Hockey East will revise its bylaws

The Hockey East Association does not intend to be dragged into court by one of its member schools ever again.

Acting league commissioner Bob DeGregorio said Wednesday Hockey East likely will revise its bylaws later this year in order to clarify the language and make crystal clear the guidelines to which teams must adhere if they agree to play in the league.

DeGregorio said Hockey East agreed to settle the dispute with the University of Maine out of court because the Black Bears had been eliminated from the league’s postseason tournament.

“We felt that (Boston University) had beaten them and there was no sense at this point to beat a dead horse,” DeGregorio said of Maine. “Anything further will be discussed by the directors at the next meeting,” which is scheduled for April 13.

DeGregorio said Hockey East will move quickly and decisively to strengthen itself in the league bylaws.

“I don’t know what the language is going to be, but we certainly will take a hard look at the bylaws and where needed we will adjust and rewrite to put ourselves in a strong position to protect the association against such action.”

The action referred to is legal intervention, which is what Maine did. The university asked for, and received, a temporary restraining order from Penboscot County Superior Court Justice Robert L. Browne allowing the Bears to compete in the Hockey East Tournament.

The move was in response to action by the league’s athletic directors, who on March 4 voted 5-2, with one abstention, to prohibit Maine from competing in the playoffs because of what it deemed a lack of institutional control.

The action came on the heels of Maine’s discovery that senior Patrice Tardif was among five graduate student-athletes who had been carrying insufficient credits and had been competing while ineligible.

Maine coach Shawn Walsh said he applauded the league’s effort to revise its bylaws.

“I’m glad we are able to reconcile,” Walsh said. “This was not a personal situation, it strictly invovled the bylaws. I think the best thing they can do is clear them up.”

DeGregorio stressed that Maine is still an integral and valued member of Hockey East.

“As far as I and the other directors are concerned, they’re still a very important part of this league,” DeGregorio said. “We’ll just need to mend some fences.”

Maine’s absence may have been most apparent during last weekend’s Hockey East semifinals and finals at Boston Garden. The event drew only 10,720 fans for the four games.

Last year’s Maine-BU league title game alone attracted 9,234 fans. DeGregorio conceded Maine’s presence likely would have increased gate receipts, pointing to the 1992 championship game against New Hampshire. Tha contest drew 12,212 fans, including a Boston Garden-record 7,000 walk-up sales.