Each team will play 48 games (24 home / 24 away). The structure is very similar to the 1995 season which also began late due to labor disputes. That season started on January 20 and held the last regular season games on May 3. In 2013, the season starts this Saturday, January 19 but will end late April. Normally, the season is 82 games begining in early October and ending in the first two weeks in April.
There was no re-alignment in any way meaning that Winnipeg is still in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference and nobody moved from West to East to make way for Winnipeg (namely Detroit, Columbus or Nashville).
The schedule for each team is quite unbalanced. Normally, there is an unbalance anyway even with the 82 game system, though it is less so. The external conference play was 18 games and only 6 games were against the same team (a home and home) while the other 12 were split into 6 and 6 at either arena.
Anyway, the 2013 season is 48 games and unbalanced. For example: The 48-game schedule configuration calls for the Predators to play two Central Division opponents five times (Columbus and Chicago), two Central Division opponents four times (Detroit and St. Louis), and all other Western Conference teams three times each. Nashville will host the Blue Jackets three times while traveling to Columbus twice; will host the Blackhawks twice while traveling to Chicago three times; and play two games both at home and on the road against the Red Wings and Blues.
There will be five other teams – Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Phoenix and Dallas – that will come to Bridgestone Arena two times with Nashville visiting their home venue once, and five more teams – Minnesota, Colorado, Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose – that will visit the Music City once and see the Predators travel to twice.
Many teams are issuing thank you notes to their fans and a few teams are even doing something about it. The Detroit Red Wings are having a fee-free purchasing time as a thank you. But in my opinion, it is not enough. Not nearly enough. Those Ticketmaster fees are not set in stone. Take the Atlanta Hawks. They don't have any ticket fees when you purchase through hawks.com. That's for any game, all season long. And the Hawks are a good, playoff caliber team.
Speaking of the Hawks, did you see that incredible miss/make halfcourt shot?
Now, I don't know if the home arenas held onto dates or couldn't book those open dates, but most schedules I've looked at are actually pretty decent for fans when looking at weekends. The Maple Leafs will play 14 Saturday games, seven at home. And that's just Saturdays. The Lightning are another good example. Their weekend games (Saturday and Sundays) are totalled at 19. 5 at home Saturdays, 7 away with 2 Sunday games at home and 5 away on Sundays. The Senators are also pretty favorable with 10 Saturday date (6 at home) with an additional 2 games at home on Sundays.
Now, not everyone is so lucky. The Jets play 14 games on Saturdays and Sundays. The Sundays are split 3 and 3 home and away while 5 dates are at Saturdays at home with 3 away. But the Saturday games are all afternoon start times except one on the road. The Senators play only 2 their home Saturday games in the afternoon. The others are evening games.
My take?
I like the fact that the Stanley Cup Finals will be the only time an Eastern Conference team will play a Western Conference team. I don't think I would like this all the time, but I like the advantage the shortened season offers here. Not that I want a short season, but hey. That's the way it goes.
If the NHL wants to have games in the regular season against non-conference opponents, I like the idea of all or none. Otherwise, the NHL will look like MLB which is a very unfair system. Some teams play easy teams from the other league, some play hard opponents leaving a strength of schedule debate, like NCAA football or basketball.
I do not like the fact the schedule is so unbalanced with divisional games.
I am also not thrilled that Winnipeg is still in the Southeast. It is unfair to them and everyone else in the East, particularly their division opponents, because of the travel. Especially with the shortened schedule.
I've said it before to people, but the fact that this work stoppage was purely monetary was horrible. I could almost understand if there was a tweeking of the rules. After the last lockout that cost the entire season, the rules were changed to make the game (in my opinion) better. The elimination of the twoline pass. The touchup offsides. The smaller goalie pads. Now, I didn't like the trapezoid behind the net, but I liked most everything else. The diving rule especially. I'm still waiting for the elimination of the trapezoid and no-touch icing (not hybrid icing).
I know that money was also looked at last time, but this was pure money. Again, I could excuse a lockout a little more if say the two sides couldn't agree on the balance of a hard-hitting game and protecting players from concussions. But no. Not discussed (as far as we know).
Still, I'm excited the season is back.
Too bad the Winter Classic and All Star Game couldn't be salvaged.
