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There is a buffer zone in the National League: eleventh and twelfth places. The area between good and evil, synonymous with: after 52 rounds on the golf course. No playoffs, no play-outs. Boring, some say. Great, the others say. Anyone who ends up here can either a) look forward to a season without (created) relegation worries, or b) they should immediately contact a crisis communicator who will announce a ruthless analysis for the summer. Fans usually wait in vain for this.
Magic word: game
Anyone who ends up above this buffer zone but doesn’t make the direct playoff train (places seven through ten) can still rest assured that play-in is the magic word. This mode (replacing this season’s Preliminary Playoffs) gives a second chance to seventh and eighth places: whoever loses can compete with the winner of the duel between ninth and tenth places for the last remaining playoff spot.
As a result of the regime change, the regular season is experiencing even greater drama: an additional barrier is created between eighth and ninth place, even if it is not noticeable. The reward principle applies because the chances of qualifying for the playoffs for places seven through ten are no longer the same as they used to be in the pre-playoff mode. A smart move on the part of the rule makers: more thrills, drama, controversy and at some point whining. Fabulous. Who will be eliminated in seventh place? See b) earlier in the text.
Commercial breaks: incentive for angry citizens
PS Play-in (from March 7) is also the starting signal for the introduction of a “commercial break” in Swiss hockey. The festival program is then interrupted every third of the game for a 45-second commercial break. This corresponds to a normal interruption of the game and will only be noticed by those who want to be upset about it. Incentive for angry citizens: There are usually many people who want to get angry.
|
team
|
JV
|
TD
|
PT
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
 ZSK Lions
|
35
|
42
|
76
|
|
|
2
|
 HC Fribourg-Gotteron
|
36
|
31
|
72
|
|
|
3
|
 electric train
|
35
|
45
|
70
|
|
|
4
|
 Lausanne HC
|
37
|
19
|
63
|
|
|
5
|
 SK Bern
|
36
|
2
|
62
|
|
|
6
|
 Geneve-Servette HC
|
35
|
1
|
56
|
|
|
7
|
 HC Davos
|
36
|
12
|
55
|
|
|
8th place
|
 HC Lugano
|
36
|
10
|
53
|
|
|
9
|
 HC Ambri-Piotta
|
35
|
-5
|
50
|
|
|
10
|
 EHK Biel
|
35
|
-2
|
47
|
|
|
eleven
|
 SKL Tigers
|
36
|
-38
|
42
|
|
|
12
|
 SK Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
|
35
|
-29
|
39
|
|
|
13
|
 EHC Kloten
|
36
|
-47
|
34
|
|
|
14
|
 HC Ajoye
|
33
|
-41
|
25
|
Source: Blick
I am David Miller, a highly experienced news reporter and author for 24 Instant News. I specialize in opinion pieces and have written extensively on current events, politics, social issues, and more. My writing has been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and BBC News. I strive to be fair-minded while also producing thought-provoking content that encourages readers to engage with the topics I discuss.
