Let me get this straight - the NHL has voted to rework the entry draft order so that teams that squeak into the playoffs and go on miracle runs can pick behind teams that win their divisions but fold as soon as the calendar turns to April?The Checking Line has all of the details, and if you're curious as to how it would have played out last year, the Edmonton Oilers - with their 95 regular season points (14th in the NHL) - would have picked 29th (versus 17th under the old rules) while the Detroit Red Wings - with their 124 points (1st overall) - would have picked 26th (versus 29th under the old rules). Buffalo and Anaheim, both of whom finished behind Detroit in the regular season, would also have picked after the Wings.
No, it's not a huge difference for Detroit, but it punishes a lesser team for a good playoff run and diminishes the importance of the regular season even further - give me an 82-game season as a measure of a team's ability over a 4-to-28 game snapshot any day.
So who's brilliant idea was this?
The change, apparently spearheaded by Red Wings GM Ken Holland, gives teams with good regular-seasons that flop in early playoff rounds better spots to pick from.Uh huh.
But really, would you expect anything different from the League that rewards failure?
UPDATE: Bob McKenzie clarifies a bit, but I don't think it changes my example - or the underlying point - above.
6 comments:
1) Couldn't agree more JP! Hate when losing is rewarded. Much like rewarding teams for losing games, rewarding teams for an early playoff exit should also be eliminated
2) We would advocate eliminating the whole losers draft lottery all together in favor of what was done after the lock out- A lottery for ALL the teams, so losing during the regular season wouldn't be rewarded either!
1) Our guess is that Faux is being a bit cheeky right now.
B) We feel similar to JP, that the draft should be done a la the NFL
III) No doubt, Bettman had his grubby hands on this one.
All of us here, each and every one, notes that the Caps voted against the change. The assembled throng at this location finds it extra-hilarious that the Wings have an aged goalie and that they didn't do anything at the deadline this year, either. Our crowd of blog posters that has manifested itself through one typing set of hands wonders who will be this year's Edmonton.
1) No Rage we all feel that losing should NEVER be rewarded. We wrote a blog entry on just this subject (http://newfaux.blogspot.com/)
2) Great news(finally) in Cap-land. Ollie is back and ready!! Looks like the big guy will be back between the pipes tomrrow night
3) Without him, it appeared possible the team would/could 'run the table' and not win the rest of the way!
Holy crap, Faux - you wrote that post tomorrow. Are you... from the future?
Also it's unreal that your blog posts all have numbered paragraphs. It's simply amazing.
Oh, and one "l" in Olie (yes, I know that's the perfect set up for an anti-Kolzig joke - don't take it).
Just trying to follow your rule you set that every other comment has to be about Crosby.
So there, I said it. Happy now?
Bt the way, this post was mostly tounge-in-cheek. :-P
Go Caps!
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