Thomas Gidlow: Is 16 enough: Should the NHL expand playoff eligibility?

The playoffs already drag on for 2 months. That's PLENTY long unless you want to see hockey in July (I don't)

No Bad idea

I don't necessarily disagree with either of you. It's an interesting topic to discuss though, and I'm sure there are wild and varying opinions on all sides.

Thomas Gidlow: Is 16 enough: Should the NHL expand playoff eligibility?
- Thomas Gidlow

NO

No

Id love to see more play in games for the wild card spots. 7 8 9 and 10 should either have best of 3 or single game elimination. If it adds a week to the season who cares

H-E-Double Hockey Sticks NO!

I don't mind the idea of the play-in games, especially if/when they go to 32 teams. It keeps more fan bases engaged for longer and makes more of the games meaningful down the stretch. Even the teams that don't make it will be in the race for longer. And with 32 teams, all the teams that make it will still be quality teams, especially with the parity the league already has. It would also be a great story when a play-in team goes on a long playoff run.

Id love to see more play in games for the wild card spots. 7 8 9 and 10 should either have best of 3 or single game elimination. If it adds a week to the season who cares
- Wissler

But then you could have the 10th best team playing the top seed in the first round of the playoffs. Which is likely to lead to either a sweep or 5 game series by the top seed. Nothing real exciting about that. 1 vs 8 is the right mix as the upsets happen but not regularly.

But then you could have the 10th best team playing the top seed in the first round of the playoffs. Which is likely to lead to either a sweep or 5 game series by the top seed. Nothing real exciting about that. 1 vs 8 is the right mix as the upsets happen but not regularly.
- Crushers68

The league is full of parody now with the salary cap. With two more teams it would be much more even. And if it gets those expansion teams in the playoffs sooner the league would be in a better place.

The league is full of parody now with the salary cap. With two more teams it would be much more even. And if it gets those expansion teams in the playoffs sooner the league would be in a better place.
- Wissler

everybody is a winner!

1 doesn't play 8 currently. The NHL moved a divisional format following the last realignment of conferences & divisions. To put that into perspective for you never mind conference placings. in the 1st round this season we had the 5th best team in the entire NHL Chi play the 3rd best StL. In the 2nd round we had the 3rd best team in the entire NHL StL play Dal the 2nd best team. In the East in the 2nd round we had the 4th best team in the entire NHL, Pittsburgh, play the 1st placed team Washington.

Your behind the times.

Yes if they went to a 70 game regular season

Having more than 1/2 the teams currently in the NHL make the playoffs is a joke. Why are we playing 82 games in the regular season if so many teams make the playoffs. Even with potentially 2 more teams being added, 16 teams making the playoffs is to many & nothing more than a cash grab & makes a mockery of the regular season. Although I accept it's never going to change & if anything with expansion there is a possibility of some increase or format.

I also don't support the current playoff format of divisional alignment. It's not even remotely fair. Having 2 of the best teams have to play each other before reaching the conference final or Stanley Cup final is ridiculous. As Chi, Dal, Stl, Was & Pit just had to do. These were the 5 best teams in the entire NHL. StL & Chi met in the 1st round! StL & Dal & Pit & Was in the 2nd. Totally insane, only lawyers can think this sh-t up.

Better yet I support a league playoff format. 1 plays 16, 2 plays 15, 3 plays 14, etc. This would give teams that actually finish higher in the league standings in the regular season a better & fairer opportunity to advance & reward them for their regular season success. Not to mention it would better balance out the travel requirements of all teams. Teams in the west get screwed having to travel extensively before even reaching the cup final. Teams in the east cab bus to a ton of their games. Air travel is draining.

This is digging pretty deep & there would be more current examples but this 1 has been stuck in my head since 94. Vancouver & NYR in the Stanley cup.

Round 1. Van beat Cal in 7 games. 4 air flights. NYR beat NYI in 4. 2 short bus rides.

Round 2. Van beat Dal in 5 games. 2 long air flights. NYR beat Was in 5 games. 2 air flights similar to Van flying to Cal.

Round 3. Van beat Tor in 5 games. 2 very long air flights. NYR beat NJ in 7 games. 4 short bus rides.

Moving to a league playoff format would eliminate this disparity of travel east west.

The only change I would make to the playoffs would be the top 16 teams make it.
No more letting teams in that aren't the top teams.

The only change I would make to the playoffs would be the top 16 teams make it.
No more letting teams in that aren't the top teams.
- jcfogerty

If they are going to do that, then they need an even schedule.

NO. 16 is too many already.

You should NEVER have more than 1/2 of the teams in your league(whatever the sport) make the playoffs. Thats just stupid and does nothing but dilute the competition. 16 is more than enough already. Probably just the right number, obviously 15 wouldn't work.

If it was just about the bottom dollar then the league could just go to the extreme point. Everyone makes the playoffs!

I think it's fine. The only way you could legitimately do it is cut the amount of regular season games. It's already a lot of hockey to be played and adding another round or mini-series would be piling that on. Sure it's more money, but at a certain point you are going to exhaust the players and the quality of hockey will drop and guys will get hurt more.

Nice enough to gift a few more teams playoff revenue, but I don't think it will happen.

The problem for me is not the number of teams, it's the seeding. Best teams should play the worst per conference. I really think Was should not have played Pitt in the 2nd round.

Disclaimer before i get flamed. I like the 16 team playoff format and don't think it should be changed at all.

Now that that is out of the way, here's a fun idea, just because:

Expand the league to 32 teams, all of which make the playoffs. Shorten the regular season to 76 games (4 each against the 7 divisional opponents, 2 each against 24 non-divisional opponents). It is to determine playoff seeding only.

Expand playoffs to 6 rounds:
Round 1 (Wild Card) - Best of 3 (Divisional seeds 1 thru 4 get byes)
Division Seed 5 vs 8
Division Seed 6 vs 7

Round 2 (Divisional Quarterfinals) - Best of 5 (Divisional seeds 1 & 2 get byes)
Division Seed 3 vs Winner of Seed 6/7
Division Seed 4 vs Winner of Seed 5/8

Round 3 (Divisional Semifinals) - Best of 7
Division Seed 1 vs Winner of Seed 4/5/8
Division Seed 2 vs Winner of Seed 3/6/7

Round 4 (Divisional Finals) - Best of 7
Winner of Seed 1/4/5/8 vs 2/3/6/7

Round 5 (Conference Finals) - Best of 7
Atlantic Division Champs vs Metro Division Champs
Pacific Division Champs vs Central Division Champs

Round 6 (Stanley Cup Finals) - Best of 7
East Champs vs West Champs

Minimum number of victories required to win Stanley Cup - 16 games (same)
Maximum number of victories required to win Stanley Cup - 21 games (up from 16)
Minimum number of playoff games per team - 2 games (up from 0)
Maximum number of playoff games per team - 36 games (up from 28)
Minimum number of total games per team - 78 games (down from 82)
Maximum number of total games per team - 112 games (up from 110)

(Can't quote) Whats the point of reg season if everyone makes the playoff??

(Can't quote) Whats the point of reg season if everyone makes the playoff??
- Mr.FunFacts

Seeding. It's essentially the same as the current playoff, but it gives the 5-8 seeds a chance to knock off the 3-4 seeds to get in the later rounds.