Expanded playoff format most likely scenario to complete NHL season
It may still be a long time before we see sports again in North America, but the NHL continues to plan for a way to complete their season when that day comes. Commissioner Gary Bettman had interviews this week on CNN and Fox Business Network and stated "the NHL wants to do something that is fair for the teams and keeps the integrity of the game, whether or not it's expanded playoffs." At the time of the shut down six teams were four points or fewer out of a wild-card position.
The proposed expanded format was outlined by Sportsnet's Chris Johnston last month and would have 24 teams in this years playoffs instead of the traditional 16. The top 4 teams in each conference would receive a first round bye and the remaining 16 teams would play a best of three series to qualify for the traditional best of seven series format with 16 teams. The teams that would get a bye directly into the playoffs would be Boston, Washington, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia in the East. Edmonton, Colorado, Vegas and St. Louis in the West. This format would be determined by point percentage, as it would ease some of the issues of teams playing a different number of games before the shut down.
The play-ins wouldn't take up too much time to play, meaning we could see the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs in late summer rather than the fall. The Draft Lottery could be determined by who loses the play-ins combined with the seven bottom teams, that would give the NHL a proper 15 team draft lottery. In the interest of fairness and integrity this may be the best way to go. No matter what happens it will be a season we will never forget.
The proposed expanded format was outlined by Sportsnet's Chris Johnston last month and would have 24 teams in this years playoffs instead of the traditional 16. The top 4 teams in each conference would receive a first round bye and the remaining 16 teams would play a best of three series to qualify for the traditional best of seven series format with 16 teams. The teams that would get a bye directly into the playoffs would be Boston, Washington, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia in the East. Edmonton, Colorado, Vegas and St. Louis in the West. This format would be determined by point percentage, as it would ease some of the issues of teams playing a different number of games before the shut down.
The play-ins wouldn't take up too much time to play, meaning we could see the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs in late summer rather than the fall. The Draft Lottery could be determined by who loses the play-ins combined with the seven bottom teams, that would give the NHL a proper 15 team draft lottery. In the interest of fairness and integrity this may be the best way to go. No matter what happens it will be a season we will never forget.
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