Great Lakes Hockey League, ACHA, and Other Men's League Exhibition Games?

[dw91 0]

Hi All,

A few friends and I are considering getting a strong men's league team together for next year (i.e. 21-30 year old former ACHA div. 2 players and players of comparable or better skill level). We are not sure that we want to play in a league though, as we all have pretty busy schedules and don't really think there are any suitable leagues in the area due to what nights the games are on. We are in Central Illinois. This is very much in the planning stage now, and I'm just checking to see if it would be feasible for us to play 15-ish or less exhibition games a season. What I would like to know is the following:

-- Can ACHA teams and/or Great Lakes Hockey League (the senior league in WI and MI) teams play an exhibition game against any independent, USA Hockey registered team?

-- Also, has anyone registered an independent, pseudo-travel men's team with USA Hockey before? Approximate cost would be nice if possible. Also, roster limits would be helpful too. We would try and get the max amount in order to lower cost, and avoid having a shortage of players.

If you have any insight on the above two points, please feel free to chime in. Also, if there's any Great Lakes Hockey League players on here, please pm me, I'd like to know a little more about the league.

Thanks

[Harv 86]

-- Can ACHA teams

Most if not all ACHA programs will never even think of doing it. Atleast those with legit GMs and school funding. They have nothing to gain and a ton to risk.

Look into school with student run management or teams from the NIAH. They are usually teams who can't join the ACHA for whatever reason and just play for fun.

http://en.wikipedia....IH_Institutions

[dw91 0]

good point about the risk here Harv. I had never heard of NAIH, so thats a good lead.

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php?/topic/59158-start-a-new-elite-league/

Might want to get it all consolidated in there

[BarDownGinos 3]

Most if not all ACHA programs will never even think of doing it. Atleast those with legit GMs and school funding. They have nothing to gain and a ton to risk.

Look into school with student run management or teams from the NIAH. They are usually teams who can't join the ACHA for whatever reason and just play for fun.

http://en.wikipedia....IH_Institutions

False

ACHA teams play senior teams, junior teams from Canada and the US, and even Midget teams all the time in full on games. I played ACHA at Colorado State and our schedules included games with a AAA team out of Denver and for years we travelled to Jackson Hole, WY to play the JH Moose, as well as a local group of guys put together to be a "Senior A" team. CSU currently plays WSHL teams at the beginning of the season.

[dw91 0]

http://www.modsquadh...w-elite-league/

Might want to get it all consolidated in there

I thought about that JR, but didn't want to butt in on his California league deal there with some random stuff about the Midwest. I don't care if you merge 'em, feel free to do your Moderator voodoo or whatever you do to combine them, I can see where they could be one topic.

[raganblink 82]

False

ACHA teams play senior teams, junior teams from Canada and the US, and even Midget teams all the time in full on games. I played ACHA at Colorado State and our schedules included games with a AAA team out of Denver and for years we travelled to Jackson Hole, WY to play the JH Moose, as well as a local group of guys put together to be a "Senior A" team. CSU currently plays WSHL teams at the beginning of the season.

ACHA D1.. no chance they'd play a senior league team or AAA or juniors.

ACHA D2 and D3, possible. That's why CSU did that...

I know multiple D3 teams that have played senior teams from China, NA3HL teams, so its possible with them. But I've never heard of a D1 team doing that.

[dw91 0]

I'm with you Ragan, our target group is mid level ACHA DII teams in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, etc, and then maybe GLHL. I think we could draw a decent crowd in one of the local rinks, there's only a mite team and a high school club team playing there now. Place is empty like half the weekend.

[BarDownGinos 3]

ACHA D1.. no chance they'd play a senior league team or AAA or juniors.

tsk tsk tsk.

Iowa State 2011-2012 Season

2 games vs Huntsville Havoc (SPHL) tryout squad

2 games vs Dell's Ducks (MnJHL)

2 games vs Maple Grove Energy (MnJHL)

ISU has played against MN junior teams forever

Oakland Univ.

1 game vs Port Huron (NAHL)

Liberty Univ.

2 games vs Atlanta Knights (EJHL)

In the past the Univ. of Oklahoma has played the Texas NAHL teams in pre-season.

Is it a lot of DI teams? No. But it happens. A lot of it has to do with location, the majority of the ACHA DI teams are close to the each other so it isn't necessary.

[Harv 86]

False

ACHA teams play senior teams, junior teams from Canada and the US, and even Midget teams all the time in full on games. I played ACHA at Colorado State and our schedules included games with a AAA team out of Denver and for years we travelled to Jackson Hole, WY to play the JH Moose, as well as a local group of guys put together to be a "Senior A" team. CSU currently plays WSHL teams at the beginning of the season.

What is to gain by playing these teams? If your main goal is to win a national championship every year, there is no benefit of playing non-ACHA teams. If you win, big deal, it doesn't count towards rankings. It just another game listed as ''NON-ACHA Team". You run the risk of players taking runs with no recourse at all because you don't play in the same league. Your wasting weekends playing games that mean nothing when you could be playing teams that help your ranking.

I guess different organizations have different goals.

[BarDownGinos 3]

What is to gain by playing these teams? If your main goal is to win a national championship every year, there is no benefit of playing non-ACHA teams. If you win, big deal, it doesn't count towards rankings. It just another game listed as ''NON-ACHA Team". You run the risk of players taking runs with no recourse at all because you don't play in the same league. Your wasting weekends playing games that mean nothing when you could be playing teams that help your ranking.

I guess different organizations have different goals.

Well, let's see. We played the AAA team and local Senior team in pre-season to try line combos, get the rust off, and to get the new guys comfortable with the systems. All in a no-pressure situation. Sounds reasonable, right? They play the Junior team now for the same reasons, as well as for recruiting. We played the JH Moose because it was fun. It was a good weekend right before the big nationals push to decompress and just have a good time.

Out West there's only so many teams close by. Sometimes you have to fill in your schedule gaps with non-ACHA teams to stay sharp.

[raganblink 82]

tsk tsk tsk.

Iowa State 2011-2012 Season

2 games vs Huntsville Havoc (SPHL) tryout squad

2 games vs Dell's Ducks (MnJHL)

2 games vs Maple Grove Energy (MnJHL)

ISU has played against MN junior teams forever

Oakland Univ.

1 game vs Port Huron (NAHL)

Liberty Univ.

2 games vs Atlanta Knights (EJHL)

In the past the Univ. of Oklahoma has played the Texas NAHL teams in pre-season.

Is it a lot of DI teams? No. But it happens. A lot of it has to do with location, the majority of the ACHA DI teams are close to the each other so it isn't necessary.

ISU is my home team. GAH! Are you sure that was the D1 team? I'm looking at their printed schedule right now for D1 and I don't see any of those teams.

Anyways, its minimal at best.

[wrangler 157]

http://www.cyclonehockey.com/schedule.htm

[skyscrape 5]

There is a junior exhibition team in Stockton, Ca that played San Jose State tonight. They claimed they were a D2 team. Not sure, but I thought they were D3.

You can merge with my topic if you want. It doesn't have to be a California thing. In fact it would be a lot cooler if we could get more teams like this period!

[zachary 2]

At Robert Morris a few of our teams have played Non ACHA teams. The women's team plays against Canadian University teams from time to time, my team and another one have played against Lake Forest and another played against a Midget team.

Maybe you can try asking the teams your players are alumni from? They might be more accepting for a friendly exhibition.