Michael Ghofrani: Thoughts On The Playoff Format, Sabres and Draft Lottery

Fistorama

just more reason they should either play out the regular season and have normal playoffs, with a November start to next year.. or just scrap the rest of the season. We're essentially having a 24 team exhibition tourny decide who gets the names engraved on the Cup forever. A team 10pts out of a wildcard spot with 11 games to go.. shouldn't be playing against a team that earned their current 5th seed, for a chance to advance further, and further, until winning the Cup. Unlikely, but it shouldn't be a thing.

Anyway.. the million dollar questions remain regarding the draft lottery, conditional draft picks that involve making or missing the playoffs, etc etc etc. So much extra that could be avoided by finishing the regular season.. which is just about 10 more games. Have a 1-week camp to get back up to speed.. relatively speaking.. and then resume the season.

Jason Botterill has done NOTHING to deserve being here... he's actually made the cap situation worse. The team is worse (even with Jack nearing superstar status. Botterill was a bum hire, he should have been fired last year and he should be fired ASAP.

our sole purpose is to win the lottery every year, THAT is the sabres truth.

The 7 teams that didn't qualify to continue their seasons will be joined by the 8 teams that get knocked out of the best of 5 series' to make for a 15 team draft lottery.

Either that, or the entire league will be in the lottery just like the Crosby draft year.

We lose again.

Anyway.. the million dollar questions remain regarding the draft lottery, conditional draft picks that involve making or missing the playoffs, etc etc etc. So much extra that could be avoided by finishing the regular season.. which is just about 10 more games. Have a 1-week camp to get back up to speed.. relatively speaking.. and then resume the season.
- MartysBetter88

They clearly aren’t going to finish the regular season so just forgetaboutit. The question is really what is the league going to do in regards to the draft.

In relation to our Arizona pick, IF Az gets into the playoffs and loses first round I don’t think they’ll move in draft slots. If they win a round it will change their pick to later in the first round BUT they will also have to give us a 2nd next year instead of a third round pick. So strap yourself into this goat (frank).

And that’s before the league decides to get creative.

Jason Botterill has done NOTHING to deserve being here... he's actually made the cap situation worse. The team is worse (even with Jack nearing superstar status. Botterill was a bum hire, he should have been fired last year and he should be fired ASAP.

our sole purpose is to win the lottery every year, THAT is the sabres truth.
- gordong

Jason Botterill has done NOTHING to deserve being here... he's actually made the cap situation worse. The team is worse (even with Jack nearing superstar status. Botterill was a bum hire, he should have been fired last year and he should be fired ASAP.

our sole purpose is to win the lottery every year, THAT is the sabres truth.
- gordong

Agreed he should be gone

The 7 teams that didn't qualify to continue their seasons will be joined by the 8 teams that get knocked out of the best of 5 series' to make for a 15 team draft lottery.

Either that, or the entire league will be in the lottery just like the Crosby draft year.

We lose again.
- Losman

Are you sure? Sounds like complete douche.

just more reason they should either play out the regular season and have normal playoffs, with a November start to next year.. or just scrap the rest of the season. We're essentially having a 24 team exhibition tourny decide who gets the names engraved on the Cup forever. A team 10pts out of a wildcard spot with 11 games to go.. shouldn't be playing against a team that earned their current 5th seed, for a chance to advance further, and further, until winning the Cup. Unlikely, but it shouldn't be a thing.

Anyway.. the million dollar questions remain regarding the draft lottery, conditional draft picks that involve making or missing the playoffs, etc etc etc. So much extra that could be avoided by finishing the regular season.. which is just about 10 more games. Have a 1-week camp to get back up to speed.. relatively speaking.. and then resume the season.
- MartysBetter88

Players are not going to be in shape and lots of injuries will happen lots players probably have beer belly .... its probably the bottom teams lol

As for whether he actually deserves to be fired, consider this. The Sabres got a near MVP like season out of Jack Eichel, and were still not good enough to get into an expanded playoff format that includes more than 3/4ths of the league. That pretty much says it all does it not?

Almost says it all, but there's this:

After 3 whole years, he couldn't ice a team that came in 24th.

Regardless of the extenuating circumstances and inevitable excuses, that's absolutely pathetic and should result in his firing.

Hopefully they at least make him give a teleconference to end the season so we can hear him squirm. Seems like they're going to waste another year with the "cap guru"

Moving forward...

For the playoffs:
-keep the 24 playoff team system
-the added revenue would be huge for teams

For the lotto:
-lotto should only be among the teams who miss the playoffs
-can still do 3 lotto picks if they want
-I’m ok with limiting how many spots u can move up... that always made more sense to me than letting a team who barely missed the playoffs move up 10+ spots based off pure luck

Moving forward...

For the playoffs:
-keep the 24 playoff team system
-the added revenue would be huge for teams

For the lotto:
-lotto should only be among the teams who miss the playoffs
-can still do 3 lotto picks if they want
-I’m ok with limiting how many spots u can move up... that always made more sense to me than letting a team who barely missed the playoffs move up 10+ spots based off pure luck
- jdfitz77

That effectively renders the regular season pointless. I get it for this year but playing 82 games makes no sense if 2/3rds of the teams make it

That effectively renders the regular season pointless. I get it for this year but playing 82 games makes no sense if 2/3rds of the teams make it
- jcragcrumple

Worked fine when 16-21 teams made it

And it would create so much more revenue for the league

It’s a no brainer
$$$ talks

Worked fine when 16-21 teams made it

And it would create so much more revenue for the league

It’s a no brainer
$$$ talks
- jdfitz77

I'm skeptical of that. It's a gate-revenue league and undermining the value of the regular season would not help regular season ticket sales

I'd like to see the NHL get a good head start on the NBA and showcase the game for a broader audience. Never have this opportunity(hate to call it that) to reach a broader audience starving for sports...and the tourney in that case might be kind of cool

Moving forward...

For the playoffs:
-keep the 24 playoff team system
-the added revenue would be huge for teams

For the lotto:
-lotto should only be among the teams who miss the playoffs
-can still do 3 lotto picks if they want
-I’m ok with limiting how many spots u can move up... that always made more sense to me than letting a team who barely missed the playoffs move up 10+ spots based off pure luck
- jdfitz77

I would be done completely with the NHL if they did 24 playoff teams we be such a joke

Worked fine when 16-21 teams made it

And it would create so much more revenue for the league

It’s a no brainer
$$$ talks
- jdfitz77

Players would have to get money in the playoffs
I don't see any players agreeing to this

I'm skeptical of that. It's a gate-revenue league and undermining the value of the regular season would not help regular season ticket sales

Huh?
Seems more likely that it’ll HELP sell regular season tix for more teams that would be on the bubble late in the season

Plus the extra playoff game gate revenue

Plus a bigger TV contract


It would easily be a huge boost to revenue
Something the NHL actually desperately needs after everything that’s gonna on with Corona

Players would have to get money in the playoffs
I don't see any players agreeing to this

They would get more $$$
And what player wouldn’t wanna make the playoffs

The players would easily agree to this

Huh?
Seems more likely that it’ll HELP sell regular season tix for more teams that would be on the bubble late in the season

Plus the extra playoff game gate revenue

Plus a bigger TV contract


It would easily be a huge boost to revenue
Something the NHL actually desperately needs after everything that’s gonna on with Corona
- jdfitz77

You'd effectively render +/- half of the games meaningless from February on

You'd effectively render +/- half of the games meaningless from February on
- jcragcrumple

Do the teams that are clearly in the playoffs now struggle to seek late season tix?

Sabres didn’t when we were good

happy eid mubarak everyone

Bottom 7 for the lotto, only two teams move up.

The 7 teams that didn't qualify to continue their seasons will be joined by the 8 teams that get knocked out of the best of 5 series' to make for a 15 team draft lottery.

Either that, or the entire league will be in the lottery just like the Crosby draft year.

We lose again.
- Losman

I still can't believe how badly the Sabres got (frank)ed in that draft. Then Darcy compounded it with probably his worst pick. Though, looking at that draft, the only guy picked within 5 picks that turned into even a pro was Martin Hanzal and he was made of very thin glass; 13 years in the pros and not one complete season. You have to go 11 picks to get to Oshie. The 3-2-1 odds system was moronical too.