Anastos Gets Extension

CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos has been given a 5-year contract extension to run the CCHA. This press release announces the extension, as well as mentions some of the highlights of his tenure.

Two of those accomplishments really stick out in my mind though. First is the crackdown on obstruction. The CCHA was one of the worst leagues in the country in terms of clutching and grabbing just a few seasons, and now it's become much more wide-open and a lot more fun to watch, as compared to the WCHA, which I think as actually taken a step backwards in terms of allowing all sorts of obstruction this season.

The other is negotiating a deal with Leafs TV in Toronto. A huge reason for the decline of the CCHA nationally is that the league's best talent pool, Ontario, has basically dried up thanks to the OHL. Getting more college games on in Ontario exposes kids to the college game, and helps dispel a lot of the myths about college hockey that some OHLers spread. It would be a great benefit for the CCHA is they started getting top Ontario kids again.

I think Anastos has done a great job as the CCHA's commissioner, and I've never really heard anything from negative about him from people that have talked to him. So it's probably a great that he'll be with the CCHA for at least the foreseeable future. He had a tough job to fill, replacing legendary commish Bill Beagan, but he's done a great job, even if the past few years have been rough for the CCHA on the ice.