No matter what system they go with, NHL fans will moan and complain about it.

If we went to 1-8, people would be complaining that the Bruins, TB and the Leafs got fat off of the weak teams in their division - so the current format isn't fair to Metropolitan teams.

If we went to 1-16, there would be the same complaints about east vs. west, and teams would have (probably legitimate) complaints about having to travel crazy distances (Vancouver vs. Florida would be fun in a seven game series).

Current system is fine. Let's just live with it.
- Atomic Wedgie

Well seeing that this world is so P.C these days, I say let everyone in the playoffs... Everyone should get a participation trophy...

No matter what system they go with, NHL fans will moan and complain about it.

If we went to 1-8, people would be complaining that the Bruins, TB and the Leafs got fat off of the weak teams in their division - so the current format isn't fair to Metropolitan teams.

If we went to 1-16, there would be the same complaints about east vs. west, and teams would have (probably legitimate) complaints about having to travel crazy distances (Vancouver vs. Florida would be fun in a seven game series).

Current system is fine. Let's just live with it.
- Atomic Wedgie

I think the increased inter-conference play has been a bad thing for divisions, and the league in general. I don't care about watching the sabres play the flames twice a year, personally. Divisions are largely irrelevant now, except for the playoff format, which is weird

Well seeing that this world is so P.C these days, I say let everyone in the playoffs... Everyone should get a participation trophy...
- hehateme

Dude, in the late 80s, like 16 out of 20 teams made the playoffs

Dude, in the late 80s, like 16 out of 20 teams made the playoffs
- jcragcrumple

Hey, it wasn't that bad.

16 out of 21 teams made it.

In 1987-88, the Leafs cruised to a 21-49-10 record...

...and made the playoffs.

....so their agent can have some leverage on the renewal of their upcoming contract?"

- sabreadvocate1

He could have gotten paid like a 40 goal scorer if he played that way the whole year.
...his loss.

Hey, it wasn't that bad.

16 out of 21 teams made it.

In 1987-88, the Leafs cruised to a 21-49-10 record...

...and made the playoffs.
- Atomic Wedgie

That's hilarious

The current playoff format sucks, They won't let Buffalo in.

That's hilarious
- jcragcrumple

The Norris Division was a very special place.

In 1985-86, the Leafs finished with 57 points. Luckily, the Red Wings finished with 40 points, so we were comfortably in a playoff spot.

In the 1st round, we upset the Black Hawks (3 games to 0) and almost upset the Blues in the 2nd round (lost in the 7th game).

How awesome would it have been for a 57 point team to make the semis?

Gawd, it was terrible hockey. Unless you liked fights...

The Norris Division was a very special place.

In 1985-86, the Leafs finished with 57 points. Luckily, the Red Wings finished with 40 points, so we were comfortably in a playoff spot.

In the 1st round, we upset the Black Hawks (3 games to 0) and almost upset the Blues in the 2nd round (lost in the 7th game).

How awesome would it have been for a 57 point team to make the semis?

Gawd, it was terrible hockey. Unless you liked fights...
- Atomic Wedgie

I was born in '90, so I missed all that goodness, but I just looked up that season, and most teams had 9-13 ties.

Was that normal?

That sounds terrible

No matter what system they go with, NHL fans will moan and complain about it.

If we went to 1-8, people would be complaining that the Bruins, TB and the Leafs got fat off of the weak teams in their division - so the current format isn't fair to Metropolitan teams.

If we went to 1-16, there would be the same complaints about east vs. west, and teams would have (probably legitimate) complaints about having to travel crazy distances (Vancouver vs. Florida would be fun in a seven game series).

Current system is fine. Let's just live with it.
- Atomic Wedgie

Dude, they did the crazy travel, in 1980! When this was the mode of transport:



Buffalo played Vancouver in the first round, Philly played Edmonton, the Cup winner Islanders played LA.

The current system is an abomination.

1-16 is the fairest way to do it.

Close second would be stick with conferences and go 1-8 with the division winners getting 1 and 2, not like it would ever be different, but just as a guarantee.

I'll say it again, the current system is an abomination.

The Norris Division was a very special place.

In 1985-86, the Leafs finished with 57 points. Luckily, the Red Wings finished with 40 points, so we were comfortably in a playoff spot.

In the 1st round, we upset the Black Hawks (3 games to 0) and almost upset the Blues in the 2nd round (lost in the 7th game).

How awesome would it have been for a 57 point team to make the semis?

Gawd, it was terrible hockey. Unless you liked fights...
- Atomic Wedgie

Ah I remember those days fondly. I loved Hockey in the late 80's early 90's.. Rock'em sock'em hockey. If you can't beat the other team on the score board, Literally beat the snot out of them.....

I was born in '90, so I missed all that goodness, but I just looked up that season, and most teams had 9-13 ties.

Was that normal?

That sounds terrible
- jcragcrumple

It was back when a tie was a tie - no OT, no shootout.

A tie on the road was considered a good thing.

I miss the Nordiques.

I was born in '90, so I missed all that goodness, but I just looked up that season, and most teams had 9-13 ties.

Was that normal?

That sounds terrible
- jcragcrumple

That seems kind of low, the year the Sabres lost to the Stars they had 17 ties.

I was a huge proponent of trading for O'Reilly, I love the way he plays the game, He is a very good defensive forward. But I have to agree with Howard Simon on this one. When we acquired him, he talked about finally getting a chance to be a leader, he felt he was a back round player there.......still waiting.
After his first year here, he said he needed to learn to be more vocal in the room.....still waiting.
Last year he reiterated that he needed to be more committed to be a leader on this team.....still waiting.
Now he's lost his love for the game? Maybe he needs to a Bhuddist Temple to find himself or maybe with a little luck it will happen at the Worlds, hanging with some of the other leaders on that team.
Maybe he could hang out with Patrick Marleau for a week and learn how to be a leader of men.

I miss the Nordiques.
- LandlordTom

I miss the whalers....

I was a huge proponent of trading for O'Reilly, I love the way he plays the game, He is a very good defensive forward. But I have to agree with Howard Simon on this one. When we acquired him, he talked about finally getting a chance to be a leader, he felt he was a back round player there.......still waiting.
After his first year here, he said he needed to learn to be more vocal in the room.....still waiting.
Last year he reiterated that he needed to be more committed to be a leader on this team.....still waiting.
Now he's lost his love for the game? Maybe he needs to a Bhuddist Temple to find himself or maybe with a little luck it will happen at the Worlds, hanging with some of the other leaders on that team.
Maybe he could hang out with Patrick Marleau for a week and learn how to be a leader of men.
- macman9

We are not willing to risk Sabre-malaise infecting Marleau.

Sorry.

How about O'Reilly spends a week with Bobby Ryan?

I miss the whalers....
- hehateme

first game I saw was the Sabres Vs Colorado Rockies.... I was not born in the 90's

I was a huge proponent of trading for O'Reilly, I love the way he plays the game, He is a very good defensive forward. But I have to agree with Howard Simon on this one. When we acquired him, he talked about finally getting a chance to be a leader, he felt he was a back round player there.......still waiting.
After his first year here, he said he needed to learn to be more vocal in the room.....still waiting.
Last year he reiterated that he needed to be more committed to be a leader on this team.....still waiting.
Now he's lost his love for the game? Maybe he needs to a Bhuddist Temple to find himself or maybe with a little luck it will happen at the Worlds, hanging with some of the other leaders on that team.
Maybe he could hang out with Patrick Marleau for a week and learn how to be a leader of men.
- macman9

I just think the dude is a total fraud. He seems completely fake to me.

He's a fine 2nd line center on an average team. If this team ever wins a cup, he's probably a 3rd line center or top 6 wing.

We got hosed

No matter what system they go with, NHL fans will moan and complain about it.

If we went to 1-8, people would be complaining that the Bruins, TB and the Leafs got fat off of the weak teams in their division - so the current format isn't fair to Metropolitan teams.

If we went to 1-16, there would be the same complaints about east vs. west, and teams would have (probably legitimate) complaints about having to travel crazy distances (Vancouver vs. Florida would be fun in a seven game series).

Current system is fine. Let's just live with it.
- Atomic Wedgie

I’m fine with how it is now,
just think that 1-8 is better
That way u don’t run into the 2 teams with the best record playing each other in round 2

Dude, in the late 80s, like 16 out of 20 teams made the playoffs
- jcragcrumple

In the example Bandit posted,
ALL 16 teams made it

We are not willing to risk Sabre-malaise infecting Marleau.

Sorry.

How about O'Reilly spends a week with Bobby Ryan?
- Atomic Wedgie

At least Bobby won a cup. SJ gonna go farther with Kane then they did with Marleau

The Norris Division was a very special place.

In 1985-86, the Leafs finished with 57 points. Luckily, the Red Wings finished with 40 points, so we were comfortably in a playoff spot.

In the 1st round, we upset the Black Hawks (3 games to 0) and almost upset the Blues in the 2nd round (lost in the 7th game).

How awesome would it have been for a 57 point team to make the semis?

Gawd, it was terrible hockey. Unless you liked fights...
- Atomic Wedgie

Weren’t the NorthStars pretty bad that year they lost to Pitt in the Cup?
Don’t remember their record,
but I’m pretty sure they had the least points of the playoff teams that season
Got in bc of their weak division if i remember right

I just think the dude is a total fraud. He seems completely fake to me.

He's a fine 2nd line center on an average team. If this team ever wins a cup, he's probably a 3rd line center or top 6 wing.

We got hosed
- sbroads24

I've read the fraud comment multiple times before.

What exactly do you mean by that?

Dude, they did the crazy travel, in 1980! When this was the mode of transport:



Buffalo played Vancouver in the first round, Philly played Edmonton, the Cup winner Islanders played LA.

The current system is an abomination.

1-16 is the fairest way to do it.

Close second would be stick with conferences and go 1-8 with the division winners getting 1 and 2, not like it would ever be different, but just as a guarantee.

I'll say it again, the current system is an abomination.
- Wetbandit1

Don’t think it’s more fair to do 1-16 unless all teams play each other the same amount of times