I'm not crazy about the 'playoffs begin with divisional matchups' idea or locking it down as four teams per division make the playoffs since that's not conducive to always having the top eight teams in each conference make the postseason.
But if they're breaking it down by timezone, then let's consider this....
East Toronto Montreal Ottawa Buffalo Boston Detroit Rangers Islanders
South Washington Florida Tampa Bay Carolina New Jersey Pittsburgh Philadelphia
Midwest Winnipeg Minnesota Chicago St. Louis Dallas Nashville Columbus
Pacific Vancouver Edmonton Calgary Los Angeles Anaheim San Jose Phoenix Colorado
Yes, I realize it's very weird to have Philly, Jersey and Pittsburgh considered 'south' but that's the way it would almost have to shake out via the alignments. This also keeps Columbus (an EST team) playing with central time zone opponents, but it's only an hour's difference and there aren't really any other 'central' options. This would be a lot easier if the Islanders moved to, say, Kansas City.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." --- Bart Giamatti, on baseball
I *LOVE* it . I hate this obsession in American sports culture where there HAS to be two different conferences of teams where ONLY the winner of one conference can meet the winner of the other for the championship.
While 6 divisions of 5 teams would work out better (6 division winners + 2 next best teams for the playoffs) this setup could work too with 4 division winners as top seeds and next 4 best teams as the bottom seeds.
Also with this setup, if they wanted to contract 2 or add 2 teams, it would balance things out in an instant.
My dream of Promotion/Relegation in the NHL. Feel free to stop reading here: ****** 15 teams single table (14 other teams, 3 home, 3 away for 84 games), top team wins the NHL-1 championship. The other 15 teams would be relegated to NHL-2 and they would play the same schedule, (14 other teams, 3 home, 3 away, for 84 games) and the team wins NHL-2 league title.
The bottom 2 of NHL-1 get relegated and the top 2 NHL-2 teams get promoted.
Then the Stanley Cup Finals start. The top 4 of NHL-1 and NHL-2 teams (pre-promotion) start an 8 team playoff. NHL-1 seeds 1, 3, 5, 7, NHL-2 seeds are 2, 4, 6, 8. That ensures it could end up being an all NHL-1 or NHL-2 final.
If the AHL didn't serve as a minor league system for the NHL, I'd find a way to work them in as the 3rd division of the pyramid.
-- 2006 Time magazine Person of the Year -- -- July 2009 Ordained Reverend --
Originally posted by ZeruelI *LOVE* it . I hate this obsession in American sports culture where there HAS to be two different conferences of teams where ONLY the winner of one conference can meet the winner of the other for the championship.
While 6 divisions of 5 teams would work out better (6 division winners + 2 next best teams for the playoffs) this setup could work too with 4 division winners as top seeds and next 4 best teams as the bottom seeds.
Also with this setup, if they wanted to contract 2 or add 2 teams, it would balance things out in an instant.
My dream of Promotion/Relegation in the NHL. Feel free to stop reading here: ****** 15 teams single table (14 other teams, 3 home, 3 away for 84 games), top team wins the NHL-1 championship. The other 15 teams would be relegated to NHL-2 and they would play the same schedule, (14 other teams, 3 home, 3 away, for 84 games) and the team wins NHL-2 league title.
The bottom 2 of NHL-1 get relegated and the top 2 NHL-2 teams get promoted.
Then the Stanley Cup Finals start. The top 4 of NHL-1 and NHL-2 teams (pre-promotion) start an 8 team playoff. NHL-1 seeds 1, 3, 5, 7, NHL-2 seeds are 2, 4, 6, 8. That ensures it could end up being an all NHL-1 or NHL-2 final.
If the AHL didn't serve as a minor league system for the NHL, I'd find a way to work them in as the 3rd division of the pyramid.
Wouldn't it make more sense to make it five teams from NHL1 and three teams from NHL2? Or maybe a 6-2 edge for the top league? After all, NHL1 is supposed to be the 'premier' league, right? They should logically have more teams playing for the Stanley Cup.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." --- Bart Giamatti, on baseball
Originally posted by Big Bad Wouldn't it make more sense to make it five teams from NHL1 and three teams from NHL2? Or maybe a 6-2 edge for the top league? After all, NHL1 is supposed to be the 'premier' league, right? They should logically have more teams playing for the Stanley Cup.
That would work too. I was basing it off the FA Cup but all teams in the Premier League and Football League are automatically eligible.
-- 2006 Time magazine Person of the Year -- -- July 2009 Ordained Reverend --
Originally posted by EddieBurkettUnless the feud has died off in the last few years, I don't see how you can justify breaking up the Devils and Rangers.
The feud has not died off - I still hate the devils as much as any other team in any other sport and maybe even more so.
Originally posted by Zeruel My dream of Promotion/Relegation in the NHL. Feel free to stop reading here: ****** 15 teams single table (14 other teams, 3 home, 3 away for 84 games), top team wins the NHL-1 championship. The other 15 teams would be relegated to NHL-2 and they would play the same schedule, (14 other teams, 3 home, 3 away, for 84 games) and the team wins NHL-2 league title.
Can't work in American sports like it does in international soccer. If they did that, you would have 15 teams with ZERO TV time and destroy season ticket sales for the NHL-2 as they would have no chance at all of winning the main prize.
Mind you, I would be favor of the NHL reducing down to a 24 or even 16 teams.
Originally posted by ZeruelI was basing it off the FA Cup but all teams in the Premier League and Football League are automatically eligible.
FA cup is also amazing that many non-league teams can play in it, and a few have even made the semi-finals. That's equal to your local American Legion team playing the New York Yankees.
Originally posted by ZeruelI was basing it off the FA Cup but all teams in the Premier League and Football League are automatically eligible.
FA cup is also amazing that many non-league teams can play in it, and a few have even made the semi-finals. That's equal to your local American Legion team playing the New York Yankees.
We have the US Open Cup which is the American version of the FA Cup. All clubs in the US are eligible, but have to make it through qualifiers that their division sets up.
There are many "bottom flight" teams in my county that I actually follow and they make it in the Cup, only to get crushed by a B-squad MLS team that doesn't even take the Cup seriously. Just like 99% of America.
There were only two notable Cups in recent history. 1996, the first year the MLS clubs were in the Cup, DC United won the MLS Cup in the inargual MLS season and 10 days later, they won the US Open Cup for the first modern Double.
The other was 1999 where the A-League Rochester Rhinos beat a MLS club for the US Open Cup. They are the only non MLS club to win the Cup since the MLS has been in existance.
-- 2006 Time magazine Person of the Year -- -- July 2009 Ordained Reverend --
Thread ahead: Say goodbye to the Islanders Next thread: Winnipeg unveils new logo Previous thread: 2010-11 STANLEY CUP FINALS: BRUINS v. CANUCKS - schedule and predictions
I'm impressed that Patrick Roy has done such a good job coaching the Ramparts. Next time there's a coaching vacancy with the Canadiens, watch the rumour mill start churning...
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