Losing may be helping

[Cali-Wing-Nut 102]

Well, now that Boston is scheduling hotels for vacation instead of for Round 2, I noticed that there is a definite trend at hand here.

Since parity, anyone has a chance it seems and as such bottom seeders have been fighting tooth and nail for at least a month and a half just trying to get a spot in the post season. Those on the top half, save for Detroit in particular, never really had a worry about getting in. The Detroit situation actually clarified it even further.

It appears we are going to see more and more of these type of post seasons as the years go on. Resting up for the playoffs is great, being in playoff mode for half a season is a whole different thing and has you better equipped to make it through the first and probably the second round. Im actually thinking that it may be better for a team in general to be a good road team and also on the bad half of the seeding due to what is more or less a post-season training session.

I dont know if I really like the possibilty of it but chances are in the 3:1 range that a #6-#8 seed will make it to the cup on a regular basis. Like it or not, it appears that this may very well be the case going forward.

Is this parities intent? Not only making it closer competition points wise but also to bring crappy teams to the top by salary cap?

Please tell me Im crazy and this is an aberration and not how the NHL is statisically going to turn into. Obviously the Blues are the massive outlier on the trend line and they also have a great shot of winning but overall it looks like the prospect of not making the playoffs is going to be a bigger part of the post season success equation then it ever has before.

Edited April 26, 2012 by Cali-Wing-Nut

[Ram 240]

There has been parity and I think that is what has made the playoffs so great recently. But, I guess in terms of results, since the lockout, Stanley Cup Champions: (Seed in parentheses)

2011 (3) Boston Bruins [with Presidents' Trophy Nucks one win away from Cup]

2010 (2) Chicago Blackhawks

2009 (4) Pittsburgh Penguins [This may be what you're getting at. They fired their coach after going through losing and turned it around, hungry all season]

2008 (1) Detroit Red Wings

2007 (2) Anaheim Ducks

2006 (2) Carolina Hurricanes [Of course, this was the horrendous year when the Oilers were the 8 seed and were one win away from the Cup as well]

I think parity has been around forever, that's the type of game hockey is, but that in terms of winning it all, maybe not so much.

Edited April 26, 2012 by Ram

[Cali-Wing-Nut 102]

There has been parity and I think that is what has made the playoffs so great recently. But, I guess in terms of results, since the lockout, Stanley Cup Champions: (Seed in parentheses)

2011 (3) Boston Bruins [with Presidents' Trophy Nucks one win away from Cup]

2010 (2) Chicago Blackhawks

2009 (4) Pittsburgh Penguins [This may be what you're getting at. They fired their coach after going through losing and turned it around, hungry all season]

2008 (1) Detroit Red Wings

2007 (2) Anaheim Ducks

2006 (2) Carolina Hurricanes [Of course, this was the horrendous year when the Oilers were the 8 seed and were one win away from the Cup as well]

I think parity has been around forever, that's the type of game hockey is, but that in terms of winning it all, maybe not so much.

Not winning the cup, Going to the Cup.

Also if things work out this year, there is ~3:1 chance that a bottom seeder is in the Cup (assuming my math is right and Im not a great mathematician)

Parity started at the lock out in its present form. The last two years have been where pre lockout contracts have ended for the most part and cap space salaries are now the norm. As such it looks like being a team that is in playoff mode from Feburary on are more likely to do well come the real playoffs.

Seems weird but that actually looks like how it is playing out.