[calgaryrocks]

Originally Posted by smalltownref

Personally this is what I would like to see... the league expands to 32 teams, 16 in the West and East each. The first round of playoffs is a 3 game series where its 1 vs 16, 2 vs 15 ... for both the west and east. The 'second' round of the playoffs in the new format is the current first round of the playoffs, where it is assumed that teams 1-8 will win their 3 game series, but it gives teams 9-16 an opportunity to pull off an upset and make the second round of playoffs. It also gives teams incentive to play hard for a full 82 games in the regular season so that way for the first round of the playoffs, they can draw perhaps a lower quality team and improve their chances of advancing. Just a thought

that is a cool idea, but it would lessen the importance of the regular season. you would still have motivation to climb higher but no playoff races. you would also have to shorten the regular season (fine by me, 82 games is too long)