How NHL players could change the Stanley Cup playoffs

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The Stanley Cup playoff expansion is my hill to death. My final breaths will be spent uttering the words “play…in… round.”

I’ve explained my philosophy and procedures before in this columnTo reiterate, there are 32 NHL teams. In the pre-Gary Bettman expansion, 16 out of 21 teams advanced to the postseason. From 76% to 50% of the league reaching the playoffs, we’ve now seen just 50%. Seattle Kraken Joined the family. The NFL, MLB and NBA have increased their postseason fields in recent decades, while the NHL is still stagnant, which leaves money on the table.

The NHL doesn’t hide how crucial the Stanley Cup playoffs have been to their product. It’s a lot like March Madness. Although casual fans don’t stay around for the regular season they come out to support the postseason tournament. The joy and pain of the playoff run creates new fans. Meanwhile, the league struggles to market its star players outside of the hockey bubble gets their most intense media attention.

Why not invite even more teams to this party? You can invite 20 teams to the tournament, with 10 each from each conference. Play-in rounds with the No. In keeping with the NBA model, there are 7 and 10 seeds. These teams are invited to the 16-team tournament that we all love.

I asked over 12 players at the NHL Player Media Tour: What’s your ideal Stanley Cup playoffs format? And would you consider expanding this field now that there 32 franchises?

What I discovered: These NHL players would likely agree to an increase in player salaries escrow They will not agree to an expanded postseason until they do. They are interested in a smaller-scale change to the current Stanley Cup playoffs format.

The wild card should be kept. The bracket should be scrapped.

“That’s an excellent question. I enjoy half of the league being outside it. It’s a great league, but I have been outside of it quite a bit. It’s just the way I like it.” Carolina Hurricanes Center Jordan Staal said.

“But, personally, I’m quite old-school. I like the old format. “1-8”

Since 2013-14, the NHL has had the wild card format. It is a result its realignment. Detroit Red Wings And the Columbus Blue Jackets The Eastern Conference will be held in Toronto. Winnipeg Jets To the Western Conference and reorganizing the league’s 30 members into four divisions. The playoffs are for the top three teams in each division. Two wild-card teams from each conference will also be advancing to the postseason.

The key to this format was the creation a bracket so that the postseason would follow. Rather than having matchups change after each round depending on the remaining seeds vs. the lowest, it was easier to create a bracket. It secured a No. 2 divisional seed. 2 vs. No. Every postseason, there are three series. This matchup has produced great hockey like the San Jose SharksThe 2014 Classic against the Los Angeles Kings And their 2019 stunner. Vegas Golden Knights; 2016’s Seven-Gamer Between the St. Louis Blues Chicago Blackhawks; and two Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Boston Bruins Leafs fans would love to see the records removed from these series.

“I find the division rivalries entertaining to both watch and to play in. It always leads to great hockey.” Robert Thomas Blues.

The No. From No.1 through No.8, the No. From 1993-94, the NHL used the 8 seed format. This created great hockey. The format also allowed for more variety without two divisional teams being seeded against one another every season. Static seeding can be very detrimental to a team’s Stanley Cup hopes. For example, the Maple Leafs could have avoided both first-round losses to the Bruins if there had been a No. 1 through 8. 8 format instead.

Many of the players I spoke to were open-minded about the possibility of returning to the format.

“I remember thinking that growing up it was quite cool to have the 1-8 seeding. Perhaps less play is allowed in the divisions. Sometimes the divisions can be stacked.” Jack Hughes You can find the New Jersey Devils said. “I don’t know. “I just hope that we make it to the playoffs.”

Awww…

This was the same problem that the NHL faced before it adopted the 1 through 8, which allows for four teams to qualify from each division. If they had played in a lower division, some great teams would have been fifth in their stacked leagues. For example, 1987-88 saw the emergence of the “The” team. New York Rangers Although finishing fifth in the Patrick Division, they had more points than five other playoff teams. It happens.

Minnesota Wild General manager Bill Guerin was involved in both the divisional and the 1-8 format while building the current roster to the wild-card playoffs.

He can be put down for a return at the 1 through 8 seedings, while still retaining his wild-card qualification.

“I’d love to go back to 1-8.” He said that he liked the wild card to qualify for the playoffs but that he would like to return to a 1-8.

You can see why the Wild finished second in the Central Division last postseason. They were second in the Central Division, scoring 113 points. The current format meant that they would meet the Blues in the first round (109 points) and then be eliminated by them in six games. If the division champions win the top two seeds in the format of 1-8, then the Wild would have met No. 6-seeded Kings (99 Points), who the Wild would have met the No. Edmonton Oilers In the first round, you were eliminated.

Guerin indicated that although it might have been an easier route, the 1-8 format doesn’t guarantee higher seeds.

“There’s so many parity in this league now. He said that even if you go back to 1-8, you are bound to play a great team.”

Here is the universal attitude shared by all of the players about the playoff format. You just need to win the games.

San Jose’s: “I know that some teams are like, ‘We always play this group and it’s more difficult in the first rounds.’” Tomas Hertl said. “But, if you are in the playoffs and want to win Stanley Cup, you must beat everyone.”

“So for me there’s no excuse as to who we play in playoffs. It doesn’t matter if it seems like “We should have someone simpler in the first round.” It’s the playoffs.

So we should have more teams in playoffs? It doesn’t really matter who you are playing?

Hertl stated, “No.” “I like it as it is now.”

In fact, none the players that I spoke with were for expanding the NHL playoff field beyond 16. Even the ones who might be able to benefit.

Forward Jared McCann Kraken. It makes it more competitive. It makes it more exciting when it comes down the wire for a few teams.

Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba That sentiment was echoed by others. “It’s hard for me to make the playoffs. I believe sixteen is a good number. He stated that the playoffs are difficult enough and long enough for me to believe so.

Kings center Phillip Danault I wouldn’t change anything about it. It’s very nice. Sixteen is great. You can make more but it will take longer seasons. Unless you are best-of-3 and best-of-5.

A brief moment ago, I thought I saw some common ground. Perhaps a shorter tournament could allow for more teams.

That was what I did in the past Cam Atkinson You can find the Philadelphia Flyers He took the opportunity to take it in a new direction for a team that could really use an expanded playoff bracket.

He said, “I like that it’s only half the teams because it’s so hard to get in the playoffs.”

Atkinson then stopped for a moment of contemplation.

“But perhaps the Final should be the best-of-7, and the three other rounds should be the best-of-5. It might be a little shorter. Fewer guys get banged up. Why should people not want to see the best and brightest? He suggested that men should be healthier.

Intriguing. It’s counterintuitive with the war of attrition which makes the Stanley Cup playoffs special.

There may be some discussion about a shorter playoff season with more than 50% of league franchises participating. Some players were curious, but not ready to engage in that discussion right now.

They seem to be open to changing the current format. However, the NHL would be smart to listen.

Let’s keep that wild card and go back to 1-8 for each conference. It is an equitable system that provides both value for the regular season as well as some unpredictability in postseason.

For the love of Lord Stanley, please make sure you give Rebracket after each round. This includes the conference finals four teams. Two of the playoffs’ most important rivals should be allowed to meet for the Cup. Geographical distance is irrelevant.

Look, there is a new hill to be on…

Jersey Foul Award of the Week

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We know of no Rangers winger who is closer to us. Alexis Lafrenière Has made it to the top of baseball by appearing on an Upper Deck Card This sweater This falls under the “Cross-Sport Infiltration Exemption” Jersey Foul rule. This allowed for exceptions for hockey numbers and names on other sports’ jerseys to stealth market

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