Faceoff: Inside scoop on outdoor games; Euro league; division decision
Wes Goldstein and Erin Brown of CBSSports.com provide analysis on three topics.
| 1. Should the NHL hold outdoor games more frequently? | |
| Wes Goldstein | Erin Brown |
 No. The NHL's Winter Classic was a great show but a pretty bad game, which is the risk with doing these kinds of things. Certainly there was some nostalgia in taking hockey back to its roots, but we're talking about two teams fighting for playoff spots playing an important game in horrid conditions. Obviously both dealt with the same circumstances, and many arenas in less traditional markets have ice conditions that aren't conducive to fast, free-flowing hockey as well. However, when players have to deal with snow and sleet and keep their heads dangerously down too often to see and control the puck, it compromises the integrity of the game. Events like this are nice marketing tools for the NHL and are probably worthwhile every few years for the novelty effect, but winter weather is too unpredictable in areas where these kinds of things can be staged to make this a habit. |  Sidney Crosby said he'd like to play in another outdoor game, so given the young star's stature, I imagine the NHL is already working on plans for the next contest in the cold. Regardless of Crosby's opinion, the league should definitely look into making the Winter Classic an annual event, if only to get the league the exposure and hype it has been lacking in recent years. Duplicating the incredible atmosphere from Buffalo -- especially the snowfall, which made the game even more memorable -- might be impossible, but imagine the possibilities. How great would it be to see Isles-Rangers at Yankee Stadium, Red Wings-Avalanche at Mile High or Canadiens-Bruins at Fenway Park? Personally, I had a blast watching Tuesday's game. I can only hope the NHL sees a return in ratings and renewed interest to give the league incentive to stage another Winter Classic in the near future. |
| 2. RedWingedRam asks: If this new European league gets up and running, will it pose a real risk to the NHL talent pool? | |
| Wes Goldstein | Erin Brown |
| The idea of a European league is still in a nascent stage and has only gotten attention on this side of the ocean because Bob Goodenow is apparently acting in a consulting role. No doubt the deposed former NHLPA boss would love to do something to stick it to those he used to be involved with, but this won't be the vehicle even if hockey is popular in many parts of Europe and several state-of-the-art new arenas have popped up recently in major cities there. Some domestic Euro leagues, particularly in Russia, have managed to offer salaries that are competitive to those in North America for mid- to lower-tier players, but the overall quality of European leagues doesn't compare to the NHL, and the best players want to play in the best league and be paid for it. Those factors will keep them from being enticed by any upstart league. | If the NHL learned anything from its encounter with the WHA in the '70s, it would be to take any threat of competition seriously. I think it is too early to predict the thinning of the NHL's talent pool, especially since the European league is still in the planning stages. But considering NHL expansion was agreed to partially based on the talent it could draw from overseas, the NHL would be smart to monitor the situation. Should a new league succeed, the NHL would likely see more issues in hanging on to depth players rather than its stars. There's already a trend of Europeans making money in the NHL, then returning home to play. There's also the currency factor. Just as Europeans were flocking to the U.S. when the dollar was strong in the late '90s, the same could happen in reverse now that the Euro is more valued. |
| 3. Harv27 asks: Isn't the change in schedule really undermining the concept of the divisions? | |
| Wes Goldstein | Erin Brown |
| I don't think so. The NHL will reduce intra-division games to six from the current eight next season, while keeping the number of games against conference rivals at four, so the integrity of the playoff races will remain as good if not better than they are now. Truth is, the division races are less crucial in the overall scheme of things. Although teams finishing first are guaranteed a top-three seed and home ice in at least one round, most teams worry more about just getting into the playoffs rather than winning a division. More important, teams playing in a weak grouping like the Southeast currently get an advantage by playing division rivals a couple more times. If the top three or four teams in a division were guaranteed a postseason spot, it might make sense to have extra division games, but six will be enough to create fair races there and for in the overall conference battles. | The argument behind the NHL's decision to go with eight division games was to foster rivalries. But three years into the plan, the system hasn't helped create any more than what already existed. And in doing so, the league sacrificed the chance to get its stars equal face time in all of its markets. I never really viewed the concept of divisions as one that was equal across the board. If you're a fan of a team in the Atlantic or Northeast divisions, there are few complaints. Every divisional matchup is exciting, because of past history or geographic proximity. But Tampa Bay-Washington? Columbus-Nashville? Dallas-San Jose? They don't quite stir the emotion the NHL was hoping for. Divisions are still important under the new system -- after all, a top-three seed is up for grabs -- but in trimming the schedule by eight games, the NHL gets a little more balance for the league as a whole. |
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