NCAA Hockey Video Game (sort of maybe)

I like Paul Kelly. As the new face of College Hockey, Inc. He really is optimistic about what college hockey could become in the next few years. In the face of recent program shrinkage in some cases, it takes a lot of chutzpah to suggest the viability of adding new DI programs, particularly at non-traditional schools. (He said it would be a real coup to get a USC, Berkeley, UCLA or a Stanford to get the puck rolling out there) I like a guy who isn't willing to lay down and eventually let the sport decline. Now he has this idea that will certainly be popular among NCAA puckstars...err...puckheads.

from The Pipeline Show blog:
NCAA Basketball and NCAA Football have their own annual release from EA Sports so why not NCAA hockey, at least under the NHL umbrella?

"We've actually been in discussions with EA for a couple of weeks," Kelly began, "and while we don't have a formal announcement to make at this moment, we are certainly in discussions with EA Sports and they are very interested in having a college component to their game. We, the colleges, are very interested in having that happen and we are just currently in the process of figuring out what dimensions that aught to take. The answer to your question though is 'YES' just as there is going to be a CHL component to the video game, there will be a college hockey component as well."

As for the time frame for that release, I immediately asked Mr. Kelly if that would be in place for the NHL 2011 release due in mid-September.

"I'm hopeful. I don't know much about the development of video games... if we come to a finality here in the next couple of weeks and whether that would give them enough time to roll it out in time for September... I would hope so but I don't know the answer to that. As soon as they are able to do it, we'll be doing it."

Great news if you're a fan of EA Sports ongoing series of NHL games and especially if you've been waiting for NCAA hockey to be included.

I am in love with this idea! Whether or not it leads to a full game in the future, this is so much better than what we have now!