Hartley Miller's Slap Shots - June 22nd Edition

By Hartley Miller

Recently, the BCHL made a couple of significant changes at it’s meetings in Salmon Arm, which caught my eye. Every now and then, a league will listen to the critics.

In the past, fans and media (including yours truly), have been highly critical of the playoff format so the league governors took "action".

The playoffs will now feature 12 teams (6 from each conference). This is a reduction in 4 teams from the previous format.  The top two clubs in each conference will receive a first round bye, while the remaining 8 teams will engage in a best-of-five series.  The remainder of the playoffs will feature best-of-seven series all en route to the Fred Page Cup.

This change will result in a greater emphasis on the 60-game regular season. Last season, Quesnel was the only team (in a 17-team league) that did not qualify for the post-season. With the BCHL reduced to 16 clubs (thanks to the absence of Williams Lake) the league finally made a progressive move, and added a "purpose" to the regular season. Now, regular season performance will be significant, and teams can’t afford the luxury of coasting. In fact, teams will aim at placing first, or second, especially with a bye on the line. If this is not attainable, then clubs will scramble to secure one of the other four spots.

The league also boosted its broadcasting program.  Audio broadcasts will be provided for all regular season, and play-off games, free of charge, through the BCHL Fan-Zone. Pay-per-view video broadcasts will also be made available for selected games. There never should have been a 17-dollar fan zone fee in the first place. With so few fans willing to pay money to listen, the league had no choice but to make this change.

Although, these changes are proactive, the league should have left the first round a best of seven, and not five. I do realize that a bye team doesn’t want to wait a long time for an opponent, but a seven game series gives a better indication of which squad deserves to advance. For instance, when the PG Spruce Kings played their first round series against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, PG won game five to go ahead 3-2, but Salmon Arm won the last two games to win the Conference Quarter-Final.

Nevertheless, reducing the amount of teams in the post season should mean more excitement, and added revenue to the regular season, which should benefit everyone. Yes, it may have taken time, but it appears the BCHL has learned from some of its past mistakes.

Jim Playfair of Ft. St James is the ultimate Calgary Flames "company man" who received the ROYAL SHAFT. Playfair accepted his demotion from head coach to Mike Keenan’s associate by saying "This is the next step for our organization to find a way to make sure we prepare ourselves as well as we can to win the Stanley Cup. It's not anything more than that.'' Playfair was only given one season as the boss and the Flames went 43-29-10, but succumbed to Detroit in the first round of the playoffs. He deserved better. Having to play second fiddle to Keenan has to hurt, despite his prepared spin on the matter. Keenan has now joined his 8th NHL team. Even in the pros, a selected few are given nine lives.

From the quote rack:

"Apparently, the goal is to have more teams than TV viewers." Steve Schrader of the Detroit Free Press, on the NHL considering expansion into Kansas City and Las Vegas which would give the league 32 franchises.

"A video in which Kobe Bryant rips Laker management is now appearing on you-tube. Wouldn’t me-tube be more appropriate?"Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California

And in case you missed it:

From DJ Gallo of espn.com, after former Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard appeared in Playboy: "Even though — like everyone — I read Playboy strictly for the articles, I have to say I caught a glimpse of the photos and she looks pretty good. At the very least she looks better in the photos than did the subjects of Playboy’s disastrous July 1984 issue: Women of the East German Olympic Team."

And how was your week?

Hartley Miller is the sports director for radio stations 94X and the Wolf@97fm. He also writes for the PG Free Press. Send along a quote, note or anecdote to hmiller@94xfm.com

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