No Plan to Change Playoff Format - Bettman

[kvladimir]

The brackets are:
CAR - FLA - TB - WAS
TOR - BUF - MTL - OTT

NYR - NYI - BOS - NJ
DET - CBJ - PHI - PIT

VAN - EDM - CGY - STL
LA - VGK - ANA - SJ

WPG - COL - MIN - UTH
DAL - STL - NSH - CHI

If you must absolutely have Boston with Montreal you could switch Boston and Buffalo. But I wouldn't split Buffalo and Toronto, and I absolutely wouldn't split Toronto and Montreal.
Also with 4 team divisions, you can't have PHI/PIT/WSH with the New York teams, unless you split up one of NYR/NYI/NJ. I see in your divisions you separated NJ from the New York teams, but geographically that makes no sense given how close those three are.

I agree with all of your impasses, but I would also consider MTL/BOS an impasse. So:

Bracket 1:

DET-TOR-BUF-OTT
MTL-BOS-TBL-FLA

Bracket 2:

NJD-NYI-NYR-CAR
PIT-CBJ-PHI-WSH

Bracket 3:

CHI-STL-DAL-NSH
WPG-MIN-COL-UTH

Bracket 4:

VAN-SEA-CGY-EDM
ANA-LAK-SJS-VGK

 

[kvladimir]

1-8 makes the most sense, but the current format isn't atrocious. Just don't expand the playoffs. 16 teams is more than enough. Any more than that and it cheapens the importance of the regular season too much. The playoffs are enough of a war of attrition as is.

I think the playoffs should "expand", but probably not the way you're thinking.

The bubble playoffs were a good template, but to hold a play-in round like they did then, I would shorten the regular season by 2-6 games, then have the play-in be a best of 3 or 5, so the season isn't extended at all, and you replace some regular season games with effectively playoff games. You could also eliminate wild card if you do this, because it would allow the 5th and maybe 6th place teams in each division a chance at making it, if they can beat their higher division rivals in a playoff series...

This wouldn't ruin the regular season, because it would expand the races: instead of the races for home ice + playoff bar, it would be races for the play-in byes, home ice in the play-in, and play-in bar.

 

[DarrylshutzSydor]

With only 15 teams at .500 or better, the current system is flawed

 

[MarkT]

I agree with all of your impasses, but I would also consider MTL/BOS an impasse. So:

Bracket 1:

DET-TOR-BUF-OTT
MTL-BOS-TBL-FLA

Bracket 2:

NJD-NYI-NYR-CAR
PIT-CBJ-PHI-WSH

Bracket 3:

CHI-STL-DAL-NSH
WPG-MIN-COL-UTH

Bracket 4:

VAN-SEA-CGY-EDM
ANA-LAK-SJS-VGK

Those aren't terrible. Much better in my opinion that what you posted earlier. I still prefer mine obviously, but I could live with those.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Um, why on earth is Carolina with Boston, Montreal and Ottawa?

Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal all need to be in same division, I’d say.

 

[Flukeshot]

Division-based playoffs

Barely any divisional games in the regular season

Makes zero sense

This is my issue too. Either divisions are important or they are not. With 32 teams it's just unrealistic to dedicate 32 of 82 games vs the other conference. Just play them once a year alternate home and away every other season. Reinvest those games into the division so that the results are weighted to the importance of the playoff format they insist on maintaining.

There's a dozen plus other formats I'd prefer but again under the parameters given...

 

[chaz4hockey]

The brackets are:
CAR - FLA - TB - WAS
TOR - BUF - MTL - OTT

NYR - NYI - BOS - NJ
DET - CBJ - PHI - PIT

VAN - EDM - CGY - STL
LA - VGK - ANA - SJ

WPG - COL - MIN - UTH
DAL - STL - NSH - CHI

If you must absolutely have Boston with Montreal you could switch Boston and Buffalo. But I wouldn't split Buffalo and Toronto, and I absolutely wouldn't split Toronto and Montreal.
Also with 4 team divisions, you can't have PHI/PIT/WSH with the New York teams, unless you split up one of NYR/NYI/NJ. I see in your divisions you separated NJ from the New York teams, but geographically that makes no sense given how close those three are.

lol at putting Canes with Florida, Tampa and Washington in the same division.

Since you are an Avs fans, lets keep Dallas in your Division along with Winnipeg and Edmonton & see if that flies.

 

[MarkT]

lol at putting Canes with Florida, Tampa and Washington iin the same division.

Since you are an Avs fans, lets keep Dallas in your Division along with Winnipeg and Edmonton & see if that flies.

I know it may be hard for you to believe, but I didn't base those divisions on current standings - I would intend for these to remain for decades, not just one season. In five years, that division might be really weak. If you're curious, I based them on geography and time zones, which is why Edmonton wouldn't make sense in Colorado's division.

 

[Summer Rose]

lol at putting Canes with Florida, Tampa and Washington in the same division.

Since you are an Avs fans, lets keep Dallas in your Division along with Winnipeg and Edmonton & see if that flies.

I mean, to be fair, all four teams used to be in the same division along with Atlanta/Winnipeg.

 

[Ghost of Murph]

I think the playoffs should "expand", but probably not the way you're thinking.

The bubble playoffs were a good template, but to hold a play-in round like they did then, I would shorten the regular season by 2-6 games, then have the play-in be a best of 3 or 5, so the season isn't extended at all, and you replace some regular season games with effectively playoff games. You could also eliminate wild card if you do this, because it would allow the 5th and maybe 6th place teams in each division a chance at making it, if they can beat their higher division rivals in a playoff series...

This wouldn't ruin the regular season, because it would expand the races: instead of the races for home ice + playoff bar, it would be races for the play-in byes, home ice in the play-in, and play-in bar.

I agree that the overall number of games (reg plus playoffs) shouldn't increase. It's a slog for the players as is.

Allowing 5th and 6th place teams in each division a shot at the playoffs via play-in seems to me to make the already long regular season more meaningless. With a play-in you are going to have multiple sub .500 teams getting a shot at the Cup. They have dozens of regular season games to prove they are playoff worthy. Half the league already makes the playoffs.

WC by conference seems to me to be fair enough in allowing a couple teams to get into the playoffs beyond div 1-3 winners. I'm old school on this stuff, though. I liked it when MLB had only 4 teams make the playoffs. If it were up to me I'd have the top 2 teams in each NHL division make the playoffs, 8 teams total. Make the regular season more meaningful. Will never happen due to TV, ticket sales, gambling, etc. revenue issues. My view on this issue is in the opposite direction of where pro sports are headed.

 

[KingsFan7824]

The problem, which is what it always was, but it's better now, is that the East has 1 time zone, and the West has whatever is left over.

Because that is the reality, the East should be 1-8, and the western teams should get to vote on what they want. It can be a strict top 4 per division like it was in the 21 team league(when the "western" conference had 4 times zones), this hybrid wildcard crap, or 1-8.

Failing that, make it 1-16, because the East teams have had it good for way too long. Why shouldn't Washington have to play Vancouver, when Winnipeg would have to play Calgary? What a shame if eastern teams had to travel a little bit for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounds. It's not like west coast teams haven't won the Cup with cross time zone travel in the West.

 

[Golden_Jet]

The problem, which is what it always was, but it's better now, is that the East has 1 time zone, and the West has whatever is left over.

Because that is the reality, the East should be 1-8, and the western teams should get to vote on what they want. It can be a strict top 4 per division like it was in the 21 team league(when the "western" conference had 4 times zones), this hybrid wildcard crap, or 1-8.

Failing that, make it 1-16, because the East teams have had it good for way too long. Why shouldn't Washington have to play Vancouver, when Winnipeg would have to play Calgary? What a shame if eastern teams had to travel a little bit for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounds. It's not like west coast teams haven't won the Cup with cross time zone travel in the West.

They’ll never do 1-16 again, cause of tv viewership numbers, they lose too may EST fans when game start at 10-10:30pm

 

[PeoriaBlues309]

1-8 makes the most sense, but the current format isn't atrocious. Just don't expand the playoffs. 16 teams is more than enough. Any more than that and it cheapens the importance of the regular season too much. The playoffs are enough of a war of attrition as is.

I disagree with the last part of this. Historically speaking, the NHL at one point had 16 out of 21 teams make it. At that point, I’d absolutely agree that it was watered down. However, the more the league has expanded, it’s always stayed the same at 16. Since the previous expansions of Vegas/Seattle, we’re at the hardest it’s ever been to make the playoffs.

I’ve been a big proponent of the NHL copying the NBA’s playoff format if they decide to expand it, as I think it would work much better with hockey than it does basketball. The NBA has notoriously been a top heavy league due to star power mattering way more, while the NHL generally has more depth.

If anyone is unfamiliar with the format, the 1-6 seeds in each conference automatically make it into the playoffs. The 7/8 seeds and 9/10 seeds have a one game play-in, with the winner of the 7/8 getting the 7th seed, and the loser playing the winner of the 9/10 for the 8th seed.

Generally speaking, the 7-10 seeds are usually very close in the standings, and we all know that winner take all hockey games are the best.

It would make teams try harder to get into a top 6 spot so they’re guaranteed to be in, and it gives more teams opportunities to play super meaningful games. This would be done over a 3 or 4 day stretch, so it wouldn’t cause too much waiting time in between for the teams not in the play-in. After those, you’d go into the 1-8 playoff system.

 

[Matty Sundin]

Never hated the idea of 1vs16, 2vs15 as it might mean we might get a Stanley cup finals with two teams that have a history with each other.

 

[chaz4hockey]

I mean, to be fair, all four teams used to be in the same division along with Atlanta/Winnipeg.

True. But I wasn’t being fair

 

[Summer Rose]

True. But I wasn’t being fair

And that is... fair enough.

 

[KingsFan7824]

They’ll never do 1-16 again, cause of tv viewership numbers, they lose too may EST fans when game start at 10-10:30pm

Which is why it doesn't matter what the system is.

I'd be for a 1-12 in the East and Central time zone(which would be the Eastern conference), and 1-4 in the Mountain and Pacific(the Western conference). 3rd rd gets re-seeded. Top seed gets to choose if they want to play 3 or 4, depending on if the 4th seed is on the west coast.

Everyone wants fairness, that's fair.

 

[wgknestrick]

With only 15 teams at .500 or better, the current system is flawed

I think its more like you don't understand statistics. 32 teams that play each other is going to yield 15-16 teams with .500 or better. It says nothing about the playoff system.

 

[JKG33]

1-8 is superior. The 1st rd is solid no matter what because of pure volume of games. It doesn't need to be propped up by conference final worthy series like DAL/COL and TB/FLA. In fact having heavy matchups like those take away from the rest. And then you dilute later rounds by having dogwater teams like Edmonton and whoever comes our of the metro with easier paths to later rounds.

We also dont need to be forcefed 1st rd matchups of LAvEDM and TORvBOS/TB for the 1000th time. Let rivalries develop organically like the TOR/PHI, VAN/CHI and DAL/EDM of old

 

[JKG33]

With only 15 teams at .500 or better, the current system is flawed

NHL 500 is such a farce

 

[Golden_Jet]

With only 15 teams at .500 or better, the current system is flawed

Well it would be worse, if loser point gone, but in general ~1/2 the teams above .500 is how stats work.

 

[qcal1427]

The playoff format is completely fine, this is yet another thing that people love to complain about just because they can't stand Bettman

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Why not split the difference and go back to 3 divisions per conference with division winners getting the top 3 seeds? These divisional playoffs are contrived and I’d rather see a divisional rivalry have a chance in the conference finals

 

[coolboarder]

The format is pathetic.

It rewards those in weak divisions and punishes teams who are not. That's really not how professional sports should work.

1-8 is way better.

I do not agree. 8 games for in-season divisional games should determine the best team in division, eliminate weaker team even if they are stronger team. I honestly doubt that there will be a weaker team for 2nd round and on after the first round of playoffs. They will have played 15 games in a season with 8 games regular season series and seven playoff games in a series. If you cannot be the top 2 in the regular season for a certain division, how can you be the best team when schedule matrix reflect that otherwise?

Let's say if you have had a bad division record in top 2, how can you expect to know that they earned it? 24 divisional games and you have 8-16 in theory which means you are 0-16 when facing a top two divisional team? I have used the AI grok to determine and which has better travel and better airmiles and 4 teams of 8 divisions with no conference is better, even more so in the playoffs with better travel overall assuming that you are still playing home and away with non-divisional opponents. Regular season is like a playoffs in a sense.

 

[coolboarder]

1-8 is superior. The 1st rd is solid no matter what because of pure volume of games. It doesn't need to be propped up by conference final worthy series like DAL/COL and TB/FLA. In fact having heavy matchups like those take away from the rest. And then you dilute later rounds by having dogwater teams like Edmonton and whoever comes our of the metro with easier paths to later rounds.

We also dont need to be forcefed 1st rd matchups of LAvEDM and TORvBOS/TB for the 1000th time. Let rivalries develop organically like the TOR/PHI, VAN/CHI and DAL/EDM of old

I hated 1-8 for Western conference too much travel and Canucks did not play well in SCF when they got there, they were forced to play two central division teams against Chicago and Nashville with higher possible travel. I wanted to eliminate the wild card but the NHL insist on it.