Thoughts on playoff expansion?

[Matty81]

Friedman is one of the only people who wants to see this and imo he is using his platform and shilling for it a little bit too much and trying to make his personal interest a bigger issue. 16/32 teams would be perfect balance and makes regular season games more interesting. Nothing worse than the CFL where the regular season almost feels like a pre-season its so pointless.

If anything I'd like to see them cut the number of regular season games back to seventy something and make the regular season games even more important.

Once they have 32 teams, 5 or 6 games against divisional rivals, 2 or 3 against in conference teams from the other division, and 1 against each out of conference (16). Not ideal in lacking perfect home and away but 74 or 75 games would be great in my books. Of course the owners would never let 4 home games go but in the interest of the game would be a smart move.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Friedman is one of the only people who wants to see this and imo he is using his platform and shilling for it a little bit too much and trying to make his personal interest a bigger issue. 16/32 teams would be perfect and makes regular season games more interesting. Nothing worse than the CFL where the regular season feels like a pre-season.

If anything I'd like to see them cut the number of regular season games back to seventy something and make the regular season games even more important.

Once they have 32 teams, 5 games in division (35), 3 with in conference (24), and 1 against each out of conference (16). Not ideal in lacking even home and away but 74 games would be great in my books. Of course the owners would never let 4 home games go but in the interest of the game would be a smart move.

Honestly the NHL has it just about perfect right now.

You have to have a home and away with every other team in the league minimum, for competitive balance.

And it would be silly to go to an expanded playoff when the NHL reaches 32 teams, which I believe is their idea league size, as they try to emulate the NFL.

I personally like being able to watch hockey most nights of the winter if I want/ am able to so the number of games is perfect and it keeps historical records relevant (well mostly) And I don't want the playoff format to change other than 1v8 2v7 etc.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

Honestly the NHL has it just about perfect right now.

You have to have a home and away with every other team in the league minimum, for competitive balance.

And it would be silly to go to an expanded playoff when the NHL reaches 32 teams, which I believe is their idea league size, as they try to emulate the NFL.

I personally like being able to watch hockey most nights of the winter if I want/ am able to so the number of games is perfect and it keeps historical records relevant (well mostly) And I don't want the playoff format to change other than 1v8 2v7 etc.

I agree, I enjoy it as is now too and would miss the extra 7 or 8 nights a year. I just think if they can make the regular season matter more it's a wise move and might up the intensity a bit and I'd support trying it. For sure though expanding the playoffs and watering the regular season down even more is a brutal idea.

[TheIronMaiden]

NHL players already play too many games. I would look into making fewer preseason and regular season games before committing to extending the post season.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Friedman is one of the only people who wants to see this and imo he is using his platform and shilling for it a little bit too much and trying to make his personal interest a bigger issue. .

I don't get this criticism. At minimum I think it is interesting to consider these things and appreciate that Friedman works to find fresh takes and material to write on.
Would you prefer he just barf up the same topics every week or focus his column on a topic like Nylander?
At minimum he tries to find interesting topics to keep his column fresh

[Bingo]

I get the 16 teams is enough argument, and I get the traditionalism angle as well ...

but man baseball play in games has me thinking it would a pretty damn interesting thing to add to hockey.

[theslymonkey]

The first round of playoffs is a beautiful thing. The only way to make it better is to move it to four from each division.

1 vs 4
2 vs 3
In each division and then play down to division champs.
Then West final.
Then SCF.

Divisional play-downs would make the first two rounds that much more exciting. More emotion in the games.

[Jiggy_12]

A single game play in for the wildcard spots would be something I'd be thrilled to see. Top 2 wildcard teams host the game, bottom 2 are the visitors. Winners of each advance to the main event. (For each conference)

The MLB absolutely got it right, I don't see them ever switching back now. The drama and theatre it adds is an event that stands on its own.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I don't get this criticism. At minimum I think it is interesting to consider these things and appreciate that Friedman works to find fresh takes and material to write on.
Would you prefer he just barf up the same topics every week or focus his column on a topic like Nylander?
At minimum he tries to find interesting topics to keep his column fresh

It's fair, I mean to an extent he is doing his job and creating discussion... it just feels a bit more like he's advocating rather than raising the issue - splitting hairs a bit I guess, I saw him stump for it a bit on HNIC this weekend as well and am getting the impression he's pushing the idea.

Maybe he knows most people hate the idea and he's just stirring the pot.

I think I dislike seeing him bring it up multiple times because it's a horrible idea that will water the season down even more.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I don't get this criticism. At minimum I think it is interesting to consider these things and appreciate that Friedman works to find fresh takes and material to write on.
Would you prefer he just barf up the same topics every week or focus his column on a topic like Nylander?
At minimum he tries to find interesting topics to keep his column fresh

If friedman somehow champions ruining the existing playoff format because he is trying to have a fresh take and fresh material then that is truly a shame.

He should focus on being a champion and discussing something meaningful like getting Theo into the HoF

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

If friedman somehow champions ruining the existing playoff format because he is trying to have a fresh take and fresh material then that is truly a shame.

He should focus on being a champion and discussing something meaningful like getting Theo into the HoF

Holy over-reaction. He's merely posing the question.

Why don't you email him your thoughts on both what he should write about and the opinion he should have about it.
He's a columnist. His job is to raise topics and have a POV on it.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Matty81

It's fair, I mean to an extent he is doing his job and creating discussion... it just feels a bit more like he's advocating rather than raising the issue - splitting hairs a bit I guess, I saw him stump for it a bit on HNIC this weekend as well and am getting the impression he's pushing the idea.

Maybe he knows most people hate the idea and he's just stirring the pot.

I think I dislike seeing him bring it up multiple times because it's a horrible idea that will water the season down even more.

So you don't agree with his opinion. Great. That's the intent. To generate discussion.
But again, his job is to raise issues and have an opinion on them.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Holy over-reaction. He's merely posing the question.

Why don't you email him your thoughts on both what he should write about and the opinion he should have about it.
He's a columnist. His job is to raise topics and have a POV on it.

I just may email him. thats actually a good idea. thanks Jiri

[David Struch]

Why not all 32 teams in the playoffs? Wouldn't this be profitable for the owners?

Shorten the season by five games and everyone plays a 5-game series in the 1st round. (Home team gets first three games to reduce travel)

Western & Eastern Conference Playoff Format:

1 vs 16
2 vs 15
3 vs 14
4 vs 13
5 vs 12
6 vs 11
7 vs 10
8 vs 9

It would probably spark more interest in every market... with any team having a shot at hoisting Lord Stanley any given year.

[TheScorpion]

What's really the point of the regular season, then? Also completely de-values races down the stretch.

[David Struch]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

What's really the point of the regular season, then? Also completely de-values races down the stretch.

Getting the first three home games in a best of 5 series and a chance to continue deeper into the playoffs is the incentive.

[Joborule]

Keep it 16 teams, and with all the divisions balanced, make the first two rounds divisional playoffs. The third and final round would be between divisional champions.

Division 1 vs 4 / 2 vs 3
Divisional Final
Stanley Cup Semifinal
Stanley Cup Final

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Baseball wildcard games are one of the stupidest ideas in the history of sports and cheapens everything baseball stands for. It’s an embarrassment to MLB.

That being said, a play in when teams finish tied in points and ROWs, sure. It’ll happen as often as baseball, every few seasons.

Some sort of wildcard system where 8 plays 9 every year regardless of points and I’d not only stop watching the NHL but I’d dedicate my life to seeing the destruction and downfall of the league. It’s so monumentally stupid it hurts my brain. With one exception. They go full ######. I want to see a full on play in system. End of regular season, 15 plays 16. Winner plays 14, winner plays 13 and so on and so forth. Then the top 8 make the playoffs.

[DoubleK]

What about taking the first two non-qualifiers in each conference and have those 4 teams have a best of three playoff, with the winner getting the #1 pick?