NHL Playoff Scheduling Has Got Dan Shaughnessy All Worked Up
BOSTON (CBS) - The Boston Bruins are set to take on the Montreal Canadiens sometime this week for round two of the NHL playoffs. The problem is, no one knows when the series will be and what days the games will be played on.
98.5 The Sports Hub's Scott Zolak and Hardy, in for Andy Gresh, were joined by Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe to discuss the scheduling conflicts and its impact on the NHL.
Shaughnessy was fired up and angry that the NHL is not being up front with the media to allow them to book flights and hotels for the games.
"This scheduling thing is making my head explode," Shaughnessy said. "The idea that day after day goes by, there's no announcement, there's no elimination of possibilities, there's no schedule. … And everybody just stands by and lets it all go like it's no big deal. … You have to have your whole life on hold.
"We may want you there Thursday afternoon or Sunday night, we're really not going to tell you. Just line up and please buy your tickets. And that's not their fault, it's a league issue, I understand that. … But this is absurd. The Canadiens haven't played in a week. The Bruins haven't played since Saturday."
Shaughnessy was more puzzled by the fans and how they haven't been more vocal about their displeasure in not knowing when the games are.
"I cannot believe this whole constituency, this fan population, that everybody just takes this so well. 'Oh yeah, they'll tell us at some point and, you know what, I have no life so I'll just be there whenever they tell me.'"
Hardy thinks the NHL is withholding information and takes the beat writers to task for not pressing the matter.
"I agree that somebody knows," Hardy said. "Especially the people who follow the team and are on the beat, they probably know who knows. And why they're not asking and demanding an answer I don't know."
Shaughnessy believes the NHL is doing a disservice to its fans by just expecting you to purchase tickets blindly without knowing when the games are . . . do you agree?
Listen below for the full discussion:
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