NHL dramatic realignment... thoughts?

lukin2006

This I think is why hockey is only for the hard core fan...they seem to continuously want to miss with the division...all they really needed to do was move Detroit or Columbus for Winnipeg...problem solved.

Is the NHL the only sport where teams like Detroit and Columbus whine about traveling? The San Francisco Forty Niners have played 4 games in the east or is it more? Just don't get.

DS1119

lukin2006 wrote:

This I think is why hockey is only for the hard core fan...they seem to continuously want to miss with the division...all they really needed to do was move Detroit or Columbus for Winnipeg...problem solved.

Is the NHL the only sport where teams like Detroit and Columbus whine about traveling? The San Francisco Forty Niners have played 4 games in the east or is it more? Just don't get.

I agree with this to an extent but the NFL also doesn't play 82 games a year either. When you combine how physical the sport is, it's by far the most grueling schedule of any sport.

81

DS1119 wrote:

the most grueling schedule of any sport.

wouldn't that be baeball??? almost every day you are playing....

Johnny Abruzzo

lukin2006 wrote:

This I think is why hockey is only for the hard core fan...they seem to continuously want to miss with the division...all they really needed to do was move Detroit or Columbus for Winnipeg...problem solved.

Eh, they change the alignment all the time in the NHL. The various realignments over the years could fill an encyclopedia. No traditions like American & National Leagues to uphold, and with expansion and teams moving around they adapt to different circumstances, sometimes better than others. This realignment is light years better than some of the ones in the past.

JTH

lukin2006 wrote:

This I think is why hockey is only for the hard core fan...they seem to continuously want to miss with the division...all they really needed to do was move Detroit or Columbus for Winnipeg...problem solved.

No, then you might just have a whole new problem. Coumbus to the East? Maybe.

But Chicago & Detroit only playing each other once a year? I don't think the fans of either team (or the NHL in general) would want that.

DS1119

81 wrote:

DS1119 wrote:

the most grueling schedule of any sport.

wouldn't that be baeball??? almost every day you are playing....

Baseball doesn't have the physical contact of hockey though. IMO baseball is a very close second because of the duration but hockey is a grind.

rival.

DS1119 wrote:

Baseball doesn't have the physical contact of hockey though. IMO baseball is a very close second because of the duration but hockey is a grind.

i agree, but baseball doesn't get the street cred it deserves for being such a tough sport.

baseball is a grind because you can have a team literally play 18 straight days on the hottest days of the year while traveling all over the country. that isn't just a tough feat physically, but mentally as well.

DS1119

rival. wrote:

DS1119 wrote:

Baseball doesn't have the physical contact of hockey though. IMO baseball is a very close second because of the duration but hockey is a grind.

i agree, but baseball doesn't get the street cred it deserves for being such a tough sport.

baseball is a grind because you can have a team literally play 18 straight days on the hottest days of the year while traveling all over the country. that isn't just a tough feat physically, but mentally as well.

100% agree.

lukin2006

JTH wrote:

lukin2006 wrote:

This I think is why hockey is only for the hard core fan...they seem to continuously want to miss with the division...all they really needed to do was move Detroit or Columbus for Winnipeg...problem solved.

No, then you might just have a whole new problem. Coumbus to the East? Maybe.

But Chicago & Detroit only playing each other once a year? I don't think the fans of either team (or the NHL in general) would want that.

Most Detroit fans I know prefer to have the Leafs in the same division...you can still get Chicago tickets when they come to Detroit, Leaf tickets are very hard to come by.

lukin2006

DS1119 wrote:

lukin2006 wrote:

This I think is why hockey is only for the hard core fan...they seem to continuously want to miss with the division...all they really needed to do was move Detroit or Columbus for Winnipeg...problem solved.

Is the NHL the only sport where teams like Detroit and Columbus whine about traveling? The San Francisco Forty Niners have played 4 games in the east or is it more? Just don't get.

I agree with this to an extent but the NFL also doesn't play 82 games a year either. When you combine how physical the sport is, it's by far the most grueling schedule of any sport.

I doubt it's the most grueling...they play what max 3 times a week? and when they travel it not like they travel by train...it's first class all the way, no getting to the airport 2 hours in advance, no lengthy security lines etc..

Football to me is still the most grueling and physical...maybe not as mental as baseball and hockey...but I'm willing to bet that every player on an NFL team is nursing some kind of physical ailment by the 4th or 5th game of the season (except maybe the kickers)...and maybe even mentally...there is a lot of pressure, in football if you get off to a bad start your fighting the rest of the season just playing catch up...or if you start 0-4 your going out week after sacrificing your body for nothing...imo.

Drowned Out

gvn2fly12 wrote:

messier is not the greatest leader in sports, how well did he lead his team in Vancouver?? Not very well, I will not list his multiple failures.

When Messier led the Rangers to the Cup in 94, he saw the riots when Van lost, and decided it was best if that city never wins a cup. He was acting as a leader, in the best interest of the city. They brought in Swedish leadership after he left, and the bloody city nearly burned to the ground last year. Win: Messier

rival. wrote:

for a BULK of brodeur's career when the devils were playing that trap BS, brodeur was nothing more than a 3rd defenseman.

roy/tretiak to fight it out for best all time.

This is why I said “if I wanted to be a dick”….I’ve seen the Marty argument here before, and honestly, I see both sides...just stirrin the pot. The guy is hardly a third D man….but ya, I’d be curious to see what other goalies would have done on that team.

rival. wrote:

DS1119 wrote:

Baseball doesn't have the physical contact of hockey though. IMO baseball is a very close second because of the duration but hockey is a grind.

i agree, but baseball doesn't get the street cred it deserves for being such a tough sport.

baseball is a grind because you can have a team literally play 18 straight days on the hottest days of the year while traveling all over the country. that isn't just a tough feat physically, but mentally as well.

at least they can nap thru most of the game

81 wrote:

lukin2006 wrote:

So does this mean that after the first 2 rounds, the playoff pairing is determined based on record? No longer East Final - West Final...

that's what i'm getting out of it....

which means, you could in theory have a toronto/philly final...or boston/philly

I f’d up my first post on this topic…the ‘regional’ finals only apply in the east, really….All the other traditional divisional rivals still play in the same conference….so no Edm/Cal final, or LA/Ana final, as they’d have to beat each other to get out of the division…I’m sure the NHL is ok with that tho, as most of those scenarios are a nightmare for them….I’m sure Bettman would hate to see a Battle of Alberta cup final. Ratings death.

Jason P

81 wrote:

DS1119 wrote:

the most grueling schedule of any sport.

wouldn't that be baeball??? almost every day you are playing....

If you figure in all the whoring and boozing, possibly. On the physical aspect alone, I present you this:



and this:

DS1119

lukin2006 wrote:

I doubt it's the most grueling...they play what max 3 times a week? and when they travel it not like they travel by train...it's first class all the way, no getting to the airport 2 hours in advance, no lengthy security lines etc..

Football to me is still the most grueling and physical...maybe not as mental as baseball and hockey...but I'm willing to bet that every player on an NFL team is nursing some kind of physical ailment by the 4th or 5th game of the season (except maybe the kickers)...and maybe even mentally...there is a lot of pressure, in football if you get off to a bad start your fighting the rest of the season just playing catch up...or if you start 0-4 your going out week after sacrificing your body for nothing...imo.

That's right, three times a week. So it's like playing three football games a week. Take the physical contact of football and the running of basketball, and the season's length of baseball...combine them all and you get the hockey season. Just my opinion.

JTH

lukin2006 wrote:

Most Detroit fans I know prefer to have the Leafs in the same division...you can still get Chicago tickets when they come to Detroit, Leaf tickets are very hard to come by.

Let's see... you're in Canada and most Wings fans you know would prefer to have the Leafs in the same division? No shit they would because that would mean they'd come to Toronto more than once every other year.

Not to mention all those guaranteed wins for their team...

Johnny Abruzzo

I think hockey is the most grueling schedule, with baseball second. Especially for teams making deep playoff runs - 100 games or so over 8 months (or is it 9?). Surely most everyone on a hockey team is playing with ailments almost all season.