HockeyBuzz Hotstove: How should the NHL handle the playoffs?

HockeyBuzz Hotstove: How should the NHL handle the playoffs?
- ToddCordellVAN

With gloves and an N95 mask

no playoffs this year, might as well accept it and move on. This will last a few months at least.

I think this would be fun:
- Rank each division 1-8 (or 7) based on points percentage.
- Have a play-in playoff round with all teams.
- 1 plays 8, 2 plays 7, etc.
- If you are not top 3 in your division, you have to win 4 to get into the playoffs.
- If you are ranked #1, you only have to win 1 game to advance to round 2.
- Ranked #2, you have to win 2.
- Ranked #3, you have to win 3.
- I guess the Blues automatically get in given there is no #8 in the Central. I'm fine with the reining champs getting a free pass.
- From there, the playoffs are set.

If I were the NHL, have the two current Wild Card teams play a best of three to decide which one is the 4 seed and then have them play the 1 seed while the 2/3 seeds play each other as normal and make the playoffs be best of 5 until the Cup Finals which would be the normal best of seven.

There's no reason to overcomplicate things by having extra teams have play-in games which would make the regular season pointless even if it's a one-off.

I don’t care if we see another game from teams like Detroit, New Jersey, Ottawa, Anaheim, LA, and co. We know what they are – bottom feeders – and it’d be complicated working all the teams into a revised schedule.

Most people are in agreement. The bigger question for these teams is what happens to the draft?

no playoffs this year, might as well accept it and move on. This will last a few months at least.
- Symba007

Maybe an NFL style one game elimination style.

HockeyBuzz Hotstove: How should the NHL handle the playoffs?
- ToddCordellVAN

Whatever happens (if anything happens) some teams are gonna get screwed, so make it easy.

Roll back to the lowest games played - 68, take top 16 teams after each team's 68th game. Any team's games after 68 should be wiped from the record books.

Round 1, 2 and 3 become a best of 3 games and final is a best of 5 games.

Pretty sure the season is over. Time to accept it.

Bubble hockey:

Captain from top 10 teams in each conference.

Best of 3 until semi finals, then best of 7

Bubble hockey:

Captain from top 10 teams in each conference.

Best of 3 until semi finals, then best of 7
- rrentz

- eichiefs9

Better yet....just play in those inflatable Sumo wrestling costumes

The question is will next season start on time. This year is done.

I like 24 team format strictly because it doesnt screw the teams that are still battling for spot.

I would even go as far as saying all teams outside within 10 points should play each other in a single elimination game and last two standing battle WC teams in a best of 3 series to settle the WC. Then playoffs resume like normal

The question is will next season start on time. This year is done.
- Zezel

Yeah, in order to preserve next years integrity, and for the sake of public safety - just cancel the playoffs and award the CUP to the team currently in first place...

It's the responsible thing to do...

they shouldn't

Won't have to worry about it until next year.

Should do Top 6 get Bye through first two rounds

Round 1: Single game Elimination

NYR VS FLA

Round 2: Best of 3

CAR VS (Winner of Round 1)
CBJ VS NYI

WPG VS MIN
VAN VS NSH

Round 3: Quarterfinals as per norm

Yeah, in order to preserve next years integrity, and for the sake of public safety - just cancel the playoffs and award the CUP to the team currently in first place...

It's the responsible thing to do...
- Nasty_Duck

I could not agree more. Absolutely, award the Bruins the Cup, they then pick 31st in the draft, I support them as Cup champs 100%.

I could not agree more. Absolutely, award the Bruins the Cup, they then pick 31st in the draft, I support them as Cup champs 100%.
- Zezel

screw that. the cup is earned, not given. don’t get me wrong, i don’t dislike the bruins at all. but regular season points mean jack s**t. tampa spent the entirety of last season smacking the entire league up and down only to lose badly in the first round. how often have president’s trophy teams won the cup in the last 25 years? not THAT often. certainly not often enough to justify just giving it away on what’s almost definitely a lost season at this point.

award the cup to nobody. draft order according to current standings; boston still picks 31st. or, let the bottom feeders use the lottery system as it would’ve normally run and maybe have a separate lotto to determine order of, say, the top 10 teams if people think current standings determining draft position as unfair.

as an avs fan and them sitting pretty at third in league, i’d be fine with them at 29th tho.

screw that. the cup is earned, not given. don’t get me wrong, i don’t dislike the bruins at all. but regular season points mean jack s**t. tampa spent the entirety of last season smacking the entire league up and down only to lose badly in the first round. how often have president’s trophy teams won the cup in the last 25 years? not THAT often. certainly not often enough to justify just giving it away on what’s almost definitely a lost season at this point.

award the cup to nobody. draft order according to current standings; boston still picks 31st. or, let the bottom feeders use the lottery system as it would’ve normally run and maybe have a separate lotto to determine order of, say, the top 10 teams if people think current standings determining draft position as unfair.

as an avs fan and them sitting pretty at third in league, i’d be fine with them at 29th tho.
- avsgrinder

I'm being facetious. The Cup would be meaningless and Boston would pick 31st. My interest is just in Boston not being in a draft lottery

Don't miss hockey, or baseball at all during the pandemic lockdown. Got more important and pressing things to do.

Don't miss hockey, or baseball at all during the pandemic lockdown. Got more important and pressing things to do.
- 93Cup

Like what?

Seed every team 1-31. 1 gets a first round bye. 2v31, 3v30...15v16. 1 game March Madness. No re-seeding.

Totally not serious. But it would be cool to see a team like San Jose somehow get out of left field ridiculous goaltending and win their first ever Stanley Cup, then watch the Joe Thornton legacy debates turn violent when he retires in probably 17 more years. Was his 2020 (and only) Cup legit?

Chaotic Evil. But hey, better than the almost sure "no winner," amirite?