Charging For the Future: WCHA realignment

According to Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald, the Fighting Sioux are the latest team to explore leaving the WCHA. The Sioux would not become the 7th member of the Big 10 but instead be an anchor member of a "power hockey conference" mixing teams from both the CCHA and WCHA. Link

While details of who would join this conference are unknown, the two big prizes up for grabs are Miami University and Notre Dame. Both the Redhawks and Fighting Irish are current members of the CCHA, another conference hurt by the Big 10's raiding as Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State bid adieu after the 2012-13 season. Both the Redhawks and Irish have sparked interest from the WCHA, but if both programs were to join the WCHA, plans for the conference would be off the table.

If the WCHA can score both programs, it would be a major coup for the conference. Both schools have strong programs with great history and tradition. Notre Dame also opens the door to the Chicago market, which is in the heart of the Big 10. Miami would extend the conference's footprint from Alaska to Ohio, covering nine states and 12 schools.

Adding Miami and Notre Dame are fine well and good when it comes to raking in the money like autumn leaves. However, money isn't always the biggest priority in life, and that's the case here. Instead of going after two major programs, the WCHA should turn its attention southward to Alabama and the University of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers. The Chargers are by far college hockey's southernmost program, and in my belief, hold the key to expanding the college game into non-traditional markets. Since being displaced in the aftermath of the breakup of the CHA and being denied membership into the CCHA, the Chargers have been relegated to being an independent team and have struggled both on and off the ice.

It is my belief that if the WCHA can come into Huntsville, it can do great things not only for the Charger program, but also for college hockey's future in the Southeast. If you attach the UAH program to the WCHA, one of college hockey's premier conferences, the recruits and fans will start to come. Much like Rome wasn't built in a day, hockey won't be a sport kids in the Southeast will gravitate to immediately, but it can (and does) happen, as in the case of Chris Kamal, Anchorage's starting goalie and a native of suburban Atlanta. 

While Gary Bettman may be slammed for his Sun Belt expansions in the 90's, it has helped lead to a growth in the youth hockey numbers in the Southeast and successes in the markets as well. This past season, five youth hockey teams from the Southeast advanced to the USA Hockey National Championship Tournaments. Four got second place in their tournaments. The other team, the Richmond (VA) Royals, won the Tier-II 18-Under 2A championship. If these programs can keep these successes coming, I can envision UAH becoming a regional hub for college hockey for players in the Southeast. Unfortunately, when the time comes for realignment, I doubt the WCHA will do what's best for the game and instead money will talk bringing the Fighting Irish and Redhawks into the WCHA and leaving the Chargers out in the cold once more.   
-Andy Sorensen, CHW Blogger