The Wolverine

2012-13 HOCKEY PREVIEW "If they're the guys that are in line, they will be considered. It won't be my decision, but I have an emo- tional stake. I want to see the program do well. If there is a per- son that jumps out — and it might be an out- sider … whoever is the best person, I will sup- port that, but a lot can change in four years. So it's premature to look at that." ment) champions. The league also plans video retrospectives with key players, coaches and administrators from the conference's his- tory and an All-Decade Team from 2000-13 to go along with teams from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Both Pearson and Powers (and almost ev- ery Division I coach in the country) is believed to covet the job, but Powers knows there is no sense looking ahead, for now. "Red's approach has always been to focus on one year at a time, and even in four years, I don't think that door is shut completely on his career," Powers said. "He's speak- ing the way most of us would think about a future. It's hard to coach to 70, and he's very unique mentally and physically to get into his 70s and still be effective. "He'll take it a year at a time and not worry about more than that. "Honestly, I'm not even thinking about because the reality is he's not retiring right now or after this year. Four years is a long time away." CCHA BEGINS FINAL SEASON In 1982, Michigan left the West- ern Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) to join the Central Colle- giate Hockey Association (CCHA), finding a better geographical part- ner that included Bowling Green, Michigan State, Ferris State, Notre Dame, Northern Michigan, Lake Superior State, Western Michi- gan, Ohio State, Miami (Ohio) and Michigan Tech, which left the CCHA for the WCHA in 1985. Illinois-Chicago and Nebraska- Omaha would come and go also, and Alaska Fairbanks would find its way into a territorial nightmare in 1996. This season, the conference will celebrate its 42nd and final year before its membership breaks apart — U-M, MSU and OSU headed to the Big Ten; Northern, Ferris, 60 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2012 Senior forward Lindsay Sparks and the Wolverines will face off against Miami (Ohio) as conference opponents for the final time this season. Lake State, Alaska and BGSU to the WCHA; Notre Dame to Hockey East; and Miami (Ohio) and Western to the inaugural National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). regular-season title in 1992 and its first tournament title in 1994. In its 31 campaigns, U-M has finished first in the regular-season standings 11 times, with nine tournament titles. The Wolverines' 20 combined cham- pionships are more than any other CCHA member, two ahead of Michi- gan State, which has won 11 tour- naments and seven regular-season crowns for 18 total. "It's been a great league and great for Michigan," assistant coach Billy Powers said. The CCHA is planning a number of honors this season, including paying homage to the 41 Mason Cup (tourna- School Michigan State (11) 1982-83-84-85-87- 89-90-98-2000-01-06 MASON CUP CHAMPIONS Years CCHA TOURNAMENT/ Michigan (9) Bowling Green (5) Lake Superior State (4) 1991-92-93-95 St. Louis (3) Northern Michigan (2) 1980-81 Notre Dame (2) Ohio State (2) 1974-75-76 2007-09 Western Michigan (2) 1986-2012 Miami (1) 1972-2004 2011 1994-96-97-99- 2002-03-05-08-10 1973-77-78-79-88 PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Michigan won its first CCHA are having meetings about next year, so it's hard for everyone to be all in when everyone is half out." The Big Ten will begin play with six schools — Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Min- nesota and Penn State — each play- ing each other four times, two home games and two away. The first Big Ten Championship will take at the Excel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., and will then head to Detroit's Joe Louis Arena in 2015. "I know the league has plans, but I don't know how many play- ers and coaches and fans will embrace that because it seems we all have one foot out the door," head coach Red Berenson said. "We're having Big Ten meet- ings. Other schools Each school will have 20 guaran- teed games but must arrange 14 non- conference contests to supplement their schedules. "I can't tell you who Michigan will or won't schedule, but I think it will be a bonus for our fans to have more flexibility and then to see Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State twice here every year," Berenson said. "We'll have to schedule 14, or maybe 12 games if the Great Lakes Invitational con- tinues, but 12 is a lot more than our normal six. "I'd like to see some Ivy League schools like Harvard and Princ- eton and some of those schools. I'd like to have more of a rivalry with the Boston schools [Boston U. and Boston College]. And we won't turn our back on the CCHA schools. Bowling Green is an hour away, Western Michigan is 90 minutes away, and it makes sense to travel to those places. "But will we go to Alaska, North- ern, Lake State? Probably not." u

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