NHL looking to increase "geographic rivalry" games by next year with scheduling format changes

[matter2003]

Potentially up to 8x a year...assuming Toronto would be one for us?

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/report-nhl-looking-to-add-more-rivalry-games-with-changes-to-schedule-225728930.html

 

We may be seeing the Battle of Alberta a lot more often as soon as next season as the NHL reportedly explores changes to its scheduling format.

Edited December 15, 2022 by matter2003

[Marvin]

23 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

Potentially up to 8x a year...assuming Toronto would be one for us?

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/report-nhl-looking-to-add-more-rivalry-games-with-changes-to-schedule-225728930.html

 

We may be seeing the Battle of Alberta a lot more often as soon as next season as the NHL reportedly explores changes to its scheduling format.

If you have 2 games / team x 24 teams = 48 games outside the division and 4 games / team x 7 teams = 28 games in the division, then you only have 6 games left.  Maybe you play 3 teams twice more?  I do not see how this works.

[Thorner]

Too much focus on playing the same teams all the time 

playoff format already slanted that way 

[matter2003]

Seems to be in part a way to have the salary cap go up quicker due to increased ticket sales that occur when rivals that are close geographically play each other due to opponent fan bases traveling to road games.

 

Salary cap only projected to go up $1 million next year due to pandemic related escrows still not be fully paid back. This is seen as a way to get those paid back quicker so they can get back to larger cap increases.

[SDS]

If true, this is awful. Baseball sucks as it is having to watch the same two teams play 19 times a season. Don’t spread the same disease to others sports. Mind numbingly boring. 

[matter2003]

1 minute ago, SDS said:

If true, this is awful. Baseball sucks as it is having to watch the same two teams play 19 times a season. Don’t spread the same disease to others sports. Mind numbingly boring. 

We all know how most decisions are based on money in sports, not what is good for fans or based on what fans actually want.

[Marvin]

As I think about it, I would rather they make the conference balanced at 4 games per team with conference-wide playoffs and seeding.  Probably the Western Conference would not like that with travel.

[French Collection]

43 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

Seems to be in part a way to have the salary cap go up quicker due to increased ticket sales that occur when rivals that are close geographically play each other due to opponent fan bases traveling to road games.

 

Salary cap only projected to go up $1 million next year due to pandemic related escrows still not be fully paid back. This is seen as a way to get those paid back quicker so they can get back to larger cap increases.

They are also saving money with reduced travel.

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, matter2003 said:

Potentially up to 8x a year...assuming Toronto would be one for us?

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/report-nhl-looking-to-add-more-rivalry-games-with-changes-to-schedule-225728930.html

 

We may be seeing the Battle of Alberta a lot more often as soon as next season as the NHL reportedly explores changes to its scheduling format.

Nah, TO would take the Otters & Moe-ray-all.

Sabres would get the Pens & BJs.  😥

[Thorner]

44 minutes ago, SDS said:

If true, this is awful. Baseball sucks as it is having to watch the same two teams play 19 times a season. Don’t spread the same disease to others sports. Mind numbingly boring. 

Was gonna mention: the MLB is even moving towards less interdivisional games this coming season, which I think is a good move 

[msw2112]

I don't like this.  I enjoy seeing the Sabres play all of the teams throughout the league.  I never liked too many games between the same two teams.  Save that for the playoffs.  I think we play our division rivals more than enough already.  I really liked it many years ago when they had the balanced schedule.  Back in those days, it was great to see the Gretzky Oilers 4 times per year, twice in Buffalo. Under the current system, we only see the McDavid Oilers twice a year, once in Buffalo.

The balanced scheudle is also inherently more fair.  If every team plays every other team the same number of times, every team can more fairly be compared to every other team.  Currently teams in tougher divisions inherently have tougher schedules and a more difficult road to making the playoffs.

I'm sure many will disagree and I do see the benefits of less travel and more intense rivalries with the unbalanced schedule.  I just like the balanced system better.

Edited December 16, 2022 by msw2112