Gary Bettman and the NHL called upon to change the playoffs format
Fans across North America often feel like the same NHL teams make the playoffs year after year. Could the league benefit from changing how teams qualify?
The current playoff format, designed to promote parity, may actually be the reason it feels repetitive.
Under this system, the top three teams from each division automatically earn playoff spots, with four wildcard teams filling out the bracket. While this creates exciting first-round matchups, like Toronto vs. Tampa Bay or Boston, it often results in top teams facing off too early, preventing deeper playoff runs that reflect their regular-season dominance. Some of these early-round battles feel like they could be Conference Finals, such as the 2016 St. Louis vs. Chicago series.
Returning to the pre-2013 format could create more balanced matchups and allow for more underdog stories. The old format, where the #1 seed faced the #8 seed, gave rise to memorable Cinderella runs, like the 2006 Edmonton Oilers or the 2002 Carolina Hurricanes. These types of surprises are rare under the current system.
Since the new format was introduced, playoff repeats have become more common, with 13 out of the 16 teams in 2023 having qualified the year before. This predictability takes away some of the excitement. Fans and even players, like Sidney Crosby, are calling for the NHL to revert to its older format, which worked for over 25 years and brought more variety to the playoffs.
Should the NHL go back to the old system to shake things up? Many fans think so.
| POLL | ||
16 SEPTEMBRE | 213 ANSWERS Gary Bettman and the NHL called upon to change the playoffs format Should the NHL revert back to the 1 vs 8 playoff format? | ||
| Yes | 205 | 96.2 % |
| No | 8 | 3.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
