What do you think of this as a playoff format every 2nd year?

Question

Every year the same teams play the same teams in the prelims, 2nd and 3rd rounds of the playoffs.  I'd like to see the NHL do something a little different every 2nd year like this:

Preliminary round:

1st in east plays 8th in west
2nd in east plays 7th in west
3rd in east plays 6th in west
etc etc.

2nd round

highest remaining seed in east plays lowest remaining seed in west
2nd highest east plays 2nd lowest west 
etc etc 

3rd round 
highest east plays lowest west
lowest east plays highest west

SCF - last two remaining teams.  They could both be from the east, both from the west or one from each.  You could have a Toronto/Montreal final or a Boston/New York final or an LA/Vancouver; Detroit/Chicago (I know Detroit's moving to the east next year but you get my point.)

The only downside that I can think of is what do you do with the Conference trophies if all the east or all the west teams get knocked out early?   That plus the eastern teams would be whining about all the extra travel.   Otherwise, I think that doing this every 2nd year would be great for the game and would renew interest in the playoffs.

What do you think?

Merlin F · Accepted Answer

hadn't decided what to do

? · Answer

They've already changed up the playoffs format, as well as the divisions.  There will be four divisions, two with 7 teams and two with 8 teams.  The top four in each division will make the playoffs, I think, and the first two rounds will be within the divisions.  At least, that is how they did it up to around 18 years ago.
Last I heard, they hadn't decided what to do about the Campbell Cup and the Prince of Wales Trophy, which have been awarded to the conference champions under the old setup.  Will each division champion get a trophy, or will the two Western division champions play each other for the Campbell cup, and the Eastern champions play each other for the Prince of Wales Trophy?  I think the league was waiting for input from the players' association, but then the lockout got in the way and they had more important things to decide.

? · Answer

Under your format, imagine if let's say if #1 Pittsburgh were to play an #8 seed San Jose, Phx, L.A or Anaheim, that would be a brutal 1st round travel schedule. And not to mentioned, would take away some of the geographical rivalries. I mean who would want to see Tampa bay play Edmonton in a preliminary, 2nd or 3rd round series? SCF yes, because the 2 teams made it out of the Conference playoffs i.e MLB World Series, NBA Finals, etc.. etc..

I thought the NHL should have realign like this;
West Conf;
Pacific Div.
LA/SJ/ Ana/Phx/Van/ Edm/ Calg/
Mid West Div.
Colorado/ WPg/ Dall/ St.L/ Chi/ Minn/ Det.
East Conf.
Atlantic div.
NYR/ NYI/NJ/Phi/Pitt/Columbus/Was/Carolina
East Div.
Bost/Buff/Ott/Mont/Tor/ TB/FLA/Nash/ 

And, just have a divisional quaters 1 vs 4 .. 2vs 3 
Semis would be intra- division ( quater winners) 
Then have your Conference finals.

Under my format this years playoffs would have been like this;
Eastern Conf
Atlantic div Quaters
1) Pitts vs. 4) NYI or Columbus base on tie breaker ( both teams had 24 wins & 55 pts) Imagine a Pittsburgh / Columbus playoff series wow!
2) Wash vs. 3) NYR

East Div Quarters
1) Mont vs.4) Ott
2) Bost vs. 3) Tor

Western Conf.
Pacific div quaters
1) Ana vs 4) S.J
2) Van vs 3) L.A Kings

Mid West quaters
1) Chi vs.4) Minn
2) St.L vs. 3) Det

Sofa King Kewl · Answer

No have the 1 and 2 seed go at it, 3 and 4, 5 and 6....etc. so teams purposely lose towards the end of the reg season! that would be interesting to watch.

No home ice either they should all be played in Africa, everyone loves hockey over there, right?

? · Answer

Don't care for it ,under that system why not just have it as a league , 1st plays 16th, 2nd plays 15th and so on

? · Answer

not to be a buzz kill but i think the regular format is better easier and simpler, but i like the effort.

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What do you think of this as a playoff format every 2nd year?

6 Answers