The All Canadian Division in the NHL

[tvstrip]

I mean, this has to be a dream come true for the Canadians, no?

My only concern is if traditional rivalries will watered down when you see them so frequently.

 

[gmase]

It should be a dream come true, since they don't have to play any of the teams based in America.

The watering down rivalry concern applies to all of the teams. The Penguins get 8 games against the Flyers and Capitals.

 

[John_8581]

The thing with the NHL, Commissioner Gary Bettman has always had travel restrictions in place. That has always been a good thing. My meaning, if the Islanders were on the West Coast, they'd play in these cities: Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim, and Phoenix. Hockey teams would do it in one trip unlike MLB, the NBA or the NFL. Eastern baseball teams, Mets, Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, Orioles, etc. now make several trips out to the West Coast and vice versa during the baseball season. .

If the Canadian teams only play each other, then the long standing rivalries would go away. The Redwings vs. the Mapleafs. The Bruins vs. the Mapleleafs. The Bruins vs. the Canadiens. The Rangers vs. the Mapleleafs. The Rangers vs. the Canadiens. The Islanders vs. the Oilers. The Islanders vs. the Mapleleafs. The Sabres vs. the Mapleleafs. The Sabres vs. the Senators. The Avalache vs. the Canadiens.

It would hurt the fan bases, once fans start coming back.

Seeing the Canadiens vs. the Rangers in the Garden was always electric and exciting. Like I said, it could be bad for the fan base.

 

[gmase]

Canada cut the quarantine time for the deadline:
https://www.nhl.com/news/quarantine-nhl-players-us-to-canada-cut-to-7-days/c-322952926

 

[tvstrip]

Canada cut the quarantine time for the deadline:
https://www.nhl.com/news/quarantine-nhl-players-us-to-canada-cut-to-7-days/c-322952926

LOL. Hockey is like the universal exception to everything in Canada.

After all, they temporarily changed drinking laws across the country to serve alcohol at 5am just for the Gold medal hockey game in Sochi
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/bars-across-canada-get-set-to-toast-the-big-game-1.1699376

As Canadian hockey fans gear up for the big gold-medal game early Sunday morning, many will be skipping the coffee and heading straight for a tall, cold beer with their bacon and eggs.
"We serve until 2 a.m. and then we'll close at 3 a.m. We'll clean up, then open at 4 and then we'll start serving alcohol at 5 a.m.".
“If you’re not drinking at six in the morning on Sunday, you are not Canadian; you are not a hockey fan”

 

[gmase]

LOL. Hockey is like the universal exception to everything in Canada.

After all, they temporarily changed drinking laws across the country to serve alcohol at 5am just for the Gold medal hockey game in Sochi
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/bars-across-canada-get-set-to-toast-the-big-game-1.1699376

Do you have to drink Molson, Labatt, or Moosehead? Moosehead was my choice when consuming a Canadian beer.

 

[tvstrip]

Funny you should mention those. Molson (Coors) and Labatt (Bud) are partly foreign owned, but they dominate the market. You'd think that Canadians would prefer a 100% Canadian company like Moosehead, but I guess they built up enough brand loyalty prior to their mergers.

When I lived in Australia though, it was funny going into the "international" section of the bottle shop and seeing Moosehead being the only Canadian beer that they sold. It was like seeing Fosters being the one of the only Aussie beers sold overseas, when it's one of the least popular beers in the country.

 

[gmase]

What are our opinions on the division-only schedules? And the playoff format?

After the past season, I am more appreciative of a more balanced schedule. Playing all the non-division teams home-and-away is a nice structure. It gives weight to the division winner, but still allows fans an opportunity to see any team in a given season. The series approach was a positive for me. It was good seeing the teams go back-to-back in the same location.

Since the teams are so familiar with their intra-divisional rivals this year, it would be nice to see the teams play outside of the division prior to the semi-finals. Something like: East 1-4 v North 4-1; Central 1-4 v West 4-1. Or be more radical and set up 4-team pods playing a 6-game round robin (à la World Cup football) with the top 2 advancing. Set up pods with a 1, 2, 3, and 4 from a different division (e.g., East 1, Central 2, West 3, North 4). Eight teams would be eliminated after a six game round instead of a best-of-7. Stronger divisions would get more representation into the later rounds.

 

[John_8581]

I couldn't find a dedicated NHL thread so this will have to suffice.

The Rangers and Capitals played each other last night.

 

[gmase]

I couldn't find a dedicated NHL thread so this will have to suffice.

The Rangers and Capitals played each other last night.

The stats from that game took me back to the 70s. The Broad Street Bullies would be proud. Tom Wilson needs suspended until they finish a series against the Penguins.

 

[tvstrip]

Well the playoffs have started. Not as weird as last year, but still you can't shake the idea that things are "off".

I'm a little surprised they didn't ditch the divisional aspect for the playoffs, since it guarantees that only 2 Canadian teams will make it past the first round.

 

[gmase]

Well the playoffs have started. Not as weird as last year, but still you can't shake the idea that things are "off".

I'm a little surprised they didn't ditch the divisional aspect for the playoffs, since it guarantees that only 2 Canadian teams will make it past the first round.

I agree the format needs shaken up.

The structure also guarantees 2 Canadian teams will advance past the first round.

 

[tvstrip]

I agree the format needs shaken up.

The structure also guarantees 2 Canadian teams will advance past the first round.

I guess it depends on how optimistic/pessimistic you are about their abilities

I think it's funny how people are STILL questioning if the Canadian government will grant the exception in the later rounds.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/hope-remains-nhl-playoffs-canadian-cities-u-s-bubble-possibility/

If a Canadian team is in the semis or the cup finals, there could be an ebola pandemic and they'll still grant the exception.

 

[gmase]

Nothing like sitting through one OT and the intermission only to have your goalie give the game away 51 seconds into the 2OT.

 

[tvstrip]

TO and the Habs going to a game 7 is always a treat. At least some excitement for the first round.

 

[gmase]

TO and the Habs going to a game 7 is always a treat. At least some excitement for the first round.

Do you have a preference?

 

[tvstrip]

Do you have a preference?

I will literally root for any Canadian team other than those two. However, I have a schadenfreude hard-on for watching the Leafs lose any game 7, so if I HAD to choose, I guess the habs. But I'm happy with the Jets for the next round.

 

[tvstrip]

Well, the Leafs didn't disappoint. Managing to lose a series they have a decisive lead is just their thing.

 

[gmase]

LOL. Hockey is like the universal exception to everything in Canada.

and so it goes: https://www.nhl.com/news/canada-approves-border-exemption-for-nhl/c-325215356

 

[tvstrip]

and so it goes: https://www.nhl.com/news/canada-approves-border-exemption-for-nhl/c-325215356

I mean, seriously. This was never going to be an issue.
Imagine the US questioning if they would grant exemptions for the MLB/NFL
Or the UK/Europe for footy
Or Aussies/Kiwis for Rugby
...etc.

Can you imagine if a Canadian team made it to the finals and none of the home games could be played in Canada? There would be a Jan 6-style uprising in Ottawa.