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Target Center Will Likely Host National Collegiate Hockey Conference Tournament, According To Report

The National Collegiate Hockey Conference will likely announce a deal with the Target Center to host its conference tournament games.

By James Brady
Mar 7, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view of Target Center prior to the Portland Trail Blazers facing the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-US PRESSWIRE
Mar 7, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view of Target Center prior to the Portland Trail Blazers facing the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-US PRESSWIRE

There's been a lot of talk lately about the upstart National Collegiate Hockey Conference. With the hiring of Joe Novak as the director of hockey operations, they're set to play their first season in 2013-14. The biggest issue has been where the conference will hold its premier tournament. The Big Ten Conference utilizes the Xcel Energy Center and will be alternative from that and a site in Detroit over the next four seasons.

Most wondered if the NCHC would be going to Xcel Energy Center when the Big Ten Conference is in Detroit, but a recent article from the Pioneer Press seems to suggest otherwise:

Look for Minneapolis' Target Center and the upstart National Collegiate Hockey Conference to announce soon a multi-year deal to host the league's annual men's hockey tournament. That will be in direct competition with the new Big Ten Conference tournament in 2015 and 2017 at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center.

A deal with the Target Center was always on the table, but it still would be considered a pretty big success for the NCHC to get that kind of deal done. Nothing is official as of yet, but things look promising, given the report.

Photographs by Micah Taylor, clairity, and Fibonacci Blue used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.