It is six teams since the WCHA added Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha a couple years ago.
It's a 3 game series to start where the 1 seed hosts the 12, 2 hosts 11, 3 hosts 10, 4 hosts 9, 5 hosts 8 and 6 hosts 7. The winners of those series' advance to the "Final Five". The four lowest seeds play a single knockout game, the winners go on to face the top two seeds based on seeding (example if the 4 seed beats the 5 seed and the 3 seed beats the 6 seed the 3 seed would play the 2 seed and the 4 seed would play the one.) Then it's the winner of the semifinal to the finals.
It used to be five because the league only had 10 teams so they would do 1 vs 10, 2 vs 9, 3 vs 8, 4 vs 7 and 5 vs 6. Since only five teams could advance it was called the Final Five and the top seed would get the bye.
So long story short, they just never changed the name from Final Five when they added two teams. Kind of like how the Big Ten never changed their name once they added Penn State and Nebraska.
American counting can be odd. Does "Final Five" (with 6 teams) somehow sound better?
Originally Posted by AdmiralsFan24
It's a 3 game series to start where the 1 seed hosts the 12, 2 hosts 11, 3 hosts 10, 4 hosts 9, 5 hosts 8 and 6 hosts 7. The winners of those series' advance to the "Final Five". The four lowest seeds play a single knockout game, the winners go on to face the top two seeds based on seeding (example if the 4 seed beats the 5 seed and the 3 seed beats the 6 seed the 3 seed would play the 2 seed and the 4 seed would play the one.) Then it's the winner of the semifinal to the finals.
So if I understood the process then it's the final five games. First you go from 12 teams down to six. Those six advance to the Final Five.
In one round four teams play 2 games. The two winners move on and play the two that had a bye for another 2 games. The winners of those games move onto the 1 championship game. Final Five (games).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hollywood3
American counting can be odd. Does "Final Five" (with 6 teams) somehow sound better?
Former Mankato bench boss Troy Jutting joins the OTHER Mavericks as asst. coach. Jutting replaces Brian Renfrew who left to join the Winnipeg Jets organization.
I decided to rework my preseason projections after this offseason. Here are the new ones. I just can't see the Seawolves doing well this season. I don't think they have a realistic shot of getting more than 6-7 WCHA wins this year. Yes, we really are that terrible. I love my Seawolves, but it would be nice to see them win every once in awhile.
1. Minnesota
2. North Dakota
3. Nebraska-Omaha
4. Denver
5. Minnesota Duluth
6. Wisconsin
7. St. Cloud State
8. Minnesota State
9. Colorado College
10. Michigan Tech
11. Bemidji State
12. UAA
I decided to rework my preseason projections after this offseason. Here are the new ones. I just can't see the Seawolves doing well this season. I don't think they have a realistic shot of getting more than 6-7 WCHA wins this year. Yes, we really are that terrible. I love my Seawolves, but it would be nice to see them win every once in awhile.
1. Minnesota
2. North Dakota
3. Nebraska-Omaha
4. Denver
5. Minnesota Duluth
6. Wisconsin
7. St. Cloud State
8. Minnesota State
9. Colorado College
10. Michigan Tech
11. Bemidji State
12. UAA
You have UNO way to high in my opinion. They have had to many defections for my liking. SCSU has a better chance of being there than the Mavs. I think Bucky will struggle to get home ice this year. And yes UAA will be lucky to get 5 wins and they will all be on home ice.
1. Gophers- I think they score enough goals to have just an average goalie to be #1.
2. Fighting Sioux- A good mix of everything including the goalies. I have heard Saunders is looking great so far.
3. Huskies- Just think this is the year they get it all together and make a run at a national championship
4. DU- The Gwoz always has them contending.
5.UMD- Still think they find a way to get home ice.
6. Michigan Tech- Not a bottom feeder anymore.
7. Bucky- Going to be another year or 2 before they get back to being a force.
8.CC- Could it be the curly guys last season?
9.BSU- No cinderella this year.
10. MSU- New coach can't get them any higher.
11. UNO-Hard for me to put them there with Blais at the helm but they have been through hell and back lately with defections.
12. AA- No need to explain.
The good news is that UAA seems to have brought in a decent recruiting class this year to help play their "grind it out, win physically" style. Most of these new recruits are from Alaska too, which is nice.
Also, for 13-14, we have a great player by the name of Hudson Friesen. 36G, 41A with the Selkirk Steelers of the MJHL. He'll being playing in Selkirk this year, so hopefully, he'll be ready to contribute for the Seawolves in the new WCHA.
1. North Dakota
2. Minnesota
3. Nebraska-Omaha
4. Denver
5. Wisconsin
6. St. Cloud State
7. Michigan Tech
8. Minnesota Duluth
9. Colorado College
10. Minnesota State
11. UAA
12. Bemidji State
depending on the gophers new goalie i think the gophers will be the best with the return of nick bjugstad. unfortunately my bulldogs will take a big drop probably more into the middle of the WCHA
You have UNO way to high in my opinion. They have had to many defections for my liking. SCSU has a better chance of being there than the Mavs. I think Bucky will struggle to get home ice this year. And yes UAA will be lucky to get 5 wins and they will all be on home ice.
Too many defections? Like who? Broadhurst and Megna are the only two I'm familiar with.
I don't think they're the third best in the wcha but they certainly aren't the second worst either.
Looking forward to watching Michigan Tech this year, they seem to be pretty strong on forwards. All of the incoming freshman are pumped up and can't wait for the season to start, should be a good one for the Huskies.
Too many defections? Like who? Broadhurst and Megna are the only two I'm familiar with.
I don't think they're the third best in the wcha but they certainly aren't the second worst either.
I think they will be in the hunt for home ice. You act like Broadhurst and Megna aren't big losses, losing two 30+ point scorers would hurt any team. I know it doesn't really matter with Anthony Stolarz coming in, but Ryan Massa played a substantial amount of games last year, and he is taking the year off. Not sure if you count that as a defection or not. You should have good defensive depth as well as three solid lines.
I think they will be in the hunt for home ice. You act like Broadhurst and Megna aren't big losses, losing two 30+ point scorers would hurt any team. I know it doesn't really matter with Anthony Stolarz coming in, but Ryan Massa played a substantial amount of games last year, and he is taking the year off. Not sure if you count that as a defection or not. You should have good defensive depth as well as three solid lines.
Yep Massa was one that I was talking about too and that is huge. Hey I hope I'm wrong about them being 11 and the more I think about it the more I think they will be closer to 7 or 8. I'm a huge Dean Blais fan as I have known him since he coached high school hockey in Minot,ND back in the late 70's when I played. The guy can flat out coach.
I think they will be in the hunt for home ice. You act like Broadhurst and Megna aren't big losses, losing two 30+ point scorers would hurt any team. I know it doesn't really matter with Anthony Stolarz coming in, but Ryan Massa played a substantial amount of games last year, and he is taking the year off. Not sure if you count that as a defection or not. You should have good defensive depth as well as three solid lines.
Broadhurst and Megna are big losses but not big enough to finish 11th. Thats a joke. I think they're more 6-8 but 11 is too low in my mind. Not sure how I came across like it wasn't a big deal when I said 3rd was too high.
As for Massa there is chatter on campus of him giving up hockey. I have no clue as to how valid it is or if it's just bs.
Yep Massa was one that I was talking about too and that is huge. Hey I hope I'm wrong about them being 11 and the more I think about it the more I think they will be closer to 7 or 8. I'm a huge Dean Blais fan as I have known him since he coached high school hockey in Minot,ND back in the late 70's when I played. The guy can flat out coach.
He can also flat out give me a heart attack. I'm losing years off my life with some of his decisions.
I can totally see 7. 11 was just a bit much. Hell I could see 9th.
He can also flat out give me a heart attack. I'm losing years off my life with some of his decisions.
I can totally see 7. 11 was just a bit much. Hell I could see 9th.
Hell I remember a game he was coaching at the Ralph in Grand Forks and he pulled the goalie with 6 minutes left when they were down 5-2. Came back to make it 5-4 but then lost 6-4 with an open netter. I have seen him pull a goalie after 5 minutes in a game after said goalie only gave up 2 goals that were legit goals. The man has a set and ya just never know what he will do next.
Hell I remember a game he was coaching at the Ralph in Grand Forks and he pulled the goalie with 6 minutes left when they were down 5-2. Came back to make it 5-4 but then lost 6-4 with an open netter. I have seen him pull a goalie after 5 minutes in a game after said goalie only gave up 2 goals that were legit goals. The man has a set and ya just never know what he will do next.
