If the Rangers, Bruins, Flyers, Wings and Hawks all miss the playoffs this season, would this make the NHL expand the number of teams in the playoffs?

[dalewood12]

There is a good chance that all five teams will miss the playoffs. All five teams are from very large U.S. media markets that bring in big revenue. Could this convince the league to expand the playoffs?

 

[Crow]

I don’t think it’s even a factor

 

[BB79]

Huh? It would be the league's and the "gRoW tHe GaMe" people's wet dream.

 

[norrisnick]

Regardless of who makes or misses, the playoffs should be expanded anyway. 16 teams made the playoffs when there were only 21 teams in the league...

 

[bobholly39]

I'm open to the idea of expanding playoffs slightly, and I could see NHL doing it in the short to medium term, but it won't have anything to do with what teams missed playoffs one year.

 

[Bouboumaster]

No

Git gud instead

 

[Crede777]

I don't think the NHLPA would go for it. You're basically making players play more games but for no extra pay.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Good God I hope not. More than 50% of teams making the playoffs is embarrassing enough.

Regardless of who makes or misses, the playoffs should be expanded anyway. 16 teams made the playoffs when there were only 21 teams in the league...

So because the playoffs were even more of a farce back in the day we should expand the playoffs?

 

[norrisnick]

Good God I hope not. More than 50% of teams making the playoffs is embarrassing enough.



So because the playoffs were even more of a farce back in the day we should expand the playoffs?

If 95% of league history is a farce? I guess...

 

[Jumptheshark]

nope. If the NHL expands to 40 teams it will expand the playoffs.

Context..

Only 14 NFL teams make the playoffs, MLB 12, and the NHL is like the NHL with 16

 

[SnowblindNYR]

If 95% of league history is a farce? I guess...

There was a long period of time that there were 6 teams in the league. The league evolved. Fans going crazy over adding playoff teams and adding in season tournaments and adding teams are basically doing the bidding of billionaire owners who are going for a money grab at the expense of the league.

 

[norrisnick]

There was a long period of time that there were 6 teams in the league. The league evolved. Fans going crazy over adding playoff teams and adding in season tournaments and adding teams are basically doing the bidding of billionaire owners who are going for a money grab at the expense of the league.

"At the expense of the league" meaning more playoff games for hockey fans to watch. The absolute horror....

 

[SnowblindNYR]

"At the expense of the league" meaning more playoff games for hockey fans to watch. The absolute horror....

Watering down the product. Let's just put 32 teams in the playoffs and be done with it.

 

[norrisnick]

Watering down the product. Let's just put 32 teams in the playoffs and be done with it.

When there are 52 teams, sure.

 

[Pavels Dog]

No

Git gud instead

What happens if all 32 teams ”git gud”?

 

[Bouboumaster]

What happens if all 32 teams ”git gud”?

16 teams has to become gudder

 

[Gardner McKay]

This is not thread worthy or even remotely possible.