Around the NHL: 2018-19, Part 4

[Jim Bob]

Lopsided divisions & the BS divisional playoff matches are a joke.

Honestly there was nothing wrong with the setup before - 6z5 team divisions & 1-8seeds in the playoffs with only divisional winners guaranteed to make it with a free for all after that.

Of course it has to change with the eventual expansion to LV/seattle but that has come way after.

I've had some thoughts about how I'd like to have the structure of the league with Seattle - I'll post later as at work but it's essentially not dissimilar from the NFL in the sense it's 8z4 team divisions - but with 1-8 seeds in playoffs.

That still doesn't address the whole East vs West unbalance.

And lopsided divisions will largely be a cyclical thing as teams that are strong will change over time.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[oldgoalie]

Sabres couldn't last a 7 games series with a hell of a lot of those teams.

 

[DJN21]

Sabres couldn't last a 7 games series with a hell of a lot of those teams.

Montreal is the only team we could hang with. We aren't that good (yet).

 

[tsujimoto74]

Sabres couldn't last a 7 games series with a hell of a lot of those teams.

Even if we get swept in the first round, just making it back to the playoffs is a huge accomplishment for this team.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

Sabres couldn't last a 7 games series with a hell of a lot of those teams.

The teams that would probably dominate us: Washington, Tampa Bay, *ugh*Boston*groan*

Surprise match ups: Columbus would probably beat us, but i could almost see it going the other way. Toronto would likely beat us, but the rivalry alone would amp up our team. I bet we could force it to a game 6.

Teams we could probably beat: Montreal is pretty much on par with us, so we could take a series. Penguins are having a tough year, so we might be able to catch them - they are a great playoff team, though, so it's hard to say this with any real confidence.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[yahhockey]

When you look at it that way WC1 may be a coveted spot. Yes they still have to beat Tampa Bay or Toronto in the conference finals but the WC1 spot gives the best path towards a playoff run. I'm not saying Buffalo would win a series against either three of those teams but they probably have a better chance to advance farther than against the Atlantic teams.

 

[sabremike]

I am in Glens Falls tonight and the Thunder goalie is named Buffalo. I demand he ends up in our organization and ends up playing a game for us at some point so we get a literal Buffalo Sabre!!!

 

[SundherDome]

Athanasiou... Find a way to pry him outta Detroit

 

[Woodhouse]

I took those posts to mean that it's not an "easy" year in the Eastern where 91-93 points squeaks you into the playoffs, or even "average" at 94-96, but "hard" at 97-99. That's 2015-esque, but we wouldn't remember anything about that race since we were too focused on securing the tank. It's looking like they'll need every bit of the average six out of ten points from here on out.

 

[Panthaz89]

The teams that would probably dominate us: Washington, Tampa Bay, *ugh*Boston*groan*

Surprise match ups: Columbus would probably beat us, but i could almost see it going the other way. Toronto would likely beat us, but the rivalry alone would amp up our team. I bet we could force it to a game 6.

Teams we could probably beat: Montreal is pretty much on par with us, so we could take a series. Penguins are having a tough year, so we might be able to catch them - they are a great playoff team, though, so it's hard to say this with any real confidence.

we'd get trounced really bad by the Penguins in a series.

 

[Rowley Birkin]

That still doesn't address the whole East vs West unbalance.

And lopsided divisions will largely be a cyclical thing as teams that are strong will change over time.

By lopsided I mean an uneven number of teams. Obviously the quality of teams should fluctuate & even out over time - at least in theory.

Anyway - my 32 team proposal:

EC Northeast - Buffalo, Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto
EC Atlantic - Boston, NYR, NYI, NJ
EC Central - Philly, Pittsburg, Washington, Columbus
EC Southeast - Florida, Carolina, TB, Nashville

WC Northwest - Vancouver, Seattle, Edmonton, Calgsry
WC Midwest - Detroit, Chicago, Minnesota, Winnipeg
WC Pacific - LA, Anaheim, SJ, LV
WC Central - Arizona, Dallas, Colorado, St Louis

Each team plays:
2 games a season against everyone else in the league = 62 games
An extra 2 games a season against divisional opponents = 6 games
An extra 2 games a season against the teams who finished in the same position in the other seven divisions the previous season =14 games

82 games total

All divisional winners are guaranteed a playoff spot seeded 1-4. After that seeds 5-8 are determined by points regardless of division. Playoffs are 1v8, 2v7, so on with the same system carrying through to the second round.

Reducing to 4 team divisions will always break up some rivalries but I think the above is as good as it will get.

Not focusing too heavily on a large amount of divisional games will not punish teams for being in a strong division.

The 1-8 playoff system needs to come back as the current divisional system is a farce.

The only drawback is increased travel costs but this is a big league sport.

Maybe its better to post this on the business forum but I don't really read any others except here (plus the trade forum if i need a laugh).

 

[debaser66]

The teams that would probably dominate us: Washington, Tampa Bay, *ugh*Boston*groan*

Surprise match ups: Columbus would probably beat us, but i could almost see it going the other way. Toronto would likely beat us, but the rivalry alone would amp up our team. I bet we could force it to a game 6.

Teams we could probably beat: Montreal is pretty much on par with us, so we could take a series. Penguins are having a tough year, so we might be able to catch them - they are a great playoff team, though, so it's hard to say this with any real confidence.

The Penguins always turn it up come playoff time.
Montreal is probably not gonna make it but if we won't play them but yes they are the only ones we can beat for sure

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

The Penguins always turn it up come playoff time.
Montreal is probably not gonna make it but if we won't play them but yes they are the only ones we can beat for sure

Yeah we would only match up against teams that would thwomp us unless we hit another ten game streak.

 

[Sabretooth]

The penguins are currently on an 8 game win streak. They may have had a rough start but they've been a second half team for years now. Never had a single doubt they'd miss the playoffs this year. They'll be battling the caps for first in the metro the rest of the year

 

[debaser66]

Yeah we would only match up against teams that would thwomp us unless we hit another ten game streak.

We seem to need one to even make it if they continue like in December

 

[Tsyolin]

Blues doing us no favors with a 3rd period choke, giving the Isles the win. Isles now tied with us with games in hand. Habs drop out with their loss.

 

[Woodhouse]

Blues doing us no favors with a 3rd period choke, giving the Isles the win. Isles now tied with us with games in hand. Habs drop out with their loss.

However, Montreal plays three games Monday through Thursday compared to Buffalo's one, so it's very possible ahead of Friday's game in Carolina that the Sabres will be outside the playoff picture since the Habs trail the Sabres by a mere point.

 

[tsujimoto74]

However, Montreal plays three games Monday through Thursday compared to Buffalo's one, so it's very possible ahead of Friday's game in Carolina that the Sabres will be outside the playoff picture since the Habs trail the Sabres by a mere point.

Very possible, but then we'll have games in hand to work with. MTL and BUF have both played 42 right now.

 

[Woodhouse]

Very possible, but then we'll have games in hand to work with. MTL and BUF have both played 42 right now.

True, BUF will head into the all-star break with three GIH on MTL, as BUF play six more games to MTL's nine. BUF will be underdogs to TBL and CGY though, so they have to pick up as many points as possible vs NJD, CAR, EDM, VAN or else MTL can certainly get the leg up with their schedule. BUF quickly pulls even in games again with CBJ, DAL, CHI following the break, so they have to match MTL's record there or they're on the outside on Feb.1, possibly for good. If Eichel's rested until CBJ, ugh... lets hope for some good news there instead.

 

[joshjull]

 

[sabremike]

I met a Canadian national hero and icon tonight:

 

[sabremike]

Montreal yesterday, Ottawa today, Philly tomorrow, Nassau Coliseum Tuesday and Newark on Thursday. Why yes, I have a hockey problem. Why do you ask?????

 

[sabrebuild]

Please tell me why Reinhart and Thompson aren't together. They looked good for the brief time that they were.

There has been almost ZERO effort to establish a solid second line.

Reinhart is being wasted with Eichel and Skinner. Starting to think that the fact that he is glued to Eichel and Skinner is more promise related, and it's to the detriment of this team.

“Promise related”?

Please flesh that out.