Nanook Notes

In Danny Martin’s ideal hockey world, the conferences would look much different.

In my lazy days of summer, I became less vigilant about checking “the grapevine,” UAF’s rumor mill-controller where people can ask questions and the person in charge of that area will answer them.

Apparently this one slipped by me. (okay so it’s not a direct link, but someone asked whether the Nanooks are moving to the WCHA and Forrest Karr answered that they were considering it and that Chancellor Rogers would be briefed May 27).

Here’s what Donald Dunlop, UAA Fanblogger has to say about it. And this is from USCHO.com.

Westerncollegehockeyblog touched on it in this linkorama post, and says that he doesn’t think some of Dunlop’s reasons makes sense, but then says why he thinks UNO doesn’t fit in the CCHA, not why UAF should not fit in the WCHA. He says that UNO isn’t Central because it’s the 7th-most western hockey program. Well, Fairbanks is at No. 2 in that category and Anchorage at No. 1, so how does Fairbanks not fit the WCHA. (He also says that UAA must be looking for a basement buddy, but with the Nanooks’ turnaround performance this past year, hopefully only better things are to come).

And what do I think of it? I’m not too opposed to it. As much as it would shake things up, that’s not always a bad thing. We’d get to play UAA more and travel less. As Karr said in the response, they’re considering: “the potential to increase revenue, reduce team travel costs, reduce team travel subsidies and the opportunity to play four league games each year against our natural in-state rival“

It obviously wouldn’t happen in this coming season, and then we’d almost surely have a “probation” year, but I think that it would cut travel costs greatly to go to Anchorage, Colorado and Minnesota rather than Nebraska, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.

(Added June 12: News-Miner’s article)