(07-01-2015 10:46 AM)jskwrite Wrote:  The NHL should be the first sport to try out relegation at the same time as they expand.. add 4 teams, drawing from existing minor league teams and play like that for a year, then drop the 4 lowest teams

Yeah, no way in hell it happens but at least you'd get motivated fan bases and owners would wake up and just stop raking in cash at the expense of putting together a solid team.

You know, I have long had a slightly different idea to solve the same issue.

Relegation is a European concept and it would never work in the US. Cities would just never go for their team suddenly competing in the second division. Can you imagine the New York Rangers or the Chicago Blackhawks being demoted to the AHL?

No way. Their fans would never go for it.

However, you could have a single elimination tournament - perhaps at a neutral/outdoor site - between all of the non-playoff teams. The winner of the "losers" tournament, earns the right to pick first, the runner up picks second, etc.

Can you imagine how exciting a tournament would've been this year with Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel available as the top prizes?

That would've been some incredibly entertaining action and it would've given those fans meaningful action long after their teams' respective seasons had unofficially ended.

Now, most years don't feature prospects of that caliber. However, everyone would like to have the first pick every year. I really think a non-playoff team tournament would be a commercially successful venture.