Are the Playoffs Rigged? (Put on Your Tinfoil Hat, We're Going In...)

[BanTSN]

The Seabrook suspension was a joke. Pretty much said to every player to go ahead and knock the other guy out because it's alright. Chicago is totally unaffected with his departure.

If I'm the Canucks I'm acquiring more players that will just knock the freakin' other guy out.

Actually, i'd be acquiring enough other decent players first so that first guy isn't missed when he's suspended.

Actually, i'd be paying off the league so they don't suspend my guy as much as other teams' guys.

Actually, i'd be moving the team to the US. US teams have a better chance of winning.

[skolozsy2]

you need to more clear, organized and concise I think this what you meant in order of priority for who is most likely to win.

American Original 6>Large market american team>American Expansion> American Small Market> Canadian Teams.

A few questions on your theory.....

What about the Rangers? An American original 6 team and the largest market in the league.....so based on your formula, shouldnt they win the Cup almost every time they make the playoffs? Or atleast more than once in 60 years?

Your formula leaves basically no opportunity for teams like Dallas, Tampa, or Carolina to win a championship...yet, they all have Cups.

How did a small market Canadian team like the Oilers ever pull off an upset over an Original 6 powerhouse like the Redwings?

There are FAR too many instances every year in the playoffs where your formula fails.

[Xbox]

The Rangers are not the largest market in the US. They share with another team there and more teams nearby.

I remember Bettman saying Chicago was the largest market in the United States.

I believe the playoffs are rigged in a sense that they want all series to go to 6-7 games. I doubt they favour a team but sometimes I wonder....

[D-Money]

I can see Florida getting a cup soon too now that they have a new owner. 250 million reasons to believe that. The NHL would like another secure franchise in that area very, very much. Wouldn't shock me if they eventually try Atlanta again too.

Winning the draft lottery was a good start.

[Ronalds.Kenins41]

The Rangers are not the largest market in the US. They share with another team there and more teams nearby.

I remember Bettman saying Chicago was the largest market in the United States.

I believe the playoffs are rigged in a sense that they want all series to go to 6-7 games. I doubt they favour a team but sometimes I wonder....

A few questions on your theory.....

What about the Rangers? An American original 6 team and the largest market in the league.....so based on your formula, shouldnt they win the Cup almost every time they make the playoffs? Or atleast more than once in 60 years?

Your formula leaves basically no opportunity for teams like Dallas, Tampa, or Carolina to win a championship...yet, they all have Cups.

How did a small market Canadian team like the Oilers ever pull off an upset over an Original 6 powerhouse like the Redwings?

There are FAR too many instances every year in the playoffs where your formula fails.

NJ takes their place(3 cup wins and 5 finals appearances since 1994) as they are also in the New York Media market. You won't understand till you see this link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_and_Canadian_cities_by_number_of_major_professional_sports_franchises

[Ronalds.Kenins41]

This is also too vague for a viable theory.

What's the percentages. Greater thans and less thans are very concise. Very little information there other than that it shows more or less what Skol was saying that a person who believes in these theories can point to anything they want and call it a conspiracy. As long as a Canadian team doesn't win y'all have something to point to and say you were right. Specifics are never really given in these cases because with specifics we can make actual predictions rather than just thoughts about what might happen. Hell even if the Canadiens won this year you'd be able to point at them as an original 6 and say you were right when you really didn't make any bold claim.

Reread my post it says "american original 6" all of which have won the cup at least once since 1994.

[Ronalds.Kenins41]

A few questions on your theory.....

What about the Rangers? An American original 6 team and the largest market in the league.....so based on your formula, shouldnt they win the Cup almost every time they make the playoffs? Or atleast more than once in 60 years?

Your formula leaves basically no opportunity for teams like Dallas, Tampa, or Carolina to win a championship...yet, they all have Cups.

How did a small market Canadian team like the Oilers ever pull off an upset over an Original 6 powerhouse like the Redwings?

There are FAR too many instances every year in the playoffs where your formula fails.

League helped them go to the finals that year cause for revenue sharing as the dollar was very low that time and it was hurting teams like the Oilers and Flames. It's the one thing Bettman did that saved those teams. He admitted himself.

[EmployeeoftheMonth]

Reread my post it says "american original 6" all of which have won the cup at least once since 1994.

Sure. My implication was what one could do. I mean I'm sure in this thread somewhere someone has brought up Montreal being helped by the league. Probably due to advertising. I mean it's probably the most common and simple theories about why the Canadiens have so many cups...in the tinfoil world of course.

Also 6 teams won a cup in 20 years. wowzers. This is what I mean. It's so easy to just be able to pull things out to "prove" a point. How many years since all 6 of those teams won at least 2 cups?

TML is doing a great job but he's doing it on purpose. Quite frankly the guys a genius with this thread. He's managed to make people who agree with him and disagree with him look silly. So many rabbit holes; mad respect to him.

I thought nomorebettman was good but jesus.

[ForsbergTheGreat]

Sure. My implication was what one could do. I mean I'm sure in this thread somewhere someone has brought up Montreal being helped by the league. Probably due to advertising. I mean it's probably the most common and simple theories about why the Canadiens have so many cups...in the tinfoil world of course.

Also 6 teams won a cup in 20 years. wowzers. This is what I mean. It's so easy to just be able to pull things out to "prove" a point. How many years since all 6 of those teams won at least 2 cups?

TML is doing a great job but he's doing it on purpose. Quite frankly the guys a genius with this thread. He's managed to make people who agree with him and disagree with him look silly. So many rabbit holes; mad respect to him.

I thought nomorebettman was good but jesus.

It's easy to say your right when you don't really have stance to have a line drawn in the sand, as in the case with TML.

Is everything rigged?

Are players in on it?

Are owners in on it?

Is it just the refs?

Is the league completely rigged to the point when they know who's going to win each game, including regular season?

Are all goals scored played out exactly how the league wants it?

Or is it simply that the league has some bias towards some teams but the refs/suspensions are as far as they go to get involved with the game outcomes?

I've seen TML say things to the point where "the league doesn't allow canadian NHL teams pick the good players in the draft".

Or that the league only allows the big american teams to use PED's and not canadian.

Or that Luongo and canucks players were also in on it (the rigging), and hence why we lot in the finals.

It's like saying the canucks are a good team. There is no determent to what "good" equals, Good could mean anything. As long as I never draw a line in the sand I could never be wrong.

Same is the case as saying the league is rigged. To what extent? Until someone makes that stand it's pointless to continue to argue with anyone.

[BanTSN]

Bettman came from the NBA, right?

Enough said.

He's rigged hockey so much now that it's dead and has rigor mortis. 'Boo!' (That was Jeremy Jacobs.)

[skolozsy2]

League helped them go to the finals that year cause for revenue sharing as the dollar was very low that time and it was hurting teams like the Oilers and Flames. It's the one thing Bettman did that saved those teams. He admitted himself.

Thank you for proving my point.

Your conspiracy formula doesnt include the possibilty of Edmonton beating Detroit, so a new conspiracy is conjured up when it does happen.

New York and New Jersey may play in the same market, but one team is an Original 6 and one team isnt. Based on your formula, the wrong team has multiple Cup wins.

Like I said earlier, it doesnt matter who wins. Whichever of the 15 teams left to win the Cup, there will be no doubt a conspiracy theory to explain why that team won....even if the new theory completely contradicts the old one.

[Riviera82]

If it was all rigged you would think they would arrange at least one Cup win north of the border just to shut up the conspiracy theorists.

That's what the four Game 7 Final losses were for since Canada's last cup win. Make it seem as though Canadian teams have a chance and let them get as close as possible without winning.

[Neko]

At this point, no not yet, however IF Montreal makes it to the finals then Bettman or whoever is responsible will put jackass referees on the ice to make it hard for Montreal, mark my words.

[ForsbergTheGreat]

That's what the four Game 7 Final losses were for since Canada's last cup win. Make it seem as though Canadian teams have a chance and let them get as close as possible without winning.

This is my point exactly, to what extent is the league rigging? Is it to the point where you believe they determined each canadian team to lose in game 7. If you truly believe that than do you feel the players themself were also in on it? 94 canucks were an inch away from tying that game. 2004 iggy must have purposely let vincent walk around him, 2006 Roloson must have purposely went down with an injury, 2011 Luongo must have been on it as well. Each game 7 wasn't like one weird bounce or one players extra effort on a shift, a bounce off a stick/foot/stanchion, a goalie miscuing and the game could have went the other way an a canadian team would have won. Flames were 2 more inches in the net and they would have been clear cut winners in game 6

This is where you need a clear stand in order to state something otherwise there is no black and white to be right or wrong. So what is it? Did the league determine that each canadian team would lose exactly in game 7? If so how do they determine that outcome without player also being in on it?

The league may have favourite or personal bias on which teams they want to win, but to commit to a statement that each game is rigged in order to determine that outcome is a big claim and unfortunately never stand up.

[Ronalds.Kenins41]

It's easy to say your right when you don't really have stance to have a line drawn in the sand, as in the case with TML.

Is everything rigged?

Are players in on it?

Are owners in on it?

Is it just the refs?

Is the league completely rigged to the point when they know who's going to win each game, including regular season?

Are all goals scored played out exactly how the league wants it?

Or is it simply that the league has some bias towards some teams but the refs/suspensions are as far as they go to get involved with the game outcomes?

I've seen TML say things to the point where "the league doesn't allow canadian NHL teams pick the good players in the draft".

Or that the league only allows the big american teams to use PED's and not canadian.

Or that Luongo and canucks players were also in on it (the rigging), and hence why we lot in the finals.

It's like saying the canucks are a good team. There is no determent to what "good" equals, Good could mean anything. As long as I never draw a line in the sand I could never be wrong.

Same is the case as saying the league is rigged. To what extent? Until someone makes that stand it's pointless to continue to argue with anyone.

Its pretty simple there is a website that explains how it works in detail, anyways it says that all the finals are scripted and so the players are in on it in the finals everywhere else its just the refs. I keep trying to post the link but it doesnt work.

[Ronalds.Kenins41]

At this point, no not yet, however IF Montreal makes it to the finals then Bettman or whoever is responsible will put jackass referees on the ice to make it hard for Montreal, mark my words.

If Montreal makes the finals I will be shocked as hell. First of all price looks shaky (he sometimes comes way too much out of his net) in net his defense covered his mistakes against tampa but it wont be that easy in Boston. Second of all Boston's just won the presidents trophy and they wont go down easy.

Most likely Boston will beat Montreal and make it to finals they look unstoppable. I have been watching them since Iginla went to their team and he plays simple and goes to the dirty areas and looks like a great addition to their team.

Either Boston blows out Montreal or it will be a close series.

[Ronalds.Kenins41]

Thank you for proving my point.

Your conspiracy formula doesnt include the possibilty of Edmonton beating Detroit, so a new conspiracy is conjured up when it does happen.

New York and New Jersey may play in the same market, but one team is an Original 6 and one team isnt. Based on your formula, the wrong team has multiple Cup wins.

Like I said earlier, it doesnt matter who wins. Whichever of the 15 teams left to win the Cup, there will be no doubt a conspiracy theory to explain why that team won....even if the new theory completely contradicts the old one.

Its not my conspiracy formula I was just trying ask the guy if thats what he meant when he wrote that long paragraph.

[Riviera82]

This is my point exactly, to what extent is the league rigging? Is it to the point where you believe they determined each canadian team to lose in game 7. If you truly believe that than do you feel the players themself were also in on it? 94 canucks were an inch away from tying that game. 2004 iggy must have purposely let vincent walk around him, 2006 Roloson must have purposely went down with an injury, 2011 Luongo must have been on it as well. Each game 7 wasn't like one weird bounce or one players extra effort on a shift, a bounce off a stick/foot/stanchion, a goalie miscuing and the game could have went the other way an a canadian team would have won. Flames were 2 more inches in the net and they would have been clear cut winners in game 6

This is where you need a clear stand in order to state something otherwise there is no black and white to be right or wrong. So what is it? Did the league determine that each canadian team would lose exactly in game 7? If so how do they determine that outcome without player also being in on it?

The league may have favourite or personal bias on which teams they want to win, but to commit to a statement that each game is rigged in order to determine that outcome is a big claim and unfortunately never stand up.

I dont necessarily think there is any clear cut rigging. I do think the four Canadian teams that lost the cup in 7 games were good enough to win and quite possibly good enough to win in fewer than 7 games. I dont include Ottawa in the conversation because they were wiped out quickly by an obviously stronger Ducks team.

As for the four Game 7 cup losers, I for one dont think anybody could say that officiating didn't play a noticeable role in the outcomes of those series. That's not to say that the winners are predetermined indefinitely, what I think is that the on-ice officials are instructed by Bettman or one of his cronies to tilt the ice in favor of the league's preferred team without being terribly blatant about it. This has resulted in 4 Final series' which have gone the entire distance with all but the 2011 Canucks losing the cup by 1 goal.

I think it's very safe to say that Bettman and the NHL are more pleased to have the Rangers, Lightning, Hurricanes, and Bruins win Stanley Cups over any Canadian team. Two original 6, Two sunbelt, who better to win at the expense of the teams from Canada.

I dont think it is impossible for a Canadian team to win a championship, I just think that the Canadian team will need to be noticeably stronger than their opposition in order to overcome them and the officials. Again I'm not saying that there is any true fix, but Bettman himself does speak of "game management", why not series management as well? The officials do have the ability to give the league's preferred team a helping hand, one example that we've all seen was the Canucks quarterfinal against Chicago in 2011, not to mention last year against San Jose as well. Although if the referees were trying to hide their bias in that series they failed miserably, that was ridiculous.

Speaking of the on-ice officials, does anyone else find it a little suspicious that they seemingly dont have to be held accountable for their actions? They dont have to be questioned by the media after games, players almost never point the finger at them when their team gets jobbed, they dont get suspended when they clearly appear to be incompetent, and if a coach or GM questions or says any ill word about them then Bettman slaps said coach or GM with a hefty fine.

It all seems a bit shady to me.

[BanTSN]

Pretty decent example of rigging in tonight's LA-SJ game, that's for sure.

[TOMapleLaughs]

Wow, that 2nd goal was a plain save. Refs at it again.