FWIW, here’s how I would do it:
1. Regular season is over, standings to be determined by points pctg.
2. Top 3 in each division are in as usual.
3. The top 4 wildcards in each conference will play a best of 3 prelim round; 1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3.
4. After the prelim round, continue regular playoff rounds follows:
Round 1-best of 5
Round 2- best of 5
Conf. final: best of 7
SCF: best of 7
Assuming a 2 week camp for each team can commence at the start of June, games could begin on June 16th and round 1 by June 21st. The Conf finals could start by July 12-13 and the SCF would start no later than July 28th and finish no later than August 9th.
Hold the draft the 3rd week of August with FA beginning the following Monday. Camps and a shortened preseason could start the 3rd week of October with an 82 game regular season starting the first week of November and ending around April 20th. This will allow the playoffs to finish before the end of June and for the hockey calendar to return to normal
- BiggE
Although not all bad ideas, but I would assume the division winners would not necessarily like the wild card teams playing games and getting their legs under them before they get a chance to do the same. All in all this seasons “winner”, if there is one, won’t be a true winner sadly.
The teams with the younger players will probably get their stamina and legs up faster than older. Teams like Boston, favorites IMO to win, might get bounced in 3-4 games. I know that’s always a possibility whenever playoffs happen but it almost seems certain. Maybe NYR, who shouldn’t make the playoffs, wins. That would suck... anyways just my two cents
