Hockey fans, we have a problem.  We've been complaining for a while now that the NHL Regular Season schedule is bogus.  It's time to do something about it.  Our main man, Gary Bettman (#### extraordinaire), has 30 teams in the NHL, running an 82-game schedule, but we don't see all 29 opposing teams in a season.  Further, there are teams who are in the playoffs today who really don't deserve their slot.  We'll address these problems today, and come up with some possible solutions.
 
Each year, your team does not play one division in the other conference.  Each year, you do not see 5 teams in the NHL, unless you meet them in the Stanley Cup finals.  We play 10 games a year against opponents outside of our conference; five at home, and five on the road.  Incidentally, each division has but five teams.  Now, I know you're all saying, "But wait, Mr. Chaas.  That doesn't make sense!"  And you're right.  Of 29 opponents, we play 10 different opponents once, for a grand total of just over 12% of the season.  Brilliant!
 
To compound this brilliance, we face the same 14 teams about 87% of the season.  And we face 5 teams 0% of the season.  Now, I did some math.  We have 29 opponents, being a 30-team league.  We have 82 games in a season, which averages out to just below 3 games per opponent, were we to play everyone an equal number of times (See NHL Schedule prior to 2000).  Now, I have no problem seeing my conference a few more times than the other conference.  But let's get realistic here.  We have 14 opponents in our conference, and 15 in the "other" conference.  I have a solution that will blow your collective minds.  Ready?  Here we go.
 
Play the "other" conference teams twice each, for a total of 30 games.  This way, your fans can sample more hockey than just 4 to 14 teams each season.  Now, we have 52 games left to play.  For each of the 14 teams in our conference, we play them three times for 42 games.  We have 10 games left to play, and 10 teams outside our division?  Oh hey, let's just play those 10 teams one more time, and call it a schedule.  Problem solved.  Consider your collective minds blown. 
 
But, there's another problem.  For teams like the Edmonton Oilers, who have the longest travel time to any opponent, playing in South Florida twice a year becomes quite a chore.  It's not quite as bad for the Panthers or the Lightning visiting Edmonton, but it's still a lot of time on an airplane.  However, that doesn't mean these teams shouldn't play each other. 
 
Some time ago, the League decided to rename conferences to East and West (As opposed to Campbell and Wales).  This simplified things for the casual fan.  However, boundaries were drawn, which made things ... uncomfortable.  Folks, Nashville and Columbus aren't exactly considered Western.  Heck, Detroit and Chicago are East of a lot more than they are West.  What it comes down to, really, is the Conferences don't make a whole lot of sense to me.  So, I've decided to do a few things about it. 
 
I'm thinking about doing something along the lines of the old two-division conferences.  We're going to cut a line across the map, which will divide our teams into four, seven- or eight-team conferences.  One of these Conferences will consist of the current Northeast division (Buffalo, Boston, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto), with the addition of the two New York teams (Rangers, Islanders) and the New Jersey Devils.  The other Eastern conference will combine the Southeast division (Atlanta, Carolina, Florida, Tampa Bay, Washington) with the Flyers, and Penguins.  In addition, we'll be moving Nashville into this Conference.  The Western Conference will undergo similar tweaks.  Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver will join Detroit, Columbus, St. Louis, and Chicago.  Colorado and Minnesota will join Anaheim, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Jose, and Dallas. 
 
At a glance, one might thing I'm anti-western hockey, for stealing one of their teams.  I have nothing against the Western Conference as it is today.  But, Nashville is in Tennessee, which is very much on the Eastern side of the continent.  By that logic, I'd like to put Detroit and Columbus in the Eastern conference too.  Unfortunately, we're all used to thinking in East-West terms.  I'd like to change that.  Let's get rid of the Longitudinal thinking.  This is Hockey, not Geography class.  While I can't very well take away all the teams East of the Rockies, moving the Predators into the Southeast conference makes sense.  After all, it's in the Southeastern part of the continent.  
 
So, for simplicity's sake, we're going to call these four conferences Northeast, Southeast, Northwest, and Southwest.  We have 15 teams in the Northern conferences, and 15 teams in the Southern conferences.  To accomodate travel time for everyone, we're going to make it pretty simple.  You play each team from another conference at home once, and away once, for a total of 58 games.  If your team is in the south, you play one more against each of the Southern conferences.  Same thing for the North, against the North.  That leaves us with 10 games left, which will be randomized.  Playoff spots will be very simple.  The top two teams from each Conference will be ordered by points, and will be bracketed the same way our conference playoffs are bracketed (1-8, 2-7, 3-6, 4-5).  Winners will be re-seeded after their 7-game series has been played, and we'll continue until we have a champion. 
 
I think this would work, but I'd love to hear some critiques. 

Yep.  I promised to do this in a couple days.  Yep, it took me about two weeks. 
 
So, 82 games have passed in the NHL, and the Western Conference looks a little bit strange.  First, the Central Division.  Wait, where's Detroit?  Not the best team in the NHL?  Who the heck are the Nashville Predators?
 
Well, Detroit will not win the President's trophy this season, but they'll definitely be around in the playoffs.  Don't count on contenders this season.  They're a young group, and they'll be using this season to gel and gain valuable experience. 
 
Instead, look forward to seeing Nashville atop the Central division this season.  With Vokoun healthy, the Preds have a great advantage over any team's offense backstopping them.  I wouldn't say they've got an All-Star lineup on the blue line.  However, they've got talent enough to get the job done and help their goaltender, while chipping in on the offense.  Their offense can be potent with the likes of Kariya, Dumont, Arnott and Erat.   
 
Despite the way things look now, Chicago will rebound from their wave of injuries.  Khabibulin will pick up his play.  Blackhawk fans will see him rebound to his glory cup days in Tampa Bay.  As the season rolls forward, we'll also see some injuries around the division, right around the time the stars in Chicago come back to life.  Expect a very strong second half for this club. 
 
St. Louis looks to be another disappointment this season.  Despite some young talent and plenty of veteran leadership, they're not getting the job done.  I don't see them making the playoffs this season.  A thought nags at me from the back of my mind: "You don't rebuild with veterans."  They will finish last in the division.
 
Columbus will have a decent year, and they'll fight right down to the wire for a spot in the playoffs.  You might call them stacked when it comes to their wingers.  Nash, Modin, Zherdev, Carter.  Sounds like last season's All-Star lineup, and that's not including the centers.  Defense is a healthy mix of veterans and young skaters, and I can't forsee any problems with Pascal Leclaire.  Unless they're plagued by injuries in the second half, I'm counting Columbus as a playoff team. 
 
 
 
In the Pacific Division, we have three great teams and two mediocre teams.  The atrocity that is the Coyotes lineup is almost surreal.  Looking at their roster, I see a lot of guys I rooted for back in the 90's.  Stalwart veterans, to say the best of the Coyotes.  Jeremy Roenick and Owen Nolan are old men compared to most of the NHL.  Nagy is the shining star on their offensive roster.  Looking into my crystal ball, I see two thirds of the team injured before January.  Things do not look good for the desert dogs.
 
Los Angeles is rebuilding.  I can't really say a whole lot else about this team.  I'd certainly like to ask GM Lombardi a few questions, the first of which is not exactly suited for FOX Blogs.  See ya next season, Kings fans.  
 
The Ducks, Sharks, and Stars have put up more points this season than some entire divisions.  All three are playoff bound, in the order I mentioned.  The Ducks will take the Western Conference this season, with the Sharks and Stars in fourth and fifth respectively.  Both squads will have more points than at least one division leading team in the west.  
 
The Stars are a veteran team.  Only four players on the roster have fewer than five seasons' experience.  Lindros and Modano are still playing their game.  New Captain Brenden Morrow looks comfortable in his role, and Marty Turco will have another excellent year.  To this point, the Stars have allowed a league-low 26 goals. 
 
San Jose has a surplus of goaltending talent, and they look to be using it all.  Nabokov and Toskala have split the season just about down the middle so far.  Their numbers are very comparable.  This could be a ploy to grow their market value for a late season trade.  Meanwhile, the top two lines picked up right where they left off last season: raising hell for opposing defensive corps.  Two thirds of Joe Thornton's points have come on the power play.  They're the best in the league when it comes to the man advantage, however their penalty killing is 25th in the league, 12th in the west.  The best way to beat the Sharks is by playing a disciplined hockey game. 
 
Speaking of power plays, the Ducks are right behind San Jose, with the second best return on the man advantage.  Three big names lead this team in points: Niedermayer, Pronger, and Selanne.  Giguere has reclaimed the number one spot, and his numbers thus far are impressive.  Anaheim has yet to lose in regulation. 
 
 
 
The Minnesota Wild are running away with the Northwest Division.  Don't expect them to look back any time soon.  Like the Southeast division last year, the cream will rise to the top of the Northwest.  Expect the Wild to finish second in the Western conference. 
 
Vancouver has a lot of work to do.  They're playing just over .500, and it's going to hurt them down the road.  As we see now with Bertuzzi out with back surgery, the Canucks won out on that big trade with Florida.  However, the Sedin line cannot carry this team's offense by themselves.  Special teams should be a concern down the road. 
 
The Avalanche are not the Avalanche of old.  They've scored 46 goals, which is good enough for second in the conference.  However, they've also allowed 43 goals.  If they keep this pace up, we'll not be seeing Colorado in the playoffs.
 
The Oilers lost several key players in the off-season, and I don't think they've recovered from that yet.  Having said that, I think theirs is a team many in the west want to beat, having championed the Western Conference playoffs last season.  I don't see them making the playoffs this season. 
 
Calgary needs to get it together.  Their offense is once again dismal.  Picking up Tanguay was helpful, but it doesn't seem to be enough.  If Calgary's going to get out of the Northwest basement, they'll need to swing a trade and bring in some potent firepower. 
 
To break it down by Division:
 
Central:
 
1 - Nashville Predators
2 - Columbus Blue Jackets
3 - Detroit Red Wings
4 - Chicago Blackhawks
5 - St. Louis Blues
 
Pacific:
 
1 - Anaheim Ducks
2 - San Jose Sharks
3 - Dallas Stars
4 - Los Angeles Kings
5 - Phoenix Coyotes
 
Northwest:
 
1 - Minnesota Wild
2 - Vancouver Canucks
3 - Calgary Flames
4 - Edmonton Oilers
5 - Colorado Avalanche
 
 
And by playoff position:
 
1 - Anaheim Ducks
2 - Minnesota Wild
3 - Nashville Predators
4 - San Jose Sharks
5 - Dallas Stars
6 - Columbus Blue Jackets
7 - Detroit Red Wings
8 - Vancouver Canucks
 
My prediction for the cup playoffs:
 
San Jose vs. Buffalo
Buffalo in 6.

So I gave it a few days to settle in and calm down from my absolute outrage.  That said, I can't believe the move Kevin Harvick made on Riggs with just a few laps to go at TMS. 
For anyone who missed the race, Harvick put his nose right up against the rear of Riggs' car, which effectively takes the air right off the back end of the car.  He didn't make contact with Riggs, but I'm sure most will agree, it's awefully hard to recover a car when the rear wheels aren't gripping.  I'd think that's especially true coming out of a turn.  I also think it's a particularly dangerous move.  I'm having a hard time differentiating this from intentionally wrecking a guy.  At the same time, I think Riggs' tire carrier acted out of frustration, however inappropriate it was.  I do not condone that, or any other kind of retaliation in sports.

Harvick wasn't exactly in contention to win the race.  At the time, he was in 4th place, and he was going to finish in the top 5, second amongst chasers.  He had little to no chance of catching Johnson, let alone Stewart.  Even if he had caught them, I don't think he had the car to beat them.  So what's the point of dropping your nose so close to a guy that he crashes? 

I'm not exactly a NASCAR know-it-all, and I try not to pretend to be.  But this just seems reckless and dangerous.  Deep down in my gut, I almost want to scream that he wrecked Riggs just to have a chance to get to the leaders, and should be docked points the same as Robby Gordon at Atlanta.   

I guess I'll stop ranting now, but I sure would appreciate it if someone'd help me understand why NASCAR tolerates this kind of thing. 

Before I get started, did anyone else see the Penguins vs Devils last night?  All I have to say is thank goodness for TiVo.  Even though they're not my team, Crosby and Malkin are two of the three most exciting players in the game today, the other being Ovechkin. 
 
Malkin's goal was so amazing, I had to pause sportscenter while I collected my jaw off the floor.  I must have watched it a dozen times, from the pass right on up the middle, to the beautiful move on the defensemen, and into the goal with what can only be described as the "Stretch Armstrong" reach.  This was just a thing of beauty. 
 
Okay, so here we go.  After a tenth of the season, here's how I see it in the East.  
 
The Northeast will be the strongest division in the league this season.  Buffalo is my prediction for the President's Trophy this season.  Montreal and Ottawa will retain spots in the playoffs.  Toronto will just barely miss the playoffs, and Boston will finish last in the Eastern Conference. 
 
The Southeast is one of the weaker divisions in the NHL by comparison, but they will still make a decent showing in the postseason.  Atlanta will take the division crown, with Florida and Carolina grabbing spots.  Washington and Tampa Bay will be on the outside.  Watch Tampa Bay at the trade deadline.  They may try to swing a trade for a rent-a-player.  Do not count on their stars moving. 
 
The Atlantic division will be the most interesting.  Of the six divisions, this might be the most competitive, come the end of the season.  I'm looking forward to seeing my predictions here proven wrong, if only to see my Rangers in the postseason.
 
That said, I'm reluctant to give the Rangers a playoff berth.  They've really been a disappointment this year.  Shannahan's literally the only bright spot on the roster.  Jagr looks like he's struggling this season.  If I had to guess, I'd say having the C stitched on his sweater is weighing on him.  In addition, I think the Rangers will look to find a veteran backup, possibly from one of the California teams with a goaltending surplus. 
 
The Philadelphia Flyers are in turmoil.  Theirs is a season without direction, and I fear the worst for this club.  They will turn things around, but it will be too little, too late. 
 
The Islanders... I promised myself I was not going to talk about the Islanders.  I think I'm still bitter over the firing of Neil Smith.  We all saw what he can do.  He built the '94 Rangers, and they won a cup.  That's all I'm going to say.  The Islanders will not make the playoffs. 
 
The Devils have consistently been a threat at the end of the season.  They kept the core of their team together (and by core, I mean somewhere between 15 and 20 players), while adding and subtracting a few.  Other than money changes, I really don't see a difference from last season.  I will be surprised to see them miss the playoffs.  They are my division champions.  Pittsburg will be the only other Atlantic team in the playoffs. 

 
So, first by division:
 
Northeast:

 
1 - Buffalo
2 - Montreal
3 - Ottawa
4 - Toronto
5 - Boston
 
Atlantic:
 
1 - New Jersey
2 - Pittsburg
3 - New York Rangers
4 - Philadelphia
5 - New York Islanders
 
Southeast:
 
1 - Atlanta
2 - Florida
3 - Carolina
4 - Washington
5 - Tampa Bay
 
And by rank:
 
1 - Buffalo
2 - New Jersey
3 - Atlanta
4 - Florida
5 - Montreal
6 - Pittsburg
7 - Ottawa
8 - Carolina
--------------
9  - Toronto
10 - New York Rangers
11 - Washington
12 - Philadelphia
13 - New York Islanders
14 - Tampa Bay
15 - Boston
 
 
This is getting kind of long, so I think I'll stop here for now.  I'll check back in with my Western Conference predictions in a couple days. 
Cheers!

Random musings of a madman?  Nah, chaas is just talking again.  Can't we ever shut him up?    No.  Despite popular beliefs, I have no off-switch.    The Mets lost.  Major blow to my ego, as there are several Yankees and Redsox fans who will surely mock me.  Unbeknownst to them, the Yankees fell out of the playoffs in the previous round, and what round did Boston lose in?  Oh, yeah.  Forgot about them missing the playoffs entirely.  Oh, joyous rivalries.  I'd pay good money to see Tom Glavine beat the stuffing out of A-rod, then tar and feather Jeter.  I mean, come on.  That's just good TV.    So, how 'bout those Raiders?  I'd like to read to you, if I may, an email a dear friend sent me regarding the Oakland camp:    

Creepy Event at Raiders Practice Yesterday-----

Oakland Raiders football practice was delayed nearly two hours yesterday after a player reported finding an unknown white powdery substance on the practice field. Head coach Art Shell immediately suspended practice and called the police and federal investigators. After a complete analysis, FBI forensic experts determined that the white substance unknown to players was the "GOAL LINE". Practice resumed after special agents decided the team was unlikely to encounter the substance again.

Kinda puts things in perspective.  We're looking for the perfect record, the only team this season without a win.  Don't they have a special award in the NFL for teams who excel at sucking out loud?  They ought to.  It's their only chance to win anything this year.  Randy Moss and his double-coverage plus safety...   

NASCAR Cup series is at Martinsville this weekend.  I've decided that, for a change, I'm going to start rooting for Jeff Green, since the car owner shares my last name.  Don't get me wrong, Scott Riggs is still my favorite.  Just that upon realization that there's a Haas in racing, well...  As my grandfather is one of eleven siblings, it's possible the guy's family, so whatever.  It's an uncalculated risk, and I'm feeling like I just don't care about NASCAR this year.    The chase has been phenominally boring for some reason.  Other than Vickers spanking Jimmie Johnson (and I'll contend until otherwise proven that it was an accident), there hasn't really been anything majorly exciting.    The fact remains that wins are not as important as consistency.  If the current scoring system is kept in place, they ought to at least make it so winning is more important than finishing in the top 10 every race.  That Kasey Kahne went out and won six races this year, and just barely made the chase, is unbelievable.     

My new favorite hobby will now be making fun of the New York Rangers until they disappoint me once again and miss the playoffs.  That said, 3.3 seconds and a misplaced skate cost the Rangers a valuable overtime point against the Penguins.  They went on to beat the Devils 4-2, and then onward further to lose 3-0 to the Predators.  It's not even a rollercoaster.  It's just annoyingly unstreaky. 

Okay, so I'm just about done with work tonight, and I figured I'd log on to see just what's going on in the racing world, and check to see how the Rangers did tonight. 

Bad news there, Rangers lost on a goal by Sidney Crosby with 4 seconds left in the game.  Bummer.  I did not see the game.  Wish I had, but I work second shift.  Gotta catch the highlight reels I guess. 

Checked in with FoxSports.com's NASCAR coverage.  My boy Riggs is on the pole again, with teammate Kasey Kahne to his right.  Elliot Sadler's not too far behind, inside row three, fifth place start.  Missed some good qualifying.  Probably won't be on the highlight reels, but I'll be sure to catch the race. 

But I stumbled across an interesting clip of information.  Out of 79525 voters, 89% think Jeff Gordon will leave Saturday night as the Points Leader. 

89% of Foxsports.com pollers think Jeff Gordon will come from -147 behind the lead to come away with the lead.  89% of almost 80000 voters.  70700 votes to Gordon, to make up 147 points in one race. 

Why?    Come on folks.  Even I know 147 points is a lot in nascar.  185 points for a victory, less 147 points.  For Gordon to take the lead, he has to win the race, and Jeff Burton cannot score more than 37 points.  In other words, Jeff Burton has to come in 42, one place behind where Jeff Gordon is starting.  But wait!  There's more!    There's a six point gap between Kenseth and Burton.  Meaning, if Burton finishes 42nd, Kenseth can finish 41st, and will be tied with Gordon, provided Gordon wins the race.  In addition, Mark Martin (-10) will have to finish no better than 39th.    Is it possible?  Yes.  It's definitely a possibility.  Is it probable?  Of course not!  There are far too many "if's" for Gordon to leave as the leader.  70000 people should know this, right?  Right?!  I pray I'm not the only one disturbed by this.