Around the League - 2023/24

[HockeyFan100]

Can we just get 1v8, 2v7, etc playoff match-ups again? Please? Lets start with that easy change and then go from there.

Yes please. Get rid of the wild card completely

 

[Cypher]

LeBrun's article on The Athletic mentions six rule changes he would like to see:

1) Full two-minute PPs
2) Offensive zone faceoffs to start periods if a PP carries over
3) 3v3 overtime expanded to 7 minutes
4) 3 goalies per roster without hindering roster flexibility
5) Baseball-like series in the regular season if you play a team more than once
6) 3 point system

I can get behind 1, 5, and 6. Especially 6. It is long past time for the NHL to adopt a 3 point system.

IIRC the league had #1 until the Canadiens got so good on the PP that teams complained they were scoring too many goals in either the 60s or 70s.

Dallas would never allow #6

 

[Bone Breaker]

after all that happened this first half of the season, McJesus will still finish 1st in the league. lol

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

after all that happened this first half of the season, McJesus will still finish 1st in the league. lol

Seems to be his and Drasaitl’s MO, be terrible, get coaches fired, play good again

 

[dahrougem2]

Islanders are 3rd in the Metro despite having the 5th fewest wins in the East.

Their 10 OT/SO losses coming in handy.

11th overall in league standings despite being 22nd in wins.

This is why the 3 point system is needed.

 

[missionAvs]

Sucks for MacK that as well as he's playing, McJesus is going to pass him in points within the next few weeks.

 

[Grigowski]

Sucks for MacK that as well as he's playing, McJesus is going to pass him in points within the next few weeks.

I doubt Mac can hear you good enough cause he has his Stanley-Cup-Ring pluged in his ear......

 

[LOFIN]

3 point system NEEDS to happen. The league has enough parity as-is with the cap and expansion.

I think year in and year out, people have been looking at the standings and come to the conclusion that going to the 3-2-1-0 point system doesn't change the standings all that much. That said, it should be adopted for the simple reason of it being totally illogical why some games are currently awarding 2 points and some are awarding 3 points. Either go to the "European model" of 3-2-1-0, or the other end of the spectrum in the NA model of just W/L.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Islanders are 3rd in the Metro despite having the 5th fewest wins in the East.

Their 10 OT/SO losses coming in handy.

11th overall in league standings despite being 22nd in wins.

This is why the 3 point system is needed.

TOR, PHI, WAS, DAL, VEG, NAS and ARI have all been as bad or worst than NYI in profiting from OT and SO wins.

Although I agree a 3-pt system is needed it is very hard to see how that system would have affected the standings in the past because all teams would have been playing much differently the last 5-10 mins of all close games.

 

[henchman21]

I'm all for a 3 point system (or just doing away with shootouts and OTL all together... if they tie, the tie)... but teams would certainly play differently if the system was different. You can't really take results today and extrapolate them to a different system. Dallas for instance is very confident in their play in OT and is very willing to turtle with 5 minutes to go while tied. Their 7-4 record in OT supports this strategy too. It is only good coaching to know your strengths and play to them.

Now the Avs are absolutely abhorent in the OT, so it makes sense for them to push as much in regulation.

 

[Bender]

Value of: - Ryan Graves in a D-for-D swap

Ryan Graves isn’t working out in Pittsburgh but he still clearly has size and skill, I don’t think his stock has dropped all that significantly. Thinking he’s a great candidate for a defenseman swap with another team with a similar player in a “change of scenery” trade that could benefit both...

forums.hfboards.com

Kyle Dumbass - I can't believe anyone pays this tool to run a hockey team.

 

[Pokecheque]

Didn't realize until I saw a clip from Steve Dangle's show that the Leafs have never, not once won a third round, because the last time they ever advanced to the Final, it didn't exist.

 

[dmac7719]

Didn't realize until I saw a clip from Steve Dangle's show that the Leafs have never, not once won a third round, because the last time they ever advanced to the Final, it didn't exist.

I remember coming across that clip as well, but he clearly doesn't know his Leaf history. Now if he said they haven't won a third round since their last cup, then he'd be right.

 

[Bender]

Yes please. Get rid of the wild card completely

But...but... the amazing rivalries !?!?!?!

 

[henchman21]

I know this will never happen as long as Bettman is the head of things... but I'd go beyond the conference seeding and wild cards and just eliminate the conferences all together. Expand the playoffs to 20 teams (since a 34 team NHL inevitable... maybe even 36 is). 1-13 get a 'bye' round. 14-20 play a best of 5. I could probably even be convinced on a 22 team playoff with 1-10 getting a bye and and 11-20 having a best of 5. This would dramatically increase HRR and build more excitement for fanbases who are struggling. Teams rebuilding would get the playoff taste more quickly. More cinderella runs are possible. Overall just helps the whole excitement of the league... and I'd argue with the bye round, makes the regular season more important than it is today.

People will scream about too many playoffs teams... but the 16 team format first came when their were 21 teams in the league and that lasted all through the 80s. That would be like a 24 team playoff today. 20/34 is the same rough proportion as 16/28 or what the NHL was prior to 00-01. Or like 17 of 30 making it prior to this last round of expansion. It is minimally different and would have a huge financial impact.

 

[Pokecheque]

I know this will never happen as long as Bettman is the head of things... but I'd go beyond the conference seeding and wild cards and just eliminate the conferences all together. Expand the playoffs to 20 teams (since a 34 team NHL inevitable... maybe even 36 is). 1-13 get a 'bye' round. 14-20 play a best of 5. I could probably even be convinced on a 22 team playoff with 1-10 getting a bye and and 11-20 having a best of 5. This would dramatically increase HRR and build more excitement for fanbases who are struggling. Teams rebuilding would get the playoff taste more quickly. More cinderella runs are possible. Overall just helps the whole excitement of the league... and I'd argue with the bye round, makes the regular season more important than it is today.

People will scream about too many playoffs teams... but the 16 team format first came when their were 21 teams in the league and that lasted all through the 80s. That would be like a 24 team playoff today. 20/34 is the same rough proportion as 16/28 or what the NHL was prior to 00-01. Or like 17 of 30 making it prior to this last round of expansion. It is minimally different and would have a huge financial impact.

The one and only problem I have with that is you're either likely expanding playoffs to five rounds or your're doing a "play-in" for the bottom teams, which I absolutely abhor.

 

[henchman21]

The one and only problem I have with that is you're either likely expanding playoffs to five rounds or your're doing a "play-in" for the bottom teams, which I absolutely abhor.

I think you end up with a 1st round consisting of the lower ~half of the playoff teams with the top half having a bye. Kinda like the NFL does just on a more expanded level. IMO that incentivizes teams to play better during the regular season, especially if you are near or expect to be near the cutoff. While at the same time not having the situation of today where 7 teams are out of the playoff picture completely Jan 1. By Feb 1, we probably have 10-11 teams out.

 

[Pokecheque]

God, if Fitzgerald does not swing a deal to get a legit starting goaltender he should be fired into the sun. Absolutely ridiculous the riches he has at his disposal, the insane amount of talent on that roster, and the garbage they got between the pipes right now. They have Hughes AND Nemec playing insanely good as rookies right now, and frankly if the numbers are to be believed they should sell high on Holtz and Mercer before its too late.

 

[henchman21]

God, if Fitzgerald does not swing a deal to get a legit starting goaltender he should be fired into the sun. Absolutely ridiculous the riches he has at his disposal, the insane amount of talent on that roster, and the garbage they got between the pipes right now. They have Hughes AND Nemec playing insanely good as rookies right now, and frankly if the numbers are to be believed they should sell high on Holtz and Mercer before its too late.

Yeah New Jersey needs to be buying. Rumors are flying they are circling a few guys in net. I'll be shocked if they don't land one of them.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I know this will never happen as long as Bettman is the head of things... but I'd go beyond the conference seeding and wild cards and just eliminate the conferences all together. Expand the playoffs to 20 teams (since a 34 team NHL inevitable... maybe even 36 is). 1-13 get a 'bye' round. 14-20 play a best of 5. I could probably even be convinced on a 22 team playoff with 1-10 getting a bye and and 11-20 having a best of 5. This would dramatically increase HRR and build more excitement for fanbases who are struggling. Teams rebuilding would get the playoff taste more quickly. More cinderella runs are possible. Overall just helps the whole excitement of the league... and I'd argue with the bye round, makes the regular season more important than it is today.

People will scream about too many playoffs teams... but the 16 team format first came when their were 21 teams in the league and that lasted all through the 80s. That would be like a 24 team playoff today. 20/34 is the same rough proportion as 16/28 or what the NHL was prior to 00-01. Or like 17 of 30 making it prior to this last round of expansion. It is minimally different and would have a huge financial impact.

Eliminating conferences would increase traveling which I am sure owners and players wouldn't be happy with.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I don't like playins because they create an off-week, which while a day or two to heal is nice, I think a week off is too much prior to the start of the playoffs. The whole season, you are building, working on details, trying to get to that razor sharp edge you need for the playoffs and then boom...take a week off.

Just not a fan.

 

[henchman21]

Eliminating conferences would increase traveling which I am sure owners and players wouldn't be happy with.

*some owners and players

The teams in the northeast plus Toronto and Montreal would hate it as their travel would get significantly worse. Teams in the South and West wouldn't really be any worse... but would be on a more level playing field where they may prefer it. IE Colorado, Calgary, and Edmonton would stay about the same... but now Boston and New York have to travel about the same as Colorado.

You could also introduce some different structure to it to limit that impact. As we have now, each team plays each other once. So there is 62 already figured out. Maybe you get a designated rival or two you play 2 extra times and then 16 teams get rotated through regionally as the extra game.

 

[Pokecheque]

Anything that gets rid of the garbage division-heavy stuff we see in the first round I'm all for it. And yes I'm totally on board with the wholesale elimination of divisions and conferences. They're simply not needed, and I thought it was interesting to see a 2020 Final that featured teams that never would have faced off in the Final under normal circumstances.

I really like Boomer Gordon but he had an absolutely garbage take a few weeks ago. He was railing against the whole draft style of the ASG a few years ago, saying he rooted for his team's conference to win it. Eff that, I mostly hate the teams and players who are on the same side as the Avs in those kinds of contests, so I'm all for different formats whether it's a draft or North America vs. The World like it was many moons ago.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I would love ensuring that the leagues stars all play in each city more than once a year. You want to grow the game. Get the stars out in as many cities as often as possible. Give kids the chance to see them more than once a year.

I would be perfectly fine with a completely league wide balanced schedule. In fact, I'd be fine with the regular season being limited to 62 games with the assumption that we increase the playoffs to 20 teams, which would make it five rounds long instead of 4.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

*some owners and players

The teams in the northeast plus Toronto and Montreal would hate it as their travel would get significantly worse. Teams in the South and West wouldn't really be any worse... but would be on a more level playing field where they may prefer it. IE Colorado, Calgary, and Edmonton would stay about the same... but now Boston and New York have to travel about the same as Colorado.

You could also introduce some different structure to it to limit that impact. As we have now, each team plays each other once. So there is 62 already figured out. Maybe you get a designated rival or two you play 2 extra times and then 16 teams get rotated through regionally as the extra game.

The only teams I see being helped by this change in traveling less would be Win, Min, Chi, Stl and Nas. It would also help Col and Dal indirectly by increasing travel for the rest of the league. That is only 7 teams I see looking at the map that would be helped. It would never pass.