New NHL schedule format for 2008-2009 season

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Or drop to six games against each divisional opponent and play a home-and-home with every team in the other conference. That would guarantee a visit each year from each team in the league.

We have a winner folks!

I'm not sure who you quoted here wingsgirl, but are you assuming that an 82 game season would be changed? If you aren't unless the schedule isn't balanced, you've got a problem.

I.E. According to the example you quoted the guaranteed schedule would look like this:

24 games vs. Divisional opponents

30 games vs. Non-Conference opponents (H & H Series)

54 Games

Based on an 82 Game schedule you're left with 28 games. What that means is that you could guarantee a Home & Home series with each non-divisional conference opponent (and a third game with 8 of those 10 teams), but you would still have each team missing out on playing 2 non-divisonal conference opponents a third time.

[DEVILSWATERBOY 10]

This all sounds great, but I for one would love to see the Wings moved into the East Con. so we would see more games with the original 6, anyways this is a start in the right direction

[Hank 0]

This all sounds great, but I for one would love to see the Wings moved into the East Con. so we would see more games with the original 6, anyways this is a start in the right direction

I don't think anyone's going to argue here. However, the bigwigs in the front office need the Wings in the West. Without them, it's a far more boring conference and the gates of several WC teams will suffer.

Money makes more sense to the BOG than logic.

Think about it, what team is the 'must see team' in the West with the Wings gone?

If Chicago was any good they might make a case, but beyond that perhaps Colorado?

There's really no marquee team in the West other than the Wings. And we as fans have to suffer because of it.

That's why I say, if the Wings can't move to the East then move swap some teams. Move Toronto in and move Columbus out. Problem solved. And if Leaf Nation doesn't like it, they can suck it.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

I don't think anyone's going to argue here. However, the bigwigs in the front office need the Wings in the West. Without them, it's a far more boring conference and the gates of several WC teams will suffer.

Money makes more sense to the BOG than logic.

Think about it, what team is the 'must see team' in the West with the Wings gone?

If Chicago was any good they might make a case, but beyond that perhaps Colorado?

There's really no marquee team in the West other than the Wings. And we as fans have to suffer because of it.

That's why I say, if the Wings can't move to the East then move swap some teams. Move Toronto in and move Columbus out. Problem solved. And if Leaf Nation doesn't like it, they can suck it.

No offense, but its kind of ironic that you mention the fans of Detroit suffering because they aren't in the Eastern conference, yet you disregard the Leafs fans in your proposal. I don't like the Leafs either, but that's a pretty hypocritical statement.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

This all sounds great, but I for one would love to see the Wings moved into the East Con. so we would see more games with the original 6, anyways this is a start in the right direction

Absolutely. This way I wouldn't have to stay up till 2 in the morning to watch our playoff games.

[wingsgirl001 983]

I'm not sure who you quoted here wingsgirl, but are you assuming that an 82 game season would be changed? If you aren't unless the schedule isn't balanced, you've got a problem.

I.E. According to the example you quoted the guaranteed schedule would look like this:

24 games vs. Divisional opponents

30 games vs. Non-Conference opponents (H & H Series)

54 Games

Based on an 82 Game schedule you're left with 28 games. What that means is that you could guarantee a Home & Home series with each non-divisional conference opponent (and a third game with 8 of those 10 teams), but you would still have each team missing out on playing 2 non-divisonal conference opponents a third time.

It was just a line from the article that I agreed with. I don't want to change the number of games, I just want it so we play every team in the league at least once each season.

Edited September 20, 2007 by wingsgirl001

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

It was just a line from the article that I agreed with. I don't want to change the number of games, I just want it so we play every team in the league at least once each season.

As do I, and a Home & Home against every NHL team would be phenomenal (but I know thats just wishful thinking on my part, and won't happen).

[Hank 0]

No offense, but its kind of ironic that you mention the fans of Detroit suffering because they aren't in the Eastern conference, yet you disregard the Leafs fans in your proposal. I don't like the Leafs either, but that's a pretty hypocritical statement.

That's because misery loves company. And if Wings fans are going to get the shaft, you might as well give it to the Leafs too.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

That's because misery loves company. And if Wings fans are going to get the shaft, you might as well give it to the Leafs too.

Please explain to me how the Wings are getting the shaft by being in the Western Conference.

Don't bother with the location argument because Detroit is not the most eastern team in the Western Conference.

Sidenote: If any team should be moved to the Western Conference (based solely on Geography) Atlanta would be moved before Toronto.

Edit: Picture Addition

Edited September 21, 2007 by Never Forget Mac #25

[Donaldjr2448 43]

About damn time!!

New format on the horizon.

This is GREAT!!! This puts more importance to the division games if they use the 6 game plan against your division teams, I really hope they use that because I want to play the Eastern Teams twice, like Toronto, Montreal, NYR, Boston. I love original 6 Hockey!!! Nothing Better!!!

[auxlepli 17]

Those line are drawn incorrectly on that map.

[asmith18 3]

FINALLY!

Now if only the Wings could get moved to the East. Like when the Wings have to go from Detroit to Calgary/ San Jose/ Anaheim while most east teams are still in the same time zone. (for example Sabres playing the Rangers in the same State).

However, teams that aren't the best in the West will fight tooth and nail so the Wings don't get moved b/c they need the revenue. What they should do is have every team play each other both home an away.

[norrisnick 1]

Those line are drawn incorrectly on that map.

That they are. Atlanta is further west than both Columbus and Detroit.

Very rough, but to illustrate.

[vangvace 12]

That they are. Atlanta is further west than both Columbus and Detroit.

Very rough, but to illustrate.

Yup and one of the "ideas" floating around the league is to have Columbus and Atlanta swap conferences.

[Hank 0]

Please explain to me how the Wings are getting the shaft by being in the Western Conference.

Don't bother with the location argument because Detroit is not the most eastern team in the Western Conference.

Sidenote: If any team should be moved to the Western Conference (based solely on Geography) Atlanta would be moved before Toronto.

Edit: Picture Addition

Despite being the most western team in the EST, they're still in the EST. They still have to battle jet-lag and time zone adjustments far more than any team in the Eastern Conference.

I don't see how that's fair when you have teams like New Jersey that loved and fought for a schedule that featured them having close to 50% of their road games where they could take a cab ride to and from the arena from their homes.

If certain teams are going to have that kind of advantage, where almost every night they're going to be in their own beds for night, then certainly some bones should be tossed to either side.

And because you can't make teams like Detroit or Anaheim battle less travel, the least you can do is make the Eastern Conference travel more.

I guess I've always been very anal when it comes to fairness and this current schedule is so lopsided in that regard that I hate it. Especially when a GM like Lou Lamourello is concerned. I loathe the man as he will go out of his way to weaken the league only to strengthen his club. I'm sure lots of GM's would do the same, but for whatever reason, he has so much power in the league that he's allowed to do it more than others.

Why should his team be allowed to travel less in a year than teams like Detroit and Columbus do in October?

[Wing-in-avs-town 123]

The league has to do this simply to market the game. Every city needs a chance to see all of the " young guns" in the league, since they'll be selling the game to future fans. How can kids get excited about the stars of the game, if they never see them?

[Hank 0]

What I find really funny about all this re-scheduling mess, is that it comes before Bettman talking about having a stronger imprint in Europe.

The NHL can't figure out what to do with 3 time zones, what on earth are they going to do if they want to put teams on another continent? What a joke.

[auxlepli 17]

Atlanta is the most western team in the Eastern conference. Hell they're more western than Columbus and Detroit. If you move Atlanta though you'd screw Tampa and Florida. Not that I care aboot them. Just saying.

Columbus: 39°59′00″N 82°59′00″W

Detroit: 42°19′53.76″N 83°2′51″W

Atlanta: 33°45′18″N 84°23′24″W

84 > 83 > 82

All sources from Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit%2C_Michigan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus%2C_Ohio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta%2C_ga

[betterREDthandead 58]

I find this hysterically funny. I see everyone and their mother, aunt, and cousin's wife's sister's best friend has their own ideas for a "perfect schedule." And that's just a small representation of a fan board. Now take 30 owners and 30 GMs, who actually have a huge financial stake in how the schedule plays out, and no doubt have 30 different ideas as well. And you people think it would have been so easy for Bettman just to snap his fingers and change the schedule willy-nilly at the whim of the fans?

[Hank 0]

I find this hysterically funny. I see everyone and their mother, aunt, and cousin's wife's sister's best friend has their own ideas for a "perfect schedule." And that's just a small representation of a fan board. Now take 30 owners and 30 GMs, who actually have a huge financial stake in how the schedule plays out, and no doubt have 30 different ideas as well. And you people think it would have been so easy for Bettman just to snap his fingers and change the schedule willy-nilly at the whim of the fans?

Isn't that basically what they're doing? Illitch even said that attendance has suffered from the schedule.

And despite the fact that the current schedule saves $ millions of dollars for some owners they're still changing it.

In the end, it IS the fans that are forcing them to change this ridiculous schedule.

P.S. And I have a hard time believing that what's going on in this thread isn't exactly what's going on in the BOG meetings; 30 people throwing out what they think would be best for the league.

Edited September 24, 2007 by Hank

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Despite being the most western team in the EST, they're still in the EST. They still have to battle jet-lag and time zone adjustments far more than any team in the Eastern Conference.

I don't see how that's fair when you have teams like New Jersey that loved and fought for a schedule that featured them having close to 50% of their road games where they could take a cab ride to and from the arena from their homes.

If certain teams are going to have that kind of advantage, where almost every night they're going to be in their own beds for night, then certainly some bones should be tossed to either side.

And because you can't make teams like Detroit or Anaheim battle less travel, the least you can do is make the Eastern Conference travel more.

I guess I've always been very anal when it comes to fairness and this current schedule is so lopsided in that regard that I hate it. Especially when a GM like Lou Lamourello is concerned. I loathe the man as he will go out of his way to weaken the league only to strengthen his club. I'm sure lots of GM's would do the same, but for whatever reason, he has so much power in the league that he's allowed to do it more than others.

Why should his team be allowed to travel less in a year than teams like Detroit and Columbus do in October?

I hear what you're saying, but there are other teams besides Jersey with that advantage. Also, this argument was based on the Leafs, and the point is that they are still more East then Detroit. Simple as that.

That they are. Atlanta is further west than both Columbus and Detroit.

Very rough, but to illustrate.

Even still NN, it doesn't change my point of Detroit being farther West than Columbus or Toronto. That was the basis of this argument.

[betterREDthandead 58]

P.S. And I have a hard time believing that what's going on in this thread isn't exactly what's going on in the BOG meetings; 30 people throwing out what they think would be best for the league.

I'm pretty sure that's the gist of what I said. You get 30 people throwing out 30 different ideas, it's no wonder it took til now to even let on to the public they were discussing it. And people wonder why this didn't happen in three days in January. I'm betting we won't hear what next year's format will be until at least February of '08, and likely later.

[betterREDthandead 58]

By the way....you want a schedule format that really stirs up interest? Make the number of games you play against every team more or less even, but double the points a game is worth against divisional opponents. That'd kick-start interest in those divisional games.

Actually, my own "ideal" format is a far more radical change, but it involves expansion and movement.

[Hank 0]

I'm pretty sure that's the gist of what I said. You get 30 people throwing out 30 different ideas, it's no wonder it took til now to even let on to the public they were discussing it. And people wonder why this didn't happen in three days in January. I'm betting we won't hear what next year's format will be until at least February of '08, and likely later.

Ah, I see where you're coming from. I'm sure the meetings were highly entertaining.

And yeah, I think we'll probably hear about the new schedule around the Allstar weekend.

I still think playoffs make rivalry's not regular season. The Wings and Ducks aren't in the same division and yet both sides hate each other because of the recent playoff clashes they've had.

Lets get back to 2 divisions per conference and winning your way out of your division. THEN you'll see hatred.