USCHO Fan Forum
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
-
The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.
Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
- Thread starter boblav1
- Start date
Re: Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
Right, something like that. When UMass first joined as the 9th team, I think this was done. The reason I say it probably won't happen is because of freakin' Notre Dame being added to the league (i.e travel costs).
Right, something like that. When UMass first joined as the 9th team, I think this was done. The reason I say it probably won't happen is because of freakin' Notre Dame being added to the league (i.e travel costs).
Fighting Sioux 23
New member
Re: Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
As you mentioned, it is extremely unlikely to be done at the higher seed's home rink because of the Notre Dame problem.
That basically eliminates that as an option (unless you want to have a 7v10, 8v9 best 2 of 3 series the weekend before the quarters, but at that point you may as well just include everyone like is already planned).
As you mentioned, it is extremely unlikely to be done at the higher seed's home rink because of the Notre Dame problem.
That basically eliminates that as an option (unless you want to have a 7v10, 8v9 best 2 of 3 series the weekend before the quarters, but at that point you may as well just include everyone like is already planned).
Re: Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
I could see why you'd like out of conference games. I can also see why top Hockey East Schools like BC and BU would like more out of conference games. Can you see why the rest of us hate it?
mookie1995
there's a good buck in that racket.
Then get good!
Fighting Sioux 23
New member
Re: Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
Fair enough. Leaving out 2 is preferable to 4 (IMO), but again, I am glad that Hockey East finally got with the times and decided to allow each team to participate in the conference tournament.
Fair enough. Leaving out 2 is preferable to 4 (IMO), but again, I am glad that Hockey East finally got with the times and decided to allow each team to participate in the conference tournament.
Re: Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
As an outsider to the league, why are you glad? You would have preferred to see Vermont compete in the HE playoffs this past year? Getting with the times is not always a good thing either.
As an outsider to the league, why are you glad? You would have preferred to see Vermont compete in the HE playoffs this past year? Getting with the times is not always a good thing either.
Fighting Sioux 23
New member
Re: Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
My first (selfish) reason is that the top teams in Hockey East have always had the advantage of not having to get by the lower ranked teams in conference tournament play, and as a result have avoided the possibility of either 1)winning a meaningless (from the RPI/PWR standpoint) game/series or 2)losing a game (or two) that kills RPI/PWR numbers. For example, Denver nearly missed the NCAA Tournament this season having to play the #10 team in the WCHA (Had Wisconsin won game 3, DU would likely have missed the NCAA Tournament). Likewise, Minnesota gained absolutely nothing by sweeping Anchorage, but could have theoretically missed the NCAA's/received a significantly lower seed had they lost even just 1 game.
The other (more fundamental) reason is that I like Cinderella stories, and I think every team should at least have the chance to win their conference tournament. Typically the conference season in college hockey is too short to truly separate who the 8th and 9th place teams (or 10th/11th and so on), and I would not think it fair to allow the 8th placed team to participate and not the 9th placed team.
As for the getting with the times comment, it was merely in jest. There was certainly something unique and different about Hockey East's conference tournament format. I just simply agree with the changes that HE is making.
My first (selfish) reason is that the top teams in Hockey East have always had the advantage of not having to get by the lower ranked teams in conference tournament play, and as a result have avoided the possibility of either 1)winning a meaningless (from the RPI/PWR standpoint) game/series or 2)losing a game (or two) that kills RPI/PWR numbers. For example, Denver nearly missed the NCAA Tournament this season having to play the #10 team in the WCHA (Had Wisconsin won game 3, DU would likely have missed the NCAA Tournament). Likewise, Minnesota gained absolutely nothing by sweeping Anchorage, but could have theoretically missed the NCAA's/received a significantly lower seed had they lost even just 1 game.
The other (more fundamental) reason is that I like Cinderella stories, and I think every team should at least have the chance to win their conference tournament. Typically the conference season in college hockey is too short to truly separate who the 8th and 9th place teams (or 10th/11th and so on), and I would not think it fair to allow the 8th placed team to participate and not the 9th placed team.
As for the getting with the times comment, it was merely in jest. There was certainly something unique and different about Hockey East's conference tournament format. I just simply agree with the changes that HE is making.
Re: Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
Ummmmm....because you'd rather watch your team get its butt kicked a 4x time each year by BU, BC, etc. rather than see them actually win some games vs. the ECAC and AHA?
Re: Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
Why all the objections to one third of teams WHO DIDN'T WIN ENOUGH GAMES getting left out of the playoffs? Less than 54% of NHL teams make the playoffs. Make the regular season count. The last few years it has come down to the final games to determine who was in and who was out which made a number of games much more interesting than they probably would've been if everybody got in.
Why all the objections to one third of teams WHO DIDN'T WIN ENOUGH GAMES getting left out of the playoffs? Less than 54% of NHL teams make the playoffs. Make the regular season count. The last few years it has come down to the final games to determine who was in and who was out which made a number of games much more interesting than they probably would've been if everybody got in.
MinnesotaNorthStar
Minding the gap
Re: Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
The NHL also plays 82 games, not 22.
Disagree. Things can get very interesting out west here when it comes to the final weekend and teams are fighting for home ice and seeding.
The NHL also plays 82 games, not 22.
mnstate0fhockey
New member
And the NHL doesn't use Pairwise rankings to decide playoff participants and playoff positioning.
Though the real reason things are changing, of course, is $$$.
Split-N
All Hail
Re: Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
Sorry, but I have to call BS on this. To paraphrase something I said in an earlier post, what you are endorsing here is the functional equivalent of awarding a participation trophy to each league member. Now I suppose all of the competing teams and fans should link arms and sing Kumbayah instead of the national anthem before each playoff game.
On a personal level, let me add that my school has been on the outside looking in way too many times but that's nobody's fault but ours--no excuses offered. So I will now commit an unnatural act by standing with the BC and BU posters on here who also think the regular season needs to continue to mean something. Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Sorry, but I have to call BS on this. To paraphrase something I said in an earlier post, what you are endorsing here is the functional equivalent of awarding a participation trophy to each league member. Now I suppose all of the competing teams and fans should link arms and sing Kumbayah instead of the national anthem before each playoff game.
On a personal level, let me add that my school has been on the outside looking in way too many times but that's nobody's fault but ours--no excuses offered. So I will now commit an unnatural act by standing with the BC and BU posters on here who also think the regular season needs to continue to mean something. Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Last edited:
Re: Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
My team did fairly well last year against BU and BC last year in the regular season, going 3-2-1 and beating both when they were number 1 in the nation, but hey, why should you let the facts get in the way of your otherwise perfect insult?
My team did fairly well last year against BU and BC last year in the regular season, going 3-2-1 and beating both when they were number 1 in the nation, but hey, why should you let the facts get in the way of your otherwise perfect insult?
ericredaxe
Veteran
Re: Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
And you know what? It was even more interesting out here when it comes to the final weekend and teams are fighting for home ice, seeding AND getting into the playoffs.
And you know what? It was even more interesting out here when it comes to the final weekend and teams are fighting for home ice, seeding AND getting into the playoffs.
Re: Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
Seriously? I'm a fan of an ECAC team, saying that you'll have a better record if you get to play us more often, and you're insulted? OK....
Re: Hockey East to Expand Playoff Format
Ya, I don't quite understand the chest thumping/pride of having teams like Minnesota State and Alaska-Anchorage (when they're at their worst) in the playoffs. The teams that don't qualify for the HE tournament HAD a chance to win the conference tournament. All they had to do is finish in lowly 8th place. The race for 8th down the stretch is essentially playoffs for those teams to begin with.
I'm not following this. BC playing UMass doesn't qualify as getting by a terribly ranked team in regard to PWR? Plus, every situation is different when talking about the PWR and associated numbers/figures. Nothing is absolute. Sounds like your issue is actually with the PWR. If the teams you cited did more ahead of the playoffs, losing to those teams wouldn't be a big deal. Or if they simply took care of business in the playoffs and won the games they were supposed to win...nothing to worry about. And if your league eliminated two teams from the playoffs, you wouldn't have to worry about it to begin with. Hey, you guys finally got rid of the silly final five consolation game...
Ya, I don't quite understand the chest thumping/pride of having teams like Minnesota State and Alaska-Anchorage (when they're at their worst) in the playoffs. The teams that don't qualify for the HE tournament HAD a chance to win the conference tournament. All they had to do is finish in lowly 8th place. The race for 8th down the stretch is essentially playoffs for those teams to begin with.
I'm not following this. BC playing UMass doesn't qualify as getting by a terribly ranked team in regard to PWR? Plus, every situation is different when talking about the PWR and associated numbers/figures. Nothing is absolute. Sounds like your issue is actually with the PWR. If the teams you cited did more ahead of the playoffs, losing to those teams wouldn't be a big deal. Or if they simply took care of business in the playoffs and won the games they were supposed to win...nothing to worry about. And if your league eliminated two teams from the playoffs, you wouldn't have to worry about it to begin with. Hey, you guys finally got rid of the silly final five consolation game...