The current playoffs format is BROKEN

[Dr Pepper]

Then there will need to be a balanced schedule for all the clubs in each Conference. No need for the divisions.

What's imbalanced about the schedule as-is? Each team plays teams in their own division the most, followed by teams in the other division in their conference, followed lastly by teams in the OTHER conference, descending logically and fairly.

Actually there was, when there were 3 divisions winners getting 1-3, there was always one weak division..

And the top team in that division would get the 3 seed. The others wouldn't make the playoffs.

I don't see the problem. Division champ should get rewarded, even if it's a "Southleast" division or whatever the case may be.

 

[Chrispy]

Why does everyone assume that with a different format, teams that now had nothing to fight for would still be mailing in the last few games?

With a different format, the final standings would be a bit different; teams would have more things to fight for in the last couple of weeks. Interestingly, one more win by LAK or EDM, and your format becomes the current one.

I completely agree. Carolina and NJ were in a playoff prep mode for at least a month if not longer knowing they would play each other. It's probably accurate to say those top 3 Metro spots were locked up from 4 Nations forward and catching Washington would be difficult to impossible as well.

This is not meant to be an argument against going 1-8 by conference. In fact, I think it's an argument for that. More opportunity to improve seeding means more meaningful games late in the regular season which means more teams are playing hard later in the regular season.

But it does mean you can't just claim "this is what the seeds would have looked like if we went 1-8." Because teams in both divisions would have played the late season differently knowing they could impact their seeding.

 

[The don godfather]

1 vs 8 2 for 7 and so on. That's the way to go

 

[Blueline Bomber]

It's funny that people believe things would have played out the differently in the 1-8 format.

Take the Canes, for example. In the current format, they were locked into that first round matchup with the Devils for basically the last 2 months of the season. They spent the last 10 games of the season resting guys and half-assing their play, going 3-6-1 on the process. Even if they slightly improved that, say 5-5, they finish in the 3rd seed (of the 1-8 format), play Ottawa, Toronto and again likely meet Florida in the ECF.

 

[REALTALK81]

You have to beat the toughest teams regardless. In saying that, the best regular season teams in their division should be facing the worst of the playoff teams at all times until reaching the ECF and WCF. That should be the incentive of having a good regular season. This year the east would be

Caps vs Habs
Leafs vs Devils
Lightning vs Sens
Canes vs Panthers

If Caps, Leafs, Lightning and Panthers won those series, the next round would be

Caps vs Panthers
Leafs vs Lightning

With the winner of those going to the ECF.
To me that's more exciting than having Florida cave the Canes in the Eastern Conference Finals. Especially when it probably would have happened in the first round.

 

[Fatass]

What's imbalanced about the schedule as-is? Each team plays teams in their own division the most, followed by teams in the other division in their conference, followed lastly by teams in the OTHER conference, descending logically and fairly.



And the top team in that division would get the 3 seed. The others wouldn't make the playoffs.

I don't see the problem. Division champ should get rewarded, even if it's a "Southleast" division or whatever the case may

I’m leaning your way now. With the current system the top six. Libs get in and the next two best. Then 1 does play 8 and 2 vs 7. There’s the cross over potential too. Maybe it’s not broken after all?

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

East v West is even dumb in my opinion. I would go 1 v 16 and structure the series 2-3-2 to mitigate travel and scheduling.

 

[Chrispy]

East v West is even dumb in my opinion. I would go 1 v 16 and structure the series 2-3-2 to mitigate travel and scheduling.

Need to re-work the regular season scheduling if you do that. No reason to only play the opposing conference teams 2x and the other division in your conference 3x if it's a 1 through 16 seeding.

 

[Mike C]

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

Not sure I believe that. Vegas NY, Chicago, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Montreal among other are all more or less cosmopolitan cities

 

[paulmm3]

Agree with OP entirely. Seed the east 1-8, seed the west 1-8 and then 1 plays 8 etc.

 

[Golden_Jet]

East v West is even dumb in my opinion. I would go 1 v 16 and structure the series 2-3-2 to mitigate travel and scheduling.

Ya that ship sailed after got voted out after 1 or 2 seasons. Lots of reasons, travel, east coast teams playing on the west coast, viewership drop.

 

[BraveCanadian]

It’s a dumb format.. we just saw the ECF in the second round. Again.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

This makes me feel old because I really remember the complaining about the 1v8 format on here - it was a standard thread every spring.

 

[AwesomePanthers]

Agreed. Change back to the old format. Same matchups each year, so lame..

 

[hangman005]

This makes me feel old because I really remember the complaining about the 1v8 format on here - it was a standard thread every spring.

Whoa, don't a break a hip old man.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Whoa, don't a break a hip old man.

It sounds like you could really benefit from a rejuvenating online presence with an all-in-one website service.

 

[Golden_Jet]

This makes me feel old because I really remember the complaining about the 1v8 format on here - it was a standard thread every spring.

Ya a lot of short memories or newbies, forgetting about the south east winner getting third, when they were bad.

 

[Draiskull]

1 vs 8 2 for 7 and so on. That's the way to go

DAL would have drawn EDM in round 1.
FLA was 5th in East so a team 'better' than then would have had to face them in Round 1.

Might as well get rid of divisions if going with 1 vs 8. There really is no point to them. EDM faced their biggest div rivals CGY and VAN only 3 times each last year.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Need to re-work the regular season scheduling if you do that. No reason to only play the opposing conference teams 2x and the other division in your conference 3x if it's a 1 through 16 seeding.

Sure. I would definitely take a look at re-structuring the regular season as well.

- Play every team in the league 2 times (31 teams x 2 = 62 games)
- Play every team in your division 2 times (7 teams x 2 = 14 games)
- Play 3 other teams in your division 2 more times (3 teams x 2 = 6 games)

I think it would be super cool to have 'mini-series' with teams where you play a team back to back in the schedule. Not necessarily back to back days though. Rather than the NBA style (or current NHL) of this transient schedule. Have teams play each other back to back so you can create some continuity, storylines and intensity. No more waiting until the end of the year to exact revenge. Do it the next game on the schedule.

Should note that for the back to back games they would be played at one teams arena and then alternate the next year.

For the 3 series where you are playing 4 games against each other it would be 2 at home for each team.

Example:

2026 Season
- Leafs play LA Kings 2x in Toronto*
- Leafs play Winnipeg Jets 2x in Winnipeg*
- Leafs play NY Rangers 2x in New York*
- Leafs play MTL Canadiens 2x in Toronto and 2x in MTL**

2027 Season
- Leafs play LA Kings 2x in LA*
- Leafs play Winnipeg Jets 2x in Toronto*
- Leafs play NY Rangers 2x in Toronto*
- Leafs play MTL Canadiens 2x in Toronto and 2x in MTL**

* 2 game series are played back to back in the schedule
** 2 game series are played back to back and separated in the schedule

This kind of scheduling would be completely unique to the NHL and think it would make it super fun was visiting fans and media who could set-up camp for these mini-series throughout the season

 

[Leonardo87]

This makes me feel old because I really remember the complaining about the 1v8 format on here - it was a standard thread every spring.

Wasn't me that time. I prefer the 1 to 8 seeding.

 

[Draiskull]

Ya a lot of short memories or newbies, forgetting about the south east winner getting third, when they were bad.

hey to be fair, most of us from those times are now geriatrics

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Ya that ship sailed after got voted out after 1 or 2 seasons. Lots of reasons, travel, east coast teams playing on the west coast, viewership drop.

Travel wouldn't be much of an issue with 2-3-2 format, but I get the point about scheduling and viewership. It would be trickier but maybe that means more 4-6pm weekend starts on the west coast and more 8pm starts on the east coast. It would really depend on the teams playing.

For example, Chicago is in the west but they are closer to east coast time than west coast time. It they were playing an east coast team having 7 or 7:30pm EST starts would be better for the media and fanbases vs them playing in LA at 7 or 7:30pm PST.

 

[Draiskull]

Sure. I would definitely take a look at re-structuring the regular season as well.

- Play every team in the league 2 times (31 teams x 2 = 62 games)
- Play every team in your division 2 times (7 teams x 2 = 14 games)
- Play 3 other teams in your division 2 more times (3 teams x 2 = 6 games)

or. get rid of divisions and have just East and West conferences:
- Play every team in the league 2 times (31 teams x 2 = 62 games)
- Play every team in conference 1 more time (15 games) *
-Play 5 'rival' teams within conference 4th time.

* alternate home\away games every 2 yrs

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

or. get rid of divisions and have just East and West conferences:
- Play every team in the league 2 times (31 teams x 2 = 62 games)
- Play every team in conference 1 more time (15 games) *
-Play 5 'rival' teams within conference 4th time.

* alternate home\away games every 2 yrs

Yes - I would be down for getting rid of east west altogether.

Honestly, I love the idea of mini-series and it would be great to make it an 80 game season and you would play 4 games against 20 teams. 2 home games back to back and to away games back to back.

So you don't play every team each year... you'll get more than enough of them the following season.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Travel wouldn't be much of an issue with 2-3-2 format, but I get the point about scheduling and viewership. It would be trickier but maybe that means more 4-6pm weekend starts on the west coast and more 8pm starts on the east coast. It would really depend on the teams playing.

It’s worse on weeknight games than weekends.
Look at the viewership thread in the business of hockey, the west coast games are always lower, with weekday games being worse.