Just In Case You Haven't Gotten Enough Of Calgary
by Joe Dunman on Nov 6, 2007 1:28 PM MST
in NHL News
Email
Print
Jibblescribbits discussed the Northwest Division overload the Avalanche will be facing over the course of November in this post on his own blog, but I think it's worth griping about further.
This is a sports blog, after all. What would it be without griping?
First, let's look at the majority of the Avalanche schedule for the month of November:
What do you notice? Maybe you notice the fact that it's almost completely dominated by the same four teams. Only one matchup in a 26-day, 11-game span is played against a non-Northwest team, and that's crummy old Dallas. Who cares about them, anyway?
The most ridiculous span has to start on November 20th, when the Avs have to play Calgary-Edmonton-Calgary-Edmonton. If you're not already sick of seeing Calgary fold under the Avalanche onslaught yet, just wait! The Avs will have played the Flame-Outs five times before the end of November!
Then, just to pile on the stupidity, after the game against Deadmonton on November 28th, the Avalanche don't play another rival from the Northwest Division until January 24th when Minnesota stops by the Pepsi Center for a visit. That's almost two full months. And the Avs don't play Calgary again until February 26th, three whole months!
It's a good thing the current scheduling scheme will likely die at the end of this season after a three-year tilt. The league saved the truly worst for last.
3 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Just think aboot this
If the Avalanche make a really strong run in all those games, they can get a big lead in the division and there's very little power in their schedule to allow them to catch up. What if your division rivals go through a big injury surge during all these division games? What if they are just in a plain slump? I don't think playoff seeds or division winners should be chosen during such a congested schedule. It's not a long enough span to evaluate a team's ability.
I'm not going to complain if the Avs make a huge run in November and can basically play 500 hockey through December with little fear of losing a lead. However, I'd feel really pissed off if the Avs faced a division blitz and had injuries/slump. It disproportionally awards/penalizes teams during that heavy inter-division blitz.
Now I'm heading over to Jibble's site to see if I just repeated everything he said.
league-wide, right?
I think I heard mention during one of the games that this is divisional stretch is a league-wide thing.
I have to admit I love the concept, although it does leave a long 2 month stretch (11/28 - 1/24) without seeing a divisional rival. I can deal with that.
Key for me though is the end of the season - the Avs last 9 games are against the NW. Game 73 on March 15th is against the Devils, and then it's all NW from there on. I'm guessing that's another league-wide thing, and, personally, I think that's awesome.
by David Driscoll-Carignan on Nov 6, 2007 9:02 PM MST reply actions
That was my understanding too.
That it was a league-wide issue.
Like DD, I have no problem with the last games of the season being games that will count even more toward the playoff run. Hopefully, even with a revamped schedule next year, they can weigh the end of the season similiarly to keep the tension and excitement maxed out as we approach the playoffs.
However, since this is the NHL we're talking about, We'll likely have all the division games in Oct-Jan and then nothing meaningful for the last two months of the season...
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Mile High Hockey
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
