The Plan

[JoshFromMO]

True, but how competitive will games be that have no meaning?

Even if it isn't very competitive then it would be a good chance to get some "real game intensity" since it is pretty much impossible to replicate in practice

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

True, but how competitive will games be that have no meaning?

The round robin games would all have meaning, as much as the end of the regular season games. They (combined with the regular season results) would determine the 8 team seeding, including which bubble teams get in.

 

[MissouriMook]

I'm a little torn on what I want to see with the Top 4 teams from each conference while teams 5-12 are in their "play-ins" series. On one hand, we are currently the top seed in the West and I would hate to lost that. On the other hand, having something at stake for those three games in terms of seeding might have us better prepared for Round 1.

Right now, the Top 4 in the West are the Blues (94 points in 71 games), Avs (92/70), Vegas (86/71) and Dallas (82/69). If you ranked them by points percentage after those three games, and the three games has the same standings points rules as the regular season, the worst the Blues could do would be to slip to 2nd. All four teams would have something to lose, something to gain, or both if the competition meant something. I just don't know that it would be enough to create the extra intensity that you would want to see preparing for the playoffs versus a meaningless three game round robin. While "home ice" won't mean as much as it normally does given that the games are going to be in empty, neutral site arenas, you do get last change as the "home" team and that's not nothing.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I’m a little worried that the lower seeds are going to end up with an unintended advantage because of the play-in series. But I also have confidence that teams like St Louis and Boston had players that were more committed to staying ready to play than teams like Minnesota or Chicago.

If you want to win the Cup, you have to overcome adversity in whatever form it comes.

 

[BlueDream]

I’m not worried about anything hockey-related. This year is purely for entertainment purposes, I will just be happy to have hockey back. The format is what it is. There’s no perfect way to do it so they’re doing the best they can.

If the Blues lose in the 1st round, whatever, I won’t care. These playoffs are gonna be a complete crapshoot and will be hard to put much stock into the results. I think it’s pointless to worry about who has the competitive advantage and shit.

I’ll wait until the 2021 playoffs to be fully invested into winning it all again. If they lose early next year, THEN I’ll let my anger out.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I’m not worried about anything hockey-related. This year is purely for entertainment purposes, I will just be happy to have hockey back. The format is what it is. There’s no perfect way to do it so they’re doing the best they can.

If the Blues lose in the 1st round, whatever, I won’t care. These playoffs are gonna be a complete crapshoot and will be hard to put much stock into the results. I think it’s pointless to worry about who has the competitive advantage and shit.

I’ll wait until the 2021 playoffs to be fully invested into winning it all again. If they lose early next year, THEN I’ll let my anger out.

I think many of us feel that way today, but when the pucks start dropping it won’t feel like it doesn’t count.

 

[The Note]

I’m not worried about anything hockey-related. This year is purely for entertainment purposes, I will just be happy to have hockey back. The format is what it is. There’s no perfect way to do it so they’re doing the best they can.

If the Blues lose in the 1st round, whatever, I won’t care. These playoffs are gonna be a complete crapshoot and will be hard to put much stock into the results. I think it’s pointless to worry about who has the competitive advantage and shit.

I’ll wait until the 2021 playoffs to be fully invested into winning it all again. If they lose early next year, THEN I’ll let my anger out.

I agree in theory but know the first time the Blues give up a goal against, or I feel the refs missed a call, my blood pressure will rise all the same. It's certainly going to be a crapshoot (more than the already normal crapshoot) and expect some weirdness. If another team wins -so be it- if the Blues win, I'll gladly tout the Blues as back to back winners even if the final is played in August in an empty rink in Edmonton.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Commisioner speaking now.

2 hubs

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Multiple phases....

Small groups, then training camps, then report to hub cities.

Play over summer and into the fall.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

No info on cities or actual dates.

No STL in final hub city list.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Did he say NYC as a hub city??????

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Still working out seeding versus brackets

 

[Ranksu]

 

[The Note]

Blues, Avs, Knights and Stars playing round robin for seeding after all.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

We lost the hub city sweep stakes....

But Chicago was on the final list.....B....FLIPPING....S

 

[AjaxManifesto]

I wonder what their protocol is if a player or trainer tests positive?

Carry on?
Implode it all?

 

[The Note]

Well...time for playoff avatars?

 

[mk80]

Bettman explaining the draft lottery format

Now let's drop the puck! We're Division Champs! And we are all now Oilers fans for the qualifying round.

 

[MissouriMook]

We lost the hub city sweep stakes....

But Chicago was on the final list.....B....FLIPPING....S

I don't know why Chicago would be a finalist, but I didn't expect us to be there. The abundance of practice facilities (in particular, Centene and Maryville) are just too far away from Enterprise Center to make it attractive.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

I don't know why Chicago would be a finalist, but I didn't expect us to be there. The abundance of practice facilities (in particular, Centene and Maryville) are just too far away from Enterprise Center to make it attractive.

Both Chicago and LA stick out to me as cities that are completely not ideal for this sort of setup.

 

[Mike Liut]

Blues, Avs, Knights and Stars playing round robin for seeding after all.

I actually like this. Meaningless games wouldn’t be good heading into Rd 2 when your opponent is playing meaningful ones.

 

[Brian39]

I totally understand the NHL deciding that the rink layout in St. Louis can't adequately support 12 NHL teams simultaneously.

I also understand keeping places like Chicago and LA on the list because they would be good locations if COVID numbers are low in those cities. No need to eliminate them over that concern now so long as there are other viable options on the list if/when their numbers remain too high to comfortably put your players there.

 

[mk80]

I totally understand the NHL deciding that the rink layout in St. Louis can't adequately support 12 NHL teams simultaneously.

I also understand keeping places like Chicago and LA on the list because they would be good locations if COVID numbers are low in those cities. No need to eliminate them over that concern now so long as there are other viable options on the list if/when their numbers remain too high to comfortably put your players there.

If LA was chosen would the NHL also consider using Honda Center in that scenario, and the rec rink which is a few blocks away? Or does LA strictly mean Staples and Kings facilities?

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I actually like that the top 4 are playing for seeding. Similarly to the bottom play-in round, teams that didn't have a realistic chance at overtaking the leaders are going to have an opportunity. But it also means that all the games matter, and keeps the match-ups for the round of 16 in flux. There is a lot to stay interested in, and games will have ramifications.

But there isn't really any home ice. The last change is nice, but its not terribly important. It certainly wasn't important to St Louis last post-season. So then the seeding simply comes down to match-ups.

I think the sequestration of the teams is going to feel like they're at summer camp. They can watch the other teams' games. And I'm sure that players will be socializing with each other, especially when they're not in series against each other.

I'm getting more and more excited about the format. I think its going to work for bringing fan interest and providing a reasonable way to proceed to live action while the pandemic measures are still in effect to some degree.

 

[simon IC]

I’m not worried about anything hockey-related. This year is purely for entertainment purposes, I will just be happy to have hockey back. The format is what it is. There’s no perfect way to do it so they’re doing the best they can.

If the Blues lose in the 1st round, whatever, I won’t care. These playoffs are gonna be a complete crapshoot and will be hard to put much stock into the results. I think it’s pointless to worry about who has the competitive advantage and shit.

I’ll wait until the 2021 playoffs to be fully invested into winning it all again. If they lose early next year, THEN I’ll let my anger out.

Agreed. Whatever team wins the SC this year gets the dreaded "asterisk" in the history books. Still, like others have posted, once the puck drops it will be meaningful.