Sunday, April 15, 2007
Hockey playoff update
The hockey playoffs are off to a rip-roaring start in weird warm weather cities like Atlanta, Anaheim, and Nashville while baseball is being snowed out. Though intensity is high in some series, the Clarion still loathes the change that moved hockey away from its traditional rivalries. The NHL playoffs were far and away at their best when they were intra-divisional, that is number one in the Patrick divison played number four in the Patrick division. It was the same for the Norris, Adams & Smythe, talk about fierce games!! The new seeding, via conference so that the conference overall number one plays the overall number eight, has eroded great rivalries for little gain.
Of course, the NHL playoff seeding still isn't as screwed up as the NBA system. The NBA ought to consider stealing the NHL's old school intra-divisional method, if it really thinks division titles are as important as Stern and spokesmen have been proclaiming them.
Then again, David Stern sent the NHL its worst pollution, Gary Bettman. In the NHL of the now, not only has the league lost all of its cool conference and division names, but it doesn't even play the same game in the regular season and the playoffs. Deciding things via shoot-out in the regular season. This is like deciding NBA games that go to overtime by holding slam dunk contest, or MLB deciding extra inning baseball games via a batting practice home run derby. Even worse, this creates for the NHL an incomprehensibly dumb point accumulation system. [It would be better to award zero points for a tie. Plus, in the NHL come playoff time the shoot-out disappears without mention.]
Old brilliant Bettman better ask NASCAR how running away from their roots is working.
Of course, the NHL playoff seeding still isn't as screwed up as the NBA system. The NBA ought to consider stealing the NHL's old school intra-divisional method, if it really thinks division titles are as important as Stern and spokesmen have been proclaiming them.
Then again, David Stern sent the NHL its worst pollution, Gary Bettman. In the NHL of the now, not only has the league lost all of its cool conference and division names, but it doesn't even play the same game in the regular season and the playoffs. Deciding things via shoot-out in the regular season. This is like deciding NBA games that go to overtime by holding slam dunk contest, or MLB deciding extra inning baseball games via a batting practice home run derby. Even worse, this creates for the NHL an incomprehensibly dumb point accumulation system. [It would be better to award zero points for a tie. Plus, in the NHL come playoff time the shoot-out disappears without mention.]
Old brilliant Bettman better ask NASCAR how running away from their roots is working.
Comments:
I can't disagree with the main thrust; loss of connection to the traditions of the game. I don't like the loss of the long time names of the divisions and can't abide the difference in play between the regular eason and the playoffs. I hadn't thought about zero points for a tie. I like the idea of maintaining an incentive to win in overtime. I would oppose going away from reseeding after the first playoff round. I like the incentive it provides to finish the regular season with as many points as possible.
Ranger Fan
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Ranger Fan
# posted by 
: 5/14/2007 9:57 AM
: 5/14/2007 9:57 AM