[Tsawwassen]

Originally Posted by Tiger

I like the set up as is creating lots of rivalries in the first two rounds that pour over into the regular season as well. Some people argue the 1-16 seeding or the Danish first seed picks their opponent systems ( which would be fun). People say you get a chance at rivals meeting in the final if it was 1 through 16 seeding. Now it's impossible to get a Boston Montreal final for example so the cup final will really never have a bitter rival. But by making the change to non division set up it will take a lot of the rivalry out of the first two rounds just for the chance there is more in the final. The change I would make is there is no wild card spots so everybody plays in their division. (For example with one point different flames would be in central and Nashville in the pacific) I'd eliminate that so that if the two wild card spots are represented by two the two divisions they stay in their division (Rangers play Washington instead of montreal) and if two teams from one division have the two wildcard spot then the lower (or higher) one does crossover to the division.

The conference set up did create rivalries in the first 2 rounds and that poured over into the regular season as well. Chicago-Detroit will be the strongest SC rivals with either the conf. or division setup. The 3rd round/conf. finals has a lot of the rivalry taken out of it because of the current set up. Battle of Alberta, Pennsylvania, Rangers-Isles, Kings-Ducks, and other div rivals would be epic in round 3.

Another way would be for the 1st round to crossover the 2 divisions from each conf. It could create new playoff rivals and renew old ones. Flames-Bhawks would've fun to renew and Preds-Ducks was good last year for a revenge match this year. The Rangers-Habs is a good historic rivalry and Leafs-Caps is exciting because it's the first time.