When the 2019-2020 NHL season came to a successful close in September of 2020, hockey fans everywhere couldn’t help but wonder what the next season would have in store. Was the bubble format going to remain or was there some other strategy in the works to put players on the ice and smiles on the faces of hockey fans?
At the outset, the possibility of having a 2020-2021 NHL season seemed very unlikely. Although the obvious solution seemed to be resorting back to the bubble format that worked so well for the playoffs, the NHL and NHLPA remained on opposite sides of the fence. Being away from home for 6 months and the poor delivery of amenities in the bubble were among the reasons why the players were against that solution. As the targeted start date of January 1 drew closer, the chances of actually having a season seemed a distant possibility.
Then, on December 23, the NHL announced their plans to commence the 2020-2021 season on January 13. The hockey world let out a collective sigh of relief, and people were thrilled knowing that hockey would soon be on their televisions once more. Combining the wishes of both the NHL and NHLPA, the choice was made to realign the divisions – North, Central, East, and West – and conduct play in a series-like format, similar to that of the MLB. Ultimately, this decision added to the curiosity people had towards this season and how the new format would play out.
The thought of having an all-Canadian division had Canadian hockey fans going crazy, the concept of interdivisional play brought up the discussion of new rivalries forming, and the constant games against the same teams had everyone feeling as though the season would be a more competitive playoff-like atmosphere. All of this looked great on paper, but after actually experiencing it, feelings began to shift.
Now at the midway mark of the season, it’s safe to say that people have wavered, and now feel like this is not the exhilarating season we all thought it was going to be. So, what happened between January and March that caused everyone to start asking for things to go back to normal? There were a few factors, but mostly they boiled down to the following:
- Matchups overrated
The idea of being able to watch McDavid vs. Matthews for a total of 9 times was unimaginable for both Oilers and Leafs fans prior to the season. For obvious reasons, when fans were told this would become a reality, there were high expectations placed on what they wanted to see throughout the year. The same goes for other teams around the league, where there was an underlying expectation for increased intensity, unpredictability, and overall excitement in watching these matchups and being exposed to them more than once in a season.
Looking back at those matchups that we were so excited for in the beginning, it’s clear the initial lustre has worn off. There is really no other way to put it. Why were those matchups so captivating to us? Well, in previous seasons the thrill came from knowing that, because we were only going to get to see those select teams play a max of maybe 2 games a year, they were must-watch events.
Now, we’ve seen the same matchups so many times that it has become routine and predictable. The thrill of it is no longer there. Take it from me, seeing McDavid more than twice a season is not something I want to remain constant; I actually miss when the Leafs would play Marchand or Crosby.
- Classic rivalries no longer exist
With the strict interdivisional play, several matchups will go unseen, unless the teams make it far enough into the playoffs to take part in the mixing of divisions. Considering only 1 team from each division will play against other divisional teams in the semifinals, there is very little chance that a certain NHL fan’s dream matchup will be seen. Classic rivalries, such as Bruins vs. Leafs, may go extinct – and for both Bruins and Leafs fans, that is not acceptable. Instead, it feels as though this division alignment has been forcing rivalries where they just don’t exist and most likely never will, which has inadvertently deterred fans from having interest in them.
- More demanding travel
Although this may pertain more to the North Division, it should still be a concern for the league. Even with the series format, players are being faced with more intense travel. So far, there have been certain teams that have played in 3 different time zones in just 2 weeks. The original divisions gave leeway where teams would not have to travel across Canada in short periods of time just to get their games played.
- Isolation
Having 4 separate and independent divisions has created a sense of isolation throughout the league where it is easy to feel as though the NHL has become split into 4 different leagues entirely. Being a fan of the Maple Leafs myself, I’ve felt that the North Division has become a league on its own and it is almost unnecessary to be ‘keeping tabs’ on the other divisions when I know the Leafs are never going to play them. That is, until the playoffs, when they will still only be playing against a handful of other divisional teams. The disconnect between the divisions has caused a general disinterest in certain teams where one’s own team is not involved.
It is possible that, come September 2021, borders will be open and fans may be allowed in more arenas. This poses a very complicated question, one that we heard ourselves asking last September – what will the next season look like? There are several options available: revert to the old schedule and division format, keep the 2020-2021 schedule and format, or combine the two options.
Although many fans might jump at the opportunity to just bring back the original schedule and divisional alignment, I think before rushing to conclusions, all options need to be considered. We’re all aware that the strict interdivisional play is an obvious NO moving forward. However, I don’t think there needs to be a complete abandonment of the division alignment and series schedule format.
It’s common knowledge that this season has missed the mark, but one thing that has surprised us all has been the series format. Implementing this type of schedule was an attempt to reduce travel, but it also succeeded in providing increased competition and intensity with the feeling that each game must be won to be declared the winner of the series. Having said that, I don’t think too many people would be against maintaining the 2-3 game miniseries if it means more intensity.
One realistic solution that should be proposed is retaining the series format and either keeping the divisions how they are now or reverting to pre-COVID division alignment. What is the difference? In simple terms, keeping the divisions would allow for more Canada vs. Canada matchups while allowing play with teams in other divisions that can be mixed in on the road trips. This option may require more complicated and stressful travel for teams. On the other hand, reverting to the original alignment would provide teams the opportunity to return to normalcy after an uneasy 2 seasons. To compensate for the interest of fans to see more Canadian games, that can easily be implemented into the schedule by way of turning a one-game road trip into a 2-3 game series. Reverting back to the original alignment and implementing the series format into the schedule with more Canadian matchups would be the most ideal decision to satisfy both fan and player concerns.
Realistically, the choice for the next NHL season and all seasons moving forward will depend on whether travel restrictions are lifted allowing for cross-divisional play. While we still must give credit to the NHL for finding a successful solution in a short period of time, we must also hope that as the league is presented with more acceptable and safe operating possibilities, they seriously consider abandoning the format that was used in this 2020-2021 season and opt for a more appropriate format.
-Antonia Ammendolia
Twitter: @TheHockey_Chick