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Post by Lord Markwart on Apr 6, 2024 16:31:22 GMT
The Stanley Cup is the best and most difficult trophy to win. Not arguable. But is also the worst playoff formatted sport that exists in North America. That is, it gives very little credence to giving teams a little more edge for finishing higher in an 82 game schedule. I argue you could put all 16 teams that make it in a hat, flip a coin as to who gets home ice, and then make a tournament bracket...I bet you would get similar outcomes and recent teams like St.L and Fla. are becoming the norm, with the Bruins being victims to both. It should not be all about just making the dance and rolling dice... The NHL is missing out on a huge opportunity here to get better matchups and more $$$.
In baseball, "the just-ins" have a play-in game that most likely burns up your best pitcher for starting the next series, if they advance. In hoops, they have a tournament for the "just-ins" that forces extra games. Football rewards the best with bye(s).
I am not saying to have a play-in game/tournament or byes, but to have a different format for Round 1 only. My solution is a 2-2-3 format and make the road team win more than 1 game in their barn to advance. All subsequent rounds would be 2-2-1-1-1. It would reduce travel, increase the likelihood of better teams advancing, and most importantly, give much needed weight to the regular season. 1 extra game advantage at home in round one is not enough anymore in the era of couch pillow goalie pads and suspect refereeing. NHL owners would fight this for gate revenue but I am sure it would increase television ratings and television revenue for all of the NHL if the right markets are in the semifinals/ finals. The NHL could perhaps invest in this and give $$$ to those road team cities in round one only if it goes 6 and they lose a home game.
Just a shitty proposal by myself...upsets would still occur but it would make it more fair for teams that did more work over the 82 game slate. Wanna keep it the same is fine but it sucks that whomever grabs the 8 spot in the East will get almost coin flip odds to win round 1 over a team that had 30+ more points in the regular season. The league has tinkerer with this historically as it used to be best of 5 with different seeding mechanisms and a 2-3-2 format for distance. The NHL can change this to make it better. Interested in other ideas here...other than that these teams that just finish higher should beat those teams anyway.
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Post by dannycater on Apr 6, 2024 16:35:42 GMT
Handicapping the First Round...shit, for about a few seconds I thought is this about how the B's are handicapped with 48 in the lineup?
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Post by Lord Markwart on Apr 6, 2024 16:44:43 GMT
Handicapping the First Round...shit, for about a few seconds I thought is this about how the B's are handicapped with 48 in the lineup? Well played, Danny. Well played. |
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Post by dannycater on Apr 11, 2024 14:03:05 GMT
Sorry Lord, I think I killed your thread...
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Post by sandogbrewin on Apr 11, 2024 14:38:43 GMT
Our playoff prediction threads would get obliterated after the 1st year after year. It's difficult to throw money down.
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Post by islamorada on Apr 11, 2024 14:46:08 GMT
Sorry Lord, I think I killed your thread... I don't think so Danny. The interest on the forum is low as the Bs have shown a different level to their game except against the Canes. Most on here are just waiting for the end of the season. I have conceded Tampa is the first round opponent for the Bs. Trawna and Floridah are basically matched. It could change, doubt it with less than 4 games left. I feel Toronto will win the series. Boston will in 7 games is my thought. The Canes hopefully find the Isles a tough opponent, but the Canes will win. Whoever the Strangers play I don't care as long as the NYR lose, no logic just pure hate. Out west, the Canucks, Oilers, Stars and Avs will make it to the second round. I don't gamble so handicapping is a mystery as like insurance company buildings, casinos are very nicely built a maintained. Lots of losing bets. |
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Post by 50belowzero on Apr 11, 2024 22:46:02 GMT
B's vs Stars Cup final, book it.
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Post by bookboy007 on Apr 11, 2024 22:49:19 GMT
B's vs Stars Cup final, book it. It's possible |
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Post by bookboy007 on Apr 11, 2024 22:49:48 GMT
Handicapping the First Round...shit, for about a few seconds I thought is this about how the B's are handicapped with 48 in the lineup? Bitching about Grz is the new 5-0 Bruins. |
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Post by 50belowzero on Apr 11, 2024 22:51:33 GMT
B's vs Stars Cup final, book it. It's possible Oh yeah it is, what are the odds of those two meeting? Maybe Bruins Nation should make a collective bet, San can collect the money, hah! |
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Post by bookboy007 on Apr 11, 2024 23:15:10 GMT
The Stanley Cup is the best and most difficult trophy to win. Not arguable. But is also the worst playoff formatted sport that exists in North America. That is, it gives very little credence to giving teams a little more edge for finishing higher in an 82 game schedule. I argue you could put all 16 teams that make it in a hat, flip a coin as to who gets home ice, and then make a tournament bracket...I bet you would get similar outcomes and recent teams like St.L and Fla. are becoming the norm, with the Bruins being victims to both. It should not be all about just making the dance and rolling dice... The NHL is missing out on a huge opportunity here to get better matchups and more $$$. In baseball, "the just-ins" have a play-in game that most likely burns up your best pitcher for starting the next series, if they advance. In hoops, they have a tournament for the "just-ins" that forces extra games. Football rewards the best with bye(s). I am not saying to have a play-in game/tournament or byes, but to have a different format for Round 1 only. My solution is a 2-2-3 format and make the road team win more than 1 game in their barn to advance. All subsequent rounds would be 2-2-1-1-1. It would reduce travel, increase the likelihood of better teams advancing, and most importantly, give much needed weight to the regular season. 1 extra game advantage at home in round one is not enough anymore in the era of couch pillow goalie pads and suspect refereeing. NHL owners would fight this for gate revenue but I am sure it would increase television ratings and television revenue for all of the NHL if the right markets are in the semifinals/ finals. The NHL could perhaps invest in this and give $$$ to those road team cities in round one only if it goes 6 and they lose a home game. Just a shitty proposal by myself...upsets would still occur but it would make it more fair for teams that did more work over the 82 game slate. Wanna keep it the same is fine but it sucks that whomever grabs the 8 spot in the East will get almost coin flip odds to win round 1 over a team that had 30+ more points in the regular season. The league has tinkerer with this historically as it used to be best of 5 with different seeding mechanisms and a 2-3-2 format for distance. The NHL can change this to make it better. Interested in other ideas here...other than that these teams that just finish higher should beat those teams anyway. I hate the play in games. I'm waiting for the day when a team that is miles back in the standings gets a one game shot to make the dance at the expense of a team that is a tiebreaker back of one of the teams that made it in without the play-in. Imagine if the NHL did a conference seeding where 7 plays 10 and 8 plays 9 with the argument that it gives the division winners a better advantage over the wild card teams than the 2v3 matchup. Now imagine you're the Nashville Predators, and you have a shot at a 100 points but are probably stuck in 7th. You get a one gamer against the Wild who finish something like 15-17 points behind you, and you lose on a PP goal after a puck over the glass penalty. All hell, loose. I wonder if there are ways to make home ice more advantageous? Seems like part of the issue is that home ice means less than it once did. I've heard all sorts of ideas like letting the team with home ice pick it's opponent to letting them choose the schedule format (though still 4 games to 3). I don't really like any of them. They all feel like gimmicks. I'm kind of warming to the "pick your poison" idea, and maybe it helps the Bruins last year (nothing would have helped in 2019 other than the refs calling the games consistently). If you're last year's Bruins, you'd have the option to pick any Eastern Conference team that made the dance including Florida. Panthers are a logical choice with the fewest points, but the Islanders were only one point better and the Isles scored 47 fewer goals than Florida. The gave up 51 fewer goals, too, but if you're the Bruins, you might prefer to avoid a run and gun Panther team in favour of a squad you think you can grind for enough goals with your depth. But maybe you want the Bolts, third in the Atlantic, but just a .485 points% team from February 1 to the playoffs. How many times has a team lost a key player or two down the stretch, and then gone quietly in the playoffs? Maybe you see the Bolts lose Hedman or Vagisil for they playoffs and think they're the best matchup? Could be a more significant advantage, and it would cascade down like the draft. Carolina would have picked second...but they were almost as bad as the Bolts from Feb 1 on last year, just 13th overall and behind the Isles and Panthers as well as the Devils and Rangers. Who do they pick? At a guess, that system might have given us a first round of Boston-Tampa; Carolina-Florida (identical record against FLA and NYI); NJD-NYI, Toronto-NYR. Based on how the Bolts rolled over for the Laffs, Florida sweeping the Canes, the Devils' first round and the Laffs, I think you'd then see Boston vs Florida if it reverted to a bracket and maybe Boston-Rangers for the first time in a very long time if they had the choice. 3-0 v them last year, and 3-0 v the Devils. Still seems like a gimmick, though. Part of me wants to tell the teams that want more of an advantage for having won the regular season to shut up. It's not a prize; you don't get anything for it. The only thing it means is you're good enough to win without an advantage so be happy this isn't horseracing or will stuff metal weights in your pants to make it more even. |
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Post by fiberglassmask on Apr 12, 2024 14:06:49 GMT
Sorry Lord, I think I killed your thread... I don't think so Danny. The interest on the forum is low as the Bs have shown a different level to their game except against the Canes. Most on here are just waiting for the end of the season. I have conceded Tampa is the first round opponent for the Bs. Trawna and Floridah are basically matched. It could change, doubt it with less than 4 games left. I feel Toronto will win the series. Boston will in 7 games is my thought. The Canes hopefully find the Isles a tough opponent, but the Canes will win. Whoever the Strangers play I don't care as long as the NYR lose, no logic just pure hate. Out west, the Canucks, Oilers, Stars and Avs will make it to the second round. I don't gamble so handicapping is a mystery as like insurance company buildings, casinos are very nicely built a maintained. Lots of losing bets. Florida just moved to 1 pt behind the Bs… you might want to tell them their playoff seed is already decided. I completely agree, though, most people here are just waiting to see who the Bs lose to first round, whether it’s Tampa or TO. I don’t see them finishing in front of NY (but still possible) and losing to Detroit or Pitt or NYI or Washington or Philly. |
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Post by bookboy007 on Apr 12, 2024 15:40:58 GMT
I don't think so Danny. The interest on the forum is low as the Bs have shown a different level to their game except against the Canes. Most on here are just waiting for the end of the season. I have conceded Tampa is the first round opponent for the Bs. Trawna and Floridah are basically matched. It could change, doubt it with less than 4 games left. I feel Toronto will win the series. Boston will in 7 games is my thought. The Canes hopefully find the Isles a tough opponent, but the Canes will win. Whoever the Strangers play I don't care as long as the NYR lose, no logic just pure hate. Out west, the Canucks, Oilers, Stars and Avs will make it to the second round. I don't gamble so handicapping is a mystery as like insurance company buildings, casinos are very nicely built a maintained. Lots of losing bets. Florida just moved to 1 pt behind the Bs… you might want to tell them their playoff seed is already decided. I completely agree, though, most people here are just waiting to see who the Bs lose to first round, whether it’s Tampa or TO. I don’t see them finishing in front of NY (but still possible) and losing to Detroit or Pitt or NYI or Washington or Philly. There's that positive vibe you're famous for.... |
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Post by fiberglassmask on Apr 13, 2024 5:47:46 GMT
Hmmm, the current Hockey News Special Edition is all about the leading “Cup Contenders.” Pictures and stories on the Stars and The Oil and the Canes and the Loafs and Mathews and Aho and Robertson and Mcdavid and McKinnon and Hellybuck and Demko and… and… and… not a peep about a Bruin or the team. Must be me, eh, book?  |
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Post by islamorada on Apr 13, 2024 9:43:28 GMT
Hmmm, the current Hockey News Special Edition is all about the leading “Cup Contenders.” Pictures and stories on the Stars and The Oil and the Canes and the Loafs and Mathews and Aho and Robertson and Mcdavid and McKinnon and Hellybuck and Demko and… and… and… not a peep about a Bruin or the team. Must be me, eh, book? First of all, what are your predilections before wrangling over others. The Hockey News turned into a good publication to internet spin fest twenty years ago. Their predictions are typical for the hockey markets with $s. Lastly where was Florida last year in the hockey news? Yeah, Florida could take over Boston in the standings this year. So the Bs play Toronto rather than Tampa, and what are you saying other than bluster. Posting on this thread was to start thinking of the playoffs during the doldrums of the last three games of the season. Relax dude. |
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Post by islamorada on Apr 13, 2024 10:03:20 GMT
The Stanley Cup is the best and most difficult trophy to win. Not arguable. But is also the worst playoff formatted sport that exists in North America. That is, it gives very little credence to giving teams a little more edge for finishing higher in an 82 game schedule. I argue you could put all 16 teams that make it in a hat, flip a coin as to who gets home ice, and then make a tournament bracket...I bet you would get similar outcomes and recent teams like St.L and Fla. are becoming the norm, with the Bruins being victims to both. It should not be all about just making the dance and rolling dice... The NHL is missing out on a huge opportunity here to get better matchups and more $$$. In baseball, "the just-ins" have a play-in game that most likely burns up your best pitcher for starting the next series, if they advance. In hoops, they have a tournament for the "just-ins" that forces extra games. Football rewards the best with bye(s). I am not saying to have a play-in game/tournament or byes, but to have a different format for Round 1 only. My solution is a 2-2-3 format and make the road team win more than 1 game in their barn to advance. All subsequent rounds would be 2-2-1-1-1. It would reduce travel, increase the likelihood of better teams advancing, and most importantly, give much needed weight to the regular season. 1 extra game advantage at home in round one is not enough anymore in the era of couch pillow goalie pads and suspect refereeing. NHL owners would fight this for gate revenue but I am sure it would increase television ratings and television revenue for all of the NHL if the right markets are in the semifinals/ finals. The NHL could perhaps invest in this and give $$$ to those road team cities in round one only if it goes 6 and they lose a home game. Just a shitty proposal by myself...upsets would still occur but it would make it more fair for teams that did more work over the 82 game slate. Wanna keep it the same is fine but it sucks that whomever grabs the 8 spot in the East will get almost coin flip odds to win round 1 over a team that had 30+ more points in the regular season. The league has tinkerer with this historically as it used to be best of 5 with different seeding mechanisms and a 2-3-2 format for distance. The NHL can change this to make it better. Interested in other ideas here...other than that these teams that just finish higher should beat those teams anyway. I hate the play in games. I'm waiting for the day when a team that is miles back in the standings gets a one game shot to make the dance at the expense of a team that is a tiebreaker back of one of the teams that made it in without the play-in. Imagine if the NHL did a conference seeding where 7 plays 10 and 8 plays 9 with the argument that it gives the division winners a better advantage over the wild card teams than the 2v3 matchup. Now imagine you're the Nashville Predators, and you have a shot at a 100 points but are probably stuck in 7th. You get a one gamer against the Wild who finish something like 15-17 points behind you, and you lose on a PP goal after a puck over the glass penalty. All hell, loose. I wonder if there are ways to make home ice more advantageous? Seems like part of the issue is that home ice means less than it once did. I've heard all sorts of ideas like letting the team with home ice pick it's opponent to letting them choose the schedule format (though still 4 games to 3). I don't really like any of them. They all feel like gimmicks. I'm kind of warming to the "pick your poison" idea, and maybe it helps the Bruins last year (nothing would have helped in 2019 other than the refs calling the games consistently). If you're last year's Bruins, you'd have the option to pick any Eastern Conference team that made the dance including Florida. Panthers are a logical choice with the fewest points, but the Islanders were only one point better and the Isles scored 47 fewer goals than Florida. The gave up 51 fewer goals, too, but if you're the Bruins, you might prefer to avoid a run and gun Panther team in favour of a squad you think you can grind for enough goals with your depth. But maybe you want the Bolts, third in the Atlantic, but just a .485 points% team from February 1 to the playoffs. How many times has a team lost a key player or two down the stretch, and then gone quietly in the playoffs? Maybe you see the Bolts lose Hedman or Vagisil for they playoffs and think they're the best matchup? Could be a more significant advantage, and it would cascade down like the draft. Carolina would have picked second...but they were almost as bad as the Bolts from Feb 1 on last year, just 13th overall and behind the Isles and Panthers as well as the Devils and Rangers. Who do they pick? At a guess, that system might have given us a first round of Boston-Tampa; Carolina-Florida (identical record against FLA and NYI); NJD-NYI, Toronto-NYR. Based on how the Bolts rolled over for the Laffs, Florida sweeping the Canes, the Devils' first round and the Laffs, I think you'd then see Boston vs Florida if it reverted to a bracket and maybe Boston-Rangers for the first time in a very long time if they had the choice. 3-0 v them last year, and 3-0 v the Devils. Still seems like a gimmick, though. Part of me wants to tell the teams that want more of an advantage for having won the regular season to shut up. It's not a prize; you don't get anything for it. The only thing it means is you're good enough to win without an advantage so be happy this isn't horseracing or will stuff metal weights in your pants to make it more even. The system of opponents in the playoffs is flawed in most sports. Football is a joke with the schedule changed for the weaker teams the previous season. Baseball is played in 162(?) regular season games and with a wild card? European soccer has a tiered system that seems more fair from afar. It relies on playing well in a lower tier to advance to the next tier the following season, likewise if a team is at the bottom of the upper tier. The wish is for more competition rather than complacency at the end of the season with the loser point system of the NHL. According to those who wish to think it is more competitive, they need to simply realize the capturing of points just creates another system of rankings not too unfamiliar with what it would be without the loser points and more structure not to move up as easily during the season. I'll add it would be nice to have TDL moved to January, eliminate the "all star shenanigans" and start the season earlier now that it seems Arizona is moving northward to Vegas. Playing games in June is just as bad playing games in September in Florida. Actually few attend games in October. None of that is going to happen, so Vegas will have a full team of additions going into the playoffs against what will be the best team in the NHL, Dallas. Unfair. Boston playing either Tampa or Toronto means nothing to this fan. Both those teams have better offensive players than Boston, it should be easy to say they have better odds. The fact remains a team is a set of injuries away from being eliminated as you stated. My preference for that scenario is the Rags, second up would be Vegas as incurring hardship. I can't stand the Covid Champions, nor do I like the Toronto fanfare. The handicapping is only temporary, so are the bluster guns of the good ship gaggle poop. The second round will produce another set of handicapping. I will just enjoy the games. |
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Post by 50belowzero on Apr 13, 2024 11:50:51 GMT
The Hockey news isn't exactly known for their prognostic capabilities, this is from 2018, yikes....... |
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Post by bookboy007 on Apr 13, 2024 12:03:10 GMT
Hmmm, the current Hockey News Special Edition is all about the leading “Cup Contenders.” Pictures and stories on the Stars and The Oil and the Canes and the Loafs and Mathews and Aho and Robertson and Mcdavid and McKinnon and Hellybuck and Demko and… and… and… not a peep about a Bruin or the team. Must be me, eh, book? The Hockey News is garbage now. It's no better than a fan site looking for clicks. |
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Post by sandogbrewin on Apr 13, 2024 12:28:22 GMT
The Hockey news isn't exactly known for their prognostic capabilities, this is from 2018, yikes....... Hockey News predictions ? Bet the opposite at all tines you'll make a fortune. |
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