Asterisk be damned; bring on the NHL play-ins!

There may be the temptation to feel a little guilty, a little undeserving, a little unworthy. On the other hand, given that some die-hard fans would be eager to sacrifice their right arm or first born child to see their team in the play-offs, a berth is a berth. What’s a little dignity and self-esteem when it comes to finding your team with a chance, though thin as a sharpened skate blade, of winning the Stanley Cup.

There will be wailing and braying like a colony of seals on a beach about the preposterousness, the idiocy, the injustice of such an arbitrarily concocted, greed-driven plan to finish the NHL season. But deep down in the soul of just about any NHL hockey fan might be detected a vigorous fist pump of jubilation that the 2019-20 season might be salvaged whatever way.

For the record, the proposed format is thus: The top four teams in each conference, determined by each team’s points percentage when the season was halted, gets an automatic berth into the first round of playoffs and will play in a three-game intra-conference round robin to determine first round seeding.

The remaining eight teams in each conference play a best-of-five “play in” series to decide which teams advance to the first round of the playoffs.

Through this magic formula, the Canadiens will play the Pittsburgh Penguins in a battle for a play-off spot. This could be where the word “preposterous” comes into play. So, worst case, Carey Price and company get to play at least two more games this season.

Should this play-off plan, targeted for July, go ahead - and that’s still in the hands of health officials - there inevitably will be the great debate over the asterisk that will be attached to the 2019-20 NHL season. It will join the 2005 lock-out year and the 1919 cancellation of the Stanley Cup final between the Montreal Canadiens and the Seattle Metropolitans, due to the Spanish flu, as aberrant years in league history.

The coronavirus-tainted Stanley Cup, some will say, will have lesser value or meaning or virtue than championships won under the fixed system that’s existed, well, since … ? Wait a minute.

It seems, given the everevolving nature of the NHL, from six teams in 1967 to 31 just three seasons ago - and Seattle re-entering the fold next season - there really has never been an extended period of normal. In 1967, there were 70 regular season games, now there are 82. Rule changes have changed the style of play immeasurably, as those watching the NHL rewinds surely will have observed.

So, why not ignore that asterisk in these times of endless things we thought we’d never see? Some commentators are veritably thrilled at the prospect of such a rarity of a competition of the best of the best, a battle for the silverware between well-rested, healthy and eager hockey warriors - some blessed with unexpected hope.

Bugged by the asterisk? Get over it and enjoy the show.

As I read Sharon Mccully’s request for financial help in Thursday’s paper I was again reminded of the vital role that the Record plays in our English-speaking community. For many years I have been involved with several organizations and have always been able to count on The Record to publicize and promote events, activities, and causes. We could send the information for publication at a low cost, plus there were numerous comprehensive articles written by the reporters about the people, groups, and events. As part of Townshippers’ plans to support local businesses, stores, and products, let us also send some financial aid and continue to subscribe to our local media, The Record, The Voice of the Englishspeaking Community of the Eastern Townships.