Dater’s Daily: Why MORE NHL Regular Season Games Is a Bad Idea

So, the NHL might want to go to an 84-game regular-season schedule? I’ll agree with my colleague from Pittsburgh Hockey Now about why this is a bad idea. That leads off today’s links, notes and quotes daily, but first: Sorry for missing the last two Avalanche games, but I caught something pretty bad (head cold, flu, whatever) and was just unable to get to the games. Feeling better now.

• As Dan Kingerski opined, this new 84-game proposal is the wrong idea for the NHL (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)
• The schedule is too long as is. People, I think anyway, want less regular-season hockey, not more. I’m OK with the playoff pool being expanded, from 16 to 20 teams. Don’t forget: 16 teams used to make the playoffs when this was a 21-team league. It’s 32 now. Twenty teams in the postseason would add more excitement – and more revenue  – to the league, not two more regular-season games.
• The boys on HNIC last night said Vancouver is offering every player on the roster except one – Elias Pettersson (HNIC)
• I don’t know why Vancouver is in such a steep selloff mode, if true. They’re 13-14-3. They’ve won six of their last 10. They still are in the playoff hunt, and it’s still way EARLY.
• Is John Tortorella already losing his marbles with the Flyers? Benching your leading scorer – and then seeing your team lay an egg in response? (Philly Hockey Now)
• Scary story involving the daughter of Vegas D-man Alex Pietrangelo (Vegas Hockey Now)
• Joe Pavelski has now played 1,200 games in the NHL. Wow. (Dallas Hockey Now)
• Because it’s Christmas: get 33% off a new yearly subscription to Colorado Hockey Now. Just use promo code word prince in easy checkout box and price will drop from $29.99 to $19.99. (Easy checkout box)
• A reminder: those who subscribe get an ad-free experience. The “free” version of the site has a ton of ads. It’s what helps pay the bills around here. But when you subscribe, no ads. You need to make sure you are SIGNED IN to see no ads, by the way. Sometimes, you can get signed out (I don’t know exactly why that happens) but just make sure you’re signed in, using your password, and it’ll be ad-free.