Around The League 2020-21 off-season

[VoidCreature]

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At least we lucked out of being in Florida’s division. They’re going to have a huge year. We will still have a lot of games against the tough Rags and the NYb.

Don't forget Wsh. Their very astute pickup of Henrik Lundqvist will easily put them over the top.

The Njd could have had him for free. Biggest mistake since the disastrous trade of Rykov for Grabner.

 

[JrFischer54]

What “conference” is the Canadian one going to be in? Also stupid question if the border is closed how will they get down here to play in playoffs? Or us up there?

 

[Bleedred]

Why don’t people think this is a going to be a “real” season? Ya just gotta stop! Playing in division actually is going to be pretty fun and there isn’t going to be an off game otherwise you’ll be out of it. The devils might not have the best team in the division but they are well rested young and fast and should be able to run laps around some of these veteran teams esp in a condensed season.

the two games against the western conference teams was always a joke imo anyway the nhl should in regular times just be a conference regular season.

None of the major professions sports leagues are “conference only regular season” leagues.

The MLB was for the longest time and it’s already been almost 25 years since they started inter league play during the regular season.

 

[njdevils1982]

Why don’t people think this is a going to be a “real” season? Ya just gotta stop! Playing in division actually is going to be pretty fun and there isn’t going to be an off game otherwise you’ll be out of it. The devils might not have the best team in the division but they are well rested young and fast and should be able to run laps around some of these veteran teams esp in a condensed season.

the two games against the western conference teams was always a joke imo anyway the nhl should in regular times just be a conference regular season.

never going to happen…gotta give the fans what they want and thats having the likes of ovi, mcdavid, etc play in all the arenas and for people to watch them play vs their team…..

…hell, it took the mlb until '97 to start interleague play even though it was talked about decades before

 

[Goptor]

never going to happen…gotta give the fans what they want and thats having the likes of ovi, mcdavid, etc play in all the arenas and for people to watch them play vs their team…..

…hell, it took the mlb until '97 to start interleague play even though it was talked about decades before

They started doing weighted seasons in 2006. The western conference teams then complained about lost gate revenue because Crosby only went to their cities once every 3 years.

 

[Guttersniped]

that West division is hilarious

three of the top teams in the league and then literal garbage around them

That was the whole Western Conference last year so that’s not surprising.

Canada is should have it’s own Mediocrity Cup, those teams must be thrilled the top teams of their divisions won’t be bullying them.

Replacing Columbus with Boston really cements my view of this as a reset/learning/growing pains year because yikes.

 

[JrFischer54]

None of the major professions sports leagues are “conference only regular season” leagues.

The MLB was for the longest time and it’s already been almost 25 years since they started inter league play during the regular season.

Just because it doesn’t happen in other leagues mean it can’t succeed here.

 

[JrFischer54]

They started doing weighted seasons in 2006. The western conference teams then complained about lost gate revenue because Crosby only went to their cities once every 3 years.

I’m sorry but if your banking on gate revenue from 1 game a year then maybe you shouldn’t be an owner of a franchise. Lol.

It’s 2020 having a visiting star play in your building 1x every 365 days isn’t a good argument. What happens if he’s hurt? Or the game is sold out? Only x amount of bodies can see him that 1x in person. I know we are an outlier franchise but we aren’t exactly turning fans away when the oilers come to town middle of the week in January to see mcdavid.

I would think western owners would looooove the less travel and save the $$$$ so would the players.

 

[ScottyK]

What “conference” is the Canadian one going to be in? Also stupid question if the border is closed how will they get down here to play in playoffs? Or us up there?

Playoffs will likely bubble again

 

[glenwo2]

Damn.... East division is going to be absolutely BRUTAL.

 

[Call Me Al]

i’m not sure what the point of that argument is but it’s absolutely a thing that owners and fans weren’t happy about. at the time ovechkin and crosby were the face of the league and lots of western conference fans would go a full season without being able to see either of them.

it is why they changed the schedule whether you think they are worthy of being owners or not

 

[HBK27]

Correct. That is the current proposed plan. I can see teams being swapped around a bit, but the plan is to only play in your division..

I can see it possibly being opened up a bit if the situation with the virus gets better as the season goes on.. but I wouldn't hold my breath

So...I guess top 4 teams from each division make the playoffs with no cross-over?

East vs. Central and West vs. Canada in the Semi's?

 

[JrFischer54]

i’m not sure what the point of that argument is but it’s absolutely a thing that owners and fans weren’t happy about. at the time ovechkin and crosby were the face of the league and lots of western conference fans would go a full season without being able to see either of them.

it is why they changed the schedule whether you think they are worthy of being owners or not

first off its a conversation not an argument. second times change things change ideas change so to just say because thats how they felt in 2006 14 years ago is a little outdated imo. every year before covid you would hear complaints about the travel of western teams compared to eastern teams. well this would fix that. using owners losing gate revenue from no sid 1x a year is silly if you want to say the nhl "lost exposure" thats a better argument which again i think in 2006 pre social media was valid. now? not so much

 

[Patrik26]

Damn.... East division is going to be absolutely BRUTAL.

That's indicative of where we stand unfortunately. Are we better than anyone in our division other than Buffalo?

 

[ScottyK]

That's indicative of where we stand unfortunately. Are we better than anyone in our division other than Buffalo?

Owen Power szn

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Let’s just hope by January the vaccine will be readily available and all this taking of realignment will be just talk.

 

[MartyOwns]

Let’s just hope by January the vaccine will be readily available and all this taking of realignment will be just talk.

i really can't imagine a scenario where we have normal schedule or normal divisions. a vaccine may be ready in time, but it won't be distributed in time

 

[ScottyK]

Let’s just hope by January the vaccine will be readily available and all this taking of realignment will be just talk.

Really won't be getting to normal for 8-12 months until after that vaccine is readily available enough that most of the population has access to it

 

[Blackjack]

That was the whole Western Conference last year so that’s not surprising.

Canada is should have it’s own Mediocrity Cup, those teams must be thrilled the top teams of their divisions won’t be bullying them.

Replacing Columbus with Boston really cements my view of this as a reset/learning/growing pains year because yikes.

Boston lost one of the better offensive defensemen in the league and didn't replace him with anything, Pastrnak and Marchand are hurt, and their goaltenders are both well into their 30s. I could see Boston being this season's San Jose.

 

[TheUnseenHand]

The pens are gonna fall off a cliff soon. Kinda sucks they get bounced out of our division at the potential start of the freefall.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Why are people crying? Its the Metro with Columbus and Pittsburgh swapped for Boston and Buffalo.

Its not really a major shift in our schedule.

 

[None Shall Pass]

Why are people crying? Its the Metro with Columbus and Pittsburgh swapped for Boston and Buffalo.

Its not really a major shift in our schedule.

I think it's less crying and more the recognition that, outside of Buffalo, all of those teams are legitimately better than ours. Or were last season, anyway. Assuming that we're just rotating through them all season, it's gonna be tough.

 

[NJDevs26]

Why are people crying? Its the Metro with Columbus and Pittsburgh swapped for Boston and Buffalo.

Its not really a major shift in our schedule.

Well it is when you're ONLY playing division teams. In a normal season division games wouldn't even be half the schedule.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

Boston lost one of the better offensive defensemen in the league and didn't replace him with anything, Pastrnak and Marchand are hurt, and their goaltenders are both well into their 30s. I could see Boston being this season's San Jose.

Marchand might miss as few as 5 games, pasta will be back in Feb, that goaltending tandem might be the best in the league, and the Smith signing sures up their middle six.

Letting Krug walk is definitely going to sting, but I still don't think that puts them in SJ territory.

 

[Blackjack]

Marchand might miss as few as 5 games, pasta will be back in Feb, that goaltending tandem might be the best in the league, and the Smith signing sures up their middle six.

Letting Krug walk is definitely going to sting, but I still don't think that puts them in SJ territory.

I'm not suggesting that their decline is inevitable; they certainly have good, young players on that team. But aside from losing Krug, Chara is turning 44 in March and he played 21 minutes a game for them last year. My point is that there are three or four things that can break against them this year, and if that happens, they could be a San Jose. If anyone should know how quickly a top goaltender can decline in his 30s, how ineffective an elite player can be when returning from a major injury, and how quickly a defense can collapse when one or two top-4 options declines or leaves, it should be us.

In any case, I see a team in Boston that is almost certain to be worse than last year's version, which doesn't say a whole lot since they were one of the best teams in the league. But I believe that anytime a team is in decline, there's some risk for that decline to be far steeper than anticipated.