Get rid of wildcard spot

[Greatzsky 99]

That 5th place team has more points than that 4th place team. I guess that means they're in the playoffs. Ow, my head hurts.

well it was a bit exaggerated, but i personally think its pointless and boring, every sport i follow has 1 leaderboard, not another one designated for playoffs, and that is unneccessary, you must agree with that.

But by your answer you probably dont...

 

[Grifter3511]

well it was a bit exaggerated, but i personally think its pointless and boring, every sport i follow has 1 leaderboard, not another one designated for playoffs, and that is unneccessary, you must agree with that.

But by your answer you probably dont...

I'd argue it's pretty on par with the NFL's standings. 2nd place team in the league may end up playing on wildcard weekend and not even have home field in it.

 

[Menzinger]

The top division slots get locked up fairly early. The wild card chase is often one of the few actually interesting story lines to follow during the regular season.

Always puzzles why so many folks want changes to make the league less fun

 

[Schennanigans]

I just want the top 8 conference standing back.

 

[SirKillalot]

I just want the top 8 conference standing back.

This. Sick of NHL trying to force rivalries with divisional rounds, let them happen organically through the 1 vs. 8 and so on system.

 

[kk]

I don't like the idea posted. I don't want a team with a worse record making the playoffs over a team with a better record in another division in the conference. That's why the 2 WC spots are the way to go.

What I would like changed is the playoff format, go back to 1 plays 8, 2 plays 7, etc. Second round the best team advancing plays the one with the worst record advancing from the first round. Used to be setup better. This forced divisional matchup setup sucks.

 

[coolboarder]

To get rid of wild card, the NHL will have to change the schedule matrix to conference games from 3 games to 2 games and focus on divisional match-up. That means increasing divisional games from 26 to 34 games. This will save Pacific division teams from travelling more than 2 time zones through for first two rounds. Vancouver have had to face Nashville and travel more than 2 time zones for first round while the Oilers just having to travel just one time zone. The same for Dallas travelling to Vegas for first round in 2 time zones. I am in favor of eliminating extra conference games during the regular season.

 

[gritdash60]

OR! here me out, get rid of the loser point, and do the 3-2-1 as it should be.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

Or eliminate conferences and take the top 16 teams overall

I'm for this. Just straight 16, i.e., 1-16, 2-15, 3-14, etc.

Conference and division winners get home ice as long as they survive; otherwise, regular-season record determines home ice.

All rounds played 2-3-2 to cut down on travel.

 

[Sniper99]

It's the way it used to be. And I would have no issue with it. League thinks wildcard is more equitable because it would keep a "Norris Division" with four weak teams from making the playoffs.


Same number of games. Still 16 teams. Instead of 1v8 times 2, it's 1v4 times 4. It's also the way it used to be.

U need to stop living in the past "it used to be, it used to be" its Not GONNA BE. Players probably wouldnt agree to it, more teams in the league than the late 70's early 80s

 

[BLNY]

U need to stop living in the past "it used to be, it used to be" its Not GONNA BE. Players probably wouldnt agree to it, more teams in the league than the late 70's early 80s

1v4 x 4 ran up until 93-94. YOU need to stop thinking every change is innovation instead of change for the sake of change. I don't long for the past. I live in the present, like everyone else.

 

[miscs75]

Make it the way it used to be. Division winners get top spots then 3-8 based on points. 1v8, 2v7, 3v6, 4v5 then reseed based on who wins.

 

[qc14]

The current playoff format is yet another example of something the league has gotten pretty spot on that people will never give it credit for. Perfect balance between making divisions actually mean something, getting more rivalry matchups, and being "fair" where the best teams actually do get in.

The only playoff format change that makes any sense is a play-in round but people do not want to have that conversation

 

[benfranklin]

Im not opposed to getting rid of teh WC. Id like to see them go back to 1v8, 2v7, etc. Or expand to 10-12 teams and do the same.

 

[x Tame Impala]

The current playoff format is yet another example of something the league has gotten pretty spot on that people will never give it credit for. Perfect balance between making divisions actually mean something, getting more rivalry matchups, and being "fair" where the best teams actually do get in.

The only playoff format change that makes any sense is a play-in round but people do not want to have that conversation

1) I don't think Divisions mean any more or less now than they did pre-2014. What makes you think they're more important now?

2) What rivalries are there now? There aren't any super-heated series anymore. No hatred. No ramped up aggression because Team A hates Team B. Rivalries can't be forced. They come along when they come along for the most part and I think more than anything that's become apparent with this format change.

3) The only problem with the old 1-8 format was that a crappy division winner would occasionally be a #3 seed while a team with more points than them would be relgated to a #5 or #6 seed. A simple fix would be going back to the 1-8 format and guaranteeing a divisional winner is guaranteed a #4 seed and home ice in the first round.

4) Central teams get completely screwed because they don't show the games until after the East Coast games are finished. This means that a series between the Hawks and Blues doesn't see puck drop until nearly 9:00pm. It's stupid. Have viewership numbers gone up since the change 10 years ago?

 

[Sniper99]

1v4 x 4 ran up until 93-94. YOU need to stop thinking every change is innovation instead of change for the sake of change. I don't long for the past. I live in the present, like everyone else.

LOL sure doesnt look like it.

 

[qc14]

1) I don't think Divisions mean any more or less now than they did pre-2014. What makes you think they're more important now?

2) What rivalries are there now? There aren't any super-heated series anymore. No hatred. No ramped up aggression because Team A hates Team B. Rivalries can't be forced. They come along when they come along for the most part and I think more than anything that's become apparent with this format change.

3) The only problem with the old 1-8 format was that a crappy division winner would occasionally be a #3 seed while a team with more points than them would be relgated to a #5 or #6 seed. A simple fix would be going back to the 1-8 format and guaranteeing a divisional winner is guaranteed a #4 seed and home ice in the first round.

4) Central teams get completely screwed because they don't show the games until after the East Coast games are finished. This means that a series between the Hawks and Blues doesn't see puck drop until nearly 9:00pm. It's stupid. Have viewership numbers gone up since the change 10 years ago?

For 1) moving from three divisions to two places the perfect amount of emphasis on divisional games -- important because you get a real benefit from winning the division but the wild card existing means that you actually directly compete against all teams in your conference, not just your division, for a playoff spot. It also fixed 3) in a pretty elegant and straightforward way.

On 2) I think that there have been some really nice rivalries that have been born out of this new format. Boston vs. Florida and LAK vs. Edmonton are two right of the top of my head. It's also been able to consistently deliver us more traditional ones like Pittsburgh vs. Washington, Boston vs. Toronto, Montreal vs. Boston, the three California teams against one another, etc.

I don't understand how 4) is relevant to the playoff format at all and seems like more of a question to take up with ESPN and TNT

 

[Golden_Jet]

2) What rivalries are there now? There aren't any super-heated series anymore. No hatred. No ramped up aggression because Team A hates Team B. Rivalries can't be forced. They come along when they come along for the most part and I think more than anything that's become apparent with this format change.

There are still division rivalries, as every post season it’s 2 vs 3, and a chance at 1 vs 4 (depends which WC they play)
Seems like a happy medium to me now.

3) The only problem with the old 1-8 format was that a crappy division winner would occasionally be a #3 seed while a team with more points than them would be relgated to a #5 or #6 seed. A simple fix would be going back to the 1-8 format and guaranteeing a divisional winner is guaranteed a #4 seed and home ice in the first round.

Likely wouldn’t get that problem as only 2 divisions now not 3. So only first 2 spots would be guaranteed.

4) Central teams get completely screwed because they don't show the games until after the East Coast games are finished. This means that a series between the Hawks and Blues doesn't see puck drop until nearly 9:00pm. It's stupid. Have viewership numbers gone up since the change 10 years ago?

Maybe that’s an American thing, not sure, as in Canada you get every playoff game from the start, definitely don’t have to wait until the east coast games are done.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Better idea: Get rid of divisional playoffs and go back to 1 v 8.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Better idea: Get rid of divisional playoffs and go back to 1 v 8.

Currently it’s a hybrid of divisional and 1 vs 8. As only 2 vs 3 is divisional, rest of matchups depends on if there are 3, 4 or 5 teams from one division making it. Current system is a pretty good compromise.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Currently it’s a hybrid of divisional and 1 vs 8. As only 2 vs 3 is divisional, rest of matchups depends on if there are 3, 4 or 5 teams from one division making it. Current system is a pretty good compromise.

Don't need a compromise. The divisional system as a whole is dumb.

 

[BLNY]

LOL sure doesnt look like it.

An optometrist is but a phone call away.

 

[Osprey]

Instructions unclear. Now trapped in well.

You're obviously still getting a cell/WiFi signal. Quit complaining.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Don't need a compromise. The divisional system as a whole is dumb.

but it’s not a divisional system.

 

[Reality Czech]

Rather they just get rid of divisions entirely and take the top 8 teams in each conference. Or eliminate conferences and take the top 16 teams overall

The whole point of divisions and conferences is to limit travel time and build rivalries.