I get the impression that those wonderful, rare Sportsnet HD games on 298 aren't going to be free after Wednesday.  The message I got from SHAW was that it was going to cost $160.00 for a half seasons package.  Does anyone know if that's true?  

Fix the league by:

A:  Creating an all-Canadian division.  Cut down on travel costs by scheduling two games in 3 days (i.e.: Canucks would host the Habs Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday).  If not "A" then try....

B:  Completely revamp the divisions & conferences.  There is no reason (other than ownership greed) that the Atlantic Division should stay intact where teams can drive home most nights after road games.  It would be tantamount to having a Pacific Division that consists of two Vancouver teams, plus one each in Burnaby, Victoria, Seattle and Portland.  The NFL and Major League Baseball manage to survive having their New York teams in different conferences/leagues, why should the NHL be any different?

C: Abandon the "hokey" shootout.  In the time they waste clearing a centre patch down the ice and submitting shootout lists, they could expand the OT frame to 10 mins. If it's STILL tied, 1 pt each.  The 1 pt reward for LOSING a shootout has led to a league where 26 of 30 teams have a record of .500 or better.  SO WRONG.

D: Borrow a page from soccer and make wins worth 3 points.  THEN you'll see teams hungry for a "W".  

E: League contraction.  There isn't enough top caibre talent to ice 30 teams in the NHL and another 29 farm teams in the AHL.  Better to have 24 quality NHL teams and I'd chime in on including at least ONE more Canadian franchise (Hamilton or Winnipeg).

F: Why do we need a 2 month post-season?  First step, shorten the pre-season then expand the regular season by 4-6 games (2-3 more home gates for EVERY team).  Then shorten the playoffs by making the first two rounds best of 5 affairs or a single game elimination for the 16 best franchises REGARDLESS of which conference they're in.  OR create two POOLS of eight teams out of the top 16 teams in the regular season, have a round robin and the top 4 from each POOL square off in a single-game elimination leading up to the Stanley Cup game which would be hosted by a different team each year (a la the Super Bowl).  

But I'm sure Bettman and his Governor friends will continue their quest to have teams in hockey hotbeds like Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Las Vegas, Houston, Cleveland, etc.  Can you imagine the excitement a few years from now a Cup final featuring Columbus/Atlanta or Oklahoma/Carolina will generate.  

Sportsnet numbers down - but are they counting those who instead are watching CH. 298? I love watching the game in HD - makes me wonder how I saw the puck all those many years in front of my 21" tv.

I hate to be "that guy" but I like the shootout.  I was at the pub last Tuesday for the game against teh Isle that went to shootout... and whenever T. Linden steps on the ice, the place goes mental... then he scored and it was fun.

but maybe you're right about how liberal they are with handing out points to losers.  Have it go to shootout... one team walks away with 2 and one with zero.

Does anyone else notice how brutal the East is in general?  If the Oil were in the Atlantic they'd be number one with a bullet!  No wonder Ottawa dominates the way they do, they get to beat up on Toronto 8 times a season... any tema with that cherry schedul;e from the West would be tops.