If the NHL starts should they play through the summer?

[kerrly]

I agree Kerrly, people need to ask whats this lockout all about? And thats money. Where do a lot of teams make their money and profits? In the playoffs. The owners are not gonna give up revenue unless they are forced too.

NOt just that, but the cancellation of the season will only put the league in a worse position whether a CBA is signed or not. Who cares, put an asterik beside the cup winner this year, it will be a hell of alot better than taking a gamble and seeing how many fans come back next year. They need to not let the interest fall away anymore than it has already.

 

[Poignant Discussion*]

Still have yet to see a great reason to cancel this season. And no, your opinion isn't a great reason.

After the last shortened season, what did we see? Thats right the NEW Jersey Devils winning with a boring trap.


That same trap will look like firewagon hockey compared to the crap we will watch in a 28 game sked.

Or maybe you enjoy the trap, obstruction and any other thing to slow down the game of hockey

 

[Poignant Discussion*]

NOt just that, but the cancellation of the season will only put the league in a worse position whether a CBA is signed or not. Who cares, put an asterik beside the cup winner this year, it will be a hell of alot better than taking a gamble and seeing how many fans come back next year. They need to not let the interest fall away anymore than it has already.

Yes I'm sure first time fans will enjoy watching soccer on ice. Thats a great way to market your product

Kill season, get things right for next year and for god sakes get rid of the dregs of the league. Carolina makes 16 million a year in gate, IN A GATE DRIVEN LEAGUE. Unless the floor is 25 million this team will lose money forever

 

[kerrly]

After the last shortened season, what did we see? Thats right the NEW Jersey Devils winning with a boring trap.


That same trap will look like firewagon hockey compared to the crap we will watch in a 28 game sked.

Or maybe you enjoy the trap, obstruction and any other thing to slow down the game of hockey

Totally, has absolutely nothing to do with a shortened season. 28 game schedule will be much more competitive than a regular season because each game will mean more. The playoffs will carry on exactly as in previous years, and I don't see any reason why a trap would benefit teams anymore or become more adopted because of this. Right now, I don't understand your logic, and would enjoy it if you explained things, so I can better understand your point of view.

 

[kerrly]

Yes I'm sure first time fans will enjoy watching soccer on ice. Thats a great way to market your product

Kill season, get things right for next year and for god sakes get rid of the dregs of the league. Carolina makes 16 million a year in gate, IN A GATE DRIVEN LEAGUE. Unless the floor is 25 million this team will lose money forever

Don't follow any of your ramblings. Please back up your opinions, rather than spewing garbage. Thanks for bringing up Carolina, my point had nothing to do with that at all, but thanks for bringing it up and keeping me informed.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

What would the teams look like? How many of the players with European or Russian contracts have clauses that release them? Almost half the league is playing elsewhere.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

If there is a season I wouldn't mind seeing them try out some of their "save hockey" plans just to see what happens (it wouldn't be too bad since it would be a shortened season anyways).

 

[Ol' Dirty Chinaman*]

Play 5 games / week for 4-5 weeks to get the same seasonal grind in, then start the playoffs.

 

[Flukeshot]

It's really crazy but this guy almost had me convinced when he suggested the same thing.

http://www.dallasstars.com/news/razor.jsp

That was a pretty convincing article. I would consider myself as mainly a traditionalist hockey fan, but what this guy is suggesting is best for the NHL and coverage. I really don't think that MLB is really a concern for the NHL.

It's sloppy but here is a chart of when each of the 4 major league sports currently play.

Month  NHL     MLB     NBA     NFL

JAN      x                    x        C
FEB      x                    x
MAR     x          x         x 
APR      x          x         x
MAY     x          x         x
JUN      C         x         C
JUL                 x
AUG                x
SEP                x                   x
OCT     x         C          x       x
NOV     x                     x       x
DEC     x                     x       x

Now we might be able to take away 1 month from the NHL's schedule if they really do reduce the season by 6-10 games and make it 8 months instead of 9. As it is the NHL competes with at least 2 other leagues in each of its months other then February and even then the Superbowl goes into FEB sometimes, like this year.

The NHL goes head to head with the NBA all season long and loses out on prime schedule dates to it in many markets. Why not avoid the NBA and the NFL and go pretty much head to head with the MLB either having the NHL playoffs end in SEPT or NOV? I think the NHL would do much better going up against the MLB for coverage rather then against both the NBA and NFL.

Or at least yank back the start of the NHL regular season to AUG. That way the NHL would have AUG and SEPT to avoid the NBA for a bit. The NHL's playoffs would begin in FEB after the Superbowl ending two months after the NFL season and would end in MAR during the first few weeks of the MLB and two months before the NBA playoffs start. I doubt too many people would be opposed to a AUG to MAR season.

 

[Motown Beatdown]

What would the teams look like? How many of the players with European or Russian contracts have clauses that release them? Almost half the league is playing elsewhere.

Thats why i feel they need to push the season and playoffs back to July. There are a ton of free agents left to sign and get the players back from Europe

 

[legardien91]

If somehow a deal gets done, and a shortened season is in the future I'm all for a 36-42 game season. Give teams 2 weeks to get their rosters together and begin play the first week of March. Then play 10 weeks worth of regular season games at about 4/week. It's a bit of a grind compared to normal, but who cares.

That takes us to mid-May. Start a normal playoff, and with moderate scheduling skill, the Cup could be awarded by the first or second week of July at the latest.

In a 36-game season, each team could play...
DIVISIONAL TEAMS: 4 teams x 4 games (2H, 2A) = 16 total
OTHER CONF TEAMS: 10 teams x 2 games (1H, 1A) = 20 total

And if you go with a 42 game schedule, you can play 6 teams from the opposing conference (3H, 3A)

Point is, it's possible to get something more than a 20/28 game season in to have some semblance of legitimacy.

 

[Accord]

I'd like to see a 42 game season that runs through mid-summer.

 

[Toonces]

This has been brought up before a few weeks or so ago, but as long as they are talking...

I'd extend the season. Not until the end of summer, but perhaps have the playoffs go into July. If they can salvage the season somehow, and the arenas are available I say go for it.

 

[Sotnos]

richardn.........

I think they should play a season with at least 36-games and end it at around August (the playoffs)......sure the players would only have 2-months off until the start of the next hockey season for October but itès not like they will be playing a long season this year....they will be able to manage just fine I think with a 2-month layoff until the start of the next hockey season.

Cheers!

monkey_00

They wouldn't get a two month layoff if they expect to start the '06 season at its regular time. Training camp usually starts the 2nd week of September, no way can the prior season end in August, there'd be no way to get signings done and the players wouldn't have enough time to rest & recuperate.

Pushing the season into early July isn't a big deal, any later than that seems crazy to me.

 

[Isles72]

shorter the season , the better chance the ol man leafs have at winning the cup

a cup with an asterik though

 

[AM]

one good point.....

The marketing just writes itself....

Leafs finally play in May!!!

 

[Poignant Discussion*]

Totally, has absolutely nothing to do with a shortened season. 28 game schedule will be much more competitive than a regular season because each game will mean more. The playoffs will carry on exactly as in previous years, and I don't see any reason why a trap would benefit teams anymore or become more adopted because of this. Right now, I don't understand your logic, and would enjoy it if you explained things, so I can better understand your point of view.

Let me spell it out for you

Teams will be afraid to lose ANY games. We will see the tightest defensive hockey EVER

Much like the 5 on 5 overtime in the old days

Teams can't take risks with a short season like that.

Obviously you don't understand ANY logic or you would see the point is. Shortened season means less chance of error which means boring defensive hockey.

Last time it happened was 1995 which introduced the trap

Teams will play for a tie

 

[kerrly]

Let me spell it out for you

Teams will be afraid to lose ANY games. We will see the tightest defensive hockey EVER

Much like the 5 on 5 overtime in the old days

Teams can't take risks with a short season like that.

Obviously you don't understand ANY logic or you would see the point is. Shortened season means less chance of error which means boring defensive hockey.

Last time it happened was 1995 which introduced the trap

Teams will play for a tie

Let's say hypothetically that teams do play more defensive during the season to try to maximize their spot in the standings. Why would the play be any different in the playoffs, its the exact same format. Has absolutely nothing to do with why the Devils won in 95.

Oh yeah and thanks from the insult of not understanding logic, this might affect me if it didn't come from someone who consistently posts thoughtless rants without any back-up.

The 28 game season will bring a sense of urgency and will not allow any team or player to take a night off. This will bring some of the most competitive and exciting hockey the league has seen in years. Its not as easy as you think to switch over to a trap system like you claim. Teams are built around certain systems and coaches have certain styles that they adhere to because that has made them successful in the past and have put all of their efforts into making them work. Its not easy for these coaches to adapt their style with a high success rate especially because they have had less experience with them. The Devils often leave players in the minors an extra year or two so that they can be more adapted to the Devil's trap system when they get to the show. And when they do make it, they still have alot to learn about it. My guess is you have never coached competitive hockey before. I will be willing to bet, that 90% of the teams will play with or very close to the system that they played with last year. Let's make it $500 just to make it interesting, care to take me up on it?

If there is a drop off in scoring, it will be caused by players giving it there all thus creating better calibre hockey, and not by an influx of teams playing the trap. The same reason hockey scoring has dropped over the last 15 years, more talent and better quality hockey. It will not create boring hockey like you claim but in fact create exciting meaningful games where each team has a purpose on the ice and giving it 110%. If you need 8-5 games, then you should subscribe to ESPN classic Canada, because those days are over.

Edit - Did a little search a found a really good article about the theory of goal scoring. I recommend you read it. It also covers the 1994-95 lock-out shortened season.

http://www.puckerings.com/research/talent.html

 

[kdb209]

One problem with playing into July - player contracts.

I beleive player contracts terminate 7/1.

So just think what you could see -
- a player holding out for a 3 day contract with a big bonus right before game 7 of the cup finals.
- A whole flood of new UFAs signed during the playoffs
- (more likely) a bunch of lawyers and accountants saying, sorry your contract has expired, we can't let you play in game 7 for liability reasons.

This may be able to be resolved in the CBA, but maybe not - can the term of a contract be involuntarily extended?

 

[tom_servo]

Hockey is not a summer game and playing in the summer would be ridiculous.

If it was still played exclusively on frozen ponds, you might have a point.

 

[txomisc]

It's really crazy but this guy almost had me convinced when he suggested the same thing.

http://www.dallasstars.com/news/razor.jsp

I posted that article a month or so ago and basically got laughed at. Oh well, I still think its a solid idea.

 

[Dooney]

None of the above. Sign a deal, play for the fans, charity and draft picks (ie, no Cup awarded this year), then start a real season in September.

Agree 100% with this. Personally I don't think winning the cup would mean all that much and with the LA King's luck they would win it I love my Kings, but I want to see them bring home the cup in a full season. It's kinda like the booby prize this year for the winner.

 

[tripledekehockey]

28 game season -- can you imagine the ice in dallas during the summer when its 90 plus degrees with humidity near 100% --

 

[Flukeshot]

One problem with playing into July - player contracts...

...This may be able to be resolved in the CBA, but maybe not - can the term of a contract be involuntarily extended?

Really, really good point. A point that could possibly put any idea of a season going past that date to an end. The only thing I can think of would be the league placing a deadline on signing players. Which they would have to do anyway. The season could not start March 1st and player signing continue into the playoffs.

I may be simplifying the matter, but players don't actually receive a paycheck during the playoffs, so the players really wouldn't be able to claim they weren't being adaquetly paid. Depending on how far into the summer playoffs would need to go it would become a big issue. If they needed to go a week into July I could see the players voluntarily extending it that long.

Besides there wouldn't be that many players contracts expiring at that time. Only guys who currently have 1 yr remaining and whose team was still alive in the playoffs at that time.