There are 30 teams in the NHL and 16 of those teams make it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The other 16 are shunned away to the golf course or the beach and forgotten about until October.
The KHL has another idea. One that is both intriguing and a little crazy.
Courtesy: Interpress/AFP/Getty Images
On Tuesday, the KHL announced that they are going to have a consolation tournament called ‘The Hope Cup’ for teams that don’t make it to the playoffs. The winner of this tournament will received 15 Million Rubles ($500,000) for their team. The KHL will fund the ‘pay-off’ race and an actual ‘Hope Cup’ will be awarded. There will also be a draft pick awarded and it could be a top pick (details are still coming through).
What’s the reason?
The KHL has a host of players that will be competing in the 2014 Winter Olympics in nearby Sochi, Russia. With the league only having 52 games a season per team and ending in the middle of February, the Russian Ice Hockey Federation wanted a way for players who didn’t make the playoffs to stay in shape in order to prepare for the upcoming Olympics. Pretty savvy.
Now it most likely will only be for one season, depending on how fans and players react. But what an idea. How would that translate to the NHL? A lot of bloggers are wondering how a “Losers Bracket” would fair if they were playing for their place in the draft. Interesting.
It could go three ways in my opinion:
1. 14 teams who didn’t make the playoffs play for the top pick in the draft (this would replace the Draft Lottery – sorry Edmonton). Teams could not only benefit financially (Columbus) but hockey-starved fans who haven’t seen a playoff game in years could get their fix (Toronto, Calgary, Winnipeg). The NHL season would have to be shortened to say 74 games, which a lot of players would be greatful for, and the regular playoffs and “Losers Bracket” playoffs could be played simultaneously. At the end of the “Losers Bracket” the winning team receives the first pick in the NHL Draft and runners-up receive the appropriate draft number based on where they finished. It’s interesting to say the least. It could boost revenue and give rotten teams a chance to play for something at the end of the season.
…or…
2. 14 teams who didn’t make the playoffs play for the top pick in the draft. Teams that were barely squeeked out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs now have a chance to better their team by winning the pick and teams that never had a shot at the Stanley Cup will most likely lose again and feel shame. Logistically it doesn’t make any sense and it’s something probably wouldn’t go over well with teams and fans.
…or… (and this is a completely different scenario)
3. 14 teams who didn’t make the playoffs play for increased salary cap. Again, logistically it wouldn’t work out for a team that gets 56 points in the regular season compared to a #9 seed that misses the playoffs but still got over 100 points. BUT it’s still interesting. Teams could receive a certain amount towards the cap based on how they did in the “Losers Bracket” playoff. Even if the team gets tossed early, they still get some sort of compensation to use towards resigning a player or signing a high talent UFA. And every year it would mean more of a chance for those bottom teams to make a push for the real playoffs.
Something interesting to talk about over a beer. But it will never happen. I don’t think the NHL would do something that sounds almost petty. It’s something you see on a reality show and sports hasn’t gotten that bad yet, have they?
More to come…
