NHL claims this is the best playoff format they have ever had. no changes on horizon

[Luigi Lemieux]

It's been pens caps in the second round 3 years in a row. They're going to have to go through each other every season for the foreseeable future with this format since they keep finishing 1-2.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

It's been pens caps in the second round 3 years in a row. They're going to have to go through each other every season for the foreseeable future with this format since they keep finishing 1-2.

You say that as if Tampa wasn't the best team in the East all year...

 

[Barrie22]

Being sick of a team kills the rivalry.

Then how did boston vs montreal become such a heated rivalry in the 70's to early 90's?

 

[Machinehead]

Then how did boston vs montreal become such a heated rivalry in the 70's to early 90's?

Naturally, and not by being forced to play each other every year.

We've played the Pens so many times I feel camaraderie more than hatred.

 

[WTFMAN99]

It's like they don't pay attention to their fans.

 

[Machinehead]

You say that as if Tampa wasn't the best team in the East all year...

Tampa isn't in their division.

 

[Barrie22]

Naturally, and not by being forced to play each other every year.

We've played the Pens so many times I feel camaraderie more than hatred.

Naturally? You mean by having this same format and being forced to play each other in the playoffs every year?

In the 80's and 90's.

They played against each other in 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 94.

So 9 straight years and 10 of 11 years they faced in the playoffs.

Tell me again how it came naturally? Lol

 

[Machinehead]

Naturally? You mean by having this same format and being forced to play each other in the playoffs every year?

In the 80's and 90's.

They played against each other in 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 94.

So 9 straight years and 10 of 11 years they faced in the playoffs.

Tell me again how it came naturally? Lol

You're using the Habs and the Bruins -the oldest rivalry in the sport- as an example of a rivalry born out of a system.

Show me two teams who were never rivals and then became rivals because the NHL kept matching them up.

 

[Barrie22]

You're using the Habs and the Bruins -the oldest rivalry in the sport- as an example of a rivalry born out of a system.

Show me two teams who were never rivals and then became rivals because the NHL kept matching them up.

Detroit vs colorado.

And guess what happened once colorado stopped being dominate and stopped being in the playoffs? It died

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

You say that as if Tampa wasn't the best team in the East all year...

Not sure what Tampa has to do with the metro divisional playoffs.

 

[Machinehead]

Detroit vs colorado.

That happened during the 1-8 system, and it was because of hit by Claude Lemieux after just one meeting. They met for the first time in '96 and had two huge brawls in the '97 regular season.

Try again.

 

[Barrie22]

That happened during the 1-8 system, and it was because of hit by Claude Lemieux after just one meeting. They met for the first time in '96 and had two huge brawls in the '97 regular season.

Try again.

So i can't use teams that have been in the playoffs lots because of history in the game. Nor can i use teams that faced lots during the playoffs because it was part of the 1 vs 8.

So that limits it to 0 beacuse every team has been in the league to long or to young so they are only apart of the 1 vs 8 format.

But if you want recent then kings vs sharks.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Naturally, and not by being forced to play each other every year.

We've played the Pens so many times I feel camaraderie more than hatred.

It's funny you say that. I was sure i was rooting for Vegas but i find myself hoping the caps win now since we've been through so many battles. I feel dirty.

 

[Machinehead]

It's funny you say that. I was sure i was rooting for Vegas but i find myself hoping the caps win now since we've been through so many battles. I feel dirty.

See what you've done, NHL?

 

[Machinehead]

So i can't use teams that have been in the playoffs lots because of history in the game. Nor can i use teams that faced lots during the playoffs because it was part of the 1 vs 8.

So that limits it to 0 beacuse every team has been in the league to long or to young so they are only apart of the 1 vs 8 format.

But if you want recent then kings vs sharks.

I want an example of this format creating a rivalry.

When were the Kings and Sharks not rivals?

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Tampa isn't in their division.

I understood your point to be about the two best teams in the east facing each other before the eastern finals but guess I was mistaken.

But what's the problem with Pens and Caps facing each other in round two?

 

[Machinehead]

I understood your point to be about the two best teams in the east facing each other before the eastern finals but guess I was mistaken.

But what's the problem with Pens and Caps facing each other in round two?

Nothing, except that we've seen it before and we'll see it many more times.

 

[snowkiddin]

Of course they would claim that. I mean, they’re wrong, but that’s not surprising.

 

[93LEAFS]

If they are going to keep this layout, when they finally get to 32, I would hope they remove the wild-card completely and make it top 4 for each division and basically keep them as there own conferences basically. Hell, I wouldn't even mind a rotating system where the winner of each division rotates who they play against in the semi-finals (for example have Atlantic vs Pacific, and Central vs Metro one year, then rotate to Atlantic vs Central and Metro vs Pacific and so on). Previously people would complain about television issues, but, I don't think it really matters at this point.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

I understood your point to be about the two best teams in the east facing each other before the eastern finals but guess I was mistaken.

But what's the problem with Pens and Caps facing each other in round two?

Because it's the same matchup year after year after year. They've been the two best teams in the metro for a while and will be for the forseeable future. This matchup is just locked in place in this format.

 

[The Macho King]

This is where I remind everyone that this format lead to the top two teams in the West playing in the second round. Think the NBA wants the Warriors and Rockets meeting in the second round? Go back to 1-8 and end the insanity.

Very different sports though. That match up was locked in during preseason. As was the Finals. In the NBA the best team wins the vast majority of the time.

Hockey is far more chaotic. By locking in the good matches early, you're more likely to get them. Also doesn't the NBA still lock in division winners?

 

[AmericanDream]

I am perfectly fine with this setup. And like the "Madness" said above me, locking in great matchups early is the best thing for us fans...who gives a shit what round these teams play in, the better team will win regardless of 2nd round or conference finals..I personally feel this playoffs has been some of the most exciting I have seen in years...from round 1 on, the matchups have been great and have allowed rivalries and bad blood to build which is a great thing..

 

[AmericanDream]

I know this is a bit off the wall, but has anyone ever thought about the NHL using what the World Championships do? Top team in each division plays the bottom seed in the other division and so on and so forth...I think that would be pretty f***ing wild and to see matchups we would rarely ever see.

so just using this year as an example the matches we would see would have been:

West Bracket

1. Nashville Predators -
8. New Jersey Devils

4. Minnesota Wild
5. Pittsburg Penguins -

3. Las Vegas Knights
6. Philadelphia Flyers -

2. Winnipeg Jets
7. Columbus Blue Jackets


East Bracket

1. Tampa Bay Lightning
8. Colorado Avalanche -

4. Washington Capitols
5. Anaheim Ducks -

3. Toronto Maple Leafs
6. San Jose Sharks

2. Boston Bruins
7. Los Angeles Kings

space them out so 1 and 2 ranked teams would not face each other in round 2 in each bracket if they both win round 1...

I think this would be pretty wild and we would see some fun matches..it would likely avoid similar matchups year in and year out...for those that don't like facing the same team over and over.

YOU WOULD CERTAINLY KNOW WHICH DIVISION IS TOUGHER BY THE TIME THE FINAL 4 ROLES AROUND!!

 

[Rangers ftw]

Being sick of a team kills the rivalry.

That’s partly the feeling of rivalry. I love facing Islanders/Caps/Philly/Pens every other year or so in the PO, it only increases the rivalry, for me anyway.

 

[Oilers Propagandist]

yeah thats great NHL. a 105pt team deserves to play a 112pt team on the road in rd 1 (tor vs bos) while a 100pt team gets to play at home vs a 98pt team (pit vs phi)

SMH!

You dont see why the NHL likes this?
Round 1
Also Minne/wpg, SJ/Dux, Avs/Preds, Kings,VGK

Round 2
Pens/Caps, Bruins/Bolts, Preds/wpg.

Round 3
Caps/Bolts, VGK,wpg

so many compelling storylines, so many good series, so many rivalries.

SMH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's like they don't pay attention to their fans.

That's a lie, we can be all high and mighty and assume that we are more important than the extreme majority of fans that dont even know about this site or we can look at the ratings of these playoffs.

People are watching.