the U.S. side, still plenty of eyes will glue to the televisions, particularly in the greater Boston area. That’s because Scituate, Mass., native and current Boston University Terrier Ryan Whitney is predicted to be the top American-born player in this year’s draft.

    Whitney will lead a cast of collegiate players ear-marked for NHL greatness
    — or at least a high pick in the draft.

    Whitney’s high marks from the NHL Central Scouting Service (CSS) come just two years after Terrier goaltender Rick DePietro opted-in to the draft and was selected as the No. 1 draft choice overall by the New York Islanders. That year, because DePietro had opted-in (i.e. entered the draft as an 18-year old which forfeits your NCAA eligibility), his career at BU was over.

    So in addition to keeping glued to the television this weekend, Terrier faithful will have to keep a close watch on Whitney as to what his future will be.

    The trend in such cases has been a bit clearer over the past couple of years: Become a high draft selection, return to college for a year or two to mature, and then depart, still early, for the NHL. Players like Wisconsin’s Dany Heatley and Massachusetts-Lowell’s Ron Hainsey followed this blue print.

    Yet there are others, such as Boston College’s Chuck Kobesew, who decide to do their maturing outside of the college arena. Kobesew departed then-defending national champion Boston College last year to return to junior hockey after being selected in the first round (14th overall) by the Calgary Flames).

    Likely, though, Whitney won’t be the only collegian faced with the decision to take the step to the NHL. It’s quite possble that other U.S. college players will hear their names called in the first round. Nine (including incoming) college players rank in the top 25 among North American-born forwards and defensemen, up from six last season, making it likely that as many as four or five prospects may find first-round jubilation.

    Taking a look at the ratings, Yale’s Chris Higgins follows Whitney, landing ninth among North American forwards and defensemen. Though a little small by NHL standards at 5 feet, 11 inches, Higgins is known by scouts for his excellent skating ability. In his freshman campaign with the Bulldogs, Higgins posted 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) in 25 games, and opened eyes with his standout performance in last year’s World Junior Championships.

    Higgins might have been hurt a bit by his team’s inability to advance in the postseason, taking away the valuable opportunity to play in Lake Placid, N.Y., in front of a house of NHL scouts.

    Following Higgins is Michigan State’s Jim Slater. Scouts like this 6-foot, 190-pound center for his tenacious physical play. Similar to Higgins, Slater, too, is known for his skating ability and speed.

    In-state rival Eric Nystrom from Michigan follows Higgins in the No. 13 spot. Son of the legendary New York Islander Bob Nystrom, Eric will follow in his father’s footsteps on Saturday as a top NHL prospect. After Whtiney, Nystrom could be the next college player selected because scouts really like his physical game combined with his 6-1 frame. The Wolverines ability to advance in the post-season may help Nystrom’s stock value and could even bring him as high as a top-ten pick.

    Staying in the CCHA, Notre Dame’s Rob Globke ranks in the next spot at No. 14. His stock dropped a bit from a mid-season ranking of eighth. But you can still expect this 6-2 forward to remain a first or early-second-round pick due to his natural scoring ability. This year for the Irish, Globke scored 11 goals and 11 assists in just 29 games.

    Two players from the national champion Minnesota Golden Gophers appear next among collegians. Right wing Barry Tallackson and defenseman Keith Ballard are ranked 17 and 19 respectively by the CSS. Tallackson’s scoring touched might be the reason why his stock soared in the second half of the season. He moved 10 rungs on the CSS ladder between the mid-season and final rankings. Ballard is the second-ranked collegiate defenseman behind Whitney and is a scout favorite for his ability to move the puck to the forwards and score on the power play. In fact, one of Ballard’s most important career tallies came this year on the power play — the opening goal in the 4-3 overtime victory over Maine that captured the national championship.

    Ranking No. 22 is the only incoming freshman in the top 25, Denver’s Brett Skinner. This 6-1, 170-pound defensman may need to bulk up to contend in the NHL, but his offensive skills have grabbed scouts’ attention to this point. Skinner has risen from 29th in the mid-season rankings to his current No. 22 slot. Last season in Des Moines, Skinner scored 47 points (9-38) in 44 games.

    Rounding out college players in the top 25 is North Dakota’s Matt Jones occupying the 25th spot. The 6-0, 214-pound defensman caught the scouts’ eyes in 2000 when he was named best defenseman at the under-18 Four Nations Tournament. Jones is noted as a fluid skater, but what will really make the difference is his ability to play physical. Similar to Tallackson, Jones jumped 10 spots in the final rankings from the 35th spot in the mid-season report.

    On a separate ranking is one more notable college player; Cornell’s David Leneveu is the top-rated college goaltender, checking in at No. 6 on the CSS list of North American goaltenders. Likely, his stock value won’t break him into the first round, but a second- or third-round prospect isn’t too far off.

    HANDICAPPING THE FIELD

    Now that we’ve told you “who” according to the CSS, it’s time to take our crack at the players we think are most likely to be top collegiate selections.

    The CSS system certainly has its merit, but it’s the farthest thing from an exact science because there truly are four sets of rankings: two for North American-born forwards/defenseman and goaltenders, and two for the European equivalent.

    And with the European dominance of early rounds in recent drafts, the North American rankings really have to be weighted a bit.

    Of the nine players ranked in the top 25, four are likely to hear their names called in round one (and reap the reward of the first-round paycheck that accompanies): Whitney, Nystrom, Slater and Higgins. Minnesota’s Tallackson, whose stock is on a definite upswing, could squeak into the first round. But Ballard, Globke and Jones are all likely to be second-rounders.

    If Higgins does crack the first round, he’ll be the first ECAC player to do so since Harvard’s Chris Biotti in 1986.

    For the second year in a row, the NHL will host only the top three rounds on Saturday. That means players like BU’s Justin Maiser and Michigan’s Dwight Helminen (ranked 40 and 41, respectively) might wait until Sunday to get the call.

    For all of you out there who like a dark horse — think Hockey East and, more specifically, Providence’s Eric Lundberg. He was extremely high on the NHL radar screen in mid-term rankings, finishing in the 45th spot. But slowly his stock fell, likely attributed to his lack of late offensive production coupled with his team’s inability to make a late-season charge. At 6-3, 200 pounds, Lundberg has the ideal frame for the NHL. Though it’s not totally likely, it wouldn’t be an ounce surprising to see him donning a jersey before the day ends on Saturday.

    For those who want to catch the draft on television, ESPN2 in the United States and TSN in Canada will provide complete coverage of the opening round from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto beginning Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.

    Owens’ Deal Extended by CC

    USCHO Staff Report
    -

    Colorado College has signed head hockey coach Scott Owens to a new five-year contract effective through the 2006-07 season. Terms of the agreement were
    not disclosed, other than it supercedes Owens’ previous pact, which had one year remaining.

    Owens

    Owens

    “I very much look forward to the next five years and continuing to build upon a great winning tradition,” said Owens. “I want to thank president [Kathryn] Mohrman, Joel Nielsen and vice president Tom Nycum for working so diligently in putting this new agreement together. It’s exciting to know that I’ll be able to continue working at a school and a program that I truly believe in.”

    A 1979 graduate of CC and former goaltender, Owens recently finished his third campaign at the helm of his alma mater. He has taken the Tigers to the NCAA quarterfinals the last two years, and guided them to a home-ice berth for the first round of the WCHA playoffs in all three seasons since his arrival.

    “We believe that the success of Tiger Hockey over the last three years under Scott’s leadership is an indication of things to come,” said school athletic director Joel Nielsen. “This new contract demonstrates our commitment and confidence in him for the future. He’s an exceptional coach and a great fit for Colorado College and the Colorado Springs community, and we want to make sure he knows that he has our full support.”

    The Tigers won 27 games in 2000-01 and 2001-02, fourth highest single-season total in program history, and are 72-44-7 overall for a .614 winning percentage with Owens behind the bench.

    “Scott has done a tremendous job of identifying and recruiting young men who are interested in a first-class educational experience while playing for national championships on the ice,” Nielsen said. “The excitement around our hockey program pervades the campus community and the City of Colorado Springs.”

    Owens, who previously served as an assistant coach with the Tigers from 1991-95, spent eight seasons as a head coach in the United States Hockey League. In 1998, he won a championship with the Des Moines Buccaneers. Colorado College’s 2-0 shutout of Michigan State University at the 2002 NCAA East Regional marked his 400th victory as a head coach in the USHL and college ranks.

    Sold Out: 2003 Frozen Four Keeps Streak Alive

    USCHO Staff Report
    -

    The NCAA Men’s Frozen Four has sold out for the fourth consecutive year. The 56th annual event will be held at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York, April 10 and 12, 2003. It marks the sixth time in the last seven years that the event has sold out.

    “We are obviously thrilled that the sellout streak has continued,” said Jack McDonald, director of athletics at Quinnipiac University and chair of the Division I men’s ice hockey committee. “With the attendance records that were set last year and the early sellout this year, it is obvious that college hockey continues to grow at an incredible rate.”

    This will be the 10th time the semifinals and finals have been in the state of New York, the second most of any state. The state of Colorado has hosted the Men’s Frozen Four 14 times. The MAAC, Canisius and Niagara are co-hosts of
    the 2003 event.

    “The MAAC is proud to continue its successful relationship with the city of Buffalo and the HSBC Arena,” said Richard Ensor, commissioner of the MAAC. “We’re looking forward to the 2003 Men’s Frozen Four being another first-class event that will showcase the finest in college hockey in a great hockey venue and city.”

    For the second straight year, a priority system was used during the sale and distribution of tickets. Priority was based on the number of ticket purchases made during the last six years, in ranking order (six years worth of purchases, five years, etc.). Seat locations also are arranged on a priority basis.

    “The Frozen Four has become one of the biggest events in college athletics, and we’re excited about hosting it in a city that is very passionate about hockey,” said Tim Dillon, athletic director at Canisius. “We’re also expecting around 10,000 out-of-town fans so it’s an excellent opportunity for Western New York and Southern Ontario to be the center of college hockey for a weekend.”

    Buffalo is hoping to build off a successful 2002 Frozen Four, which was held in St. Paul, Minnesota, at the Xcel Energy Center. Attendance records were set in 2002 for a single game (19,324 for the championship game), and three-game total (57,957). HSBC Arena, the home of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, has a capacity of 18,600.

    “The awareness and coverage of college men’s ice hockey will be at an all-time high in the Greater Buffalo region, from the opening of the season to this outstanding culminating event, the Men’s Frozen Four in April,” Mike Hermann, athletic director at Niagara. “The great excitement demonstrated for the sport of college ice hockey will be contagious, and I’m confident our terrific hockey community will catch the enthusiasm and will enjoy the event. Most importantly for those of us here, I expect the Frozen Four to have tremendous spillover benefits for Western New York college hockey in years to come.”

    The Men’s Frozen Four will be held at the FleetCenter in Boston in 2004, Value City Arena on the campus of Ohio State University in 2005 and the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2006.

    ECAC Finalizes Albany Deal

    By
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    In what became one of the worst-kept secrets on the planet, the ECAC made official today its intention to move the postseason tournament to Albany. In a news conference today, the ECAC announced it agreed to a three-year deal with SMG, operators of Albany’s Pepsi Arena, that will bring the league’s championship there starting this season through 2005.

    Albany becomes the third home for the ECAC Championships. For the previous 10 seasons, the Championships have been played in Lake Placid after moving from Boston Garden.

    logos/conf-ec.gif

    “The ECAC is excited about bringing our premier hockey championship to Albany County and the Pepsi Arena,” said ECAC commissioner Phil Buttafuoco. “The community and arena have a tremendous track record for conducting first-class events, including the [2001] NCAA Frozen Four. We’re excited about the opportunity to build a lasting relationship with both the community and Pepsi Arena.”

    Excited politicians from Albany — the capital of New York state — and Pepsi Arena officials were also on hand.

    “The key element is that nothing tops college sports,” said Albany County executive Mike Breslin. “And there is nothing more exciting than tournament college hockey.”

    According to both parties, negotiations to bring the ECAC Championship to Pepsi Arena began in April, after the Pepsi Arena hosted the Division I wrestling championships. From there, both Lake Placid and Albany gave presentations to the league and the athletic directors and the choice was Albany.

    “Eight years ago we tried and the response was that Lake Placid was doing such a great job,” said Bob Belber, general manager of the Pepsi Arena. “We’d like to bring this event to another level. Both from a capacity standpoint and from the accessibility of television.”

    BUTTAFUOCO

    BUTTAFUOCO

    The ECAC made the move despite announcing in 2001 a new five-year deal with Lake Placid. But the deal was never signed, and remained verbal only. As a result, Buttafuoco said the league did what it needed to do.

    “If you look at ECAC Hockey as a business, it’s all about brand marketing,” said Buttafuoco. “From a financial and image standpoint, it was the best business decision.”

    Officials from Lake Placid’s Olympic Regional Development Authority continue to dispute the timeline of events. (See sidebar)

    Buttafuoco said moving the tournament was a matter of practicality.

    “We had to evaluate all the aspects of the championship,” said Buttafuoco. “We knew that attendance in Placid was good, but we thought we could do better here. It has become a commitment to go to Lake Placid and Albany had a plus gain in that aspect. It’s also important for us from an image standpoint to have a relationship between us and the Pepsi Arena.”

    The technical amenities Pepsi Arena could provide gave it an advantage over Lake Placid, Buttafuoco said. The Pepsi Arena has its own in-house television production studio and scoreboard, as well as equipped media centers, locker rooms, training rooms and lighting systems.

    “The Arena offers a vast number of amenities that we can use to enhance our championship,” said Buttafuoco. “We have the opportunity to take the championship to a higher level. Of course, the potential to seat more than 13,000 fans is also a great benefit.”

    Lake Placid’s 1980 Olympic Arena seats a little under 8,000, while the Pepsi Arena has a capacity of just under 15,000. Arena seating can also be adjusted using a curtain system to lower the capacity.

    One of the biggest factors the ECAC cited in moving its championship was the reduction in travel for its member schools. Albany is an average of 146 miles from each of the 12 ECAC schools, whereas Lake Placid was an average of 203.5 miles away. Currently, there are only two schools greater than 200 miles from Albany (Clarkson and St. Lawrence), and seven schools have cut their distance by over 100 miles.

    “Many of the things we were hearing from season ticket holders at schools indicated that they just felt that Lake Placid was too far away,” said Buttafuoco.

    Albany has had much success recently with collegiate events, selling out the Frozen Four in 2001 and the Division I wrestling championships in 2002. Next year, the Pepsi Arena will also host a Division I men’s basketball regional.

    “Many of the fans that came in 2001 for the Frozen Four are also ECAC hockey fans,” said Belber. “The city of Albany really opens its arms to the fans, much like Lake Placid. The fans will definitely enjoy themselves.”

    “We’ll take care of [the fans],” said Albany mayor Jerry Jennings. “This is a first-class event and it will be done first-class.”

    A Tale of One City

    By
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    Is Division I hockey coming to Manchester, New Hampshire? Talking to the athletic directors of the city’s two Division II schools — Southern New Hampshire University and St. Anselm College — the forecast is mixed.

    According to SNHU athletic director Chip Polak, Division I hockey is not on the radar screen for the Penmen.

    “We’re not looking at Division I,” Polak said. “We honestly wish there was Division II. There was up until a few years ago, but that’s just a game of numbers.

    “There was only five schools left. Now I think Minnesota-Crookston’s there and Franklin Pierce added a varsity, so there’s seven,” Polak added. “But that’s not enough to have a championship.”

    Polak cited the lack of an on-campus rink, the prohibitive cost of scholarships for an institution of 1,200-plus students, and the notion of competing with a pretty good team down in Durham as the primary factors in remaining at their current level.

    “We couldn’t compete at the Division I level,” Polak said. “We’re in New Hampshire, so how could we compete against UNH? And if we can’t, then why are we Division I? The only bad thing about where we are now is that we can’t compete for a national championship.”

    Meanwhile, across town, the St. Anselm Hawks fall into the category of a definite maybe for moving up to Division I.

    "It’s an exciting time. We’ve had a hockey program since 1969, and we’ve never played a game on our campus, so we’re excited for our hockey program and what it might bring."

    — St. Anselm athletic director Ed Cannon

    “We’re going to be making a study with regard to that question,” St. Anselm athletic director Ed Cannon said. “It’s very simple: Nothing has been determined at this point, but a study will be made. We don’t have a timetable yet.”

    In college hockey circles, there has been speculation about the Hawks possibly joining the MAAC at some point. Without a doubt, these rumors have been fueled by the recent groundbreaking for a new rink on campus.

    “We just started construction,” Cannon said. “It should be completed by the end of April 2003. The maximum number of seats for hockey will be in the area of 2,400 to 3,000, somewhere in there depending on the final selection of the type of seating. So for hockey, say, less than 3,000, and for other types of events up to 4,500.

    For St. Anselm, university administrators will weigh the financial feasibility as well as how being in Division I fits the school.

    “Anything we do must agree with our overall academic philosophy,” Cannon said. “Everything we do has got to feed off of that.”

    Unlike his counterpart across town, Cannon doesn’t view UNH as a yardstick in making the decision.

    “We’re very different institutions, I’m not sure that that would be part of our decision making at all,” Cannon said. “We’re building a brand new arena; we’re in Manchester, and we have a 10,000-seat Civic Center downtown.”

    However, at SNHU, Polak raised the question of whether the presence of the AHL Manchester Monarchs would hinder a school looking to draw appropriate attendance for the Division I level.

    “Hockey in Manchester is big now with the Manchester Monarchs in the AHL,” Polak said. “I don’t think it would feed off that; I think it would compete with that.”

    In lieu of that scenario, Polak prefers the prospect of fielding a highly competitive Division II team.

    “We’ve had great success in men’s basketball and men’s soccer, and every now and then someone says ‘Why don’t you go Divison I [in hockey]?'” acknowledged Polak. “We want to be the best where we are: Division II.

    “Or, in hockey,” said Polak, chuckling over the nebulous nature of Division II hockey, “somewhere.

    “If we keep score, I want to win. I’m competitive: In Division I, that competitiveness wouldn’t be there. I’m not saying that winning is the only thing, but we would have to have a chance to win.”

    In all probability, SNHU will set their sights on competing in the Northeast Ten, a new league for hockey but an existing one in other sports. In the short term, the league could include SNHU, Franklin Pierce, Stonehill, St. Michael’s, Assumption and, yes, St. Anselm.

    Conversely, the construction of a new rink over at St. Anselm gives the Hawks a little more opportunity to dream of the future.

    “It’s an exciting time,” added Cannon. “We’ve had a hockey program since 1969, and we’ve never played a game on our campus, so we’re excited for our hockey program and what it might bring.

    “The other questions are just questions about that may create more interest in our program. We hope we find what is the best thing for St. Anselm College and who we are.”

    15-second Faceoff Rule Adopted, Plus Others

    By
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    The NCAA Ice Hockey Rules Committee took careful note during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and noticed something it wants to add to the college game: speed. They’re not talking about better passing or quicker skating, but rather faster re-starts after whistles.

    Last week, during its annual meeting in San Francisco, the Committee voted to insert a 15-second faceoff rule that will require officials to drop the puck 15 seconds after the conclusion of the preceding play in an attempt to speed up and shorten the length of the college game. The 15-second faceoff rule was one of a host of rules and points of emphasis adopted during the meetings.

    Those who watched the 2002 Olympics saw a significant decrease in actual game time. Whereas the average game time in the National Hockey League is creeping up on three hours, the Olympics saw hockey games completed in a little more than two hours, with medal round games averaging just around two hours and fifteen minutes.

    Of note, one aspect of the rule different from its use in the Olympics is television timeouts. College will allow for TV timeouts and not require the puck to be dropped while television is on commercial. The Olympic rules did not make any time of adjustment for television which resulted in goals being scored during commercial on several occasions.

    In addition to the new faceoff rule, the committee also adopted five other rule and procedure changes and noted five points of emphasis. The biggest of these will be to modify the current goaltender’s crease by eliminating the area in front of the net outside of the goalposts. Already in use in the NHL, the reduced-size crease will eliminate crease violations.

    This new crease will come into play most in during the playoffs and NCAA tournament. When instant replay is used in such events, the instant replay official is directed to “wave off” any goal scored while an attacking team’s skater precedes the puck into the crease. As recent as this past season, the larger crease resulted in many of the disallowed goals despite the fact that the attacker was not interfering with the goaltender.

    Other rule changes for the 2002-03 season include:

    • Clipping: The Committee will introduce a new penalty that focuses on hits at or below the knee.
    • Awarding goals: In certain situations where a goal is imminent, officials will have the ability to award a goal.
    • Video replay criteria: The Committee added language that will allow a goal to be disallowed if it was scored as a result of a hand pass or high stick by the attacking team.
    • Two-person officiating system: The Committee voted to eliminate the two-person system from the rules book, effective in the 2003-04 season. The delay in implementation is to allow those conferences that use the system to adjust to the change.

    The committee developed five points of emphasis:

    • Intent to injure: Dangerous hits and contact to the head.
    • Sportsmanship: Diving and showing up the officials will not be tolerated. Additionally, officials will read a statement to coaches and bench officials reminding them about the abuse of officials rules.
    • Obstruction: Already a point of emphasis, the committee continues to see a need for obstruction to be emphasized.
    • Speeding up the game: With the addition of the 15-second faceoff rule, the Committee hopes to eliminate downtime between whistles.
    • Checking in women’s hockey: This rule was discussed at length at revised for clarity.

    Noted was the fact that all of these rules and points of emphasis still need further definition and the actual wording of the rules will be announced and distributed at a later time.

    Committee Submits Report to NCAA; Firmly Objects to Continued Regionalization

    By Adam Wodon
    -

    In a bold statement of its objection to regionalization, the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee, along with the committees of 13 other sports, has submitted a report to the NCAA’s Championships and Competition Cabinet. In doing so, the committee also provided an outline to the Cabinet for how it believes the NCAA tournament should proceed under a 16-team, four-regional format.

    In the last week of June, the Cabinet will convene for its quarterly meeting with the important “regionalization” item on the agenda. In anticipation, it asked for official thoughts from all the sports that were affected.

    The ice hockey committee obliged with a detailed look into its vision for the future.

    Regionalization is a plan implemented by the Cabinet last year that eventually forced the men’s ice hockey committee to create NCAA tournament brackets that strictly adhered to geography. With only 12 teams and two regions to juggle, the tournament field ended up greatly imbalanced.

    The plan was defended as a reaction to the tragic terrorist actions of last Sept. 11. Even though regionalization of some form had previously been discussed by the NCAA as a way to save money, Sept. 11 was the catalyst to implementing a strict plan that was intended to limit teams from having to travel by air.

    The critics doubted the effectiveness of the plan, and lamented the affect it had on the tournament. The concern was that regionalization would continue as a cost-saving measure, even with air travel fears having subsided.

    The ice hockey committee’s report reiterates its belief in a “national” tournament. It also acknowledges the further complications that will arise with the creation of four four-team brackets, which will occur with the expected August rubber stamping by the NCAA’s Executive Committee of the tournament’s expansion to 16 teams.

    As a result, more than just opining that regionalization should be scrapped, the committee laid out a detailed proposal for how it believes the tournament should be arranged in the future.

    In the plan, the committee continues to acknowledge the importance of maximizing revenue by keeping high-draw and host schools in their home region, but also emphasizes the importance of a “national feel” to the tournament.

    Ice hockey has some clout, considering the 2002 men’s tournament netted over $1 million in revenue for the NCAA.

    Of the 17 NCAA sports affected by regionalization, 14 have submitted reports objecting to its continuation. However, two that supported it, men’s soccer and women’s soccer, have already been following a form of regionalization even before last season, and have much bigger tournament fields, making it easier to offset the affects of regionalized brackets.

    The final supporter, Division I-AA football, gave tepid support, saying there was “no significant negative impact” and “the participants understood the rationale,” but continuing to say, “… however, if given the option they would have preferred the previous format.”

    The full text of the men’s ice hockey report is below. The entire report of all 17 sports can be found on the NCAA’s site.

    Men’s Ice Hockey Committee Report to the NCAA’s Championships and Competition Cabinet

    June 2, 2002

    The Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee favors the selection of teams on a national basis. As a revenue-generating championship, it also favors the pairing of teams on a national basis.

    The committee feels that the bracket was impacted negatively due to the implementation of the new policies for 2001-02. It felt that it was not able to provide competitive equity in bracket, as it had been able to do in the past, with the top teams this year being from the West region and having to compete in the West region. With the previous policy, the committee would have had the ability to move teams across regions.

    With the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship field being increased to 16 teams, the following is a suggestion on the format for such a tournament. The model covers several issues including selection of teams, placement of teams in regionals, and priorities for the committee to consider when developing the championship field.

    In setting up the tournament, we begin with a list of priorities to ensure a successful tournament on all fronts including competitive equity, financial success and likelihood of playoff-type atmosphere at each regional site. For this model, the following is a basic set of priorities:

    1) The top four teams as ranked by the committee are the four number one seeds.

    2) Host institutions that qualify must be placed at home to ensure tickets are sold.

    3) No. 1 seeds are placed as close to home as possible in order of their ranking 1-4.

    4) Conference matchups in first round are avoided.

    Four regions are formed, each with a name: Northeast (Worcester), East (TBA), Midwest (Ann Arbor), West (TBA). The four winners are regional champions that advance to the Men’s Frozen Four.

    The next step is to develop four groups from the committee’s rankings of 1-16. The top four teams are number one seeds. The next four are targeted as number two seeds. The next four are number three and the last four are number four seeds.

    The next process is to fill out the bracket.

    Step one is to place the number one seeds since the top priority is to have the top four teams as ranked by the committee as the number one seeds regardless of region.

    Step two is to place the home teams. The four sites are Ann Arbor, West building, Worcester, and one more East building for both years. If Michigan and Boston University are selected, Michigan stays home in Ann Arbor and Boston University stays in Worcester, since they are hosting. Depending on who hosts the two remaining sites, this list could grow.

    Step three is to place number one seeds closest to their campus as possible.

    Step four is to fill in the bracket so the first round conference matchups are avoided.

    To complete each regional you simply take one team from each of the remaining seeding groups. The seeding groups give the committee flexibility to avoid first round conference matchups while at the same time being able to place regional teams in each building to cut down on travel costs and potentially increase ticket revenue.

    In 2002, the four number one seeds are split evenly east and west and Boston University plays in Worcester as the host. Therefore, New Hampshire is the top seed in the East. Denver gets priority and is placed as the number one seed in the West. Minnesota is placed in the Midwest. Also, as a host, Michigan is No. 2 in the Midwest. That bracket may have looked like this:

    Northeast (Worcester):
    No. 1 Boston University vs. No. 4 Quinnipiac
    No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 3 Cornell

    East
    No. 1 New Hampshire vs. No. 4 Harvard
    No. 2 Maine vs. No. 3 Northern Michigan

    Midwest (Ann Arbor):
    No. 1 Minnesota vs. No. 4 Wayne State (Michigan)
    No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Colorado College

    West
    No. 1 Denver vs. No. 4 Massachusetts-Lowell
    No. 2 St. Cloud State (Minnesota) vs. No. 3 Alaska-Fairbanks

    Kyle Named New NMU Coach

    USCHO Staff Report
    -

    With the interview process finally completed on Wednesday afternoon, Northern Michigan athletic director Dan Spielmann wasted no time naming 1981 alumnus Walt Kyle as the program’s second head coach. He fills the spot left vacant when Rick Comley resigned in March to become the head coach at Michigan State.

    For the past two years Kyle, 46, has been an assistant coach with the National Hockey League’s New York Rangers under coach Ron Lowe. After Lowe was fired, Kyle’s status remained in limbo while the Rangers searched for a head coach. As the Rangers’ search dragged, NMU’s search was delayed as well, until Kyle was free to interview.

    New NMU coach Walt Kyle poses at the news conference with the team mascot.

    New NMU coach Walt Kyle poses at the news conference with the team mascot.

    With the Rangers’ coaching situation squared away, Spielmann finally went through the process of interviewing current assistant Dave Shyiak and Michigan State assistant Dave McAuliffe last week, and then Kyle on Wednesday.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Walt back to the NMU hockey program, which he has been such an important part of in the past,” Spielmann said. “All three final candidates are outstanding hockey coaches, but Walt’s wealth of experience and enthusiasm for this position really impressed the selection committee.”

    Kyle was brought to New York from the Edmonton Oilers’ organization, where Rangers’ general manager Glen Sather previously was GM. Kyle was coach of the American Hockey League’s Hamilton Bulldogs, the Oilers’ top affiliate club, from 1998-2000.

    Kyle’s NHL career also included serving as assistant coach of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996-98) under Ron Wilson. His other professional coaching positions were with the AHL’s Baltimore Bandits (1995-96) and the International Hockey League’s San Diego Gulls (1994-95).

    Kyle was a two-time NMU letterman after transferring from Boston College. He captained the 1980 and 1981 Wildcat teams that advanced to the NCAA Final Four. Following graduation, he became a graduate assistant coach under Comley and was promoted to assistant coach in 1982, a position he held for 10 years. Kyle was the program’s top assistant in 1991 when NMU won the NCAA Division I national title.

    “I am honored to be named coach of the Wildcat hockey program,” Kyle said. “There is something very special about college athletics and college hockey, and I’m excited to be a part of that once again. My goal for the program today is the same as when I was here 10 years ago: give our student-athletes an outstanding collegiate experience on the ice, in the classroom and at the university in general; and we want to compete for and win league and national titles.

    “As a former NMU player and assistant coach, I know that Northern has an outstanding hockey tradition and I feel privileged to tie the past to the future.

    “This opportunity comes at a perfect time for my family as my children are at an age where I’d like them to feel more settled — the NHL lifestyle is great, but it’s hard on your family. Throughout my professional coaching career, we’ve always returned to the Upper Peninsula during the off-season and we’ve always thought of the U.P. as home. So I’m excited and my family’s excited to really be home.”

    An active participant in USA Hockey, Kyle was an assistant coach under Lou Vairo for Team USA which finished fourth at the 2001 World Championships in Germany and under Wilson for the 1994 squad that competed in Milan, Italy. He also was coach of the 1992 and ’93 U.S. Junior National Teams.

    Kyle’s appointment is effective June 14, pending approval by the NMU Board of Trustees

    ECAC Announces Press Conference for June 18

    USCHO Staff Report
    -

    The ECAC will hold a press conference on Tuesday, June 18 at Pepsi Arena in Albany, N.Y., at 11 a.m. to discuss “information pertaining to the future placement” of the ECAC tournament.

    The announcement came in a one sentence news release and had no further details.

    The ECAC has been actively pursuing and negotiating a deal with the Pepsi Arena for the last month, USCHO has reported, backing away from the remaining four years of a verbal agreement with Lake Placid’s Olympic Regional Development Authority.

    The ECAC tournament has been held in Lake Placid for the last 10 seasons, after moving from Boston Garden.

    NCAA Reprimands Maine, Metcalf

    USCHO Staff Report
    -

    The NCAA has formally reprimanded Maine defenseman Peter Metcalf and the University for comments Metcalf made in the postgame press conference following the Black Bears’ loss to Minnesota in the natonal championship game last April.

    Maine lost on a power-play goal in overtime, and Metcalf was critical of referee Steve Piotrowski, suggesting he “had it in for” Maine. Metcalf further cited the final game of the 2000-01 season, when Piotrowski ejected late coach Shawn Walsh during the NCAA tournament quarterfinals against Boston College. He suggested the NCAA should not have scheduled Piotrowski for the final game based on that history.

    “Bad play by the NCAA,” Metcalf said at the time.

    The NCAA has withheld Metcalf’s $80 per diem for the tournament and his transportation costs, according to a report in Wednesday’s Bangor (Maine) Daily News. The story says this will cost Maine between $500 and $1200.

    Metcalf’s comments violated an NCAA bylaw that forbids representatives of a member institution from criticizing game officials in a championship event.

    According to the Bangor Daily News, Maine athletic director Sue Tyler has not received a bill from the NCAA, but intends to pay it without appeal.

    “It happened and we have to live with it. It was an unfortunate thing,” said Tyler to the Daily News. “We don’t condone it. Peter is very intense and was very much into the game and to lose in that fashion disturbed him. We hope our student-athletes control themselves better. Peter wrote a letter of apology to me and to [coach] Tim Whitehead and we apologized to the NCAA.”

    Recap: Ice Hockey Committee Meetings

    By Adam Wodon
    -

    Tweaks to the NCAA tournament selection criteria and the selection of additional tournament regional sites were foremost on the agenda at the NCAA men’s ice hockey committee meetings, which concluded last week in San Francisco.

    In addition, College Hockey America was officially granted the sixth automatic berth to the NCAA tournament.

    Given that, and the MAAC’s acceptance two years ago, almost all of the potential changes to the selection criteria focused on how to make them more equitable given the wider differences in the overall strengths of the six Division I conferences.

    “We looked very closely at the selection criteria,” said Ian McCaw, athletic director at Northeastern and incoming committee chair.

    There were four areas of focus:

  • Changing the 35-50-15 RPI breakdown back to 25-50-25. Currently, the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), a key component of the selection criteria, is calculated by weighing a team’s winning percentage 35 percent, its opponent’s winning percentage 50 percent, and its opponents opponent’s winning percentage 15 percent. This was changed from 25-50-25 a number of years ago in order to give less weight to strength of schedule, which somewhat benefitted dominant teams from weaker conferences.
  • Changing the definition of a team under consideration (TUC) from one with a .500 or better winning percentage, to one with a .500 or better RPI. This would bring some weaker teams from stronger conferences into the mix, and knock out decent teams from weaker conferences.
  • Potentially factoring strength of schedule into the “Record in Last 16 Games” criteria. “It’s a piece of criteria we want to evaluate closely,” McCaw said. “We talked about everything from removing it, to adjusting it, to leaving it alone.”
  • Creating a bonus system tied to RPI, similar to basketball’s loosely defined criteria. For example, giving more weight to a quality win on the road, or a bad loss at home.

    • “We don’t have a final product,” said McCaw. “We did spend a lot of time discussing it.”

    McCaw said there would a conference call next week to further discuss the issues.

    Regionals

    The NCAA’s Executive Committee is expected to rubber stamp the expansion of the NCAA men’s hockey tournament to 16 teams when it convenes in August.

    To prepare for that, the ice hockey committee chose two additional regional sites, one in the West and one in the East, for each of the next two years.

    “We made tentative decisions, pending approval [of expansion],” McCaw said. “Obviously, we feel very good about it, but that’s the final hurdle.”

    McCaw said the sites of the extra regionals will not be disclosed until given approval by the NCAA Championships and Competition Cabinet, which meets June 25-27.

    “In the past, word has leaked out before the cabinet has approved [the cities], which puts them in a difficult position,” McCaw said.

    Six Eastern sites — Providence, R.I.; Manchester, N.H.; Lake Placid, N.Y.; Rochester, N.Y.; Bridgeport, Conn.; and Lowell, Mass. — were known to have applied, along with six Western sites — Green Bay, Wis.; Madison, Wis.; Minneapolis; St. Cloud, Minn.; Grand Forks, N.D.; and Grand Rapids, Mich.

    Regionalization

    The controversial “regionalization” requirements imposed upon the ice hockey committee by the NCAA’s Championships and Competition Cabinet were discussed in the San Francisco meetings, but not much can be done until the cabinet decides whether to continue the policy.

    “It’s part of [the cabinet’s] June agenda,” said McCaw. “Whether they come up with a decision then or wait until the September meeting, that will have significant impact on what we do. We really won’t know until we get word from the cabinet whether we’ll have exactly what we had a year ago, it’s wide open, or somewhere in the middle.”

    Miscellany

    McCaw said this year’s NCAA tournament netted in excess of $1 million and had the highest ever television ratings. …

    The tournament selection show will return to ESPN2 next season, at 5:30 p.m. the Sunday before the start of the tournament. The committee has also been discussing a Frozen Four preview show with ESPN officials. “Coming off the ratings we had, they’re very excited about the property,” McCaw said. …

    Ron Mason replaced Buddy Powers as the CCHA representative on the committee, and was in attendance in San Francisco. Mason recently stepped down as coach at Michigan State to become the school’s athletic director. Powers was fired in April as head coach at Bowling Green. …

    Tim Dillon, athletic director at Canisius, was added to the committee, as of Sept. 1 as the MAAC representative. He replaces outgoing chair Jack McDonald, the athletic director at Quinnipiac. …

    The committee reprimanded the University of Maine and defenseman Peter Metcalf for Metcalf’s comments in the postgame press conference following the Black Bears’ loss to Minnesota in last April’s national championship game. Metcalf was critical of referee Steve Piotrowski in the aftermath of his penalty call against Maine in overtime which led to the Gophers’ game-winning power-play goal. …

    For the first time, all the relevant hockey committees — the joint men’s and women’s rules committee, the women’s ice hockey committee, and the organization of conference commissioners — met during the same week in the same location. This gave all the groups a chance to meet and discuss what each was doing, and share ideas.

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