Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community
Old 04-09-2017, 08:31 PM   #1
Mathgod
Franchise Player
 
Mathgod's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Exp:
Thumbs down Playoff Format Complaint Thread

I'm about to voice my displeasure about the playoff format, so if you don't like these kinds of threads perhaps just click to go back to the forum and choose a different thread to read.

It's a darn shame that at least one team with 108 or more points is guaranteed to be eliminated in the first round.

It's a darn shame that at least two teams with 108 or more points (two of the top four teams in the NHL) are guaranteed to be eliminated in the first two rounds.

And it's a huge shame that a team with 94 points, which ended the season on a 20-6-4 tear, won't be partaking in these playoffs. The Lightning are just now starting to get healthy and hitting their stride, but due to an (IMO) very unfair standings and playoff format, these playoffs will not include one of the league's best teams. By the second round there will be at least two of the best teams not present, and by the third round there will be at least three of the league's best teams not present.

A case could be made that Jets fans are also getting the raw end of the deal considering their team just won 7 in a row to finish off the rs... all for naught.

This is a big disappointment. And it's all happening because the NHL has an (IMO) archaic and outdated regular season system which says that games played in Oct/Nov/Dec mean just as much games played in March and April. Thing is, three months is a lot of time; a team can progress or regress quite in that time with a static roster, nevermind the fact that injuries, trades, and other roster changes can shake things up even more. To me, games played early in the season don't have a whole lot of relevance to how a team would perform in April/May/June, and the standing/playoff format should be adjusted to account for that.
__________________
Mathgod is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2017, 08:33 PM   #2
Roof-Daddy
Franchise Player
 
Roof-Daddy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Exp:
Default

How are the Jets getting the raw end of any deal?

7 wins a row after being eliminated doesn't mean anything when you finish 7 points out of a playoff spot.
Roof-Daddy is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 20 Users Say Thank You to Roof-Daddy For This Useful Post:
Old 04-09-2017, 08:35 PM   #3
IamNotKenKing
First Line Centre
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Exp:
Default

Why would games in March be worth more than those in October? That's kind of silly.
Jets, Lightning and 12 other teams didn't have enough points, so don't make it. No raw deal there.
IamNotKenKing is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2017, 08:36 PM   #4
stang
CP's Fraser Crane
 
stang's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Exp:
Default

Wth.... so you want a longer preseason? Get your crap together from the start.
stang is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2017, 08:36 PM   #5
burn_this_city
Franchise Player
 
burn_this_city's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Calgary
Exp:
Default

Teams out of it mathematically sometimes go on a run since the pressure is off.
burn_this_city is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to burn_this_city For This Useful Post:
Old 04-09-2017, 08:38 PM   #6
calf
broke the first rule
 
calf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Exp:
Default

Tampa and Winnipeg should have had their #### together sooner if they wanted to make the dance.

Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk
calf is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to calf For This Useful Post:
Old 04-09-2017, 08:38 PM   #7
Jacks
Franchise Player
 
Jacks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Exp:
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mathgod View Post
This is a big disappointment. And it's all happening because the NHL has an (IMO) archaic and outdated regular season system which says that games played in Oct/Nov/Dec mean just as much games played in March and April. Thing is, three months is a lot of time; a team can progress or regress quite in that time with a static roster, nevermind the fact that injuries, trades, and other roster changes can shake things up even more. To me, games played early in the season don't have a whole lot of relevance to how a team would perform in April/May/June, and the standing/playoff format should be adjusted to account for that.
Agree with the first part of your post but not with the bolded. Games early in the season mean just as much as games at the end and there is nothing wrong with that. No way in hell should the standings be weighted higher for points gained late in the season.
Jacks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2017, 08:39 PM   #8
Two Fivenagame
First Line Centre
 
Two Fivenagame's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: MOD EDIT: NO
Exp:
Default

Was expecting "guaranteed" to be a link to something....


How rude.
Two Fivenagame is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Two Fivenagame For This Useful Post:
Old 04-09-2017, 08:39 PM   #9
Anduril
Franchise Player
 
Anduril's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Exp:
Default

I don't understand the point about the Lightning. They didn't win enough regardless of standings or format.
Anduril is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2017, 08:41 PM   #10
Vinny01
Franchise Player
 
Vinny01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: CGY
Exp:
Default

The Sens and Bruins playing each other when the Pens and Jackets have to play each other is a raw deal. Flames thus far have only benefited from the format. In 2015 the Flames were the 8 seed but faced the 6th seeded Canucks because of the divisional format. There is a touch of payback this year as I would rather play the Wild but instead we get the Ducks or Oilers 2 teams that got the better of Calgary in the regular season opposed to a team they swept.
Vinny01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2017, 08:41 PM   #11
blender
First Line Centre
 
blender's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Kamloops
Exp:
Default

Ironically his handle is Mathgod...
blender is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 9 Users Say Thank You to blender For This Useful Post:
Old 04-09-2017, 08:42 PM   #12
PepsiFree
Participant
Participant
 
PepsiFree's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Exp:
Default

If you only count the points accumulated from Dec.1 to Apr.1 (eliminating two whole months that teams apparently need to get their stuff in order and the last five games where eliminated teams go on runs)...

The only change in playoff appearances is NYI is in, and Ottawa is out. Eliminating the first two months saves neither Winnipeg or Tampa.

At least make sure your proposal corrects the problem before you make it.
PepsiFree is online now   Reply With Quote
The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to PepsiFree For This Useful Post:
Old 04-09-2017, 08:43 PM   #13
GGG
Franchise Player
 
GGG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Exp:
Default

I'm complaining the other way.

We are deprived of Montreal vs Toronto because the system isn't archaic enough. There should not be wildcard teams if 4 teams from the division make the playoffs regardless of totals. The 5th place team crossing over makes sense but swapping two fourth place teams giving up rivalries isn't good for entertainment.

I think that the idea that the playoffs should be a properly seeded tournament pitting best vs worst each round is flawed. The idea should be to have the most entertaining season and playoffs as possible. This means emphasizing rivalries over idealized points
GGG is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to GGG For This Useful Post:
Old 04-09-2017, 08:43 PM   #14
FireGilbert
Franchise Player
 
FireGilbert's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Brisbane
Exp:
Default

Huh? While I get your criticism the divisional format means one top team will be eliminated early this year, I don't get the problem with the Jets and Lightning missing the playoffs. Who cares how hot they were at the end of the season, they didn't get enough points to make it. The Lightning finished 5th in a weak division and you are calling them one of the best teams in the league. Are you serious? Also, are you advocating dividing the season into two halves with half the playoff teams coming from the first half and half the playoff teams coming from the second? That would be stupid.

I think the new format is great mostly because you can fill out a playoff bracket March Madness style. My only adjustments would be to go with the top two divisional winners and 4 wild cards to eliminate the Columbus vs Pittsburgh issue this year and re-seed in the semi-finals so the top two teams could meet in the finals.
__________________
The masses of humanity have always had to surf.
FireGilbert is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2017, 08:53 PM   #15
Southside
Powerplay Quarterback
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Deep South
Exp:
Default

This isn't the CFL. Not all teams make the cut.
Southside is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Southside For This Useful Post:
Old 04-09-2017, 08:56 PM   #16
savemedrzaius
Help, save, whatever.
 
savemedrzaius's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Exp:
Default

Lightning fan? It's the only way this post makes sense.

Stamkos is about to come back. The league should add an extra 10 games to the regular season so he can play. It really sin't fair to the Lightning that he was hurt for so long.
savemedrzaius is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2017, 09:00 PM   #17
savemedrzaius
Help, save, whatever.
 
savemedrzaius's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Exp:
Default

Oh and also a few of these elite teams have been stinking it up for the last little while (Columbus, Blackhawks, Minnesota) so would they be slotted as a lower seed in your system?
savemedrzaius is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2017, 09:15 PM   #18
Harry Lime
Franchise Player
 
Harry Lime's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Exp:
Default

There are only 2 changes that I would like to see.

The first is that the first playoff series should be within the division. They can go out of division for any teams not finishing first and last using the current system for determining who makes the playoffs. If three (or four) teams in one division makes it, go outside of the division as they do now to set matchups for teams two and three. The reward for finishing first is a rivalry series with a team that you have seen a lot of during the season. Two teams from each division guaranteed.

I miss divisional playoffs.

The second is start the pre-season a month earlier, and extend it by a week. I'm tired of the slow starts and the sunny outside playoffs. Let's end this at the beginning of May.
__________________
"We don't even know who our best player is yet. It could be any one of us at this point." - Peter LaFleur, player/coach, Average Joe's Gymnasium
Harry Lime is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2017, 09:20 PM   #19
Mathgod
Franchise Player
 
Mathgod's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Exp:
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by blender View Post
Ironically his handle is Mathgod...
The Lightning were decimated by injuries this season. The Stamkos injury was the headline, but it only begins to tell the story http://www.foxsports.com/nhl/tampa-b...-team-injuries
http://nhlinjuryviz.blogspot.ca/2016...reakdowns.html

When healthy, I think it's fair to say they have one of the league's best rosters, as evidenced by 1) how they ended off the season and 2) how well they played in last year's playoffs (they pushed the Penguins harder than the Sharks or even the Caps did). If they were healthier this year I fully believe they would have given the Habs a run for the division crown.

Would the Flames have made the playoffs (or even finished within a point of a playoff spot) if Gaudreau had missed most of the season? Not likely.

The point I was trying to make in this thread is that the current format does not take the CURRENT best 8 teams from each conference, it takes 8 teams from each conference based on a blended average of results spread out over 6 months. I think it's a ridiculous way of determining who should be in and who should be out. That being said, admittedly, people will tend to defend the status quo simply because they are accustomed to it.

You could have just done what the others in this thread did and simply suggest that it's "silly" or "stupid" to criticize the status quo, but you took the next step and took a backhanded, ignorant, and ill-informed personal swipe at me. Well done.
__________________
Mathgod is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2017, 09:23 PM   #20
blender
First Line Centre
 
blender's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Kamloops
Exp:
Default

@mathgod. Ok, you're thread is stupid.

Better?
blender is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to blender For This Useful Post:
Reply

Tags
blue jackets , lightning , penguins , playoffs , standings

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:04 PM.

Calgary Flames
2023-24




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright Calgarypuck 2021