Chris Clegg
NPHL.com

La Crete’s expression of interest has been denied by NPHL clubs citing travel.
So, if a future application from La Crete is ever coming, the issue must be addressed.
Let’s keep in mind that no proposal is perfect. My proposal below is far from perfect. It just might be a bit crazy. It does, however, address some issues and give La Crete a chance to play. In a perfect world, any league would have a completely balanced schedule. In the world of the NPHL that is highly unlikely.
And, this schedule does not begin to address playoff issues. It does, however, address a way of letting La Crete ice an NPHL club.
So, here we go.
La Crete simply joins the East Division for the sake of league play. La Crete joins Falher, Grimshaw, High Prairie and Manning. The West Division is comprised of Dawson Creek, Fort St. John and Grande Prairie.
In my schedule, each team plays 24 games. Let’s start with the West.
Dawson Creek, Fort St. John and Grande Prairie do not play La Crete. Travel issue solved. Each team does play home and home with the other four East Clubs [Falher, Grimshaw, High Prairie and Manning] for a total of eight games. Then they play the other two teams in their division eight times for a total of 24 games. If West teams want to play less games, simply delete games in increments of two to get to 22 games or 20 games.
Now to the East.
La Crete plays the other four teams in the East [Falher, Grimshaw, High Prairie and Manning] six times each for 24 games. That is three games at home and three games away. However, two of the three games each season are played in a weekend doubleheader and La Crete subsidizes travel and hotel accommodation]. La Crete does not subsidize the other trip. This is give and take among all parties and addresses some cost issues for the existing clubs.
That leaves Falher, Grimshaw, High Prairie and Manning with 12 games played. The other 12 games are made up by playing each of the three remaining teams four times.
Here is each team’s opponents:
Falher Pirates
Away: GRIM [2], HP [2]; LC [3]; MAN [2]; DC [1]; FSJ [1]; GP [1]
Home: GRIM [2], HP [2]; LC [3]; MAN [2]; DC [1]; FSJ [1]; GP [1]
Grimshaw Huskies
Away: FAL [2], HP [2]; LC [3]; MAN [2]; DC [1]; FSJ [1]; GP [1]
Home: FAL [2], HP [2]; LC [3]; MAN [2]; DC [1]; FSJ [1]; GP [1]
High Prairie Regals
Away: FAL [2], GRIM [2]; LC [3]; MAN [2]; DC [1]; FSJ [1]; GP [1]
Home: FAL [2], GRIM [2]; LC [3]; MAN [2]; DC [1]; FSJ [1]; GP [1]
La Crete
Away: FAL [3], GRIM [3]; HP [3]; MAN [3]
Home: FAL [3], GRIM [3]; HP [3]; MAN [1]
Manning Comets
Away: FAL [2], GRIM [2]; HP [2]; LC [3]; DC [1]; FSJ [1]; GP [1]
Home: FAL [2], GRIM [2]; HP [2]; LC [3]; DC [1]; FSJ [1]; GP [1]
Dawson Creek Canucks
Away: FSJ [4], GP [4]; FAL [1]; GRIM [1]; HP [1]; MAN [1]
Home: FSJ [4], GP [4]; FAL [1]; GRIM [1]; HP [1]; MAN [1]
Fort St. John Flyers
Away: DC [4], GP [4]; FAL [1]; GRIM [1]; HP [1]; MAN [1]
Home: DC [4], GP [4]; FAL [1]; GRIM [1]; HP [1]; MAN [1]
Grande Prairie Athletics
Away: DC [4], FSJ [4]; FAL [1]; GRIM [1]; HP [1]; MAN [1]
Home: DC [4], FSJ [4]; FAL [1]; GRIM [1]; HP [1]; MAN [1]

What to do in the playoffs? That is another question. And another column.
Contact statsmanchris@hotmail with your comments.
FILE: 32CLacreteschedule.txt