Personally either way I don't expect they leave the conferences unbalanced for long, I think 32 teams in the league is a real possibility very soon. Maybe Phx keeps their team and QC and someone else gets a team. Who knows
Personally, I'll still have a strong, strong hatred for Boston, Buffalo, and Montreal. It might not be that evident on the ice in the regular season, but I think once the teams face each other in the playoffs, the rivalries could be re-kindled.
Rivalries are generally made and kept in the playoffs. Such as Detroit/Colorado. Colorado stinks now, and they haven't been meeting in the playoffs, and it's only billed as a rivalry in hype only (just to draw a TV crowd). The Flyers had a rivalry with the Blues (them beating the crap out of us was the genesis of the Flyers' image), but they're such a 'meh' rival now because over the past 30 years or so, they've only been playing twice a year. If they met in the Finals, I don't think it would be seen as a 'rekindled rivalry.' Chicago and Vancouver have had a GREAT rivalry, that's now squashed.
I know that the Flyers and Bruins went 30 years between meeting in the playoffs, but the rivalry was rekindled because of two playoff series we've played with them. With this, we not only go back to perhaps maybe seeing them in the playoffs once every 30 years, but not sustaining any type of rivalry because we'd only be playing them twice a year. We'd be as likely to keep a rivalry with Calgary Flames.
Winnipeg only getting 12 total games against the other Canadian teams seems silly to me as well.
That sucks if you're a good team in a tough Conference and place 5th; while another team (that has fewer points than you) in a different Conference places 4th and makes it to the PO...
It sucks even more because that's a huge possibility for the Flyers seeing as how we have NYR, PITT, WSH and NJD in our Conference.
It's also really unfair that Western teams have a 50% chance of making the Playoffs while Eastern teams have a 57% chance.
Last edited by drownedsailors: 12-06-2011 at 12:08 AM.
Expansion would be kinda... weird. Not a big fan milking the teams down more.
Looking at our roster, protect either one goaltender, five defensemen, and nine forwards or two goaltenders, three defensemen, and seven forwards. (2000 expansion rules)
Anyone know if prospects count as part of the team or are they protected? Im guessing they are protected but might as well ask. I dont think it would be too hard to pick 1 goalie, 5 defenders, and 9 forwards.
Picking players wouldnt be that hard. Only thing would be players who's contracts are expiring.
EDIT: seems like in the 1998 first and second year pros were exempt. So that means Read, Couturier and Schenn would be. All teams have these kinds of players... hard to make a team with a bunch of 4th line guys.
I'd do it that anyone on their ELC would be exempt. In the last round of expansion, teams were allowed to make trades for guys they just took, or trades so that teams would not take a guy. That's how Kimmo Timonen ended up on Nashville.
It reminds me of the system from the 80s where you had to get out of your division to play in the conference championships. Those playoffs against the Islanders and Rangers made me hate them. The downside, as others have mentioned, is that there were years that the 5th place team in the Patrick was better than the 4th place teams of other divisions, but they didn't qualify for the playoffs.
I'm also glad to see the Caps back. I hated them in the 80s, it will be fun to hate them again.
I like the new system, because I feel like the playoffs back in the 80s were full of hatred because every year you were playing the same teams in the playoffs. Think back to those Edmonton - Calgary playoffs. I think this should breed some interesting feuds, moreso than the current system.
Honest question: Did people need Washington to be in our confivision to dislike them?
Nope, but there's just something better about watching division (now conference) games. I can sit and watch NYI and PIT or NYR and PIT and be entertained. Adding WAS into a mix of teams that they already have good rivalries with will only help. But with the dominance of PHI, WAS, and PIT and the re-emergence of NYR...the Isles, Devs, and Canes are all going to have to spend/develop extremely well to keep up.
being a fan of the AHL I love the divisonal playoff format. The games are intense and very physical. One thing the AHL does that I wouldnt mind seeing the NHL do is the crossover. Where one conference could have 5 teams in the playoffs and the other conf. 3. If the 5th seeded team has a better record then the 4 seeded team in the other conference they get in. Example last year that happened in the Eastern Conf. AHL playoffs.
I know this is going to cause some lost rivalries with teams like Boston, Montreal and Toronto but I like the idea overall.
man imagine a Flyers/Rangers SC Final? holy **** that would be amazing.
being a fan of the AHL I love the divisonal playoff format. The games are intense and very physical. One thing the AHL does that I wouldnt mind seeing the NHL do is the crossover. Where one conference could have 5 teams in the playoffs and the other conf. 3. If the 5th seeded team has a better record then the 4 seeded team in the other conference they get in. Example last year that happened in the Eastern Conf. AHL playoffs.
I know this is going to cause some lost rivalries with teams like Boston, Montreal and Toronto but I like the idea overall.
man imagine a Flyers/Rangers SC Final? holy **** that would be amazing.
That can't happen as Rangers are in our conference and only 1 team makes it out of each conference
really not liking the fact that out of Philly, Pit, NYR, Wash or NJD someone is not making the playoffs. thats some tough competition. obviously the devils (and wash) are not doing that great right now but it seems like they've been good forever and i don't expect that to change at least not for long. and if i'm understanding the playoffs correctly only one of the aforementioned teams will make it to the 3rd round every year. thats a lot of good team fighting within a division that won't get a chance to participate in the last two round obviously the second being the SCF.
The good news ... Those five teams (Phi, Pitt, NYR, NJ, Wash) have all made the playoffs together just twice in the past 15 seasons.
I like aspects of this system and I dislike aspects of it. Our division is now by far the toughest division. We could potentially have a better record than the majority of the teams in the other divisions and not make the playoffs.
This is a major flaw, considering the playoffs should be the best teams and not teams who just happen to play in a favorable Division.
I do like the fact that playoff rivalries will really be highlighted and beastly rival battles will be be had In the first 2 rounds. That is awesome.
I also like the possibility of two eastern teams meeting in the cup finals. Imagine another Boston Philly cup final. Wow.
However, I dont like the idea of losing rivalries with teams like Boston, Buffalo Montreal, and Toronto at all. We will now have just as much a rivalry with boston as we will with minnesota. That doesn't make sense to me.
I do think this will be a nice change, and I'm kind of excited to see the change, I guess we will just have to wait and see how it goes.
