If a Team Loses the Play-In Round, is it Fair to Say they Missed the Playoffs?

[TomasHertlsRooster]

I can already imagine some of the semantic arguments that will take place here over whether or not a certain team “missed the playoffs” if they lose in the play-in round, so I think it would be good to take a stance on this right now, before we learn the fate of the teams we like and dislike, and then decide to determine the “right” way of looking at things based on our personal biases.

Some things to consider:

- Every team that loses the play-in round will be eligible for the draft lottery
- NHL teams seem pretty determined to refer to this play-in round as the playoffs
- Unlike teams, the NHL itself seems pretty determined not to refer to this play-in round as the playoffs

Where do you stand? If a team loses the play-in round, do you think it’s fair to say they “missed the playoffs”?

Click to read more...

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Depends

 

[Krewe]

If they were going to make the 16 team format, no they didn’t miss in my book. If they were out of the playoffs and then lose the play in round then yeah I would say they missed. Teams like Edmonton, Toronto, Pittsburgh made it in my book

 

[CraigsList]

Yes, they weren't a top 16 team.

 

[mouz135]

Of course it’s fair. They didn’t win their bo5 play in series and therefore didn’t qualify for the playoffs, hence they missed the playoffs. The poll speaks for itself. It’s not rocket science, people

 

[bobholly39]

Was thinking about that in relation to Pittsburgh specifically the other day.

Imagine habs beat them.

1. They have the longest active playoff streak in the league, 13 years. Is this now ended?

2. They were the safest of the 'play-in' teams in regards to playoff odds.

Would be a crappy way for their streak to end.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

yes, it's basically just a way to speed up the end of the regular season and to bubble teams. The NHL is very clear these are not playoff games. Granted, I don't think I would harshly criticize a team for losing a best 3 of 5 series. Nor would I consider it the same as missing the playoffs in a normal season

 

[JuneauRiley05]

Was thinking about that in relation to Pittsburgh specifically the other day.

Imagine habs beat them.

1. They have the longest active playoff streak in the league, 13 years. Is this now ended?

2. They were the safest of the 'play-in' teams in regards to playoff odds.

Would be a crappy way for their streak to end.

I have a question for you hab fans. Do you even want them to win ? If I was a hab fan I’d want to be in the lottery way more than winning a stupid play in round only to get bounced early in the playoffs and miss the lottery. They need high end players.

 

[Mickey Marner]

It might not be fair that they missed the playoffs, but it is fair to call it missing the playoffs.

 

[majormajor]

Of course it’s fair. They didn’t win their bo5 play in series and therefore didn’t qualify for the playoffs, hence they missed the playoffs. The poll speaks for itself. It’s not rocket science, people

The league isn't counting the "play-in" round as playoffs for the purposes of trade conditions and bonuses but that's merely a technicality. It is literally a playoff round. Two teams, win and advance to the next round or lose and go home. That's what a playoff series is.

 

[mouz135]

The league isn't counting the "play-in" round as playoffs for the purposes of trade conditions and bonuses but that's merely a technicality. It is literally a playoff round. Two teams, win and advance to the next round or lose and go home. That's what a playoff series is.

I don’t think anyone is considering it part of the 16 team playoffs. The poll would back that up

 

[bobholly39]

I have a question for you hab fans. Do you even want them to win ? If I was a hab fan I’d want to be in the lottery way more than winning a stupid play in round only to get bounced early in the playoffs and miss the lottery. They need high end players.

Most habs fans on HF want the team to lose to protect draft odds - in fact most are upset because this play-in lowers our odds at the lottery, even if we do lose.

My own answer is a bit more complicated. I hate losing/tanking - so if we're in the playoffs I want to go for it, even against strong odds - and try to win the cup. But - if it's not for the Habs - my second favorite choice to win would be Pittsburgh, who has a much more realistic chance to win the cup. So I have mixed feelings...

 

[LarKing]

I’d say they missed. It’s a play in to make the playoffs. You can argue whether it’s fair for a team like Pitts that was almost guaranteed to make it, but you can’t really argue it not being playoff rounds as they’ve already said this.

 

[JuneauRiley05]

Most habs fans on HF want the team to lose to protect draft odds - in fact most are upset because this play-in lowers our odds at the lottery, even if we do lose.

My own answer is a bit more complicated. I hate losing/tanking - so if we're in the playoffs I want to go for it, even against strong odds - and try to win the cup. But - if it's not for the Habs - my second favorite choice to win would be Pittsburgh, who has a much more realistic chance to win the cup. So I have mixed feelings...

That’s the one silver lining for any team who gets upset in the play in round. They go to the draft lottery

 

[majormajor]

I don’t think anyone is considering it part of the 16 team playoffs. The poll would back that up

16 team playoffs? Of course not, there's 24 teams. But that just makes it a pre "16 team playoff" "playoff round". If you have two teams playing in a win or go home scenario it's a playoff round, literally.

 

[DirtDiver]

16 team playoffs? Of course not, there's 24 teams. But that just makes it a pre "16 team playoff" "playoff round". If you have two teams playing in a win or go home scenario it's a playoff round, literally.

A playoff round is literally what the NHL says is a playoff round not what some fan on a message board says it is. Sorry to break your heart. I didnt make these rules the NHL did. Is round robin a playoff game to you?

 

[Regal]

16 team playoffs? Of course not, there's 24 teams. But that just makes it a pre "16 team playoff" "playoff round". If you have two teams playing in a win or go home scenario it's a playoff round, literally.

The league has rules for a tiebreaker game if two teams are tied for the final playoff spot in points and all the tiebreaker statistics. It wouldn't be called the playoffs either. Baseball has had it happen several times and they actually add the game to the regular season stats

 

[majormajor]

A playoff round is literally what the NHL says is a playoff round not what some fan on a message board. Sorry to break your heart. I didnt make these rules the NHL did. Is round robin a playoff game to you?

The word "playoff" has a meaning the world round. It's in use for sports leagues everywhere, even in non English language contexts. And I don't think round robin formats are considered playoffs anywhere, could be wrong though.

Why would you think my heart is broken by what you think? Nice of you to be sorry but no need.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

If they were going to make the 16 team format, no they didn’t miss in my book. If they were out of the playoffs and then lose the play in round then yeah I would say they missed. Teams like Edmonton, Toronto, Pittsburgh made it in my book

Pittsburgh I can understand, they were literally 7th in the league by P%.

Toronto? That's a much tougher one. It is conceivable that if they lose to Columbus and Florida wins against NYI, the sum of all games played up to that point would have them out of a playoff spot by P%, even if we don't place any additional weight on play-in games. If that is the case, then is it fair to say they missed?

An easier way to look at this is Calgary and Winnipeg. By P%, Calgary is in the playoffs by at .564, while Winnipeg is out at .563. What if Winnipeg beats Calgary in the first round? Then they'll have a higher P% than Calgary in the sum of all games, and Calgary will be out of a playoff spot both by P% over all games played, and by losing in the first round. Do they still count as a playoff team because they just barely made it in the top-8 at the random cutoff point?

 

[rojac]

Was thinking about that in relation to Pittsburgh specifically the other day.

Imagine habs beat them.

1. They have the longest active playoff streak in the league, 13 years. Is this now ended?

2. They were the safest of the 'play-in' teams in regards to playoff odds.

Would be a crappy way for their streak to end.

Streaks like that can occasionally be fun to talk about, but do they really mean anything? A few fans might care, but I honestly doubt that anyone with Penguins other than their PR folks care.

Note that I am talking about them caring about the streak. I definitely think the Penguins care about winning the play-in series.

 

[bobholly39]

Streaks like that can occasionally be fun to talk about, but do they really mean anything? A few fans might care, but I honestly doubt that anyone with Penguins other than their PR folks care.

Note that I am talking about them caring about the streak. I definitely think the Penguins care about winning the play-in series.

You're right - in the end that streak means very little. They have 3 cups to show for in that stretch and want more, and that's more important than making the playoffs. Who cares if they make it 15x in a row or miss once or twice - all they care is if they win the cup or not in a given year I'm sure.

For what it's worth - despite me saying it would suck for them to lose their streak, I'm actually a big supporter of the play-in format. The league did it right. 24 teams is maybe a bit much and maybe 20 would have been enough, but it doesn't make a big difference.

And if Pittsburgh does lose to Montreal and is therefore eliminated from the official playoffs - they'd look like the biggest jokes in the world to say "it's not fair, Montreal wasn't supposed to be in!". If Montreal wasn't in - they'd play Philly in the first round - isn't that way harder? This is true for all play-in series imo. I hope losers lose with dignity

 

[Golden_Jet]

Yes they missed the playoffs, otherwise they wouldn’t be eligible for the draft lottery.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

The playoffs are 16 teams. So if you lose in the play in round, you aren't 1 of those 16 teams so you aren't in the playoffs.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

yes, it's basically just a way to speed up the end of the regular season and to bubble teams. The NHL is very clear these are not playoff games. Granted, I don't think I would harshly criticize a team for losing a best 3 of 5 series. Nor would I consider it the same as missing the playoffs in a normal season

this is the correct answer

 

[Dr Salt]

I think for some teams it will feel unfair for them to have missed it but its not doing them an injustice to say they missed it.