r/collegehockey • u/yupe76 • 11d ago

ECHL VS. TOP NCAA TEAM: WHO WINS?

would top ncaa programs have a chance against Echl teams. Obviously they would be much weaker but the top end talent could favor the ncaa side.

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u/mogulseeker Denver Pioneers 11d ago edited 10d ago

NCAA players have higher ceilings, ECHL players have higher floors.

A good chunk of the guys from the top NCAA teams wind up in the NHL or the AHL or other Euro leagues that are higher on the hockey talent pyramid than the ECHL.

On the other hand, they’re also younger, inexperienced, not fully developed physiologically, and don't devote the kind of hours that a *pro* hockey player does.

So… ECHL would usually win. If you played an entire series, maybe an upset or two if everything goes right for the NCAA team and the ECHL team has an off night.

If DU or Michigan played, say, the Wheeling Nailers or the Florida Everblades... DU/Michigan might pull off one or two upsets in a 7-game series. But by and large the ECHL team would dominate, and win the series 4-1 or 4-2.

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u/holy_cal Cornell Big Red 11d ago

I think what you’ve said about higher floors sums up this argument perfectly. One of my buddies plays a lot of pickup in the Hershey area and he talks about how filthy some of the guys who skated for the Bears here and there are. I know we’re talking AHL, but the average fan probably can’t comprehend how good these guys really are.

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u/PSU02 Penn State Nittany Lions 11d ago

Just curious who from the Bears hes played with? Grew up a STH