July 2, 2024: CW Regular Season Schedule & Format
The new schedule announcement is always nice. This year, though, we also find out about what the new format looks like on paper (or a computer screen).
First, there is one division of four teams, and one of five. The top three in each make the playoffs. The first place teams get byes. The second and third place teams play a cross-over system, like the pre-merger NHL used to do.
Second, the teams are to rotate divisions on a 6-year cycle. The rotation remains undefined. My supposition is that the two teams from British California will never share a division with the three teams from Manitoba and Banjoland. The four teams from Saudi Alberta will switch about.
Here are this year's divisions:
Four: UBC, Trinity, Calgary, Mount Royal
Five: Alberta, MacEwan, Saskatchewan, Regina, Manitoba
The schedule for the Division of Four is:
- 3 series against each divisional opponent (3 opponents x 3 series x 2 games/series = 18 games)
- one series against each non-divisional opponents (5 opponents x 1 series x 2 games/series = 10 games)
The schedule for the Division of Five is:
- 3 series against two divisional opponents (2 opponents x 3 series x 2 games/series = 12 games)
- 2 series against two divisional opponents (2 opponents x 2 series x 2 games/series = 8 games)
- one series against each non-divisional opponents (4 opponents x 1 series x 2 games/series = 8 games)
I am not fussy about this. I can see minimizing games between the east and west extremes of the conference. But long-time rivals like Bedrock U and the Evil Monkeys only face each other once. I would also prefer the CFL's playoff format, i.e. top two from each division plus two wild-cards advance.
Since there is a 6-year rotation, I presume that there will be one season (this one) where the Calgary teams head west and Edmonton teams head east, and then another where this reverses. This would leave four seasons. Perhaps one for each of the Alberta teams to head east, whilst the other three head west.
In the Division of Five, the "3rd series" match-ups are:
Saskatchewan at Alberta
MacEwan at Regina
Manitoba at Saskatchewan
MacEwan v Alberta (all series home-and-home)
Regina at Manitoba
Here's the Bison schedule:
Sat Oct 5 Manitoba at St. Thomas (exhibition) 1:07 CDT
Fri Oct 11 Manitoba at Alberta 8:00 CDT/7:00 MDT
Sat Oct 12 Manitoba at Alberta 3:00 CDT/2:00 MDT
Fri Oct 18 Regina at Manitoba 7:00 CDT
Sat Oct 19 Regina at Manitoba 5:00 CDT
Fri Oct 25 Manitoba at MacEwan 8:00 CDT/7:00 MDT
Sat Oct 26 Manitoba at MacEwan 3:00 CDT/2:00 MDT
Fri Nov 1 Saskatchewan at Manitoba 7:00 CDT
Sat Nov 2 Saskatchewan at Manitoba 1:00 CDT
Nov 8-9 bye week
Fri Nov 15 Mount Royal at Manitoba 7:00 CST
Sat Nov 16 Mount Royal at Manitoba 2:00 CST
Fri Nov 22 Manitoba at Calgary 8:00 CST/7:00 MST
Sat Nov 23 Manitoba at Calgary 7:00 CST/6:00 MST
Fri Nov 29 Manitoba at UBC 9:00 CST/7:00 PST
Sat Nov 30 Manitoba at UBC 5:00 CST/3:00 PST
Fri Dec 6 Regina at Manitoba 7:00 CST
Sat Dec 7 Regina at Manitoba 5:00 CST
Sat Jan 4 Manitoba at North Dakota (exhibition) 6:07 CST
Fri Jan 10 Trinity Western at Manitoba 7:00 CST
Sat Jan 11 Trinity Western at Manitoba 2:00 CST
Fri Jan 17 Manitoba at Saskatchewan 7:00 CST
Sat Jan 18 Manitoba at Saskatchewan 5:00 CST
Fri Jan 24 MacEwan at Manitoba 7:00 CST
Sat Jan 25 MacEwan at Manitoba 2:00 CST
Fri Jan 31 Manitoba at Regina 7:00 CST
Sat Feb 1 Manitoba at Regina 5:00 CST
Fri Feb 7 Alberta at Manitoba 7:00 CST
Sat Feb 8 Alberta at Manitoba 2:00 CST
Fri Feb 14 Manitoba at Saskatchewan 7:00 CST
Sat Feb 15 Manitoba at Saskatchewan 5:00 CST
Feb 21-23 Quarter-finals
Feb 28-Mar 2 Semi-finals
Mar 7-9 Finals
Mar 20-23 U-Cup Nationals
Links:
➤ CW: Canada West Releases '24-25 Hockey Schedule
➤ CW: 2024-25 Men's Hockey Schedule
