First of all, you cant do a top 8 regardless of division without EVERY team playing an identical schedule. Right there it would be an even more unfair advantage for team that doesn't need to travel as far.

You may as well just eliminate divisions altogether. But the travel prohibitions alone are enough of a reason to NOT do it.

I like and want the premium placed on winning the division. It makes for better rivalries and as someone said, allows for teams in weaker divisions to still have a shot at getting in the playoffs. The reality of it is that probably only one team will make it from the weakest division anyway.

I get what you are saying and agree. Not all are new fans... but there are a significant group (not the youngsters either) that are. My fiance and I were at a game 2 years ago here in Philly... I was fortunate enough to sit amongst a group of about 20 pens fans who had made the trip from Yinzerville. All game long they were razzing and yapping and I sat there quietly. Flyers lost pretty bad I believe..

The highlight of the night, however, was when Rusty Fedotenko scored (i think) the final goal.. They were just ignorant.. So finally i spoke up and said something along the lines of.. " I know you guys are new fans of the sport, but act like you have won before."

One kid throws the whole Mario Cup days out there, another says something about Lindros' concussions.... and then my favorite, the guy had a Rusty jersey on and was doing some serious razzing.. "Ive been a fan since the Pens drafted Fedotenko"

3 problems with that:
1: Rusty was not drafted.
2: He started his career with the Flyers...
3: Was in his 2nd year as a Pen.

I started howling and only one Pens fan got it... an older gent sitting directly behind me, not with the other idiots. He apologized..
- jak521

well said jak

well i don't think the phillies gave away tickets which is what the panthers and among other teams have to do
- 2Real

Yea. your right... The Vet was a graveyard unless there was a give away...

wow. what would have happened if rinaldo did that to crosby?




bylsma had this gem
- Don'tForgetTocchet

Sorta kinda like when the refs blew play dead after Malkin took the shot in the knee, and Hartnell started skating towards the bench and Paul Martin went out of his way to skate over and give a little stick work to Hartsy.. That started the whole escapade.

But you know... the Flyers were targeting them

First of all, you cant do a top 8 regardless of division without EVERY team playing an identical schedule. Right there it would be an even more unfair advantage for team that doesn't need to travel as far.

You may as well just eliminate divisions altogether. But the travel prohibitions alone are enough of a reason to NOT do it.

I like and want the premium placed on winning the division. It makes for better rivalries and as someone said, allows for teams in weaker divisions to still have a shot at getting in the playoffs. The reality of it is that probably only one team will make it from the weakest division anyway.
- MBFlyerfan

Ok then guarantee a division winner a playoff spot but do away with this autmatic third seed. All it does is give the 6th seed a practice round sometimes.

If you are referring to the capitals I don't know what to tell you. The were a Stanley Cup finalist and very competitive. Have been for years going back to the 80's what is there to explain?
- JoeRussomanno

i see a lot of conference quarter finals losses being in the crappy SE division

Yea. your right... The Vet was a graveyard unless there was a give away...
- RooNosHockey

i see a lot of conference quarter finals losses being in the crappy SE division
- 2Real

so what's your point?

so what's your point?
- JoeRussomanno

they were lucky to even be in the playoffs those years in the late 90s

I get what you are saying and agree. Not all are new fans... but there are a significant group (not the youngsters either) that are. My fiance and I were at a game 2 years ago here in Philly... I was fortunate enough to sit amongst a group of about 20 pens fans who had made the trip from Yinzerville. All game long they were razzing and yapping and I sat there quietly. Flyers lost pretty bad I believe..

The highlight of the night, however, was when Rusty Fedotenko scored (i think) the final goal.. They were just ignorant.. So finally i spoke up and said something along the lines of.. " I know you guys are new fans of the sport, but act like you have won before."

One kid throws the whole Mario Cup days out there, another says something about Lindros' concussions.... and then my favorite, the guy had a Rusty jersey on and was doing some serious razzing.. "Ive been a fan since the Pens drafted Fedotenko"
3 problems with that:
1: Rusty was not drafted.
2: He started his career with the Flyers...
3: Was in his 2nd year as a Pen.

I started howling and only one Pens fan got it... an older gent sitting directly behind me, not with the other idiots. He apologized..
- jak521

Classic.

At the end of the day winning breeds bandwagon fans, it's been that way in every sport. Haven't you noticed how many Packers fans there were this year?

Off topic but kind of not...

I was in LA to watch Columbus earlier this year, not a special trip it just worked out that I could catch a game. Nash puts his 2nd or 3rd goal into the empty net and the guy in front of me stands up and yells at the top of his lungs "Go back to Montreal Nash, you franker". I was laughing all night.

Ok then guarantee a division winner a playoff spot but do away with this autmatic third seed. All it does is give the 6th seed a practice round sometimes.
- JoeRussomanno

Who cares where the seed is? The teams that can't get it done will lose, and the ones that can will advance. Does it matter if they're a lower seed or not?

If the Flyers, Rangers and Pens are all that good, they will have to face each other at some point

they were lucky to even be in the playoffs those years in the late 90s
- 2Real

The capitals? No the capitals were one of the better teams in the conference. The capitals could be put in any of the other divisions and be competitive the other teams not so sure. The capitals haven't as far as I know have never benefitted from this lame automatic high seeding going to a division winner. They are either on point or not the rule wouldn't affect them.

If you are referring to the capitals I don't know what to tell you. The were a Stanley Cup finalist and very competitive. Have been for years going back to the 80's what is there to explain?
- JoeRussomanno

There were sporadic years mixed in, and combine that with the fact that they struggle to win a first round matchup and I can see where people would think they have been bad... But they havent been Pens bad.

The funny thing with the caps is that it seems like they are either a terrible team or a playoff team.. never a 9th spot team. .

The capitals? No the capitals were one of the better teams in the conference. The capitals could be put in any of the other divisions and be competitive the other teams not so sure. The capitals haven't as far as I know have never benefitted from this lame automatic high seeding going to a division winner. They are either on point or not the rule wouldn't affect them.
- JoeRussomanno

The Caps have had some really down years, too. And they've often folded in the post season.

Classic.

At the end of the day winning breeds bandwagon fans, it's been that way in every sport. Haven't you noticed how many Packers fans there were this year?

Off topic but kind of not...

I was in LA to watch Columbus earlier this year, not a special trip it just worked out that I could catch a game. Nash puts his 2nd or 3rd goal into the empty net and the guy in front of me stands up and yells at the top of his lungs "Go back to Montreal Nash, you franker". I was laughing all night.
- canadianpenfan

Moral of the story... every fan base has its idiots.

Just seems that, of all the orgs., the Pens fans are the most uncouth of the lot.

Who cares where the seed is? The teams that can't get it done will lose, and the ones that can will advance. Does it matter if they're a lower seed or not?

If the Flyers, Rangers and Pens are all that good, they will have to face each other at some point
- Jsaquella

You can't take it that far now. There's seeding for a reason obviously. But giving a team a higher seed based on just the fact they won a division undermines other teams imo.

You can't take it that far now. There's seeding for a reason obviously. But giving a team a higher seed based on just the fact they won a division undermines other teams imo.
- JoeRussomanno

Yeah, and I don't think it does. I like the premium put on winning the division. It makes division races more important and that is what I want. Especially when a division is clearly weaker. It still gives teams something to play for.

The Caps have had some really down years, too. And they've often folded in the post season.
- Jsaquella

But nothing like the pens..

There was the gap from 03'-08' but the Pens were had 5 years of top 2 picks...

MAF, Whitney, Malkin, Crosby, Staal

Dan Patrick: With the first nine months of the Baseketball postseason out of the way, the playoff picture is starting to emerge.

Kenny Mayne: So, with last night's victory over Boston, next week the Milwaukee Beers must beat Indianapolis in order to advance to Charlotte. That's in an effort to reduce their magic number to three.

Dan Patrick: Right, and then the Beers can advance to the National Eastern Division North to play Tampa.

Kenny Mayne: So, if the Beers beat Detroit and Denver beats Atlanta in the American Southwestern Division East Northern, then Milwaukee goes to the Denslow Cup, unless Baltimore can upset Buffalo and Charlotte ties Toronto, then Oakland would play LA and Pittsburgh in a blind choice round robin. And if no clear winner emerges from all of this, a two-man sack race will be held on consecutive Sundays until a champion can be crowned.

The Caps have had some really down years, too. And they've often folded in the post season.
- Jsaquella

The same can be said for 90% of the league, but that doesn't undermine my point about doing away with this 3rd seed given to the division winner who is 10 points behind half the conference.

Who cares where the seed is? The teams that can't get it done will lose, and the ones that can will advance. Does it matter if they're a lower seed or not?

If the Flyers, Rangers and Pens are all that good, they will have to face each other at some point
- Jsaquella

I agree. Most people probably feel that the team that plays Florida will have an advantage as were the Flyers squaring off against NYR or Pittsburgh can take a toal in the first round.

Their all professional teams and no series is going to be easier than the other. Anything can happen thats why its important to bring your A game every single night.

Moral of the story... every fan base has its idiots.

Just seems that, of all the orgs., the Pens fans are the most uncouth of the lot.
- jak521

They have a largely younger fanbase no doubt and that's where the bandwagon term comes from I guess. But it's a disservice to us old timers that actually watched when Richard Tarnstrom led the team in scoring and Milan Kraft was our "star".

Maybe as a reward the division winners get seeded top 3 for the first round and after that reseed? Gives them an advantage in the first round as a reward but then it evens out after that. Just an idea, not even sure of I like it or not

You can't take it that far now. There's seeding for a reason obviously. But giving a team a higher seed based on just the fact they won a division undermines other teams imo.
- JoeRussomanno

Without going to a conference set-up, where there are no divisions, and completely balanced schedules the current system is probably the best one available. Sure, they could simply grant an automatic playoff berth to all division winners, and not hand the top 3 seed to them, but at the end of the day, if a team is going to make a Stanley Cup run it's going to have to get through the best teams.

If a team isn't good enough, they will be exposed if they're a 1 seed or a 8 seed.

Maybe as a reward the division winners get seeded top 3 for the first round and after that reseed? Gives them an advantage in the first round as a reward but then it evens out after that. Just an idea, not even sure of I like it or not
- funmaster18

Look at this past season in football Pittsburgh had to go to Denver who was .500 I believe and lost. Win the division and get home field. Thats why I say its important to chase the division first and then worry about getting the cup.