College hockey is one of the most exciting, yet unheralded sports in the world of collegiate athletics. Without watching a second of college hockey, one would never know that in late autumn into winter, the Midwest and Northeast become fanatical with their following of what might be the most fiercely competitive of NCAA division-1 sports. As a new season begins to unfold, it is time to get right back down to business as non-conference hockey starts to really heat up.

College hockey has grown on and off the ice and could potentially be on the verge of something big as the National Hockey League holds feasibility studies in regards to expansion of Division-1 hockey. Furthermore, college hockey will be in a big spotlight when the Olympic Games roll around since NHL players will not be participating.

For our first article I am happy to have been able to bounce a few questions off the producer of Barstool Sports’ wildly successful Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, Mike Grinnell. His work has been instrumental to the growth and success of one of Barstool’s best podcasts and social media feeds. Furthermore, he is one of hockey twitter’s very best personalities. You can find him on twitter @MikeGrinnell_ and the hit podcast Spittin’ Chiclets @spittinchiclets.

Q: I noticed that you value Wisconsin and Providence more than NCAA pollsters do. You’re also a bit low on Notre Dame compared to others. What do you value when ranking teams this early?

Grinnell: Eye test, coaching and history. I can’t really put a team too high if I haven’t seen them play. Providence is a team I watch a lot. I love [Nate] Leaman and I love the system they play. Wisconsin, moreso their schedule. I got to watch them play as well and they play really hard. I like Notre Dame a lot, wish I could have put them higher. They are a really good hockey team. They’ll be higher if they keep playing how they are.

Q: Is there anyone from outside the top ten or anyone not typically considered a contender that you could see as being a serious threat this year?

Grinnell: Harvard, UNH, Michigan Tech and Notre Dame. I think Air Force is a great program. Not sure if they can contend with the big dogs, it would be a great story if they did.

Q: How do you feel about former US National Development Program coach Danton Cole returning to his Alma Mater, Michigan State? How big of a rebuilding project do you see that as?

Grinnell: I think Michigan State is a school that should never take long to rebuild at. Who wouldn’t want to go play there? Big school, great education, a good football & basketball team. Danton Cole’s track record speaks for himself as well, he’s a stud. That program has nothing to worry about.

Q: What are your thoughts on the NHL’s efforts to grow NCAA hockey in terms of resources, timetables, etc.?

G: I am SO happy that the NHL has stepped in to do the feasibility study. There are so many fantastic club programs that deserve a shot to play at the D1 ranks. Take a look at the Alabama Club Hockey team. They literally sell out every game. Play in front of packed houses, have an unbelievable digital media presence, and have some A+ style. The study has already looked at Illinois and Oakland but I hope they move south and out west. With schools like Arizona State showing that kids would actually want to go play in places like Arizona, I think college hockey has no limits. California is a place where you are seeing more and more NHL players come from. I’d really like to see a big school like USC or UCLA join the D1 ranks. But for now, we wait.

Q: Given the following you have at Barstool, how has it been writing about a sport that seems to have such a niche following? How instrumental is it to the growth of college hockey to be represented on such a huge platform? What do you ultimately see for the future of college hockey?

G: Blogging for Barstool has literally been a dream come true. I am from Boston so I have been following Barstool for around ten years now. I can’t thank KMarko enough for giving me a chance. It has been great to see more NCAAH content on the Stool. Look what Barstool did for the World Series of Poker. Nate and Smitty literally took it over and were the center of attention, it was genius. If I could ever do 1/10th of what they did for poker for something like the Frozen Four or the Beanpot, that would be amazing.

Hockey is a great game with a really cool following. People are extremely passionate about the game, which is a huge plus for me. Try telling North Dakota or Minnesota that their team doesn’t belong in the top 10… It won’t end pretty but it will end in clicks. I think any publicity is good publicity for hockey, look at the NBA and NFL for example. Everyone is talking about the drama off the court, which makes the ratings much higher. The future of hockey is very bright. With all the young superstars in the NHL, it’s making the game very marketable. I think NCAAH should switch to halfies (Half-shield visors) so you can see the players faces more, making them more marketable.

I think NCAA players going to the Olympics will be pretty big for COLLEGE hockey, not the NHL. It will give kids who virtually no one has ever heard of a chance to play on the biggest stage in the world. Something I’d like to see in college hockey is more small rinks. I think rinks like Matthews Arena where Northeastern plays are unbelievable for college hockey. When you’re watching on TV and you see a packed house, fans on top of the ice, chanting and yelling, you want to be a part of it. Sellouts are a good thing… Look at Duke Basketball. Lastly, let’s get hockey in the SEC. Alabama will be a D1 program before we know it, so let’s just get them all started. People in the South love the game.