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Message   The Hockey Writers    All   5 Reasons to Watch College Hockey   July 16, 2018
 10:16 AM *  

College hockey is an exciting sector of a sport loved by many. The tournaments,
 the atmosphere, the unpredictability-all combine for a hockey experience like
no other. As the NCAA receives more and more recognition at the NHL draft,
more and more hockey fans have begun to pay attention to the league, and there
are a number of reasons to consider falling in line.NHL Prospects

NCAA hockey was used as a launchpad for some of the NHL';s best players.
Current big names include Jonathan Toews, Erik Johnson, Blake Wheeler, Jack
Eichel, Noah Hanifin, and James van Riemsdyk. That is in addition to the
bountiful number of prospects in the league like Clayton Keller, Ryan Donato,
Adam Gaudette, Henrik Borgstrom-the list goes on and on.Blackhawks center and
Stanley Cup champion, Jonathan Toews, played in the NCAA before jumpstarting
his NHL career (Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports).

Just this year, 67 NCAA players were taken in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft-seven of
 whom were selected in the first round. Those early selections include Brady
Tkachuk (No. 4) and Quinn Hughes (No. 7). In total, 32 percent of draft picks
this year made their way via the NCAA.Unpredictability

It is obvious that the game of college hockey is played by college students
with ages ranging from the late teens to the early twenties. While most of
these players have played the game of ice hockey throughout their life, there
is still an aspect of inexperience, which in turn causes mistakes. But these
mistakes contribute to the excitement-you never know what is going to happen,
as a 3-1 lead can easily become a 4-3 deficit.

The stage gives way to unexpected heroes and awestriking performances. It
allows the story of an underdog dethroning a Top-20 program, of a high-scoring
affair, and a 1-0 grind. The game is quite simply unpredictable, making it one
 of the more exciting variations of hockey.College Hockey Atmosphere

NHL arenas are some of the loudest buildings that hose the sport, but the
atmosphere of a college hockey rink is unmatched in a number of other ways.
We';re not talking about 20,000 fans filling an entire arena with their chants
and filing in and out of beer stands, restaurants, and the pro shop between
periods. We';re talking about something a little different.Little compares to
an NHL arena, but college hockey has its own unique feel. (Photo by Ethan
Miller/Getty Images).

College hockey fans in attendance range from raucous students, dedicated
alumni, and locals rooting for hometown pride. There are the schools'; bands
that provide the viewing experience';s its most unique touche. Plus most NCAA
stadiums feature little distractions, oftentimes just a single food stand and a
 limited merchandise shop-if that. It';s this compactness and simplicity that
makes for a great place to watch a game.

A lot of college hockey rinks offer enough room for just a few thousand
fans-there never seems to be a bad seat in the house. While NHL tickets can
cost a fan hundreds of dollars, you can pay for most college hockey viewing
experiences out of your pocket, making it extremely accessible if you are
located near a program. Attending an NCAA ice hockey contest is simply a
unique experience. It may not have the roaring crowd and the bells and whistles
 of an NHL game, but it has its own feel and perks.NCAA Tournaments Galore

Tournaments are another aspect of college hockey that offers excitement. There
are a number of tournaments that arise throughout the season, such as the
annual Beanpot tournament that pins a number of New England programs against
one another, and the Friendship Four held in Belfast, Ireland-bringing the
sport across the Atlantic and resulting in the Belpot trophy being handed to
the winner.

Individual conferences also hold tournaments to crown the king of the region en
 route to the NCAA National Tournament, which pins the nation';s Top-16 teams
against one another. While this sounds a lot like the playoffs in a number of
other hockey leagues, this one doesn';t feature a best-of-seven series. The
matches are one-and-done deals - the winner moves on, the loser is sent
packing. It makes for exciting games to watch, radiating the feeling of a Game
7 given the stakes.Growth of College Hockey

Lastly is the fact that the game of college hockey is ever-growing. While it
remains largely untelevised until the end-of-the-year tournament, it is slowly
becoming more accessible thanks to the internet. Often at the hands of
schools'; journalism programs, some of the programs'; websites are able to host
 live streams. There are also a number of schools trying to break into Division
 I hockey, such as the University of Illinois and the University of
Arizona.NCAA hockey is growing in size and popularity (Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY
 Sports).

More and more college hockey players are making there way to the NHL as well.
Over 30 percent of the league now features players who used college puck to
reach hockey';s highest plateau. It';s a great statistic for college hockey,
drawing more and more players to the NCAA in order to compete for an NHL draft
pick while simultaneously working towards a degree in case Plan A doesn';t pan
out.

College hockey is quite simply growing, and it will be interesting to see just
how much it grows over the course of the next few years.

The post 5 Reasons to Watch College Hockey appeared first on The Hockey
Writers.

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