The final touches are being put on a plan and here is what I am told is the most likely scenario....
* The top 6 teams (based on winning percentage) in each division would play a round-robin where each team would play the other 5 teams once...
* The two teams with the best records after this would be given a bye in the first round.
* If two teams are tied in points, the team with the better regular-season winning percentage would get the tie breaker...
* The 3rd placed team would then face the 6th place team and the 4th would play the 5th in a best of three series...
* After that the playoffs would be best of 7 series.
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— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) August 2, 2017
Predictions..
Since the round robin and first two rounds of the playoffs will be played all within the division, it might be interesting to look at how these teams have played within their own division this season... Here are the 6 teams in each division who will make it, along with their divisional records...They are surprising... Below you will see the teams from each division along with that teams record this season versus their division.
The Metro Division. 1. Philly 16-4-4 2. NY Islanders 11-7-4 3. Pittsburgh 8-6-3 4. Columbus 10-7-5 5. Washington 11-12-2 6. Carolina 8-12-1
The Capitals may be first in the division, but they are actually 3 games BELOW true .500 versus the Metro. In fact, when it comes to winning more games than you lost versus the division only the Flyers are above .500. The Islanders second at 11 wins and 11 losses. All the other teams have seen more losses than wins.
The Atlantic Division 1. Tampa 18-5-1 2. Boston 14-6-3 3. Toronto 12-8-2 4. Florida 11-8-2 5. Buffalo 10-12-2 6. Montreal 9-13-2
This division skews more towards the the top 4 teams for sure. Tampa is by far the best versus the division at 12 games over true .500. followed by Boston and Toronto/Florida...
The Central Division 1. St Louis 15-7-2 2. Nashville 12-7-1 3. Colorado 10-8-2 4. Dallas 12-9-3 5. Winnipeg 11-6-4 6. Minnesota 8-10-1
This division is predictably tight..The Blues are tops at 6 over true .500, followed by Nashville at 4 over and Winnipeg 1 over. Colorado and Dallas are both at true .500. The Wild is 3 under..
The Pacific... 1. Vegas 15-6-2 2. Vancouver 11-8-1 3. Calgary 13-10-1 4. Arizona 11-8-4 5. Edmonton 11-9-4 6. Anaheim 9-10-2
This is where Vegas really thrives. They are 8 games over true .500 where Calgary and Vancouver are only 1 game and 2 games over respectively...Edmonton is 2 under.
What are your thoughts?