Too much time off before the Finals?

[Pink Freud]

Who will have to overcome more rust?

Who will benefit more from physical repairs and R&R from the grueling first three rounds?

With all those days off before the biggie, how do you, as a head coach, plan their schedule?

With all this time off between actual competition, how sloppy will that first game be?

[bluetunehead]

I think the layoff is crazy to be honest. I guess they plan far enough ahead to accommodate potentially longer conference finals. But with both teams winning in 5 it feels like they're just killing momentum.

My guess would be it hits Edmonton harder. Skinner is streaky. Florida just seems like they can turn on beast mode whenever.

[BalotelliMassive]

The NHL has toddlers produce their schedules apparently.

[aslord]

The whole point of trying to win a series in as few games as possible is to get the rest you need to recover from injuries and recharge. There's nothing wrong with the schedule.

[MizTruBlueLuvzU]

Stars and canes put forth pathetic efforts in the respective conf finals series. Neither Team in finals needed much if any rest. Once again makes that last Minute collapse in game 7 for the blues hurt that much more, what could've been

[bluetunehead]

Stars and canes put forth pathetic efforts in the respective conf finals series. Neither Team in finals needed much if any rest. Once again makes that last Minute collapse in game 7 for the blues hurt that much more, what could've been

Well it would have taken us 7 to get past Winnipeg if we pulled it off. It only took Dallas 6, but that's a minor difference. Dallas then got absolutely walloped by Edmonton. By this line of thinking... maybe we sneak past Dallas? It would have been a close series certainly. But I'm not seeing us beat Edmonton.

[MizTruBlueLuvzU]

Stars and canes put forth pathetic efforts in the respective conf finals series. Neither Team in finals needed much if any rest. Once again makes that last Minute collapse in game 7 for the blues hurt that much more, what could've been

Well it would have taken us 7 to get past Winnipeg if we pulled it off. It only took Dallas 6, but that's a minor difference. Dallas then got absolutely walloped by Edmonton. By this line of thinking... maybe we sneak past Dallas? It would have been a close series certainly. But I'm not seeing us beat Edmonton.

You're right in line with my thinking, we would've came outta round one with alot of confidence. Just think the way we had been playing, with purpose and physicality, that we could have certainly beat Dallas. And of course 50 is our Goalie, anything could happen!!!

[callitwhatyouwant]

the time off is rough for the sport. especially going against the nba finals. You had a chance to get game 1 and 2 in before the NBA finals started. That would have been huge for the sport, especially if the story goes 1-1 and you get a compelling finals vs a stinker nba one. You could have owned them for their games 1 and 2. Now you are going to go every other day and people might just pick which sport they would rather watch.

If you are trying to win the casual fan over, you have to market to the casual fan. NHL seems to fail at grasping this concept every year.

[Old_Goat]

It's all about the TV. The last two rounds are about the only ones that they can capture much of a national audience in the U.S. And even then they are bumping into baseball. A lot of casual fans think the season is too long, they don't understand why it goes into 90 degrees, they even joke about it. And think about it ...Florida, Texas, Southern California!! I'm a huge hockey fan...have been since 1963. I'm also a big baseball fan. I get that it's hard for the casual viewer to follow the puck and action. Even I get the frustration of so many days off between games.
I believe that Bettman has pushed his product into too many places. Watered the talent base down; screwed with the rules; killed the flow of the game for TV; has made a mockery of the in person arena experience. Has not killed the sport, but has frustrated the true fans.
Hockey will never be a big-time sports-bar viewing sport. Their gimmicks of the blob and the tail to see where the puck is was a big fail..."it's in the stands!!... (while blocked by the boards)."
Compress the playoffs, make the final month be only intra-divisional games thus stoking rivalries, I'm not saying to shorten the season -- again their revenue is driven by butts in seats in the arenas; but work with the players association to stop the 10-day in-season vacation with the various non-league championships. Have it done by Memorial Day. If done properly, they will actually INCREASE TV viewership, instead of burning people out.

[blackinkbiz]

3-4 days makes sense but 6 to 7 is a lot. This isn't the Superbowl.

The start dates obviously weren't predetermined because every facility in different cities has summer scheduling venues outside of the NHL.

I've decided to boycott this decision for the next 48 hours.

[DawgDad]

Goat, with the hockey in bars reference you're conjuring up memories of Burnhams on Friday, February 22, 1980. THAT was one wild night to remember!

[AtillaTheBlue1]

its based off a 7 game series

they cant change tv, for the series. they have schedules and this is how it works. ask dallas and carolina to play better.

[JoshInFenton]

Stars and canes put forth pathetic efforts in the respective conf finals series. Neither Team in finals needed much if any rest. Once again makes that last Minute collapse in game 7 for the blues hurt that much more, what could've been

Well it would have taken us 7 to get past Winnipeg if we pulled it off. It only took Dallas 6, but that's a minor difference. Dallas then got absolutely walloped by Edmonton. By this line of thinking... maybe we sneak past Dallas? It would have been a close series certainly. But I'm not seeing us beat Edmonton.

You're right in line with my thinking, we would've came outta round one with alot of confidence. Just think the way we had been playing, with purpose and physicality, that we could have certainly beat Dallas. And of course 50 is our Goalie, anything could happen!!!

Really difficult to say. Dallas/Blues during the season hadn't gone that well, i know we played well near the end of the season but they had our number it felt like. even when i felt like we played well against them in what early march? think we still couldn't solve Otter, though maybe in the postseason it changes. I actually think we probably lose to Dallas, and if we somehow sneak by them we beat Edmonton and then get smashed by Florida instead. Too much shying away from contact at times by their star power, and with their biggest hitter on the forwards group out for the playoffs (hyman had 111 hits through 15 games credited to him). I'd be stunned if Florida didn't run over Edmonton in this cup final

[dhsux]

Stars and canes put forth pathetic efforts in the respective conf finals series. Neither Team in finals needed much if any rest. Once again makes that last Minute collapse in game 7 for the blues hurt that much more, what could've been

Well it would have taken us 7 to get past Winnipeg if we pulled it off. It only took Dallas 6, but that's a minor difference. Dallas then got absolutely walloped by Edmonton. By this line of thinking... maybe we sneak past Dallas? It would have been a close series certainly. But I'm not seeing us beat Edmonton.

You're right in line with my thinking, we would've came outta round one with alot of confidence. Just think the way we had been playing, with purpose and physicality, that we could have certainly beat Dallas. And of course 50 is our Goalie, anything could happen!!!

Really difficult to say. Dallas/Blues during the season hadn't gone that well, i know we played well near the end of the season but they had our number it felt like. even when i felt like we played well against them in what early march? think we still couldn't solve Otter, though maybe in the postseason it changes. I actually think we probably lose to Dallas, and if we somehow sneak by them we beat Edmonton and then get smashed by Florida instead. Too much shying away from contact at times by their star power, and with their biggest hitter on the forwards group out for the playoffs (hyman had 111 hits through 15 games credited to him). I'd be stunned if Florida didn't run over Edmonton in this cup final

Wow

Calling a blow out.

We'll see.

[JoshInFenton]

Stars and canes put forth pathetic efforts in the respective conf finals series. Neither Team in finals needed much if any rest. Once again makes that last Minute collapse in game 7 for the blues hurt that much more, what could've been

Well it would have taken us 7 to get past Winnipeg if we pulled it off. It only took Dallas 6, but that's a minor difference. Dallas then got absolutely walloped by Edmonton. By this line of thinking... maybe we sneak past Dallas? It would have been a close series certainly. But I'm not seeing us beat Edmonton.

You're right in line with my thinking, we would've came outta round one with alot of confidence. Just think the way we had been playing, with purpose and physicality, that we could have certainly beat Dallas. And of course 50 is our Goalie, anything could happen!!!

Really difficult to say. Dallas/Blues during the season hadn't gone that well, i know we played well near the end of the season but they had our number it felt like. even when i felt like we played well against them in what early march? think we still couldn't solve Otter, though maybe in the postseason it changes. I actually think we probably lose to Dallas, and if we somehow sneak by them we beat Edmonton and then get smashed by Florida instead. Too much shying away from contact at times by their star power, and with their biggest hitter on the forwards group out for the playoffs (hyman had 111 hits through 15 games credited to him). I'd be stunned if Florida didn't run over Edmonton in this cup final

Wow

Calling a blow out.

We'll see.

Physically yes, i think Florida will impose their will and the Oilers have nothing to prevent it. Will it be a 4-0 sweep? i don't know if i'd put my money on that, but i would pretty darn shocked if Edmonton won this series, and still reasonably impressed if they somehow managed to take it to 7. Less shocked at 4-2 or 4-1 series wins for Florida as there are definitely some chances that Edmonton's top line pops off and they get a few goals from the depth to win a game 7-4 or 6-3.

[Old_Goat]

Goat, with the hockey in bars reference you're conjuring up memories of Burnhams on Friday, February 22, 1980. THAT was one wild night to remember!

Must have been an exciting time. My memory of that night was being in the Arabian Sea near the mouth of the Gulf of Oman, Deck Officer in plane guard station 3,000 yards abaft a Carrier, shouldering away Soviet Cruiser and Intel gathering ships while preparing for what became an attempt at rescuing hostages from Iran. We got news of the victory via an AP teletype feed the next day. And I heard about it again about one month later when a letter from my wife finally showed up to tell me about it.
To be clear, I have no regrets whatsoever about being where I was that night. But I sincerely am extremely glad that you and everyone else were able to be at Burnhams and have such a wonderful lasting memory of it.
Thank you.