Playoff Formats for Suspended Seasons

[Soundwave]

Typical full playoff schedule is 57 days (according to google) and game 7 was scheduled last year on June 12th.

If the goal is to delay as long as possible but finish by June 30th, you could:
1) reduce the first three rounds to 5 games
2) that gets you a total duration of ~40 days, so you can
3) start on May 20th
4) May 20th is ~ 6 weeks later than normal...

So they can go with this plan provided we start up sometime in the next 6 weeks....

It's not even like the world ends if hockey is being played in July anyway.

They play in May/June as is, those are not "winter months".

 

[Captain Controversy]

McDavid needs to be begin his off season training immediately

 

[Cypress]

I think 5 mins 4 ftg is right, season is probably over, they're just delaying the inevitable right now hoping for some miracle. Number of cases will continue to explode over the next few weeks, and we won't see number of active cases start to decline until probably about 6-8 weeks from now. Healthcare agencies won't allow the events to go on even if the league wants them to.

 

[Soundwave]

I think 5 mins 4 ftg is right, season is probably over, they're just delaying the inevitable right now hoping for some miracle. Number of cases will continue to explode over the next few weeks, and we won't see number of active cases start to decline until probably about 6-8 weeks from now. Healthcare agencies won't allow the events to go on even if the league wants them to.

I think it's doable in front of empty arenas ... the question is whether or not the NBA wants to do that (yes, I said NBA ... they will decide and the NHL will basically follow suit).

If all the players are tested and required to stay with their team during a playoff run, it can be managed and they can be tested daily. It actually reduces them as being a viral vector in that sense. They could get it much more easily just going to Safeway to pick up some milk.

 

[The Nuge]

Imo, you still go 16 teams, but do a shorter series. Base things off point percentage within the usual format, and then make round one 3 games, round two 3 games, the conference finals 5 games, and the cup final 7. Then you can wait things out as long as possible and still get the playoffs in. And if you have to move free agency and the draft back, so be it. Those could go in August and it wouldn’t really matter

 

[stratedge]

I don’t see them foregoing the playoffs. They’ll just call the season now go with the 16 teams based on pts% and try to condense the playoffs as much as possible, maybe make the first round best of 5 and end up going till mid late June and pushing draft/FA back and then starting next season a little later.


They’ll be praying they can get people back into stadiums by mid to late April.

I agree with all of this. You can't play 70 games, throw them away, and then start a fresh 82 game regular season next year... they're going to crown a stanley cup winner even if that comes at the expense of the regular season next year, which is logical. If for no other reason, because there's more money in playoff games. Create some kind of gap between that and the start of the regular season next year, so, "ASAP" for the playoffs.

I also don't think you can raise the bar for making the playoffs (less than 16 teams), and then have 7 game series... fans, players, and owners would be irate. They'll keep the bar for 16 teams but reduce the size of the series...3 or 5 games and then maybe strive to keep a 7 game Stanley cup finals.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

I agree with all of this. You can't play 70 games, throw them away, and then start a fresh 82 game regular season next year... they're going to crown a stanley cup winner even if that comes at the expense of the regular season next year, which is logical. If for no other reason, because there's more money in playoff games. Create some kind of gap between that and the start of the regular season next year, so, "ASAP" for the playoffs.

I also don't think you can raise the bar for making the playoffs (less than 16 teams), and then have 7 game series... fans, players, and owners would be irate. They'll keep the bar for 16 teams but reduce the size of the series...3 or 5 games and then maybe strive to keep a 7 game Stanley cup finals.

The argument is lost revenue from non-playoff bound teams this and next season. They're not seeing any influx here and if it's a shortened season next year, it'll be an even worse return.

But I agree 100% with what you're saying and I'm on the side of what you're arguing. Just devil's advocate.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Burkie thinks the league is a minimum 6 weeks from playing at the earliest...meaning April 24th

I like the idea of a "play-in" game, then having a best-of-5 first round and second round

 

[LTIR]

Or just play single elimination? 3 game series?
NHL would want to involve as many teams as possible.

OP is Oilers centric proposal.. how about just 4 team playoffs? Top teams of each division?

 

[stratedge]

The argument is lost revenue from non-playoff bound teams this and next season. They're not seeing any influx here and if it's a shortened season next year, it'll be an even worse return.

But I agree 100% with what you're saying and I'm on the side of what you're arguing. Just devil's advocate.

It's all profit shared though, and I think the collective unit that is the NHL understands that protecting the brand is the top priority. Also, the NHLPA have major stakes in this too, so I could see them giving back some of their breaks next year to make up the games as time rolls on. The all star game... scrap that next year, for starters.

It's all moot until we know how long the mass hysteria is going to last though... could be 1 month, could be 3. It's hard for me to imagine more than that; all they're trying to do is slow down the virus, not eliminate it. If you delay it too long, it becomes a major concern for next year's flu season. So I think these heavy measures will all be slowly peeled away starting in 4 weeks or so.

 

[Soundwave]

Or just play single elimination? 3 game series?
NHL would want to involve as many teams as possible.

OP is Oilers centric proposal.. how about just 4 team playoffs? Top teams of each division?

These are way too gimmicky. A team like Arizona shouldn't be to get in to the playoffs because they won like some single chippy game where neither team had played for 6 weeks.

Just go by point percentage. 1st round and 2nd round are best of 5 if need be.

I think single game play-in might be workable for *wild card* spots only.

 

[LTIR]

These are way too gimmicky. A team like Arizona shouldn't be to get in to the playoffs because they won like some single chippy game where neither team had played for 6 weeks.

Just go by point percentage. 1st round and 2nd round are best of 5 if need be.

Every fan base would want a format that includes their team especially if they are currently in top 8. I am not talking about a team like ARI but more like Jets.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

It's all profit shared though, and I think the collective unit that is the NHL understands that protecting the brand is the top priority. Also, the NHLPA have major stakes in this too, so I could see them giving back some of their breaks next year to make up the games as time rolls on. The all star game... scrap that next year, for starters.

It's all moot until we know how long the mass hysteria is going to last though... could be 1 month, could be 3. It's hard for me to imagine more than that; all they're trying to do is slow down the virus, not eliminate it. If you delay it too long, it becomes a major concern for next year's flu season. So I think these heavy measures will all be slowly peeled away starting in 4 weeks or so.

Agreed on all points.

 

[Faelko]

Not a fan of 3 game series.

Huge fan of a WC play in game though, 8th vs 9th, winner is in. Use the points percentage to seed teams

You could play a 5 game series in a week...B2B-Travel-B2B-Travel-G5.

They can still finish by end June, which I think is key with players contracts expiring June 30th.

Owners will push hard for playoffs. I hope they can pull it off. Regular season is toast, just no way I see them fitting that in AND playoffs.

 

[Soundwave]

The other problem with a "play in" period for Wild Card teams is ok so they get several games to get back in the groove playing intense hockey, while the top seeds just ... sit there being off for like 6+ weeks going into a playoff round.

That part of it isn't fair to them.

 

[McSuper]

They would be enclosed private jets most likely in this scenario anyway, I mean the longest possible flight is what? Edmonton to Miami? That's a 4 hour flight if its direct, that's really not that bad.

NHL can charter jets as well . Have them disinfected first . Then if the players are all clear it should really cut down the risk . The airports become an issue along with arenas.
The real problem lies with humans . If someone is sick will they self isolate ? Some will, most won’t . 125,000 is still a very small percent world wide but if their figures are correct and the expect to to infect 30 to 70% we are going to have a real problem .

Bottom line is 1 life is more valuable then hockey and if this gets out of control and start killing new born babies because hockey players take it home to their family the NHL is in for some serious law suits .

Good luck to all my fellow Oilers fans . Be safe !

 

[Mr Positive]

-go by points percentage, or go to game 72

- have a short, mini season in each conference including the two wildcards and the two next teams below them. The two best teams will take the wild card spots. Their playoff ranking will be on their season ranking before this mini-season

- play playoffs as normal, with the new wildcards

 

[Captain Fantastic]

-go by points percentage, or go to game 72

- have a short, mini season in each conference including the two wildcards and the two next teams below them. The two best teams will take the wild card spots. Their playoff ranking will be on their season ranking before this mini-season

- play playoffs as normal, with the new wildcards

I like this. I can see a lot of owners of teams just below the wild card spots bitching so this gives them a chance to make a spot. Playoffs are big money and while you can't please every owner, this is about as ideal to give the one's just on the outside a shot. Then resume the playoffs with the first two rounds ,a best of 5 and the last two, a best of 7.

 

[Mr Positive]

NHL can charter jets as well . Have them disinfected first . Then if the players are all clear it should really cut down the risk . The airports become an issue along with arenas.
The real problem lies with humans . If someone is sick will they self isolate ? Some will, most won’t . 125,000 is still a very small percent world wide but if their figures are correct and the expect to to infect 30 to 70% we are going to have a real problem .

Bottom line is 1 life is more valuable then hockey and if this gets out of control and start killing new born babies because hockey players take it home to their family the NHL is in for some serious law suits .

Good luck to all my fellow Oilers fans . Be safe !

I'll say this:

Either the NHLPA agrees that players self isolate, and give up their freedom outside of game time (including tracking their interactions with family, etc), or their paychecks will be hacked to death by escrow.

Playing to empty arenas, but preserving TV revenue and salvaging the year, is possible if everyone commits to it.

 

[Soundwave]

What if all playoff teams isolate in the same city?

Eastern teams in Toronto/Ottawa

Western teams in Edmonton/Vancouver

That's 4 NHL facilities, they could have 4 games every night. Canada has fewer cases than the US so it can be easier to manage that way.

Teams live together for up 2-8 weeks in a nice luxury accommodation, this will reduce the travel risk.

If you're not going to have fans in the crowd anyway, then home ice doesn't mean that much. The Oilers have the nicest/2nd newest facility in the NHL, so it would be an ideal staging ground for the Western clubs.

Lots of people have to go to work away from family for 1-2 months, and don't get to stay in luxury accommodations to boot. Maybe there could be some allowances to let players see family members if they are screened/tested before hand.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

It's not really fair though to the other 8 teams that played well enough percentage wise to earn a playoff berth. Especially in hockey where anyone can win the Cup.

If they have to can the rest of the regular season, I think starting the playoffs say in mid-May if possible would be OK. 16 top teams by point percentage get in.

Life isn't fair.

 

[Soundwave]

Life isn't fair.

Nah, if you didn't play well enough to be in a playoff position by March, you don't deserve to get a shot at a Stanley Cup because of a flu virus.

If anything, a condensed playoffs may mean even Wild Card teams get cut out.

 

[Stoneman89]

Sadly, if this goes on for a while, I think I would prefer they just shut the season down and move on to the draft, free agency and next year. Whoever wins, in whatever convoluted format they come up with, will always have a huge asterisk beside their win. The teams that don't get into the playoff round that had a chance, will always be pissed off. Just let it go.

 

[Soundwave]

Just go ahead and do playoffs in June/July if you have to. No live audience. Have it centralized in one location since with no fans, home ice doesn't really matter. Edmonton itself may be a great pick.

You can't shut down society indefinitely until December when a vaccine (hopefully) arrives. Millions of people will have lost their jobs as things like restaurants and movie theaters and salons will go bankrupt, universities and schools closed for parts of two school years will be a massive disruption, etc. etc.

The idea now is to try and flatten the transmission curve, we're past the point of stopping this entirely. Flatten the curve in the next 3-4 weeks as much as possible so that hospitals have the best chance of coping, after that the reality is I think the emphasis is going to have to shift towards isolating people who are 70+ years old after that. You can't have Western society shut down for months on end just to protect 70+ year olds indefinitely, I hate to say it.

The government is going to probably eventually have to stipulate people in that age range stay home and there are services provided where they can get medical help, groceries, etc. sent to them at home. And also workers at nursing homes and things like that are going to have to be strenuously tested.

 

[T-Funk]

Nah, if you didn't play well enough to be in a playoff position by March, you don't deserve to get a shot at a Stanley Cup because of a flu virus.

If anything, a condensed playoffs may mean even Wild Card teams get cut out.

This word needs to start being censored on the internet for a while. People see it in relation to what's going on in the world and think oh I've had that, no problem. On a side note; it can be bad. I had H1N1 back in that debacle due to people refusing to stay home when sick and I could barely move or breathe for a week and a half. At about 30 years old.