Playoff setup Love it/Hate it ?

[TheLastOlympian07]

i think the format isn't perfect but it makes for exciting hockey. but just for fun let's go back to when this format started and look at all matchups. Detroit will be switched to the Southeast Division for Winnipeg.

Current Format 2013-14
Boston Bruins v Detroit Red Wings
Tampa Bay Lightning v Montreal Canadiens
Pittsburgh Penguins v Columbus Blue Jackets
New York Rangers v Philadelphia Flyers

Anaheim Ducks v Dallas Stars
San Jose Sharks v Los Angeles Kings
Colorado Avalanche v Minnesota Wild
St.Louis Blues v Chicago Blackhawks

Old Format
(1NE) Boston Bruins v Detroit Red Wings
(1ATL) Pittsburgh Penguins v Columbus Blue Jackets
(1SE) Tampa Bay Lightning v Philadelphia Flyers
Montreal Canadiens v New York Rangers

(1PAC) Anaheim Ducks v Dallas Stars
(1NW) Colorado Avalanche v Minnesota Wild
(1CEN) St.Louis Blues v Los Angeles Kings
San Jose Sharks v Chicago Blackhawks

Current Format 2014-15
New York Rangers v Pittsburgh Penguins
Washington Capitals v New York Islanders
Montreal Canadiens v Ottawa Senators
Tampa Bay Lightning v Detroit Red Wings

Anaheim Ducks v Winnipeg Jets
Vancouver Canucks v Calgary Flames
St.Louis Blues v Minnesota Wild
Nashville Predators v Chicago Blackhawks

Old Format
(1ATL) New York Rangers v Pittsburgh Penguins
(1NE) Montreal Canadiens v Ottawa Senators
(1SE) Tampa Bay Lightning v Detroit Red Wings
Washington Capitals v New York Islanders

(1PAC) Anaheim Ducks v Calgary Flames
(1CEN) St.Louis Blues v Winnipeg Jets
(1NW) Vancouver Canucks v Minnesota Wild
Nashville Predators v Chicago Blackhawks

Current Format 15-16
Washington Capitals v Detroit Red Wings
Pittsburgh Penguins v New York Rangers
Florida Panthers v New York Islanders
Tampa Bay Lightning v Detroit Red Wings

Dallas Stars v Minnesota Wild
St.Louis Blues v Chicago Blackhawks
Anaheim Ducks v Nashville Predators
Los Angeles Kings v San Jose Sharks

Old Format
(1SE) Washington Capitals v Philadelphia Flyers
(1ATL) Pittsburgh Penguins v Tampa Bay Lightning
(1NE) NO NORTHEAST DIVISION TEAM MADE THE PLAYOFFS. Boston Bruins v New York Islanders
Florida Panthers v New York Rangers

(1PAC) Dallas Stars v Nashville Predators
(1CEN) St.Louis Blues v San Jose Sharks
(1NW) NO NORTHWEST TEAM MADE THE PLAYOFFS. Minnesota Wild v Los Angeles Kings
Chicago Blackhawks v Anaheim Ducks

Current Format 16-17
Washington Capitals v Toronto Maple Leafs
Pittsburgh Penguins v Columbus Blue Jackets
Montreal Canadiens v New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators v Boston Bruins

Chicago Blackhawks v Nashville Predators
Minnesota Wild v St.Louis Blues
Anaheim Ducks v Calgary Flames
Edmonton Oilers v San Jose Sharks

Old Format
(1SE) Washington Capitals v Toronto Maple Leafs
(1ATL) Pittsburgh Penguins v Boston Bruins
(1NE) Montreal Canadiens v Ottawa Senators
Columbus Blue Jackets v New York Rangers

(1CEN) Chicago Blackhawks v Nashville Predators
(1PAC) Anaheim Ducks v Calgary Flames
(1NW) Minnesota Wild v St.Louis Blues
Edmonton Oilers v San Jose Sharks

Current Format 17-18
Tampa Bay Lightning v New Jersey Devils
Boston Bruins v Toronto Maple Leafs
Washington Capitals v Columbus Blue Jackets
Pittsburgh Penguins v Philadelphia Flyers

Nashville Predators v Colorado Avalanche
Winnipeg Jets v Minnesota Wild
Vegas Golden Knights v Los Angeles Kings
Anaheim Ducks v San Jose Sharks

Old Format
(1SE) Tampa Bay Lightning v New Jersey Devils
(1NE) Boston Bruins v Columbus Blue Jackets
(1ATL) Pittsburgh Penguins v Philadelphia Flyers
Toronto Maple Leafs v Washington Capitals

(1CEN) Nashville Predators v Colorado Avalanche
(1PAC) Vegas Golden Knights v Los Angeles Kings
(1NW) Minnesota Wild v San Jose Sharks
Winnipeg Jets v Anaheim Ducks

Do what you will with this information. I like the idea of more rivalries rather than the odd Minnesota v San Jose random 1st round match up and such

[RGM81]

It’s a mixed bag. I get what the NHL was going for with the divisional stuff like this as it does build a good rivalry and ensures that in years where one division in a conference may be stronger than the other that there is still some representation.

However if I’m a Leafs or Bruins fan (*shudder*) I’m not super psyched that my team is in the top four in points and having to play another highly ranked team in round one. Yeah no matter what if you want to win the Cup you have to defeat good teams but we are going to see a 100-point team eliminated in the first round because of this system.

I did read this morning that the NHL is looking at revising the format for next year. But we will see.

[scottkoz20]

I'm going to dust off an OLD article I wrote many moons ago. Focus on the playoff setup (not the realignment - though I still think the current alignment is a bit odd)

https://www.sportscardforum.com/artic...-radical-idea/

My proposal - Seeds on overall standings)

1 v 16
2 v 15
:
:
8 v 9


So for this season, it would be (based on Overall standings)
1st Round
(A)Tampa vs Dallas
Boston vs Montreal (that would be fun)
(P)Calgary vs. Vegas
(M)Washington vs. St. Louis
Toronto vs. Columbus
Islanders vs. Carolina
San Jose vs. Nashville
Pittsburgh vs. (C)Winnipeg

If you want to ensure that the Division Winners had home ice in Round 1, then switch the "8/9" to Winnipeg vs Pittsburgh

If you wanted to put the Top 4 seeds to the Division Winners, then it would be

1st Round
(A)Tampa vs Dallas
(P)Calgary vs Montreal
(M)Washington vs. Vegas (Awesome!)
(C)Winnipeg vs. St. Louis
Boston vs. Columbus
Toronto vs. Carolina (Don Cherry would love this )
Islanders vs. Nashville
San Jose vs. Pittsburgh



Enjoy

[Devlin]

i like that better than the present setup. I just don't think it's fair to all the #2 and 3 seeds, who've played well to

get those seeds.