N.H.L. Rule Changes; Anything goes.

[Puck]

It's not though, unless there's an evenly balanced schedule. And that WOULD be too much travel.

But.. it's an intriguing concept.

[Hockey Widow]

I get so tired of the same match ups year after year. I'd love to see it 1 plays 8 and so on within the Conference. Keep the east meets west final though.

[Mickey107]

I get so tired of the same match ups year after year. I'd love to see it 1 plays 8 and so on within the Conference. Keep the east meets west final though.

Actually I thought it would be great to not be exclusive to east vs west
after 3 rounds, last teams standing go for it.

[Hockey Widow]

I get so tired of the same match ups year after year. I'd love to see it 1 plays 8 and so on within the Conference. Keep the east meets west final though.

Actually I thought it would be great to not be exclusive to east vs west
after 3 rounds, last teams standing go for it.

Too much travel.

Also, Conferences build differently.

Without a balanced regular season standings may not be reflective of the strengths and weaknesses of teams. How do you seed? Eliminate Conferences and seed 1-30.

[Mickey107]

Somebody mentioned this morning on how damn strong the west is and I agree.
I wouldn't change the format of the regular season,
(play division teams 5 times and your other conference teams 3, keep those rivalries nice and ugly)
But for the second season, throw out the conferences and do it the old way.
1 plays 16
2 plays 15
3 plays 14, and on and on.
Think of the match-ups we could see.
You could end up seeing the best two teams playing in the finals, or not.
I know, the extra travel and all that shit but lately teams don't go back to back much in the playoffs anyways.
And if it was that big an issue, you could go 2/3/2 instead of 2/2/1/1/1.
I just can't help thinking of the entertainment value and to be truthful, it would be more fair as well.

Like this I wrote earlier

[Hockey Widow]

Somebody mentioned this morning on how damn strong the west is and I agree.
I wouldn't change the format of the regular season,
(play division teams 5 times and your other conference teams 3, keep those rivalries nice and ugly)
But for the second season, throw out the conferences and do it the old way.
1 plays 16
2 plays 15
3 plays 14, and on and on.
Think of the match-ups we could see.
You could end up seeing the best two teams playing in the finals, or not.
I know, the extra travel and all that shit but lately teams don't go back to back much in the playoffs anyways.
And if it was that big an issue, you could go 2/3/2 instead of 2/2/1/1/1.
I just can't help thinking of the entertainment value and to be truthful, it would be more fair as well.

Like this I wrote earlier

Don't like it due to

Travel
Unbalanced regular season between teams.

[ukcanuck]

Too much travel would level the playing field

No more subway series of short haul flights for some and crazy cross continent flights for others

[Mickey107]

Somebody mentioned this morning on how damn strong the west is and I agree.
I wouldn't change the format of the regular season,
(play division teams 5 times and your other conference teams 3, keep those rivalries nice and ugly)
But for the second season, throw out the conferences and do it the old way.
1 plays 16
2 plays 15
3 plays 14, and on and on.
Think of the match-ups we could see.
You could end up seeing the best two teams playing in the finals, or not.
I know, the extra travel and all that shit but lately teams don't go back to back much in the playoffs anyways.
And if it was that big an issue, you could go 2/3/2 instead of 2/2/1/1/1.
I just can't help thinking of the entertainment value and to be truthful, it would be more fair as well.

For some reason this is getting misunderstood.
It's only the playoff format I'm suggesting be changed, not the regular season in any way from exactly what it is now.
I see no reason to keep heated rivalries going into the playoffs, make new ones, just in the playoffs.
If it turned out, L.A. played Chicago for the cup, great that means they were the best teams.
The last time I can truly say that the very best 2 teams played for the cup was probably Vancouver/New York in 94
If I want to see an east west thing, I'll watch an all star game or whatever that thing is.

[BingoTough]

3-4 tiers of NHL team allowing for greater expansion and an end to moving teams

Follow the English FA approach of having the Premiership, Championship, league 1, league 2.
- Teams relegated for poor performance rather than rewarded via the draft
- Contracts include out clauses and other mechanisms so that relegated or promoted teams have some flexibility
- Change the draft model and CBA to ensure the best players are in the best league
- Expand the NHL without necessarily diluting talent of the top product

This would allow for teams to be in more cities and give teams facing funding issues a way to cope with player costs, which I assume is probably one of the biggest issues for failing teams.

The Jets would never have had to move (in theory) they could simply have cut their player costs to a point where they were regulated, shift the expensive Premier contracts and then take on players with "Championship" level salaries. The fan base would probably have been unaffected.

It's not without significant challenges (TV contracts, what to do about the draft, CBA impacts etc). It also will certainly never happen but I think it could address a number of challenges.

In terms of quality I would see

- NHL Premier>> Current NHL standard of say the top 24 teams
- NHL Championship >> Mix of bottom 6, top AHL, and top SEL/Swiss/other Euro teams
- NHL League 1 >> AHL standard
- NHL League 2 >> ECHL standard

[Mickey107]

" WITHOUT PREJUDICE "

If wherein so as the VANCOUVER CANUCKS N.H.L. hockey team does not attain the required amount of points
during the 82 game regular season N.H.L. campaign for the purpose of participating in the playoff games of the
above mentioned league, it shall be deemed be the board of directors, that NO OTHER CANADIAN CITY be
eligible to participate in these "playoff games" for the same calendar year...

Ah crap. I'm sorry people I'm an idiot. I just found this rule now. I didn't know they put it into effect last summer.
I promise I'll do my homework better from now on, sorry!

AH HUMOUR: AR AR AR AR AR (mork & mindy circa 1982)

[Arachnid]

" WITHOUT PREJUDICE "

If wherein so as the VANCOUVER CANUCKS N.H.L. hockey team does not attain the required amount of points
during the 82 game regular season N.H.L. campaign for the purpose of participating in the playoff games of the
above mentioned league, it shall be deemed be the board of directors, that NO OTHER CANADIAN CITY be
eligible to participate in these "playoff games" for the same calendar year...

Ah crap. I'm sorry people I'm an idiot. I just found this rule now. I didn't know they put it into effect last summer.
I promise I'll do my homework better from now on, sorry!

AH HUMOUR: AR AR AR AR AR (mork & mindy circa 1982)

Nanu Nanu!

[BladesofSteel]

My proposed changes are not drastic, but would generate more interest, entertainment and discussion with a low risk of cause & effect challenges.

-Leave the 2min minor calls as they are; PP team scores, PK over. But if there is a delayed call and the 6 on 5 team scores, maintain the call and follow through with the PP. Why should a delayed penalty be nullified simply because the team scored? No punishment has been served. This could really swing momentum in any given game by putting more emphasis on puck control/scoring chances on the delayed call.

-Change the dimensions of the ice surface to a min-max. If an established/expansion team building a new arena wants to make their ice larger, let them. Don't mandate a change in dimension, rather provide the option. Let's bring home ice advantage back into the game by allowing teams to decide their own ice size based on dimensions permitted. It will bring more interest to select match-ups, and put more stress on visiting coaches game plans.

-Minimize the number of games teams play with white jerseys. I get that it's necessary when the Leaves play the Canucks or Flames play Detroit, but why can't we see the Blue jerseys play the red? There isn't a team in the league that looks better white. Aren't they trying to sell the game?

[Mickey107]

My proposed changes are not drastic, but would generate more interest, entertainment and discussion with a low risk of cause & effect challenges.

-Leave the 2min minor calls as they are; PP team scores, PK over. But if there is a delayed call and the 6 on 5 team scores, maintain the call and follow through with the PP. Why should a delayed penalty be nullified simply because the team scored? No punishment has been served. This could really swing momentum in any given game by putting more emphasis on puck control/scoring chances on the delayed call.

-Change the dimensions of the ice surface to a min-max. If an established/expansion team building a new arena wants to make their ice larger, let them. Don't mandate a change in dimension, rather provide the option. Let's bring home ice advantage back into the game by allowing teams to decide their own ice size based on dimensions permitted. It will bring more interest to select match-ups, and put more stress on visiting coaches game plans.

-Minimize the number of games teams play with white jerseys. I get that it's necessary when the Leaves play the Canucks or Flames play Detroit, but why can't we see the Blue jerseys play the red? There isn't a team in the league that looks better white. Aren't they trying to sell the game?

I think your first idea re; PP even if 6 on 5 scores is actually being considered and may pick-up traction this summer.
But I'm a believer in strict standards for all NHL ice surfaces, boards and angles. I believe the only home ice advantage should be last change and your loving fans.
And, for heaven's sake replace that space in the neutral zone that was made smaller when they moved the goal lines forward then maybe mandate it that all team bench doors are between the bluelines hence more goals, less offsides.

[dbr]

Disagree that a team playing 5 on 6 isn't being penalized - they are playing an indefinite period in which they cannot score a goal (or even touch the puck), hence their opponent being free to pull their goaltender.

[Puck]

-Minimize the number of games teams play with white jerseys. I get that it's necessary when the Leaves play the Canucks or Flames play Detroit, but why can't we see the Blue jerseys play the red? There isn't a team in the league that looks better white. Aren't they trying to sell the game?

Hmmm... Really? You don't like the whites? I think a lot of the whites are excellent: Flames, Jets, Habs.. The 'Nucks look good in the whites, too. When did the league (in an attempt to look more like the NFL) switch from white being the home colour, anyway?