Sabres Schedule for 2017-18 Released June 22, 2017 3 PM EDT

[Samson's Flow]

Warning: Because Buffalo complaining coming...

 

You just know the NHL offices completes the schedule for the golden child teams and major metro markets first and then figures out how to fit the rest of the teams in to those schedules. That's the only conclusion I can come to as to why the Sabres schedule has minimal Saturday games, terrible west coast trips and all their big Toronto games jammed into one month.  :censored:

[Thorner]

The more I think about it, the more this is BS. We seem to be right at the top for back-to-backs every year. Why??

 

For reference, my local team, the Jets, has 8 all season. We have 16. So realistically that's going to be several extra losses.

 

These things can be the difference between playoffs or no playoffs.

 

39% of Sabres games are in a back to back situation. Behind the 8-ball from the start.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

Bills/Sabres weekends:

 

September 23 - Toronto at Buffalo

September 24 - Denver at Buffalo

 

October 28 - San Jose at Buffalo

October 29 - Oakland at Buffalo

 

November 10 - Florida at Buffalo

November 12 - New Orleans at Buffalo

 

December 1 - Pittsburgh at Buffalo

December 3 - New England at Buffalo

 

December 15 - Carolina at Buffalo

December 17 - Miami at Buffalo

 

 

[sodbuster]

Wait, does the winter classic really count as a home game?

[WildCard]

Wait, does the winter classic really count as a home game?

Yes, due to the NYR contract with MSG.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

You just know the NHL offices completes the schedule for the golden child teams and major metro markets first and then figures out how to fit the rest of the teams in to those schedules.

 

Courtesy of a friend of mine who works for the Stars:

 

1. Each team turns in a minimum number of acceptable dates for their home rinks.

2. Once the league has those dates it looks for natural gaps in the calendar – circus, ice shows, concerts, tournaments – and begin scheduling road games there.

3. Vancouver and San Jose are the first two teams to have their schedules built because they are considered the “most remote” franchises.

4. The second tier of scheduling priority is LA/Anaheim/Phoenix/Dallas (with Las Vegas included for this year).

5. Canadian TV holds a lot of sway with the NHL as they will look for the most favorable matchups for the early Saturday game on the doubleheader.

6. Pacific Time Zone teams going to the East Coast must play a minimum of three games; likewise, Central and Eastern Time Zone teams must play a minimum of three games in Pacific or Mountain time zones.

7. Nobody wants home games in October because of the crowded sports schedule.

8. Everybody wants games on Thursday and Saturday nights. The latter, by far, is the most popular day of the week so Fridays become less popular as they would create too many back-to-back situations.

9. The greatest challenge for the schedule-maker comes when teams withdraw dates that were on their initial approved list. There are fines for that, but teams figure they come out ahead financially if, for example, they pick up a Lady Gaga concert they weren’t counting on. If one game has to be rescheduled, dominoes begin falling that have a widespread impact.

10. Ideally, teams would play homestands no longer than four games, then head our for another four or five on the road with two days off before another home game.

[Doohicksie]

What if they are the ones playing spoiler against us?!

 

 

Gotta love Italian Spider Man

[#freejame]

 

Courtesy of a friend of mine who works for the Stars:

 

1. Each team turns in a minimum number of acceptable dates for their home rinks.

2. Once the league has those dates it looks for natural gaps in the calendar – circus, ice shows, concerts, tournaments – and begin scheduling road games there.

3. Vancouver and San Jose are the first two teams to have their schedules built because they are considered the “most remote” franchises.

4. The second tier of scheduling priority is LA/Anaheim/Phoenix/Dallas (with Las Vegas included for this year).

5. Canadian TV holds a lot of sway with the NHL as they will look for the most favorable matchups for the early Saturday game on the doubleheader.

6. Pacific Time Zone teams going to the East Coast must play a minimum of three games; likewise, Central and Eastern Time Zone teams must play a minimum of three games in Pacific or Mountain time zones.

7. Nobody wants home games in October because of the crowded sports schedule.

8. Everybody wants games on Thursday and Saturday nights. The latter, by far, is the most popular day of the week so Fridays become less popular as they would create too many back-to-back situations.

9. The greatest challenge for the schedule-maker comes when teams withdraw dates that were on their initial approved list. There are fines for that, but teams figure they come out ahead financially if, for example, they pick up a Lady Gaga concert they weren’t counting on. If one game has to be rescheduled, dominoes begin falling that have a widespread impact.

10. Ideally, teams would play homestands no longer than four games, then head our for another four or five on the road with two days off before another home game.

 

Thanks for this, it's very informative

[pi2000]

West coast trip 3 games in? odd. haven't seen them out here that early in the 20 years I've been out here.

[Brawndo]

They did their Western Canada Trip within the first ten games last year as well.

[3putt]

Well they did the Canadian swing right off the bat last year.  Maybe its our version of the circus trip.

Oops sorry brawndo

[LGR4GM]

so the NHL is really rigged against us... lovely. 

[Eleven]

This home schedule really sux.  The teams I really want to see are here once, or not at all.  The Flyers, for example, once.  Christmas weekend, though, so nope.  But hey, we get the Devils twice!  Edmonton, once (that's normal), but it's the day after Thanksgiving.  Pittsburgh, once, on the one night I can't go.  Our schedule against the Metro is heavy on Florida teams and Columbus.  Gross.

[Thorner]

This home schedule really sux. The teams I really want to see are here once, or not at all. The Flyers, for example, once. Christmas weekend, though, so nope. But hey, we get the Devils twice! Edmonton, once (that's normal), but it's the day after Thanksgiving. Pittsburgh, once, on the one night I can't go. Our schedule against the Metro is heavy on Florida teams and Columbus. Gross.

Better for the Sabres to play Columbus more than Pittsburgh, though.

 

There are teams that don't come in once? I thought every team did at least once?

Edited August 18, 2017 by Thorny

[LGR4GM]

Better for the Sabres to play Columbus more than Pittsburgh, though.

 

There are teams that don't come in once? I thought every team did at least once?

They do but the NHL is a bunch of money loving whores. See what they did was they looked at the schedule and were like, "you know the Garden makes us more money than Key Bank in television coverage and revenue all around, so what if we steal a Sabres home game and move it to Queens so that way we don't lose a Rangers home game. More money for us."

[darksabre]

This home schedule really sux.  The teams I really want to see are here once, or not at all.  The Flyers, for example, once.  Christmas weekend, though, so nope.  But hey, we get the Devils twice!  Edmonton, once (that's normal), but it's the day after Thanksgiving.  Pittsburgh, once, on the one night I can't go.  Our schedule against the Metro is heavy on Florida teams and Columbus.  Gross.

Yup. Absolutely miserable home schedule. 

[TheAud]

They do but the NHL is a bunch of money loving whores. See what they did was they looked at the schedule and were like, "you know the Garden makes us more money than Key Bank in television coverage and revenue all around, so what if we steal a Sabres home game and move it to Queens so that way we don't lose a Rangers home game. More money for us."

I read that there is a contractual obligation with the Garden, or rather their ownership, that all the Ranger home games must be played there. Hence a game in NYC must be an Away game if the Rangers are taking part in it. 

It does suck for the Sabres but I don't know if it's an NHL conspiracy so much as bad luck. Could be both I guess. 

[Thorner]

They do but the NHL is a bunch of money loving whores. See what they did was they looked at the schedule and were like, "you know the Garden makes us more money than Key Bank in television coverage and revenue all around, so what if we steal a Sabres home game and move it to Queens so that way we don't lose a Rangers home game. More money for us."

Ah, right. That's crappy.

[Eleven]

Better for the Sabres to play Columbus more than Pittsburgh, though.

 

There are teams that don't come in once? I thought every team did at least once?

 

They play them the same number of times.  They play Columbus at home twice, and Pittsburgh away twice.

I read that there is a contractual obligation with the Garden, or rather their ownership, that all the Ranger home games must be played there. Hence a game in NYC must be an Away game if the Rangers are taking part in it. 

It does suck for the Sabres but I don't know if it's an NHL conspiracy so much as bad luck. Could be both I guess. 

 

It has something to do with NYC (always gotta make exceptions for our national snowflake) not taxing the Garden if the Rags play all of their home games there, IIRC.

[SwampD]

Doesn't anyone else realize that there will probably be at least twice the number of Sabres fans at the game in Queens than there would have been if the game was in Buffalo?

[Taro T]

Doesn't anyone else realize that there will probably be at least twice the number of Sabres fans at the game in Queens than there would have been if the game was in Buffalo?

:huh:

 

There'd've been 60k fans at Rich. At least 75% of which would've been Sabres fans. How do you expect 45k 90k Sabres fans in NYC?

Edited August 18, 2017 by Taro T

[SwampD]

:huh:

 

There'd've been 60k fans at Rich. At least 75% of which would've been Sabres fans. How do you expect 45k 90k Sabres fans in NYC?

I meant if it was just another home game at Keybank.

Buffalo wasn't getting a second when there are still others that heven't had one.

[Taro T]

I meant if it was just another home game at Keybank.Buffalo wasn't getting a second when there are still others that heven't had one.

You expect 30k+ of Sabres fans in NYC? :huh:

[SwampD]

You expect 30k+ of Sabres fans in NYC? :huh:

I don't think that's out of line, if overestimating the percentages at Keybank.

[Taro T]

I don't think that's out of line, if overestimating the percentages at Keybank.

How many will the baseball stadium hold for hockey? 45k? 50k?

 

You see 60-65% of the crowd to be Sabres fans?