Confirmed - 24-Team Playoffs Format Discussion Thread

[camsue]

Just getting back into hockey some very interesting points have been made

[RGM81]

Well it is now confirmed - when hockey is able to resume later this summer we will have a 24-team tournament to compete for the Stanley Cup.

The NHL hopes to enter into Phase 2 for restarting the 2019-20 campaign as early as next week. The regular season is considered to be complete as of today (congrats to Leon Draisaitl for earning the Art Ross Trophy) and we will hopefully see progress in the weeks ahead building towards the play-in round best-of-five series.

What do you think? Are you hyped?

[cjb]

any know what the hell he was talking about when it comes to the draft lottery?

[30ranfordfan]

any know what the hell he was talking about when it comes to the draft lottery?

The 24 team bracket means that 7 teams are done. The "play in" best-of-five round means that 8 of the 24 teams will be out before the playoffs begin (i.e. those "play in" games are NOT "play off" games). The 8 teams eliminated in that round, they'll also go into the draft lottery... in the same order they would have.

Yes, this means that Pittsburgh, who had the 7th best record when the league stopped, could lose to Montreal and will have the 15th best shot at winning the lottery. Of course the Penguins probably won't lose to Montreal, and the 15th most likely team to win the lottery probably won't win it.... but hey, there's a chance!


I'd also like to point out: If the result of this is the Oilers getting bounced by the Blackhawks (which I don't see happening, but let's play along) and they win the lottery - how mad will hockey fans be?

[30ranfordfan]

I keep reading comments about the "asterisk" that will go beside the cup winner's name. I'd like to understand why people believe that's a thing.

Is it because a team that wouldn't have made the playoffs won? (i.e. Montreal). Are people actually thinking that one of the lowest seeded teams is going to go on that kind of a run?

Hypothetically: If Washington repeats, but Montreal knocks out Pittsburgh, are people thinking that this would somehow make the Capitals' win lesser?

Do we believe so much in home-ice-advantage that taking the fans out - people think this will have a big impact on the results?

Is it because the regular season was not 82 games?

In all honesty, whomever wins this Cup (if it actually gets played) will be the champs on what will most likely be the toughest playoff season ever. IMO, if there's going to be an asterisk.... the note should read "This particular championship team had to overcome more obstacles than any in history"

[RGM81]

Speaking of...

[cygnusx1]

I keep reading comments about the "asterisk" that will go beside the cup winner's name. I'd like to understand why people believe that's a thing.

Is it because a team that wouldn't have made the playoffs won? (i.e. Montreal). Are people actually thinking that one of the lowest seeded teams is going to go on that kind of a run?

Hypothetically: If Washington repeats, but Montreal knocks out Pittsburgh, are people thinking that this would somehow make the Capitals' win lesser?

Do we believe so much in home-ice-advantage that taking the fans out - people think this will have a big impact on the results?

Is it because the regular season was not 82 games?

In all honesty, whomever wins this Cup (if it actually gets played) will be the champs on what will most likely be the toughest playoff season ever. IMO, if there's going to be an asterisk.... the note should read "This particular championship team had to overcome more obstacles than any in history"

I'd say it's more because previous Cup-winning teams didn't get a 4 month break in the middle of the season. Teams absolutely can get hot, fans can absolutely influence a game/series. The reason I was an advocate for scrapping the season altogether (aside from the obvious health reasons) is that this is no longer the same season anymore. There's too big of a gap, there's too many variables, etc

[sparty07]

The 24 team bracket means that 7 teams are done. The "play in" best-of-five round means that 8 of the 24 teams will be out before the playoffs begin (i.e. those "play in" games are NOT "play off" games). The 8 teams eliminated in that round, they'll also go into the draft lottery... in the same order they would have.

Yes, this means that Pittsburgh, who had the 7th best record when the league stopped, could lose to Montreal and will have the 15th best shot at winning the lottery. Of course the Penguins probably won't lose to Montreal, and the 15th most likely team to win the lottery probably won't win it.... but hey, there's a chance!


I'd also like to point out: If the result of this is the Oilers getting bounced by the Blackhawks (which I don't see happening, but let's play along) and they win the lottery - how mad will hockey fans be?

What I don't get is that if any of those spots get into the top 3, each team has an equal chance to get said spot?! 2 better ways to handle this to prevent what the lottery is supposed to do (help bad teams get better, while making complete tanking not a guaranteed #1 draft).

1. Evaluate the 8 who don't make the true playoffs and assign the spot to the specified odds point (i.e. in Pittsburgh example, give them the lowest ranked odds of 2% or whatever it is)
2. Evaluate the 8 who don't make it and run the random based on their win % just like the initial draft. Why would you give Pittsburgh the same odds as Montreal (.580 vs .500 win percent)?
   
   1. If the top 3 are from the 7, the rest will get drawn in order of their win %, don't change that for round 2 draw either.

[mooneyes]

It's the same for every team so whoever wins the tournament is the Champion. Whichever team has stayed in the best shape and adapts the best will have an advantage that they deserve.

[Leafsman]

I like it. Maximum chaos!

Like someone said, how would other fans feel if Edmonton wins the cup AND the draft lottery? What if Carey Price returns to form and carries a Canadiens team, that would not be in the playoffs otherwise, to a Stanley Cup win? Suppose the Maple Leafs get it together and finally end their Stanley Cup drought? Most fans would call that win tainted for sure LOL.

The possibilities are endless and it's AWESOME!