Ted Hoffman
Done
- Dec 15, 2002
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Eh, not really. Rivalries occur because of geography or because of playoff history. Being in the same division helps, but it's not sufficient. Same for seeing each other even semi-occasionally in the playoffs. Colorado/Detroit didn't have a rivalry until Lemieux cross-checked Draper in the 96 playoffs; that created the '97 brawl and subsequent playoff series drama. It lacked geography or divisional play, it was purely a playoff experience thing.Rivalries only work when all/both teams make it to the dance
Meanwhile, the Blues and Blackhawks were still rivals between 1994 and 2013, even if they only faced each other in the playoffs once in that stretch and at least one of them was lousy between 1997 and 2008. Nashville and St. Louis were rivals long before they ever faced each other in the playoffs for the first time in 2017. Both have to do worth geography, with playoff history being an added bonus. Blues fans probably consider the Sharks minor rivals given playoff history and a pair of regular-season hits by Sharks players on Blues players. That lacks geography and divisional alignment.
You can't artificially crate rivalries where they don't naturally exist. They just have to create themselves, and that happens regardless of what playoff format you use.