NHL Expansion back on agenda?

[StreetHawk]

If it feels like some of the biggest rivalries have lost some of their luster, it’s partially because the players have little familiarity with each other.

It's like that with other sports. Micah Parsons of the Cowboys had Slay of the Eagles on his podcast last week. Both Defensive guys so not like they'd be on the field at the same time. But, it was a talking point. Fanbases and teams can hate each other, but players do not. Not unless it's the person they are matched up against like a WR/CB, RB/LB, OT/DE.

It's how it is nowadays.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

It's like that with other sports. Micah Parsons of the Cowboys had Slay of the Eagles on his podcast last week. Both Defensive guys so not like they'd be on the field at the same time. But, it was a talking point. Fanbases and teams can hate each other, but players do not. Not unless it's the person they are matched up against like a WR/CB, RB/LB, OT/DE.

It's how it is nowadays.

Agreed. Even the greatest rivalry in pro sports, Yankees/Red Sox isn't nearly what it used to be. Seems like the only sport where true rivalries still matter is college football.

 

[aqib]

It’s not like we’re talking about fans going years without seeing every team. You host one division in the other conference each year and travel to the other division. You host the whole of the other conference over the course of 2 years. The NHL used to do this.

As for the repetitiveness, I really don’t think 6 games against each team in the division is too much, especially if you can spread them somewhat evenly. Rivalries almost impossible to create and even harder to maintain when you go 3 months without seeing some opponents, like happens in the schedule now. If it feels like some of the biggest rivalries have lost some of their luster, it’s partially because the players have little familiarity with each other.

Free agency has hurt rivalries. The guy you hate today could be on your team tomorrow. Or he winds up somewhere you don't care about.

 

[Tawnos]

It's like that with other sports. Micah Parsons of the Cowboys had Slay of the Eagles on his podcast last week. Both Defensive guys so not like they'd be on the field at the same time. But, it was a talking point. Fanbases and teams can hate each other, but players do not. Not unless it's the person they are matched up against like a WR/CB, RB/LB, OT/DE.

It's how it is nowadays.

I do think there's some merit to the players not hating each other the way they once did, because of free agents and the general player fraternity that we see now, but there's been plenty of examples of bad blood between Rangers players and their closest rivals over the last few years to make me feel like there's room to improve this.

I have no interest in going back to the days where the teams played each other 14 times a piece. I'm not even talking about the 8 times that the teams played in the shortened season. But 3 or 4 times simply isn't enough.

There's also a game theory reason for this. If you're going to have divisional playoffs (which I think they should keep), then you should be playing your divisional opponents substantially more than non-divisional ones.

 

[dj4aces]

Agreed. Even the greatest rivalry in pro sports, Yankees/Red Sox isn't nearly what it used to be. Seems like the only sport where true rivalries still matter is college football.

Right... buy why is that? In NCAA sports, there's long-established rivalries, and are almost a way of life for a lot of fans. I mean hell, I'm nowhere near as big a fan of Michigan as others in my circle of friends, but do we all hate OSU? You betcha!

Now... if Michigan faced OSU every other year instead, or every three years, all because the NCAA decided teams in every conference should face teams in every other conference more often? The impact of this rivalry will fall by the wayside too. A date fans and players alike circle on their calendars will become just another gameday with no emotional impact and very little meaning elsewise.

That's why NCAA rivalries haven't really lost its luster. As some schools decide to leave one conference for others, perhaps those waters will get muddied a bit as well. But unlike the pro leagues, I think the NCAA recognizes the rivalries and will do their best to maintain them.

 

[Tawnos]

Right... buy why is that? In NCAA sports, there's long-established rivalries, and are almost a way of life for a lot of fans. I mean hell, I'm nowhere near as big a fan of Michigan as others in my circle of friends, but do we all hate OSU? You betcha!

Now... if Michigan faced OSU every other year instead, or every three years, all because the NCAA decided teams in every conference should face teams in every other conference more often? The impact of this rivalry will fall by the wayside too. A date fans and players alike circle on their calendars will become just another gameday with no emotional impact and very little meaning elsewise.

That's why NCAA rivalries haven't really lost its luster. As some schools decide to leave one conference for others, perhaps those waters will get muddied a bit as well. But unlike the pro leagues, I think the NCAA recognizes the rivalries and will do their best to maintain them.

The Rangers have decent rivalries with all of their divisional opponents except for Columbus. This is what their schedule is like against the division this year.

-Flyers: only 3 games, including a 2.5 month gap.
-Capitals: only 3 games, including 2 gaps over 2 months long.
-Islanders: 3 month gap between 1st game and 2nd game.
-Devils: no games for almost the first 3 months of the season (2m23d). Nearly 3 months between 3rd game and 4th game.
-Penguins: 2 month gap between games 2 and 3.
-Hurricanes: 2.5 month gap between games 3 and 4.
-Blue Jackets: Don't play until over 3 months into the season.

It's impossible to build history over the course of a season in that schedule.

 

[StreetHawk]

With more and more teams it’s not likely to have a rivalry with all of them. OSU and Michigan don’t have the same feelings vs PSU, Wisconsin, etc. as they do for each other.
Same for rangers. Plus, a rivalry will lose lustre if one of the teams is bad while the other is good for an extended period of time. Cowboys right now would view Eagles as main rival since Giants/Commanders have been down that past few seasons.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Hamilton Ontario deserves an NHL team.