New Playoff Format

[GreatSaveEssensa]

My friends and I were discussing the current playoff format, and we all agreed that it is stupid. My one buddy suggested that they should have a playoff draft where the top team in each conference would get to choose their opponet. Then the second team, third team and fianlly the fourth team gets the leftovers. I had never even thought of that before, and if marketed correctly they could televise the entire thing and maybe drum up some interest. Im just curious as to what other people think of that.

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[The Crypto Guy]

My friends and I were discussing the current playoff format, and we all agreed that it is stupid. My one buddy suggested that they should have a playoff draft where the top team in each conference would get to choose their opponet. Then the second team, third team and fianlly the fourth team gets the leftovers. I had never even thought of that before, and if marketed correctly they could televise the entire thing and maybe drum up some interest. Im just curious as to what other people think of that.

1 v 8
2 v 7
3 v 6
4 v 5


Make 2 divisions per conference again.

 

[McXLNC97]

My friends and I were discussing the current playoff format, and we all agreed that it is stupid. My one buddy suggested that they should have a playoff draft where the top team in each conference would get to choose their opponet. Then the second team, third team and fianlly the fourth team gets the leftovers. I had never even thought of that before, and if marketed correctly they could televise the entire thing and maybe drum up some interest. Im just curious as to what other people think of that.

Dude you've been watching too much world of dance. Letting people choose their own opponent...lol. Is J-Lo gonna announce the selections?

 

[Highmarker]

you're going to get shredded for this but I actually think it would be an entertaining way of doing things.

 

[JuniorNelson]

Why not try division winners play for the conference title and Conference champs play for the cup?

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

Dude you've been watching too much world of dance. Letting people choose their own opponent...lol. Is J-Lo gonna announce the selections?

Why is that so wrong? It would make doing good on the regular season very worthwhile, would make for entertaing tv (yes hockey is entertainment) and would create instant rivalries as im sure the team chosen wouldnt be to happy about it. Plus it would just be plain fun for the fans

 

[awfulwaffle]

I think the playoff format suggestions just keep getting worse and worse.

 

[Video Nasty]

Hopefully it just goes back to 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7 and so on. The simplest most logical way is usually best.

 

[Seanaconda]

It's been talked about before in the many many threads about changing the format.

Most people think teams would just pick in order anyways because teams are so blah blah respect and wouldn't want to offend / fire up a higher seed by picking fifth or whatever instead of eighth .

Plus dang would you look dumb when you lost

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I’m in favor.

 

[555Upstairs]

That's the playoff format we have here in Austria and the impression I get from talking to other fans is that most enjoy it. The whole choose your opponent thing seems to add some spice, especially when a team gets picked over another team with a worse record.
Personally, I wouldn't mind that format at all and I'd definitely prefer it over the abomination of a format we've got now.

 

[unknownbrother]

Most people freak out about the possibility of two of the best teams meeting in the second round like what could have happened if we had Tampa v Boston. So if the league wants to try and stick with divisional playoffs I like the middle ground. Keep the current format but re-seed after round one.

 

[Hooby Dooby Doo]

I just realized that if it was seeded 1-8 with points being the seeding, then the west would have been exactly the same matchups.

However outside of Tampa-Columbus in the East, the rest would have been totally different.

Boston-Carolina
Washington-Pittsburgh
Toronto- Islanders

The latter two would have been some great matchups. But i feel fans would be upset that its too early for those matchups in the scheme of playoffs .

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

I would just like to clarify my original post. The first place team dosnt get to pick from any team as to who they play. They must pick out of the bottom 4 teams that quailified for the playoffs. Then 2nd place based on points, gets to chose out of the remaining 3 teams, 3rd place gets their choice out of the last 2 teams remaining and the 4th place team gets the remaining team thats left.

 

[Seattle Totems]

The top finishing team in each conference would get the most reward with a CYO system. They can factor travel and how other teams match up etc. It would be quite a reward and incentive for finishing at the top and create so much drama for fans of the game. What's the negative here?

 

[tony d]

I've heard about the pick your opponent thing before and think the idea is silly. If they do anything to the format they'll revert to a 1 vs. 4 divisional playoff system.

 

[stepdad gaary]

1 v 8
2 v 7
3 v 6
4 v 5


Make 2 divisions per conference again.

if you have 1-8 seeding you need all the teams in the conference to play each other the same amount of times. Sure that seems fine for the east but not so much in the western conference.

 

[qqaz]

My friends and I were discussing the current playoff format, and we all agreed that it is stupid. My one buddy suggested that they should have a playoff draft where the top team in each conference would get to choose their opponet. Then the second team, third team and fianlly the fourth team gets the leftovers. I had never even thought of that before, and if marketed correctly they could televise the entire thing and maybe drum up some interest. Im just curious as to what other people think of that.

This has been suggested before, and it's idiotic. The league and the PA would never allow such a public insult to other teams and players. It's ludicrous to think they would do this.

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

The top finishing team in each conference would get the most reward with a CYO system. They can factor travel and how other teams match up etc. It would be quite a reward and incentive for finishing at the top and create so much drama for fans of the game. What's the negative here?

I totally agree with you. Anything to add a little more entertaiment for the fans is a good thing in my opinion. And it really does give a lot more incentive to finishing higher up in the standings.

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

This has been suggested before, and it's idiotic. The league and the PA would never allow such a public insult to other teams and players. It's ludicrous to think they would do this.

Why would it be an insult to teams and players? And even if it was insulting, that would make it an instant rivalry, no? I see nothing wrong with a team being slighty insulted that they were chosen by a higher ranking team. It may even light a fire under their ass and result in more ‘aggressive’ games. In turn making it more entertaining for the fans.

 

[Trap Jesus]

If they're going to stick with the 2 huge divisions in each Conference, they need to at least make it division winners as the top 2 seeds and then 6 wildcards.

 

[ichabod13]

1 vs 16, 2 vs 15....and so on....

 

[qqaz]

Why would it be an insult to teams and players? And even if it was insulting, that would make it an instant rivalry, no? I see nothing wrong with a team being slighty insulted that they were chosen by a higher ranking team. It may even light a fire under their ass and result in more ‘aggressive’ games. In turn making it more entertaining for the fans.

Seriously? You don't think it would be an insult for a team to pick you as an opponent? I can't see how it would be anything else. It would make a rivalry, I'll give you that. And it would be interesting as a fan to see who gets picked, I'll give you that too. But if you just want off-ice drama and petty in-fighting, then why not watch WWE? Grudge matches and personal insults galore.

Another drawback is who would actually make the pick. The coach? Captain? Do the players vote? What if the vote is split, do you have some players sulk? What if a coach picks and loses, do the players turn on him?

The only thing that this format could possibly result in is a less unified league. It would cause rifts and strain working relationships, both on an individual and organisational level. The league and the PA would never let that fly.

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

Seriously? You don't think it would be an insult for a team to pick you as an opponent? I can't see how it would be anything else. It would make a rivalry, I'll give you that. And it would be interesting as a fan to see who gets picked, I'll give you that too. But if you just want off-ice drama and petty in-fighting, then why not watch WWE? Grudge matches and personal insults galore.

Another drawback is who would actually make the pick. The coach? Captain? Do the players vote? What if the vote is split, do you have some players sulk? What if a coach picks and loses, do the players turn on him?

The only thing that this format could possibly result in is a less unified league. It would cause rifts and strain working relationships, both on an individual and organisational level. The league and the PA would never let that fly.

Really, its no different then the draft. Players get picked over other players, and teams pick based on what the organization feels they need. This would be the exact same. And if your worried about teams and players getting upset, then maybe that will cause them to give it there all for the duration of the regular season to avoid any hurt feelings by multi millionaires

 

[Golden Puppers]

Picking your opponent? That's tacky AF and bush league imo.

Just keep the divisions but the playoff seedings should be 1-8 in each conference and re-seeded like the old days.