24 Team NHL Playoff Structure approved by NHLPA. Sabres are left out

[carpandean]

1 hour ago, LabattBlue said:

- BS on the draft lottery. You are either in the lottery or the playoffs. You shouldn’t be part of both.

That first round is sort of gray area.  It's not really the playoffs and not really the regular season.  Without finishing the season and without having the same GPs, you have muddier waters about who should be in than a normal season.  So, you in essence have a round to split those into two clear groups.  The ones that win are, in essence, the ones who made the playoffs, while the ones who lose are the ones who missed (and, thus, are in the lottery.)  In theory, the bad teams, who wouldn't have made the playoffs in a full season, will be the ones to lose in the first round.  There may be some lucky outcomes, but I don't really have an issue with it.

16 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

This 100%.  This plan to play hockey into July, August and even September is going to ruin two seasons.

There were basically two choices: (1) walk away from this season without a finish and leave next season alone, or (2) make compromises on both to have a finish to this season.  They chose (2), which will likely give them more total revenue.  I'm guessing only 7 team's fanbases are really upset about this.

[Stoner]

Folks aren't mentioning several asterisks Bettman mentioned. The virus is in charge, really (another wave probably ends the season); testing has to be available (it's likely currently available, but is it reliable enough, and in the setting of a sports tournament, is it fast enough?); government has to be on board (might not be an issue if cities on the list have agreed to be on the list).

[Taro T]

54 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Folks aren't mentioning several asterisks Bettman mentioned. The virus is in charge, really (another wave probably ends the season); testing has to be available (it's likely currently available, but is it reliable enough, and in the setting of a sports tournament, is it fast enough?); government has to be on board (might not be an issue if cities on the list have agreed to be on the list).

The players also have to sign off on actually playing.  ALL they've agreed to so far is IF they play a playoffs it will be a 24 team event held in 2 host cities & it most likely would be with training camps starting in June & the games starting in mid-July.

They have NOT agreed yet to actually play.  And after their executive board (presumably) works out an agreement to play, it will go back to the players for a vote which very likely will campus the entire 700+ members rather than just having the 31 team reps poll their own members & vote for that team's players' wishes.

So, it's likely this happens, but still definitely not a given.  Supposedly the "Phase 2" guidelines to let players voluntarily practice in groups of up to 6 players is 29 pages long.

And also, apparently if by the time the league is ready to resume play Canada doesn't ease / remove the 14 day travel quarantine restriction for travelers from Europe Vancouver, TO, & Edmonton are officially out of the running to be host cities.

And the negotiations to figure out how to play this playoffs & next season will likely include an extension / modification of the current CBA to try to keep players & owners as whole as is possible given the already reduced revenues of the cancellation of the end of this regular season & likely reduced income next season.

[Stoner]

And civil unrest. Didn't see that one coming, didja Bettsy? (said in the voice of Torts)

[Stoner]

This line in the News today doesn't sound quite right.

Quote

But it would count nonetheless and this team wouldn’t hear about tying the NHL record of 10 straight years out of the playoffs ad nauseum come next season.

I don't think losing in the play-in round after finishing 24th would end any talk of the playoff drought, but that's just me.

[dudacek]

14 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

This line in the News today doesn't sound quite right.

I don't think losing in the play-in round after finishing 24th would end any talk of the playoff drought, but that's just me.

Fans will spin it in whatever why they’re inclined.

The NHL messaging is that the play-ins are not the playoffs.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

The Sabres are not included in this hokey 24 team nonsense, right?  So, who cares.  No playoffs, no playoffs ... where's Jimmy Mora when you need him?

 

[Tondas]

Actually, the Sabres saved me $500 this year.  At the end of every other year, I would throw my shoe at the TV.  Now that their season is done, I can keep my shoes on and save $500!

[Thorner]

6 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

This line in the News today doesn't sound quite right.

I don't think losing in the play-in round after finishing 24th would end any talk of the playoff drought, but that's just me.

It would have felt like a rather cheap out for our notorious streak. I do want them to earn it.