Just as example Vancouver and Colorado played a few days ago and they meet a stagering 7 more times this season.
I would personally prefure to watch the old set up where west playes ALL eastern teams at least twice and vise versa.Whats the point of having all the teams if I can't enjoy the game play against other teams other than the same BOREING ones.
WHAT YA GOT TO SAY TO THE BETTMAN???
comments??
2006-10-09 21:39:44 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Hockey
First of all, it was not Bettman's idea. The rules to change the schedule were suggested by the NHLPA in 1981. Prior to the 1981-82 season, each NHL team played each other NHL team 4 times...2 at home, and 2 on the road.
Alan Eagleson felt that with the extra teams (the NHL had taken in 4 WHA teams 2 years earlier) there was too much travel and this affected the players (read - it affected the contract potential of his clients). So, the NHL re-aligned and teams played each team in their own division 8x, and the rest of the league 3x each (except in the Smythe Division where that was 7x each). This continued for several years.
In 1991, the Players association created the idea on a Baseball style idea where you only play teams within your own conference. The owners supported this idea. John Ziegler did not!
In 1997, in anticipation of a 30 team league, the players association once again presented to the league an non-interlocking schedule. This schedule was turned down by Bettman who mandated that each team should play each other team at least once. The owners disagreed and planned a scheduling system would rely heavily on interdivisional matchups (similar to baseball and football) and rotate inter-conference play on a divisional basis (similar to football and baseball).
There are some inequalities of the system. The Avalanche have been to Boston 4x, the Bruins have been to Denver 9x.
The Nashville Predators have played in Toronto 6x, Toronto has been to Nashville 1x
2006-10-15 17:18:53 · answer #1 · answered by Like I'm Telling You Who I A 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Whoever thought of this new system of scheduling games is really STUPID!! Why would you have some teams play each other EIGHT times and some teams not play each other once??? It kills all the old rivalries. Toronto only plays Detroit every couple years, while they play their division rivals eight times a year. If Gary Bettman wants to do good with sales, he should try getting Crosby and Ovechkin in as many arenas as possible instead of putting them into the same arena eight times. And I want to see Dion Phaneuf play. THIS SUCKS!!! WE NEED TO GET RID OF BETTMAN!!!!!!!!!!
2006-10-11 20:05:21 · answer #2 · answered by hockey craze99 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
he did this so it would be lest traveling and the teams owners can save more money. out in Vancouver their is a big Habs fans base but they are all mad cause i don't think the Habs go back down to Vancouver for another 3 years. i think they should make it like 6 games vs their own. remember Gary Bettman is for the owners.
2006-10-10 12:06:15 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yavol - we have a right to see all the players aroud the league. What sense does it make if two teams meet in the cup final, but have not played each other all year.
2006-10-12 01:29:42 · answer #4 · answered by muskokastan 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋