Its looking like the wildcard race in the East is going to be exciting

[Nogatco Rd]

Would you guys be against expanding the playoffs to two more teams. There’s some good teams that will miss the playoffs and deserve a spot or would this devalue the playoffs with too many teams. It could also help with having different playoff matchups.

How would you make that work though, without someone getting a bye?

Also, it’s not just that it devalues the playoffs, it devalues the regular season too. Right now you have 5 or 6 teams essentially playing playoff hockey the rest of the way to try to snag the last WC spots up for grabs.

College football used to have the most exciting regular season in all of sports as 1-2 losses eliminated most teams from championship contention. Now that there’s a 12 team playoff, that weekly tension of high stakes RS games has been lost.

 

[Schennanigans]

How would you make that work though, without someone getting a bye?

It would be the same. There would be 5 playoff matchups instead of 4.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

It would be the same. There would be 5 playoff matchups instead of 4.

So then 5 teams advance

1 vs 5
2 vs 4
3 vs …?

 

[Coach Reggie Dunlop]

Would you guys be against expanding the playoffs to two more teams. There’s some good teams that will miss the playoffs and deserve a spot or would this devalue the playoffs with too many teams. It could also help with having different playoff matchups.

I think it devalues the playoffs personally

 

[geebster]

I think it devalues the playoffs personally

To me it's the opposite. It devalues the regular season. It becomes easier to get in, so you can still get your shot at the Cup without actually putting in the effort of being a top 8 team in your conference.

The playoffs still only has one winner and it's damn hard to play that many games at that level, so more teams just means more attrition and injuries from a play in tournament or however they'd do it.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Also, it’s not just that it devalues the playoffs, it devalues the regular season too. Right now you have 5 or 6 teams essentially playing playoff hockey the rest of the way to try to snag the last WC spots up for grabs.

Strong disagree. You'd just add more different 'tiers' or races. Fighting for the play-in spots, fighting for divisional seeds, fighting for home ice. Less teams playing meaningless games.

To me it's the opposite. It devalues the regular season. It becomes easier to get in, so you can still get your shot at the Cup without actually putting in the effort of being a top 8 team in your conference.

The playoffs still only has one winner and it's damn hard to play that many games at that level, so more teams just means more attrition and injuries from a play in tournament or however they'd do it.

In NHL history it's never been harder to make the playoffs. I don't see how it's good for a single person who is a fan of sports for teams to have 10+ years outside the playoffs.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

In NHL history it's never been harder to make the playoffs. I don't see how it's good for a single person who is a fan of sports for teams to have 10+ years outside the playoffs.

You could have a 28 team playoff and the Sabres would be on the outside looking in this year.

They’re a terribly run organization, those exist in every sport and it’s not something that gets fixed by adding more playoff spots.

 

[MattMartin]

Yikes

Scott Mayfield	D	Tue, Feb 4	Lower Body	Expected to be out until at least Feb 7
Mathew Barzal	C	Tue, Feb 4	Lower Body	IR. Expected to be out until at least Mar 8
Semyon Varlamov	G	Sat, Feb 1	Lower Body	IR. Expected to be out until at least Feb 23
Ryan Pulock	D	Sat, Feb 1	Upper Body	IR. Expected to be out until at least Feb 23
Marcus Hogberg	G	Sat, Feb 1	Upper Body	IR. Expected to be out until at least Feb 23
Hudson Fasching	RW	Thu, Jan 30	Upper Body	IR. Expected to be out until at least Feb 7
Mike Reilly	D	Mon, Jan 27	Chest	IR. Expected to be out until at least Feb 23
Noah Dobson	D	Mon, Jan 27	Lower Body	IR. Expected to be out until at least Feb 25

Only the bolded weren't on opening night starting line up
4 Opening night Dmen
Our best player
Our 2nd and 3rd string goalies

 

[PaulD]

It's not a race till the pace car pulls off the track.

 

[geebster]

In NHL history it's never been harder to make the playoffs. I don't see how it's good for a single person who is a fan of sports for teams to have 10+ years outside the playoffs.

I think this is a good argument for relegation. If a team goes that long being bad they should drop into the AHL and we should give a team that cares about managing their franchise and winning up there instead. (I realise this doesnt actually work, but I'd prefer it if it did).

There are Leafs fans who were born after their last cup and died of old age already. Being a fan is a choice, and is often a poor one for our mental health. We do it anyways though and are better than bandwagoners for it.

 

[Golden_Jet]

It would be the same. There would be 5 playoff matchups instead of 4.

That doesn’t help, explain how the next round works with 5 teams left in the conference.

 

[cvaicunas]

Has no clue. As a Senators fan, I’ll enjoy the battle for 1-3 in the division.

Look there's a long way to go, but it sure does feel good seeing BOTH the Wings and Sens above the Lighting and Bruins in the standings. I've been waiting for the changing of the guard in the Atlantic

 

[Golden_Jet]

Senators have lost their 2 middle 6 centres to injury now,