Current Conference Leaders:
Atlantic: American International
Big 10: Minnesota
ECAC: Cornell
Hockey East: Boston College
NCHC: North Dakota
WCHA: Minnesota State
Current Top-16 In PairWise
- North Dakota (23-3-3)
- Minnesota State (26-4-2)
- Cornell (19-2-4)
- Minnesota Duluth (17-9-2)
- Denver (17-8-5)
- Boston College (19-8-1)
- Clarkson (22-6-2)
- Massachusetts (18-9-2)
- Northeastern (17-8-3)
- Penn State (19-10-3)
- Arizona State (22-9-3)
- Bemidji State (18-8-4)
- Ohio State (16-10-4)
- Maine (16-10-4)
- UMass Lowell (15-9-5)
- Minnesota (14-11-5)
Now we adjust the top-16 in the PairWise to accommodate potential conference champions. Minnesota moves up to 15, AIC slides into 16, and UMass Lowell loses its spot due to Minnesota currently leading the Big 10.
- North Dakota (23-3-3)
- Minnesota State (26-4-2)
- Cornell (19-2-4)
- Minnesota Duluth (17-9-2)
- Denver (17-8-5)
- Boston College (19-8-1)
- Clarkson (22-6-2)
- Massachusetts (18-9-2)
- Northeastern (17-8-3)
- Penn State (19-10-3)
- Arizona State (22-9-3)
- Bemidji State (18-8-4)
- Ohio State (16-10-4)
- Maine (16-10-4)
- Minnesota (14-11-5)
- American International (18-11-1)
With the 16-team field set we can assign seedings, beginning with the No. 1 seeds.
No. 1 North Dakota is placed in the West Regional in Loveland, CO.
No. 2 Minnesota State is placed in the Midwest Regional in Allentown, PA.
No. 3 Cornell is placed in the East Regional in Albany, NY.
No. 4 Minnesota Duluth is placed in the Northeast Regional in Worcester, MA.
Two Seeds
No. 8 UMass is placed in No. 1 North Dakota’s regional, the West Regional.
No. 7 Clarkson is placed in No. 2 Minnesota State’s regional, the Midwest Regional.
No. 6 Boston College is placed in No. 3 Cornell’s regional, the East Regional.
No. 5 Denver is placed in No. 4 Minnesota State’s regional, the Northeast Regional.
Three Seeds
No. 9 Northeastern is placed in No. 8 UMass’ regional, the West Regional.
No. 10 Penn State is placed in No. 7 Clarkson’s regional, the Midwest Regional.
No. 11 Arizona State is placed in No. 6 Boston College’s regional, the East Regional.
No. 12 Bemidji State is placed in No. 5 Denver’s regional, the Northeast Regional.
Four Seeds
No. 16 AIC is placed in No. 1 North Dakota’s regional, the West Regional.
No. 15 Minnesota is placed in No. 2 Minnesota State’s regional, the Midwest Regional.
No. 14 Maine is placed in No. 3 Cornell’s regional, the East Regional.
No. 13 Ohio State is placed in No. 4 Minnesota Duluth’s regional, the Northeast Regional.
Resulting in this initial bracket:
West
1 North Dakota vs. 4 AIC
2 UMass vs. 3 Northeastern
Northeast
1 Minnesota Duluth vs. 4 Ohio State
2 Denver vs. 3 Bemidji State
East
1 Cornell vs. 4 Maine
2 Boston College vs. 3 Arizona State
Midwest
1 Minnesota State vs. 4 Minnesota
2 Clarkson vs. 3 Penn State
First and foremost, we must accommodate regional hosts. Penn State is the host of the Midwest Regional in Allentown, while Denver is the host of the West Regional in Loveland. We leave the Penn State/Clarkson matchup as it is for now and swap Denver with UMass.
West
1 North Dakota vs. 4 AIC
2 Denver vs. 3 Northeastern
Northeast
1 Minnesota Duluth vs. 4 Ohio State
2 UMass vs. 3 Bemidji State
East
1 Cornell vs. 4 Maine
2 Boston College vs. 3 Arizona State
Midwest
1 Minnesota State vs. 4 Minnesota
2 Clarkson vs. 3 Penn State
With hosts in place and no inter-conference matchups in the first-round, the goal now is to maximize attendance at each event.
*Note: No. 16 AIC must stay in Loveland in fairness to No. 1 North Dakota.
It would be ideal to get more ECAC/Hockey East teams into the East or Northeast. In order to avoid an inter-conference matchup in Albany, we swap Clarkson with Boston College and Northeastern with Arizona State.
West
1 North Dakota vs. 4 AIC
2 Denver vs. 3 Arizona State
Northeast
1 Minnesota Duluth vs. 4 Ohio State
2 UMass vs. 3 Bemidji State
East
1 Cornell vs. 4 Maine
2 Clarkson vs. 3 Northeastern
Midwest
1 Minnesota State vs. 4 Minnesota
2 Boston College vs. 3 Penn State
It also probably makes sense to swap Maine with Ohio State so that both the East and Northeast Regionals have multiple teams from the ECAC/Hockey East.
West
1 North Dakota vs. 4 AIC
2 Denver vs. 3 Arizona State
Northeast
1 Minnesota Duluth vs. 4 Maine
2 UMass vs. 3 Bemidji State
East
1 Cornell vs. 4 Ohio State
2 Clarkson vs. 3 Northeastern
Midwest
1 Minnesota State vs. 4 Minnesota
2 Boston College vs. 3 Penn State
I don’t see any other changes. Multiple Big 10 teams in Allentown is a good thing as far as attendance, same goes to having multiple NCHC teams in Loveland, a pair of ECAC teams in Albany and two Hockey East teams in Worcester. Boston College receives the short end this week having to face Penn State in Allentown.
Final Bracket:
West
1 North Dakota vs. 4 AIC
2 Denver vs. 3 Arizona State
Northeast
1 Minnesota Duluth vs. 4 Maine
2 UMass vs. 3 Bemidji State
East
1 Cornell vs. 4 Ohio State
2 Clarkson vs. 3 Northeastern
Midwest
1 Minnesota State vs. 4 Minnesota
2 Boston College vs. 3 Penn State
________________
Movement
In:
- Bemidji State
- Minnesota
Out:
- UMass Lowell
- Quinnipiac
Flanny's Thoughts 