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What if…: The NHL Contracted to 24 teams?
Let’s face it, there are tons of things that just haven’t happened for us in our lives (for the good or bad) despite sometimes coming close! The accident you almost had, the job you almost didn’t take, that relationship that you passed up. Sometimes when we look back on these things there’s that little voice in the back of our heads that has us pausing for a second and thinking “What if….?”. And nevermind the past, how’s about the future? Aren’t we just chock full of what if’s when it comes to thinking about the possibilities ahead? What’s going to happen if I make this choice versus the other? What if someone did this? What would happen then?
Now, the psychologist in me has always held to dealing with the concrete. There is what happened, what is and where we can try our damndest to steer ourselves in the future. It’s advisable to do what you need to do to mourn what could have gone differently, but in the end what you’ve got is what you’ve got and you’re best to find a way to move forward with it in the most adaptable manner possible. Then there’s the Joe Blow side of me who likes to stir the pot a little bit by raising these hypotheticals with myself and others! To be honest, I find it entertaining because there can really be no right or wrong in them per se as we really don’t know how things would turn out had one variable in the equation been tweaked just slightly.
It’s that lack of right or wrong that intrigues me the most when it comes to hypothesizing about these scenarios, especially when it comes to the world of sports! I mean, what else are sports better for than making armchair experts out of the lot of us?!?!? Another draw to these amongst-fans debates: We can change whatever aspect of the past or future we want for the sake of debate, regardless of its feasibility. So what if it’s not
LOGICAL!! Your only job is to argue the situation as presented to you. Finally, we’re dealing with the factor of subjectivity, meaning that anyone can really argue for different outcomes to a given situation, or perhaps even come to the same conclusion but via completely different lines of reasoning.
So if you can’t tell by now, I’m fixing to stir the pot a little here in Hockeybuzz-land and get some interesting “What-if?” arguments going on. It’s one thing to debate the logistics of something that’s in the works, but I want to debate things that didn’t happen or never will as if they had or could! I want you to tell me how things would shake out and why you think they would that way. I’ll try my best to bring some creative/contentious possibilities to the table and hope the same creativity comes back the other way (albeit with a healthy dose of respect for each other’s opinions!). So here we go!
WHAT IF #1: The year is 2015 (yeah, the Mayans had the 2012 thing wrong!!). League viability hinges on contraction. It is determined that the most successful model would be to return to a 24-team format. Which six teams do not make the cut and why?
Let’s keep the choices based on sound arguments and the discussion respectful on this one! That being said, creativity can trump logic at times, so it’s welcome as long as it’s tasteful! Have fun folks!
Cheers!
Shawn Gates
[email protected]
Twitter: ShawnHockeybuzz
Facebook: Shawn Gates
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Remember to visit
www.hockeyden.net, watch the 08-09 Be A Player box break, and enter to win your choice of any card from the break (one that's LOADED with autographs)!
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