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While in Montreal for the Red Wings vs. Canadiens original six matchup last night (12/4/07) in Montreal, Ted Lindsay pointed the finger at our favorite commissioner Gary Bettman, blaming him for ruining rivalries between teams in the league, and partly for the poor attendance in Detroit this year. According to Mr. Lindsay, Bettman is using the successful teams and taking advantage of them to benefit the weaker teams… and in turn, that hurts the strong and successful teams, as we are currently seeing. Don’t worry Ted, we and a million other fans are right with you on this one. This is what happens when you have someone who has no respect for and history within the game of hockey running the league. Last night was Detroit’s first visit to Montreal since 2003, and is the only game between these two original six teams this year.
Also, last night during the game, the Vs. commentator brought up the idea of having an “Original Six Day”, where there would be three games on a Saturday played by the original six teams… Montreal, Toronto, Boston, Detroit, Chicago and the New York Rangers. Sort of like a Hockey Day in Canada (which will not happen this year thanks to the idiocy of Bettman). We here at FB think this is a GREAT idea. I can’t think of anything that would be better for the NHL, or a better way to show respect for the game, fans, and players by making something like this happen. But, this probably makes too much sense for it to ever happen…
what do you think Gary Bettman?
Great idea. The Original Six Day sounds amazing. Maybe the Versus commentator should run the league. Buttman has no respect for hockey tradition otherwise he wouldn’t have changed the traditional sweaters to tight fitting speedos.
Can you imagine in English football/soccer not having a Chelsea/Arsenal or Manchester United/Liverpool derby or even in Scotland a Rangers/Celtic old firm match/game because of ’scheduling challenges’? Its the same analogy for the NHL and all pundits/owners/media supporting ‘Buttman’ take note of the Detroit-Montreal example. Its still a regional sport in North America but a strong one in the traditional markets. Let the sport grow where it has a historical association and not make the sport lose money in markets where its an occasional spectacle at the expense Bettman of the paying public.
Thanks, awesome perspective. It will be at least 3 years since the Wings have come to DC before we see them again, a sure sellout with the 5000 Wings fans that are sure to show. 8 games each vs columbus, nashville, et al, makes me barf. play each team at least once.
the original 6 day is a great idea, bettman will never understand it.
the question is whether michigan athletic director bill martin or nhl commissioner gary bettman is more unqualified and incompetent.
Gary Bettman: “We have found no evidence showing our amazing scheduling system affects the successful teams, in fact the opposite is the case. We also have no evidence that shows that more fans attend the games between traditional rivals or that fans even enjoy rivalries at all. Our numbers show that fans in traditional NHL cities like Montreal, Toronto, Detroit really enjoy watching games against Nashville, Pheonix, and Atlanta, they’ve been seeing those other teams for years. And what is this ‘Original Six’ thing I’ve heard about? When I started this league in 1993 there were already 24 teams…”
Konye,
Bettman clueless about the “Original Six”? Funny cuz it’s true.
What a joy looking at the TV and seeing the Habs sweater (or whatever term they use to describe the tighter fitting jersey) out there on the ice alongside the Red Wings.
Gary the Greaser makes me barf. Fire Bettman.
This way, Bettman can have his million teams and still have a reasonable schedule. Just lose the shootout and increase the OT to ten minutes…with the length of time it takes to set up the shootout anyway, ten minute OTs aren’t unreasonable…no winner after ten minutes, both teams get a point for a tie. No loser point. Let rivalries in the divisions be decided by the playoffs, not twenty games during the regular season. This concept is rough, and took me three hours to draw up…
Wales Conference
Patrick Division Adams
Pittsburgh Montreal
Philadelphia Boston
Washington NY Rangers
New Jersey Ottawa
Atlanta Buffalo
Tampa Bay Toronto
Florida Chicago
NY Islanders
Campbell Conference
Smythe Norris
Edmonton Carolina
LA Minnesota
Calgary St. Louis
Vancouver Colorado
Phoenix Nashville
Anaheim Detroit
San Jose Dallas
Columbus
Adams Division Schedule
Each team will play Campbell opponents two times home and away (30 games). Each time will play its seven divisional rivals four times (28 games). Each team will play Patrick Division rivals three times (21 games) with each team playing an additional three games against divisional rivals (IE Montreal plays an extra home and away against Toronto and one against the Rangers as bonus points within the division as an incentive for playing in an eight team division, rotating each season) for a total of 82 games. Putting five of the original six teams in one division will heat up rivalries and create heated battles for playoff spots, as only four of the eight teams get in.
Patrick Division Schedule
Each team will play Campbell opponents two times home and away (30 games). Each team will play its six divisional rivals six times (36 games). Each team will play Adams Division rivals two times (16 games) for a total of 82 games.
Norris Division Schedule
Each team will play Wales opponents two times home and away (30 games). Each time will play its seven divisional rivals four times (28 games). Each team will play Symthe Division rivals three times (21 games) with each team playing an additional three games against divisional rivals (IE Ottawa plays an extra home and away against Nashville and one against Dallas as bonus points within the division as an incentive for playing in an eight team division, rotating each season) for a total of 82 games.
Smythe Division Schedule
Each team will play Campbell opponents two times home and away (30 games). Each team will play its six divisional rivals six times (36 games). Each team will play Norris Division rivals two times (16 games) for a total of 82 games.
Playoffs
Top four teams in each division make the Stanley Cup Playoffs (1 vs 4, 2 vs 3). The winner of each division then faces each other for the Conference championship. The Conference champion then plays the other Conference champion for the Stanley Cup. Each series will be the best of seven, in a 2-2-1-1-1 format.
Alignment
Rivalries reborn. Most of the Original Six teams together will bring back the heated rivalries of the pre-expansion era and give fans a chance to see most of the Original Six play against each other for playoff spots, thus increasing interest in the States and more revenue.
Amendments to my divisions, as the HTML formatting sucks:
Patrick Division:
Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
Washington
New Jersey
Atlanta
Tampa Bay
Florida
Adams Division
Montreal
Boston
NY Rangers
Ottawa
Carolina
NY Islanders
Chicago
Buffalo
Smythe Division
Edmonton
Calgary
LA
Vancouver
Phoenix
Anaheim
San Jose
Norris Division
Toronto
Minnesota
St. Louis
Detroit
Colorado
Nashville
Columbus
Dallas
Grr…four of the six Original Six in one division!
Original Six Day sounds great, let’s air it on ESPN or ABC so everyone has a chance to see the games. Between periods of one of the games, we can tie Bettman to a “6 foot by 4 foot goal” and let fans line up to kick him in the nuts. Sounds like great hockey to me. Oh and let there be a couple good fights in the games, too.
my idea is to eliminate the Ducks, Lightning, Predators, Panthers, Blue Jackets, and Thrashers. Move the Devils to Quebec City (if they want an NHL team), the Capitals to Hamilton, the Coyotes to Winnipeg, and the Hurricanes to Hartford (if they want an NHL team)
Adams Division: Mtl, Quebec, NYI, NYR, Bos, Hartford
Patrick Division: Pit, Buf, Ott, Tor, Phi, Hamilton
Norris Division: Det, Dal, StL, Min, Chi, Winnipeg
Smythe Division: LA, SJ, Col, Edm, Van, Cal
Playoff format reverts to 1993 style, where teams are bracketed and seeded by division rather than by conference. This creates new rivalries, not the current scheduling.
Each team plays 72 games (reduced from 82). Each team will play six games against division opponents (30 games), three games against conference opponents (18 games), and 2 games against opposite conference opponents (24 games). This totals 72 games. This also reduces the chances of the NHL season lasting until June.
Oh yeah, and the Original Six Day is a great idea! I wonder why the NHL hadn’t thought of that yet.
Why would you eliminate the ducks and lightning, both recently won the stanley cup? And Jersey just built a new arena and is a fantastic franchise. I do agree with shortening up the schedule a little bit though.
The schedule has to be shortened.
Too many games in too few nights leads to alot
of bad hockey.
Teams aren;t going to burn out before the real seaaon start,
which is the playoffs.
Like Detroit did several years back.
I like the idea of getting rid of all of the teams Bettman added.
Along with getting rid of most of his new rules which have taken the intesity out of the game and made the refs the stars.
And lastly, I’d just like to get rid of Bettmen himself.
Justin,
Your scheduling plan won’t work. Adams teams play patrick teams 2 times or 3 times? There’s a descrepency there.
I agree, original six day would be sweet. I am a long time Red Wings fan and it’s an atrocity that we don’t play the Maple Leafs or the Canadiens moore often. I miss old time hockey, they are trying to turn every game into a floater game like the all star game. Bettman is a classless S.O.B and has no respect for tradition. He needs to go back to the damn NBA. I lived in North Carolina for 3 years and I can attest that the average person there is not even aware they have a hockey team, and that is just sad considering there are people in Quebec, Hamilton, and Winnepeg that would kill for a team. Well lets all hope and pray that Bettman will get fired for christmas this year.
Oh and I forgot to add, Lets make Don Cherry Commissioner, I get CBC in Detroit and I absolutely love Hockey Night in Canada.
There are too many great ways to divide the NHL up other than the boring, bland west-east format. All the NHL needs to do is get rid of two teams and they can have a nice 7-7-7-7 setup:
Take the two most worthless teams and dissolve them. Give the owners a nice severance check. I’m thinking Anaheim and Florida. I doubt anyone in South Miami or Orange County is going to shed a tear that their ice hockey team is gone. If vacationing Canadians want to see a team in Florida or Southern California, go see the Kings and Lightning.
Take another two teams and move them to productive markets. I’m thinking Nashville and Atlanta. Sorry, hockey is simply not working in these markets. You need grassroots popularity for hockey to work and I don’t think there’s too many outdoor ice rinks in downtown Atlanta. Move them to… let’s say, Winnipeg and Quebec. Canada’s dollar is as strong as America’s, they should have 8 teams.
WALES
Adams- MTL, DET, TOR, CHI, BOS, NYR, OTT
Patrick- PHI, LA, SJ, MIN, STL, PIT, DAL
CAMPBELL
Smythe- COL, EDM, CAR, PHX, WPG, QUE, CBJ
Norris- WSH, NYI, VAN, CGY, NJ, BUF, TB
Adams is all original six team plus Ottawa, since the original Sens played with the original six teams
Patrick is five of the original six teams, plus San Jose, which is close to having the Oakland Seals, and Minnesota, since the Stars originally played there.
Smythe is all the WHA teams and relocated teams to three of the original four WHA cities that PHX, COL and CAR are from
Norris is all the 70s expansion teams plus Tampa, because I couldn’t figure out where to stick them.
This lineup makes every current East team to play at least a couple West teams on a regular basis, except hte Original Six division but they should get special treatment anyhow. No more bitching about how WEst teams have to travel more.
Play 6 games against the other 6 teams in division: 36
Play 2 games against the 7 teams in other division: 14
Play 2 games against the 14 teams other conference- 28
78 games. Make top four spots in each division playoffs spots, division winners face each other for conference finals, all best of 7. Chop pre-season in half, season ends about a month earlier (may much better than june). Teams in relevant, historically oriented divisions and 4 markets that don’t care about hockey lose hockey teams, while four markets that want hockey get them.
there you go.
My thought was to eliminate 10 teams, LA, Phoenix, Columbus, Nashville, the entire Southeast Division and the Islanders.
1) Why does NY need three teams? There isn’t a third NY team in baseball or football.
2) Anaheim should stay because they won the Cup. LA fans go to the Staples Center to watch Kobe and the Lakers.
reduce the number of games to 60.
getting rid of 2-6 is more reasonable. Which owners dislike Bettman the most?
JN
actually….Anaheim residents don’t know and don’t care about their team. People here in Orange County, CA think Teemu Selanne was the team’s captain and top centerman last season. LA residents on the other hand, do care about their hockey team. That’s why the Staples Center still sells pretty well despite how terrible the Kings are playing. If the Ducks play terrible, they can barely fill half the stadium. Plus, the Kings also have history and a player named Wayne Gretzky who played for them. The Ducks should the team that contracts, not the Kings.
The Islanders should also stay. They are able to sell out their home playoff games and have a lengthy history. The Devils on the other hand, can’t sell out their home playoff games. Plus, the Devils’ history isn’t as long as the Islanders. The Devils should go, not the Islanders.
The teams that should contract are the Ducks, Panthers, Predators, Thrashers, Lightning, and Blue Jackets. The teams that should relocate are the Devils, Hurricanes, Capitals, and Coyotes to Quebec City, Hartford, Hamilton, and Winnipeg, respectively (assuming Quebec City and Hartford wants an NHL team)
Redwings should be in the east, you guys can bitch about the other stuff all you want, but the Wings should be in the east.
Trex97, good idea. My re-designed NHL would have Detroit in a division with Buffalo, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.
The NHL has (or should have) its own identity. Maybe a more basic problem with having Bettman for 15 years is that they’re trying to be like the NBA which they can never do.
Yes it’s important to have a strong presence in NY, Detroit and Chicago, but very few hockey die-hards are thrilled to see Stanley cup finals in Raleigh or Tampa.