EVERETT – The WHL is changing its playoff format.
Unfortunately for the Everett Silvertips, it comes one season too late for them to take full advantage.
The league decided to scrap it’s inter-division-only first-round format, instead instituting conference rankings, the league announced Wednesday upon the conclusion of the annual general managers meeting in Calgary, Alberta.
Beginning in the 2007-08 season, the winners of each division within the conference will receive the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds for the playoffs, the higher seed going to the team with the better record. After that, the next six teams will be seeded third through eighth, regardless of division. The top seed will face the eighth seed and so on.
In the past the top four teams from each division made the playoffs, with the first round being played off within the division.
The teams will still be re-seeded to determine the second-round pairings.
“We voted for it,” Everett general manager Doug Soetaert said of the new format. “Obviously we feel that when you play all year long, the teams that worked the hardest should be rewarded.”
Had the new format been in place last season, it could have affected Everett’s playoff fate. The Tips had the best record in the league last season, but because of the U.S. Division’s strength had to face Spokane, the team with the sixth-best record in the conference, in the first round. Under the new rules the Tips would have faced expansion Chilliwack in the first round.
It also may have helped the Tips avoid the Prince George Cougars, who upset Everett in the second round. Under the new rules the Cougars would have faced eventual Memorial Cup champion Vancouver in the opening round instead of an injury-depleted Kamloops squad.
Hamill, Irving headed to Russia: Everett’s Zach Hamill and Leland Irving have been selected to represent Canada at the Canada/Russia Super Series later this summer.
A total of 26 players born in 1988 or later were selected for the team, which will be used to evaluate candidates for Canada’s team for the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championships. The Canadians will face a Russian all-star team a total of eight times between Aug. 27 and Sept. 9, the first four at Russian sites and the final four at Canadian sites. All four of the Canadian games are being held in western Canada, with the finale on Sept. 9 in Vancouver, B.C.
Hamill, who is currently preparing for the NHL draft, which takes place Friday and Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, is the all-time leading scorer in Silvertips history. The playmaking center is the reigning WHL scoring champion, compiling 93 points (32 goals, 61 assists) last season.
Irving has already been a part of World Juniors, having won a gold medal as Canada’s backup goaltender in January. Last season with Everett Irving went 34-9-2-1 with a 1.86 goals against average and .929 save percentage.
Training camp for the series begins on Aug. 20 in Toronto, and both Hamill and Irving will report to their NHL team afterwards. Therefore it’s possible neither Hamill nor Irving will first set foot in Everett until the regular season begins, a development which doesn’t please Soetaert.
Exhibitions set: The league also announced its preseason schedule for the 2007-08 season, with the Tips following their usual schedule.
Everett opens exhibition play with its annual preseason tournament over the Labor Day weekend. Memorial Cup champion Vancouver along with Seattle, Portland, Spokane and Chilliwack will take part in the three-day event at the Everett Events Center. Everett takes on Vancouver on Aug. 31, Seattle on Sept. 1 and Chilliwack on Sept. 2. All three games start at 7 p.m.
The Tips then head to Tri-City’s preseason tournament the following weekend, facing Portland at 3 p.m. on Sept. 8 and the Americans at 5 p.m. on Sept. 9.
Everett conculdes its exhibition schedule against Seattle on Sept. 15 in Kent.
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