Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Amazing how no one seems to want that 8th spot in the East. Toronto, Islanders and Lightning stumbling down the stretch.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

That was a Nashty goal by Rick Nash! Awesome!! 2-1 Rangers in the second!

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

This is what kills me with the Flyers. They always start out so damn slow and it kills them.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Rangers can't win at MSG or against the Islanders. Was not worried about them until tonight. A team that can't find a way to win at home has no chance in the playoffs. Starting to think the Rangers are out first round again.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Flyers started out fine. It was how they played after a 10-game winning streak that killed them.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Nice article on how absurd the playoff format is here: http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/1...wing-criticism

Regarding the Hawks - wish they had picked up two points last night but getting to OT to secure 1 point is OK - just wish the Sharks had beat the Wild so the Hawks would have gained a point in the Standings!

Jurcu needs to be sent down, he is contributing nothing at all, probably better to bring up someone like Hinestroza - he'd do more for us down the stretch with his speed!

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

The more I reflect on last nights game, the more angry I am at it. If the Rangers can't find a way to win at home last night, they are pretty pathetic. They knew the story would be their struggles at home and against the Islanders. The game was important because it was a rivalry game between two potential playoff teams. Yet they still couldn't close it out and win. To me it shows the team lacks that winning drive that results in long playoff runs. They may win a round in the Atlantic, but maybe they won't. The Habs seem to have their number as well.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

The not fair thing is stupid. You can always find something that's not fair. I pointed to the Wings being the 2nd best team in the West in 2000 but got the 4 seed because the best team was St Louis who was in their division. Then the Wings started off on the road against the Avs in round 2, who finished 12 points behind them. Was that "fair"? No, but the Wings still had to beat them and didn't.

This whole top teams could be out early just doesn't fly with me either. It happened when we did 1-8 too. 97 Dallas out in round 1, 98 Avs done in round 1, 98 and 99 had the top 3 teams out in round 1 from the East, 2000 the President's Trophy winner gone in round 1, 2001 both #2 seeds gone in round 1 and the #3 team in the East gone too (sorry Barbs), 2002 again the top 2 teams in the East gone. Was the league better off with the the 6/7 WCF match up in 03, the 8/6 match-up in 06, the 7/8 ECF match up in 2010? So I get the argument that Wash/Pit "should be" an ECF match-up, but the old system didn't get you those match-ups either. Like I said the other day, you want guaranteed top teams in the conference finals, go watch the NBA. Don't even really need to watch the first 2 rounds.

Now, do I think this format is perfect? No but I don't think it's bad either because I'm not looking at just this year. I mean if it was 1-8 this year (as of today) these are the match-ups.

Wash vs Bos
Mont (div winner) vs TO
Pit vs OTT
CBJ vs NYR

So you'd still have NY or CBJ gone in round 1, compared to having PIT or CBJ gone in round 1. And they will give the division winners the top 2 spots, they won't just got 1-8. They wouldn't go 1-8 when the SE sucked, so they won't do it now.

I'm not against 1-8 but the NHL I don't think will go back to it. They wanted to push rivalries coming out of the lockout in 2005 by making teams play their div. opponents 8 times a year but unless they are fighting each other for the div title, it doesn't matter because they were fighting for spots 4-8 with teams from other divisions so games in your divisions didn't really matter that much. Plus that scheduling matrix was stupid for the NHL because almost half your team's games would be against the 4 other teams in your div.

The current format pushes the rivalries since you are fighting for the top 3 spots in your division and you could very well be facing teams from your division in the playoffs. Wings and TBL have a bigger rivalry after 2 seasons than Wings/Preds did over 15 years. This format also helps the NHL with TV. While a few exceptions, with series being highly regionally based they can space out TV games and maximize viewership. Less of a chance of a Midwest team being in the Pacific Timezone for the first 2 rounds. Also this helps travel for the West teams too. A lot more positives out of this for the league than negatives.

Again, I'm fine with either way, but don't see the NHL changing it, especially based off just one season as your reference. Because if TBL and FLA rebound next year and the Atlantic improves, do we just silence the argument for a year and bring it back if it gets skewed again? You can poke holes at every format and find ways it's "not fair."

My favorite part of the article is this "I don't think we are in a position to start picking and choosing right now," Kekalainen said. "We're making the playoffs this year, and we're happy for that opportunity. But we'll let the teams that have been making it 10 years in a row complain about it."

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

hey guys sorry i haven't been around much this week

i've been recovering from the Crosby goal. Went into convulsions for a good 10 mins then vomited profusely with an erection. It's been a rough ride.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Was this whole playoff format thing a big deal last year or the year before? Or is it only this year because the top three teams in the league are in the same division? I think it's a perceived "problem" because this is a very rare instance in that the metro is far and away the best division. It ebbs and flows and won't always be the case.

This is very reminiscent of dumb yinzer pirate fans complaining "They're going to make us play a wild care game! It's not fair! It's not fair! It's not fair!" the year they won 98 games and had to play the cubs in the wild card. But, St. Louis won 100 and won the division. Nobody complained last year about baseball's "broken system".... because guess what... it's not broken.

Same thing happens in the NFL when a division winner has a lesser record than a wild card team from another division. It's not always that way but people only complain when these rare instances happen.

Rare instances don't necessitate wholesale changes.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

First, who the fuck are you? ;)

Second, right there with you. It's the shortsighted thing we all get into. Like I mentioned above, next year the Atlantic could be better and they are all pretty even and then what? complain it's not fair because I have to play team X instead of Y. I want to play team Y because I think my team can beat them easier?

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

the difference is that in the NHL playoffs, you get a best-of-7 series no matter where you are seeded

in MLB it's one and done. even a best-of-3 in the wild card would stop a lot of complaining

in the NHL, the playoff format has been dumb from day 1...just so happens that this year, it's going to be extra dumb

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

Long time lurker first time poster :lol

Anyway, I agree with you. And, to further the point that this doesn't make a lot of sense, I haven't read anywhere that people are using the Western Conference as an example of the "broken" playoff format.

I'm of the opinion that if the system is broken it would a problem in both conferences and happen every year.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

I wasn't comparing the playoff systems, I was comparing the fact that people only complain when these rare situations present themselves.

I didn't hear Pirates fans complain when they had to play Cincinnati or San Fran in the WC.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

I get what people don't like about this system, but we had a similar setup from the early 80's to the early 90's and it created a lot of big rivalries and that's a big thing the NHL wants. The format makes divisional games mean a lot more during the regular season too.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

i dunno, there was a lot of complaining after the San Fran game...

i think anytime there's a playoff format where the best teams meet in the early rounds, it's a broken format.

i understand that can happen no matter what the format, but it happens too much in baseball and hockey (since the change)

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

We regret to inform you that we have already met our quota for Penguins fans in this thread. You will need to selected a new team to continue posting in this thread. May we suggest the following unrepresented teams:

Ottawa Senators
Calgary Flames
Anaheim Ducks
Carolina Hurricanes
Florida Panthers
Buffalo Sabers
Montreal Canadiens (randomly don't have any fans here....thank god)
Dallas Stars
St. Luis Blues
Arizona Coyotes
Winterpeg Jets
Vancouver Canucks (***OFF LIMITS****)
Minnesota Wild
Las Vegas Golden Knights

Please note that on some occasions it is acceptable to root for two teams. Please see Sarah for more information on this option.

*Note I may have missed some teams.

Welcome to the judgement free (:lol) NHL thread!

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

AJF_41 is a Minnesota Wild fan

don't ever forget that

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

In general I tend to agree with this.

But, (and more to what Tim said) the NHL needs to figure out what it wants. They've clearly decided they want to foster local/divisional rivalries. I think at this point that serves them well strategically given that they are a distant 4th in US popularity and quickly losing ground to soccer; grow the rivalries and popluarity in your strongest markets rather than focusing broad national growth.

Secondly, (and this is where I'm a little fuzzy) did they re-seed each round when it was 1-8? And, did the three division winners get locked into the top three seeds?

If I'm correct, the NBA seeds based solely on record, but the division winners are locked into playoff spots not seeds?

Point being is that you have to have some incentive/reward for winning your division. If not, than divisions are pointless and it should just be eastern and western conferences.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

:lol :lol

This cracks me up. Maybe I'll pick the Knights.


Thought about it.


Nope. Sticking with just the Pens.

:D

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

yes, they reseeded after every round when they did 1-8

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

also, changing playoff formats doesn't ignite rivalries

rivalries have to be grown organically IMO

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

The three division winners got the top 3 seeds and stayed the top 3. but they did re-seed in the way that the best team left always faced the "worst" team left. However, like 2002 with the Canes, they were considered the best team left in the East because of winning the SE, even though the other 3 teams left in the East all had better records than them.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

I tend to disagree in a way. Let's look at Pens-Jackets. If you decided you wanted to push those teams and markets toward a rivalry you would put them in same division.

Check.

Then a good rivalry is made better in the playoffs, let's put a system in place that would increase the chances of their pairing.

Check.

I agree that the organic part comes into play that both teams need to be competitive and develop a general dislike for each other.

But, there are ways to nudge that process along. IMO.

Well, I guess if "fair" is the goal, then the NBA way is probably the best (i.e. division winners get in but every team is seeded based solely on record, re-seed after each round). But, like I said, that really lessens the importance of division games and division winners.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

the only people who think that Penguins v. Jackets is a rivalry all live in Columbus

it's just like the Bengals fans who think the Steelers are their rival.

it's just not true. trying way to hard to manufacture emotion and parity

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

I guess they can call it a rivalry because of the location, but I mean, typically when you're competitive you tend to hate the top dog, which is the Pens in the division and conference.

But yea, I can see why Pens fans don't take Jackets fans seriously.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

:lol I wholeheartedly agree with the Steelers Bengals comparison.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

"hate" and "rival" are 2 very different things though, which is my main point

edit: and that's not a knock on the CBJ fans...they are a bit green but very enthusiastic. good hockey market IMO

yea it's laughable

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

100% true. Hawks fans and Preds fans were always like "I hate the Wings" and Wings fans were like "eh."
Right now it might not be, but if it's PIT/CBJ in round 1 and Jackets win and then faceoff next spring, no rivalry at all brewing? You're right that right now it's not but depending on how things work out, it could become one.

Re: The NHL Thread (lolcaps)
 

This is a very good point.