Playoff format

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RagingBS
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Joined: Fri May 26, 2017 11:13 am

Playoff format

Post by RagingBS »

Now that the GOJHL is down to 25 teams, has any consideration been given to reducing the number of teams that make it to playoffs? If they go with top 8 in each conference again it will result in only 1 team from the West missing playoffs. The entire Midwest and Golden Horseshoe would still make appearances in the post season. Does anyone else think that having 16 teams that anyone of them could potentially lose every game all year and still get into playoffs is a bad thing?
Marcie
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Re: Playoff format

Post by Marcie »

I've always been a strong supporter of reducing the teams that qualify for the playoffs. They could easily eliminate the 7th and 8th seeds. Collectively last year the 7th and 8th place teams in the playoffs were 0-24. That isn't a lot of fun for anyone to watch.
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Port hockey1
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Re: Playoff format

Post by Port hockey1 »

I think having the top 16 teams overall, make the playoffs would be fun. 1 vs 16, 2 vs 15, etc. I know the travel costs would make that very difficult though.
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BeenThereDoneThat
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Re: Playoff format

Post by BeenThereDoneThat »

Port, good to see your return but get rid of your self proclaimed Howard Stern likeness. Its old, its not needed. Be part of the group that like to express our views and opinions. Not one of us are more important than the rest of us I look forward to all participants opinions whether its yours or the next guys.
RagingBS
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Re: Playoff format

Post by RagingBS »

I have always found that Port tells it like it is and doesn't just tow the party line. I think being known as the Howard Stern of the GOJHL is fitting. Welcome back Port.
BeenThereDoneThat
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Re: Playoff format

Post by BeenThereDoneThat »

RagingBS,
I for the most part enjoyed Ports posts. They were generally based on facts, unlike yours. Port has been involved in the Jr.B league for quite some time, he's been there and done that. Have You ? Port lose the HS reference, go with Howard Cosell, its more appropriate.
RagingBS
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Re: Playoff format

Post by RagingBS »

BeenThereDoneThat wrote: Sat Sep 01, 2018 1:58 pm RagingBS,
I for the most part enjoyed Ports posts. They were generally based on facts, unlike yours. Port has been involved in the Jr.B league for quite some time, he's been there and done that. Have You ? Port lose the HS reference, go with Howard Cosell, its more appropriate.
Howard Stern is a more colourful character than Cosell. Unlike yourself he isn't a gullible yes man, but by all means keep those rose coloured glasses on. They suit you well.

Now back to the topic at hand

Multiple sub .400 teams making the playoffs annually doesn't encourage the annual bottom feeders to put a better product on the ice. Setting a number close to 60% of the teams making playoffs is ideal. With 25 teams left that number should be close to 15. For mathematical reasons a cap of 16 would be far better than the current 24. The regular season would become meaningful and highly competitive.
BeenThereDoneThat
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Re: Playoff format

Post by BeenThereDoneThat »

Well Raging BS, first thought after reading your comments was to tear you a new one but on second thought, I thought educating you might enlighten you as to what happens in the real world.. You obviously have no idea what it takes to run a franchise in the GOJHL. Have you not noticed in recent years how attendance numbers have dropped throughout the league and costs have gone up. Most of these teams need whatever playoff revenue they get in the playoffs to try and off-set expenses they incur during the regular season. None of the owners in the GOJHL are in this business thinking they'll get rich. They only want to survive and continue to offer kids the experience of playing Jr. Hockey again next year.
Many of these owners incur thousands of dollars loss every year.

Your idea of reducing the number of teams that qualify for post season play would no doubt increase the need to succeed during the regular season but in the long run would put teams barely getting by out of business. We as people involved in the business want to grow , not reduce.

Not that I owe you an explanation but the reference to Howard Cosell in my view was more appropriate as Cosell was a sports first guy and Stern is a --------- I really don't know how to describe him.

And finally, thank you for mentioning my rose coloured glasses, it took me years to find them. You should buy a pair, I'm sure you would see a lot cleared than trying to look through the blindfold you currently wear.
RagingBS
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Re: Playoff format

Post by RagingBS »

BeenThereDoneThat wrote: Sat Sep 01, 2018 7:05 pm Well Raging BS, first thought after reading your comments was to tear you a new one but on second thought, I thought educating you might enlighten you as to what happens in the real world.. You obviously have no idea what it takes to run a franchise in the GOJHL. Have you not noticed in recent years how attendance numbers have dropped throughout the league and costs have gone up. Most of these teams need whatever playoff revenue they get in the playoffs to try and off-set expenses they incur during the regular season. None of the owners in the GOJHL are in this business thinking they'll get rich. They only want to survive and continue to offer kids the experience of playing Jr. Hockey again next year.
Many of these owners incur thousands of dollars loss every year.

Your idea of reducing the number of teams that qualify for post season play would no doubt increase the need to succeed during the regular season but in the long run would put teams barely getting by out of business. We as people involved in the business want to grow , not reduce.

Not that I owe you an explanation but the reference to Howard Cosell in my view was more appropriate as Cosell was a sports first guy and Stern is a --------- I really don't know how to describe him.

And finally, thank you for mentioning my rose coloured glasses, it took me years to find them. You should buy a pair, I'm sure you would see a lot cleared than trying to look through the blindfold you currently wear.
I don't disagree with much of what you are saying about the GOJHL. Attendance numbers are down in many venues. Demographics can be a factor but there is more to it than that. Unfortunately some owners don't recognize that part of that may be the result of changes within their own control. Some teams have left locals off the roster in favour of drafted players that will only be there for one year. Some teams have had affiliations with OHL teams that brought in money at times but in the long run hurt their fan base. Some teams do an excellent job of integrating the players into the community, others not so much. A few owners have reputations of selling top players off because they are cash strapped but can purchase the rights to elite baseball players. Some teams move there home games to nights that conflict with the local OHL Team. The list goes on.

From a competitive stand point some teams in the league are always in the top half partly because some are never going to ice a competitive team. As long as everyone (except 1) makes the playoffs there is little incentive to do better.

Are there leagues that are worse than the GOJHL? Of course there are, but there are also some leagues the GOJHL can learn from.

I
outside looking in
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Re: Playoff format

Post by outside looking in »

Please name the leagues that the GOJHL can learn from and what they do so much better?
RagingBS
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Re: Playoff format

Post by RagingBS »

I would start with the leagues that players are leaving to join now, excluding the OJHL. Reason being if you want to be more attractive than the OJHL you need to look at where players go when they bypass them and why. I would look at the USHL,NAHL,WSHL in the US and the 6 legitimate JrA leagues in Canada that are not in Ontario. There are reasons Ontario players seek out those destinations. All things equal many would play at home.
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Blades
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Re: Playoff format

Post by Blades »

i would like to see a 16 team playoff but make it a bit more like what I have seen in Jr B Lacrosse.
They have 2 conferences -- East and West and then within those it is further divided up into 3 divisions each. Of course, the area for Jr B is quite spread out amongst the province, hence 3 divisions/conference with 4 to 5 teams per division. http://pointstreak.com/prostats/standin ... onid=18140
In each conference, the top 8 teams by points are seeded and the playoff format is 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7 etc. and each round is a best of 5 http://pointstreak.com/prostats/bracket ... onid=18400
Each conference winner plays for the right to be called the OJBLL champion and represents Ontario in the Founder's Cup which is a national championship http://founderscup.pointstreaksites.com ... ounderscup
I believe this would help eliminate the "bottom" feeders from playoff contention but give encouragement during the season to make it into the top 8.
Seems to work, for the most part, in the Jr B lacrosse league.
Thoughts?
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RocketGirl
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Re: Playoff format

Post by RocketGirl »

I think the only way it'll change is if/when the split happens. The same with the Sutherland Cup format. Nobody likes the wild card format, but it'll only change if/when the split happens.
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RagingBS
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Re: Playoff format

Post by RagingBS »

I think it has potential. With 6 divisions split by 2 conferences an unbalanced schedule could be created. Most divisions would be 4 teams. Having them play 8 games against each other (24 total) would create some very intense and bitter rivalries. Rivals draw in more fans and creates more revenue. They could then play the other 8 teams in the same conference 3 times each. These schedules could reverse each year. For example If Listowel Stratford Leamington and Lasalle all played in the West Conference, In year 1 Leamington would travel to Listowel twice and Stratford once, Lasalle would travel to Listowel once and Stratford twice, Listowel would travel to Leamington once and Lasalle twice, Stratford would travel to Leamington twice and Lasalle once. In year 2 the teams would go twice to the venues the went to once the year before and vice versa. There would be some longer road trips (great team bonding experiences) but with more games would be closer to home so fans would be more likely to go to road games as well (more revenue) and travel costs overall would decrease for most teams (less expense). More revenue with less expense should result in a better bottom line, a more exciting environment because of increased games with rivals and a better playing experience.

24 games vs rivals plus 24 games vs other in conference = 48 games, but 2 showcase games cross conference could be added if those ever become league games again

Playoffs could be 1 vs 8 overall and so on, or first 3 seeds are division winners, then 5 wild cards still using 1 v 8, 2 v 7 ......
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