The current playoffs format is BROKEN

[Hotsam Batcho]

From 1982 - 1993, the league used a divisional playoff format. The NHL's playoff format is continually changing -- this is not a new phenomenon.

That's was my point. It will always be changing

 

[Jumptheshark]

That was only in 1979-80.

All-Time Playoff Formats | NHL Records

Explore the various postseason formats from the NHL’s more than 100 years of competition.

records.nhl.com

and for me that worked perfectly

 

[GrumpyKoala]

Lol y'all just sour you lost early or what?

On my side all matchup where seriously lit.

Edmonton vs Kings is now a classic and was filled with action and drama.

Then getting the revenge rematch against the golden knight was fun.

The semi final against Dallas is extremely entertaining.

And if we can go through the it's most likely a encore made in heaven or a 2006 rematch.

Avalanche vs Stars was great, Jets vs Stars was amazing, Winnipeg vs St Louis was f***ed up,
We had exactly 1 serie that was meh, Vgk vs min and it was still pretty decent.

You guys have a east problem, with some absolutely dreadful team to watch. New bracket would not fix that.

 

[T REX]

What about last decade where the East ran through the Metro? The ECF was often played in RD2 between the Caps and Pens. I don’t recall complaining that the system needed to be changed so Ovi would have an easier path to a Cup.

These things are cyclical. The Atlantic is better now (mostly just the 2 FL teams really), but that will shift.

Bottom line: if you’re an Atlantic team, then figure out how to beat the Cats in the playoffs (just like the Caps had to against the Pens).

Question, do you think the Canes should be happy that they made the ECF? Do you honestly think they are "close," to a cup? Im looking at all the ECF finals since 1994 and your caps/Pens comment isn't close to being true lol.

 

[T REX]

At the end of the day, the first three rounds of the playoffs are just a way to funnel one team from each conference to the finals. It doesn't really matter how you do it since there's only one winner anyway. I get that it's quite anti-climactic when conference finals don't seem very competitive, but we're only looking for the one team that advances to the finals. I have trouble imagining a scheme where Florida doesn't end up on top in the east, so the funnel seems to be working just fine.

That said, I'm as bored of Florida-Tampa and Florida-Toronto as the next guy, but stale matchups are fundamentally a result of the same teams dominating their divisions and conferences year after year. No tinkering with the playoff format is going to change that.

Fans deserve the best match ups in later rounds when the stakes are higher. The NFL.KNOWS this...they own sports in NA.

The nhl doesn't. The fans deserve better.

Incompetence.

 

[IsThatSemin]

That's how it is. Teams need to get better and GMs need to grow some balls and make tough moves to make their teams better. Florida did it, they can too.

I don’t think he’s complaining about it being too tough to beat Florida. We are talking about improving the product. The nhl has changed its formats and divisions shitloads of times, why should it be set in stone with this shitty version?

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

Bettman has made it clear that he’s willing to die on this hill, the playoff format isn’t changing.

I don’t think it changes the end result much, the best teams will prevail and make it to the end. But I do think the product suffers in the later rounds, and the matchups in the first two rounds get stale after a while. This was predictable when they changed it 12 years ago.

 

[tfwnogf]

1/8, 2/7, 3/6, 4/5 was the best format AINEC

 

[Suntouchable13]

Florida has quite a bit of off ice incentive to attract quality players. Can't say the same for many other NHL teams.

Florida was shit from 1996-2022, did they attract anyone then? Their off ice incentive only gets brought up when they are good. What happened between those years I mentioned?

 

[BLNY]

and for me that worked perfectly

It's fair, but they only used it one year. It's not like it was entire childhood.

 

[NYRnine94]

I don’t think he’s complaining about it being too tough to beat Florida. We are talking about improving the product. The nhl has changed its formats and divisions shitloads of times, why should it be set in stone with this shitty version?

If his team was up 3-0 in the ECF, he wouldn't say anything. Hockey fans love whining for changes when their teams aren't benefitting from anything. It's like a bunch of children playing a game and they keep changing the rules because other children keep winning. Deal with it and figure out how to be better

 

[IsThatSemin]

If his team was up 3-0 in the ECF, he wouldn't say anything. Hockey fans love whining for changes when their teams aren't benefitting from anything. It's like a bunch of children playing a game and they keep changing the rules because other children keep winning. Deal with it and figure out how to be better

So what is your reasoning behind keeping it this way other than “suck it up”?

 

[Puikiou]

If his team was up 3-0 in the ECF, he wouldn't say anything. Hockey fans love whining for changes when their teams aren't benefitting from anything. It's like a bunch of children playing a game and they keep changing the rules because other children keep winning. Deal with it and figure out how to be better

... Or some/most people just want to watch good hockey and think the NHL brand would benefit from icing a better product.

 

[NYRnine94]

So what is your reasoning behind keeping it this way other than “suck it up”?

Because the people in charge want it that way and the way we feel doesn't mean anything. I want 1-8, 2-7, etc but my opinion doesn't mean shit so the next option is to suck it up and figure out how to beat the tough teams that everyone is struggling with. In life, you can't just change shit because it gets too hard, figure it out and overcome it.

 

[NYRnine94]

... Or some/most people just want to watch good hockey and think the NHL brand would benefit from icing a better product.

Right. It's all about the "good of the game." Sure it is. Has nothing to do with losing teams being mad and wanting to even things up so they don't keep losing. Right.

 

[IsThatSemin]

Because the people in charge want it that way and the way we feel doesn't mean anything. I want 1-8, 2-7, etc but my opinion doesn't mean shit so the next option is to suck it up and figure out how to beat the tough teams that everyone is struggling with. In life, you can't just change shit because it gets too hard, figure it out and overcome it.

Yea but this is a message board where we discuss stuff about hockey. You are right none of our opinions matter, he we still sign up for accounts solely to give them don’t we? It sounds like you actually agree with the OP so I’m not sure what the issue is. If you just want to share empty platitudes to strangers about life lessons and overcoming adversity just go make a meme and put it on Facebook next time

 

[T REX]

Right. It's all about the "good of the game." Sure it is. Has nothing to do with losing teams being mad and wanting to even things up so they don't keep losing. Right.

Which makes more sense? Neutral fans wanting to see the best teams play for the highest stakes or some teams fans on here whining bc they got knocked out early? Come on...this is a very obtuse and ridiculous take at this point. I already told you I don't care we lost already. Ii am pissed that a crappy team like the Canes is in the ECF bc of this asinine format.

Fans deserve better not bc a team lost when it shouldn't have but bc we deserve the best teams playing for the highest stakes.

Do you understand this POV at all or are you going to continue to whine about "losing fans"?

 

[NYRnine94]

Yea but this is a message board where we discuss stuff about hockey. You are right none of our opinions matter, he we still sign up for accounts solely to give them don’t we? It sounds like you actually agree with the OP so I’m not sure what the issue is. If you just want to share empty platitudes to strangers about life lessons and overcoming adversity just go make a meme and put it on Facebook next time

what does whining about it do? That's how the format it but at some point, the whining has gotta stop right? Again, if your team was up 3-0 then nobody would say anything. It all comes down to people being jealous and wanting better matchups for their teams.

 

[T REX]

If his team was up 3-0 in the ECF, he wouldn't say anything. Hockey fans love whining for changes when their teams aren't benefitting from anything. It's like a bunch of children playing a game and they keep changing the rules because other children keep winning. Deal with it and figure out how to be better

Do you watch the NFL at all? DO you think they would do something like divisional playoffs? Why not?

 

[NYRnine94]

Which makes more sense? Neutral fans wanting to see the best teams play for the highest stakes or some teams fans on here whining bc they got knocked out early? Come on...this is a very obtuse and ridiculous take at this point. I already told you I don't care we lost already. Ii am pissed that a crappy team like the Canes is in the ECF bc of this asinine format.

Fans deserve better not bc a team lost when it shouldn't have but bc we deserve the best teams playing for the highest stakes.

Do you understand this POV at all or are you going to continue to whine about "losing fans"?

But all i'm saying is it won't change. Should it change? Yes but it's not so why keep complaining about it?

 

[NYRnine94]

Do you watch the NFL at all? DO you think they would do something like divisional playoffs? Why not?

Different sport

 

[T REX]

I don’t think he’s complaining about it being too tough to beat Florida. We are talking about improving the product. The nhl has changed its formats and divisions shitloads of times, why should it be set in stone with this shitty version?

This times infinity. THANK YOU! APPLAUSE. Fans deserve better. But this is the backwards NHL. They can't even get goalie interference right or penalties right. Heaven forbid should they IMPROVE the product on the ice. LOL.

But since my teams lost early I am just bitter and hate the format all of a sudden...pretty sure I thought it was stupid when they switched...I'll search my post history on this board and others...if I find me complaining about it prior to this year...do I get a sticker or cookie. The format sucks and that's why the NHL is a second rate sport on the national stage.

 

[T REX]

Different sport

Buwhahahahaha...tapping out with you on this...you are arguing in bad faith. Different sport? SMDH.

 

[T REX]

Should it change? Yes

We are done. Thank you for finally admitting it. Carry on with your diatribes about jealous fans...smdh.

Nonsense.

 

[Johnny Tomala]

It's terrible format. I'm surprised that GMs of teams eliminated due to this atrocity didn't raise their voices in off-season. It should be back to 1-8 with re-seeding each round long time ago. The funny thing is they did the good format in the bubble, then they want back to this atrocity.