As college hockey’s attention turns to a press conference in Colorado Springs, the bigger question seems to belong to the programs left behind. More and more have spoke out recently.

“I think I have a great understanding of what commitment is and our commitment from our administration is as good as it gets.”

- St. Cloud State’s Bob Motzko in a St. Cloud Times story that looks at the future not just for the Huskies, but for all of college hockey

“I’ve spent a lot of time on the phone the last few weeks, and it’s still hard to predict what the future will hold. But this doesn’t change our commitment to Division I hockey. We crossed that bridge a couple of years ago. That’s not even a question on our campus anymore.”

- Bowling Green athletic director Greg Christopher to the Toledo Blade on the impact on the Falcons’ program

“The success we experienced and his multiple National Coach of the Year honors speaks volumes to his talent as a coach and it also speaks volumes to the hockey program we have here at Western Michigan University. We are positioned perfectly for a high profile coaching search. There has never been a better time to become our next new Bronco hockey coach.”

- Western Michigan athletic director Kathy Beauregard on Jeff Blashill’s resignation to become an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings

“The league will begin at the same time as the Big Ten Hockey Conference, significantly changing the landscape of the college hockey world in two years. Both the WCHA and Central Collegiate Hockey Association will be left with five teams — not enough for an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.”

- Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald, who has led the reporting of the formation of a new college hockey conference

“We’ve talked three times over the last two weeks. We’re sharing information and trying to stay informed. … We’re  not sitting back and not do anything. We’ve been taking this very seriously.”

- Minnesota State athletic director Kevin Buisman offered the perspective of the WCHA teams not included in the new league to Shane Frederick of the Mankato Free Press

“You cannot assume there’s a new league. It’s fair to say there have been discussions. That’s about it.”

- Colorado College athletic director Ken Ralph offered a non-denial denial to Joe Paisley of the Colorado Springs Gazette

“Either college hockey is going to hell in a handbasket because five established schools have elected to create a new, albeit totally logical, identity for themselves with a newcomer. Or that fresh brand is going to force college hockey officials in all five established leagues to look at themselves in the mirror and make an honest attempt to fix a makeup that’s been publicly askew for decades.”

- Andy Baggot in the Wisconsin State Journal with a pointed column on who gets “blame” and what lies ahead

“If these ‘leftover’ schools get together, somebody is going to start winning conference titles. Someone is going to start getting bids to the NCAA tournament annually.”

- Schlossman, in an analysis of what lies ahead, looks at the bright side for those programs not invited to the new conference

“I blame everybody for being less than honest with their own league members. It’s a really sneaky back-door deal.”

“I think when Mike Babcock calls and Ken Holland calls and the Detroit Red Wings call, you certainly listen. Yeah, it’s a potential great opportunity. I love Western Michigan. This is a special place in college hockey. I wouldn’t be talking to any other colleges, that’s for sure. But obviously it’s the NHL and the Red Wings are what they are.”

- WMU head coach Jeff Blashill on his candidacy for the Detroit Red Wings’ assistant coaching vacancy

“[S]ome series could be moved to Sunday-Monday or Saturday-Monday. Each school has already been asked to play two Monday night games per season. There is also talk of a Wednesday game between schools that are close geographically.”

- Tom Oates of the Wisconsin State Journal writes of the ripple effects, including scheduling, caused by the Big Ten conference

“Reports online and elsewhere said the Gophers would replace [John Hill] with Mike Guentzel, a Minnesota assistant coach for 14 years until leaving the Gophers in April of 2008. A source with knowledge of the situation said the Gophers are negotiating with Guentzel.”

- Roman Augustoviz of the Star Tribune on changes with the Gopher coaching staff

“[Garrett] Haar said he’s heard that ‘a bunch of guys’ are going to decommit [from Northeastern]. One of the players could be John Gaudreau, who was the United States Hockey League Rookie of the Year. Haar said that Gaudreau, who played with the Dubuque Fighting Saints last season, told him he could return to the USHL next year.”

- Ryan S. Clark (@ryan_s_clark) writes in the Fargo Forum that Garrett Haar and others won’t be attending Northeastern as planned

“We’ll try to make a decision on our next coach in a timely fashion to stabilize the program. I don’t have a timeline, but there are policies and procedures that we have to follow. We’ll do it in a way that’s thorough, and we’ll do it right and talk to the right people to find the right person to lead the program going forward.’’

Northeastern athletic director Peter Roby on the school’s next move. Sebastien Laplante will serve as interim head coach following Greg Cronin’s departure to the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs.

“Sam, and all of us, thought that rest and rehab would overcome everything. It was unanimous. We were all on the same page in April. But obviously that’s not the case, so we will get him into surgery and hopefully get him back sooner or later.”

George Gwozdecky, on the knee surgery for goaltender Sam Brittain that could cost him his sophomore season with the Pioneers