Doesn't facing the same teams give us a better chance? Familiarity and all. I like the odds better in this setup. Would you all be comfortable with playing Columbus every year in the first round? Don't you think they would give us a tough series every time, and occasionally come out on top?
And what's the big deal, so far we've faced Detroit, Chicago and San Jose every year except for one. So it's not like the current setup is vastly superior.
Doesn't facing the same teams give us a better chance? Familiarity and all. I like the odds better in this setup. Would you all be comfortable with playing Columbus every year in the first round? Don't you think they would give us a tough series every time, and occasionally come out on top?
And what's the big deal, so far we've faced Detroit, Chicago and San Jose every year except for one. So it's not like the current setup is vastly superior.
Columbus would never win a series with us. They suck, will always suck, no matter where, when etc.
The new set up basically guarantees that Detroit and Chicago will make the playoffs every year and most likely face each other in the next round almost exclusively, something that the league would love.
Columbus would never win a series with us. They suck, will always suck, no matter where, when etc.
The new set up basically guarantees that Detroit and Chicago will make the playoffs every year and most likely face each other in the next round almost exclusively, something that the league would love.
or maybe detroit starts to slip when lidstrom retires. or when age catches up to them like it looks like it is doing with zetterburg already. yeah, shortterm, detroit will be in the mix, but their skill guys aren't the youngest anyore.
chicago is a whole nother story. they have good young reinforcememnts for years and their core is young and under contract. as long as they can continue to find a cheap bottom six and bottom pair, they will be at the top.
in this conference right now it is chicago, everyone else, then columbus.
Here's the problem with that theory. Detroit is always going to be competative and probably top of the confrence due to their unlimited money coming in. When their players retire, they will be aggressive in finding the right replacements. Players will want to play for them because of the logo on their sweater on the legacy that comes with it. Sadly, that's the truth.
Here's the problem with that theory. Detroit is always going to be competative and probably top of the confrence due to their unlimited money coming in. When their players retire, they will be aggressive in finding the right replacements. Players will want to play for them because of the logo on their sweater on the legacy that comes with it. Sadly, that's the truth.
I disagree. You can see many holes that money will not fix. next year half the D is ufa. after next year they will have to pay howard. zetterburg 6 million is going to be around longer than they are going to want. the young guys will get raises-kronwall this and howard next. hudler is a ufa this and filipula next. alot of this old, we know the way of winning will be gone soon-lidstrom, holmstrom.
now I know they will replace some guys. I think that the money that datsyuk, franzen, zetterburg, and franzen now make hampers them in being aggressive in finding a replacement for missing pieces. they won't get filipula's production at the price he is on the ufa market. when lidstrom retires, they will be able to add a big peice. before, because those guys were on elc or rfa deals, they could go get a rafalski, a hossa. not anymore. Just like Chicago, they are going to have to piece together a bottom six and bottom 3 d-men with kids and guys close to the minimum/close to the end of their careers.
I guess I remember them before the Russian five got there. they sucked. that is the legacy I like to remember. Detroit will be with us, dallas, minny, peg and stl fighting every year for the right to play in the postseason
Here's the problem with that theory. Detroit is always going to be competative and probably top of the confrence due to their unlimited money coming in. When their players retire, they will be aggressive in finding the right replacements. Players will want to play for them because of the logo on their sweater on the legacy that comes with it. Sadly, that's the truth.
Using your theory the Leafs, Rangers, and Habs should dominate every single season because of their logo and cash flow. Every team goes through dry spells. The Wings went through one that lasted decades. Just because they've been successful with Holland, Bowman, and Hitchcock does not guarantee future success.
Empires rise ... and they fall. Nobody fears the once great Oilers or Islanders right now. The destined to make the playoffs every season Blues are a thing of the past. If the current situation were destined to continue into the future, there would be no need to play the seasons.
however I don't see CHI or DET falling anywhere out of the top in the next 3-4 years.. just too many good pieces. but if we lock up our big 3 and get a little offensive help, we should be just as good if not better. thats a big if, though. the pieces are there.. and we do have youth. we haven't hit our ceiling.. everyone knows DET is old and they will eventually falter (if only a little).. see the braves in MLB .. lakers in NBA .. colts in NFL .. etc. long term this division is a crap shoot.. but for the next couple of years, I dont like our chances. but who knows
Damn, the only thing I didn't really love was the playoff thing where only four in a division make it, other then that it was solid. Eastern teams shouldn't complain about travel.
Damn, the only thing I didn't really love was the playoff thing where only four in a division make it, other then that it was solid. Eastern teams shouldn't complain about travel.
not the teams that were complaining ... I heard/read it was FL/TB, Vancouver & Winterpeg
I was getting hopeful to be in the same "conference" as Dallas. I like our little rivalry that is growing. Even though our little one with Anaheim is fun too.
I'm wonderin if this isn't all just a chess match. Nhl proposes system they expect to get rejected. League expresses mock exasperation. Next move coming is the idea of adding two more teams, which is where they were heading all along. .
Fix the unbalanced conferences and I will be happy. This was a deeply flawed system even though the rivalry aspect was very intriguing.
add or subtract ... it's that easy ... that's why they wanted this new conference system so that it would be easier to do either. (contraction/relocation or expansion)
I liked the geography of the proposal mostly, but not the PO format. The one thing right now is that we get the best teams in - with the new proposal much too easy for one Div (or Conf) to have 6 of the 8 better teams and 2 inferior teams get in. Plus - 7 teams from the 2 east Div/Confs not right from fan or player perspective.
Future needs to fix travel like the proposal did, but gotta' make the PO qualification fair. With the proposed Div/Conf -centric schedule it's tough; might just be better going North and South conferences each having an east and west Div - top 2 from each Div in and then next 4 best regardless of Div.
Let the players think on that - they all travel like Cbus and Det have been doing, no more cozy schedule where half the games are a train-ride on game day away.
Or they could just put that team in Hamilton with that Billionaire great potential owner and find one more southern city to educate about hockey.....
