One of the topics in the 1st round of the playoffs is the travel the ICE and Wheat Kings have to endure.
It's a 14-hour trip between Cranbrook and Brandon.
Some media types are trying to make a big deal of the situation and ask for a change.
I say no way.
1st of all the situation has been created by the decision to have conference standings. In the past the 1st round of the playoffs would be divisional match-ups. But you have situations where the 5th place team in one division would miss the post season even though they had more points that a playoff team in another division. That way a huge flaw and had to be fixed.
For a while they used the cross over effect where a 5th place team who had more points than a 4th place team in another division was allowed to make the playoffs. They would have to play the #1 seed in the other division.
If you are using that format then it's makes more sense to just use conference standings. A ruling voted by the league a few seasons ago.
Is it perfect? No. Especially when the teams don't have a balanced schedule. But at least the 8 teams with the most points makes the playoffs.
Sure it doesn't seem fair the ICE/Wheat Kings series a 14-hour trip and the Broncos/Tigers series is a 2-hour trip.
Sure if this series goes 7 games, the winner may be at a disadvanatge in the 2nd round. BUT what if the ICE/Wheat Kings was a match-up in the 2nd round? 3rd round?
The year the ICE won the 2002 Memorial Cup they played Prince George (8-9 hour trip), Seattle (9 hours), Kelowna (7 hours on a bus) and Red Deer (5 1/2 hours).
Some want a divisional format to help the attendance because of the rivalries. The facts don't support that theory as you can look at the atendance figures in the 1st round of playoffs and notice that divisional match-ups don't gaurantee huge crowds.
It's the same in the NHL. Detroit could play Vancouver while at the same time Calgary plays Edmonton. Is that fair?
Just for your knowledge, no one from the ICE or Wheat Kings have made one complaint about the situation. NONE. If they're not concerened then why should anyone else be worried?