The Scheduling Is Ridiculous

[Resolute 14]

What's ridiculous is that the Flames will have played 44 games before we enjoy our first homestand longer than two games. Mentally and physically, they will have literally spent the first half of the season on what amounts to three month road trip.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

What's ridiculous is that the Flames will have played 44 games before we enjoy our first homestand longer than two games. Mentally and physically, they will have literally spent the first half of the season on what amounts to three month road trip.

In November they played games 19-22 at home. They had 3 days off and then played 4 games in 7 days st the Dome, with a day off the following day. They went 12 days between road games.

[Resolute 14]

Ahh crap. I literally glossed right over that. Likely in part because I wanted to forget how Smith Smithed up that Montreal game.

[カナダ人です]

Baby steps. Go back to an 80-game season.

[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

The Flames have had 4 back-to backs so far (2-2-0) in the 2nd game. 2 in January Boston, Edmonton. 1 in Feb NJ, 2 in March Arizona, Winnipeg and 1 in April LA

Back to backs are only part of the problem. The bigger problem, IMO, is when a team has to play 3 games in 4 nights, then play a bunch of games every other night for quite a while before finally getting 2 non-game days in a row. It can really wear a team down and have an adverse effect on that team for a lengthy string of games.

[TheOnlyBilko]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

- Vancouver, the Sedins are retired and you need a new face of the franchise. Come on down and get your #1 overall pick!

Vancouver already has several players that can replace the Sedins as the "face of the franchise". They have 2 potential superstars in the making and one of them was making a name for himself last year so that conspiracy I'm not buying

A number 1 overall draft pick will not help the franchise (Canucks) sell more tickets or get more advertisers. Now a number 1 pick like Jack Hughes (an American) going to Coyotes, Panthers or even Kings would definitely help those franchises with ticket sales, advertising dollars and merchandising. It won't surprise me one bit if Hughes goes to the Devils and all because of the "Taylor Hall factor" lol, his teams seem to almost always end up with the #1 overall pick

[EldrickOnIce]

Nm

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Mathgod

Back to backs are only part of the problem. The bigger problem, IMO, is when a team has to play 3 games in 4 nights, then play a bunch of games every other night for quite a while before finally getting 2 non-game days in a row. It can really wear a team down and have an adverse effect on that team for a lengthy string of games.

The mean average of back to back games played by NHL teams in 2018-19 is 12.9 pairs. The fewest is 10 pairs and the most is 17 pairs. Calgary for fewest with 10 pairs. You can't play 3 games in 4 nights without playing a back to back at the start or the end.



So far Calgary has had 3 (or 4 depending on how you count them) sets of 3 games in 4 nights. October 27, 29, and 30. They also played November 1st so the games on the 29th and 30th act as the last two games in one set and/or the first two games in another set. The Flames went 3-0-1 in those four games. The had another 3 in 4 set by playing December 6, 8, and 9. They went 2-0-1, losing the last game 1-0 without Giordano and Backlund. The next set was December 15, 16, and 18, where Calgary went 2-1-0. Before this set they played 1 game in 5 days. So far they are 7-1-2 when they play any part of 3 games in 4 nights. The amount of games in a short span doesn't seem to be negatively affecting them.



In October they had a span of playing only 2 games in 7 nights, both at home. They went 1-1-0. In November they had one game in six nights and lost. They had another spot where they had one game in five nights and lost. Maybe this is a team that plays better when they are continually playing, instead of taking breaks. During the stretch in December when they played 5 games in 8 nights they went 4-1-0. From November 15-25 they played every other night and went 4-2-0. That's a 109 point pace in a small sample size.


Every team has 3 games in 4 nights. Just doing a quick search from the October-December schedule I can see the Rangers and Capitals have 4,. The Ducks have two pure 3 games in 4 nights and 2 more 4 games in 6 nights where they have back to back games in the middle and a game on both sides. Colorado has five sets of 3 games in 4 nights. I'm sure I could go on, but it seems every team has to deal with this, not just Calgary. I'm all for shortening the schedule, but Calgary is not getting the short end of the stick on the current one.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by getbak

It's ridiculous that not only have the Oilers had a better tired/rested differential than the Flames over the last four years that I've been able to find data for, they've had the best differential in the entire league for 3 of those 4 years.

It makes perfect sense - gotta let other teams pick #1 somehow!

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Salt Water Cowboy #10

I think pacific/west teams will always have more difficult schedules. But teams coming through Alberta will always have to play someone first, and this year it’s Calgary first. I think in years previous the flames have had the tired team more often than Edmonton.

I can't remember ever happening.

[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

I'm sure I could go on, but it seems every team has to deal with this, not just Calgary. I'm all for shortening the schedule, but Calgary is not getting the short end of the stick on the current one.

Never said it was a Calgary-specific problem. Every team has to deal with this. However, it has an adverse effect on the overall NHL product, IMO.

[wired]

Originally Posted by memphusk

Oilers. Always has something to do with Oilers.

Yet they still suck so bad.

[Robbob]

I meant to comment on this over the holidays but got sick and didn't get around to it. I did some looking around and the 7 incidents for the Flames isn't so bad. I looked at some of the other teams (EDM, ANA, WPG). What I did notice is we are in one of our hardest stretches right now. Between Dec 31 and Jan 5 we play 4 games. After that we only have 3 3 games in 4 night situations.

Out of the teams I looked at ANA has the worst. They have 10 quick burst games with 6 remaining on the year. Edmonton (6) and Winnipeg (5) have 8 this year with number in the brackets remaining to be completed.

Small sample size so far, but the record in the last game of the burst is:
CGY 1-2-0
ANA 1-2-0
EDM 1-1-0
WPG 2-1-0

If I have time I might look at some other teams.

[troutman]

Is the problem partly due to the Flames wanting so many Thursday and Saturday home games? A little more flexibility in this area could reduce these problems?

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by troutman

Is the problem partly due to the Flames wanting so many Thursday and Saturday home games? A little more flexibility in this area could reduce these problems?

I don't think it is a problem. Out of the 4 teams I quickly looked at, the Flames had the more favorable situation.