Rumor Owners meeting today to approve expansion to 34 teams

[memphusk]

I love watching my kids play and compete but will be happy when I'm done bleeding money. I will have to work until I die in this world but would like to have weiners in my kraft dinner again someday.

[Texas Blueliner]

The Texas Longhorns are why nothing will happen in Austin.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by Texas Blueliner

The Texas Longhorns are why nothing will happen in Austin.

Why?

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

Wait, Phoenix??? I think that ship has sailed and won't return for quite some time after the debacle of the Coyotes.

I don't see 36 team expansion for another decade. By that time a lot of the problems facing the Phoenix market should be addressed. Houston and Kansas City by the end of the decade, then Portland and Phoenix in the following decade.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by Locke

I think an important element is one that we dont often look at.

Hockey is a hugely expensive sport.

And the cost of living is going nowhere but up.

Maybe parents are looking at less expensive options?

Markstrom shared a neat story about how they do it in Sweden. He mentioned that because hockey is such an expensive sport, all teams in Sweden will have 2 sets of their own goalie gear to ensure that hockey in Sweden is truly available to all. All kids need to bring with them if they want to learn how to play hockey are skates.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by activeStick

Markstrom shared a neat story about how they do it in Sweden. He mentioned that because hockey is such an expensive sport, all teams in Sweden will have 2 sets of their own goalie gear to ensure that hockey in Sweden is truly available to all. All kids need to bring with them if they want to learn how to play hockey are skates.

Huh....that is interesting. That seems like a pretty good plan.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by activeStick

Markstrom shared a neat story about how they do it in Sweden. He mentioned that because hockey is such an expensive sport, all teams in Sweden will have 2 sets of their own goalie gear to ensure that hockey in Sweden is truly available to all. All kids need to bring with them if they want to learn how to play hockey are skates.

I mean, I remember as a kid I wanted to play hockey desperately. But on a Greyhound Driver's wage it just wasn't going to happen.

So I got cleats, shinpads and a ball and thus...I became a Soccer player.

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

I don't see 36 team expansion for another decade. By that time a lot of the problems facing the Phoenix market should be addressed. Houston and Kansas City by the end of the decade, then Portland and Phoenix in the following decade.

I think an expansion to 36 teams is less than 10 years away. If it will make billions for owners, the league will do it as soon as it is viable. And the imbalance of having 34 teams will create some issues with interdivisional fairness.

[TheIronMaiden]

I am fine with adding 2 more teams, but I am very against adding more games. There should be fewer games league wide.

I know it'll never happen but 34 team league with a 66 game schedule where every team plays twice would be awesome.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by Locke

Huh....that is interesting. That seems like a pretty good plan.

Yup, those Nordic countries seem to get most things right. I assume they likely also provide hockey sticks, shoulder pads, etc. too for skaters. Makes total sense since for the team, it's likely a cost they can afford compared to individual families.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

I am fine with adding 2 more teams, but I am very against adding more games. There should be fewer games league wide.

I know it'll never happen but 34 team league with a 66 game schedule where every team plays twice would be awesome.

There will never be fewer games. Not many business owners are looking for ways to reduce their reveenue.

An eventual move to 36 teams creates a nice, 4 division, 8 team per division, set up, with half the teams making the playoffs.

And 84 games would allow for 4 games against division rivals, 3 games against conference rivals and 2 games against the other conference. That would make:

4 X 7 = 28 + 3 X 8 = 24 + 2 X 16 =32 == 84 games

very balanced

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

There will never be fewer games. Not many business owners are looking for ways to reduce their reveenue.

An eventual move to 36 teams creates a nice, 4 division, 8 team per division, set up, with half the teams making the playoffs.

And 84 games would allow for 4 games against division rivals, 3 games against conference rivals and 2 games against the other conference. That would make:

4 X 7 = 28 + 3 X 8 = 24 + 2 X 16 =32 == 84 games

very balanced

You just did the math for 32 teams.

[MissTeeks]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1838314032878461011

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

You just did the math for 32 teams.

LOL, yes I did.

Let's do 36 this time...

4 X 8 + 2 X 27 = 86 games, which is getting too high. But you could easily do a rotating divisional schedule with 4 X 4 and 4 X 3, getting you to 82.

Not as clean, unfortunately.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Make the regular season 100 games, and change the playoff format to single game knockout and the finals is a best of 3.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

LOL, yes I did.

Let's do 36 this time...

4 X 8 + 2 X 27 = 86 games, which is getting too high. But you could easily do a rotating divisional schedule with 4 X 4 and 4 X 3, getting you to 82.

Not as clean, unfortunately.

And 18 teams in the playoffs makes for a wonky schedule with byes.

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Make the regular season 100 games, and change the playoff format to single game knockout and the finals is a best of 3.

Will never happen. Playoff games generate much more revenue than regular season, and further diluting the value of regular season games will only make the problem worse. If anything, the NHL needs less regular season games, and if the league is expanded, maybe an additional short play-in round.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

Will never happen. Playoff games generate much more revenue than regular season, and further diluting the value of regular season games will only make the problem worse. If anything, the NHL needs less regular season games, and if the league is expanded, maybe an additional short play-in round.

Play in like the NBA makes sense, but we could get some Washington line teams sneaking in.

The NHL will never reduce regular season games too much money at stake. If anything they will expand it. I don’t think they care about a diluted product.

The NFL wants to go 18. 17 already made the product unwatchable the first few weeks. They don’t care look at those TV contracts.

Also don’t forget the betting.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

And 18 teams in the playoffs makes for a wonky schedule with byes.

It would likely be 20 and something like the NBA playin for two lower seeds.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by Texas Blueliner

The Texas Longhorns are why nothing will happen in Austin.

The Buckeyes are why a team can never be in Columbus and gambling is why a team can never be in Las Vegas.

Until someone says the emperor has no clothes and we all get over it.