Dan Wallace: Time To Fix The Playoff Format

wild writer complaining? what's new. to be the best you have to beat the best. mild just aren't that good

TL33, you're wrong. Dan is not complaining here, but stating obvious facts. The way the playoffs format is set up, teams are not being awarded a better standing to start the playoffs. This really downplays the importance of wining games throughout the regular season. Not complaining about the Wild losing to the Blues in Rd 1, as I thought it was a great series to watch, and the Blues just plain outplayed the Wild.

But this 2nd round has been nothing more than a joke with a couple of these series. Everyone is up for the playoffs when they begin, so the NHL doesn't need to have super tight series in the 1st Rd. Save that for the 2nd Rd and Conference finals. I know personally, I'd still be watching the playoffs regularly (and not going fishing instead) if the 2nd Rd series were better. But my interest has waned a good bit.

And again, not complaing that the Wild aren't going to the Cup again this year. I didn't expect them go. I thought the Wild were at best a Conference finalist team and that would be it. But as a hockey fan overall, I think the way the playoff format is set up right now doesn't help increase the excitement of the playoffs.

As a panther fan i guess we arent in the playoffs enough for me to even realize it changed but i was not a fan. Being top of the food chain matters only for home ice and nothing else. When we moved to round 2 i was floored to hear that no matter what we play winner of tb/tor. I was still under the impression that the top plays the next lowest team. Guess i missed the memo. Makes a much better path it would seem for the metro as it guaranteed 2 of 3 of tor/fla/tb were gone by round 3. Guess it doesnt really matter. Still bitter about getting crushed by tampa. Would be nice to have continous lowest team action as a reward for climbing to the top

I agree. But the NHL change is likely copying the NBA by expanding playoff teams to 20 with play in games.

Lol @ this analysis of Edmonton's win over Calgary. That was playoff hockey and damn good playoff hockey at that. You must have hated the the early 80s Islanders and the mid 80s Oilers too, right?

Nothing worse than sour grapes mascarading as informed opinion. Not eveyone has Pat Roy and Dominik Hasek in net, bub. They have to play a different game.

wild writer complaining? what's new. to be the best you have to beat the best. mild just aren't that good
- tonyleopold 33

K, obviously you didn’t read or understand Dans blog and just decided to puff your troll chest and bloviate…. well you’re team hasn’t looked all that impressive against the Avs and are a loss away from being in the same boat as the Wild at this point. So good luck with that

Blues fan here. I liked the idea of rivalries building with division foes playing each other.

Enough people have called out this format though, and it gives me pause. There will not be a perfect answer, but it does make some sense to re-seed and reward teams for the regular season. Look at this year, the regular season feels a bit pointless to a lot of teams. They even say so. If you are a good team but can’t greatly impact your playoff position down the stretch, then why not just prepare for the playoffs.

Also, rivalries are not what they used to be for more reasons than playoff matchups.
Its a different game, less gooning it up…even the players are off-ice friends.

Prefer 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7 etc. Makes the regular season more important and allows for better matchups in rounds 2 and 3, instead o f the league blowing their load in round 1

I suggest top 3 teams each division make the PO’s. There is a 4 team wild card play in of the best remaining records for each conference. Best of 5 in 7 nights & give the other 12 teams a rest & heal up. Winners of the play in no day off for round 1.

Seeding:
1st in conference vs 8th
1st vs 7th
2nd vs 3rd inter-division
2nd vs 3rd inter-division
Better rivalry & less travel out west.
Reseed after 1st round on season points 1 vs 8 2 vs 7 3 vs 6 4 vs 5.

I don't know that there's a solution that would please everyone as no matter what if any change is made will please some while not others. I'll say this about the battle of Alberta. Yes that first game was not your typical playoff game however for anyone that has watched this series, McDavid is NOT your typical star. It truly is amazing to watch him skate faster than ANY other player. At times he looks like a man among boys and these are the best players in the world. Credit the Oilers as they are playing the type of game that they need to play to win. Which is a fast offensive game. Their defense has always been suspect as well as their goaltending. But they have found a way to get it done so far. The best series so far has been the Rangers and Carolina with each team winning their home games leading up to an exciting game 7 tomorrow. Anyhow you make an interesting point and change is inevitable so you never know. I still miss the old school Norris division but once again, change.

Strange blog.

Minnesota is a good step down from a true Stanley Cup contender.

Flames are a big heavy Sutter playoff team that wrecked teams 5v5 this year.

TB has had to go through the Presidents Trophy winner and a Leafs team that they just barely squeaked past. To flip the script/perspective.

The whole Eastern Conference was decided by Christmas and was a bit of a joke because either you were a decent team or a poop team with no hope in hell. Unprecedented that clear division of suck or not suck so early in the year.

If you don't like it... To each their own but it's hard to imagine any system that "fixes" anything. Seems like fixing for you means makes it easier for certain good but not great teams to get a round or two in the playoffs before being ousted.

Strange blog.

Minnesota is a good step down from a true Stanley Cup contender.

Flames are a big heavy Sutter playoff team that wrecked teams 5v5 this year.

TB has had to go through the Presidents Trophy winner and a Leafs team that they just barely squeaked past. To flip the script/perspective.

The whole Eastern Conference was decided by Christmas and was a bit of a joke because either you were a decent team or a poop team with no hope in hell. Unprecedented that clear division of suck or not suck so early in the year.

If you don't like it... To each their own but it's hard to imagine any system that "fixes" anything. Seems like fixing for you means makes it easier for certain good but not great teams to get a round or two in the playoffs before being ousted.
- Aerchon

Yeah, we Wild fans are getting more and more bitter about 1st Rd exits each year, that is very true. But the point is also looking at the overall playoffs for the NHL. The way the the format is set today, the seedings do not really take into affect the work put in during the regular season. And secondly, the NHL is STILL the 4th major sport out of the big 4. Having the excitement of the playoffs helps to build the fanbase and whatnot. But when you have great 1st Rd series, then so-so 2nd Rd series....that kind of defeats the purpose of things being tighter the farther into the playoffs a team goes, thus creating more excitement and increasing the fanbase, viewership and moving up the ranks of the big 4 in sports. Yes, you want exciting series in the 1st Rd. But, IMHO, you would want the 2nd Rd series to be even better. The conference finals to be barnburners. And the Cup series to be off the charts.

Yet they finished ahead of the Blues two years in a row over 82 games.

Strange blog.

Minnesota is a good step down from a true Stanley Cup contender.

Flames are a big heavy Sutter playoff team that wrecked teams 5v5 this year.

TB has had to go through the Presidents Trophy winner and a Leafs team that they just barely squeaked past. To flip the script/perspective.

The whole Eastern Conference was decided by Christmas and was a bit of a joke because either you were a decent team or a poop team with no hope in hell. Unprecedented that clear division of suck or not suck so early in the year.

If you don't like it... To each their own but it's hard to imagine any system that "fixes" anything. Seems like fixing for you means makes it easier for certain good but not great teams to get a round or two in the playoffs before being ousted.
- Aerchon

The Wild were one of the if not the best 5v5 team in the league. Their downfall all season was special teams which was in the past a strength especially the PK. I disagree the Wild had a tougher road to the playoffs fighting for home ice until the last day then facing their nemesis in the Blues.

Had the playoffs been 1 v 8 etc. the first round would have been.
Avs vs. Preds
Wild vs. Stars
Flames vs. Kings
Blues vs. Oilers

The issue here is fairness. You cannot minimize an 82 game regular season for which many of us pay thousands for season tickets to decide playoff match ups.

What is your proposal to fix it? Imo if you want more entertainment in later rounds go back to best of 5. Leave the final at best of 7. The players are tired. Or shorten the season. Either way it would be nice to have hockey finish by the end of May.

For now Best teams move forward, and thats fine by me. Its a gruelling task to win the cup. Likely the hardest in all pro sports. Only the strongest mentally and physically win it , as well like any sport sprinkle in some luck.