The National Collegiate Hockey Conference, the eight-team league starting in 2013-14, and the Target Center, has scheduled a major announcement for 1:30 p.m. Monday.

The news conference will be held in the main lobby of the Target Center.

And unless I am way, way misinformed, The National will announce that its postseason hockey tournament in March will be held at the Target Center. That news has been widely rumored for a while.

Here is the line-up of heavy hitters expected to be there:
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak
NCHC Commissioner Jim Scherr,
Target Center Vice President and General Manager Steve Mattson
Minnesota Duluth Athletic Director Bob Nielsen
North Dakota Athletic Director Brian Faison
Representatives from some of the other member institutions in the new conference: Colorado College, Denver,
Miami (Ohio), Nebraska Omaha, St. Cloud State and Western Michigan

If The National does hold its tournament at the Target Center, every other year it will be going head-to-head with the Big Ten tournament at the Xcel in St. Paul.

The Big Ten Conference, which is also starting in 2013-14, earlier announced its postseason tournament would alternate between the X in St. Paul one year and an Detroit arena the next.