Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvanfan
At this point, why not try and do 8 Divisions with 4 teams.
Calgary
Edmonton
Seattle
Vancouver
Anaheim
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
San Jose
Colorado
Minnesota
Salt Lake City
Winnipeg
Chicago
Dallas
Nashville
St.Louis
Play your own Division 4 times, other 3 Divisions 3 times other conference twice and just do 80 games.
Division winners get a playoff spot and 4 wild cards based on record.
|
I like, but maybe one small change:
- Division winners get a playoff spot and home ice in the first round
- 2nd place in each division plays 1 game to determine the next 2 playoff spots
-- winners are in the playoffs
-- losers play another game, this time against the two top teams amongst the 3rd 3rd place teams
-- winners get the final 2 playoff spots
Example:
1 Calgary
2 Edmonton
3 Seattle
4 Vancouver
1 Anaheim
2 Las Vegas
3 Los Angeles
4 San Jose
1 Colorado
2 Minnesota
3 Salt Lake City
4 Winnipeg
1 Chicago
2 Dallas
3 Nashville
4 St.Louis
1st place teams CGY, ANA, COL and CHI are in the playoffs (4 of 8 spots)
2nd place teams are seeded 1-4 based on the standings (let's say EDM is 1, VGK is 2, MIN is 3, DAL is 4)
Qualifier Round One
1 EDM plays 4 DAL, 4 DAL wins and is in the playoffs (5th of 8 spots)
2 VGK plays 3 MIN, 2 VGK wins and is in the playoffs (6th of 8 spots)
- QR1 losers are seeded 1 and 2 (1 EDM, 3 MIN)
- Top two 3rd place teams are seeded 3 and 4 based on the standings (let's say LAK is 7, NSH is 8)
Qualifier Round Two
1 EDM plays 8 NSH, 8 NSH wins and is in the playoffs (7th of 8 spots)
3 MIN plays 7 LAK, 3 MIN wins and is in the playoffs (8th of 8 spots)
- Division winners make the playoffs
- 2nd place teams get two chances to make the playoffs
- Top 2 3rd place teams get one chance to make the playoffs
- Essentially, the wildcard spot becomes a "wildcard weekend" which is a couple extra games in each conference to help offset the 80 game schedule