No matter the format, it was never going to be perfect. There was just no way the NHL was going to craft a return-to-play plan that every team would look at and smile ear to ear. You can\u2019t possibly please 24 different teams to perfection or even satisfaction.<\/p>\n
The Bruins were the best team in hockey at the time of the pause. The Flyers were rolling. The Rangers were starting to get hot, the Penguins were not. The Canadiens and Blackhawks don\u2019t even really deserve to have a ticket to participate. But it\u2019s Montreal and Chicago \u2014 revenue, baby. That\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
So, when I see complaints about the Bruins getting screwed from those with a Spoked-B on their collared shirt or in their profile picture, I don\u2019t quite understand. First off, let\u2019s agree to be happy hockey is coming back at all. The NHL is the first of the four major sports leagues in the United States to present an actual plan to return. The NBA feels the closest of the other three, MLB is burning to the ground and the NFL will do what it pleases. NHL teams and<\/em> their players were willing to make sacrifices.<\/p>\n What’s the main reason you should be fine with the Bruins in this new, 24-team format? Allow me to answer with another question: do you remember last spring?<\/p>\n