Go to many NHL games?

[JeffB]

I split a pair of Minnesota Wild season tickets with four others. This gets me 9 games. There's another guy in my group that likes to see the same teams as I do, while the other guys tend to pick games based on their schedules more, loading up on weekend or later in the season when his kids youth hockey is over.

For example, he's taking me to see Washington and Ovechkin, and in return I'm taking him to see Atlanta and Kovalchuk. We are doing this a couple of times, so I get to see three additional games without having to spend any more.

I've also organized a group night for my fantasy hockey league in the cheap seats and my wife got tickets to a game from a vendor she deals with, so now I'm up to 14 games.

This is plenty for me because of the horrid unbalanced schedule. I really just don't care to see Colorado, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver over and over and over. I go out of my way to see the teams from the East since I like them and their star players a LOT more than what I'm stuck with in the West, especially since the Eastern teams come here only once every three years.

Fans in the East really need to appreciate just how bad we've got it in the West. Next time you're watching Brodeur, Sundin, Kovalchuk, Ovechkin & Crosby, I'm looking forward to another game against Nashville, Columbus, Los Angeles & Phoenix. Yippe.

[Brilliant!]

Fans in the East really need to appreciate just how bad we've got it in the West. Next time you're watching Brodeur, Sundin, Kovalchuk, Ovechkin & Crosby, I'm looking forward to another game against Nashville, Columbus, Los Angeles & Phoenix. Yippe.

There's 3 players on that list that I sure wouldn't mind seeing in the Western Conference.

As per the schedule, there won't be any drastic changes anytime soon. The whole idea of having divisions is to play those teams the most because that's who you're fighting for the playoff spots. I would imagine Minnesota vs. Colorado and/or Vancouver would be pretty fun to see given the playoff history the three have.

[Mach_9]

The problem is that the West was so much stronger than the East for a long time and all the high draft picks, resulting in Kovalchuk, Spezza, Ovechkin, Malkin, Crosby, etc ended up in the East. Now a lot of the young players who are exciting today are in the East and the West is soon to have some teams getting the high draft picks (St. Louis, Chicago). Problem is there's not likely to be any Crosbys or Ovechkins available in the upcoming few drafts. Still, I'd say in terms of excitin veterans, the East and West are fairly more balanced, but the East has the advantage in dynamic youngsters under 30. Still, someting should be done to alter the scheduling in the NHL. The Sabres and Rangers have played three times in almost three weeks - I feel like it's been a playoff seriers.

[ZoomZoom18]

They definitely need to do something about the scheduling. Out here in Phoenix I'd like to see more eastern teams than just a certain division every three years. I missed the Devils and Rangers this year and will possibly miss Forsberg as well. If they want to build the hype around Ovechkin and Crosby, fans out here in the west need to be able to see those guys more than just once in a blue moon.

BTW, JeffB, Ovechkin's a treat to watch as I'm sure you can imagine. I'd recommend anyone getting a chance to see him to not pass it up. I'll never forget seeing him score that goal against the Coyotes, singlehandedly the most amazing play I've ever seen in hockey live.

[JeffB]

The single biggest mistake the league made was thinking you build rivalries during the regular season.

Rivalries are made in the playoffs. Period.

When you can end someone's season, that when it matters and emotions run high. If they want to build rivalries, adopt the AHL playoff format. Top four in each division play two rounds until there is a Division Champion. Then let those teams advance based on seeing by points or whatever criteria you want.

JeffB

[Brilliant!]

The single biggest mistake the league made was thinking you build rivalries during the regular season.

Tell that to Habs, Leafs, Bruins, Rangers, Islanders, Flames, Oilers, etc.

When teams play multiple times over the course of a couple seasons, dislike develops naturally. Especially with geographically close teams. Look what happened when the Rangers and Bruins stopped playing 5 or 6 times a year and didn't meet in the playoffs since 1972. You don't hear about a rivalry that was about as heated as any other anymore. Or even Washington and Philadelphia. Those teams absolutely HATED each other in the '80's. Because every year, they were battling for the division title and then meeting in the playoffs after playing 6 times. You're telling me that after the Rangers and Nordiques would've turned into a killer rivalry if the Nords didn't move in 1995? Or that the Oilers and Blackhawks budded into a brawl-filled game every time they played after 1985?

When you can end someone's season, that when it matters and emotions run high. If they want to build rivalries, adopt the AHL playoff format. Top four in each division play two rounds until there is a Division Champion. Then let those teams advance based on seeing by points or whatever criteria you want.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way anymore since there are three divisions per conference. After one round of 'divisional playoffs', you're left with 6 teams in each conference. Now, unless you're willing to institute some kind of a bye situation in the 2nd round(bad idea) then the division system doesn't work. There's just too many teams. It worked when there were 21 teams in the league with 2 divisions per conference but not with 30...unless you go to 7 and 8 teams in a division.

The other minus issue with the divisional playoffs is that every year there was at least one team that didn't deserve to be in the playoffs and an absolute slaughter would ensue. Now, sure there are diamonds in the rough, i.e. Minnesota in 1991, Rangers in 1986, Devils in 1988 and others but it doesn't happen EVERY year so some matchups would get old fast. Look at the old Oilers-Jets series...the Jets lost 10 straight playoff games to the Oilers at one point and were rarely competitive in many of them. Sometimes, certain teams don't deserve to see the playoffs.

I think the system is fine the way it is for now. It's not perfect but a little tweaking and it could be even better. Play your conference at least 4 times and your division at least 7. Keep the 1 thru 8 matchups in the playoffs and we'll still get to see the mega-upsets every few years while keeping with the great rivalries showing up time and time again.

[JeffB]

The single biggest mistake the league made was thinking you build rivalries during the regular season.

Tell that to Habs, Leafs, Bruins, Rangers, Islanders, Flames, Oilers, etc.

When teams play multiple times over the course of a couple seasons, dislike develops naturally. Especially with geographically close teams. Look what happened when the Rangers and Bruins stopped playing 5 or 6 times a year and didn't meet in the playoffs since 1972. You don't hear about a rivalry that was about as heated as any other anymore. Or even Washington and Philadelphia. Those teams absolutely HATED each other in the '80's. Because every year, they were battling for the division title and then meeting in the playoffs after playing 6 times.

They key here is they then met in the playoffs.

When you can end someone's season, that when it matters and emotions run high. If they want to build rivalries, adopt the AHL playoff format. Top four in each division play two rounds until there is a Division Champion. Then let those teams advance based on seeing by points or whatever criteria you want.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way anymore since there are three divisions per conference.

Sorry, I was typing fast because I had to finish up and tend to my 3 year old. Part of this proposal is to also adopt the AHL format of only having four divisions. That way 16 teams will still make the playoffs, 4 from each of 4 divisions.

Minnesota had no real rivalry with the Canucks until they met in the playoffs. Then it all got really heated. Now that time has passed and we haven't faced them in the playoffs and Cloutier, Ruutu and Bertuzzi have moved on, we are still stuck playing them 8 freakin' times while 10 teams from the East do not come here a single time all year. A Vancouver game is now completely without any 'buzz' and I won't get to see Sydney Crosby unitl 2007-08 and then not again until 2010-11. In that same time period I have to pay to watch Edmonton come here 12 times and I could care less. I'm getting no value for my dollar so I'm at least hoping that the first two rounds of the playoffs every year would be within my expanded division, giving these supposed rivalries some real history and meaning that the overloaded regular season schedule has not provided one bit.

Plus, I own a bazillion jerseys and when these teams don't ever come here, I've got no opporunity to wear them to games. My Sundin jersey wants a night out on the town!

[Brilliant!]

See, my take on the Minnesota situation is that they're just positioned terribly. They're too far west to be in the Eastern Conference but at the same time, they're too far east to be in the Northwest Division. Minnesota would really benefit being in the Central division due to their relative closeness to Chicago, St. Louis and to a lesser extent, Detroit. This would create territorial rivalries with the other Central division teams. It would also allow fans from both teams to attend away games and cheer for their teams(I would imagine you get a lot of Wings fans in the building when they play right?). Whether you know it or not, that's a HUGE factor in a division rivalry. Getting rival fans involved creates a great building atmosphere.

This is my ideal situation for the way the league should be shaped if Pittsburgh moves to Winnipeg(God willing):

Atlantic Division

New Jersey Devils

New York Islanders

New York Rangers

Philadelphia Flyers

Washington Capitals

Northeast Division

Boston Bruins

Buffalo Sabres

Montreal Canadiens

Ottawa Senators

Toronto Maple Leafs

Southeast Division

Atlanta Thrashers

Carolina Hurricanes

Florida Panthers

Nashville Predators

Tampa Bay Lightning

Central Division

Chicago Blackhawks

Columbus Blue Jackets

Detroit Red Wings

Minnesota Wild

St. Louis Blues

Northwest Division

Calgary Flames

Colorado Avalanche

Edmonton Oilers

Vancouver Canucks

Winnipeg Jets(?)

Pacific Division

Anaheim Ducks

Dallas Stars

Los Angeles Kings

Phoenix Coyotes

San Jose Sharks

The absence of Pittsburgh would allow Washington to go back into the Atlantic where they belong, which in turn would allow Nashville to go into the Southeast where THEY belong and would benefit greatly, which in turn allows Minnesota to go into the Central,replaced by Winnipeg and boosting their natural rivalries with other Central teams.

In regards to going back to the 4 division format, I don't think it's a good idea because then divisions become extremely top-heavy. Say you have two teams like Buffalo and Montreal that run away from the pack in the first 3 months. This leaves the 6 other teams battling for only two possible playoff spots. They could all finish over .500 but only two of those teams are going to get in. Whereas with the 8 seed format, they would be fighting for 4 spots(5, 6, 7 and 8).

Also, like I had eluded to last night, sometimes certain don't deserve to make the playoffs. What happens when you get a division that has a two runaway teams but all the others flounder? I'll take a page out of the old Smythe Division when Edmonton and Calgary would battle for the division title but that would leave Vancouver, Winnipeg and Los Angeles to fight for two leftover playoff spots. Now, most years, those three teams would combine for maybe 210 points total(70 each MAYBE). Most of the time, teams with 70 points A: don't deserve the playoffs and B: wouldn't stand a chance against a 115-point Edmonton in the first round. The 8-seed format gives every worthy team a chance to make the playoffs. Now of course, there's exceptions but most of the time it's a good system.

Finally, my biggest question here...why would you wear another teams jersey to one of your home games??

[JeffB]

See, my take on the Minnesota situation is that they're just positioned terribly. They're too far west to be in the Eastern Conference but at the same time, they're too far east to be in the Northwest Division. Minnesota would really benefit being in the Central division due to their relative closeness to Chicago, St. Louis and to a lesser extent, Detroit.

Finally, my biggest question here...why would you wear another teams jersey to one of your home games??

No kidding about the Wild being in a no man's land. The addition of Columbus and Nashville really forced us Westward against the owners hopes and dreams.

As for the visiting team's jerseys, I just covered that in another thread. It's a blatant, and generally successful attempt to get on TV. One year I was 13 for 14! I have so many jerseys that I like to stand out from the thousands of people wearing the standard Wild jerseys.

I'll do things like wear my Marian Gaborik Slovakia or 2001 All-Star or my Mats Sundin Sweden when the Leafs come to town.

I've also made a Ottawa Sens Fantasy Alternate that I wanted to wear and see if people would notice. It's a modern version of their 1920's barberpoles.

The most compliments I've ever recieved was earlier this year when I wore my old-school Washington Capitals Peter Bondra jersey when the Caps came to town.

I seldom, if ever, wear a visiting team jersey in the current style with a current player on it. The current style with a player who has moved on, a vintage style, a current player from his national team - just something to stand out from the crowd and give the TV director a reason to put us on the tube. I always give my friend a Wild jersey though, so we have that Home & Away angle working for us. I stay in my seat between periods when they do the majority of crowd shots in and out of commercials and a funny hat (an Elmer Fudd hat on the first cold days of the year, party hat on New Year's, Santa hat in December) is generally a sure thing too.

[DesertRat]

That Sens jersey is awesome, one of the best creations I've ever seen, using the old barberpole with the cresting of the current away jerseys.