Schedule Breakdown
While individual team schedules will likely not be released until this weekend, Bob McKenzie at TSN gives us a breakdown of what they might look like...
4 games vs. two divisional opponents (8)
5 games vs. two divisional opponents (10)
3 games vs 10 conference opponents (30)
...the schedule is what it is, but I would much rather see each team play five games vs. their four division rivals (20), three games vs. eight conference opponents (24) and two games vs. two conference opponents (4). As a fan, I would hate for Rangers to possibly lose a game each to Flyers and Devils so they can play Panthers and Jets three times.
Here's more on the schedule...
Broadcasts executives have been told the last day of NHL regular season May 2, last day of the NHL playoffs will be June 25.
— Steve Ladurantaye (@sladurantaye) January 9, 2013
...suntan lotion and Stanley Cup playoffs.
The owners are expected to vote on the new CBA during their Board of Governors meeting today. NHLPA to vote on Saturday.
Remember to follow me on Twitter & Facebook or e-mail me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
1) panthers very good team (made playoffs last year) & 2) I'm hoping they play @panthers do I can go!
"...suntan lotion and Stanley Cup playoffs."
Hopefully that's not the only lotion us Rangers fans will be using after the Stanly Cup playoffs commence ;)
My hatred of it, is purely from an entertainment perspective as I would much rather watch as many intense Rangers/Flyers games as I can than the much less interesting Rangers/Panthers matchups.
@KevinDeLury well yea the panthers suck. but i'd rather see someone new come to town every once and a while than see the rangers play the isles 100 times every season. see some west coast stars too. i think i would have been cool to see teemu selanne or jagr one last time before they retired.
@ry_man Only playing Eastern Conference this year, so no Selanne or Jagr unless Rangers meet one of those teams in Stanley Cup finals.
well we could thank the lockout for that. im talking about more for of a normal regular season schedule. as much as i love rivalry games, its nice to see some variety in the teams we play. we dont need to play the piles or the flyer every other game. this schedule seems balanced. also i think it would make it more meaningful when when yo dont play your division all the time so you have to win. thats just my opinion though. i feel bad for teams in the southeast division having to travel to winnipeg and i feel bad for winnipeg for their travel schedule.
1 Like
I agree that playing divisional teams varying amounts of games seems off, but it wouldn't be fair to the standings if (by your plan) the Rangers played the Bruins and the Canadiens, while Philly or NJ got to play Lightning and the Panthers. Unless you could work it out like the NFL where entire all of one division plays all of another division, it prob wouldnt work.
And, as always, never forget that at the bottom of all this logic is that Bettman wants to get Crosby, Ovechkin, Stamkos, etc. into as many different arenas as possible...
"Would hate for Rangers to possibly lose a game each to Flyers and Devils so they can play Panthers and Jets three times."
I see no problem with this. Though, substitute Penguins for Devils above, and it gets even better.
