Comments on: Report: Teams to play 18 divisional games, 30 vs. rest of conference

By: jtrain1966

jtrain1966 — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 11:23:10 +0000

Sorry stakex, i had to reply here . But, manchestermiracle 48 games in a 14 week schedule is kinda like having a full 82 game schedule . For the simple fact that there will be an additional game, or two every week adds that physical abuse that they would get from playing a full schedule .

By: greatminnesotasportsmind

greatminnesotasportsmind — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 07:09:02 +0000

The regular season will be a glorified playoff since there is no cross over between conferences. A 5 game losing streak essentially will put you in a hole you can’t dig out of. Especially since they still have that stupid rule where you get a point for losing a game in overtime.

I have heard teams will have 4 games in 5 nights every 4 weeks

By: manchestermiracle

manchestermiracle — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 05:18:20 +0000

14 weeks is less than half a season. Jamming 48 games into that time span will not make for a better campaign. How many more injuries will there be because of a compressed schedule and limited recovery times?

Any team that doesn’t get hot and/or lucky early will have an impossible task ahead of them. Any team that gets hit by the injury bug early is history. No chance of an L.A. Kings-type run-at-the-end happening this year. The smaller number of games reduces the possibility that the true best team plays for the Cup.

I get your points, guys, mainly because I feel the same way: Better a half (ass) season than no season at all. But don’t try to pretend it equals a real season because it doesn’t. Or are you saying you’d rather the regular season have less games every year?

By: charleslouis99

charleslouis99 — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 04:23:06 +0000

I obviously mean the jets not Winnipeg as a city lol

By: charleslouis99

charleslouis99 — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 04:18:02 +0000

this is going to seriously hurt Winnipeg. I still reserve the thought that bettman is bitter about the atlant-winnipeg move and not switching winnipegs schedule with a more geographically logical team is a way to get back at the populace.

By: icelovinbrotha215

icelovinbrotha215 — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 02:23:36 +0000

So, 5 games each vs. NYR and PIT? I’ll take that.

By: bigbadbruins77

bigbadbruins77 — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 00:51:09 +0000

Damn I was lookimg forward to the Bruins beating up on the habs, sabres, sens etc a bunch of games

By: h0ckeycoach

h0ckeycoach — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 00:33:14 +0000

Complain? We’ve been doing enough that. Now its time to move on and enjoy this great game. I think this shortened schedule will benefit the Rangers. Why you ask? Well! Tortorella pushes his players so hard that its difficult for the player to maintain the same level of intensity for 82 games, and to be at their prime when the playoffs begin. Cut the season to 48 games, and the Rangers should in perfect condition to hit the playoffs in stride.

By: tcclark

tcclark — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 00:31:28 +0000

he probably meant southeast considering he was talking about Florida…

By: tcclark

tcclark — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 00:27:41 +0000

They played a 6th seed for the Stanley Cup

By: stakex

stakex — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 00:14:28 +0000

Fair point, but they are more the exception then the rule.

By: zetaone

zetaone — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 00:07:05 +0000

The Kings were in 8th place in the West last year :/

By: stakex

stakex — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 23:58:29 +0000

Ask the 1995 Devils if their cup was any less meaningful because they won it in a 48 game season.

The season will be the same length for everyone, and the winner will still have been the team that played the best at the end. The fact that they did it with a 48 game season vs an 82 game season will mean nothing by June.

By: stakex

stakex — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 23:55:43 +0000

There is certainly an advantage to the teams in the Atlantic that get to play the Islander that extra game, and you can find other examples of this around the league.

However, if you need an extra game against the Islanders to make the playoffs… you are not going anywhere once you get there.

By: iHeartHockey31

iHeartHockey31 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 23:45:46 +0000

My dad likes out local NHL team but I like to see all this visiting teams come to play. I hated that we could only see other conference teams once every other year but now we can’t see them at all this year. I hate to see the same teams over and over again. I was holing to see the teams that didn’t come to visit us last year.

By: icelovinbrotha215

icelovinbrotha215 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 23:16:43 +0000

I don’t see what there is to complain about. Usually, teams have east/west coast swings. There isn’t enough time for all that to happen. With this schedule, teams will be more familiar with each other. And based on that, the ‘rivalry’ in teams will show more on a nightly basis.

By: thailer35

thailer35 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:56:01 +0000

You mean to say that the Pacific Division (surely that’s what you meant when you said southwest) is weak? The only division represented in the Western Conference Finals last year? The division of the reigning Stanley Cup Champions?

Open your eyes man.

By: h0ckeycoach

h0ckeycoach — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:50:50 +0000

The coach is in the house. Let’s get ready to drop the puck. We’re going to see a mad dash to make the playoffs, and we should expect to see the same amazing hockey in the playoffs as we’ve seen in previous years. Can’t wait to be at opening night. Go NHL!

By: tridecagon

tridecagon — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:45:54 +0000

And when you account for the, let’s say, 22 games (at an average of 5.5 games per series) of playoff hockey – you’re talking about 2/3 of a full season’s worth of games for the cup winners.

I think playing 48 games in 14 weeks will actually be more grueling than your regular 82-game, 30ish-week season.

Half a cup? Please.

By: hawkeyplayer

hawkeyplayer — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:18:32 +0000

it is SMART to not have TOO many divisional games… as like someone said its not really fair. We all know some divisions are less talented than others… like the Southwest.

Travel should not be an issue as its is a job requirment, and that’s why they get paid millions.

To be honest, I’m not a fan of all the divisions but I understand they have to find a way to seed teams into the playoffs. I wish it was Conference matchups… as then you cant blame crappy divisions as the only reason teams made the playoffs or had a great seed, etc. Like the Panthers 3rd seed last year, when we all knew they should have been 5th-8th in reality.

By: thailer35

thailer35 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:13:23 +0000

They are playing 48 games this year – 58.53% (>50%) of the usual 82 that they play.

By: manchestermiracle

manchestermiracle — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:05:38 +0000

Less than half a season, no East/West games…Will the Cup be a half-sized version?

By: killerpgh

killerpgh — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:59:48 +0000

We won’t know for sure until the schedule comes out, but I read some where that it is expected to 3.5 games per week.

By: therealjr

therealjr — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:52:07 +0000

Seems like it wouldn’t have killed them to add two more divisional games to the mix but if things fell a certain way they could be playing on July 1. Anyway, if you aren’t good enough to be in the top 8 then you aren’t good enough. Complaining about two extra games out of 48 is a losing mentality.

By: solador78

solador78 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:36:52 +0000

But will it be 4 games every 5 nights like in the NBA last season?

That made basketball even less watchable than before.

By: killerpgh

killerpgh — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:29:30 +0000

Doesn’t it make more sense to play your divisional opponents an equal amount of times? Why should so e teams in the division have an advanage over another? Don’t you think the Flyers would rather play the Islanders and Devils 5 times than the Rangers and Penguins. On a short season points are that much more important.

By: bo1210

bo1210 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:24:55 +0000

I’m sure there will be some complaints, but since they were a part of the mess, they really have no room.