The NHL Playoff Format is Broken
Before the 2013-14 season, the NHL playoffs were simple. There were 3 divisional winners in each conference that were seeded #1-3, and then the other 5 teams that made the playoffs were seeded 4-8. #1 seed played the #8 seed, the #2 seed played #7 and so on…. The NHL decided that if they were to change the playoff format, they would get divisional matchups that would promote rivalries that exist among the divisional teams, and perhaps create new ones.
Since the 2013-14 NHL season, the playoff format has not changed. The way the current format is, you will get two divisional winners per conference and two wild card teams per conference. The 8 other teams that qualify for the playoffs are matched up to their divisional opponents in a #2 vs #3 seed matchup.
Now here is where the problem lies: When there are two divisions per conference, you may get a superior division of teams which is what we have on our hands right now. Currently, Tampa Bay, Calgary, Toronto, Boston, and San Jose are the top 5 teams in the NHL standings. The way the current playoff format is set up, only TWO of those teams could make it as far as the conference finals. Also, only ONE of the three eastern conference teams that were mentioned could make the eastern conference finals. Shouldn’t the best two teams in the conference compete for the right to advance to the Stanley Cup Final? It seems kind of ridiculous. Toronto will likely play Boston in the first round, and that means that one of the best 5 teams in the league will not make it to the second round of the playoffs. This seems like a glaring issue in considering that as the playoffs progress, the top teams should advancing. The conference finals should be the best two teams in the conference (rocket science, right?).
The answer is to go back to the old format: seed all the teams #1-8, and keep the two top seeds for the divisional winners. Or the NHL could take a page from the SPHL (Southern Pro Hockey League), where the top 3 seeds get to select their first round opponent. That is a playoff format that I could get on board with, especially considering how awesome it would be to see a #1 pick their opponent and then watch them lose a playoff series to a team that they were so sure they could beat. Either way, it will be better than the format that is used now.
Written by Andrew Silvers
Twitter @asilvers55
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