Published: May 01, 2008 10:54 pm      

COLLEGE HOCKEY: Peters retires, McLaughlin takes CHA reins

College Hockey America will maintain the status quo, at least in the interim.

That coming from Ed McLaughlin, Niagara University’s athletics director, with interim being the operative word.

McLaughlin, who was named the CHA men’s hockey interim commissioner on Thursday after the retirement of Bob Peters, knows his gig atop one of college hockey’s six Division I conferences probably won’t last long.

With just four teams remaining — Wayne State’s program folded at season’s end — the CHA will maintain its automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for one more season, but McLaughlin is the first to admit he’s not sure the circuit can continue to get a pass.

“There is a league out there that isn’t happy we still have an automatic bid,” McLaughlin said. “I think we’ve got the support of most of college hockey this year. I don’t think we can expect that support in the future.”

The CHA meetings were held last week, but few concrete decisions could be made. McLaughlin said the remaining men’s teams — Niagara, Bemidji State, Alabama-Huntsville and Robert Morris — will likely play an 18-game league schedule this season, but he doesn’t expect the league to continue in its current form past the upcoming year.

Still, he’s hoping to find a home for all four of the programs, especially in light of Wayne State’s demise.

“I’m really focusing completely on fixing the situation in regards to the problem of membership,’ McLaughlin said. “That’s the sole focus. Hopefully, we’ll still have our championship game carried on CSTV, but the biggest issue is solving where teams will be playing.

“That’s priority one through 10.”

As for Peters, he leaves behind a legacy as one of the greatest college hockey coaches in history. The longtime Bemidji State mentor is the only coach to reach the Final Four in all four divisions (I, III, III and NAIA), and was a driving force behind the conference’s formation.

“(Peters) was part of the discussions last week. I think he’s just been in this a really, really long time,” McLaughlin said. “We’re lucky that he worked at it for this long, but it’s time for him to enjoy the rest of his life.”

Mercyhurst AD Craig Barnett, who was named the interim women’s hockey commissioner, said Peters always stayed focused on kids.

“He has accomplished so much for the game of hockey that his retirement is an emotional issue for me,” Barnett said. “His number one priority has always been for the student-athletes. I feel honored to have him and his wife Lou as friends.”

For McLaughlin, one of the first orders of business is to help determine where the CHA Tournament will be held. Niagara held the event last year and would like to do so again, but other teams within the league also are expected to make bids.

The league had previously held the tournament in neutral sites like Des Moines, Iowa, and Kearney, Neb., but McLaughlin doesn’t expect that to happen again.

“I think we’ve all agreed that having on campus is the best way to do it,” McLaughlin said. “Of course, others would like it too. You want to give your student-athletes the best chance to win it.”

Contact group sports editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266.