We need a miracle or there's no hockey till 2021-22 at least

[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I hope the Oilers never move, the Flames wouldn't be the same without their biggest rival

If it gets rid of Oiler fan, I am all for it. #### those insufferable pricks.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

I love how you preemptively trash anyone who might dare disagree with what you want.

And no, a bunch of generally stupid ideas on "mini tournaments" and the like is not innovative.

My comment to "go suck an egg" is a pretty mild tongue in cheek comment, so maybe you're a little too wound up? I hope you're doing OK and I intended no offense or trashing of anyone.

Can you tell me why tournaments or any other similar ideas are "stupid'?

[Resolute 14]

I'm fine, but I'm still going to comment on the arrogant self-importance of your position that anyone who disagrees with you can "suck an egg".

And for me, things like mini tournaments, especially to award the Cup, delegitimize the entire thing. What you are suggesting is to manufacture something for no reason other than to make money. And to do so in a format with significant knock-on effects for next season as well. I fully expect the league would consider it for that reason, but it would cheapen the entire process. Frankly, any team that were to be awarded the Cup in such a way should have a giant asterisk placed by its name for all time.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

I think 8 teams would make a lot more sense logistically...

Originally Posted by GGG

How about a final 4...

There is no way that these abbreviated formats would get any kind of traction. Teams with a reasonable case for inclusion in the top-16 would never agree to it.

[Table 5]

The NHL also needs to make sure they protect their brand. You can't hold some sort of rushed mickey-mouse tournament for one of the most valued trophies in sports. The Stanley Cup is one of the few things that hockey has over the other leagues.

[Monahammer]

Our biggest rival hasn't been Edmonton for like 20 years now. Most recently I think its Colorado, but before it was Anaheim, then before that Vancouver...

[Monahammer]

The government relief packages are all ~6 months, and from what I have heard from Ministry folks that is the low end of their projections of the social, economic, and health turmoil that we are currently undergoing. Alberta specifically expects to get double boned by the utter annihilation of canadian oil prices.

I wouldn't be surprised if the economics of the situation, totally independent of the health crisis, throws a wrench in next season. Especially for us flames fans whose owners wealth is in the ground and whose fans are reliant on that industry to then go and buy tickets.

[djsFlames]

Vancouver was a huge rival between 2004 and 2014

2015-2018 the Ducks were up there. There's no question Kesler and Bieksa carried over some of that hatred from their canuck days.

2019 it felt like a hatred for Colorado was born and the season series this year has been pretty intense as a result. That 5-4 OT game was one of the better ones I've seen in recent memory.

Could also argue there is a thing with LA. Cant remember when the Tkachuk-Doughty grudge match began. The Kings have played their asses off against us this season for a reason. There is genuine hatred.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

I'm fine, but I'm still going to comment on the arrogant self-importance of your position that anyone who disagrees with you can "suck an egg".

And for me, things like mini tournaments, especially to award the Cup, delegitimize the entire thing. What you are suggesting is to manufacture something for no reason other than to make money. And to do so in a format with significant knock-on effects for next season as well. I fully expect the league would consider it for that reason, but it would cheapen the entire process. Frankly, any team that were to be awarded the Cup in such a way should have a giant asterisk placed by its name for all time.

Well pro sports exists for no other reason than to make money, right? What are the significant knock on effects for next season? I believe that is already in place, so I don't know what scenario you are imagining.

Calling an idea you don't like "stupid" seems rather arrogant and self important to me. Especially an idea that was presented without any detail behind it. I am sorry you were offended but wish you hadn't felt the need to make such a personal insult in response.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Table 5

The NHL also needs to make sure they protect their brand. You can't hold some sort of rushed mickey-mouse tournament for one of the most valued trophies in sports. The Stanley Cup is one of the few things that hockey has over the other leagues.

This is a good point, but you need to evaluate against the alternatives.

I personally believe that a modified version of competitive hockey would be better than shutting off the faucet entirely.

You know the NBA will be creative about this and they have been very successful in building their brand, more so than the NHL.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

This is a good point, but you need to evaluate against the alternatives.

I personally believe that a modified version of competitive hockey would be better than shutting off the faucet entirely.

You know the NBA will be creative about this and they have been very successful in building their brand, more so than the NHL.

What happens when a player inevitably gets Covid 19 mid tournament? Pause for a week for ensure the rest of the team doesn’t have it? Just remove that one player for 14 days and hope you caught it the second it became contagious? Is it really fair to the trainers to handle sweaty equipment game in and game out with so much uncertainty.

I just don’t see how it can happen. Obviously I would enjoy it as a viewer, and would welcome the break to watch sports.

[Flamenspiel]

Nm

[Erick Estrada]

When the time comes that the league can resume, if there's a scenario where the playoffs would go into July I'm for a complete cancelling of the season. The turnaround for a lot of playoff teams to the next season would be too short and they would all be at a disadvantage next season. I don't want abbreviated series or anything like that as I would never consider the cup winner a true Stanley cup winner. Do it right or do the right thing and move on to the 2020/21 season.

[GioforPM]

I see no cup as way better than a cup based on some other criterial than everyone accepted going into the season. I wouldn’t view the winner of some weird tourney as anything but an asterisk champ.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

What happens when a player inevitably gets Covid 19 mid tournament? Pause for a week for ensure the rest of the team doesn’t have it? Just remove that one player for 14 days and hope you caught it the second it became contagious? Is it really fair to the trainers to handle sweaty equipment game in and game out with so much uncertainty.

I just don’t see how it can happen. Obviously I would enjoy it as a viewer, and would welcome the break to watch sports.

I don't have an answer to that. At some point we will be allowed to form groups again, before we have large gathering like concerts etc. So what happens when someone gets diagnosed in that scenario? Are we back to a 14 day self quarantine again?

I would guess there will be a point where athletic contests will be OK even while some people are still getting sick.

It's funny. Michael Jordan was celebrated for playing in the finals with the flu.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I see no cup as way better than a cup based on some other criterial than everyone accepted going into the season. I wouldn’t view the winner of some weird tourney as anything but an asterisk champ.

Does it have to be for the Stanley Cup?

And yeah, if you had a weird tournament and awarded the Cup, it would no doubt have an asterisk. Just for me, I'd take that over absolutely nothing.

But also, it will be a crowded sports landscape when things do return. The NHL could likely get squeezed right out of that picture in the US and so from an economic perspective, you'd have to decide if it will even be a profitable exercise.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I don't have an answer to that. At some point we will be allowed to form groups again, before we have large gathering like concerts etc. So what happens when someone gets diagnosed in that scenario? Are we back to a 14 day self quarantine again?

I would guess there will be a point where athletic contests will be OK even while some people are still getting sick.

It's funny. Michael Jordan was celebrated for playing in the finals with the flu.

Yeah I’m ignoring the large group aspect and strictly looking at it from a competitive standpoint and risk to players and staff. Imagine Johnny testing positive game 1 and he’s out for the first round? How is that fair? Or they let him play because his symptoms are mild... then you look at players like Max Domi who have diabetes. You just can’t put those players at risk for a game. Not looking for answers or attacking your stance, these are just the questions I keep asking myself.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

This is a good point, but you need to evaluate against the alternatives.



I personally believe that a modified version of competitive hockey would be better than shutting off the faucet entirely.



You know the NBA will be creative about this and they have been very successful in building their brand, more so than the NHL.

Well, no. We don't actually know anything about how sports are going to be impacted into the summer months.

I would think that if the NHL were to arrange a mini tournament in place of the SC playoffs, then it should not result in the award of the SC. Give the winning team the Prwsident's Trophy and call it a season.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Does it have to be for the Stanley Cup?

And yeah, if you had a weird tournament and awarded the Cup, it would no doubt have an asterisk. Just for me, I'd take that over absolutely nothing.

But also, it will be a crowded sports landscape when things do return. The NHL could likely get squeezed right out of that picture in the US and so from an economic perspective, you'd have to decide if it will even be a profitable exercise.

If it's not for the Cup, then what's the point?

Yes, it will suck if there's no champion this year. But given the unprecedented state we are currently in, that's fine.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Well, no. We don't actually know anything about how sports are going to be impacted into the summer months.

I would think that if the NHL were to arrange a mini tournament in place of the SC playoffs, then it should not result in the award of the SC. Give the winning team the Prwsident's Trophy and call it a season.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

I didn't actually refer to the summer months. I just have no doubt that the NBA will be at the forefront of innovation for delivering content to their fans, whereas the NHL will be towards the back.