Playoff Format

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by Corral

i prefer a system like the NFL where winning the division gives you a first round bye and means something more than simply getting to play a wildcard team.

Agree there should be some additional reward but a first round bye in the NFL is just one game. Maybe the division winner should get an extra home game in a seven game series (eg. games 1-3 (h), 4-5 (a), 6-7 (h)).

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

One of the reasons that Calgary/San Jose have such good records is that they play in a weaker division than Winnipeg, so get a much easier schedule.

If you want to do a 1-8, you'll likely need to do a balanced schedule.

But someone said, it averages out in the long run.

It's a myth that the central is better...Flames have a solid record vs. the central and the east

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I like the idea of winning the division, then winning the conference, then winning the league.

If you ignore the divisions ranking 1-8 for the conference, why not just have two conferences and no divisions?

Ultimately, this is a fun exercise where none of this will have any bearing on the NHL executives decisions.

Therefore say your opinion and then all agree that I'm right

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

I hate both Boston and Toronto... but after being at the last Toronto@Calgary game at the Saddledome, it would please me very much to see the stacked-up Leafs caving, letting 3 goals in the last four minutes of Game 6 and losing the series...

I was at the bar with a friend who is a huge Leafs fan for that game. To this day it is the only time I have ever seen a grown man cry in public over sports.

It was glorious.

[Caged Great]

This system basically rewards the division winners as they'll have a more easy time with the wild card team and then have to face the winner of two teams who went to war with each other. If the 2nd/3rd place team manages to make it to the conference finals, they're typically at a disadvantage as the other division winner is likely well rested.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

I was at the bar with a friend who is a huge Leafs fan for that game. To this day it is the only time I have ever seen a grown man cry in public over sports.

It was glorious.

My friend, who also is a huge Leafs fan, made a $20 bet with me that Toronto wins SC this season against my bet that they will not. Just like that. There's something so inexplicably arrogant about Leafs' fans... I wanna see the game with him where they lose the series and collect on that bet. It's not even the money...

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by dino7c

It's a myth that the central is better...Flames have a solid record vs. the central and the east

How does one team having a good record prove or disprove the statement?

That's like saying it's true the Central is better because the Jets are destroying the Pacific. (last night notwithstanding.)

[Duffalufagus]

Originally Posted by Bunk

1-8, 2-7, 3-6, 4-5 is way better.

Friedman was on the Fan yesterday talking about this - suggesting it's NBC that really prefers the current format, because they can know more easily what the matchups will be - and Bettman is totally indifferent, so he's going along with them.

This. No way the Jets should get home ice advantage over whichever team finishes second in the Pacific. Ridiculous.

[Duffalufagus]

Originally Posted by Corral

i prefer a system like the NFL where winning the division gives you a first round bye and means something more than simply getting to play a wildcard team.

doesn;t make sense to have a bye with 7 game series. It does make sense in football where there is one game being played between the teams which do not have the bye.

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by Corral

i prefer a system like the NFL where winning the division gives you a first round bye and means something more than simply getting to play a wildcard team.

A system like that would mean reducing the number of playoff teams and I doubt the NHL would do that

[Huntingwhale]

I would love to see 1-16, 2-15, etc. I know it will never happen. But it would be damn cool to see Flames vs Habs round 1. Or Sharks vs Caps.

Would just be neat to see teams play each other who would otherwise never get a chance to play each other in the playoffs unless they make the finals.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Bunk

1-8, 2-7, 3-6, 4-5 is way better.

Friedman was on the Fan yesterday talking about this - suggesting it's NBC that really prefers the current format, because they can know more easily what the matchups will be - and Bettman is totally indifferent, so he's going along with them.

The other thing he mentioned was that part of the original NHL suggestion when they switched to the current format, was that the Semi finals would have been reseeded with the final 4 teams. So if the teams were TB, WASH, CGY, and WPG. The match up would be CGY vs WASH and TB vs WPG.

he didn't recall why that was taken out.

[lazypucker]

I like the 1-8, 2-7, etc format. BUT, I would also like to have the seeding determine based on regular season points, not based on divisional standing.

So say the 4 Pacific teams each have more than 100 points and all 4 Central teams have less than 100, then the the 4 Pacific teams will be seed 1-4 and the Central teams will be 5-8.

Right now, the regular season points not matter really that much as the mentality is just making it through and anything can happen.

[Corral]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

This system basically rewards the division winners as they'll have a more easy time with the wild card team and then have to face the winner of two teams who went to war with each other. If the 2nd/3rd place team manages to make it to the conference finals, they're typically at a disadvantage as the other division winner is likely well rested.

Sometimes it doesn't play out this way. For example this year the Penguins might be a wildcard team and often that 8th seed is on a winning streak and it carries into round one.


Good points made by others on my earlier post re getting a bye from a series. And round one in the NHL is often the best hockey for the fans as well. But giving the division winner something of an upper hand for winning the division title should be considered.

[CGY12]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

You can easily suggest they get a huge advantage fattening up their record based on a non-balanced schedule facing more poor teams.

I think this is really subjective though. I mean you can say overall the competition is stronger in the Central, but as it stands right now 4 teams qualify from the Pacific and 4 from the Central. I would also argue that the top 3 in the Pacific are better than the top 3 in the Central overall, not even looking at point totals.

Although I get the premise of making winning the division that much more meaningful, I'm not a fan of granting a team home ice in the playoffs just because they won their division.

Once you get out of the divisional bracket (final 4), things should reset and home ice should be awarded to the team that had the better record.

[dissentowner]

If is absolutely broken. You have teams that can have more points and literally miss the playoffs or have a lesser seed because of geographic location. Broken. Go back to the top 8 make it and the 1vs8, etc..

[lazypucker]

same as what I said a few posts above. Again, this will reward regular season success more

[flamingred89]

I quite like the current format. It makes for some great hockey and aforementioned rivalries in the early rounds. There will still be the odd upset or Cinderella run with a high seed from a weaker division playing a wild card team from a possible stronger division.

I’m probably in the minority on this but I’d also like to see two more wildcard teams added per conference. And have a quick home\home on aggregate, or best of 3 to determine the wildcards. So often we see scrappy teams make runs at the end of the year and fall short. Giving them a chance to get in when playing hot could allow for an interesting dynamic I think.

[ricardodw]

weakest division is Pacific

total win - total losses by division:

Metropolitan - 73
Atlantic - 67
Central - 51
Pacific - 42

teams with more losses than wins by division (lottery teams)

Pacific -3
Atlantic - 2
Metropolitan -1
Central -0

[Ace]

Seems important for the flames to win the conference this year, for a good first round opponent. Important games ahead...