The Other Seven Teams:

As we inch closer to June, the future of the NHL season is beginning to take shape. More than any other professional sports league in North America, the NHL is at the forefront in attempting to salvage their season. The NHL and its players deserve much respect for their organization and dedication to resolving the issues at hand. It is very commendable how they have handled the lack of action on the ice. As was confirmed this week by commissioner Gary Bettman, unlike any other sports league right now, the NHL and the players have agreed on an expanded 24 team playoff format, assuming the season is resumed this summer. Consequently, teams on the playoff "bubble" will get the opportunity to compete for the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, there was a cut off of 24 teams, resulting in the demise of the seasons of the seven other non-included teams. Only eighty-five percent of the regular season had been played at the pause. Because multiple teams were fighting for the same minimal amount of playoff spots into the last 15 percent of the season, the NHL decided to expand their playoff format to recoup some of their lost revenue. As a result, these other seven teams would most likely not be playing a hockey game for about nine months. As commissioner Bettman reiterated this week, the NHL would be willing to start the 20-21 season as late as January 1st, 2021. If this becomes a reality, from March to the start of next season, these seven teams will be out for an extended period of time. So, how will these teams stay relevant for the next seven months? The whole point of having these extended playoffs, even with the high levels of risk, is to maintain relevancy in the league throughout the world. In the markets of the bottom teams, specifically in the very large state of California, the NHL needs to ensure that these franchises remain relevant. To enhance the clarity, the teams that were not eligible for the playoffs are: the Red Wings, Senators, Kings, Ducks, Sharks, Sabers, Devils. Is it really fair to let these valuable franchises off the hook for the next seven months? I would hope not.

One of the ways in which the NHL believes that these fanbases will be occupied throughout this time is through the draft lottery and its whole process. As reported, the draft lottery will take place on June 26th to determine who will select in the top three in October. To an extent, this is a very exciting event in the short term, especially with a franchise-altering talent like Alexis Lafreniere as the consensus number one draft pick. However, this is only a short term solution considering that the draft will not take place until at least October after a Stanly Cup is awarded. The NHL needs to do more to make an impact on these fanbases. Merely having a draft lottery from the span of March-October is not enough involvement for these teams. Additionally, these seven teams are not even guaranteed top selections in this upcoming draft. This is because the eight teams and fanbases who lost in the "play-in" round of the expanded playoff format will also have an opportunity to obtain a top-three selection in this upcoming draft. Of course, there was no other alternative considering the format. This year's draft lottery is essentially the same as every year. But isn't that a problem? The playoffs are different this year and provide an advantage to the extra eight teams who lose in the play-in round but are able to participate in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Isn't it more reasonable to think that the seven teams not included in the playoff format should be the only teams able to obtain the top three selections in this class? Imagine a scenario where the New York Rangers lose to the Carolina Hurricanes in the "play-in round". Although they end up losing, they had the opportunity to compete for the Cup while entertaining their fan base. After hypothetically losing this series, they still could end up winning the number one overall pick over the seven nonplayoff teams. Is that fair? The answer is no, it is not fair. Only the seven teams should get that opportunity. The NHL also needs to do something else to excite these fanbases. Maybe creating an extended training camp for those teams before the 20-21 season could be a viable option.

My point is that these franchises need to remain relevant while the other teams are the center of attention. There needs to be somewhat of a level playing field. Not involving these fan bases in New Jersey and Buffalo can have many detrimental effects in the long term. Even a team zoom call or fans being able to ask questions to the players over zoom could be beneficial. Any way in which these teams can remain relevant will benefit and enhance the league's relevance in the short and long term. I hope the NHL somehow comes up with ways to maintain relevancy in those seven very important hockey markets.