How do you make the schedule fair?

Question

I know the GMs have been talking about it, but how would you make the schedule? Rules:

You have to stay with the current 30 teams and 82 game schedule, 41 home and 41 away.

Other than that, everything is fair game, division rivals? conference foes? interconference play?

Answer 1

It's difficult to do with an 82 game schedule and with the current alignment. The best I can come up with is;

4 games vs. each team in your division = 16

3 games vs. each of the teams in the two other divisions = 30

2 games vs. each team in the other conference = 30

That comes to 76 games, which I find acceptable.

Answer 2

Let me begin by saying that fair doesn't always equal economically sound and I understand why teams can't do the schedule this way.....
However, from a fans perspective, I would love to see a schedule that allowed every team to play each other once, both home and away, that would assure that everyone would get the opportunity to see their favorite team or player once.

So, play the 8 games against the 4 remaining opponents in your division (32) and one home and away game against the 25 remaining teams in the league(50) and you come up with an 82 game schedule. I know its impractical, especially for the west coast teams, but I think it is fair from a fans perspective.

LITY and Bob are much more into the numbers involved behind these things. I am speaking as a fan that appreciates the concept of developing divisional rivalries but also sees the importance of a 9 year old in Calgary getting to see Crosby or Ovechkin every year if those are his favorite players or teams.

Answer 3

I, for one, get sick of watching my team play the same teams game-in and game-out. I don't care how they do the schedule, but cross-conference games need to be added in, and divisional games need to be scaled back. I've never been convinced that divisional games are really that much more competitive. Some of the most exciting, hard-played games I have ever seen have been with the likes of Kings-Senators or Rangers-Ducks. The only way division games make a lick of difference is if they play in the playoffs. That's it. The playoffs feed rivalries, not divisional play during the regular season. The economics argument is a joke. The NHL had tough travel schedules for 20 years before they changed it and managed. Other sports do it. Hockey can, too.

Answer 4

That's easy. You play the other conference home and away (30 games). You then play your own division 5 times (20 games). Then you play the other in-conference teams 3 times (30 games). Finally, you play the teams in your conference that finished in the same position as you the previous year (in terms of division placement) one additional time each (2 games).

30+20+30+2= a fair 82 game season

Answer 5

At the very least, everyone should play all the other teams at least once, but I agree that every team should get a home game and away game against all the other teams in the league as well. They could also do 6 divisional games and allow for some of the other conference teams to show up more than once.

Answer 6

i think just by doing the more balanced schedule is the best you can do, meaning 2 games against every team and then extra ones within division and/or against a specific other division

teams are gonna have weaker schedules, but there are enough games in hockey to balance things out for the most part

i second jsat and bill . . . i should have the chance to see my favorite players at least once a year in my hometown

Answer 7

i think of assembly 0.5 way is truthful a minimum of u dont ought to force the full distance and as for the two year previous i think that purely is going alongside with it as a ways by way of fact the artwork time table i wouldnt choose for that I easily have set cases like 6 pm friday evening to 6 pm sunday evening and it could be left as much as him to stress approximately his artwork time table so a ways as using except u 2 can agree on something else i could say your caught with that section

Answer 8

I don't have a problem with the unbalanced schedule. I prefer to see opponents from our division/conference.

This year, of my NY Rangers last 17 games, 13 of them will be within our division.

Talk about armageddon! I can't wait....

I could care less about facing teams from the other conference more than we already do.

It's perfectly fine the way it is.