[the_only_turek_fan]

Originally Posted by getbak

I came up with this alignment a few months ago...



Figuring out the best way to split up the eastern teams is harder than the western. There's no perfect answer that will make everyone happy.

An expanded playoff has been talked about for a long time now. Expanding to 32 teams, and having 24 teams qualify for the playoffs seems like a good way to do it (and it's about the same percentage of teams making the playoffs as it was when 16 of 21 teams made it). Personally, I don't like series that are less than a best-of-5, but a best-of-3 could also work for the first round (a one-game play-in seems like a waste).

They could do an accelerated schedule in the first round (2 - travel - 2 - travel - 1 -- done in 7 days / a best-of-three could be done in 4 days) and start the second round once the match-ups are set, even if all the first round series aren't done. The extra rest is just a perk of winning your Group.

If they limit the number of breaks in the other rounds too, the season won't need to end any later than it already does.

I would put BOS, BUF, MTL, and OTT

TOR, PIT, CBJ, DET

PHI, NYR, NYI, NJ