Carol Schram: Vancouver Canucks: Alex Burrows Plays at Smashfest, Thoughts on Franson Alex Burrows makes an appearance at the Smashfest charity ping pong tournament, Cody Franson remains unsigned and some thoughts on how NHL expansion could affect alignment and playoff formats.

nice article

Thanks Carol.
In my opinion, we don't need anymore playoffs. The post season is too long already with the Stanley Cup being awarded in late June. I love hockey and miss it when it's not on but I still feel the post season should be over by or around the May long weekend.

Sign Franson for 4 million a season?

We might be able to shed a bit of cap to get the deal done. However, the Canucks would have 7 D-men on one way contracts if they sign Franson. I doubt Weber or Bartkowski are going to like playing in the AHL next season, assuming they cleared waivers. Not too sure if the signing would be beneficial to the team.

Sign Franson for 4 million a season?

We might be able to shed a bit of cap to get the deal done. However, the Canucks would have 7 D-men on one way contracts if they sign Franson. I doubt Weber or Bartkowski are going to like playing in the AHL next season, assuming they cleared waivers. Not too sure if the signing would be beneficial to the team.
- MikeO37

Yup

Sign Franson for 4 million a season?

We might be able to shed a bit of cap to get the deal done. However, the Canucks would have 7 D-men on one way contracts if they sign Franson. I doubt Weber or Bartkowski are going to like playing in the AHL next season, assuming they cleared waivers. Not too sure if the signing would be beneficial to the team.
- MikeO37

Yeah.

I don't think the Canucks are interested in doing this, but if they did want to bring Franson in, they'd have to move at least one defenseman - for both cap and roster reasons.

He wouldn't be an upgrade over Edler, Tanev or Hamhuis, but is probably better than the rest of the bunch, wouldn't you say?

Thanks Carol.
In my opinion, we don't need anymore playoffs. The post season is too long already with the Stanley Cup being awarded in late June. I love hockey and miss it when it's not on but I still feel the post season should be over by or around the May long weekend.
- Marwood

Thankfully we won't have to put up with Canuck games in June for a very long time.

Thankfully we won't have to put up with Canuck games in June for a very long time.
- Nucker101

Flagged.

Yeah.

I don't think the Canucks are interested in doing this, but if they did want to bring Franson in, they'd have to move at least one defenseman - for both cap and roster reasons.

He wouldn't be an upgrade over Edler, Tanev or Hamhuis, but is probably better than the rest of the bunch, wouldn't you say?
- Carol Schram

Probably. The Canucks Defense after the top 3 is pretty pathetic so he'd at least be an upgrade on them and a great fit on the first PP unit.

any short term deal for Franson will be 5 million no question. A 5 year deal you could maybe get 4 million out of it.

Flagged.
- pker2theend

Thankfully we won't have to put up with Canuck games in June for a very long time.
- Nucker101

They should just start a rebuild already. Get value of the aging players while they can.

They should just start a rebuild already. Get value of the aging players while they can.
- JVR_42_PK81

Most canucks fans are retarded though... They'd rather have the sedins stay
Not realizing that getting no assets would set them back 3-5 years.

Most canucks fans are retarded though... They'd rather have the sedins stay
Not realizing that getting no assets would set them back 3-5 years.
- I-own_da-Northwest

Doesn't matter what Canucks fans think, we don't make the moves.

Doesn't matter what Canucks fans think, we don't make the moves.
- Nucker101

Yes I suppose, the thing that we can try to do is to try and like the moves Benning makes.

Here is what’s going on:
- In 2011-2012, 30 players cracked the 30 goal mark, and four players cracked 40.
- In 2013-2014, 21 players cracked the 30 goal mark, and three players cracked 40.
- In 2014-2015, 15 players cracked the 30 goal mark, and three players cracked 40.

The number of 30 goal scorers has been cut in half in just three years, despite there being just as many goals per game per team in 2011-2012 as there was last year. There are several reasons for this, but here’s a big one:

- In 2011-2012, 19 defencemen cracked the 10 goal mark, and four scored 15 or more.
- In 2013-2014, 28 defencemen cracked the 10 goal mark, and six scored 15 or more.
- In 2014-2015, 32 defencemen cracked the 10 goal mark, and 10 scored 15 or more.
Better start pressuring the D of the other team.

I advocated this in a previous blog Carol, but I disagree with you with saying that a wild card situation would be bad. Having more teams qualifying and having a wild card round with the current way the points are given out for wins/OTL would discourage teams from outright tanking. Most teams are close enough in the playoff hunt that if there were two more wild card spots in the mix, all but the very last place teams would be more willing to take a chance at getting in.

It would also make the Trade Deadline more interesting and more hockey-type deals would be consummated as teams try to load up for a potential run. My wild card scenario would have the 7th and 8th place teams play the 9th and 10th in a 3 game wild card playoff. Then the winners would be the 7th and 8th seeds respectively and would move on to the regular playoffs. This would only add a week to the schedule and give the top 6 seeds in each conference a bye/time to heal/chance to practice for the regular playoffs.

I like the idea of 8 divisions of 4 teams, I do not like the idea of changing the playoff format. I think the NHL has the best playoff format of all the leagues and I don't want it ruined by more teams.

Tough to expand the playoffs. They already take 2 months and end well into June.

As the players make no money from playoff revenue, the only way they'd consider it would be if they started to receive a cut, which is likely a complete non-starter with the league. They are not in the habit of giving concessions to the NHLPA.

Apart from adding a 1 game playoff, similar to baseball, I can't see anything changing with the playoff format. And a 1 game playoff would be horrible.

Simply put, there is no reason to add extra playoff teams. It's a good structure now. 16 of 21 teams making the playoffs was pretty ridiculous.

Doesn't matter what Canucks fans think, we don't make the moves.
-Nucker101-

Well said Nucker...

if you could swap out one of the top 3 D for assets (young prospects/picks) and replace them with Franson for nothing buy salary, it seems like a good idea for a team on the rebuild.

I advocated this in a previous blog Carol, but I disagree with you with saying that a wild card situation would be bad. Having more teams qualifying and having a wild card round with the current way the points are given out for wins/OTL would discourage teams from outright tanking. Most teams are close enough in the playoff hunt that if there were two more wild card spots in the mix, all but the very last place teams would be more willing to take a chance at getting in.

It would also make the Trade Deadline more interesting and more hockey-type deals would be consummated as teams try to load up for a potential run. My wild card scenario would have the 7th and 8th place teams play the 9th and 10th in a 3 game wild card playoff. Then the winners would be the 7th and 8th seeds respectively and would move on to the regular playoffs. This would only add a week to the schedule and give the top 6 seeds in each conference a bye/time to heal/chance to practice for the regular playoffs.
- DariusKnight

I absolutely hate the idea of a wild card. So the top 6 teams in each conference have to sit around getting stale for a week? How many times have we seen a team dispatch another team in 4 games, only to come out flat and lose game 1, and possibly have it cost them a series?

The NHL has dealt with tanking. The odds of winning the lottery next year are even worse than they were this year. They don't have to add a Wild Card series to deal with tanking.

Doesn't matter what Canucks fans think, we don't make the moves.
-Nucker101-

Well said Nucker...
- Makita

"Most Vancouver fans" I love it. Most people that are online exaggerate to make their story better, hows that for a broad generalization?

Most canucks fans are retarded though... They'd rather have the sedins stay
Not realizing that getting no assets would set them back 3-5 years.
- I-own_da-Northwest

exactly. You guys need to stock the prospect cupboards and get some more good young players.