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Here’s a concept that should take root in the NHL’s offices: Expand the size of the playoff pool.

I’m not talking the money, well I guess I kind of am, but mostly I’m talking the number of teams that should qualify.

That premise was passed to me in Buffalo by current Sabres and long time HNIC color analyst Harry Neale, who also said James Neal needs to learn how to properly spell his last name.

But I digress.

Currently 16 of the league’s 30 teams make the playoffs. That might sound like a lot but consider that back when the NHL was just a 6-team league, 4 clubs made the playoffs. When they expanded to 12 teams, 8 played in the post season. And when the league grew to 21 teams the same number of teams that currently make playoffs, made the playoffs.

So why not expand the tournament? Those numbers I just laid out would suggest such a move is long overdue, and just think of the drama the “wild card best of three series” would produce, not to mention the revenue. Plus the rest for the top-seeded teams would get a well earned rest prior to embarking on what each hopes will be a long post season run.

Have 10 teams make the playoffs in each conference, then have the 7th and 10th, 8th and 9th seeded teams each play a best of 3 series, and conduct it over a four or five day span. This way your top 6 teams get almost a week off and your top two seeded teams truly get an advantage over what should be semi-fatigued teams from the wild card series. Or go to 12 teams. What would be the problem with 24 of the 30 teams getting in on the action as long as the top seeds get some form of advantage?

Monetarily speaking, teams earn approximately $1,000,000 for each home playoff gate, but with a reported 40-60% of that going to league costs, lots of money any way you slice it.

Razor says, the more the merrier!

In Boca Raton, Florida GM's are debating the quagmire that is hits that involve the head.

For me the genesis of the current problem is this: Before 2005 a player was allowed, or more accurately - expected - to get a stick on opposing players who were looking to hammer one of their teammates and by doing so slow them down. This maneuver was called a "holdup" and it was part of them fabric of the game.

But the NHL wanted a more free flowing game coming out of the Lockout, one which the skilled players would be able to more effectively ply their trade.

Ironically it's those same skilled players who are now getting their noggins rattled.

So since teammates can no longer protect the guy skating next to them the onus now falls on the league.

Players expect that.

Owners want it.

General Managers are trying to shape or frame the legislation to govern it.

Kind of Pandora's Box-ish, isn't it?

Last night’s virtuoso performance in the pipes by Marty Turco was a “One Bagger”.

A what, you say?

A one-bagger. He was forced to on-load one shiny IV bag of nutrients and fluids to combat cramping that had started around shot number 40 during his public peppering at the Verizon Center.

Ya, I walk down to the dressing room area to see friends and family on the Caps side and then wandered into the Stars room on my way out to the bus and there is Marty, on the training table, some Stars suits milling about, the Stars hard-working training staff, and a couple of EMT guys pulling the needle out of his right arm. His teammates were all long gone – watching your goalie save your ass repeatedly doesn’t require much of a shower.

52 shots.

49 saves.

Both personal highs.

And that seems to be what the Stars demand right now – Marty Turco on dextrose, electrolytes and sterile water.

I tracked scoring chances during the tilt and had it at 35-11 Capitals. Being a former goalie I was probably a bit liberal, but not by much. A normal “chance” count would be around the number Washington gave up, and considering who was getting the chances – Ovechkin, the leagues top scorer, finished with ten shots and two goals – 35 real good opportunities to score is a gargantuan number.

I’ll leave you with this: Over his past two road starts Marty has stopped 89 of 92 shots in his shutout win at Phoenix prior to the Olympic break and last night’s shootout triumph in the nation’s capital. They were out shot 40-22 and 52-26 in those two outings. Going forward can he be that heroic enough of the time to get the Stars into the 8th spot in the West? The next 4 ½ weeks will tell, and we’ll all have a front row seat to spectate his brilliance if he does – just like his teammates did last night.

I stumbled upon maybe the most perfect spot for a street hockey game today.

Posted below is some video of the clash that was taking place right infront of The Treasury Department (insert your irony here) and about a hockey rink length away from the front of the White House.

Not once did I hear anyone yell "Car" (Pennsylvania Avenue is blocked off) and I'm pretty sure the Obama's ignored the end to end "action", although I did overhear someone from White House security suggest "If they were playing in his back yard he'd close the curtains".

Perhaps this is a regular Sunday game - like on NBC - or maybe it's just some Washingtonians struck by silver medal hockey fever. (more likely they are Canadian ex-Pats playing the game Canadians own...sort of)

Anyway, it was odd to see yet soul - warmingly familiar.

I wanted to play.

I would have dominated.

President Obama would have cracked a drape.

Prime Minister Harper would have grabbed a stick and his roller skates, and asked to be on my team.

"Segway!"

I have two separate takes on the putrid post-Olympic play of our Stars. One is a rosy, Ellen Degeneres view of things, the other is, well, a bit more Simon Cowell.

Ellen says…I think they are working hard, things just aren’t bouncing their way. Maybe some of their choices in coverage could be better and they sometimes fail to work in concert with one another but with a payroll in the bottom five of the league perhaps the fact they are still within a couple of points of a playoff spot at this point in the season is a victory in itself. Look at the other teams on the bubble: Detroit still hasn’t got their act together, and they’re healthy now. Calgary has turned their roster over and now have no identity, Anaheim is better but not a shoe-in, Minnesota moved a couple key veterans at the deadline signaling a partial surrender, and St. Louis fired a coach this season. The Stars are right there. I like you. The home record had been phenomenal until this rough patch lately, and they were starting to believe in themselves on the road again prior to the break – thanks in large part to Turco’s goaltending. I’m cheering for you. Take a few more risks, get the D involved in the attack again, clean up some of the problem areas, and for me it’s a playoff yes.

Simon says…Everything and everyone is out of wack. You’re not going to make the playoffs. Come on, let’s be serious here. The defense is mistake prone at best, feeble and understaffed at worst. The goaltending has been erratic and unable to be the savior it needs to be. The one line that has been left intact – Richards, Neal and Eriksson – has produced most of the offense – for both teams. The others have been a hodge podge which has been reflected in their production, or lack there of. You play with very little structure and are easily torn apart by well-coached opponents. The record in games decided by 3 or more goals is evidence of this. Thanks to the 5-1 and 6-1 defeats this week you’re now 5-12 in such games. That’s 12 of your 23 regulation losses by at least 3 goals, blowouts. What ever happened to “bend don’t break”?! Some key individuals, including your captain, seem frustrated and unhappy with the roles they’ve been assigned while others appear confused, bewildered, browbeat, or overwhelmed. And above all you generally seem uninterested in banding together, or playing for one another. Look, you’re a nice enough team but this isn’t for you. You’re not a playoff team. For me it’s a definite no.

Seacrest out!