Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 1:09 pm
I assume that you are talking about not allowing the league champion to get an automatic bid to regions. My take is this:
1) With the HEP points being factored into the decision to the extent that it is, there is some logic in not allowing the league champion an automatic bid. A team can earn 16 HEP points and be number one even though their record may be worse than 2 or 3 other teams. One solution would be, IF the league champion has the BEST record (not using HEP) they get the automatic bid, otherwise, they get the number 1 seed but still have to do playoffs (a better solution is to eliminate the HEP point counting in standings at all). This year they had the BEST record (with or w/o HEP) so I would have given it to them.
2) The other issue is that teams play an unbalanced schedule (ie. 16 games no matter how many teams at that level). Therefore, a team can have a 'soft' schedule or 'tough' schedule based on luck of the draw when setting up games. One solution, balance the number of games at the A level (and maybe B1 level) so you always play one home and one away. The reason for these levels and not all levels is because of the Region/State potential at these levels. At the PWA level this year, that would mean you had to play 20 games instead of 16. Perhaps shortening the games to 1 hour length would allow you to accomplish that easier without using a lot more ice (16 games @ 75 minutes = 20 games @ 60 minutes).
Either way a balance schedule without HEP points being used in standings makes the league champion an automatic bid to go to regions every time in my book.
1) With the HEP points being factored into the decision to the extent that it is, there is some logic in not allowing the league champion an automatic bid. A team can earn 16 HEP points and be number one even though their record may be worse than 2 or 3 other teams. One solution would be, IF the league champion has the BEST record (not using HEP) they get the automatic bid, otherwise, they get the number 1 seed but still have to do playoffs (a better solution is to eliminate the HEP point counting in standings at all). This year they had the BEST record (with or w/o HEP) so I would have given it to them.
2) The other issue is that teams play an unbalanced schedule (ie. 16 games no matter how many teams at that level). Therefore, a team can have a 'soft' schedule or 'tough' schedule based on luck of the draw when setting up games. One solution, balance the number of games at the A level (and maybe B1 level) so you always play one home and one away. The reason for these levels and not all levels is because of the Region/State potential at these levels. At the PWA level this year, that would mean you had to play 20 games instead of 16. Perhaps shortening the games to 1 hour length would allow you to accomplish that easier without using a lot more ice (16 games @ 75 minutes = 20 games @ 60 minutes).
Either way a balance schedule without HEP points being used in standings makes the league champion an automatic bid to go to regions every time in my book.