[Athletic] Appetite to change the NHL playoff system is increasing

[Doctor No]

-Where was this in 2016 and 2017 when the whole league knew the 2 best teams were Penguins and Caps? The only thing I heard over and over was Washington was overrated and a playoff choker for constantly losing to Pittsburgh, until Washington beat Pittsburgh and won the cup this year.

Honestly, if you didn't hear *many* people complaining about Pittsburgh and Washington having to meet in an early round in 2016 and 2017, then you weren't listening.

It was all over HFBoards, for one.

 

[Lukin1978]

Go back to 1 vs 8 etc

 

[Ms Maggie]

-Where was this in 2016 and 2017 when the whole league knew the 2 best teams were Penguins and Caps? The only thing I heard over and over was Washington was overrated and a playoff choker for constantly losing to Pittsburgh, until Washington beat Pittsburgh and won the cup this year.

-Seriously, stick one of Washington or Pittsburgh in the West and lets see someone else eliminate these teams instead of eliminating each other.

-This sounds like bitter crying from Atlantic fans for some strange reason and the Metro has thoroughly dominated the Atlantic in the playoffs for literally 20 years.

Do you then change it again when the two best teams are from the Pacific e.g.? Changing the whole format based on situations that will inevitably change seems foolish.

Let it go. Nothing is perfect.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Change the format, don’t add more teams.

 

[magnumpi]

What is wrong with the current system?

Sounds like typical media drivel hysterics.

I like the current system, it helps maintain traditional rivalries.

For example, I'm a Flyer fan. I like the fact that the teams in the Metro are at each other's throats.


-- Might as well make 1 huge division in each conference if you're going to change it.

Divisions lost their use in sports once every sport expanding to a ridiculous # of teams

 

[StreetHawk]

Nashville vs Colorado
Winnipeg vs LA
San Jose vs Vegas
Anaheim vs Minnesota

Tampa Bay vs Devils
Boston vs Columbus
Philly vs Toronto
Washington vs Pittsburgh

Would've been the playoffs with a 1v8 format.

2 series in the west have pst teams playing cst teams.

We are what like 2 more playoffs away from having 32 teams at which point we go with division based playoffs for rounds 1&2 so you need to be in the top 4 to qualify. No more wildcards or cross overs.

Likely see the nhl maintain what they currently have until Seattle enters.

 

[Ducks in a row]

Division winners should be the only teams that automatically make the playoffs. Being 2nd and 3rd place in a division automatically making the playoffs like it is now is just so stupid. Should be 1v8,2v7,3v6 and 4v5.

 

[X66]

-Where was this in 2016 and 2017 when the whole league knew the 2 best teams were Penguins and Caps? The only thing I heard over and over was Washington was overrated and a playoff choker for constantly losing to Pittsburgh, until Washington beat Pittsburgh and won the cup this year.

-Seriously, stick one of Washington or Pittsburgh in the West and lets see someone else eliminate these teams instead of eliminating each other.

-This sounds like bitter crying from Atlantic fans for some strange reason and the Metro has thoroughly dominated the Atlantic in the playoffs for literally 20 years.

Did you just start following hockey around then?

A lot of people that it was dumb that the caps played the pens that early.

Where were you?

 

[The Nuge]

I actually don't think it's all that crazy to consider adding more playoff teams.

In 1990 for example, you had 16 teams out of 21 qualifying for the postseason. Compare that to now, where 10 more teams (soon to be 11), compete for the same number of PO spots.

I agree. I wouldn’t mind seeing it go back to conference standings, and then go to a single game MLB style wildcard, where 7 plays 10, and 8 plays 9, to decide the last 2 spots. It actually helps the top teams (going off last year’s standings, Tampa could potentially play Carolina instead of Columbus), the league generates 4 more games of playoff revenue, and you potentially have fewer teams struggling to sell tickets because they miss the playoffs

 

[Rubi]

Don't agree with adding playoff teams. 16 is enough. The playoffs last too long as it is.

Frankly I'd be happy to see the top 16 (points wise) in the league (forget about Conference and Division standings) make the playoffs where best plays worst.

Based on last years standings the first round would look like this:

Predators (1) vs Panthers (16)
Jets (2) vs Devils (15)
Lightning (3) vs Blue Jackets (14)
Bruins (4) vs Flyers (13)
Knights (5) vs Kings (12)
Capitals (6) vs Sharks (11)
Leafs (7) vs Penquins (10}
Wild (8) vs Ducks (9)

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Go back to 1 v 8. Most recent playoffs half the series were over in 5 games or less.

And since they did this current system the 2nd round has been the best round every time.

 

[TheDoldrums]

If you can't win the games, you don't deserve to advance. If opening on the road ruins your teams morale so badly, you have a mentally weak team.

What? It's not a morale problem. Teams play better at home. Having last change can be a huge factor. The teams that do the best during the regular season should earn that advantage.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Maybe i'm misunderstanding this but aren't 3-8 'locked' in as well or are you alluding to a sort of play-your-way-in type battle for the 8th spot?

I think it's more about the 2nd round I think.

Rather than have teams face each other simply based on divisions (where 1st team can potentially play the 2nd best team in the league), they just run 1-8 all the way through the finals.

I can't count how many times Pittsburgh-Washington should have been the Conference Finals, instead of the 2nd round.

 

[LeafShark]

I'd prefer a "group of 4s" playoffs structure where...

1st round is divisional groups of 4 (the top 4 in each division make it in, maybe keep the wildcard, maybe not), 1 seeds win choice of opponent.

2nd round is conference groups of 4, 1 seeds win choice of opponent.

3rd round is the remaining league group of 4, the 1 seed wins choice of opponent.

4th round is the Stanley Cup Final where any team could theoretically play any other team.

 

[Frank Drebin]

I know it has been a discussion on here and personally I hope this does get changed. Dislike the same matchups all the time. I realize this is from earlier this year but do we see more talk about it going forward this year?

Custance: Appetite to change the NHL playoff system is...

I would also welcome a change. Sick of the cup finals being played in the second or third round in the east.

 

[shtorm2005]

Screw rivalries, they are boring without fighting.

 

[3074326]

If you can't win the games, you don't deserve to advance. If opening on the road ruins your teams morale so badly, you have a mentally weak team.

I mean, that's still going to happen. Teams would just be ranked according to actual performance instead of it being based on divisons. Not sure what your argument is here.

More teams though? No.

 

[MattMartin]

I can almost guarantee that since the change there would be different SC winners. This has been a huge advantage for some teams,

 

[MattMartin]

Screw rivalries, they are boring without fighting.

Well that's the point. The idea was to boost the rivalries without the real hate. I can't even name more than like 3 players on the Rangers I dislike anymore. I miss the fights and I don't care what anyone says. Look at the bitter rivals over time and I guarantee you will find some great brawls in there...just to name a few.

Detroit Colorado
Islanders Rangers
Canadians Bruins

Now we have players in there pajamas creating rivalries.

 

[easton117]

Well that's the point. The idea was to boost the rivalries without the real hate. I can't even name more than like 3 players on the Rangers I dislike anymore. I miss the fights and I don't care what anyone says. Look at the bitter rivals over time and I guarantee you will find some great brawls in there...just to name a few.

Detroit Colorado
Islanders Rangers
Canadians Bruins

Now we have players in there pajamas creating rivalries.

Lol you jest, but ya. I’m old enough to remember whatbrivalries we’re like too, not what rivalry night Wednesday’s tell me what they should be.

Some people have mentioned scrapping divisions altogether and I could see that working. 2 conferences, figure out the schedule where you play every team in the league at least twice.

Stop making something difficult and confusing that doesn’t need to be. Rivalries happen on their own organically.

 

[MattMartin]

Lol you jest, but ya. I’m old enough to remember whatbrivalries we’re like too, not what rivalry night Wednesday’s tell me what they should be.

Some people have mentioned scrapping divisions altogether and I could see that working. 2 conferences, figure out the schedule where you play every team in the league at least twice.

Stop making something difficult and confusing that doesn’t need to be. Rivalries happen on their own organically.

Going back to 1 vs 8 etc is making things difficult and confusing??? Or am I misreading what you're saying?

 

[easton117]

Going back to 1 vs 8 etc is making things difficult and confusing??? Or am I misreading what you're saying?

Sorry no. That’s the easy way. Not the nhl way!

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Meh if your as good as you think, who cares

 

[Nizdizzle]

Meh if your as good as you think, who cares

This is a lazy critique in my opinion. Why bother with seeding at all then? If you are as good as you think, who cares? Give the 8th best team home-ice advantage.

Teams play 82 games over the regular season. They should be rewarded with a decent playoff seeding system if they manage to play well over those 8 months.

 

[arrbez]

Important to consider that the amount of money made in a playoff run really matters to a lot of these teams.

You might be the second-best team in the conference and lose to the best team anyways at some point, but why should you have to do it in the first round while a lesser team gets to make a run against lesser competition and collect all those home gates and jersey sales. Wouldn't have a big impact for the Leafs or Rangers, but it would definitely matter for the Panthers or Hurricanes.

This system has been in place for 2 seasons, and both seasons we've seen the 3 highest-seeded teams in the East coming out of a single division. Small sample size, but not a great start.