Bye week/trade deadline idea - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

zukes · 02-28-2017, 11:39 AM

So, I think it's safe to say that the bye week has been a mess this year. I am fine with the players getting a break. I am sure long term, it is a good thing for their well-being. However, it is costing many teams points.

Here is my proposition, have the trade deadline be the first Wednesday of ever March, or last Wednesday of February, whichever day is closest to March 1. Then, you have all 30 teams play on the Saturday prior. Not 26, or 24 or 28. All. 30. Teams. Then, the players get their 5 days off.

There would also be a trading freeze (waivers and AHL moves would still be allowed to facilitate for moves needed to make trades) starting a week before.

The deadline is 6:00PMET on the Wednesday. Trades cannot be made until 10:00AMET to allow for this to be on TV all day in all markets. If a trade is leaked before this time, both teams get fined.

This accomplishes two things. Must see TV on the Wednesday. Allows for players to get their break all at once meaning all teams in theory would be rested/rusty.

Players report to their teams by 10:00am local time wherever they play next for practice on the Friday and all 30 (not 26, 24, 28) play again the following Saturday and the stretch drive begins!

bigrangy · 02-28-2017, 11:44 AM

That would actually be sweet.

Although I don't think you'd even need the trade freeze. Just keep the trades under wraps until the Wednesday if you can.

topfiverecords · 02-28-2017, 11:51 AM

That would be next to impossible to pull off. You'd have players, agents, lawyers, families, staff of the teams, staff of the league, that would all know about a trade completed before it was announced publicly.

You'd then need all of the GMs and their staff to know about all of the trades other teams made, in order to know what players are still available, what teams still have needs, and what the market values are.

Player X agrees to waive his no-trade to go to team Y. He can't tell his wife for a week?

There's too many people involved for every single trade to be kept quiet.

drewtastic · 02-28-2017, 11:51 AM

(e)Gad, Zukes! I like it!

(The all 30 teams playing part, at least!)

N-E-B · 02-28-2017, 11:53 AM

Like the idea but I agree that it might be too hard to pull off.

zukes · 02-28-2017, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

That would be next to impossible to pull off. You'd have players, agents, lawyers, families, staff of the teams, staff of the league, that would all know about a trade completed before it was announced publicly.

You'd then need all of the GMs and their staff to know about all of the trades other teams made, in order to know what players are still available, what teams still have needs, and what the market values are.

Player X agrees to waive his no-trade to go to team Y. He can't tell his wife for a week?

There's too many people involved for every single trade to be kept quiet.

Trade freeze. No trades until Wednesday. Trade is not official until Wednesday. Trade leaks, big fine! Nobody is playing, everyone is on vacation. If the GM's do it right (i.e. do your prep before) they could even do a quick getaway until Tuesday and come back and get ready to roll.

thymebalm · 02-28-2017, 12:06 PM

I don't see the point in the trade freeze but I like the idea of the buy week surrounding the trade deadline. You put the TD in the middle of bye-week and that way players can make it to their respective new clubs, and GMs can focus on trading exclusively.

Could be something there zukes.

Gaudfather · 02-28-2017, 12:14 PM

Bettman said last night on Bob McGowan's show the NHL will do some tinkering with the bye week next year - most likely having half the league take one 5 day span and the other half a different five day span. The NHL would not want the whole league out at the same time due to the concern on " going dark".

Bettman also hinted that after next year, the NHL would prefer eliminating the bye week altogether.

Weitz · 02-28-2017, 12:17 PM

There is no way the league shuts down for a week without something taking its place (Olympics). I also doubt the TV contracts would allow for that.

zukes · 02-28-2017, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thymebalm

I don't see the point in the trade freeze but I like the idea of the buy week surrounding the trade deadline. You put the TD in the middle of bye-week and that way players can make it to their respective new clubs, and GMs can focus on trading exclusively.

Could be something there zukes.

Just for TV ratings. Make all of these trades that we have had the last few days all happen at the same time. We are talking a week without hockey (which as Gaudfather points out would likely be opposed by the NHL anyway) so at least fans would have the full day of deadline coverage.

Jay Random · 02-28-2017, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zukes

Here is my proposition, have the trade deadline be the first Wednesday of ever March, or last Wednesday of February, whichever day is closest to March 1. Then, you have all 30 teams play on the Saturday prior. Not 26, or 24 or 28. All. 30. Teams.

I like this idea, but how do you work it next year when there are 31 teams?

topfiverecords · 02-28-2017, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Random

I like this idea, but how do you work it next year when there are 31 teams?

The league would let the Oilers not have to play in the first games back, yet play the team of the 30 that had played the most games of the season up to that point on a back to back.

Vinny01 · 02-28-2017, 12:50 PM

Not a bad idea but not a fan of shutting down the entire leafuemfor 5 days. I would restructure the bye week with half the league one week and the other half another week so we at least have hockey to watch every night.

zukes · 02-28-2017, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Random

I like this idea, but how do you work it next year when there are 31 teams?

add a team in Quebec City obviously

SuperMatt18 · 02-28-2017, 02:13 PM

The other option is you combine it all with all-star weekend if you push that back a month.

League shuts down Thursday, All-Star Skills Friday Night, All-Star Game Saturday Night, Trade Deadline Wednesday, League starts back up the Friday.

Non-all star players get a full week, All Star players get Sunday - Thursday off, Trade Deadline Wednesday helps to cover the lull of no games being played.

lazypucker · 02-28-2017, 02:35 PM

I will suggest that maybe the league can implement a "trade window" like in soccer. Teams are only allowed to make trades the day after the Stanley Cup is awarded up until the end of October, and only during the last 2 weeks of February. All other times trades are not allowed. That would make 2 deadline day events per season.

ken0042 · 02-28-2017, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazypucker

I will suggest that maybe the league can implement a "trade window" like in soccer. Teams are only allowed to make trades the day after the Stanley Cup is awarded up until the end of October, and only during the last 2 weeks of February. All other times trades are not allowed. That would make 2 deadline day events per season.

The the Flames cup run of 2004 never happens with a banged up Jamie McLennan as our starter.

Northendzone · 02-28-2017, 04:00 PM

Only problem is that now you have the possibility of players being in Mexico and on vacation and then having to deal with a trade

Sylvanfan · 02-28-2017, 05:13 PM

It's an interesting concept. if the NHL really does want to become a bit more attractive to fans, having this staged event that they could broadcast could work. It would be very hard to control making all the trades on a certain day without leaking information though. With connections being made thru all levels of teams, and the twitter verse...media people will be chomping to break anything they can before Trade day. So teams who agree to a deal in principal before trade day will really struggle to keep it entirely under wraps.

I think the NHL should want to take advantage of this time of year though. Their sports entertainment competition is the NBA, pre season Baseball, and NCAA basketball.

The other factor is that the NHL stuggles to be consistent year to year because of the World Cup or Olympic years. They'd need to commit to being in or out of the Olympics and figuring out how to minimize the compression of the schedule in World Cup years.

lazypucker · 02-28-2017, 07:18 PM

I actually thought of a better idea (in my opinion):

(1) Have the mid-season break before and after the All-Star weekend.
(2) Say the Sunday before the all-star game every team plays, then starting Monday, half the teams are off for the break until the Tuesday after. The other teams will play until Thursday. And then the all-star weekend.
(3) The teams who didn't get the break will start their days off after the All-star weekend, and the ones that were off will start playing on the Tuesday.
(4) And then everyone is back playing by the Saturday.

With this system, all teams will get 8 days off (counting the all-star weekend - Monday to Monday or Friday to Friday), and there will have less impact on TV. Even the players involved in the all-star weekend will still get the 4-5 days off.

And with the trading deadline, I am still thinking of have the trade windows that close on the last day of October and last day of February. Make them a night with no games, and have the trade deadline as a show