Quote:
Originally Posted by timun
Under the 1-8 playoff format used from 1994 to 2013 the division champs got the first two (or three) seeds in the conference anyway, so... generally, unless you happen to have a wildcard team who happens to be better than the third-place team in the other division, the matchups between division champs and wildcard teams would remain exactly the same.
I can see why fans of teams like the Maple Leafs have tired of playing the Lightning and Bruins, but a change to the old 1-8 system would have backfired sometimes. In 2022 for instance the Leafs (ATL2) wouldn't have played the Lightning (ATL3): they would have been third seed and played the sixth-seeded... Bruins (WC1) instead, anyway.  |
Look how it would play out this year though (based on today's standings).
Current format equals:
Dallas - Vegas
Vancouver - Nashville
Winnipeg - Colorado
Edmonton - LA
1-8 format:
Dallas - Vegas
Vancouver - LA
Winnipeg - Nashville
Colorado - Edmonton
The 1-8 better benefits teams 2-4 in most years.