Why not a 13 team format? Cuts down on the amount of teams a bit.
Winners of West, East, ATL, recieve byes. Ten remaining teams get reseeded (1 vs. 10, 2 vs. 9 etc..) and that leaves 5 winners. The teams that received byes then match up against the 5 first round winners making 8, then get reseeded....
This was done before, just a thought on the topic of playoff formats..
I like this format. All but 1 team making the playoffs is retarded imo.
I like this format. All but 1 team making the playoffs is retarded imo.
It would be retarded in the NHL, but in a developmental league like the QMJHL, it actually makes a lot of sense.
We're likely going to get swept tonight, but you can't tell me that the young guys like Soumakis, Cortese, Chapman, Beauregard, Boily, etc. aren't benefiting from four playoff games. You can't tell me that their development would be better off by not playing in the playoffs at all. So what if it's a sweep? - it's still a taste of the playoffs, and these guys are going to be hungry next season!
Quote:
Originally Posted by optimus2861
I looked at the last couple years under the old system. You trade the first-round problem for a second-round problem once you reseed the remaining teams. You get a few competitive first-round series by essentially creating 'strong' groups and 'weak' groups and playing them off in R1. The winners then all get reseeded in R2, and the 'strong' winners tend to feast on the 'weak' winners.
I return to my previous point of 'so what?'
Again, the QMJHL is a league designed to develop NHL/AHL/ECHL calibre talent, and having even one competitive series for these guys would be even better for their development than just making the playoffs.
The way I see it, there are three main benefits to the old system.
First of all, there's the whole 'get these guys into a competitive playoff situation' angle. Doing this helps develop talent, and as a whole improves the league. Maybe not by an incredibly wide margin, but it certainly promotes better player development.
Secondly, part of the point of high level hockey is entertaining the fans. The QMJHL was recently really excited when they noticed that the total attendance league-wide for the season exceeded 2 million. To be fair, that doesn't mean 2 million fans, as my wife, son, and I account for 111 of that number, but I digress... A series against Val-d'Or would be so much more fun than this series against Boisbriand. Not only would the fans generally be more engaged (there were only 2700 and change at the game last night!), but teams would be doing better at the gate.
Thirdly, there would be a less hideous travel schedule. Say what you will about a Hull/Rouyn-Noranda series, the trip up there isn't actually that bad. It's a pretty drive, and while it's the better part of six hours away (before anyone tries to call me on this, Google Maps is cute about expecting people to actually drive the speed limit on the 117), it's not actually that far. Val-d'Or is only five hours away - the same distance as Québec. What is potentially concerning though, is the notion of a Cape-Breton or Baie-Comeau vs. Rouyn-Noranda first round. These guys don't need to be travelling that far in the first round! Let them save their energy for playing hockey. Sitting on a bus has an odd ability to sap you of all your energy.
As far as I'm concerned, there really is no drawback to moving the round of routs back to the second.
^ I'm sold! I hadn't fully thought through the travel angle. The brackets 'lucked out' this year with SJ/CB and Halifax/Moncton series, but there's certainly no guarantee that can happen every year. You might well end up with all 16 teams facing hellish travel schedules in R1 with this dumb 16-team free-for-all.
So 6 sweeps are now in the books (what the hell happened to Victoriaville?!), and Quebec is up 3-0. Only Bathurst has managed to take a game off their eventual vanquisher; they trail 3-1.
^ I'm sold! I hadn't fully thought through the travel angle. The brackets 'lucked out' this year with SJ/CB and Halifax/Moncton series, but there's certainly no guarantee that can happen every year. You might well end up with all 16 teams facing hellish travel schedules in R1 with this dumb 16-team free-for-all.
Saint John to Cape Breton is a brutal drive. Just as long as Saint John to Quebec, but yea at least they didn't end up vs VDO
Saint John to Cape Breton is a brutal drive. Just as long as Saint John to Quebec, but yea at least they didn't end up vs VDO
Well, yeah. That's the thing. Not everyone can be Victoriaville (an hour, maybe an hour and change to Québec, Sherbrooke, & Shawinigan, 1/2 hour to Drummondville), I mean, even Hull is a solid two hours from the closest team.
Google Maps says that Saint John to Sydney is 7-1/2 hours, so let's say 6-1/2 hours. That's Hull to Rouyn-Noranda, and having been to New Brunswick and (mainland) Nova Scotia, I'm know that it's equally pleasant to the drive up the 117. I'm sure it sucks to have to go back and forth like that, but it beats the alternative!
What's concerning, is that the current playoff format has the potential for Cape-Breton/Rouyn-Noranda series (25 hours, says google), or a Halifax/Hull series (16-1/2 hours), or a Saint John/Val-d'Or series (16-1/2 hours, if you go through Maine) in the first round! Last year, Montréal played Halifax (14-ish hours), Hull played Rimouski (8-ish hours) and Québec played Val-d'Or (9-ish hours). Those are all pretty hideous first round matchups, but it can get much worse.
Later in the playoffs, fine. I think you should expect to be playing someone far away at some point, but a haul like that in the first round is a great way to take the wind out their sails. They're mostly teenagers, don't forget.
The drive through Maine is miserable as well. Highways aren't as fast as the trans-can.
It at least gives you something to look at though - It's not like Ottawa and Windsor, only going down the 401 (thankfully the OHL doesn't have league-wide playoffs)... It's far, but at least it isn't just monotonous highway.
Anyway, here are my round two predictions -
Baie-Comeau causes Saint-John 'trouble' - SNB in 5
Chicoutimi in 6
Québec in 7
Boisbriand in 5 (They had better win the cup now.)
It's not unreasonable to think BAC steal a game after stunning Victoriaville.
It's not LIKELY, but bold predictions are fun
I think they take one at home... It will be 3-2 or something...
Quote:
Originally Posted by hyster110
does anyone stop the sea dogs, i mean phillips has 21 points in 6 games, coyle has 20
and huberdeau only has 9, this team is so deep, have they had any close games yet this playoffs?
Us, last year.
We beat them twice in Saint-John, and took them to double-OT twice at home. Jánošík's goal late in the third of game 6 to take the lead... the two-man-advantage in overtime..
Well, yeah. That's the thing. Not everyone can be Victoriaville (an hour, maybe an hour and change to Québec, Sherbrooke, & Shawinigan, 1/2 hour to Drummondville), I mean, even Hull is a solid two hours from the closest team.
Google Maps says that Saint John to Sydney is 7-1/2 hours, so let's say 6-1/2 hours. That's Hull to Rouyn-Noranda, and having been to New Brunswick and (mainland) Nova Scotia, I'm know that it's equally pleasant to the drive up the 117. I'm sure it sucks to have to go back and forth like that, but it beats the alternative!
What's concerning, is that the current playoff format has the potential for Cape-Breton/Rouyn-Noranda series (25 hours, says google), or a Halifax/Hull series (16-1/2 hours), or a Saint John/Val-d'Or series (16-1/2 hours, if you go through Maine) in the first round! Last year, Montréal played Halifax (14-ish hours), Hull played Rimouski (8-ish hours) and Québec played Val-d'Or (9-ish hours). Those are all pretty hideous first round matchups, but it can get much worse.
Later in the playoffs, fine. I think you should expect to be playing someone far away at some point, but a haul like that in the first round is a great way to take the wind out their sails. They're mostly teenagers, don't forget.
Google overestimates though. It's 9 hours from Hali to Montreal max. It takes me about 8.
Google overestimates though. It's 9 hours from Hali to Montreal max. It takes me about 8.
Ergo the 'Say Google' part. I account for that with most of them. If Halifax to Montréal (Boisbriand) is even 8 hours, that puts it at 10 to Hull, probably 12 or 13 to Val-d'Or, and 13-14 to Rouyn. Factor in how much time you have to tack on to that if you're coming from Sydney instead.
The only time that I've ever driven to Halifax, was over the course of a few days via Québec and Saint John. I can list a lot of the these times from my own experience.
Ergo the 'Say Google' part. I account for that with most of them. If Halifax to Montréal (Boisbriand) is even 8 hours, that puts it at 10 to Hull, probably 12 or 13 to Val-d'Or, and 13-14 to Rouyn. Factor in how much time you have to tack on to that if you're coming from Sydney instead.
The only time that I've ever driven to Halifax, was over the course of a few days via Québec and Saint John. I can list a lot of the these times from my own experience.
Oh ya it's still a distance. Halifax was extremely lucky with the first round matchup this year. I haven't paid a whole lot of attention the past couple of years.. is this the format they use now or is it just because there is 17 teams this year? I like the old format where it is done by conferences and the final 4 they switch and you could get rivals in the Finals but don't face teams far away until the 3rd round. I actually wish the NHL did that. Imagine a Rangers-Penguins finals this year (potentially, just using an example)
From Sidney I'd say tack on another 5 hours atleast. From Hali to the start of Cape Breton is about 4 hours and I've only driven to Sidney once (2008? playoffs I think). So for them, it is quite the distance to face the Quebec teams.
Oh ya it's still a distance. Halifax was extremely lucky with the first round matchup this year. I haven't paid a whole lot of attention the past couple of years.. is this the format they use now or is it just because there is 17 teams this year?
Us too, despite the fact that we got swept. Boisbriand is only 2 hours away.
This playoff format was new last season. Before that, it was by division, so we'd always play Val-d'Or, Rouyn-Noranda, or Montréal/whoever it happened to be that year. There was a crossover rule to accommodate the 6 team Atlantic Division (the other three had 4), so it was possible for there to be some hideous matchup in the first round, but it was pretty unlikely.
Saint John in 4
Shawi in 6
Rimouski in 5
Halifax in 7
Saint John was a easy pick, Shawigan are looking to be in trouble nut should be ok, Rimouski right now is the better team, and gotta believe in my boys in Hali.
For real? What type of speeds are we talking here?
I would say Hali to Montreal is closer to 12 hours, you're lucky to make it to Montreal from Fredericton in 8 hours, let alone Halifax.
Yeah, the more I think about it, the more that makes no sense. Google does overestimate, but it's typically something like one extra hour for every five or six hours of driving (it says that Val-d'Or is just short of six hours away, and it takes me about four and a half, and it says 4 hours from Ottawa to Peterborough, and it consistently takes us 3-1/2 on the heavily patrolled Highway 7).
It takes (give or take) two hours to go from Ottawa to Montréal, depending on where you're going in Montréal and what traffic is like.
With average traffic in the Montréal area (I go north of Montréal, i.e. through Boisbriand & Terrebonne), it takes me just short of five hours to get to Québec. I highly doubt that you can get from Québec to Halifax in four hours.
Peharps he can still pull out a victory by paying his refs good money!
