76-game Season Would Be Perfect (when Seattle Enters the League)

[icon6668]

93 game season. (Play 31 other teams 3 times each)
Top 16 make playoffs, still best of 7.

Could possibly do something like one division from each conference gets the extra home game one year, then the next year the other 2 divisions get it.


or how about...
62 game regular season. (Play each team twice)
Every team makes playoffs 1 v 32, 2 v 31 etc reseed after every round
Playoffs still best of 7

Whatever it takes to get rid of the stupid conference / division playoff games. I wan tto see the 2 best teams play int the final, not earlier on. or if an underdog goes on a run, they have to slay the big guns round after round, it would be epic.

 

[PurpleMouse]

There is a way to keep 82 games and to also keep the mathematical simplicity that you're aiming for.

Split each division in to 2 "mini-divisions" of 4 teams each. Then have a home-and-away vs each team in your mini-division.

That would allow you to add 6 more games to your 76-game season, bringing it up to 82.

In that case you could do four conferences with two divisions in each. Playoffs by "conference" with the two division winners seeded one & two.

 

[FeatherHead]

I love hockey season.

Why would I wanna watch 6 fewer games per year?

I have the NHL center ice package. I wouldn’t watch any fewer games.

 

[Shrimper]

It really shouldn't be hard with the current schedule to start the season in the first week of October and finish the season at the end of March.

13.6 games on average per month. When you chuck in back-to-backs it should be doable.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Much more of a radical idea, but I wouldn't mind 8 4-team divisions, with 4 divisions per Conference.

Divisional Games - 3 teams x 6 games = 18 games

Intra-Conference Games - 12 teams x 4 games = 48 games

Inter-Conference Games - 16 teams x 1 game = 16 games*

*Each division hosts 2 divisions outside their Conference, and gets hosted by the other 2 divisions outside their Conference. Flips the season after.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

I'd rather the playoffs be a best of 5 than shorten the regular season.