How I'd re-do the league

Stevedude530

Registered User
Dec 21, 2005
1,941
1
This is my proposal to give the league a makeover.

-1: Re-location: Deal with it. Washington, Florida and Nashville are all moving. Respectively, welcome new clubs to Kansas City, Las Vegas, and Winnepeg.

-2: Re-alignment: The division return to their original names. The former southeast division becomes the "Esposito" division and the Pacific is re-named the "Gretzky" Division. Central becomes Norris, Northwest is Smythe, Atlantic is Patrick, Northeast is Adams. Detroit and Columbus are now in the East to replace Washington and Florida.

-3: TV: Versus keeps it's deal on Mondays and Tuesdays, with a requirement that we are allowed to seek up to two nights a week of game coverage on another [non-ESPN] cable network. Welcome to the NHL On USA Network, airing Wednesdays and Fridays. HDNet keeps Thursdays and Saturdays, and NBC airs games from New Year's Day (A Special Outdoor Game each year) until the end of the Conference Finals in the same timeslot: Sundays at 3:00 P.M. VERSUS and USA Alternate getting Games 1 and 2 of the Finals and the All-Star Skills and Youngstars Game each year. NBC airs the All-Star Game on Saturday in Primetime, as well as Games 3-7 of the Finals. The NHL commits an unspecified amount of money to develop the current crop of players into decent color guys at the end of their careers.

-4: Rules: Instigator and Shootout are gone. From now on, you play 10 minutes of 4-on-4 OT, and if that doesn't work, each team alternates 5-on-4 powerplays until someone scors. The team with the best power-play stats during the game gets to go first in the power-plays. It's simple, you get two minutes, you score, you win. The trapezoid is also gone, but the nets will be moved out 2 feet from their current position to make goaltenders playing the puck more exciting. Also, I take the risk and lose the mesh. Those seats behind the goal are an impossible sell. Anyone who buys a ticket in that area is given a warning before they purchase them. There will be a rule that you have to purchase tickets in that are prior to gameday, to ensure some unlucky family that just walked up and took the tix they wanted gets hurt. The glass will move up slightly. The redline is eliminated, from now on, the neutral zone is fair game to dump in from in all areas.

There's my idea.
 

Mr BLUEandWHITE

Registered User
Nov 14, 2005
3,241
0
Toronto
Why would you move Washington? And I hope Las Vegas never get's a team, that's just trouble waiting to happen. Here's an idea for the re-alignment

Adams Division

Buffalo
Montreal
Ottawa
Quebec
Toronto
Washington

Patrick

Boston
Hartford
New Jersey
New York I
New York R
Philadelphia

Smythe

Calgary
Colorado Rockies
Edmonton
Los Angeles
San Jose
Vancouver

Norris

Chicago
Detroit
Minnesota North Stars
Pittsburgh
St. Louis
Winnipeg

Like the original poster said deal with it.

Not trying to get anyone mad, just having some fun.
 

Egil

Registered User
Mar 6, 2002
8,838
1
Visit site
The first thing I would do would be to get US+Canada TV ratings published. The NHL gets NFL type ratings in Canada, which never makes it into US news. That alone would hugely change the perception of the game.

NHL drew 10 mil viewers for game 7 of the finals (between a small market Canadian team and one of the worst US markets in Carolina), whereas the NBA got 15 mil for Dallas vs Miami (2 relatively large US markets). Its not the HUGE disparity that its made out to be.
 

Brad*

Guest
The first thing I would do would be to get US+Canada TV ratings published. The NHL gets NFL type ratings in Canada, which never makes it into US news. That alone would hugely change the perception of the game.
In what way?
 

Ted Hoffman

The other Rick Zombo
Dec 15, 2002
28,855
8,110
Alternating power plays after a 10-minute OT is a horrible idea. As much as I hate the shootout, I'd take it over this idea - in an 82-game season, you can't have the possibility that these guys have a game that goes 4 hours just to get a winner in a regular-season game. Alternating PP's will do more to wear guys down than 10 minutes of OT.

I also hate the idea of eliminating the red line altogether. I don't want a team to be able to dump it in from wherever - I want them to have to establish some kind of possession in the offensive zone. I'd rather get rid of both blue lines first ... but then again, I've given my suggestion on what to do with the blue lines about 6 times now.

I'm also curious how you'd handle it if (when?) the newly-relocated teams can't survive in the new locales. Do you allow the former homes to reclaim their teams, or are you going to deny them completely and move on to Houston, Hamilton, Quebec City, and who knows where else until you finally find a suitable home?
 

jkrdevil

UnRegistered User
Apr 24, 2006
42,633
12,472
Miami
Getting rid of Washington is a dumb move. First off it's a huge wealthy market, and second it the US Capitol. Moving a team out of there sure won't help the league if it ever has to deal with the government.
 

Sotnos

Registered User
Jul 8, 2002
10,885
1
Not here
www.boltprospects.com
What is the point of having a message board if you don't want others to respond and you instead want them to "deal with it"? If you post stupid things with no explanation, you should get called on it.
 

Stevedude530

Registered User
Dec 21, 2005
1,941
1
I'm encouraging debate, but I'm also saying some teams HAVE to move.

Here's My Divisions, forgot to post them:

East

Adams
Toronto
Montreal
Ottawa
Detroit
Columbus

Patrick
NY Rangers
NY Islanders
New Jersey
Boston
Pittsubrgh

Esposito
Philadelphia
Tampa Bay
Carolina
Atlanta
Florida

West

Norris
Dallas
St. Louis
Kansas City
Chicago
Minnesota

Smythe
Calgary
Edmonton
Colorado
Phoenix
Las Vegas

Gretzky
Anaheim
San Jose
Los Angeles
Vancouver
Winnepeg
 

krudmonk

Registered User
Jan 12, 2006
5,509
0
Sannozay
If Philadelphia or Boston had to play a bunch of expansion teams and a relocated team all the time, their fanbases would lose interest too. Washington fans got pushed out of the rivalry club. Make it interesting again and then see what happens.
 

GSC2k2*

Guest
Not to be too much of a spoilsport, but ...

-1: Re-location: Deal with it. Washington, Florida and Nashville are all moving. Respectively, welcome new clubs to Kansas City, Las Vegas, and Winnepeg.

What do you do when those markets fail (as they must)? Is management required to stay in those areas regardless of how much money they lose? What happens when Winnipeg cannot sell more than 5 or 6 luxury boxes at NHL prices?

-2: Re-alignment: The division return to their original names. The former southeast division becomes the "Esposito" division and the Pacific is re-named the "Gretzky" Division. Central becomes Norris, Northwest is Smythe, Atlantic is Patrick, Northeast is Adams. Detroit and Columbus are now in the East to replace Washington and Florida.

"Original names"? I would hardly characterize anything that started up in the '70's as "original" anything. You make it sound like those names are historical, when they were in place for only 19 seasons. They have been done for over a decade.

-3: TV: Versus keeps it's deal on Mondays and Tuesdays, with a requirement that we are allowed to seek up to two nights a week of game coverage on another [non-ESPN] cable network.

Big money hit to your league due to the Versus deal not being cable exclusive.

Welcome to the NHL On USA Network, airing Wednesdays and Fridays.

How much are you prepared to pay USA for the air time?

-4: Rules: Instigator and Shootout are gone.

Say hello to the old days of endless brawling, I guess.

From now on, you play 10 minutes of 4-on-4 OT, and if that doesn't work, each team alternates 5-on-4 powerplays until someone scors. The team with the best power-play stats during the game gets to go first in the power-plays. It's simple, you get two minutes, you score, you win.

I know you are just having fun, but man is that a bad idea. Hockey traditionalists blow a gasket in their tiny little minds just at the thought of refs actually calling the rules or instituting a penalty for starting a fight unprovoked. You think that will fly without you getting burned in effigy as the commish?


The trapezoid is also gone, but the nets will be moved out 2 feet from their current position to make goaltenders playing the puck more exciting.

The only thing that would make goaltenders playing the puck exciting (much less "more" exciting) is if they had a cannon set up at their end of the rink and could grab the pck, load it into the cannon and fire it at about 650 mph at the other team's goal.

Also, I take the risk and lose the mesh. Those seats behind the goal are an impossible sell.

That's funny, it generally seems pretty full in a lot of rinks.

Anyone who buys a ticket in that area is given a warning before they purchase them.

There will be litigation. Lots of it. And successful, too.Probably a death or two on your hands. Great job improving sightlines, though.

There will be a rule that you have to purchase tickets in that are prior to gameday, to ensure some unlucky family that just walked up and took the tix they wanted gets hurt.

Scalpers?

I appreciate the effort, but this is very poorly thought out, IMO.
 

Wooty

Registered User
Dec 31, 2006
4,029
3
Harbor City, CA
Stevedude,

I like the fun you are having but I have one question:

What is wrong with the league now?
What do each of your ideas fix?
 

KeydGV21

Registered User
Jul 25, 2006
1,832
256
This is my proposal to give the league a makeover.

-1: Re-location: Deal with it. Washington, Florida and Nashville are all moving. Respectively, welcome new clubs to Kansas City, Las Vegas, and Winnepeg.

I'm encouraging debate, but I'm also saying some teams HAVE to move.

Here's My Divisions, forgot to post them:

East

Adams
Toronto
Montreal
Ottawa
Detroit
Columbus

Patrick
NY Rangers
NY Islanders
New Jersey
Boston
Pittsubrgh

Esposito
Philadelphia
Tampa Bay
Carolina
Atlanta
Florida

West

Norris
Dallas
St. Louis
Kansas City
Chicago
Minnesota

Smythe
Calgary
Edmonton
Colorado
Phoenix
Las Vegas

Gretzky
Anaheim
San Jose
Los Angeles
Vancouver
Winnepeg

I'm confused.:dunno:


BTW, I've done a complete 180 on the nets, I hated them at first, but having sat behind them so often now, I see nothing wrong with them and in fact don't notice. Just make the seats slightly cheaper if it's an issue.
 

crashlanding

Registered User
Nov 29, 2005
7,605
0
Chicago
I'm confused.:dunno:


BTW, I've done a complete 180 on the nets, I hated them at first, but having sat behind them so often now, I see nothing wrong with them and in fact don't notice. Just make the seats slightly cheaper if it's an issue.
He left out Buffalo for some reason and left Florida in.

Mr BLUEandWHITE, I'd switch Washington and Boston in the Patrick and Adams in your scheme.
 

Mr BLUEandWHITE

Registered User
Nov 14, 2005
3,241
0
Toronto
He left out Buffalo for some reason and left Florida in.

Mr BLUEandWHITE, I'd switch Washington and Boston in the Patrick and Adams in your scheme.

I know I was thinking how to split the division. So I thought of the following factors:

Past and Present Rivalries:

Boston - Hartford
NYI - NYR
PHI - NJD

Toronto - Ottawa
Montreal - Quebec

I know Buffalo - Washington do not have a great rivalry, but they do have something going with Oveckin - Briere hopefully.

Also I wanted 2 original six teams in 3 divisions so that's how I got...TOR-MON, DET-CHI, and NYR-BOS.
 

Rochester22

Registered User
Oct 22, 2006
1,373
0
Webster, NY
What about

4 on 4 for 3 minutes, if nobody scores then...
3 on 3 for 3 minutes, if nobody scores then...
2 on 2 for 3 minutes, if nobody scores then...
1 on 1 for 3 minutes, if nobody scores then each team gets 1 point

that would sure make it fun, and it wouldnt last forever.
At least you compete with defenders, instead of just a goalie with the SO.
 

GSC2k2*

Guest
How about one team play 5 on 3 for a minute and forty-two seconds, then the other plays 5 on 3 for two minutes and eleven seconds, then one team has to play with opposite hand sticks while the other team has to play with broomball shoes, then only blond players with last names that begin with a letter of the alphabet of N or higher, then we have bouts of fisticuffs till only one guy is left standing. If that does not work, then two words:

rooster fights.
 

RaiderDoug

Registered User
Feb 5, 2007
2,315
19
Knoxville
I always wonder why people think Nashville is such a problem, yet want to relocate teams to places like Kansas City or Las Vegas.

Kansas City? Didnt they have a team before? Did you know that Nashville has a greater population, a more affluent population, more educated population, and more corporate entities than KC?

Las Vegas? Even if you consider that the NHL wants the dubious honor of being the first pro sports league in the gambling mecca of the nation, I still dont see this as a great choice. Las Vegas and Nashville are similar population-wise, yet I just don't see people in Las Vegas, especially the tourist crowd, going to see an NHL game. Lets face it, they dont travel to see the NHL, they go there to gamble and watch Celine Dion and eat buffetts. Las Vegas is Nashville, the only difference is your still going to have to go through the same growing pains that Nashville is now.

I can take the "relocate the Preds" talk, but its rediculous if you send them to the exact same type of market.
 

jamiebez

Registered User
Apr 5, 2005
4,025
327
Ottawa
I'll throw in briefly (ignoring the relocation stuff because we have several threads on that already)....

- I like ditching the instigator rule
- I'd go to 10 minutes 3-on-3 OT. If it's still tied after that, it's a tie. Two points for a win (in regular play or OT), 1 for a tie.
- the redline is fine as is.
- I'm ambivalent towards the mesh. I've sat back there and you don't notice it after the puck is dropped. I don't think any team is having trouble moving those tickets anyway (and if they are, I don't think the mesh is the problem).

I'd definitely get rid of no-touch icings while you're at it.
 

Butch 19

Go cart Mozart
May 12, 2006
16,526
2,831
Geographical Oddity
What about

4 on 4 for 3 minutes, if nobody scores then...
3 on 3 for 3 minutes, if nobody scores then...
2 on 2 for 3 minutes, if nobody scores then...
1 on 1 for 3 minutes, if nobody scores then each team gets 1 point

that would sure make it fun, and it wouldnt last forever.
At least you compete with defenders, instead of just a goalie with the SO.

Why stop there? Why not go to goalie against goalie? trainer vs. trainer?

10 minutes of OT, then 5-4 PP? That's another half a period and then even more. We have to go to work in the morning. Imagine how tired certain teams would get going to a full 10 min. OT and then 5-4 PP.

The NHL has made some incredible STUPID changes since the lockout (VS), but the Shoot Out isn't one of them.

5 min. OT then SO is just fine. I like this aspect of the game as is.
 

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