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Should the NHL Keep the "Play-In" Round?

August 21, 2020, 3:49 PM ET [36 Comments]
Michael Stuart
Ottawa Senators Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
There seems to be a growing movement in support of the NHL keeping its “play-in” postseason series on a go-forward basis. The theory is that it raises the stakes, creates excitement down the stretch for more teams, and has the potential to reward bubble teams. It’s a position supported publicly by a growing number of mainstream media commentators, and quite likely quietly by a number of teams that would love the opportunity for a revenue boost.

From the Ottawa Senators’ perspective, the idea might sound somewhat attractive. It’s a gateway to competitive hockey sooner than the team otherwise might get there. And, my hot take: The gap between the Senators and some of the play-in teams really isn’t all that significant.

That’s not necessarily meant a compliment for the Senators as much as it’s a slight at some of the play-in teams that qualified for return-to-play action. It was really quite easy for me to picture the current year Senators doing what the Edmonton Oilers did. Imagining the 2019-20 Senators getting blown out by the Avalanche, as the Coyotes were, isn’t difficult. Losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games like the Blackhawks did? I’m sure Ottawa could have managed that too.

And that’s why I’m against the idea of expanding the postseason on a permanent basis. While the NHL strives for parity, it’s quite clear that a number of teams just don’t or didn’t belong. The problem in hockey is that a short five or seven game series is almost like a coin flip. Does anyone dispute that the Tampa Bay Lightning were a better team than the Columbus Blue Jackets last year, despite being swept? Expanding the playoffs just further dilutes what is already a watered-down regular season.

To me, it makes much more sense for the National Hockey League to revert back to celebrating teams that actually had what it takes to make the postseason. If you can’t establish yourself as one of the top teams in your division or conference over the course of a marathon 82-game season, you don’t need a handout or courtesy spot.

So, for Ottawa, maybe that means a few additional years outside the playoff picture looking in, when compared to if the NHL were to keep the play-in round. That’s okay. When the Senators are ready to compete, they’ll be a fixture at the top of the standings and in the late spring. There’s no need for them to squeak in a year or two earlier as a 21st ranked team, or an 18th ranked team, or a 24th ranked team.

This seems to be a polarizing issue on social media, so I’m curious to see your takes in the comments section and in the poll below:

Should the NHL keep the "play-in" round?
Yes
No


As always, thanks for reading.
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