| March can be a very troubling month for hockey fans. | | | | answer would be to make the draft order completely |
| It's this time of year that roughly 1/4 of fans are placed | | | | random. Put 30 balls in the hopper and let the chips fall. |
| in the unfair position of outwardly cheering for their | | | | This is probably too extreme to even merit |
| team to win, while inwardly, (almost subconsciously) | | | | consideration, so let's meet in the middle with a |
| almost hoping they lose. This irks me. And I hate being | | | | reasonable compromise. Here how it should work: |
| irked. Especially in March. | | | | You break the teams into two categories: those who |
| So why do we tolerate this? Or the better question | | | | made the playoffs in Group A, and those who missed |
| may be: Why do we continue to reward failure? | | | | the playoffs in Group B. Let's deal with Group B first. |
| If you haven't deciphered what I'm talking about yet, let | | | | You rank the non playoffs teams from top down |
| me explain. I don't want you to be irked. If you look at | | | | based on points (highest to lowest). And there's your |
| the standings, there are 12 teams still in the playoff hunt | | | | draft order for the first 14 teams. That's right, the |
| that still have an equally good chance of winning the | | | | non-playoff team with the most points drafts first. No |
| draft lottery. Just like management must decide at the | | | | lottery, no whining. Consider what this would do: |
| trade deadline whether they are buyers or sellers, fans | | | | 1. It gives fans a reason to cheer for their team right |
| have to look at the big picture and assess if their team | | | | down to the final game. What do Oilers fans have to |
| really has a shot at making the final cut. Nobody wants | | | | cheer for at this point with still a month left to go? In |
| to finish 9th. You have to spend all summer wondering | | | | this system, they still would have a shot at actually |
| how you let 1 point slip away, while drafting 11th at the | | | | earning that #1 draft pick, instead of defaulting into it by |
| table. So do you pray your team is the one that slides | | | | losing more meaningless games. |
| into the 8th spot, or secretly hope they slide down the | | | | 2. No team is going to intentionally miss the playoff to |
| standings and draft the next Crosby, Tavares, or Hall? | | | | get that #1 pick, so it maintains the integrity of the |
| It's an unfair spot to put fans in. Maybe it's the ardent | | | | game. |
| capitalist in me, but I hate rewarding failure. It never | | | | 3. Fans and teams in the middle will no longer have it in |
| works. I realize it's been this way in all major sports | | | | the back of their heads that it's ok, or even good, to |
| league since the dawn of mankind, but that doesn't | | | | lose a game. |
| mean it's right. The theory behind it sounds very nice, | | | | As for Group A - I'm open to suggestions. Ranks them |
| and fair, and compassionate. The teams that stink | | | | from top to bottom, or bottom to top, I don't care. |
| need a chance to get better. After all, the Penguins | | | | Again, if you're a playoff team, the last thing you'll be |
| and Capitals wouldn't have the dream teams they're | | | | worrying about is draft position, when you're fighting for |
| enjoying now, had they not (somewhat intentionally) | | | | home ice in the final week. Bottom line is this system |
| tanked it for 2 or 3 years. For some, the sacrifice is | | | | makes every game meaningful. More importantly, I |
| worth it, but maybe we're just accepting something we | | | | won't be irked. |
| can't change. | | | | So what's the downfall? The "negative" is that bad |
| Consider the cost. Literally. How many fans spent | | | | teams won't automatically get better in short order. |
| good money at the start of the season on those late | | | | They'll actually have to "earn" their way back to |
| March game tickets, only to find that their team has | | | | prosperity. In the long run, the franchises that do the |
| called up a bunch of prospects to "see what they can | | | | best job of managing their team will benefit. Those that |
| do". In other words, see "how they can help us draft | | | | don't will struggle. Imagine that, letting the free market |
| higher this year". | | | | do it's thing. It works in the real world, so why can't it |
| Once again, I'm irked. So what's the solution? My first | | | | work in the NHL as well? |