Opinions on the game where you know you are in the minority

[shazariahl]

I liked the old playoff format of 1v16, 2v15, 3v14, etc. I would rather play different teams every year than the same ones over and over.

 

[whcanuck]

-Vancouver definitely did not deserve to win the Cup in 2011, Boston earned it (I’m a Canucks fan). They probably should have lost to Chicago in the first round after being up 3-0

-Messier gets too much hate for the 1997-2000 Canucks. He was one of MANY issues the team had

-Remove the salary cap for a few years and bring back clutching and grabbing. It’d be cool to see a really stacked team again. I actually thought the game was safer when you could obstruct and interfere somewhat

 

[The Panther]

-Vancouver definitely did not deserve to win the Cup in 2011, Boston earned it (I’m a Canucks fan). They probably should have lost to Chicago in the first round after being up 3-0

Well, they lost the Finals fair and square, so yeah they didn't deserve it. But I think you make a good point about that first-round Chicago series. I don't know why Canucks' fan go on about it like it was a great franchise moment when Burrows scored in overtime. It wasn't. It was a wake-up call that the team had some issues. You don't blow a three games to none lead, find yourself in seventh game overtime, and then go on to win the Cup. It just isn't happening.

-Messier gets too much hate for the 1997-2000 Canucks. He was one of MANY issues the team had

-Remove the salary cap for a few years and bring back clutching and grabbing. It’d be cool to see a really stacked team again. I actually thought the game was safer when you could obstruct and interfere somewhat

I can live without the clutching and grabbing!

But I agree that seeing stacked teams again would be more fun. Every team is too much the same now.

 

[Nerowoy nora tolad]

I can live without the clutching and grabbing!

But I agree that seeing stacked teams again would be more fun. Every team is too much the same now.

I dont want to go back to clutch and grab hockey, but the more understanding I have of the sport over time, I understand why low-key obstruction was allowed for so long. The real issue was when the refs started to allow obstruction in the dead puck era to the point where it directly interfered with the play

 

[Big Phil]

-Vancouver definitely did not deserve to win the Cup in 2011, Boston earned it (I’m a Canucks fan). They probably should have lost to Chicago in the first round after being up 3-0

I will go as far as saying that is not a minority opinion. You lose a 7 gamer, well, then you lost!

-Remove the salary cap for a few years and bring back clutching and grabbing. It’d be cool to see a really stacked team again. I actually thought the game was safer when you could obstruct and interfere somewhat

Okay, now the clutching and grabbing is in the minority for sure. I would like to see more passion in the game (more fights, more animosity, more hitting that isn't over-analyzed) but the clutching and grabbing hurt the game.

I do agree with the other factor. But I would want a softer cap instead of a hard cap. Sort of like the NBA. Football has it too hard, hockey has it too hard, Baseball doesn't have one at all but the NBA has the perfect balance I think.

 

[Kreegz2]

The nhl should mandate wooden sticks like the mlb mandates wooden bats.

 

[tony d]

That the NHL should go to a league wide playoff format of 1 vs. 16. Sure travel would be hard but other than that this is the best playoff format IMO.

 

[The Panther]

That the NHL should go to a league wide playoff format of 1 vs. 16. Sure travel would be hard but other than that this is the best playoff format IMO.

I go back and forth on that.

On the one hand, the '1' plays '16', '2' plays '15', etc. thing is the simplest and fairest way to do it, sure.

But on the other hand, the game totally lacks passionate rivalries today as compared to almost any era in history, and doing that simple playoff format all but kills any chance of reviving them.

Put it this way: When I was growing up, the battle of Alberta was the biggest thing going. 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, and 1991 the Oilers played the Flames -- every series a classic. What about all those Islanders / Rangers series? Classics.

So, now it's been 28 years since the Oilers played the Flames in the playoffs, which is incredibly sad. Yeah, part of that is because both teams have had periods when they sucked, but I'm pretty sure that wouldn't have been the case if the old divisional systems were maintained.

When the League changed the playoff system (again) to get away from the strict playoff formats, they did the half-assed thing we have today, where it's sort-of divisional, but sort of conference-based, and it's impossible to look at the standings and tell who's in and out.

I say go back to the strict divisional formats. Nowadays, we aren't going to see any more nonsense like the '88 Leafs making the playoffs with 52 points or whatever. Those days are gone. Only good teams will make it in, but we're guaranteed incredible rivalries.

 

[Big Phil]

I go back and forth on that.

On the one hand, the '1' plays '16', '2' plays '15', etc. thing is the simplest and fairest way to do it, sure.

But on the other hand, the game totally lacks passionate rivalries today as compared to almost any era in history, and doing that simple playoff format all but kills any chance of reviving them.

Put it this way: When I was growing up, the battle of Alberta was the biggest thing going. 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, and 1991 the Oilers played the Flames -- every series a classic. What about all those Islanders / Rangers series? Classics.

So, now it's been 28 years since the Oilers played the Flames in the playoffs, which is incredibly sad. Yeah, part of that is because both teams have had periods when they sucked, but I'm pretty sure that wouldn't have been the case if the old divisional systems were maintained.

When the League changed the playoff system (again) to get away from the strict playoff formats, they did the half-assed thing we have today, where it's sort-of divisional, but sort of conference-based, and it's impossible to look at the standings and tell who's in and out.

I say go back to the strict divisional formats. Nowadays, we aren't going to see any more nonsense like the '88 Leafs making the playoffs with 52 points or whatever. Those days are gone. Only good teams will make it in, but we're guaranteed incredible rivalries.

I agree, man does hockey ever need animosity back in its diet again. We miss it. Familiarity breeds contempt. I like how the Bruins and Leafs are playing each other, but it isn't quite like the old 1980s format where 1 vs. 4 was guaranteed in the division. The wild card makes it a little bit different.

Just think about the 1991 Flames/Oilers series. Lovely. Another thread mentions this as one of the best series of all-time. Granted, part of the reason that they haven't met since is because there are only two years (2006 and 2017) where they were in the playoffs at the same time, and this will include 2019. That's sad, but when they are both good at the same time the chances of them meeting should be higher.