from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,
It isn’t a quirk that the Rangers and Islanders will meet just three times this season and just once at UBS. It isn’t a quirk that the Oilers and Flames will play only three times and just once at Edmonton. It isn’t a quirk that the Flyers and Penguins will face off only three times and just once in Philadelphia.
It is instead a feature of the NHL schedule and a league that has made it its business to devalue rivalries in favor of a more universal schedule that has become a significant factor in the wavering passion and diluted intensity across the league’s six-month tour.
Twelve of the 16 playoff spots are awarded by division standings, yet teams play a touch under 32-percent of the schedule within the division. Teams play more games against non-conference opponents than they do against division rivals … well, not really rivals, but instead, foes.
continued plus more topics...
I'm not a season ticket holder, so I'm not as invested in this topic as some may be. But I'm fine with how it currently stands. Rivalries are formed in playoff series, not that you play four games against conference rivals separated across the six months of the regular season. All teams have a home and away against all other teams in the league, which I think is more important to folks who go to lots of games (you'll get to see McDavid, Crosby, Matthews, Kaprizov, etc. on the schedule each year). The way the wild cards are doled out, I think its important that there's a relatively balanced conference schedule (it'd be a big problem if they scheduled like the NFL where first place division finishers one season play against each other the following season).
I get that sportswriters get more eyes on their product by promoting these sorts of hot takes, but most of those fall short for me. This one included.
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