Stanley Cup Playoff Seeding -- Doesn't reward regular season consistency?

[shafnutz05]

There was an article over on Blueshirt Banter today ( http://www.blueshirtbanter.com/2016/4/1 ... gless-joke)that I'm assuming was written in frustration that the Rangers would draw the Pens in Round One. While most of it is sour grapes, there were some good points made regarding the artificial matchups that are created, and how the seeding quickly becomes absurd. It doesn't reward teams with higher season point totals, outside of an extra home game. One of the things that stood out to me was this:

Take Detroit, for example. They have the lowest point total of any of the Eastern Conference playoff teams, and basically backed into the playoffs. Yet, in the first round, because of the newer format, they get to play one of the other "low-end" playoff teams in Tampa Bay (a team that is missing their franchise player, of course). If they get out of that series, which could certainly happen, they then get to play either the wounded Islanders or the Panthers, and suddenly they are halfway to the Cup.

You can look at it the reverse way too. Florida won their division and have to play the Islanders (100 pts), while TB finished second and play the Red Wings (97 points). Meanwhile, with the Pens, despite finishing 2nd in the conference in points, we have to face the fourth-highest point getter in the conference in the first round, and then proceed to play the President's Trophy winner in the second round in all likelihood, if we advance.

Out in the Western Conference, St. Louis and Chicago, two of the top three teams in the West, have to face each other in Round 1. After that, they will likely have to travel to face the top-seeded Dallas in yet another brutal series. That is insanity, and it robs us of the opportunity to see the two best teams face off in the Conference Finals, more often than not. Again, much like in the Eastern Conference, the top teams in the West have much tougher matchups in their first two rounds than the bottom half of the field.

tldnr, I understand the desire to promote the divisional rivalries in the playoffs, but it has come at the expense of making the regular season largely irrelevant, at least if you are within the Top 8. Sure, anything could happen, and we saw 7 and 8 seeds beat 1 and 2 seeds routinely, but you still felt like you were being rewarded by finishing near the top of the conference by having a more favorable route through the first couple of rounds. I'd much rather have the reseeding format, which at least maintains the relevancy of the regular season by rewarding those teams that won consistently over the brutal, long 82 game schedule. Not to mention, it was kind of fun not knowing what the matchups were going to be before the first round was over.

[Algernon]

Yeah, I agree. It should be 1v8. 2v7. And so on


But whatever

[shafnutz05]

Regarding the rivalry argument--I seem to recall that there were plenty of healthy, heated rivalries before the NHL shoehorned this new divisional format into the playoffs. We already had the most exciting playoffs in all of professional sports, so it just seemed like a hamfisted attempt to fix what wasn't broken.

[FistOfCaufield]

If you look at it from the Capitals point of view as well - they pretty much run away with things - and they get the team that literally finished second in the second round should they get there. The 7th seed seemingly has the easiest path if they can get by the first round.

Whole thing is dumb.

[columbia]

Have 1-8 or just within the division.
A mix is just terrible.

[FistOfCaufield]

Have 1-8 or just within the division.
A mix is just terrible.

It really doesn't even do what it was promoted to do.
You only really get 1 "inter-divisional" matchup, which is the 2vs3 divisional seeds. The top two teams play 7 and 8 and those could cross or in this case be from the same division.

This is one of those systems that should have been stopped right there on the discussion table. Someone needed to stand up and say "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard" when it was brought up - and the discussion should have quickly moved to whether this was needed int he sport at all.

Hockey - there is a reason it can't crack into the casual sports fan must see viewing - and this stupidity is just another reason for it. Go find a non hockey fan today and try to explain to them the playoff seeding - they will look at you and say "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard".

[NTP66]

Source of the post Hockey - there is a reason it can't crack into the casual sports fan must see viewing - and this stupidity is just another reason for it. Go find a non hockey fan today and try to explain to them the playoff seeding - they will look at you and say "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard".

This. I hate the format, and think it should die a quick death.

[Silentom]

Stupid format is stupid.

[willeyeam]

As long as you're playing teams within your division more, comparing point totals to other divisions is apples to oranges

[Beveridge]

Is this not how playoffs use to be until about the mid 90s? You always played in your division in the playoffs for the first two rounds.

Format doesn't matter. Beat the teams in front of you to win the cup.

[robbiestoupe]

Is this not how playoffs use to be until about the mid 90s? You always played in your division in the playoffs for the first two rounds.

Format doesn't matter. Beat the teams in front of you to win the cup.

Except there wasn't the criss crossing of divisions. First four teams in each division made it, and division winners played the other division winners in the conference finals. Some divisions only had 5 teams, so you had some sorry teams making the playoffs.

[mikey]

Have 1-8 or just within the division.
A mix is just terrible.

It's so simple. Somehow, the league is happy with having a raging semi...I just don't get the appeal.

I'm for a divisional playoff - though, I wasn't clamoring for the 1-8 system to be altered...but you have to do it right...or not at all...I just don't get it...

[mikey]

Wait til we get the old "preliminary round" back...like we had in the late 70's and early 80's...it won't be quite as silly as it was then, but I would not at all be shocked if in the next five years we have a best of 3 series of 7v10, 8v9 in each conference...

[columbia]

Wait til we get the old "preliminary round" back...like we had in the late 70's and early 80's...it won't be quite as silly as it was then, but I would not at all be shocked if in the next five years we have a best of 3 series of 7v10, 8v9 in each conference...

Like those play in games for the NCAA bball tournament. Everyone gets a ribbon.

[mikey]

Exactly. There is a pretty strong undercurrent around the league for this. It's a gate-driven league...this is an extra sell-out or two for a completely irrelevant team...that's a million bucks of revenue* in some spots...

* - minus the costs for the Caps to make a banner for it...

[dodint]

I agree, shaf. When I was filling out my playoff bracket I couldn't believe how ugly the bottom portion of the East was. I ended up picking the Panthers to mop up, so we may have a rematch of that 1996 ECF that still makes me pull my hair out.

The system seems broken when M2/M3 play each other. And I'm tired of the Rangers, to boot.

That said, eyeballs will be glued to the TV so I guess it doesn't matter.

[NTP66]

I love the rivalry argument, too. Let's have the same teams play each other every single year and call it a rivalry. That's not how it works.

[Staggy]

From a pure entertainment standpoint, I'd rather there be a draft of sorts where the top 3 seeds in each conference get to pick who they play. Having a team hand-select that they want to play you over 3 or 4 other teams seems like a better way to manufacture hatred.

[Gaucho]

REGULAR SEASON METROPOLITAN DIVISION FIRST RUNNER-UP 2016

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

I didn't understand the need for a fullfledged realignment anyway. If you wanted to swap Detroit for Winnipeg, fine, no one will care if you just make them switch divisions, but why the hell did you need to overhaul the playoff format?

Source of the post From a pure entertainment standpoint, I'd rather there be a draft of sorts where the top 3 seeds in each conference get to pick who they play. Having a team hand-select that they want to play you over 3 or 4 other teams seems like a better way to manufacture hatred.

this would be awesome

[mikey]

From a pure entertainment standpoint, I'd rather there be a draft of sorts where the top 3 seeds in each conference get to pick who they play. Having a team hand-select that they want to play you over 3 or 4 other teams seems like a better way to manufacture hatred.

Elitserien (Swedish league) used to do this, but discontinued it a couple years ago...

[willeyeam]

As far as I'm concerned the Stanley Cup Playoff is the best postseason there is. The little wildcard adjustment may be a net negative but it's still the best postseason. If it ain't broke don't fix it. That draft would be a big gimmick

[willeyeam]

Ideally we'd have no divisions - just 2 conferences, and the best 8 make it and play 1 v 8, 2 v 7 etc

[Silentom]

Will the NHL being hell bent on promoting rivalries, they'd never go for that format.

[willeyeam]

I'm not sure they're promoting them moreso than creating them with the current format