News Article: NHL to announce a 2 hub 24 team playoff, Edmonton & Toronto?

[hawksrule]

OK, honestly the Oilers fans seem to think playing the Hawks would be a cakewalk. No respect.

For most of the season the Hawks stunk. Edmonton should be confident.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Hawks didn’t earn any respect. They shouldn’t be getting much if any.

 

[hawksrule]

Edmonton also is reputed to have the best ice in the league, which could be a factor in the summer months.

 

[Mrfenn92]

There no home advantage. No fans.

I'll be there.

 

[Crow]

Chicago is too population dense to make sense as a playoff location to me.

 

[BobbyJet]

OK, honestly the Oilers fans seem to think playing the Hawks would be a cakewalk. No respect.

Perfect!

 

[Malaka]

There no home advantage. No fans.

Home advantage has a significant amount to do with fans, yes. I'd argue the psychological benefit from being in an already known and comfortable environment is important too.

 

[BobbyJet]

Home advantage has a significant amount to do with fans, yes. I'd argue the psychological benefit from being in an already known and comfortable environment is important too.

Let's not forget that home teams get last line change. That can be a pretty big deal, especially for coaches who regularly match lines.

 

[WeThreeKings]

You guys pissed about being dragged into this format at the expense of being in the lottery and potentially moving from 9th to 16/17th if you win 3 games out of 5 after a large lay-off?

 

[Malaka]

Let's not forget that home teams get last line change. That can be a pretty big deal, especially for coaches who regularly match lines.

The home team will probably be determined by seed, the hub city considered "Neutral" territory in name

 

[BobbyJet]

Playoff proposal including Blackhawks expected to be approved

 

[hawksfan50]

Ok...EDM would be at home if it is a hub city as it has lobbied to host as such...But is "home" without fans really "home".?


We also know the Hawks had trouble at home with fans filing the seats...especialky the vetsxwoth families...because at home these guys are baffled with;extra chores...with "Dad's work "helping look after the kids,and withe the usual quarrels or disagreements that might pop up at times with their wives....all these family issues distract married players at "home" as their minds would not be 100% focused on the game in Chicago that might...

So to the extent Hawks would be :away" in EDM,such distractions woukd not be there to weigh on the Hawks married pkayers and the entire team could focus better as a resukt.


This works on effect in reverse in the case of Edmlnton married players of course...but not sure how many married players and especialky with kids that Edmonton has on the Oilers.

As to the no one in the stands issue..that has to help the Hawks more because expect not many cheersxwhen they are on the road anyway and yge lack of boos also would help take the pressure off....

But really it does not matter...we all know goaltending is 70% of winning..and so how CC handles the lack of noise vs. How Edmonton's goalies handle the silence will be crucial.

Usually when the home team attacks into their o-zone crowd mouse spikes up..that makes opposing goalies perk up as they sense danger from the attack...but now CC willonlybbe a lector see attacks develop but not hear rising threat ...this may perhaps dull his alertness and quickness of his response to threat.IF that proves to be a factor ,thenEDmonton will indeed gain an advantage....even from silence.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

So is the draft going to be before or after this playoff? I’d to get the 9th pick plus a shot at the playoffs, it would suck to lose that pick.

 

[Kevin Musto]

You guys pissed about being dragged into this format at the expense of being in the lottery and potentially moving from 9th to 16/17th if you win 3 games out of 5 after a large lay-off?

No. The Hawks are winning a cup this year.

 

[Kevin Musto]

So is the draft going to be before or after this playoff? I’d to get the 9th pick plus a shot at the playoffs, it would suck to lose that pick.

We don't know. It was supposed to happen in June, but I think that's been vetoed.

 

[Malaka]

You guys pissed about being dragged into this format at the expense of being in the lottery and potentially moving from 9th to 16/17th if you win 3 games out of 5 after a large lay-off?

Just read that. Can't wait to end up in middling pick purgatory and repeat this bullshit performance again next year.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Just read that. Can't wait to end up in middling pick purgatory and repeat this bullshit performance again next year.

Hahaha, welcome to Habs purgatory.. it sucks.

 

[Malaka]

Hahaha, welcome to Habs purgatory.. it sucks.

Same same but different

Actually curious how this will work with swapping picks if true, considering the draft is planned in June and players are expecting to return to play by July

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Let's not forget that home teams get last line change. That can be a pretty big deal, especially for coaches who regularly match lines.

Feel like we often see a reverse effect, however, of the visitors dictating the terms and the home side forced to respond.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Same same but still different

Actually curious how this will work with swapping picks if true, considering the draft is planned in June and players are expecting to return to play by July

I'm guessing they are going to delay the draft to the end of the play-offs (no real plans have been made to put on the draft in June due to COVID) and the NHL is going to do:

7 teams in the lottery (can only move up 4 spots)
8-15 is the losers of the play-in round.
16-27 is play-off losers outside of conference finals
28,29 conference final losers
30 cup loser
31 cup winner.

Speculation but that's what I'm lead to believe by the things I've heard and how the NHL has conducted themselves.

 

[Malaka]

I'm guessing they are going to delay the draft to the end of the play-offs (no real plans have been made to put on the draft in June due to COVID) and the NHL is going to do:

7 teams in the lottery (can only move up 4 spots)
8-15 is the losers of the play-in round.
16-27 is play-off losers outside of conference finals
28,29 conference final losers
30 cup loser
31 cup winner.

Speculation but that's what I'm lead to believe by the things I've heard and how the NHL has conducted themselves.

Any sources on delaying the draft? I don't think they want to put that off. They may be waiting to make plans but I understand they're pretty desperate to keep it in June.

Off topic but morbid and mildly hilarious, what happens if a draft pick passes from covid over the summer? Teams are gonna be putting their house arrest/internment in a rink, maybe bubble boy style.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Any sources on delaying the draft? I don't think they want to put that off. They may be waiting to make plans but I understand they're pretty desperate to keep it in June.

Off topic but morbid and mildly hilarious, what happens if a draft pick passes from covid over the summer? Teams are gonna be putting their house arrest/internment in a rink, maybe bubble boy style.

No real sources but I haven't heard anything about it going ahead virtually and there was all this concern about a team winning the lottery and winning the cup (as if Vegas didn't happen and it wasn't good for the league).

I just think it will delay, but it's just been pretty quiet on the draft front lately that I would expect they will do it after season resolution.

 

[Super Cake]

Any sources on delaying the draft? I don't think they want to put that off. They may be waiting to make plans but I understand they're pretty desperate to keep it in June.

Off topic but morbid and mildly hilarious, what happens if a draft pick passes from covid over the summer? Teams are gonna be putting their house arrest/internment in a rink, maybe bubble boy style.

That brings up an interesting question. What happens if the draft happens and then a month or two later, Lafreniere god forbid succumbs to covid? Will the NHL try to do something for the team that drafted him?

 

[Say Hey Kid]

70 games have been played. More than 16 teams is the dumbest idea since segregation. If either the NHL or the NBA do this I'm done. There are plenty of other sports to watch plus all time drafts and sports history.

 

[Malaka]

70 games have been played. More than 16 teams is the dumbest idea since segregation. If either the NHL or the NBA do this I'm done. There are plenty of other sports to watch plus all time drafts and sports history.

The truth is that it doesn't affect the integrity of the playoffs. The SC is the hardest trophy to win in all of sports. Having a play in round for teams is what's questionable when not considering the unprecedented situation we're in, but not long ago we had the best 16 of the 21 organizations in the league compete for the cup. The opportunity is the same as it was then.

As I understand this decision is more business related. It's important to everyone from the fans to players and so forth that the league suceeds as a whole. With pushing 2 of the most popular teams such as the Habs and Hawks into the mix, the cap suffers less and teams with low margins/operation losses can sustain themselves better with support from revenue sharing.

Hard to believe the NHL is turning a profit this season, and leaguewide the organizations, players, and communities will be affected. IMO the ripple effect from this leads to less valuation of the league assets as a whole with a higher risk for investors.

Ottawa maybe gets held onto a while longer by Melnyk because he doesn't want to get shortchanged on the sale, or another financial services predator like Dundon capitalizes on the instability and buys an organization. Arizona and Florida roll back their salaries further... etc.

Last and probably the most important thing is that the junior/amateur/professional communities are dependent on the league growing and expanding hockey.

This is the way. Enjoy the show.