Assuming the NHL expands to 36 teams, what will schedule look like?

[Golden_Jet]

Players today are a whole other species compared to the gnats of yesteryear

Lmao, here’s what you said,
Send Goodrow back to the ‘80s and he’d win 10 straight Harts.

That’s uber bad, too bad you didn’t see some of the greats of the 80’s play.

Which one of Gretzky or Lemieux is Goodrow going to take the Hart from ?

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Hmmm....rhst name isn't ringing a bell but that would throw a wrench into the league's plans. They won't give an inch when it comes to the expansion fee

He owns the Rockets.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInTampa]

Wales


Adams

Buffalo
Boston
Montreal
Ottawa
Quebec City*
Toronto

Patrick

Detroit
New Jersey
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh

Hart

Atlanta*
Carolina
Columbus
Florida
Tampa Bay
Washington


Campbell

Smythe

Calgary
Edmonton
Seattle
Utah
Vancouver
Winnipeg

Norris

Chicago
Dallas
Houston*
Minnesota
Nashville
St. Louis

Ross

Anaheim
Colorado
Los Angeles
Phoenix*
San Jose
Vegas

82 games. You're not gonna see every team every year.

1 vs 8 with re-seeding

Draft lottery abolished

I am profusely apologetic to Utah and Winnipeg for how bad they're getting f***ed with travel. If another expansion team happens in like say San Diego, you can punt Nashville East and open a spot for the Jets in the Norris. I can at least try TRY to rationalize the Jets sharing Candian rivals in their division. Houston, Denver and Utah's locations makes doing this really difficult.

Utah is maybe still new enough to where maybe you can group them northwesternly and it's okay

 

[Sol]

I realistically don’t understand how anyone finds this interesting with so many teams now.

 

[BaileyFan]

6 divisions of 6 teams.

6 games x 5 division teams = 30
3 games x 12 conference teams = 36
1 game x 18 other conference = 18
84 game schedule.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Those three cities also slot in perfectly into every existing division:

Pacific: Phoenix. But absolutely can’t go back to the Coyotes brand when they come back (and they will).

Central: Houston

Metro: Atlanta — putting them with the big market NY and Penn state teams is critical imo.

Atlantic: Geographically QC would be perfect. I know it’s not exactly at the top of the NHL’s list but keep in mind from 1996-2011 Manitobans clamouring for the return of the Jets were seen as idealistic dreamers too.

If not this would be a decent reason to justify a 2nd Toronto team. I’ve long been a proponent of another Toronto franchise, there are a LOT hockey fans in Toronto who want to cheer for a local team but not the Leafs. According to some Leafs fans who know Toronto’s traffic and populations patterns, Markham would be the best choice for their arena.

Been saying it for awhile. QC is the average girl the NHL kisses every now and then to make the hot girls they really want to f*** jealous.

Toronto 2 would absolutely be successful, but I think they're looking at American franchises. Especially given the claims that the Jets were possibly struggling and the state of the Canadian dollar.

I think PHX/HOU/ATL are all correct but I wouldn't say that limits another western expansion team. It's not ideal but they could shift Nashville east if they had interest from somewhere like Portland or KC.

 

[PistolPete]

He owns the Rockets.

Yeah. Weird. I've come across tidbits about him but rhe name obviously didn't sink in. Apparently his not wanting to pay the expected expansion fee didn't either.

 

[AKL]

They want to expand their footprint in the most lucrative market, the US. You’re counting the total number of franchises, when you need to be counting the number of American franchises.

The NFL has 32 American franchises.
The NBA has 29
MLB has 29
The NHL has 25

You might disagree with their strategy for other reasons, but there’s nothing “bush league” about it. I would actually argue it’s the opposite of “bush league.”

The demography of hockey fandom is radically different from football, baseball, and basketball, so it makes perfect sense that the league’s footprint and growth strategy would reflect that.

I don't understand why people don't understand this. MLB and NBA have teams in Toronto and that's it. NHL has teams in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. The NHL should have 6 more teams than other leagues do.

 

[PistolPete]

I realistically don’t understand how anyone finds this interesting with so many teams now.

Vast majority of fans are local-only anyway. They follow their team and that's it.

 

[PistolPete]

6 divisions of 6 teams.

6 games x 5 division teams = 30
3 games x 12 conference teams = 36
1 game x 18 other conference = 18
84 game schedule.

Oof. Just not a fan of even more games, even if only 2.

What about inrerconferenc schedule of 1 division so 6x3, like the NFL does?

With just one game vs each opponent half of the other conference teams will be a home game and the other half a road game anyway

 

[PistolPete]

Been saying it for awhile. QC is the average girl the NHL kisses every now and then to make the hot girls they really want to f*** jealous.

Toronto 2 would absolutely be successful, but I think they're looking at American franchises. Especially given the claims that the Jets were possibly struggling and the state of the Canadian dollar.

I think PHX/HOU/ATL are all correct but I wouldn't say that limits another western expansion team. It's not ideal but they could shift Nashville east if they had interest from somewhere like Portland or KC.

I have my doubts that any American market except maybe Omaha is threated or jealous of Quebec.

 

[PistolPete]

Wales


Adams

Buffalo
Boston
Montreal
Ottawa
Quebec City*
Toronto

Patrick

Detroit
New Jersey
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh

Hart

Atlanta*
Carolina
Columbus
Florida
Tampa Bay
Washington


Campbell

Smythe

Calgary
Edmonton
Seattle
Utah
Vancouver
Winnipeg

Norris

Chicago
Dallas
Houston*
Minnesota
Nashville
St. Louis

Ross

Anaheim
Colorado
Los Angeles
Phoenix*
San Jose
Vegas

82 games. You're not gonna see every team every year.

1 vs 8 with re-seeding

Draft lottery abolished

I am profusely apologetic to Utah and Winnipeg for how bad they're getting f***ed with travel. If another expansion team happens in like say San Diego, you can punt Nashville East and open a spot for the Jets in the Norris. I can at least try TRY to rationalize the Jets sharing Candian rivals in their division. Houston, Denver and Utah's locations makes doing this really difficult.

Utah is maybe still new enough to where maybe you can group them northwesternly and it's okay

I don't see anything wrong with Utah's and Winnioeg's division. Looks like a suitable placement.

What would you do in lieu of a lottery? Back to the way it was before?

 

[PistolPete]

View attachment 1035742

View attachment 1035754

4 games against in-division opponents, 2 games against everybody else = 80 games total.

Playoff Format:
3 division winners in each conference do a round robin to determine their ultimate seeding.
3 safe WC spots get an extra few days of rest.
7-10 do an NBA style play-in tournament for the final seed.

Nice, easy schedule. I wonder if the league would sacrifice 2 extra games for that though. Perhaps 2 games vs. an interconferenxe rival of the same divisional standings ( 1st v 1st, 2nd v 2nd....)?

 

[PistolPete]

In all fairness, the NBA almost expanded to 32, and the MLB is dying.

How is MLB dying? Their revenues go up every year.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInTampa]

I don't see anything wrong with Utah's and Winnioeg's division. Looks like a suitable placement.

What would you do in lieu of a lottery? Back to the way it was before?

Short answer: yes

You can strip teams of their draft pick and fine them when you know full and damn well they are openly and deliberately tanking.

 

[PistolPete]

Short answer: yes

You can strip teams of their draft pick and fine them when you know full and damn well they are openly and deliberately tanking.

Or just do away with the draft altogether and force teams to recruit?

With a salary cap in place, large markets can't simply outbid smaller markets for top talent anymore, so it's even more even amongst teams that college recruiting.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInTampa]

Or just do away with the draft altogether and force teams to recruit?

With a salary cap in place, large markets can't simply outbid smaller markets for top talent anymore, so it's even more even amongst teams that college recruiting.

That'll take the NHL back to the dark ages. The whole "oMg TaNkInG!!!" thing has turned into an epidemic. Just let bad teams pick 1st

 

[PistolPete]

That'll take the NHL back to the dark ages. The whole "oMg TaNkInG!!!" thing has turned into an epidemic. Just let bad teams pick 1st

Why would it take them back to the Dark Ages (and what time period is the Dark Ages)?

 

[AlwaysSunnyInTampa]

Why would it take them back to the Dark Ages (and what time period is the Dark Ages)?

The draft the only thing keeping competitive balance. Otherwise everyone is just going to sign with the Toronto's and Rangers of the world. Markets like them and about 2 others are the only who stand to benefit from the draft being done away with

 

[Run the Jewels]

That would be a horrible idea. The schedule would look like a mess.

$750 million or thereabouts per new franchise split amongst the owners? It will get unanimous approval.

 

[PistolPete]

The draft the only thing keeping competitive balance. Otherwise everyone is just going to sign with the Toronto's and Rangers of the world. Markets like them and about 2 others are the only who stand to benefit from the draft being done away with

It's not necessary to have a draft for competitive balance. Large markets can't board all of the top prospects.

You assume new players would be drawn to Toronto and NYR but these prospects have other considerarions: playing time, cultural fit, reputation of the coaching staff and management, commitment to winning, pressure of playing in a given market, competency over the long haul (team is in a valley rather than chronic case of basement dwelling)...

 

[OrangePMD]

$750 million or thereabouts per new franchise split amongst the owners? It will get unanimous approval.

It's at least double that now, 1.5 billion. Probably more.

 

[robertmac43]

Sorry, more than likely they won't. The NFL and MLB are incredibly conservative on this. They don't even like relocating teams. The NBA has too many teams that can't even compete and some still losing money. Why would they add 6+ more? The NHL will likely want to mirror the other big leagues. There's only so many viable markets and the NHL, especially, is already stretching it with teams in Vegas, Ottawa, and Winnipeg. Relocating struggling teams is more likely.

You could make the argument all the leagues will have 32 teams at some point, but only in dream land would the NHL expand to 36+ teams and the other leagues follow them.

My post was speaking to the fact that these leagues are going to expand. Likely not to 32 teams but expansion is on the way, there is simply too much money to be made.

There have been murmurings of 32 teams coming to the NBA and MLB, and who knows with the NFL. I could see them expanding into Europe in the next decade.

 

[PistolPete]

My post was speaking to the fact that these leagues are going to expand. Likely not to 32 teams but expansion is on the way, there is simply too much money to be made.

There have been murmurings of 32 teams coming to the NBA and MLB, and who knows with the NFL. I could see them expanding into Europe in the next decade.

To add to your point, there's no way the NBA and MLB don't expand to 32 teams in the very near future.

Something a lot of fans hate to admit to themselves is these leagues are a business and businesses love to grow- not only revenues but sheer size. Too remain stagnant at a given number is a scary idea since it is equated with an apex that has nowhere to go but down. Owners don't even consider dilution of talent or have an idea of the perfect number of teams, they just see a business.

 

[Golden_Jet]

To add to your point, there's no way the NBA and MLB don't expand to 32 teams in the very near future.

Something a lot of fans hate to admit to themselves is these leagues are a business and businesses love to grow- not only revenues but sheer size. Too remain stagnant at a given number is a scary idea since it is equated with an apex that has nowhere to go but down. Owners don't even consider dilution of talent or have an idea of the perfect number of teams, they just see a business.

Hard to say if they expand or not , it’s been about 22 years for the NBA and about 28 years for MLB since expansion.
They obviously aren’t in any hurry to expand.