11
Word Count: 245
It would be pretty easy to simply take the opinion that the playoffs are the playoffs and that is where the real hockey begins. But there has been a lot of discussion about this idea which does beg some discussion about ideas surrounding the current playoff scheme. In the current setup the really only major advantage a team has to playoff rankings and that is winning home ice. So it goes without saying that each team for the most part starts on a fresh new leg when they reach the playoffs. It means you cannot count anyone out!

So it begs the question should there be some changes? Better rewards or different matchups that might encourage better regular season play? It really is a weird idea to think about. Tossing up something like a bye round seems far too extreme but would it really change things? In the end the number one seed would still have to face that same team (whichever team wins) in the second round which is a similar problem.

Perhaps a different ranking system would be the better route to go, 1v2 3v4 and so on. But really it does not seem to matter as you get through your team's entire conference only to meet a likely foe at the end of the cup. It seems like the current system, although providing likely matchups and at times frustratingly tough matchups, provides the real grit to see who can win it all!


13
Word Count: 217
WJC is something Justin Holl sadly was not entirely thinking about. First season he started with the USA and then switched IIHF teams. So now that WJC team for him will be Rhine which seems to have some historic success. Holl does not really mind if the team is great or bad or a historical winner. The biggest concern that Holl has is a team's interest in him and vice versa, an impact he can make on a team.

But it works out well as moving his IIHF team over to Switzerland he will be paired up with familiar faces that he has already grown with in the juniors. Keeping some team synergy is absolutely massive especially in these growing years. It is going to make not only Rhine a strong team but it also makes the IIHF team even stronger as well.

Holl switched to Switzerland because he wanted to make that impact. Being a defensive defenseman is a huge deal to the team and growing into the team is going to make them even stronger. Holl specifically joined the team because they reached out and put out the facts that they need a strong defenseman and Holl delivers that along with his teammates. Watch out for this team, they are going to be a surprise!