Around the League Thread | Pre-Season Approaches

[StreetHawk]

Looks like expansion is going to be on the horizon. NHL must have done the leg work with the parties in ATL and HOU (Fertittia, unless there's another group looking to do what the 2 ATL groups are doing and building a new arena outside the county where the NBA team is located) to be bringing that up with the BOG.

So, earliest, would be 26/27 season if an expansion team awarded to HOU sometime during the 24/25 season (2026 draft).

So, every team should be on notice to prepare for a potential ED for 2026 or 2027 (unless both locations are building new arenas and the HOU one won't temporarily play in the Toyota Center).

 

[JT Milker]

How did I miss that the leafs signed OEL to a 4 year contract??

 

[Vector]

“All I can say at this time is everyone knows why I couldn’t be there. I am waiting calmly for things to be sorted out.”

 

[StreetHawk]

“All I can say at this time is everyone knows why I couldn’t be there. I am waiting calmly for things to be sorted out.”

Just weird. Agent should be the conduit between player and team. You know that Lehner needs to do a physical, same as last season. So, given what he's dealing with, you need to make sure he's ready for it (contact him in early Sept) and if not communicate that to LV and PA if needed to get their support.

 

[sting101]

F expansion. Just how watered down and how many years do you want teams to never get star players for? Not just that Atlanta are you kidding me? They had enough cracks at it. About as thrilling as forcing hockey into Arizona all these years when you got markets that would lap it up.

8 x 4 works. Its balanced and even the other major sports aren't even at 32 yet outside of football. NBA 30 MLB 30.

Bettman needs to stop being so greedy short term on behalf of these billionaire owners. How about expand to the Olympics to grow the game internationally and get a handle on the season start times to be able to take advantage of growing the World Championships talent pool? Instead he just acts like a whiny little bitch when he doesn't get his cut for the owners. How about think a little longer term and about player legacy's you clown. How upset are the stars of today that havent had best on best and chances to represent their countries proper.

I was of the thought that the Yotes would have made the most sense going to Houston by geography rivalry and fiscally but Utah is a fast growing populous and has lots of corporate money so it's not terrible and should be good for a city that has the demographics and winter sport history to embrace it. No doubt they inherited a lot of good young players and will be in the playoff mix this year. That's an exciting and refreshing start and Seattle is a good choice too. How about let it perk for awhile

But Money hands just cant stay off the crack......gross

 

[StreetHawk]

Sting101, I agree. Looking back at the nhl expansion from 21 to 32 teams the early expansion was really about which cities/applicants could or would pay the expansion fee. SJ was the settlement for Minny, but in other leagues NorCal team is a big revenue generator. Doesn’t seem that way for the nhl.

Did the nhl make the right choices for their cities? Probably not. But money back then wasn’t like money today. And they took the ones who were going to pay vs being more strategic with their locations.

NHL stayed away from nba cities. But now, those are the only places left and the nhl eyes big expansion fees and thoughts of those markets helping with rights fees. TB recently sold at a valuation of $2 bill and Atl and Hou are larger markets which I would bet is roughly the number the nhl targets as the expansion fee.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

I’m torn on expansion. I think the NHL finally figured out with Vegas and Seattle that setting up a team to be competitive right away was the magic elixir to help an expansion franchise be successful. Their plan for years of “lol give us money for a team, build your own arena, and we’ll give you a team of scrubs and watch you suck for a decade” was clearly not a successful one, and it’s a combination of luck and smart drafting / trading (which not every franchise is blessed with) that sorted out which teams got to stay and which ones didn’t.

I think there are still places that can work - but the NHL was pretty methodical with Vegas and Seattle. They should be so when considering new places.

I also think at some point, if the league continues to grow, you need to adjust the qualifying line for the playoffs. When there was 21 teams, 16 teams made it. Now we are at 32 and we still have 16 teams in - half the league doesn’t hit the playoffs. I think it’s on the edge of fine right now, but if we are adding more, it should probably go up to 18-20.

 

[Three On Zero]

I’m torn on expansion. I think the NHL finally figured out with Vegas and Seattle that setting up a team to be competitive right away was the magic elixir to help an expansion franchise be successful. Their plan for years of “lol give us money for a team, build your own arena, and we’ll give you a team of scrubs and watch you suck for a decade” was clearly not a successful one, and it’s a combination of luck and smart drafting / trading (which not every franchise is blessed with) that sorted out which teams got to stay and which ones didn’t.

I think there are still places that can work - but the NHL was pretty methodical with Vegas and Seattle. They should be so when considering new places.

I also think at some point, if the league continues to grow, you need to adjust the qualifying line for the playoffs. When there was 21 teams, 16 teams made it. Now we are at 32 and we still have 16 teams in - half the league doesn’t hit the playoffs. I think it’s on the edge of fine right now, but if we are adding more, it should probably go up to 18-20.

I may be in the minority but I liked the “play in” rounds, I wouldn’t mind 20 teams and adding a few play in rounds. Top 3 in each division get a bye while the play in and wild cards play a shorter series

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

Only 10 more years until the Fanatics partnership is over and I can buy a jersey again.

 

[LemonSauceD]

Habs are gonna look scary real soon.

Hutson has looked incredible thus far. Slaf, Suzuki, Caufield, Dach, Guhle, Reinbacher, Mailloux, and Demidov just had a 4 point night in the KHL as an 18 year old.

They also have terrific younger depth pieces like Roy, Thorpe, Xhekaj 1 and 2, Strubble, etc.

Slaf last 30 games was like watching Caps/Rangers Jagr.

 

[racerjoe]

I may be in the minority but I liked the “play in” rounds, I wouldn’t mind 20 teams and adding a few play in rounds. Top 3 in each division get a bye while the play in and wild cards play a shorter series

I think that is the play once you expand again. It’s also a great way to make more revenue… but god do we need the season to start sooner than.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

I may be in the minority but I liked the “play in” rounds, I wouldn’t mind 20 teams and adding a few play in rounds. Top 3 in each division get a bye while the play in and wild cards play a shorter series

I liked it to. Especially when Montreal shocked everyone and made things exciting.

I also wouldn't mind a potential "buy" round for Conference winners. It's actually make winning the conference worth something.

 

[Three On Zero]

I liked it to. Especially when Montreal shocked everyone and made things exciting.

I also wouldn't mind a potential "buy" round for Conference winners. It's actually make winning the conference worth something.

It added an extra level of excitement to the playoffs

 

[vancityluongo]

I’m torn on expansion. I think the NHL finally figured out with Vegas and Seattle that setting up a team to be competitive right away was the magic elixir to help an expansion franchise be successful. Their plan for years of “lol give us money for a team, build your own arena, and we’ll give you a team of scrubs and watch you suck for a decade” was clearly not a successful one, and it’s a combination of luck and smart drafting / trading (which not every franchise is blessed with) that sorted out which teams got to stay and which ones didn’t.

I think there are still places that can work - but the NHL was pretty methodical with Vegas and Seattle. They should be so when considering new places.

I also think at some point, if the league continues to grow, you need to adjust the qualifying line for the playoffs. When there was 21 teams, 16 teams made it. Now we are at 32 and we still have 16 teams in - half the league doesn’t hit the playoffs. I think it’s on the edge of fine right now, but if we are adding more, it should probably go up to 18-20.

relegation is the only solution. 36 teams is too many. there will be many, many franchises that don't win a cup ever. not even in the canucks way of we don't have one yet... the league just won't exist any more by the time certain teams win.

assuming chatgpt is correct with this prompt: "in a 36 team league, assuming relative parity, how many years would it take for every team to win a championship with 95% probability?"

the answer is: "It would take approximately 255 years for every team in a 36-team league to win a championship with 95% probability, assuming relative parity."

32 is already too many - same question, the answer is 245.

i don't know what the best format is - maybe 24 teams that can qualify for the proper playoffs, 16 of them make it. then you combine the 8 that don't with the 12 that didn't for an end of season tournament to qualify for the next season in some manner, with a weighted system that favours the teams that were already top-24.

 

[sting101]

Relegation will never happen. NHL teams supply the talent for the AHL and the draft wouldn't work. You cant have Bedard and Celebrini stuck playing in the AHL.

The entire league structure would have to change. Owners are not giving any of this up

As far as 24 playoff teams i dont mind it but winning 16 is already gruelling and detrimental to players health with how much more physical it is than the track meet of regular season hockey. I guess the argument for that is the top teams avoid the first round best of 3 or 5 so i could be talked into it as there's nothing better than NHL playoffs especially the first couple rounds

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I liked it to. Especially when Montreal shocked everyone and made things exciting.

I also wouldn't mind a potential "buy" round for Conference winners. It's actually make winning the conference worth something.

I agree. Finishing first should give you an advantage. It would make the regular season more relevant as right now the only advantage is seeding and often it’s not a big advantage.

 

[credulous]

relegation would only work if you got rid of the draft otherwise you'd risk stuff like bedard or celebrini being stuck in omaha in the third division for the primes of their career

i wouldn't necessarily be opposed to getting rid of the draft though. i think with a salary cap the draft is probably counterproductive in ensuring competitiveness

 

[RobertKron]

relegation is the only solution. 36 teams is too many. there will be many, many franchises that don't win a cup ever. not even in the canucks way of we don't have one yet... the league just won't exist any more by the time certain teams win.

assuming chatgpt is correct with this prompt: "in a 36 team league, assuming relative parity, how many years would it take for every team to win a championship with 95% probability?"

the answer is: "It would take approximately 255 years for every team in a 36-team league to win a championship with 95% probability, assuming relative parity."

32 is already too many - same question, the answer is 245.

i don't know what the best format is - maybe 24 teams that can qualify for the proper playoffs, 16 of them make it. then you combine the 8 that don't with the 12 that didn't for an end of season tournament to qualify for the next season in some manner, with a weighted system that favours the teams that were already top-24.

To make relegation possible, they'd basically have to split the NHL into two separate leagues, which is obviously not going to fly.

 

[im gangster]

Relegation will come to Vancouver one day in the form of an officially two tiered MLS.

 

[krutovsdonut]

relegation is the only solution. 36 teams is too many. there will be many, many franchises that don't win a cup ever. not even in the canucks way of we don't have one yet... the league just won't exist any more by the time certain teams win.

assuming chatgpt is correct with this prompt: "in a 36 team league, assuming relative parity, how many years would it take for every team to win a championship with 95% probability?"

the answer is: "It would take approximately 255 years for every team in a 36-team league to win a championship with 95% probability, assuming relative parity."

32 is already too many - same question, the answer is 245.

i don't know what the best format is - maybe 24 teams that can qualify for the proper playoffs, 16 of them make it. then you combine the 8 that don't with the 12 that didn't for an end of season tournament to qualify for the next season in some manner, with a weighted system that favours the teams that were already top-24.

if you went with a two league system and relegation there would need to be an equivalent to the fa cup running all season in parallel with the regular season/playoffs to give an incentive to the buried teams.

i got roasted for suggesting relegation on the main board. to be fair it is a hard path. it would require complex revenue sharing and player loans to make it happen, but the entrenched interests and mindset shift is the bigger hurdle. the worst teams currently in the nhl would always oppose the move even if the consequences were revenue neutral.

but there is drama and excitement in relegation and promotion derbies can be milked. in the epl small market teams that regularly flirt with relegation can become more well known than middle of the pack steady eddies. there is also drama from a team moving up into contention.

the reality though is that with 36 teams the league starts to get too large to follow. that is over 800 roster players plus prospects.

 

[WTG]

If the Supreme court in America overturns American Needle, Inc. v . NFL and the Federal Baseball Club v. National League decisions then it would force the leagues to be open circuit and have a promotion and relegation.

It's pretty ridiculous that closed systems are even allowed. I guess if someone wants to start a sports league and sue the NHL/NFL/MLB/NBA we can all pool our money together to fix this issue.

 

[WTG]

Adam Gaudette just scored

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

Adam Gaudette just scored

The crystals must finally be working

 

[Three On Zero]

Podkolzin looked decent
Savoie looked overwhelmed
O’Reilly looked really good

 

[VanillaCoke]

Very well hung Hockey Gaud scores for Bellville and knocks Woll outta the Leafs crease (scheduled)

Ever popular Matt Murray in for the second half, Leafs losing three one to start the third period.

Ps. Leafs gdt should be fire in an hour or so