The current playoffs format is BROKEN

[RevengeOfTheDrai]

Rigged is the wrong word. I think we're commonly not getting the best teams squaring off in the final four. The old format allowed for that more consistently.

If we’re not getting the best teams squaring off in the final four, maybe those ‘best teams’ that constantly get eliminated aren’t actually the best?.

 

[KingsFan7824]

1-16 is too much to ask for. 1-8 is reasonable, I mean, Pacific travelling to the East and to Central division doesn't make any difference. Majority of the Central division teams does not travel that far to the East when compared to travelling to the West coast. IT is like 2 hour difference in the flight to their destination. The league should consider first round being divisional only with 1 v 2 in a 4-teams divisions all across and that way we'd have some balanced travel for first round perspectives. With that, we still have 4 rounds to the Cup.

This is why I'm in favor of getting crazy with it.

Get the 10 teams in the PTZ/MTZ in a conference, go 1-4 in the playoffs. Get the 22 teams in the CTZ/ETZ, go 11 team divisions, two 6's and two 5's, whatever, and go 1-12 for the playoffs. 40% of teams in the West, 55% of teams in the East. The eastern half gets a better chance of making the playoffs. The more teams from the ETZ and CTZ, the more eyes are watching. Better for everyone. The greater good.

3rd rd gets re-seeded. If the 1st seed is in the ETZ, and the 4th seed is in the WTZ, the top seed gets to choose if they want to play the 4th or 3rd seed.

This would still keep things somewhat contained, but, also allow for almost any matchup in the Final. You just couldn't get Oilers/Flames, or any other two teams from the far west. You could get Bruins/Habs, you could get Rangers/Islanders, Hawks/Wings, etc.

Should note in here that the re-seed era saw a higher percentage of 5 or less game conference finals than the division bracket era post 2014. And most of that was between 2006-2013 post salary cap implementation.

I don't have the energy to check this, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's true. I'm giving it a hesitant like, because I don't have it in me to see if you're wrong.

It's still pretty funny right now with the Colts somehow being in the AFC South lmao.

The NFL is the league that is least held to the gravity of geography. They play one day a week. They could put all 32 teams in a hat, make random 4 team divisions every year, and it damn near wouldn't make any difference.