I don't think it matters if a team with 96pts misses out and a team with 91pts gets in. You don't compete with teams from the other conference to make the playoffs. Flames had an easier time because of the three crappy teams at the bottom of the western conference giving out points like candy. Some years it is the other conference that has more of them. I don't think it should change and make things more complicated.
Imagine the Flames next year getting 92 points and earning a spot in the playoffs, only to have the rules change and a team with 97 points makes it in instead because Pittsburgh, Boston and whomever else were absolutely horrible and gave up a lot of points to them. Would that be more fair? Or would it be less fair? I think it is less fair.
You compete to make the playoffs with teams in your conference. That's the fairest thing to do.
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