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Path: utzoo!dciem!jeff
From: jeff@dciem.UUCP (Jeff Richardson)
Newsgroups: net.sport.hockey
Subject: Re: 2nd best team in NHL (actually playoff teams)
Message-ID: <1755@dciem.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 31-Dec-85 10:53:24 EST
Article-I.D.: dciem.1755
Posted: Tue Dec 31 10:53:24 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 31-Dec-85 11:37:51 EST
References: <2418@yale.ARPA> <6940001@acf4.UUCP> <963@ihlpa.UUCP>
Reply-To: jeff@dciem.UUCP (PUT YOUR NAME HERE)
Organization: D.C.I.E.M., Toronto, Canada
Lines: 53
Summary: 

> I think the only real solution to this problem is some sort of revision to
> the playoff system, one which makes the real season matter for something.
> How about this:  only eight teams make the playoffs (instead of 16), with
> four being the division champs and the other four being chosen based on
> their records (say two from each conference, but they could be from the
> same division).  In the Norris division especially, that kind of a playoff
> setup could make the regular season games worth watching.
> 
> Dan Starr
> ihlpa!animal
> Chicago Stadium 2nd Balcony 4/D/D/13

Some sort of revision is needed, but Dan's proposal is much too drastic ever
to be considered by the NHL.  A much less drastic and possibly even better
idea would be a return to the system used about 10 years ago:  The first
three teams in each division make the playoffs, with the first place team
getting a bye from the first round.  12 out of 21 teams is a little more
than half so it's a fairly reasonable number of teams to have in the
playoffs, and it adds a lot more meaning to the regular season not just
for the teams around 3rd and 4th place in the division, but also for the
teams around 1st and 2nd, since getting first place in the regular season
actually means something.

With the current standings there would be close battles for 3rd in 3 of
the 4 divisions (possibly even 4 if Toronto continues to play above .500),
with more than two teams being invovled in all but one of them, and there
would also be battles for 1st in two divisions, one between 3 teams and
the other between all 5.  As it is now, finishing first in the division is
not enough of an advantage to be worth trying hard for, so the better teams
in the division really have nothing to play for.  Even in the hotly contested
Adams Division, the teams all know that they have a 80% chance of making the
playoffs and if they do it doesn't matter where they place.  However, with
a bye at stake, things would get pretty hot in Norris Divison (I'll bet
Dan and the other Black Hawk fans would see much better hockey) and much
hotter in the Adams.  Even the Capitals might make a fight of the Patrick
if they were faced with the prospect of getting a bye versus possibly having
to play the Islanders in the 1st round of the playoffs.

I think the NHL would be wise to adopt such a system because, even though
they might balk at it because they'd be losing income from the four 1st vs.
4th series, they would probably make it back and more in increased regular
season revenues.  More importantly though, adopting a reasonable playoff
system would gain the league a lot of respect, which could give them the
better US TV deal that they've always wanted.  The 1st vs. 4th series are
often uninteresting anyway; a regular season game between the 1st and 2nd
teams where a bye may be at stake is a much better attraction.  The often
exciting 2nd vs 3rd series would be kept, and they can leave them as best
of 5 series provided they schedule them with a minimum number of days off,
so that the first place team would not have to sit around too long.
-- 
Jeff Richardson, DCIEM, Toronto  (416) 635-2073
{linus,ihnp4,uw-beaver,floyd}!utcsri!dciem!jeff
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