Arizona State Close to Final Conference Decision

by Adam Wodon/Managing Editor

With the news breaking today that Notre Dame will leave Hockey East for the Big Ten in 2017, the natural next question is to ask about Arizona State.

That's been an open question since Arizona State announced it would start playing hockey, but the news about Notre Dame presumes that other dominoes will fall, with ASU being next.

Arizona State coach Greg Powers said it's a question he gets every day, and is one the program is close to answering.

"We have not made a decision yet, but we're close," Powers said. "We're down to getting very granular and plan on using the Frozen Four to meet with different people to do that. And shortly after that we'll probably have an announcement to make."

On whether it's totally Arizona State's decision at this point, or whether it's more a case of each side needing to work out sticky contractual issues, Powers said, "Maybe a little bit of both. But at end of the day we know we have a home. We know definitively that we're wanted."

With the college hockey landscape shifting rapidly in recent years, and obviously still in flux, Powers said the decision will be based upon long-term factors.

"We're basing our decision (what is) best for our program in 10 years," Powers said. "Not 3 or 4 or 5, but 10. We're approaching building our program in every way and not short-sighted. Hockey is going to be at ASU long after everyone making this decision here is gone."

Arizona State just completed its first season as a Division I program, playing an independent schedule of mostly Division I schools, plus a handful of Division III, Canadian college and former club opponents. The Sun Devils went 5-22-2, with three of those wins coming against D-I opponents.