New NHL wildcard standings

[Xamar*]

So we're a year and a bit into the new wildcard system. How do you guys feel about it so far? Has it made the playoffs more interesting?

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[MrClutch86]

I like the other system better. What really bugs me is the uneven conferences.

 

[Intact]

Well based on last year:
Montreal-Boston
Chicago-St Louis
San Jose - LA
LA- Anaheim
Pittsburgh-NYR
Philly-NYR

Definitely like it

 

[HydroF]

I like it fine right now, but eventually a 9th best team in a conference is going to get into the playoffs based on the guarantee that the top 3 in a division get in. When that happens, I will likely be hating it.

 

[Taak19]

A crossover would be better imo.

 

[Quares27]

There's no point to it and there never was

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

So the NHL doesn't even think about addressing any real problems in the league, but the hockey playoffs (arguably the best in pro sports), yeah don't like that let's do something different.

 

[starling]

So you don't even think about addressing any real problems in the league, but the hockey playoffs (arguably the best in pro sports), yeah don't like that let's do something different.

Holy **** OP is Gary Bettman?

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Holy **** OP is Gary Bettman?

just insert the NHL in there.

 

[IdealisticSniper]

Hate it. The better seed should play the worst seed 1-8. Montreal and TB were 3/4 last year but had to play each other instead of a 5/6 matchup with a "lesser" team.

They want division rivalry but this is garbage.

 

[Budddy]

I like it fine right now, but eventually a 9th best team in a conference is going to get into the playoffs based on the guarantee that the top 3 in a division get in. When that happens, I will likely be hating it.

This is my opinion too...I saw no need to change the format

 

[Jray42]

Hate it. The better seed should play the worst seed 1-8. Montreal and TB were 3/4 last year but had to play each other instead of a 5/6 matchup with a "lesser" team.

They want division rivalry but this is garbage.

You hit the nail on the head.

 

[Tawnos]

I liked it last year and I'll probably like it this year. It's much more accurate to strength within the division. In the old setup, you had teams competing with each other with wildly differing schedules (i.e team in the old Southeast played more games against each other, but were vying for playoff seeding with teams in the old Northeast who played less games against the Southeast, and more against each other, etc).

Now, the teams compete for playoff seeding with other teams that have schedules that line up more.

And this goes to the point about TB/Mtl being 3/4 in the conference last year too. Who knows if they would have had 101 and 100 points respectively if they had been playing in the Metro. You can't say that with any certainty. The Rangers had more ROWs than either team. The Flyers had more ROWs than the Lightning. Maybe if either team played one more game against those Metro division opponents they would have ended up behind those teams in the standings at the end of the year. The point is that it's impossible to say, so I say seed the teams in the playoffs based on who they're most closely scheduled with.

 

[SourGrapes]

Playoffs are where rivalries are created. The way it is set up, you have to make the conference finals to gain a new conference rival. Upsets won't happen to the same degree either. "4 beats 1" doesn't have the same feel as "8 beats 1". Watching the Oilers beat the Red Wings in '06 and the Sens almost upset the Rangers in 2012 is what playoff hockey is all about; now, that can't really happen (not to the same extent).

 

[sharks9]

Hate it. The better seed should play the worst seed 1-8. Montreal and TB were 3/4 last year but had to play each other instead of a 5/6 matchup with a "lesser" team.

They want division rivalry but this is garbage.

This is why I hate it. The Atlantic is better than the Metro again so it's possible that the same thing will happen again.

 

[Tawnos]

Playoffs are where rivalries are created. The way it is set up, you have to make the conference finals to gain a new conference rival. Upsets won't happen to the same degree either. "4 beats 1" doesn't have the same feel as "8 beats 1". Watching the Oilers beat the Red Wings in '06 and the Sens almost upset the Rangers in 2012 is what playoff hockey is all about; now, that can't really happen (not to the same extent).

What? The team with the 8th most points in the conference still plays the team with the most and the team with the 7th most points still plays the team with the 2nd most. Of course, barring any crazy scenario where the 9th place team in the conference is 3rd in their division (not convinced we will see that).

Last year, Minnesota upset Colorado. They had 93 points to Colorado's 112. 2012 Ottawa had 92 points to the Rangers 109. Obviously the Detroit upset was one for the ages, but under the current system, those two teams would have played each other anyway.

 

[DL44]

LOVE IT.
the brackets created some of the best first round matches we've seen... More balanced and it showed..
Add guaranteed divisional matchups and it's awesome..

Love it now... You guys will love it in 2 yrs when rivalries from div playoff rematches are taking place and are boiling over in games 1 and 2 instead of 4 or 5 between non rival teams...

Better more interesting matchups... And more competitive.

 

[Dellstrom]

Doesn't make a huge difference to me but 1-8 was less confusing. It gives divisions more meaning.

 

[Machinehead]

I still don't like it. It forces rivalry games. If two rival teams meet up, great, but it doesn't need to be forced.

Last year playing the Flyers was great. This year playing probably the Islanders will be great. In 5 years when it's still some combination of the same few teams it's gonna get really old.

 

[DL44]

I still don't like it. It forces rivalry games. If two rival teams meet up, great, but it doesn't need to be forced.

Last year playing the Flyers was great. This year playing probably the Islanders will be great. In 5 years when it's still some combination of the same few teams it's gonna get really old.

Sport is cyclical. Parity. Cap. And 8 team divisions.
In 5 yrs, we will not be seeing the same matchups for 5 yrs running.

I just think its silly to dislike the idea based on an unlikely hypothetical, while acknowledging but then dismissing the outstanding rivalry playoff it brought us in yr one.
I personally cant see how we will possibly get sick of divisional playoffs with 7/8 team divisions...

And don't forget the wild card... It's in there to mix in just enough potential variety with some crossover matchups based on seed... So we're not even dealing with pure divisional playoffs right now anyways..

This is an awesome format... And one that should be here to stay...