2024 2025 Around the League Part 2

[Metallo]

It prevents super teams because you can't pay everyone.

Sure but the cap doesn't water down the league as a whole though. Expansion waters down the league however.

 

[Metallo]

I hate to break it to you, but 99% of these dudes playing in Europe suck ass and are not NHL quality.

I know you like the pre-Olympic and WJC group Z teams like Afghanistan vs. Botswana, but this is the reality. These guys are all trash.

Whaaaat? Guys like Per Ledin can come in and move the needle on any NHL roster right from day one. Same with Everberg and Rendulic.

 

[Metallo]

Water down the league more!!!

Can't wait.

I would add that 32 is a much nicer number in terms of divisions than 34 or 36.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

Jared is doomed as an NHL head coach if his 4th line is watered down in the slightest. His top line will play 30 minutes a night in this future

 

[Pokecheque]

What's your logic with your comment in bold? Isn't expansion more beneficial (or rather, less harmful) for teams that aren't contenders? Contenders have spent years assembling picks, drafting, trading, etc to build a deep roster, and then they have to give quality players away right as they've completed their build. As a fan of a contender I don't want my teams roster to be weakened during contending years.

Conversely rebuilding teams give up nothing of note and essentially just continue business as usual. As a fan I didn't care at all about losing Pickard, but having to lose a top 4 Dman (Graves) and a forward (Donskoi) wasn't ideal at the time, even though admittedly it worked out as well as one could have hoped for with Seattle taking Donskoi instead of Compher, and NJ giving us a pick for Graves which may yet turn into something (Behrens).

IIRC the only team I can think of that got hosed in the second expansion draft of the modern era was Toronto, but that’s because they stupidly traded for Jared McCann and then left him exposed because they thought it would be wiser to hold onto Justin friggin’ Holl. I get that RHD are valuable but come on.

Most teams got ahead of it and made deals beforehand, Avs dealt Graves and ultimately got Behrens, and then had to give up Donskoi. No big deal.

Probably a moot point anyway. Unless the Avs successfully retooled the window would probably be closed by then anyway.

 

[Balthazar]

Not talking about players from Argentina vs Gibraltar, but there are a ton of Swedes, Finns, Latvians, Czechs, Suisse, and Russians that can play on the bottom six of an expansion team IMHO. It isn't top talent, but provides solid depth.

Don't have to play in the AHL to be AHL caliber. These guys are AHL caliber or very close to it, which is what I was saying. They will add 50 guys that wouldn't be in the NHL otherwise.

 

[Metallo]

You know what would be fun? A mid-season tournament involving all 32 teams in a single game elimination. Let's call it the Governors Cup. Big cash prize for the winner ($10M? shared by the players on the winning team). All game opponents are drawn at random. One day break between games. Regular season game format for all games except the final that would be "playoff rules". That would mean 1 to 5 games for all teams. The twist is that team pts would cumulate for the regular season total, so the farther you go the more bonus games and pts you get. This could make or break teams trying to win the division or make playoffs.

 

[Pokecheque]

I would add that 32 is a much nicer number in terms of divisions than 34 or 36.

I would be all for eradicating divisions at that point. It’s already difficult to have a balanced schedule AND try to emphasize divisional rivalries, it’d be near impossible to do it with more than 32 teams…so get rid of them and seed the playoffs 1-8 like they should do now anyway.

 

[Metallo]

I would be all for eradicating divisions at that point. It’s already difficult to have a balanced schedule AND try to emphasize divisional rivalries, it’d be near impossible to do it with more than 32 teams…so get rid of them and seed the playoffs 1-8 like they should do now anyway.

Yeah almost inevitable if they go beyond 32 teams.

 

[Balthazar]

I would be all for eradicating divisions at that point. It’s already difficult to have a balanced schedule AND try to emphasize divisional rivalries, it’d be near impossible to do it with more than 32 teams…so get rid of them and seed the playoffs 1-8 like they should do now anyway.

Not happening

 

[Foppa2118]

Not happening

I don't think it has led to more rivalries for the Avs at least.

I feel like the rivalries were better with the old format. More intensity and pressure in the later rounds, and you get the best teams hating each other.

With this format you have the best teams facing the bubble teams in the first round, who may not make the playoffs again the next few years, or are about to rebuild. Can't build a rivalry that way.

It's a lot more interesting when the better teams hate each other and play more meaningful games IMO. Those are the best series, and we get robbed of that intensity sometimes, because one of them often loses in the first round.

 

[Balthazar]

What's happening in Columbus is Buffalo level of self-sabotage. I know people don't care but they lost again tonight. To Pittsburgh this time.

They completely ruined their playoff chances with 8 losses in their last 9 games. That team was still in the #1 wildcard spot at the deadline and the GM didn't want to sell. What a f***ing let down.

 

[LOFIN]

Not happening

Bettman always maintains the status quo, until the owners tell him otherwise. His head can turn in a swivel, but that would happen after the owners meetings.

 

[Pokecheque]

Not happening

I know. Owners just want to save money however they can, and the league as a whole still thinks rivalries are built within the division. As others have said, rivalries are built in the playoffs.

I know it’ll never happen but I can still hope however futile.

 

[Richard88]

Jared is doomed as an NHL head coach if his 4th line is watered down in the slightest. His top line will play 30 minutes a night in this future

Bednar's dream of having Jayson Megna on his 4th line full time will finally be fulfilled

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Not happening

The current playoff format sucks ass. Bottom line it's unfair for teams in strong divisions.

 

[Richard88]

The current playoff format sucks ass. Bottom line it's unfair for teams in strong divisions.

I agree. The Atlantic and Central divisions have been disadvantaged for a while now. A tough division not only increases your chances of getting eliminated early, but also means that once you get the the conference final you'll be more banged up than your opponents, like what happened with Dallas against Edmonton last year.

Contrary to creating rivalries it's also boring for fans. I mean are LA fans really supposed to get excited about facing Edmonton in the first round for the FOURTH year in a row?!

This format creates parity though and more close races as the standings are more tiered, giving most teams a target to aim for which is what the owners want. The opposite would be like a pure league format where you'd be chasing "7th place" which doesn't seem as interesting as chasing a wildcard spot.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

I agree. The Atlantic and Central divisions have been disadvantaged for a while now. A tough divisionnoy only increases your chances of getting eliminated early, but also means that once you get the the conference final you'll be more banged up than your opponents, like what happened with Dallas against Edmonton last year.

Contrary to creating rivalries it's also boring for fans, or are LA fans really supposed to get excited about facing Edmonton in the first round for the FOURTH year in a row?!

The league has a playoff format to determine the champion where teams in the weakest divisions have an easier path to glory and probably are not as gassed in later rounds. Clearly a competitive advantage and not fair, something what professional sports should try to avoid at all costs.

And like you said about the rivalries narrative. I call bs on that. Fanbases are getting sick of facing the same teams time and time again, even neutrals are bored.