good blog. very informative.

I like all of your ideas except the Playoffs. Leave the Playoff's alone. More teams just cheapens them and makes the winning teams rest and cool off while the lower teams get to stay hot. Resting is not always the best thing for a hockey team, especially one that got hot down the road. Look at the teams in the finals, last couple of years. Lower seed teams normally get in at the end by getting on a hot streak. Sure, sometimes teams would prefer rest to staying loose, but going through even one entire playoff series & not being able to play is going to be rough getting back. It's a nice idea but I think we should leave the thing the NHL does better than any other league alone.

I kind of like the 20 team playoff idea. Hell of a blog, EK.

- Panthers88

No man, I'm being serious... It was a good read for sure and had it been written in the usual haphazard manner, it would have been unbearable and I probably couldn't have finished it... It was well written and I enjoyed reading it...

The luxury tax idea is good in theory, but I think the gap between the have's and havenot's is way too wide for that to happen and for the parity in the league to remain the way it is.
- buffalofan19

I would go a different direction with this. Allow only smaller markets to go over the cap & pay the luxury tax if they so choose. Since the definition of "small market" & "large market" is nebulous at best & could change, set criteria (combo of local ratings, times on national TV, attendance/sellouts, etc.). The existing large market teams would price out top tier talent with any luxury tax & thus destroy the cap. In return, the percentage that any large market team pays into revenue sharing is offset by the luxury tax contributions of the smaller market teams. You still maintain parity, revenue sharing continues & basically everyone pays for freight....

No man, I'm being serious... It was a good read for sure and had it been written in the usual haphazard manner, it would have been unbearable and I probably couldn't have finished it... It was well written and I enjoyed reading it...
- SofaKingBored

As did I. But seeing someone point it out made me lol. It was a great blog, full of research and facts. I loved it. I also like some of the things being discussed. I just really hope that, at the end of the day, the FANS aren't the losers

I think the idea of a "Luxury Tax" has its merit, in the right form.

Let's say the cap ceiling is set at 67 million. The "Luxury Tax" rule will allow Team X to spend 15% over the cap, or 10.05 million dollars. The cost, however would be the amount over the cap, dollar for dollar, directly into revenue sharing. So Team X signs Player Y to a contract that will put them 5.2 million over the cap. Then the team is on the hook for an extra 5.2 million directly into revenue sharing. Also, you can only take 1 contract over the cap.

This keeps teams from spending WAY too much and poaching all the elite talent from the rest of the League, but gives teams with more money than brains the ability to go over if they feel it necessary.

We will be getting the NHLPA proposal shortly...

For the first time in... well ever I think. Toronto didn't have sellouts last season. Up for sale (sold?) this year.
Canadiens were sold in 09. Operating incomes that have barely increased despite seeing a 30 cents on the dollar difference in gate/salarie due tot he plunge of the american dollar.
- B-Wforever

the Leafs playes to 103% capacity last year, so im not sure where you're coming from.

as for operating incomes, don't know, don't care, but i don't see what operating income has to do with fan support. plenty of companies lose money despite monstrous sales volumes.

I would go a different direction with this. Allow only smaller markets to go over the cap & pay the luxury tax if they so choose. Since the definition of "small market" & "large market" is nebulous at best & could change, set criteria (combo of local ratings, times on national TV, attendance/sellouts, etc.). The existing large market teams would price out top tier talent with any luxury tax & thus destroy the cap. In return, the percentage that any large market team pays into revenue sharing is offset by the luxury tax contributions of the smaller market teams. You still maintain parity, revenue sharing continues & basically everyone pays for freight....
- Edog37

Now ask yourself how likely it is that the low-revenue teams [many of which are in small markets] are going to go over the cap and be subject to a luxury tax when they're struggling to break even [after getting revenue sharing money] by spending only to the midpoint or less. The cap is only going to be exceeded by the high-revenue teams [and the Sabres, if Pegula truly opens up the wallet]; their spending is going to put price pressure on the rest of the league. The more their spending is unconstrained, the more pressure that's put on everyone else.

As much as I rag on the city, I went there for a Sabres/Devils game ( girlfriend is a devils fan ) The arena is very good. Surrounding area is not but you dont stay close to the arena anyway
- IrishRage

The city just received 1Billion to renovate the downtown district. The blue prints looks amazing. One thing that is always said is the arena is in a bad spot, which it is. (Not a bad area, just few bars/restaurants in walking distance) Hopefully with this renovation it will rejuvinate the area.

Though I do have verry little faith in the NYS Gov't in being able to do things right, but thats another place for another time.

Even Terry Pegula is willing to throw in some plans and cash with his ideas to build ice rinks for internationl competitions and such next to the FN'C

The city just received 1Billion to renovate the downtown district. The blue prints looks amazing. One thing that is always said is the arena is in a bad spot, which it is. (Not a bad area, just few bars/restaurants in walking distance) Hopefully with this renovation it will rejuvinate the area.

Though I do have verry little faith in the NYS Gov't in being able to do things right, but thats another place for another time.

Even Terry Pegula is willing to throw in some plans and cash with his ideas to build ice rinks for internationl competitions and such next to the FN'C
- ImThatGuy

Yea the arena itself is very nice and the girlfriend didnt get much heckling just the occasional jab. Once we got to our cars and trying to get out of there every panhandler and whatnot were everywhere. We usually go down to buffalo every month or so, but never drive to that area.. if they fixed it up it would be that much better

You do know that the NHL propped up Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver when they were "weak markets", right?

Yes, Vancouver.

Look it up.
- Atomic Wedgie

bump

Maybe I am in the minority here, and I understadn coming from a leaf fan this can sound liek sour grapes, but with that in mind here goes......

In all other sports, the elagues work to prop up their anchors.
In baseball everyone loves to hate the dodger, yankees, and red sox. The league isn't trying to keep these guys competetive with the rest.
In EPL, Man U and Arsenal etc, are always tops.
In basketball if the lakers aren't in the plyoffs everyone is upset.

In hockey you see the reverse. The last 8 years have seen a huge drop off in fan bases in Detroit, Toronto and Montreal and to a lesser extent Chicago. Dallas went from a top team to bankruptcy.
The system pushed in by the "non hockey market" owners is destroying the base franchises.

I am truely hopeful that this time the corner stone franchises will be a lot more vocal, and persuasive, and ensure a system is put in place that allows for some sort of protection for the big name franchises. I.e. allowing them to spend their own money.
- B-Wforever

The NHL is run by Barack Hussein Obama......Just wants to spread the wealth around....The losers get the free stuff the rich teams stuck flipping the bill....

Yea the arena itself is very nice and the girlfriend didnt get much heckling just the occasional jab. Once we got to our cars and trying to get out of there every panhandler and whatnot were everywhere. We usually go down to buffalo every month or so, but never drive to that area.. if they fixed it up it would be that much better
- IrishRage

Like I said I hope so, but am holding on expectations due to our Gov't. Considering the NYS Gov't was once voted most corrupt in America.

THere haev been so many good ideas that get squashed because no one can agree and they all go on strike. Again another place for another time.

Hopefully you make it donw this year. Pegula is renovating the inside and out. Starting with statues of the Fench Connection. Not to brag at all but the Sabres current Owner might be the best thing to happen to Buffalo sports.

Not saying much because the most relevant things are wide right. Homerun Throwback and No goal.

You do know that the NHL propped up Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver when they were "weak markets", right?

Yes, Vancouver.

Look it up.
- Atomic Wedgie

You can add Buffalo to that Mix.

No man, I'm being serious... It was a good read for sure and had it been written in the usual haphazard manner, it would have been unbearable and I probably couldn't have finished it... It was well written and I enjoyed reading it...
- SofaKingBored

It's funny you say that because I thought the exact opposite. Grammatically, this was a pain to get through with incomplete thoughts and sentences. The content was good but if he hired a proof reader he's better off doing it himself.

You do know that the NHL propped up Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver when they were "weak markets", right?

Yes, Vancouver.

Look it up.
- Atomic Wedgie

Weak CAN$

Different circumstances.

it is perhaps noteworthy that we expected the NHLPA to make the proposal public about thirty minutes ago. Still presenting to League. not sure if we should read anything into this at this point.

Ek

it is perhaps noteworthy that we expected the NHLPA to make the proposal public about thirty minutes ago. Still presenting to League. not sure if we should read anything into this at this point.
- Eklund

MTC?

Love love love the 20 team playoff proposal....been wanting that forever. And as an aside to that, please rank the teams 1-10....or 1-8. Enough of this division leaders crap.

Now, where's my cookie, Ek? *collapses*

Shouldn't we require a first team in southern ontario before worrying about a second?
- smkuchta

I was wondering how long it would take some jackass to say that.....longer than I thought.

No to a luxury tax. The NBA had (has?) one and all that means is the league is dominated by three teams because they can spend the most.

Weak CAN$

Different circumstances.
- The-O-G

No reason that couldn't happen again. In fact, if the loonie drops to something more like $1.20CN = $1US, at least two teams in Canada not only become eligible for revenue sharing funds, they potentially start needing revenue sharing funds to be able to spend to the midpoint of the salary cap range.