Preying on the Weak?
So I have always been a proponent of decreasing the amount of times the teams play the other teams in their own division from the 8 the NHL currently has. My two main reasons are:
1. Teams such as
2. I personally would like to see the Canadians teams from the west play the Canadian teams from the east more often. (Or at all, no Hockey Day in
In regards to the first reason that is why I have made this post. I have broken down each division with the teams and the amount of points that they accumulated strictly on divisional games. Hope you enjoy.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
| Team | Div. | Points |
| | | 49 |
| | | 43 |
| NY Rangers | | 35 |
| NY Islanders | | 38 |
| | | 17 |
As you can see this is pretty even, I am assuming that everyone just feasted on Philly when they played them. However, you can see no other real disparity.
Northeast Division
| Team | Div. | Points |
| | | 39 |
| | | 41 |
| | 13-14-5 | 31 |
| | | 36 |
| | 14-17-1 | 29 |
I thought it was weird that
Southeast Division
| Team | Div. | Points |
| | | 43 |
| | | 40 |
| | | 40 |
| | 13-14-5 | 31 |
| | | 28 |
This division is a little more spread out with
Western Conference
Central Division
| Team | Div. | Points |
| | | 50 |
| | | 48 |
| | | 28 |
| | | 26 |
| | 14-17-1 | 29 |
Here is the poster boy for disparity between teams in a division.
Northwest Division
| Team | Div. | Points |
| | 16-13-3 | 35 |
| | | 42 |
| | | 37 |
| | | 39 |
| | | 23 |
Again you look at this division and obviously with the Oilers fall from grace there would be disparity between the 4th
Pacific Division
| Team | Div. | Points |
| | | 43 |
| | 18-13-1 | 37 |
| | | 49 |
| | | 24 |
| | | 23 |
Again this division looks as though the top three teams are splitting games between themselves and coming out on top against the bottom two teams.
So, in conclusion, to me it looks like clearly in one division (Central) the top teams are preying on much weaker competition. In two divisions (Pacific, Southeast) the top three teams are preying on the weaker two and in the other three (Northwest, Northeast, and
All in all I think that the NHL should try to maybe curb the divisional rivalry a little for the fact that some divisions there is no legitimate rivalry between the teams
By the way, the average amount of points for divisional games was 35.8. What ever happened to Jeff Norton?
6 comments:
I want to say Steve Simmons, but i know thats not right. Its some other loser that writes for the sun....
Anyone that writes for the SUN is a loser, so is the photographer of the sunshine girl, that guy has low standards, I mean really low, anyways back to hockey. I think teams should play others in the same division the most IF it has an impact on playoffs like it does now, otherwise it should be even with the conference, then play the other conference at least once. They need to redo the divisions and conferences now, does it really make sense to have Detroit in the West when they can see Toronto from their shores? Oh and not to mention New York did not have to leave their time zone after November.
Jon and Josh I clicked the link today, I wish you all best in your early retirement.
So if Detroit gets eliminated can we only assume this theory holds ground? Both top seeds in that division are out in the first round (again). I think this shows us that their records are not as good as the team, but I also think teams coming from tough divisions play playoff hockey all year just to make the 8th seed, so they are much more prepared for the intensity.
I think that your last part is true, where teams like Calgary and the like are playing playoff hockey way before, so the mental part of the game is already there for the teams that have not clinched their spots 3 weeks before the season ends
I don't think there is anything special about that series, it is going as their performance in the regular season did, Calgary is the best at home in the league and worst on the road, so far the same in playoffs.
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