Quote:
Originally Posted by Strange Brew
^ Again I don’t want to make any players decision for them. Not my business.
But you’re saying 7 weeks for a player who doesn’t make the playoffs is a waste. But it is their job. They will earn money for this and a shot at playoff glory. It’s not without a reward.
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That's the thing though, for about a third of the teams in the league, they're either already mathematically eliminated or might as well be. Another third of the league is securely in a playoff spot. The other third are the only ones whose fates could change by playing more regular season games.
If you were Joe Thornton or Brent Burns (or any number of players in similar situations), would you agree to put yourself through this whole process just to help the other teams determine their playoff ranking? I know I wouldn't.
That's why I think any talk of resuming the regular season just doesn't make sense. Jumping right to the playoffs cuts in half the number of people who need to put themselves through all this (because it isn't just about the 20 multi-millionaire players on each team -- it's the trainers and equipment managers and reserve players who don't make anywhere close to the money the NHLers make).